Check out our March newsletter!
MARCH 2025
KaizenSeattle.com | 206-524-6702
MOM-AND-POP MAGIC If I’ve learned one thing well in my years as a physical therapist, it’s that bigger doesn’t always mean better. The Power of Keeping It Personal
off to aides or physical therapy assistants who aren’t necessarily aware of that patient’s unique needs or therapy plan. Perhaps most concerning, these aides and assistants don’t have the authority to make a split-second decision to switch gears on a therapy plan based on new information provided by the patient. Only physical therapists can make those critical changes … but they must connect with the patient long enough to do it. The bigger a business becomes, the less likely it is to maintain the same level of personalized care it offered when it started. It’s reasonable for any business owner to want to grow over time, but that should not be at the expense of what put it on the map. From the day I opened my doors, I’ve tried to plan my business from my patients’ perspective. If I were a patient walking through the door for the first time, what would I want to see and experience? How would I want my interactions with the therapists and office staff to be like? For one thing, I wouldn’t want to explain everything repeatedly every time I visited because I never saw the same person twice. We never want any of our patients to feel like they’re just a number to us. Kaizen Physical Therapy began as a mom-and-pop business, and we’re committed to maintaining that feel through every growth phase we experience. Currently, we have 10–12 regular staff members. As our patient list expands, we intend to create “pods” of team members responsible for a maximum number of patients at a time to ensure everyone who depends on us receives the high level of care they deserve regardless of our size. As we grow, this model will help us better address and resolve patients’ unique concerns and ensure we truly listen to every person who visits us. I’d love to see Kaizen Physical Therapy reach new heights in the years to come, but we must do it the right way. No matter how many patients we’ll be fortunate enough to treat in the future, we will never stop being a mom-and-pop shop at heart.
March 29 is National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, an opportunity to celebrate the people among us who decided to strike out on their own and offer something unique to the public. I believe most mom-and-pop business owners — myself included — are committed to treating clients, patients, or customers as people rather than as figures on a spreadsheet. Over the past few months, we’ve had more patients than usual express how much they appreciate their visits here and the level of care we provide them. My team and I really appreciate hearing those words, as that praise is becoming increasingly rare in my industry.
As is the case with a lot of medical establishments in general, many physical therapy clinics are intent on expanding their operations as quickly as possible. These days, it’s common for many clients to be double-booked — or even triple- or quadruple-booked! Frankly, I don’t know how that model provides any level of legitimate care, but it’s becoming the norm. I’ve heard of instances where a physical therapist will only spend five minutes at a time with their patients — and that’s if the therapist sees them at all. In many cases, patients are passed
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THE ROAD TO REMOTE RECOVERY Robotics Revitalize Physical Therapy
Whether by necessity or convenience, the past few years have seen the rise of remote work and virtual interactions. With the touch of a computer key, people can now connect with colleagues and loved ones from anywhere in the world. Remote technologies also have the potential to revolutionize the field of physical therapy, offering individuals with limited mobility more options than ever to receive treatment without leaving their homes. Thanks to an ambitious professor in the Midwest, robotics designed to provide stroke patients and other individuals with disabilities with a thorough workout may soon be widely used — all from the comfort of their computer desks. Mobility From Milwaukee The latest evolution in robotic rehabilitation technology, the iTbot, is a portable robotic arm used in tandem with virtual reality to assess and treat physical therapy patients who cannot attend in-person sessions. It is the brainchild of Habib Rahman, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s College of Engineering & Applied Science, who is currently testing it for public use. Similar to online games that allow players worldwide to interact with one another, the iTbot connects therapists and patients for remote sessions that track movement and collect data in real time. Using tablets or home computers, patients engage in various activities — such as moving the iTbot to touch “balls” that spread further apart on the screen — which test their mobility and generate information that appears on the therapist’s screen. Therapists can calibrate or adjust the iTbot’s arm remotely based on the patient’s needs and abilities as the session progresses.
the physical robotic arm as the patient uses it appears on the therapist’s screen,” Rahman explained in a university press release. “All that data the robotic arm collects in the real environment you can see on the digital twin.” Just as the iTbot may soon provide patients with a mobile means of treatment, it also has the potential to benefit therapists by reducing the burdens they experience when delivering continuous in-person care. “This kind of technological innovation is needed,” added Inga Wang, the university’s professor of occupational therapy, science and technology, in the release. “One- third of physical and occupational therapists themselves experience musculoskeletal injuries due to the physical demands of conventional therapy.”
Healing Through History While the iTbot represents the future of robotic
rehabilitation, the quest to incorporate machinery into physical therapy has spanned more than a century. In 1910, a patent was filed for an electric, motor-driven “movement cure apparatus” to help heart disease patients improve their walking abilities. Despite this early advancement, it would take another 70-plus years before the first robotic rehabilitation became commercially available. Called the MIT-Manus, it was developed to assist with limb movement, cognitive function, and motor relearning.
The creation of the iTbot has launched an exciting new era in robotics research. It offers hope to individuals whose physical ailments prevent them from
traveling to receive the therapy they need. Soon, all someone yearning to improve their quality of life will need is an internet connection and the will to succeed.
