Mark Yanai, Author at Fukuji & Lum Physical Therapy

March 15, 2016 By Mark Yanai

New Beginnings at Kuakini

Welcome to F&L’s Newest Clinic

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F&L recently opened its newest clinic in the Physicians Tower of the Kuakini Medical Center (KMC). After our Honolulu Clinic moved out of the Pali Medical Center a few of years ago, we temporarily shared offices with other businesses at KMC.

Last year, we were fortunate enough to find our own office space in the Physicians Tower and began building the clinic from scratch. Under the direction of owner, Art Lum, and clinic director Shaw Okawara, PT, the clinic was successfully completed in January and began seeing patients on the 18th.

One of Art’s visions for the new Honolulu clinic was to not only provide physical therapy services at this clinic, but to allow it to become a gathering place for the community and its many special programs.

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In February, the Honolulu clinic was honored to host the grand opening of ALS Association’s Golden West Chapter’s first ALS multidisciplinary clinic in Hawaii.

Previously, it was difficulty for patients with ALS to receive the necessary care for the disease in Hawaii. Patients with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) experience a progressive loss of the ability to talk, walk, swallow, move and breathe. It is due to the multiple symptoms of the disease, a team of varied medical professionals is needed to treat one person.

The new clinic at KMC will offer such an opportunity for patients by providing physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, nutrition, speech therapy and emotional support. Representing F&L in the group are Art Lum, PT, and Nicole Sato, M.O.T.

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Heading this group is Brandon Hirota, MD, of Neurology Associates in Kuakini and Fred Fisher, CEO and Golden West Chapter President. Their work and passion have been a driving force to provide a one-stop clinic that will meet once a month at KMC. F&L is grateful that we can be a part of such a program that will provide a much needed service for the community.

For any information regarding the ALS Group of Hawaii, please contact the ALS Association at 1-866-750-2572 or email the at [email protected]

The Honolulu clinic also began another great venture by opening its doors this past Saturday to F&L staff and KMC volunteers for a Tai Chi Chuan class. Classes will be held every Saturday from 11am – 12pm. Details to follow in an upcoming blog.

If you are interested in receiving physical therapy services at our new Honolulu clinic, please call us at (808)-521-4922.

Happy at Work

February 29, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Introducing Mila

Introducing Mila!

As we continuing with our introductions of our five new co-ops, we welcome Mila to the F&L family. She and her classmate, Kaitlin, are currently working at our Kokokahi clinics, both at the pool and Kaneohe clinic. Throughout the next six months, we hope that some of our patients get the opportunity to be a part of her experience in Hawaii.

What school did you attend in high school and what’s your current college?
I attended Ashland High School and my current college in Northeastern University in Boston.

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What drew you to physical therapy?
During my freshman year of college I became very active and started running and working out with a grassroots workout group called November Project. As a retired dancer and a pharmacy major I quickly realized that my passion lay in the preventative side of medicine that focused on patient care and had an impact on patients’ lives. After going to physical therapy myself, I realized that a career as a physical therapist would allow me to explore my interest in the human body and make a huge impact on the quality of life of my patients. It is an extremely rewarding, challenging, and fun career that completely matches my active lifestyle.

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Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?
F&L offers aquatic therapy, which is something I have always been interested in. They also seem to have a family environment within their company, which is something I have always wanted to experience. And… it’s Hawaii; the real question is why would I ever not want to do my coop in paradise! It is so amazing to have a full day at work and then be able to drive 5 minutes to do a sunset hike overlooking the beach.

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What has been your experience like so far?
My experience so far has been absolutely incredible! I can’t believe it has only been a month. I have been hiking, surfing, swimming, eating lots of delicious food, meeting wonderful friends, and getting my tan on.

What’s the strangest thing that you’ve eaten since arriving? Natto…

What is on your to do list while here?
Hike stairway to heaven, sky dive, check out Big Island and Kauai, paraglide, learn more songs on guitar, eat everything, get very tan, and of course learn how to surf!

