CELEBRATING FRED FROST
Grand Strand’s Patient of the Month
If there’s anyone who proves that proper chiropractic care is an essential part of continuing activities you love and supporting your overall holistic health, it’s Fred Frost. Fred is a retired English teacher who lives in the Pawleys Island area with his wife. He has one daughter, who is currently a senior at the College of Charleston. Fred loves getting outdoors to go bike riding, canoeing, fishing, and walking on the beach. In addition to those activities, he’s also an avid weightlifter at his local gym. When Fred’s lower back pain started keeping him from all the things he loved doing, he found Grand Strand Health and Wellness after a quick internet research. Since first discovering us, he’s been a patient for several years, and he regularly makes appointments for wellness visits and back massages. These appointments help him stay in shape and ready for any activity. Also, like so many of our other dedicated patients, Fred has also referred us to many of his friends and family members. Thank you, Fred! Aside from his favorite pastimes, Fred is also very active at our patient appreciation day events. He’s an incredibly talented musician, and you can usually hear him strumming a guitar and singing the oldies from center stage. When Fred visits us for appointments, you can also hear him singing along with the oldies playing over our speaker system.
We’re so grateful to have a patient like Fred who recognizes how vital it is to have chiropractic care as a part of his health and fitness routine. He makes sure others know how vital it is, too. If you’re ever looking for tips on good fishing spots in the area, the best places to go for a leisurely stroll, or the best place to receive chiropractic care, be sure to ask Fred.
Physical Therapy Before Surgery?
Physical therapy has become a common part of most post-surgery rehabilitation routines. However, did you know that going through physical therapy prior to your surgery can benefit your recovery process as well? Strange as it might sound, strengthening your muscles and joints before surgery — after which they’ll most certainly be weaker — can ensure that you recover faster. This is called “prehabilitation,” or prehab, and it’s a great way to help you get back to doing what you love after an operation. In general, the healthier you are going into a surgery, the better poised you will be to have a speedy recovery. When you visit our office for prehab appointments, one of our physical therapists can walk you through a series of stretches and exercises focused on strengthening the body part prior to surgery. Prehab exercises benefit your overall health and help reduce post- surgery symptoms, like swelling and muscular
atrophy. This can also help shorten your hospital stay and decrease the time you spend doing post-surgery rehab. During prehab, our physical therapists can help you prepare to do daily activities post- surgery, such as maneuvering out of bed, using the toilet, walking down stairs, and using crutches. Since your PT will know your current range of motion, they can also help you create goals to get back to it during your recovery. The recovery process can be tedious and frustrating, so it’s helpful to have some goals in mind. Doing so will help you track your progress and stay motivated in your recovery. It should also be noted that, while not incredibly common, sometimes prehab can be so effective that it eliminates the need for surgery altogether. As physical therapists, it’s our goal to help our patients get back to doing what they love by any noninvasive means possible. Sometimes surgery is necessary, and that’s okay — but if you could recover without surgery, wouldn’t you try?
In order to get the most out of your prehabilitation routine, most health experts recommend starting prehab appointments with a physical therapist at least six weeks before your scheduled surgery. However, starting a prehab routine even two weeks before your surgery can benefit you in recovery. While prehab is beneficial, it’s important to know that not every insurance program will cover it. So, check with your insurance provider before you start. Nevertheless, the benefits of prehabilitation make it an option worth seriously considering.
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