“We are essentially creating a digital twin of the patient’s evaluation — a virtual model of
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A Beginner’s Guide to Counting Macros Counting macronutrients (macros) is not just a fad diet — it’s a lifestyle change. Though the diet has grown in popularity, it’s one of the most effective and safest ways to support weight loss, gain muscle, and improve diet quality. Some people track their macros through various apps, and others prefer to keep a diet journal. Regardless of how you choose to track, everyone’s needs will vary based on factors such as activity level, age, weight, and medical condition. If you’re unsure what macronutrients are, this short guide will help. What are macronutrients? Our foods contain three main macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each plays a unique role in our bodies’ overall functioning. Macronutrients are needed in large quantities to sustain our activity levels, while their counterparts, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), are necessary in smaller amounts. • Carbohydrates: Starches, fiber, and sugar are the primary fuel sources for your brain, muscles, and nervous system. Simple carbohydrates break down quickly into sugar energy, while complex carbs can help us feel fuller longer. • Proteins: Protein is vital to forming muscles, hair, skin, nails, bones, and enzymes. It’s primarily made of amino acids; however, we must get nine amino acids through food because our bodies don’t produce them independently. • Fats: Natural fats can be categorized as saturated or unsaturated. They are essential to hormone production, temperature regulation, cell function, organ protection, and vitamin absorption. Avoid trans fats in processed foods because they are linked to certain heart problems and cancers. Tracking What You Eat
Count macros mindfully. Your estimated calorie needs are based on age, weight, muscle mass, and activity level. The easiest way to calculate your calorie needs is to use the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. The recommended breakdown of your macronutrients is as follows: Ingest 45%– 65% of calories from carbs, 10%–35% from protein, and 20%–35% from healthy fats. Before starting any diet, consult your physician or other health care professional about any changes you want. Also, because these numbers are general guidelines, it’s best to speak with a registered dietitian to determine your macronutrient needs within those ranges.
Not Your Mom’s Corned Beef and Cabbage Inspired by AllRecipes.com
TAKE A BREAK!
INGREDIENTS • 1 (4 lb) corned beef brisket with spice packet • 3 qts water • 1 onion, quartered • 3 carrots, cut into large chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces • 1 tsp salt
• 2 lbs red potatoes, halved • 1 small head of cabbage, cut into eighths
1. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine corned beef, spice packet contents, water, onions, carrots, celery, and salt. Bring to a simmer (skimming off any foam on top). 2. Cover pot, reduce to low heat, and let simmer for 3 hours until meat is fork tender. 3. Add potatoes to the pot and let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until potatoes are al dente. 4. Add cabbage along the edges of the meat and on top. Cover and let simmer until cabbage is tender, 20–30 minutes. 5. Place meat on a cutting board and let rest for 10–15 minutes. After meat has cooled, slice against the grain. 6. Add to a large serving bowl, ladle vegetables and broth over top, and serve. DIRECTIONS
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
206-524-6702 KaizenSeattle.com
5025 25th Ave. NE, #201 Seattle, WA 98105
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1.
Small Business, Big Benefits
2.
A Physical Rehab Revolution
3.
Achieving Health Goals With a Macro Focus
Not Your Mom’s Corned Beef and Cabbage
4.
How Creative Activities Promote Healthy Aging
Age Gracefully With Movement You Enjoy
NO GYM REQUIRED! By now, you’re probably tired of hearing about healthy aging. Every article says you should eat specific things and exercise regularly, but what if you’ve never enjoyed going to the gym or jogging? You’re probably not going to start running marathons, lifting weights, or joining a sports club at this point. It can make you wonder if other options exist to add more physical activity to your daily routine. The answer is yes. Instead of going to the gym or running through your neighborhood, you can find creative activities to provide extra movement to your day. Even better? You’ll improve your physical and mental agility. Here are two creative aging activities you can explore. Take the Stage Acting is an excellent activity for anyone to start, but it becomes even more beneficial to aging Americans. Through acting, you’ll notice improvements in your concentration and memorization. Depending on the play, you may be required to stay moving, which will benefit your physical health. Plus, you’ll get many opportunities to socialize with your castmates. Many local theaters actively look for aspiring actors to audition.
Bust a Move You may have fond memories of dancing in clubs, at weddings, or during special events, but the opportunities to boogie become rarer as we age. Thankfully, dance classes and studios love sharing the enjoyment of dance with people of all ages. Whether you like salsa, tap, waltz, swing, or some other type of dance, you can find a class or group ready to welcome you.
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And many more, including nerve pain and neuropathies, TMJ, arthritis, sprains, and strains!
206-524-6702
www.KaizenSeattle.com
Don’t just take our word for it. Check out what these patients had to say about their Kaizen Physical Therapy experience!
ALL IN ALL, AN AMAZING, POSITIVE EXPERIENCE! “This is the second time Marina has helped me, first with lower back issues in May 2023 and then with recovery from a wrist and thumb injury in November 2023. Her methods and manners are gentle and effective and the home exercises were always explained very clearly and helped me progress in my recovery. The rest of the staff are friendly, helpful, and really fun to talk to. All in all, an amazing, positive experience!” –Kim H.
I KNOW I WOULDN’T GET HERE ON MY OWN! “My experience was great. My treatment at Kaizen PT strengthened my lower back a lot and reduced my pain significantly. I know I wouldn’t have gotten there on my own and I am grateful to them.” –Robert M.
ONCE AGAIN, KAIZEN HELPED ME HEAL! “My left knee replacement procedure recovered successfully and rapidly. Natalie Moncayo is a talented and successful professional therapist. My recovery from her practical, biologically informed sessions and extracurricular workouts was rapid and effective for me. Knowing that she is still at work, I will continue doing these exercises. Once again, Kaizen helped me heal! Thank you.” –Steven S.
MY EXPERIENCE WITH SHARONDA AT KAIZEN PT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL! “My experience with Sharonda at Kaizen PT has been wonderful. She is helping me rehab after a total knee replacement and her treatments have improved my knee every time. I highly recommend her to anyone needing physical therapy.” –Suzanne J.
Call us at 206-524-6702 to schedule now!
206-524-6702
www.KaizenSeattle.com
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