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What are your outside interests?
I love to dance, cook, write, sing, read, watch movies, hike, and snowboard.

What kind of therapist do you hope to be?
I would like to be an outpatient orthopedic therapist. I hope to obtain the experience and knowledge to confidently provide each individual patient with the best care and attention to their unique injuries.

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Who is your greatest influence in your life?
I don’t have a single influence in my life. I am blessed to have been surrounded by loving friends and family who have shaped me into the person I am today. I have had the same best friends since the 6^th grade and I am very close to my family. I believe the close relationships I have made so far have been my biggest motivator and have showed me how fun life can be when you’re surrounded by those you love!

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Happy at Work

February 11, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Introducing Kara

Meet Kara!

Continuing with our introductions of our Co-ops, we are happy to have Kara Dwyer as one of our PT students at our WORC and Aquatic sites. Like most Co-ops, Kara is well traveled and is not new to being immersed in a new culture. Read about her travels and what led her to our organization.
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What school did you attend in high school and what’s your current college?
I hail from Woodstock, Illinois, where I walked the halls of Woodstock High School (go Blue Streaks!) and now attend Northeastern University.

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What drew you to physical therapy?
I’ve always been interested in the human body, I’ve always been active, and find it incredibly fulfilling to help people. Put all of that in a blender and you get an aspiring PT. Also my mother is a PT so I’ve always been around it. Fun fact- my grandmother was as well, so I’ll be a third generation PT!

Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?
I have a bit of a travel bug, passed on from parents who met while traveling the world, so at every opportunity I get to experience new people and places, I leap! It helps that Northeastern impresses experiential learning on all its students, and what better way to get experience and learn more about yourself and others than leaving your comfort zone. Fukuji & Lum also seemed like the kind of loving and open environment I would like to learn in.

What has been your experience like so far?
So far I’ve learned an incredible amount, as I haven’t been in a physical therapy environment like Fukuji & Lum before. My clinical experience up to now mostly consists of working with children in a vastly different setting. I’ve had a wonderful time exploring Kailua and a little of Kaneohe and Honolulu, and everyone I have met are the most genuinely open and welcoming people. So far I’ve been getting around by bike, albeit a bike that is just a tad too small, but it is quite enjoyable. I’ve started adventuring into the island and ocean, and anticipate a lot more of that!

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What’s the strangest thing that you’ve eaten since arriving?
We’ve been trying a lot of interesting fruit, like lilikoi, guava, longan. I would say the strangest thing i have been introduced to would be spam musubi, which was quite an experience and pretty good honestly!

What are your outside interests?
Well let’s see now, I have a plethora of interests. At school I’m involved in a few theatre groups, I ref and play intramural sports: mostly volleyball and soccer, I’ve taken a few ASL courses, I’m involved in choir, I like exploring/adventuring, goofing off, and being a kid, although the last year I’ve spent a lot of time with my best friend- the library.

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What is on your to do list while here?
We’ve already started a “Hawaii bucket list” that seems to get longer every day- to experience and learn about the melting pot of Hawaiian cultures; explore mountains, waterfalls, and coastal hikes; scuba dive once or twice; skydive possibly; and do something to be more connected and involved in the community, maybe some sort of rec league, music class, or volunteering opportunities to give back. Also it is a goal of mine to start eating fish. I’ve always thought I didn’t like any kind of fish, but I’ve been trying to expand my horizons in terms of food and it’s going well!

What kind of therapist do you hope to be?
I have yet to experience many of the environments and types of physical therapy there are, so I’m not sure yet how I see myself as a therapist. I do, however, hope to be able to instill confidence and joy in my patients as they work towards their goals.

Who is your greatest influence in your life?
I have so many very interesting, amazing, positive, eclectic, joyful, intelligent, open, serious, curious, loyal, driven, caring, and wonderful individuals in my life, from whom I try to emulate these certain characteristics. So I couldn’t really pick out one person who has been influential to me in a large way, but give each of them credit for part of who I am today.

