Physical Therapy Newsletter by Back In Motion Physical Therapy
C o mm o t i o n The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body The Back in Motion ®
It’s a New Year, Isn’t it Time For a New You? 6 Easy Steps To Put You On The Path To a Happier, Healthier, More Active You!
It’s that time of year again, the beginning of a new year when many of us feel compelled to make New Year’s Resolutions. What will be your resolutions towards taking care of your health? Will you set a goal to lose weight, exercise more, eat better and increase your activity level? Unfortunately, such declarations often fail after a month or two. This can often be attributed to two things: a lack of readiness to actually change bad habits and a pattern of setting unrealistic expectations. So what types of resolutions can we make that we’ll actually stick to? If you want to improve your health and increase your energy, here are some simple ways to change your lifestyle for the better. 1. BEGIN THE DAYWITH PROTEIN. Eating protein for breakfast helps curb your appetite throughout the day and tends to improve your overall diet as well. While you may wind up consuming the same number of calories over a day’s time, you’ll be less tempted by high-fat snacks around dinnertime. Keep in mind that there are plenty of plant-based proteins available, including hemp seeds, black beans, almonds, edamame, and pumpkin seeds among them. 2. LIMIT YOUR DRINKS. By this, we aren’t only referring to alcohol. Instead, try to cut back on the calorie-laden drinks popular this time of year. Concoctions such as sweetened coffee drinks, sodas, diet sodas and energy drinks can be detrimental to a healthy diet. Focus on a higher consumption of water during the day and to make it easy have a glass by your desk or carry a bottle around with you.
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It’s a New Year, Isn’t it Time For a New You?
3. TRYWEARABLE TECHNOLOGY. Research shows that people who use wearable technology, gadgets such as Fitbits, Garmin, and Withings,tend to stick to their exercise routine more faithfully than those who don’t. With many of them, you can track your heart rate, steps per minute, sleep cycles, and more. 4. INCREASE YOUR RANGE OFMOTION. Avoid shortcuts when it comes to exercising. Strive for using the greatest range of motion. This may include making longer lunges, stretching arms more while jumping rope, or leaning over further during yoga. Whatever the case, doing so helps your muscles do more work per rep, which results in breaking down more tissue by the end of your workout. If you have difficulty reaching a full range of motion, or have discomfort, consult your physical therapist. 5. REDUCE FATIGUE. As anyone who has tried and failed at establishing a regular exercise routine can agree, fatigue is the number one enemy. To help combat this, drink beet juice. Studies show that it can increase stamina by up to 16 percent. Furthermore, listen to music that keeps you motivated. Listening to the right music can actually expand your blood vessels by 26 percent. Work on a schedule routine that ensures you get enough rest, exercise, and activity. 6. SWITCH IT UP. If you’ve been plugging through the same fitness routine day after day, you may notice a reduction in strength gain. To avoid this, try different exercises, working out at different times of day, using different repetitions, or lifting different weights. As 2017 begins to unfold, consider ways to add healthy decision-making to your lifestyle. Remember that putting things off doesn’t get you to where you want to be. We are here to help you reach your goals and achieve a healthy, pain-free lifestyle. Talk to your physical therapist at our practice today, or schedule a free 30 minute consultation to make your 2017 the healthiest yet.
As we welcome a new year in wellness, we welcome new insurance benefits. Finances play a big part in mapping out your year and medical expenses are certainly a consideration. If you are like most patients, you have a deductible plan which reset on January 1st. Even after your deductible is met, your insurance still delegates a portion of the cost of your at least your co-payment at each visit. Plan ahead, stay informed and most importantly, ask questions. Ask our staff if you have any questions about your insurance benefits in the new year. We will help you understand themand figure out the best way to get the care you need. We’re Here to Help With Your Insurance Benefits care to you, usually in the form of a co- payment. Since all the money you spent toward that deductible in 2016 will be swept clean, we strongly suggest paying something toward your deductible at each visit so once your claims process (usually 2-4 weeks), you don’t have a large, intimidating balance due. At the very minimum, we recommend paying
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A 30 Second Self-Test For Sciatica • Do you have back pain or leg pain with standing or walking? • Do you have a shooting pain in your leg when you stand up? • Do you need to sit down for a minute for the pain to go away? 30 Second Self-Test for Sciatica 1. Sitting on a chair, look down. 2. Straighten one leg, with toes in the air. 3. Repeat for the other side.
