Every year when summer hits my whole family heads to the lake. My family has always loved the water, any kind of water. When I was young, we would pack up and head south to Virginia to either Smith Mountain Lake or Lake Anna. They are beautiful lakes where all my siblings and I learned to water ski. Water skiing was a passion for my family and long before we could ski, we use to go with my mom and dad and watch them ski with their friends. As a kid I thought it was quite magical to be on the lake and listen to the engine purr, feel the sway of the boat, and hear the laughter of my parents. It was pretty special spending time together as a family on the water.

Maybe that is why every year when summer arrives we follow that same path and head out to Hayden Lake. In fact this year was quite spectacular already because all three of us siblings took our first ski of the season together on the lake a few weeks ago. We laughed and wondered if we still had what it takes to actually get up and slalom like we use too. We even toyed with the idea of not going and just pulling the kids. Every year it's the same, you wonder if you still got it or if the lake will win. Will you pop right up out of the water or take on too much water? Will you be able to walk the next day or will your legs be like noodles? Will your arms feel like hamster arms from holding on to the rope so tight? Will you tweak your neck after your wreck?

Well all of my siblings had been working out on a fairly consistent basis, lifting weights and doing cardiovascular training, but you know those nagging old injuries can sometimes show up, so we weren't so sure. Well to my amazement my back didn't hurt, thanks to my new upright Core Align Pilates machine and my legs were not like jelli the next day, thanks to the Power Plate. These two new training activities have been so much fun for us at our office and have opened up a whole new way of getting healthy.

The Power Plate especially gets your body ready for all the crazy gravitational pulls you experience when you are water skiing. It works your balance and all the proprioceptors in your muscles and joints that tell your brain where your body is in space. It is an incredible concept and it works well because I had no aches or pains after skiing my first time out this year.

Daily exercise is just like that for all of us. It has the ability to make the rest of our life so good. Exercise can help us do the things we want to do, and were afraid to try and then keep us doing the things we have always done. What do you want to do this summer? The lake is calling.

Sheree DiBiase, PT, and her staff can be reached at Lake City Physical Therapy (208) 667-1988 if you need help getting and staying healthy this summer. Otherwise I well see you at the lake!