Happy at Work

February 9, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Recertified and Upgraded CPR

CPR RE-CERTIFICATION

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Every two years, F&L goes through the process of getting our staff re-certified in administering CPR. This year, we gathered at our WORC site to learn the latest CPR/AED techniques from the AED Institute.

Aaron Hepps, HM1/USN(Ret.), was our main instructor and did an outstanding job! Assisting him was Morgan Hawley. What has changed since our last class a couple of years ago? First off, a lot of the ratios that were important in previous versions were removed. We didn’t have to memorize the different compression to breath ratios because rescue breathing is no longer required. Also, no more finger swiping for choking babies!

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We also learned of a couple of apps that are useful when necessary. Pulse Point is a phone app that not only lets you know where the closest public AED is, but alerts other users that assistance is needed. Another useful app is ICE, which keeps emergency information about yourself that responders can look at if the user is unresponsive. The ICE app is being used by many first responders and can give useful information like blood type, medical conditions, medications and emergency contacts.

When the class was done, we had a little birthday celebration for Joy and Deb, our Mobile team! Also, thanks to Janie, the clinic was decorated with balloons and streamers for the lucky ladies.

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We hope that we never have to use CPR, but thanks to the AED Institute, we’ll be ready for any emergency situation! Thanks Aaron & Morgan! If you need more information regarding getting certified in CPR or AED, please contact Aaron at 808.440.8988 or email him at [email protected]. You can visit their websites at www.facebook.com/AED.Institute and www.aedinstitute.com.

Mark's Blog

February 2, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Introducing Natalia

We continue with the introductions of our most recent Co-ops. Meet Natalia, our newest addition to the Kailua clinic. Read about how her detour from the mainland to Hawaii for her next Co-op experience came about in our Q&A session below.
– What school did you attend in high school and what’s your current college?
I went to Jesuit High School in Portland, OR and moved to Boston for Northeastern University‘s six year DPT program.

– What drew you to physical therapy?
I’ve always known I wanted to be in the health profession, so in high school I did a lot of research and talked to a bunch of people from different careers. What struck me the most was how much physical therapists enjoyed their jobs and felt that their work was deeply rewarding and meaningful. I shadowed at an outpatient clinic and it was very inspirational to see the strong rapport PTs have with their patients and how hard they work to help their patients improve.

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– Why did you want to do your Co-op in Hawaii?

I really enjoyed my last outpatient Co-op because I appreciated the depth of a relationship that can be built over a longer timeframe with patients seen in an outpatient clinic as opposed to a hospital setting. I decided the Hawaii Co-op would give me a new take on an environment that I’ve already had some experience with and plan to go in the future, as well as provide me the opportunity to learn fresh techniques, perspectives, and cultural values which will shape my practice down the line.
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– What has been your experience like so far?
It’s been incredible! Honestly, everyone is so friendly and chill. I thought it would be hard to transition to a completely different culture and surroundings than what I’m used to, but I already never want to leave! I have never felt so stress-free and so physically and mentally healthy! I can tell these six months are going to fly by.

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– What’s the strangest thing that you’ve eaten since arriving?
I would probably say the strawberry guava that we picked off the side of a trail during a hike in Temple Valley. It was delicious and not as strange of a texture as lilikoi, but just the fact that I could pick tasty, edible fruit to munch in the middle of our hike totally blew my mind! I also couldn’t figure out if I should eat the small seeds or spit them out!
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– What is on your to do list while here?
My to do list mainly revolves around being fully immersed in the culture and experiences while I’m here and to take advantage of every moment. I am going to try and be outside as much as possible by swimming, biking, running and hiking O’ahu’s beautiful landscapes. My other main goal is to learn as much as I can from the unique culture and clinic opportunities, making sure I come away with an unforgettable educational experience.

