Take a look at our March newsletter!
CAMPUS COMMONS
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS THROUGH HARDWORK AND DEDICATION
We all have things we hope to achieve in our lives, whether they’re personal, professional, or financial. It’s rarely easy and takes plenty of hard work to reach these goals, but when we accomplish what we set out to do, we feel relief! However, once we accomplish one goal, we typically quickly create another one to take its place. My first year owning the business, I simply wanted to have a successful year, learn how to run a business and not mess anything up along the way. As time went on and I figured things out, I began to set more challenging company and personal goals. On the business side, my goals can range from gathering more positive reviews of our company, doing more workshops for public groups, and improving our graduation rate of our patients.
as a company. It’s wonderful hearing positive feedback and seeing consistent growth over the past seven years. It’s no longer just about keeping the doors open. Instead, we aim to provide more services and care to our clients. Additionally, we now have the largest staff we’ve ever had. We are currently at 16 employees and growing. Their hard work and dedication allow us to reach these new numbers and goals. I can’t wait to see what we can all achieve together. “SOMETIMES IT TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO ACHIEVE OUR GOALS THAN WE’D LIKE.” I normally also have personal goals in addition to our business goals. This year I want to put more focus on the personal ones, namely my health and well-being. I spend a lot of time worrying about the health of others and not enough about my own. One of the biggest changes I’ve made was visiting my doctor for checkups. I used to only go when it was necessary, but since I turned 50, I’ve been more focused on seeing the doctor and getting all the necessary tests done. It’s the first step toward creating a healthier me. Remember, sometimes it takes a little longer to achieve our goals than we’d like. But, if you put in the work, you have every reason to get to your final endpoint. Make sure your goals make sense, and create a plan to reach them. Our goals, no matter if business, financial, or personal, are obtainable through hard work and dedication. You just have to keep pushing when things get tough.
When I first took over, we were only seeing about 450 visits a month. This was nothing to be ashamed of, but I knew we could take it to the next level as the need for physical therapy grew in our area. Last year, we saw the most patients we
have ever seen in the clinic: We averaged over 1,000 visits per month and finished the year with well over 12,000 visits. With all the challenges brought about by Covid, we were still able to reach our goal.
We only achieved this success because
of our entire staff’s commitment. They know the goals and work toward reaching them. I’m extremely proud of the growth and success we have seen
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How to Treat Injuries at Home ICE OR HEAT?
INJURIES YOU SHOULD APPLY HEAT TO
Whenever we suffer an injury that doesn’t require a doctor visit, we are usually told to do one of two things: ice the area or apply heat to it.
If you have chronic pain, it’s best to apply heat to that area. This pain can tell you that your body hasn’t fully healed from the injury. You can use heat for muscle pain or soreness, stiff joints, arthritis, and recurring injuries.
Different injuries require different treatments. For example, applying heat to an ankle sprain will not help as much as applying ice. Let’s look at which injuries require heat or ice and how it relieves pain or reduces swelling. INJURIES YOU SHOULD APPLY ICE TO You want to apply ice to acute or short-term injuries. Acute injuries consist of ankle or knee sprains, muscle or joint sprains, red or swollen body parts, and pain after an exercise. Icing an area will lower the amount of swelling you have and make the healing process quicker. Be sure to limit icing sessions to 20 minutes. Over-icing can irritate your skin or cause tissue damage. If you have an ice pack or frozen packages in your freezer, you can use those to treat the painful areas. If not, you can put ice in a bag. Wrap it or any other item you’re using in a paper towel or washcloth before applying it to your skin. You should continue to ice your injury for the next two days.
Applying heat allows your blood vessels to expand and help your muscles relax. Only use heat in 20-minute increments and don’t sleep with any heating treatment. This can cause blisters, irritation, and maybe burns. You can use heat for 2–3 days after the injury occurs. Use a heating pad or a hot, wet towel, or take a hot shower or bath to relieve pain. An easy way to determine if you need to ice or heat an area is this: If it’s swollen, apply ice. If it’s stiff, use heat. But if you’re unsure if you should use ice or heat, or if the
pain is still occurring after treatment, contact your PT for assistance. They will provide you with further treatment options to help you with your discomforts.
Adding More Movement to Your Daily Routine
SWAP OUT YOUR OFFICE CHAIR In our current situation, more Americans are working from home than ever before. This means more people are sitting in their homes, but you have healthier seating options! Sitting on an exercise ball will help relieve back pain and improve your posture. You can do simple mobility stretches while on the ball to improve mobility in your neck, pelvis, and spine. You can also swap out your sitting desk for a standing desk and do away with an office chair altogether. This can help limit your time spent sitting every day.
We often hear that exercise and movement are essential in creating healthier lifestyles, but many of us have difficulty finding time for a quick workout. Between work, family, and entertainment, there’s little room for exercise each day. Thankfully, you can make a few decisions every day to incorporate more exercise and movement into your daily routine, and you don’t even have to go to the gym!
