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FEBRUARY 2020
WWW.PHYSICALTHERAPYCT.COM|860-482-0600
In physical therapy, everything we do is based on our patients. From exercises that treat your specific type of pain, to finding out your favorite activity, it’s all based on helping you get back to the things you enjoy. We incorporate your interests so you can connect them to your goal of getting better and actually look forward to physical therapy. If my patient is a golfer, I’m going to work with them on swinging a golf club and eventually work with them on balancing on one foot while swinging a golf club. Right now, with a patient who’s a basketball player, we’re recreating movements she would do in a game. I’m having her pass on one leg and creating other situations that strengthen and improve the areas that will help her stay injury-free in her sport. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU CATERING OUR PROCESS TO OUR PATIENTS Balance is key in so many situations. This is especially true during this time of year when there’s snow and ice on the ground. We tend to see more people around this time due to slips and falls, and many people come in with back pain from shoveling. Please
Patients will tell us, “I actually feel better!” For us, it’s not a surprise — what we thought would happen was correct; it's the outcome we planned for when we put together their program. For a patient, though, the process can feel miraculous — physical therapy actually works! People are often surprised that they feel better, that physical therapy helped them get back to where they were. In our waiting room, we’ve hung up success stories from the patients we’ve worked with. They are stories of recovery, of healing, of people making their way back to their lives. It’s powerful. Anytime I need a boost, I go look at this wall. It’s a reminder to anyone who walks in that they too will get better, that they are there to get better, and we’re going to help them through that journey — every step of the way.
be careful out there, and use caution as you move around in cold weather. If you’re experiencing balance issues, PT can help. Whether it’s from vertigo, an ankle injury, or just plain age, we have specific ways to treat balance deficiencies. Talk to your primary physician or come get seen by a PT (Connecticut is a direct access state, meaning you can come get evaluated without a referral). In physical therapy, a lot of what we ask patients to do is to trust in the process. We know it can feel like what we’re asking you to do isn’t going to make a difference. It can be hard to grasp how it’s helping. “How can all these small movements make me stronger? How are they going to help?” Small movements over time lead to results. As much as we ask our patients to stick to the program we’ve created, we also ask them to have faith in the process.
–Kevin Smith
There’s a word we tend to hear a lot of as physical therapists: “actually.”
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WHAT IT IS, WHERE IT CAME FROM, ANDWHAT IT COULDMEAN FOROUR SCREEN TIME SHOULDYOUBEWORRIEDABOUTDIGITALDEMENTIA?
industrialized countries have accepted pain as a natural part of aging and don’t understand that the body can heal from everyday pain and ailments. Somatics involve short, hands-on movements to correct the body’s posture and mobility, which can then stimulate proper healing through further movement and therapy. The technique retrains the brain on proper movement, function, and positioning to align your body and your mind so you can heal instead of just living with pain. Somatic exercises come in two forms. The first method is done with the help of a physical therapist — or in some instances, a massage therapist — who pinpoints the areas of tension and guides you through hands-on In the years since, speculation has abounded about the causes of digital dementia and how people can fight it. A 2017 Forbes article theorized that the problem isn’t just time spent with screens but how much we rely on our smartphones to feed us once- memorized information. “In theory, having a device to store phone numbers, dates, maps and directions, and other information like that frees you up to focus on bigger and theoretically more important things,” Tony Bradley wrote in Forbes. “If you just use your device as a memory crutch, though, and you don’t take advantage of the opportunity to put your brain to work on other things, you aren’t exercising your brain, and it will atrophy.” Psychology Today blamed digital dementia in part on the mental strategies encouraged by video games. According to one study, gaming encourages the “response” strategy of following the same rote
Studies show that 1 in 10 Americans lives with chronic pain for more than one year. When you’re in pain, you seek a way to cope. Some might attend regular physical therapy appointments to find the source of the pain and resolve it. Others might ignore the pain and adapt their lifestyle to avoid making it worse. Either way, the body continues to sustain real damage with these adaptations, which compounds pain and can make things worse. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean healing is a lost cause. Somatic exercises can offer a solution to long-term pain sufferers. Dr. Thomas Hanna taught the first class on somatics in 1990. He had discovered a disconnect between the industrialized world and healthy, pain-free living. Many people in Everyone forgets things. It’s not unusual to have trouble remembering the name of someone you’ve just met or recalling the face of a classmate you haven’t seen in 20 years. But it’s less normal — and a lot more inconvenient — to become chronically absent-minded. If you find yourself struggling to remember the minutiae of daily life, which page of a book you left off on, or when it’s time to pick your kids up from soccer practice, digital dementia could be to blame. The term “digital dementia” was coined in 2012 by German neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer, who studies how our addiction to technology is impacting our brains. According to Alzheimers. net, Spitzer found that “overuse of digital technology is resulting in the breakdown of cognitive abilities in a way that is more commonly seen in people who have suffered a head injury or psychiatric illness.” Because of the shared symptoms, Spitzer called the affliction digital dementia.
movements, while nongamers tend to use the “spatial” strategy of relying on landmarks when they navigate, which is better for mental sharpness. Whatever the root cause, we can take steps to fight digital dementia. As Dr. Carolyn Brockington told Alzheimers.net, the best strategies involve stepping away from screens and relying on brainpower. The next time you’re considering picking up your smartphone, try reading a book, playing a musical instrument, hitting the gym, or learning a new language instead.
