AgeWell.HipLegAndKneePain

It is difficult to make it throughout the day without putting pressure on your legs, knees or hips. Every time you stand up, take a step, or even attempt to shift in your chair you put pressure on your lower body.

HIP, KNEE , AND LEG PAIN

It is difficult to make it throughout the daywithout putting pressure on your legs, knees or hips. Every time you stand up, take a step, or even attempt to shift in your chair you put pressure on your lower body. (Read more inside...)

I N S I D E HIP, KNEE, & LEG PAIN HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP! EXERCISE ESSENTIALS

N E W S L E T T E R

HIP, KNEE , & LEG PAIN L E AV E T H E PA I N B E H I ND YOU !

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Understanding the Cause of Leg, Knee and Hip Pain There are many different reasons as to why hip, knee or leg pain may develop, including everything from a sudden injury as a result of a car accident or a fall, to chronic issues like arthritis. Factors like age or wear and tear can also build-up over time, leaving a lasting impact on howyou feel day to day. The reality is that leg, knee and hip pain are incredibly common—surprisingly so! The pain can start from just about anywhere, and it doesn’t always go away as quickly as you’d think. If you are experiencing pain in any part of your leg, the smart thing to do is to identify the cause of that pain as early as possible byworking with a physical therapist.

Injuries to the legs, hips and knees often tend to linger, causing lasting pain thanks to the fact that it is so difficult to give these parts of your body the rest they need when an injury first develops. The joints at the hips and knees are the largest joints in the body, and they are most responsible for supporting your body’s weight. Theywork closelywith one another, providing your bodywith the ability to move freely and to keep up with the demands of your day. But when pain gets in the way of that movement, every moment becomes dependent on your ability to manage that pain. As anyone who has experienced chronic or lingering pain can attest to—especially pain in the joints—over the counter medications will only go so far in managing the pain. To truly recover you need to address the cause of the pain. Working with a physical therapist can help you to make this happen.

Get Moving Today with AgeWell Physical Therapy! • Call 516.488.8808 to talk with your physical therapist!

H O W P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y C A N H E L P

Physical therapy has been found to help alleviate hip, leg and knee pain that results from the following reasons:

with this reality in mind, creating customized plans that are targeted to individual needs, ratherthan attempting to retrofit a one-size-fits-all solution to something as complex as hip, knee and leg pain. Symptoms of Leg, Knee and Hip Pain When it comes to identifying the symptoms of leg, knee and hip pain, the message is loud and clear. Pain that develops in theseareas, includingradiatingpain,stabbingpain,or lingering soreness can really interfere with your day. The severity of the pain may vary day to day, but the best treatment for this pain does not change. Identifying the cause of the pain and addressing the pain with regular exercises, targeted massage, and stretches that improve mobility and range ofmotion can help to alleviate the severityand frequency of your leg, knee and hip pain.

• Arthritis • Dislocation • Hyperextension • Hip fracture

• Tendonitis • Inflammation • Pinched nerves • Osteoporosis • Cancer • Other chronic illness

• Sprains • Strains

The bottom line is that no two types ofpain are identical. Every injury leads to different experiences of pain, even if they are caused by the same factor and in the same part of the body. The experience of the pain from one individual to the next will differ, as will the environmental factors that may support or exacerbate the experience of pain. A physical therapist is trained in identifying not only what caused the pain to develop, butwhat themost helpful strategies will be in helping each individual to work through the pain in the most strategic way. There are some causes of pain are more severe than others, but physical therapy is designed Ula Danielewicz is a PTA who worked at AgeWell for years before leaving work temporarily to be with her new baby sons. Now that her sons are in school (4th grade and preschool), Ula has returned to work with us! We are thrilled to welcome Ula back, and we knowyouwill love hertoo! Forthose of you who don’t know Ula from before, here are some fun facts about her to get to know her better: Where did you go to school? IfinishedPTAprogramatLaGuardiaCommunityCollege in2007. Howmany years practicing? I’ve been practicing since graduating the school in 2007, with 2 maternity leave breaks. Where are you originally from? I was born in Poland in a small city called Piaseczno, about 10 minutes fromWarsaw. Why do you like being a therapist? I love to be able to help others– to guide people in the rehabilitationprocessand helpthemgetstronger,moreflexible, and more independent. I love seeing overall improvements in the quality of my patients’ lives. S TA F F SPOT L I GH T

Call AgeWell Physical Therapy at 516.488.8808 to schedule an appointment and help relieve your hip, leg, and knee pain.

Do you like to work with any specific types of patients? Theworkwith “golden agers” I enjoythemost.Theyremindme of my grandma, who was my inspiration to became therapist. I try to treat everyone theway I would treat my grandmother, with respect and love. Have you recently taken any interesting continued education classes. If so, on what? Recently I took a very interesting course on how to manage urinary incontinence in any PT setting. Most people suffering with incontinencemayfeel embarrassed bytheiraccidents and usually avoid scheduling a doctor’s appointment. We need to encourage conversation about that problem because elderly urinary incontinence is a very treatable condition. What have you enjoyed about working at AgeWell in the past? I loved the professionalism, compassion, and individual approachtoeachpatientatAgeWell.Frommy latestexperience, I can say that most of the physical therapy clinics offer limited and rather poor services compared to what AgeWell offers.

WHAT OUR PAT I ENT S AR E SAY I NG

RECE I VE THERAPY I N YOUR HOME ! AgeWell PT and LiveWell OT offer in-home physical therapy and occupational therapy services. If you have difficulty traveling or leaving your home, these services are for you! These services are also covered by Medicare. I N - OF F I CE SPECIAL TEST ING SERV I CES AgeWell PT offers in-house electrodiagnostic testing and musculoskeletal diagnostic ultrasound testing for all of our patients. We hope our therapy patients take advantage of these tests to improve their rate of recovery and therapy outcome.

”Iunderwentanaboveknee amputationof theright leg inSeptemberof 2017. I was referred to AgeWell by my prosthetist because I told them I neededa therapyoffice thatwouldgiveme theextra time Ineeded toget better and would provide me one-on-one time and attention. The staff at AgeWell Physical Therapy and LiveWell Occupational Therapy have been wonderful! Everyone has been so attentive and compassionate andhavemotivatedme todomore than I thought Icoulddo.Sometimes I get nervous with new challenges, but the staff made me feel at ease and gave me the confidence I needed. I was in a wheelchair and not even able to stand with others helping me and now I am able to walk with a walker with just supervision. I never thought I was going to be able to do that again! I would recommend anyone who needs therapy to go to AgeWell Physical therapy and LiveWell Occupational Therapy. They provide an extremely high quality of service and the therapy is effective. You’ll amaze yourself at what you accomplish!” - Betty K.

SWE E T POTATO - P E CAN CA SS E RO L E R E C I P E

INGREDIENTS • 3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks • 1/3 cup honey • 1 large egg • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg • 1/8 tsp ground ginger • Kosher salt • 1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar • 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mist an 8 in square baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger and 1/2 tsp salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish. Mix the brown sugar, pecans and the remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40-45 min.

KNEE EXTENSION Sit in a chair with you back straight against the back of the chair. Slowly raise your left knee to straighten your leg, then slowly return to the starting position. Alternate with your right knee. Repeat 6-10 times. E X E R C I S E E S S E N T I A L TRY THIS EXERCISE TO STRENGTHEN KNEES

REFER A FR I END!

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Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.

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