– What are your outside interests?
I’m very into tea and I love to cook healthy and try new recipes. I bike everywhere back in Boston and enjoy reading outdoors whenever I get a chance. I really like petting people’s dogs and taking advantage of community volunteer opportunities.

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– What kind of therapist do you hope to be?
I hope to be the kind of therapist who is constantly learning and bettering herself in order to best help other people, putting the well-being of my patients above all else. I really value education and continual learning which I believe is crucial for providing the best possible health care.

– Who is your greatest influence in your life?
That’s hard to say, because everyone I’m close to has influenced me in some way — my family, friends, teachers, peers, and coworkers alike. If I had to choose one person, I would say my sister. She’s the one who’s given me my love of outdoor adventure, shaped my taste in music and literature, and honed my skills in vegetarian cooking. She has showed me what it means to be a compassionate and altruistic individual. She has always encouraged me to follow my dreams and has been there whenever I’ve had to make tough decisions. She definitely is likely the reason why I chose a career in physical therapy.

Happy at Work

January 25, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Mahalo & Aloha Victoria

As we introduce our new Co-Ops, we also say goodbye to those who have completed the fall semester. Victoria guest blogs for me as she reflects back on the past six months and her experience with F&L.

There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t wish I could be back in Hawaii (especially with Boston’s current 30 degree weather). I had wanted to apply to the Fukuji and Lum co-op ever since I first heard about it three years ago. As someone who loves to travel, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to continue my physical therapy education while living in and experiencing a new place.

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While the thought of moving halfway around the world for six months seemed intimidating, the Fukuji and Lum family welcomed us with open arms and showed us the true meaning of “Aloha” from day one. I feel truly lucky to have had the privilege of getting to know both the staff members and patients at F&L. From giving me my first spam musubi to inviting us to an Okinawan festival, everyone went out of their way to ensure we experienced all aspects of the Hawaiian culture. The always calm and friendly Hawaiian spirit was impossible not to catch and is something I hope to always keep with me.

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My weeks in Hawaii were filled with learning while I worked at the Kailua and Kaneohe Clinics as well as the Aquatic Therapy program in Kaneohe. The dedicated physical therapists and PTA’s were always there to encourage me and answer my many questions. Thanks to them, I have come back to Boston knowing more than I ever thought I could learn in six months and with a greater drive to continue learning and complete my final three years of physical therapy school.

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Growing up a swimmer, Kaneohe pool’s Aquatic Therapy program made me feel at home immediately. Working with physical therapists Rachel, Jocelyn, and Joy, as well as the rest of the aquatic therapy staff, Deb, Billy, Wes and my fellow co-op Connor, there was always somebody ready to show me new techniques or answer a question. During my six months, I was able to watch the program grow and have gained a greater understanding of Aquatic Therapy and the many benefits it provides.

In the Kailua clinic I worked closely with Randall Fukuji and Clarise who introduced me to PRI (Postural Restoration Institute), an approach to physical therapy that I had never heard of before coming to Hawaii. In the clinic, I instructed patients in their exercises and assisted with some manual techniques. I’ve learned the importance of keeping an open mind and always continuing my education as a physical therapist.

In Kaneohe’s Lower Atherton Clinic I was able to assist and observe physical therapists Jamie, Brad and Nate, and gained an appreciation for the many different ways each of them treated patients. Also, PTAs Colleen and Janie were always there to teach me new exercises and answer any of my questions. From observing evaluations, manual therapy, and attending different in-services, the Kaneohe clinic kept me constantly learning.

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Outside the clinic, my weekends were always exciting and filled with different adventures. My favorite memories include many muddy hikes and beautiful beaches, as well as kayaking to the Mokulua island, spending days on the North Shore, and swimming with wild spinner dolphins. I don’t think thank you is enough to describe how grateful I am to each one of my coworkers, patients, and new friends for making Windward Oahu feels like home.