CONNECTINGMINDANDBODY HOW SOMATICS CAN OFFER HEALING FOR LONGTIME PAIN SUFFERERS
exercises that relieve the pain and align the body. The second method involves exercises patients can do at home according to their physical therapist’s guidance. You don’t have to live with pain. Healing is possible, and somatics may help you get on the road to recovery. To learn more about this therapeutic technique, visit Somatics.org or talk to your physical therapist.
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CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE? THE SECRET TO LIVING A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE
who is surrounded by supportive and caring friends, family, and loved ones.”
The human brain is an incredibly powerful organ. It solves complex problems, recalls forgotten memories, and triggers a dizzying array of emotions. But its most incredible power is the effect it can have on the rest of the body. When it comes to love, well, our brains certainly love it, and our bodies reflect that.
So, it seems the results are in: Loving someone is a healthy lifestyle choice. Even having a strong network of friends and family boosts your odds of living a long life by 50%. So, get out there and make the healthy choice for yourself and those around you by leading a life full of love.
LESS STRESS Human beings thrive on a sense of connection and belonging, and studies have shown that love actually has positive effects on a person’s physical health as well as mental. The security and commitment felt in a loving relationship are shown to reduce stress by stunting the production of cortisol, the body’s stress-inducing hormone. Less stress means lower blood pressure, a healthier heart, and a lower risk of stroke, especially in men. HEALTHIER IMMUNE SYSTEMS Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that calm, happy people can fight common colds and the flu more easily than those who are anxious or depressed. The physical benefits of love even go as far as healing wounds quicker. Small
injuries inflicted on a wide test group at Ohio State University Medical Center healed nearly twice as fast on people who experienced consistent warmth and care than those who experienced hostility. In fact, the latter group needed almost a full additional day to achieve the same amount of healing as the first group. LONGER, HAPPIER LIVES Being surrounded by love may even save your life. A statistic from the National Health Interview Survey states that single people face a 58% higher risk of mortality. Further bolstering that claim is the Harvard Health Blog, which claims happily married participants experience better health as they age when compared to peers in unhappy partnerships. In fact, the blog asserts, “People in stressful, unhappy marriages may be worse off than a single person
HOMEMADE PALEO BREAD
TAKE A BREAK!
Inspired by Delish
INGREDIENTS
• 5 eggs • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tbsp agave syrup • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 2/3 cups almond flour • 2 tbsp flaxseed meal • 2 tbsp coconut flour
• 2 tsp baking soda • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
4. Pour mixture into prepared 8x5- inch pan and smooth top with a spatula. 5. Bake for 35 minutes or until top is golden. Remove from pan and slice when cooled.
1. Heat oven to 350 F, and line an 8x5- inch loaf pan with parchment paper. 2. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, flaxseed meal, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. 3. Add eggs, olive oil, agave syrup, and vinegar and whisk until smooth.
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860-482-0600 | www.PhysicalTherapyCT.com
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881 New Harwinton Rd Torrington, CT 06790
1. COVER TITLE 1. OUR APPROACH TO PHYSICAL THERAPY INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED ABOUT DIGITAL DEMENTIA? DON’T LIVE IN PAIN ANY LONGER WITH SOMATICS THE EFFECTS OF LOVE ON YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH HOMEMADE PALEO BREAD
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4. YOU CAN HAVE FUNWHILE WORKING OUT
THISWORKOUTROCKS! 3 REASONS TO START ROCK CLIMBING
type of climbing where you strap into a harness, tie yourself to a rope, and climb up a wall while your partner
doesn’t mean easy. An intense climb works out your back muscles, biceps, abs, and legs. Research published in The Scientific World Journal found that climbers can burn up to 10 calories a minute — without even getting drenched in sweat during their workout. IT IMPROVES YOUR SHOULDERS AND YOUR MIND! Physical strength alone won’t get you to the top of a wall. Rock climbing is a physical and mental challenge. Some problems call for fancy footwork, creative problem-solving, or going for a rock that seems out of reach. Teaching your mind and your body to work together while rock climbing can also build endurance and reduce stress.
“On belay?”
“Belay on!”
No, these aren’t strange magic spells. They’re basic safety commands rock climbers use before they start their ascent. Rock climbing as a hobby and a workout has been growing in popularity over the last few years, thanks in part to popular documentaries like “Free Solo” and “Meru.” But if you’re still not ready to chalk up and start climbing, here are a few more reasons to add “belay on” to your vocabulary. IT’S A FUN FULL-BODY WORKOUT. Getting a full-body workout usually means hating every second of it. This isn’t the case with rock climbing, though. Most people take up rock climbing because it’s fun. Reaching the top of a wall is like solving a puzzle with your whole body. That said, fun
holds the rope, ready to catch you. In other words, your partner
“belays” you. It’s the ultimate trust fall. Facing the challenges of rock climbing with your partner also teaches you how to overcome adversity together and improves communication as you both work to conquer the wall. The best part about rock climbing is that it’s easy to try out. Most climbing gyms rent out the supplies you need for a small fee. And with hundreds of climbing gyms open across the United States, there’s no wall blocking the way of you and your favorite new workout.
IT STRENGTHENS YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.
Rock climbing, especially top rope climbing, is one of the best workouts to do with a partner. Top roping is a
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