Health is a relative term. It means that your body is operating at a high normal range in all the different systems from circulation, breathing, digestion, and more. Anything you can do to help your body achieve more of an ideal state is a step towards a healthier you.
JANUARY 2020 N E W S L E T T E R Y O U R H E A L T H I S O U R P R I O R I T Y
E M P O W E R P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y
IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH, ENERGY, & FITNESS
ALSO INSIDE: • 4 Exercises For A Healthier You! • New Year Means A New You! • Review these shoveling tips!
EMPOWERALASKA.COM
N E W S L E T T E R Y O U R H E A L T H I S O U R P R I O R I T Y
E M P O W E R P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y
JANUARY 2020
EMPOWERALASKA.COM
IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH, ENERGY, & FITNESS
Health isarelative term. Itmeans thatyourbody isoperatingatahigh normal range in all the different systems from circulation, breathing, digestion, and more. Anything you can do to help your body achieve more of an ideal state is a step towards a healthier you. Everyone desires to be healthier, stronger, and more active. This may sometimes feel difficult to accomplish, due to pain, injuries, or poor diets. Pain increases undesirable chemicals in your body that cause stress, creating a challenge when it comes to exercise. All of this also affects your endocrine system, which regulates your hormones and controls almost everything happening in your body. Fortunately, strength training exercises can effectively ease your pain while simultaneously strengthening the affected part(s) of your body. Our highly trained physical therapists can create a personalized strength training plan for your needs and goals. They have the right knowledge and the time to listen, evaluate, and guide you toward a pain-free,stronger,andhealthier lifestyle.ContactEmpowerPhysical Therapy today to learn more. Why is strength training so important? Thereareapproximately642skeletalmuscles in thebody.Thismeans that your strength and flexibility play an important role in your health.
Yourmusclesnotonlyhelpyoumove,but theysupportyourcirculatory and breathing systems. A stronger and more flexible you means a healthier you. Relieving joint or muscle pain and guiding you on properstrength trainingexercisesare integralpartsofourspecialized physical therapy treatments. Strength training helps in building muscle mass, and it is typically the final step in a rehabilitation treatment process. Whether you are recovering from an injury or underlying condition that is causing you pain,strength trainingwillhelpyougetback toyouroptimumphysical performance. AtEmpowerPhysicalTherapy,ourstrength trainingprogramswillget you back on track to living a happy and healthy lifestyle. Our physical therapists will design a treatment plan with the best exercises for an effective and speedy recovery. Theseexerciseswillbedependentuponwhichpart(s)ofyourbodyare inneedofstrengthening.Thismay includebodyweightexercises (such as squats, push-ups, or planks) or exercises using additional tools (such as barbells, resistance bands, exercise balls, or hand weights).
A HEALTHIER YOU!
a greater stretch, elevate your heel on a step. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times on both legs. 2. IliopsoasStretch. Assume a wide and long lunge position, with your hands on your hips. Tuck your buttocks under you while you shift your weight to the forward leg. Make sure to keep your posture straight. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times on both legs. 3. Shoulder Flexion Stretch. Stand in a corner of the room with one foot in front of the other. Place your hands on the wall and make sure to keep your back flat. Reach your arms up overhead. Move your chest towards the wall to feel a stretch in the chest. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat 3 times. 4. Piriformis Stretch. Lie on your back with knees bent and your feet flat on floor. Cross one leg over top of the other. Lock your hands aroundyourkneeandpull it toyourchest.Hold for20seconds.Repeat 3 times on both legs. Contact Empower Physical Therapy today! Strength training can help you reach the physical goals that you’ve always wanted. It can aid you in your health and fitness journey so you canbecome themoreactiveversionofyourself thatyouenvision. Ifyou are interested in improving your health and fitness through strength training, don’t hesitate to contact Empower Physical Therapy today to find out how our services can benefit you! NEW Y EAR MEANS A NEW YOU ! LET EMPOWER PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP YOU REACH YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS GOALS THIS YEAR! The professionals at Empower Physical Therapy will help you regain lost motion, strength, balance and coordination resulting from pain in your shoulders, back, neck, hips or knees. Start the year off with a safe and conservative treatment that gets results, we can help to strengthen and increase your mobility, while decreasing pain. Ourgoal is toempoweryou toactivelymanageyourpain, increase your range of motion and get you moving again. We will get you back to living the life you deserve.
There are some simple exercises you can do on your own, in order to complement your strength training plan and keep in shape after your sessions are over. These include: 1. Hamstring Stretch. Stand facing a wall or counter. Use it to steady yourself if needed. Take a large step forward with one leg, making sure the knee of the forward leg is straight and your body weight is shifted to the bent back leg. Place your hands on your forward knee. Hinge forward from the hips, keeping your back straight. Push your hips back until you feel a definite, but not painful, stretch at the back of the forward knee. For
WHAT OUR PATIENTS SAY SUCCESS STORY
Thank you Empower! I hope that once again I can leadthe life Iwant. Iamtooyoungtohave to quit doing the things I love.” Michael M. “Thank you Empower!”
