BalancePT: 5 Ways To Beat Knee Pain

Newsletter by Balance Rehabilitation

N E W S L E T T E R

5 Simple Ways to Beat Knee PainWhile Running

See Inside • 5 Simple Ways To Beat Knee Pain While Running • Staff Spotlight • 5 Ways To Improve Knee Pain • Healthy Recipe • Healthy Lunch Ideas for a Busy Work Week

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N E W S L E T T E R

5 Simple Ways to Beat Knee Pain While Running

balance-rehab.com

We all know that running is great exercise for our bodies, but often people stop due to knee or lower leg pain. This can happen for a variety of reasons, but usually ones that we are not aware of. Over 50 million Americans deal with some sort of knee trouble, as the knees are the second most common injured joint, the first being the joints in the spine. Therefore, it is essential to know what you can do to prevent knee troubles from even starting. Most all knee and leg pain can be attributed to the following issues: • Poor muscular strength • Imbalance of muscular strength with certain muscles stronger and others weaker • Poor muscular coordination

• Poor biomechanics of walking / running • Lack of flexibility

Don’t push through the pain While feeling a stretching sensation or muscle burn is a normal part of exercising, feeling pain is not. Sharp or dull pain should be paid attention to and not pushed through. Make sure you are doing adequate warming up prior to exercising as muscles and tissues require internal lubrication to work properly. Warming up brings natural fluids to the area to help with lubrication, improving elasticity and function. In addition, make sure to properly stretch after exercising to ensure that flexibility is maintained and gained.

Are you letting pain hold you back? Call 603.890.8844 to schedule your appointment today!

CHERRY-BERRY OATMEAL SMOOTHIES Healthy Recipe

5 Ways to Improve Knee Pain 1. Increase your leg strength. Do wall sits, knee extensions, toe raises, hip side-lifts and more. Speak with one of our professionals for how to perform these exercises correctly. 2. Improve your patella (kneecap) tracking. Your patella needs to glide to actually form a C pattern when you bend your knee. Do leg lifts with your whole leg rotated outwards to strengthen the inner thigh and knee muscles. Make sure to stretch your kneecap up and down, side to side, to ensure gliding. Most patellofemoral pain comes from poor patella tracking and a physical therapist is the expert to diagnose and treat this problem. 3. Maintain and improve flexibility. With running and exercising it is very common for thepowerfulmuscles in the leg tobecome tighter.Forexample, thehamstringandouter tissuesof the leg (iliotibialor“IT”band)canbecome very tight, altering the mechanics of the knee causing pain. Stretch after every time you run and do adequate warm ups prior. Try integrating yoga and stretching into your routines. 4. Improve your balance and coordination. Do balance exercises to build up your proprioception (sense of balance position). Exercises such as standing on one leg with and without eyes closed are important. Don’t forget to make sure you setup for safety when performing balance exercises by having a steady surface nearby to hold onto when needed. 5. Improveyouragility. Manycasualrunners,simplyrun,butdonotperform other typesof importantexercisessuchasstrengthening,balanceandagility training. Mix up your workouts to include these other types of exercises. Seeing a Specialist. If you have recurring knee pain or discomfort for more than 3 days, it is time to see a specialist. The ideal specialist to see is a physical therapist as they are medical experts in joint movement and function (kinesiology). Get on the path to healthy knees and call us today for a free joint movement analysis. Staff Spotlight PETER OLSON, MPT, OMT, ATC Balance co-founder, is a physical therapist and certified athletic trainer. With his Master’s in Physical Therapy fromNotre Dame College in Manchester, NH, and his Bachelor’s inKinesiologywithaspecializationinAthleticTrainingfromtheUniversity of New Hampshire, Pete completed a residency and two-year fellowship in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy from the Institute of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy, an affiliate of Mass General and Boston University. Based on the Norwegian National Program in Orthopaedic Manual Therapy, the institute revolutionized Pete’s approach to evaluation, manual therapy, exercise therapy, and overall patient care. In addition to working at Merrimack Valley Physical Therapy with Chris for five years, Pete also worked as a traveling physical therapist for Sunbelt Staffing, Inc., and as an athletic trainer at Physiotherapy Associates in San Francisco.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats • ½ cup light almond milk • ¾ cup fresh strawberries

• ½ cup fresh dark sweet cherries • 1-2 tbsp almond butter • 1 tbsp honey • ½ cup small ice cubes

Instructions In a medium bowl combine water and oats. Microwave 1 minute. Stir in ¼ cup of the milk. Microwave 30 to 50 seconds more or until oats are very tender. Cool 5 minutes. In a blender combine oat mixture, the remaining ¼ cup milk, and the next four ingredients (through honey). Cover and blend until smooth, scraping container as needed. Add ice cubes; cover and blend until smooth. If desired, top each serving with additional fruit.

