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THE PENROSE POST
MARCH 2025
PENROSEPT.COM | 360-456-1444
Personalized Care in a World of Corporate Giants Supporting Local PT Clinics Means Supporting Your Community
With National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day just around the corner on March 29, I’ve been thinking about what it means to run a small, independent physical therapy clinic. It’s more than just a job for us; it’s a heartfelt commitment to our community and a chance to make a real difference in your life! While the big corporate clinics often get caught up in profits and paperwork, our focus always centers on you — our amazing patients — and the care you deserve. As we celebrate the value of small businesses, it’s more important than ever to recognize the need for policies that allow us to continue providing the care our communities deserve. These days, independent clinics like ours are becoming quite rare, especially in physical therapy. Large investors and hospital systems fund many of the clinics you see around town. While they help many people, these places often operate under strict rules and financial pressures, making it tough to provide that special, personalized touch. Here at our clinic, we love having the freedom to choose what works best for you! This means we can offer unique services like regenerative medicine, dry needling, Pilates, and even massage therapy. While these services might not show the biggest numbers on paper, they genuinely help your
recovery and contribute positively to your overall well-being, which means the most to us! Recently, our community experienced a stark reminder of the difference between small, patient- focused practices and large, impersonal systems. A local hospital shut down its outpatient physical therapy clinics, leaving countless patients without care and dozens of therapists out of work. This big change has created quite a few challenges for our community, including longer wait times and fewer options. I’ve chatted with some of the therapists the closure affected, and they shared their frustrations about trying to make improvements to patient care — often hitting roadblocks along the way. But that’s not how we operate! Here, we are all about meeting your unique needs. While we remain committed to providing high-quality, patient-first care, the reality is that private practices are struggling to survive. Most commercial insurance companies haven’t increased provider payments since the early 2000s and don’t allow small clinics to negotiate fair rates. Medicare still reimburses at rates set in the 1990s. Meanwhile, the cost of running a private practice has increased by 42% in just the last four years — while reimbursements have decreased by 15%. This is simply not sustainable. Without change, more small clinics will be forced to close, just like the hospital therapy department that shut down in our own community. That’s why we are asking our patients and community to take action. Two important bills — SB 5588 and HB 1655 — have been introduced in Washington State to ensure fair access to physical therapy and other medical services. These bills will provide fair contracting practices for private clinics. If we don’t fight for change, more small clinics will disappear, leaving patients with fewer choices and even longer wait times for essential care.
BALANCE CLASS 10:10 a.m. on Monday PILATES CLASS 9:00 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday
RSVP required
Other Wellness Services Include: Massage Therapy, Personal Training, Eating for Joint Health, and Inflammation Coaching
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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
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We need your voice to help protect access to quality, independent physical therapy. Please consider emailing your state representatives and senators and urging them to support SB 5588 and HB 1655. Every message counts in the fight to make physical therapy a sustainable and accessible profession for both patients and providers. So, as we celebrate National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day, we want to say a huge thank you for choosing a small, independent clinic like ours. Your support means the world to us! We’re so honored to be part of your health journey and to provide the kind of care that puts you first every single time. Together, we can ensure small, independent clinics continue to thrive and serve the community for years to come.
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
360-456-1444 | PenrosePT.com 1445 Galaxy Dr. NE, Suite 301 Lacey, WA 98516
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1.
Fight for Fairness: The Bills That Could Save Private PT Clinics
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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