CONCUSS I ON MANAGEMENT: JANUARY IS TBI AWARENESS MONTH!
How can I spot a possible concussion? Concussions are a fairly common injury, but many people are unaware of exactly what happens when one gets a concussion. This injury isaresultofan impact, inwhichthebrain collides with the inside of the skull. This can be caused by a harsh blow to the head or any traumatic jolttothebody.Concussionscanalso be caused if a violent back-and-forth motion (such as whiplash) of the head takes place. When your head tosses in different directions rapidly (such as from a car crash or harsh football tackle), your brain gets tossed along inside it, bouncing off the bony enclosure of yourskull.Concussionscanresult inanumber of unfortunate symptoms, such as: · Painful and chronic headaches/migraines · Sensitivity to light and sound
Ifyouareexperiencinganyof thesesymptoms, you may have a concussion. What is the normal recovery time for a concussion? The normal recovery time from a concussion varies from person to person and past concussion recovery time does not predict future recovery time. The patient’s signs/ symptoms and course of recovery depend upon the location of the mild brain injury and the severity of their injury. However, studies have shown that 80% of athletes recover from their concussion within three weeks, but 20% of concussed patients may take much longer to recover. What are some risk factors for a delayed or a prolonged recovery? Noteffectivelytreatingaconcussionrightaway can leadtosomeserioushealthrisks. Insevere cases, concussions can result in brain bleeds that require emergency medical treatment. In cases such as this, your condition will be treated at the hospital ASAP. Delayed treatment can also lead to conditions such as post-concussion syndrome. Post- concussion syndrome is a serious condition that can last for several months, even without Use an ergonomic shovel It will help if you can minimize the degree you need to bend forward to shovel, so consider using a shovel with a curved handle, which will allow you to stay in a more upright stance. An adjustable length shovel can also let you shorten the handle length, so you are not straining to lift heavy snow that’s too far away from your body. Both of these factors will help take stress off your lower back. Finally, the lighter the shovel (e.g. plastic) the less weight you will need to hoist. Pay careful attention to how you lift the snow Bend at your hips and with your knees, and lift
posing obvious symptoms. People who have post-concussion syndrome may experience bouts of dizziness, vertigo, or persistent headaches, that will not go away without treatment. If you believe you may have a concussion, the best solution is to seek the help of a medical professional right away to avoid the risk of worsening the concussion. With the help of physicaltherapy,youcanreceivethenecessary treatment for your specific needs. How can Physical Therapy help a patient recover from a sports concussion? Physical therapists play an important role on a concussion management team. Physical Therapist will evaluate and treat many aspects of concussion that may include dizziness that may arise from a neck issue (cervicogenic dizziness), balance deficits, neck pain, headaches that are referred from the neck, vertigo from an inner ear condition (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), exercises for vision issues (ocular motor exercises), issues with blood pressure & heart rate with exercise (autonomic dysregulation), and help to progress patients through a graded return to play protocol. with your leg muscles, not your back. Do not bend your back forward or twist your back at any point. Only lift an amount of snow that you can comfortably handle. Use a snow blower instead of a shovel. When usedcorrectly,asnowblowercantakemuchof the stress of snow removal off your back. Use the power of your legs to propel the machine forward, keeping your back straight (don’t hunch forward) and your knees slightly bent. Ifyouwould liketo learnmoreonhowtoprevent yourself froma potential injury while handling tasks in the winter, contact us today. Amedical expert will be happy to assist you!
· Ringing in the ears · Visual abnormalities · Slurring of speech · Memory loss and confusion · Nausea and vomiting · Inability to focus · Dizziness · Fatigue
REVIEW THESE TIPS BEFORE CLEARING YOUR DRIVEWAY THIS WINTER! PREVENT BACK PAIN WHEN SHOVELING
Warm up your muscles Cold muscles are more susceptible to injury, so warm up the large muscles in your lower back before heading out to shovel the snow. Forexample,startbyplacingahotwaterbottle or heating pad on your lower back for 10 - 20 minutes, followed with some light aerobic exercises to get your blood moving. Then do some gentle stretching. Some people may find that putting a ThermaCare Heat Wrap, or other brand of adhesive heat wrap, on their lower back not only keeps their back muscles warmed up but also helps remind them to pay attention to ergonomics and form.
Source: https://www.spine-health.com/blog/4-tips-protect-your-back-when-shoveling
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