Aloha,

Victoria

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Mark's Blog

January 23, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Introducing Amelia

Here we go again! The new Northeastern University Co-ops are here and we have FIVE of them this semester! This is most that we’ve ever employed for a semester, but with the growth of our organization, we’ve taken the plunge into staffing a student at each of our four clinics. See some of my previous blogs and our website for information about our relationship with Northeastern University.

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Fukuji & Lum welcomes Amelia, one of the five Co-ops staying with us for the next six months. She is currently working at our NEW Honolulu clinic at the Kuakini Medical Center. Amelia is braving the morning traffic from Kailua to town, working as a medical receptionist and assisting our therapists, Shaw Okawara and Art Lum.

Amelia shared some thoughts about coming to Hawaii and her experiences so far.

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– What school did you attend in high school and what’s your current college?

I graduated Bethlehem Catholic High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and I’m currently in my fourth year at Northeastern University.

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– Why did you want to do your co-op in Hawaii?

I love traveling in general but I wanted to come to Hawaii to immerse myself in an entirely different place for a Co-op. I wanted to experience what practicing PT was like here as well as explore the culture. I’m hoping I’ll be able to take back a new perspective on my PT practice as well as life in general when I return to Boston. I’m also grateful to have escaped the wicked New England winter.

– What has been your experience like so far?

I love it so far! There are beautiful things everywhere you look. I’ve been really enjoying weekend adventures and all the outdoor activities. It’s hard to do a lot of those things in the city back home, so I’ve really been trying to soak it all in while I’m here!

– What’s the strangest thing that you’ve eaten since arriving?

My roommates and I have been eating any weird fruit we can get our hands on. So far I’d probably have to say it’s lilikoi. We’ve also eaten quite a few things we don’t know the names for…

– What is on your to do list while here?

I’m really hoping to do cage diving with sharks off the North Shore. It’s been #1 on my bucket list since I was about 13. Also, surfing lessons.

– What are your outside interests?

I’m a voracious reader, I’ll read pretty much anything. I like art museums, cooking, hiking, yoga, and horse back riding. I also thoroughly enjoy long walks to the fridge.

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– What drew you to physical therapy and what kind of therapist do you hope to be?

My mom is an occupational hand therapist so I’ve always grown up around rehabilitation. I took an anatomy class in high school and she’d always tell me cool things I didn’t learn in class, which sparked my interest in PT. She’s also incredibly caring towards her patients, often working late hours just to fit them all in and coming up with custom contraptions so her patients could get back to their daily lives. I’ve never seen a therapist as hardworking and humble, and I hope one day I can be even half the therapist she is.

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Happy at Work

January 14, 2016 By Mark Yanai

Happy New Year!

It’s been a while since I wrote my last blog! With the holiday season and a busy clinical schedule, I put the blog on the back burner for November and December. Now that it’s the beginning of a new year, I can reflect on what happened in 2015 and look forward to setting new goals for 2016.

Looking back at 2015, it was so rewarding to see how much our company accomplished this past year. Growth of our clinics has been abundant, as several of our programs have increased in size.

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The Aquatic Therapy Program has expanded to five days a week with over 40 hours of pool time available to treat patients. Under the direction of Rachel Hyland, P.T., it has become one of the largest providers in the state for aquatic physical therapy.

Our newest therapy service that we offer is Mobile Therapy, which just started servicing the Windward community in 2015. Joy Yanai, D.P.T., director of this unique program, provides clinical services to patients in their own home. We expect 2016 to be a busy year for this valuable program, as physicians are becoming more aware of the benefits that their patients with special requirements can have from mobile therapy.

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This past year, the Performance Plus Program (PPP) had the highest enrollment in its short history. Many former patients are finding the need for continued care under the direction of a skilled therapist to meet personal goals for their health and well-being.

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The PPP program is currently available at our W.O.R.C. and Honolulu Clinic, but we are looking to expand this special program to all of our locations in 2016.