Patient Spotlight
Research Indicates PT Is The Most Effective and Lowest Cost Solution For Most Types of Back Pain. Take Care of Your Aches and Pains Before It’s Too Late. Statistics show 8 out of 10 people have some type of backache. Are you one of them? Think PT FIRST Patient Success: Albert H. “Before going to Back in Motion® I was unable to walk. Mike taught me how to use my prosthesis and everything. Now that I have graduated PT, I’ve been getting out on the loader loading equipment. I am able to mow my own lawn now, I am all ready to plow snow, and I am able to operate all of my equipment. I am happy to be able to move.”
Chance Farwell, PTA
What it means: If your leg with pain, numbness or tingling does not go up as high as the other leg, you likely have Sciatica. Your next step is to see what is causing the pressure on your sciatic nerve. Call us to schedule an appointment...we can help you with that. Call Today!
SOUTH PORTLAND: (207) 799-8226
GORHAM: (207) 839-5860
PORTLAND: (207) 699-4111
Practice News!
Celebrations: Happy Birthday to Stephanie Whittaker! Happy 1st work anniversary to Tia Brown! We will be doing ergonomic talks at Artel, Synergent, and Maine Credit Union this month. If you would like to have Back in Motion® come to your business for a free ergonomic workshop contact Kelly at klabrecque@mainephysicaltherapy.com Back in Motion® Gives Back: We are collecting items for the W-IUC Community Assistance program. Needed items include but are not limited to: bar soap, small shampoo and conditioners, packages of diapers, feminine napkins, any toiletries, toilet paper, baby wipes, and laundry and dish detergent. Thank you for your support. Even those who use snowblowers often have to “touch up” later in certain areas with a shovel. Consult the snow shoveling tips below to the make the job go more smoothly -- and to make it less boring, as well. You should have a plan before you start snow shoveling leave these 2 areas for last: 1. Don’t fuss about the rest of the snow around the car just yet. More snow will accumulate there when you clean the car, so you might as well wait until then to clean up around the perimeter of the car. 2. Hold off on snow shoveling (with any degree of thoroughness) where your driveway meets the street. As plows go by, they’ll be barricading that area with more snow. Save this area until you’re ready to pull out with your car (or until after you’ve rested up). Speaking of resting, if you can afford the luxury of clearing a driveway in stages, that’s the way to go. If the storm’s over, divide the workload into sections; if the storm’s still in progress, make a preliminary sweep, then go back after the storm.
Free Ergonomic Workshop
Are You Shoveling Snow The Safe Way?
How To Shovel To Protect Your Body From Injury Once you step outside and start wielding your shovel, remember the following: • Bend your knees and lift with your legs • As you lift the snow, keep
the shovel blade close to you, to reduce back strain • Switch off between snow shoveling right-handed and left-handed, so that you’re working different muscles • Likewise, periodically change your grip on the hand holding the bar (palm under vs. palm over) • When the snowfall is heavy (1 foot in depth, let’s say), don’t try to clean right down to the ground with a single scoop. Instead, skim the top 6 inches off, then scoop up the bottom 6 inches. Otherwise, you could be hurting yourself by lifting too much.
The Everyday Exercise That Can Strengthen Your Core Quickly, and Ease Your Back Pain Have you ever wondered how to do a plank the right way? Doing exercises improperly can lead to injury. See below for the right way to plank.
HOW TO DO A PLANK 1. Start by getting into a press up position. 2. Bend your elbows and rest your weight on your forearms and not on your hands. 3. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. 4. Engage your core by sucking your belly button into your spine. 5. Hold this position for the prescribed time.
Dan Clark, PT
Featured Employee: Tia Brown, Patient Representative, South Portland
Where are you from? I am a South Portland native, born and raised! What schooling/training do youhave? I attendedDalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and earned my Bachelor’s in Sociology and Social Anthropology. How long have you been with Back in Motion ® ? I have been with Back in Motion ® for just about a year now! What is your best work story (funny, happy, inspiring)? It is hard to pick just one specific work story when so many things stand out. I would have to say that I really love the relationships that are formed with the patients here. Itmeans
a tremendous amount when a former patient stops in just to say hello and catch up.
What is one interesting fact about you that most people don’t know? I am actually half Indian. My mom is from Kolkata, India where my grandparents and family still live today! Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years I see myself with a Master’s Degree in Social Work and being the proud owner of all of the cats and dogs possible!
30-Second Sciatica Self Test LOOK INSIDE
94 Main Street Gorham, ME 04038 CALL TODAY! GORHAM: (207) 839-5860 SOUTH PORTLAND:
(207) 799-8226 PORTLAND: (207) 699-4111
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