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/259841/cherry-berry-oatmeal-smoothies/

HealthSouth, Pete worked with elite athletes at the collegiate level from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Additionally, Pete volunteered with the Adaptive Ski program at Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center, helping people with special needs enjoy outdoor recreational sports. Pete works with a broad spectrum of patients, including children with muscular dystrophy, seniors with gait

problems, competitive athletes, and everyone in between. Pete partners with every patient to achieve success. He encourages patients to be active participants in the process, teaching them how their bodies work and how they can be involved in every aspect of therapy and training. Pete’s a great listener, problem-solver and family man who enjoys kayaking, skiing, and sailing.

At St. Mary’s Medical Center, Pete worked with cardiac, pulmonary, and neurologically involved patients and post-surgical clients. At

Call Balance Rehab at 603.890.8844 , or visit our website at balance-rehab.com to schedule your appointment today!

Meal prepping lunches in advance can be a great way to save both money and time during the day. Having a cooler bag all prepped and ready in the fridge that can be grabbed as you rush out the door in the morning is a game changer in your journey toward better health. HEALTHY LUNCH IDEAS FOR A BUSY WORK WEEK Fruit +Veggie + Protein + Healthy Carbohydrate Including each of the above components into your lunch will ensure that you are building a balanced meal that will help stabilize your blood sugar and help to keep you full until it is time for your mid afternoon snack. 1) Cut up fruits and veggies ahead of time and store in airtight containers in the fridge. Make sure you have a variety so you don’t get bored. Baby carrots, celery sticks, cut up cucumbers, sugar snap peas, radishes, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes are all easy to prep ahead of time. Cut up melon, pineapple, no sugar added applesauce, berries and clementines will help you get out of the everyday apple or banana rut. 2) LEAN PROTEIN can easily be prepared ahead of time. Hard-boiled eggs, tuna, meat and cheese rollups, seasoned ground chicken for taco salads or wraps, bean salad and grilled chicken can all be stored in the fridge for several days to help build your healthy lunch. 3) HEALTHY CARBOHYDRATES can be as simple as a baggie of Triscuit crackers to dip in hummus or guacamole, whole wheat wraps for a sandwich or brown rice/quinoa to add to a salad or stir-fry. Lunch preparation does not have to be time consuming or overwhelming if you simply focus on the Healthy Lunch Formula.

Cook Once/Eat Twice Get into the habit of cooking extra at dinnertime so you can have nourishing and filling leftovers at lunch. Rice and pasta dishes re-heat very well the next day and can help break up the boredom of having a salad or sandwich everyday. Prepare Foods You Enjoy and Look Forward To Packing lunch ahead of time allows you to put some thought into the meal. If you are looking forward to your lunch, you are less likely to change your mind and order out. If you are someone who eats lunch out everyday, set a realistic goal for yourself, perhaps packing lunch 3 days a week and eating out the remaining 2 days. Healthy living does not have to be an all or nothing endeavor. Every small change you make is a step in the right direction.

Noreen Gallo MSRD, LD Your Forever Nutrition Counseling 603 553-1334

“If your doctor refers you for physical therapy of any kind, IMMEDIATELY call Balance for an appointment. I have utilized the services of at least two other physical therapy practices in this area and this group of therapists and their support staff far exceed the others in every way. From the first phone contact until your final appointment, you will be treated professionally as well as like family. The folks at the front desk are accommodating and efficient. The facility is meticulously maintained and the equipment is state of the art. I was treated by Peter Olson, my therapist throughout my time spent there. He never failed to be gregarious, gentle, and willing to explain the therapy in as much detail as I needed. (I had never received this kind of attention in other PT situations). In addition to recommendations for exercises and everyday strategies for avoiding further pain, I received hands-on procedures which alleviated my discomfort despite the fact that I will always be dealing with osteoarthritis. I have shared Peter’s suggestions with friends and family members and although they all live too far away to be treated at Balance themselves, they have been thrilled at the pain relief they are getting by performing a couple of these exercises. My son sought treatment at Balance upon my recommendation and also was pleasantly surprised by every aspect. Professionalism, friendliness, skill level - my description of Balance Physical Therapy.” Patient Success Spotlight Ann R. balance-rehab.com

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