The W.O.R.C. clinic continues to grow with the addition of Nicole Sato, M.O.T., the first Occupational Therapist that F&L has hired. Nicole primarily works with patients in our Work Hardening Program, which is an integral component of the Worker’s Compensation Program offered at W.O.R.C.

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For the past two years,The Honolulu Clinic has been located at the Kuakini Medical Plaza under the leadership of Art Lum, PT. We will soon be moving to the Kuakini Physician Tower later this month. As the only private outpatient physical therapy clinic at the Tower, we look forward to this tremendous opportunity and hope the new location will be a boon to our organization.

Every year F&L brings young PT students to grow in their profession by participating in the Northeastern University (NEU) Cooperative Program. In 2015, we brought in a total of five students, Teagan Ferguson, Sarah Agustin, Cody Gilliss, Victoria Ruvolo, and Connor Pokorney. They each spent six months working in our clinics and pool, assisting our clinical staff in treating patients. For 2016, we look to expand the program with more students throughout the year, starting with five new co-ops headed our way this month. Check back in my blog as we introduce each one and follow their journey.

As we continued to grow in size and maturity throughout 2015, our values-based culture remained the focal point of the company and determined every aspect and decision made by the organization.

We always found time to celebrate our culture with many annual events and special activities, including a company retreat, Free Car Wash, Family Fun Day, Spring Break Fun, Arthritis Walk, PT Month and Halloween Party.

2015 culminated with our annual Holiday Gathering which was held at Dave & Buster’s. Lots of food, fun and gratitude were shared by all. We not only gathered to share Christmas cheer but also to commemorate our 20th anniversary. And then to top it all off, the staff surprised me with a special presentation honoring my ten-year anniversary with the organization.

I’m hopeful that 2015 was a big stepping-stone to a great 2016. There are many things on the agenda for next year and I’m excited about the challenges that this year will bring. Look for more in my upcoming blog.

Mark's Blog

October 24, 2015 By Mark Yanai

Family Fun Day at the Beach

F&L Summer Fun

F&L celebrated the end of summer with a “Family Fun Day” at Honeymoon Beach located on Hickam Air Force Base. The company shut down production for an entire day so that staff members and their families could gather together on a private beach for some summer fun. We pride ourselves on putting family values at the top of our list of priorities and this was a great example of our company commitment to the staff.

Very few locals know of Honeymoon Beach. It was created in the 1960s when the U.S. Air Force created an ocean recreational complex on the shore of Hickam A.F.B. Completed in 1965, it included a small beach harbor and two beaches which were excavated out of surrounding coral flats. Sand was brought in from other military installations on Oahu and constructed through a self-help program with the assistance of Hickam’s civil engineers and Kaneohe marines.

Use of the beach is restricted to active and retired military personnel, their dependents and guests. It was given it’s name because it is separate from Hickam Beach Park and isolated in a cove. It’s unique in that it is adjacent to the airport runway and commercial planes pass by frequently on their way to the takeoff runway.

Our Culture Club, volunteer staff members from each of our clinics who take on the role of nurturing our company values, organized this year’s first annual Family Fun Day. The club wanted to create an annual event that would give staff members and their families the opportunity to come together as one big ohana.

Honeymoon beach made for a perfect venue as the F&L ohana was able to enjoy, relax and fellowship with one another. It was a beautiful day, filled with good food, lots of sun and fun beach games. Hopefully, Family Fun Day will be an event that we can all look forward to attending each year.

Here are some of the special moments captured at the beach.

Happy at Work

September 9, 2015 By Mark Yanai

My Morning Routine: Listening to My Heart

What’s HRV and why should I care?

