Ellis PT: Is Balance Setting Things Up For An Injury?

Health & Wellness Newsletter by Ellis Physical Therapy

WATER AEROBICS CLASS Newsletter Discover Our

Starting in January This class will be held twice a week for 8 weeks!

If you are interested and would like more information on our Water Aerobics class, please stop by our clinic or give us a call at (208) 523-8879.

INSIDE: • How Will Physical Therapy Help Reduce My Fall Risk? • Patient Success Spotlight • Exercise Essentials • Discover How To Live Pain-Free

Newsletter Health &Wellness

ARE YOU AT RISK OF SUSTAINING A FALL-RELATED INJURY?

Did you know that 1/3 of the population over 65 falls each year? Every 11 seconds, an older adult is rushed to the emergency room for a fall. Every 19 minutes, an older adult dies from a fall. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 2.5 million adults were treated for nonfatal injuries in emergency departments in 2013. In older adults, falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries. Most people don’t think about keeping their balance in shape until it is too late and they suffer a harsh fall. The good news is that most falls can easily be prevented, simply by the regular exercising of your balance system. If you have recently sustained a balance-related injury, it is important to seek the help of a physical therapist immediately, in order to avoid additional injuries in the future. It is important to note that you should also contact a physical therapist if you have any of the following symptoms: • Dizziness or vertigo (“spinning” sensations, even when remaining still). • Nausea or vomiting. • Arm or leg weakness. • Abnormal eye movements. • Difficulty standing up from a seated position or standing for prolonged periods of time. Do you frequently notice an imbalance, dizziness, or unsteadiness that makes you feel as if you may fall over at any given time? Have you suffered from a fall in the past? Are you worried that you may be at risk of sustaining • Inability to focus or remain alert. • Double vision or tunnel vision.

a fall-related injury? If so, contact Ellis Physical Therapy today so we can help you figure out the root of your problem and treat it accordingly. Am I at risk of falling? Some people have a higher risk of falling than others. Certain risk factors include:

• Advanced age. • Being female.

• Living a sedentary life. • Previous history of falls. • Vertigo or dizziness. • Parkinson’s disease. • Alzheimer’s disease. • Heart disease. • Diabetes.

• Previous stroke or heart attack. • Arthritis or alternative joint pain. • Problems with vision. • Problems with walking or staying balanced. • Fatigue. • Overall poor health.

Your physical therapist will assess your medical history to determine how many risk factors toward falling you may have. They will educate you on what these factors mean, as well as steps you can take to decrease your risk. After this, they will perform a thorough physical evaluation to figure out what the best treatment plan for you will be.

CALL TODAY! (208) 523-8879

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HOW WILL PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP REDUCE MY FALL RISK?

A recentlypublishedsystematic reviewbyCochrane,comprisedofover100 randomized controlled trials,supportsexercise interventionsasaneffective treatmentmethod for patients with an increased risk of falling. The average age of patients in this review was 76, and 77% of the patients were women. Results concluded that those who participated in exercise interventions had a 23% decrease in falls as compared to the control group. Fall risk was also reduced at 21-24%, depending on if treatments were done in individual or group settings. The risk of fall-related fractures was decreased by 27% and the number of falls that required medical attention was decreased by 39%. Concluding statements from the authors demonstrated how overall, “Exercise reduces both the rate of falls…and the number of people experiencing falls.” At Ellis PhysicalTherapy, your initial physical evaluation may consist of several parts to better determine what your most problematic factors are. These may include vision tests, thinking tests, resting heart rate checks, active heart rate checks, and evaluations of your gait, balance, range of motion, and strength. Basedon the resultsof thisevaluation,yourphysical therapistwilldesigna treatment planaroundyourspecificneeds.Theseplansareaimedfirstand foremostat reducing your risk of falling, but they will also aid you in improving balance, strength, flexibility, endurance, and overall movement. Some common forms of treatment include: • Pain management. If you are feeling painful anywhere, it will be one of the first things addressed in your treatment plan. Your physical therapist will want to make sure that your treatment is as comfortable as possible, so you will work together on relieving pain first, before continuing into any other forms of physical activity that may bring you discomfort. • Walking and moving programs. Thispartofyour treatmentplan isaimedatgetting youback toyournormalphysical functionwhenwalkingand/ormoving.Yourphysical therapist may ask you to perform certain activities, such as walking in a circle or completing an obstacle course. • Balance training. Balance is a largepart of fall prevention, as lackof stability is one of the main reasons why falls occur. Your physical therapist will design a balance training plan for you as part of your treatment, and may ask you to perform certain

balance-basedactivities, such as standing on one leg or holding your balancewhile performing a mentally-stimulating task (such as reciting the alphabet or reading a page from a book.) • Strength training. Strength training is typically paired with your balance training. Your physical therapist will design a strength training plan for you, which will focus on specific muscle groups in need of improvement. The goal of this will be to improve your standing and walking balance, as well as your ability to recover from a loss of balance. • Endurance training. Endurance training is all about working up to more advanced levels of the same form of treatment. Your physical therapist will provide you with an aerobic exercise program and will slowly add on time to those exercises as your endurance improves.For example, your endurance training may begin at 10-minute sessions and then may progress to 30-minute sessions. Areyou ready togetbackonyour feetby improvingyourbalanceanddecreasingyour risk of sustaining a fall-related injury? Contact Ellis PhysicalTherapy to schedule a consultation and get started today!

Call us today at 208-523-8879 to schedule an appointment!

Exercise Essentials Flexibility, strength, and stability are needed to keep you loose and pain-free... Not all exercises are appropriate for every person. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting.

Improves Balance

Improves Balance Alternating Step Touch Stand “tall”, with sturdy step stool positioned in front. Step one foot at a time onto the stool. Alternate legs.

Tandem Walk - Wall Stand with the fingertips of one, or both, hands resting on a wall. Place the feet ‘heel to toe’ with the left foot forward. Steady yourself

in this position. Step forward with the right foot, placing the heel directly in front of, and touching, the toes of the left foot. Step forward with the left foot, placing the heel directly in front of, and touching, the toes of the right foot. Repeat this sequence, moving forward down the hallway. Reverse direction, moving backward down the hallway.

Exercisescopyrightof

www.simpleset.net

DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE

At Ellis Physical Therapy, you will receive hands-on therapy treatmentsbyour friendly,caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions. It’s time to get to Ellis Physical Therapy if: • You’re tired of living in pain • You want to feel better and move better • You have been in an auto accident or injured on the job • You want to prevent injury

Patient Success Spotlight

“Dr. Jay Ellis is the best. I have been going to him for years and he has turned my injuries around. His staff is also excellent. I wouldn’t go to anyone else. Truly, if it weren’t for Jay, I would not be able to run, lift weights and move my neck without pain. Also, he has shown me that so much can be done to heal the body without surgery.” - J.F. “I wouldn’t go to anyone else.”

1. Call and talk to your therapist 2. Discover why your pain has come back 3. Get your custom recovery program

www.EllisPhysicalTherapy.com

HEALTHY RECIPE Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Carrots

Eating Right Never Tasted So Good!

INGREDIENTS • 3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2” pieces • 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

• 1 tsp. chopped rosemary leaves • 1 tsp. chopped thyme leaves • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/2 c. toasted pecans • 1/2 c. dried cranberries

INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 400°F. Scatter vegetables on a large baking sheet. Toss with oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, shaking the pan halfway through. Before serving, toss roasted vegetables with pecans and cranberries. In a large bowl, toss vegetables with oil, balsamic vinegar, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe/Photo Credit: delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a50228/holiday-roasted- vegetables-recipe

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