TAKE THE STAIRS When you go into a multistory building, whether it’s for work or simply a visit to the mall, are you more likely to take the stairs or the elevator/ escalator? Taking the stairs can have amazing benefits for your health. It will increase your heart rate, help your balance, and improve your lower-extremity strength. You may even reach your destination quicker by taking the stairs than you would by taking the elevator.
PARK FURTHER AWAY When you’re heading to work or the grocery store, where do you normally park? Do you park in the first available spot you see or do you wait for a spot close to the entrance? If you’re waiting for a close spot, you’re doing yourself a disservice. It might not seem like much, but adding extra steps by walking to a parking spot further away adds up over time. If you’re struggling to get more movement in your day, try this easy tip.
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3 TIPS TO PREVENT PAIN AND SWELLING AFTER AWORKOUT
When you first start working out or try out a new program or routine, you may experience some pain and swelling. While it can be expected, it’s still rather uncomfortable and can even become debilitating. You don’t want aches and pains to discourage you from working out, so you need to make sure you’re taking the proper precautions to prevent pain or swelling after a workout. If this issue plagues you or has been a problem in the past, give these tips a try. USE PROPER FOOTWEAR It might not seem like a big deal, but proper footwear can be the difference between a successful workout and an injury. If you’re running, jogging, or doing another type of cardio exercise, your shoes need to agree with your feet. Wear shoes designed for running or whatever exercise you are participating in. If your current shoes are old and worn down, invest in a new pair. START SLOWLY One of the biggest mistakes people make when starting a new workout routine is diving in headfirst. To put it simply, you can’t jump from the couch to the gym without prepping your body. Try to start your exercise routine by doing it 2–3 times per week, then increase the frequency when you’re ready. If you exercise too intensely in the beginning, you may be at risk of burnout
and might abandon your routine altogether. Ease into it to avoid burnout and injury. RECOVERY AND DIET Make sure you take some time to recover after your workout. In the beginning, you may need to take some days off to give your body time to rest and recover. This will prevent pain or swelling from getting worse and allow your muscles ample time to bounce back. Also, does your diet align with the new demands on your body? You will need calories to recover, so make sure you eat after a workout. Try not to change too much with your diet at first; undereating and drastic changes can hinder your exercise efforts.
TAKE A BREAK
Simple Bok Choy Chicken Soup
Inspired by DiabetesStrong.com
Is the chill of winter lingering? A hot bowl of this Asian-inspired soup will warm you right up! Our recipe makes 4–5 servings.
INGREDIENTS
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3 cups chicken broth
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1 garlic clove, chopped
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1 tsp red pepper flakes
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10 leaves bok choy, thinly sliced
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2 tsp soy sauce
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2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
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2 tsp sesame oil
DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. 2. Stir in red pepper flakes, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. 3. Add bok choy leaves and rotisserie chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the bok choy is dark green and tender. 4. Enjoy with slices of your favorite whole-wheat bread!
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
425 University Ave. #140 Sacramento, CA 95757
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
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Reaching New Heights
Is Your Injury Swollen or Stiff?
Move More in Your Daily Routine
3 Tips to Prevent Pain and Swelling After a Workout
Simple Bok Choy Chicken Soup
Your Guide to Proper Clothing for PT
n ’ t
The Do’s and Don’ts of Dressing for PT
DO dress according to your injury. PTs generally ask that you wear a full outfit of loose- fitting clothing for treatment, but you need to pay particular attention to the area of your injury. A tight-fitting sweater will make it hard for your PT to access your rotator cuff, and if you have a knee injury, then tight leggings are a bad choice. Instead, look for pants you can roll up over your knee. DON’T come straight from the gym. Since activewear and close-toed shoes are recommended for PT, you might be tempted to book your appointment right after your gym visit or hospital shift. Don’t do it! Your clothes need to be clean, not sweaty or germ-covered. DO layer up. Physical therapy often involves heating pads and cold compresses, which can make you sweat or shiver. To keep yourself comfortable, wear layers you can peel off or add on according to your treatment.
A physical therapy appointment isn’t exactly a night at the prom, but the two do have something in common: the moment you find yourself in front of the mirror wondering, “What the heck should I wear?” If you’re nervous ahead of your first physical therapy appointment, let these do’s and don’ts guide your outfit choice. DO wear comfortable, flexible clothes. A pencil skirt may look great in the office, but it’s not the best outfit for physical therapy. You’ll need to get physical at your appointment. If you don’t have a good range of motion in your outfit — in other words, if you can’t toss a ball or do a lunge — it’s probably not PT-friendly. DON’T wear flip-flops or dress shoes. Closed-toed, high-traction sneakers and socks are better choices. There are tripping hazards like mats and exercise balls in the clinic, and your PT would hate to see you get hurt when you’re there to get help!
DON’T lather on lotion. Some PTs recommend against using lotion before your appointment because “it can reduce the traction that the therapist needs for your treatment.” When in doubt, go without.
With these tips in your back pocket, you can start or return to PT with confidence.
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