I’ve written about my morning routine in previous blogs and why it’s important to my wellbeing and me. Meditation and breathing exercises are key components of that routine and so is a movement practice that sets the tone of my day. But how do I know that this routine is effective? I did quite a bit of research to find some way to quantify my day-to-day improvement since I knew that using just my “gut feeling” wasn’t enough. Having a scientific background led me to look at measuring my heart rate, blood pressure and sleep cycles and I concluded that the best measurement of effectiveness was to look at Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

I first heard of HRV while listening to Ben Greenfield’s fitness podcast. He spoke about it often and wrote about it in his book, Beyond Training. He even has his own app to use for an iPhone. Unfortunately, I’m more of a Android guy and needed to look elsewhere. After an extensive search and multiple trials, I found one that I’ve used for the past year: Elite HRV.

So what is HRV? According to Elite HRV’s website, “Basic Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is the measured changes of the time intervals between successive heart beats. Unlike Heart Rate (HR) that averages the number of heart beats per minute, HRV looks much closer at the small fluctuations of the heart that occur in response to internal and external events. “

For those of you with the propeller hats, there’s a more scientific explanation. This one is from Polar.com:

Heart rate varies with every heartbeat. Heart rate variability (HRV) is the variation of beat to beat intervals, also known as R-R intervals. Electrocardiogram (ECG) is the electric signal originating from heart. The most distinct feature of the ECG is the QRS complex, which consists of the Q, R and S waves and originates from the electrical activation of the heart ventricles. Figure 1 illustrates the variation of time between R-R intervals.

HRV indicates the fluctuations of heart rate around an average heart rate. An average heart rate of 60 beats per minute (bpm) does not mean that the interval between successive heartbeats would be exactly 1.0 sec., instead they may fluctuate/vary from 0.5 sec up to 2.0 sec.

HRV is affected by aerobic fitness. HRV of a well-conditioned heart is generally large at rest. Other factors that affect HRV are age, genetics, body position, time of day, and health status. During exercise, HRV decreases as heart rate and exercise intensity increase. HRV also decreases during periods of mental stress. HRV is regulated by the autonomic nervous system. Parasympathetic activity decreases heart rate and increases HRV, whereas sympathetic activity increases heart rate and decreases HRV.

If you didn’t quite comprehend what was stated above, don’t worry. The takeaway is that HRV measures the balance of your nervous system. It lets you know if you’re more in the “fight or flight” or “rest and relaxation” mode. By measuring my HRV daily, I’m able to know if my morning routine, physical training, and sleep are being optimized.

Without fail, my readings have given me instant feedback about how my body is reacting. After hard training days, my HRV is usually lower and it gives me an idea about how I’m going to attack the day. It also gives me excellent feedback on when I’m over-reaching or over-training. It was interesting that after last month’s Spartan Race, my morning readings reflected the effects on my HRV:

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My HRV the morning of the race:

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My HRV the following morning:

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Due to the information and knowledge that I’ve gained by measuring HRV, I decided to use it as a tool for treating patients. For our Work Hardening patients, we’ve collected six months of measurements to track the effectiveness of the program as well as looking for trends in patients. It’s been interesting to note that patients who’ve come in with low readings often struggle with the program and exhibit weak cardiovascular systems. I believe monitoring HRV during our patient exercise routines will become an integral part of their therapy treatment program and in the future, I hope to be involved with a medical model that is specific to patients in this capacity.

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If you are interested in monitoring your HRV, you’ll need a heart rate monitor. I’ve tried several and so far we’ve had the best results with Polar’s H7. Also, there are several apps that are compatible with the Polar H7 (and other bluetooth HR monitors) and can be easily found on the internet. We use the Elite HRV app (compatible with Google Play and App Store devices) and you can download it here. Start by taking a reading as soon as you wake up and then several more during your exercise routine. If you have any questions regarding this topic, feel free to email me or stop by our WORC site.

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Mark's Blog

Pay Bill

Author: <span>Mark Yanai</span>

New Beginnings at Kuakini

Introducing Mila

Introducing Kara

Recertified and Upgraded CPR

Introducing Natalia

Mahalo & Aloha Victoria

Introducing Amelia

Happy New Year!

Family Fun Day at the Beach

My Morning Routine: Listening to My Heart