Athletes are naturally at an increased risk for experiencing injuries. This is not a result of any particular health issue that athletes have in common. Instead, it is a simple exposure equation. The more frequently you push yourself
The Newsletter About Caring for Your Health Health+Fitness
A L S O I N S I D E : Overcoming And Preventing Tendinitis • Tips For Avoiding Sports Injuries Eat Like A Pro Athlete • Stretching & Its Benefits • Healthy Recipe Overcoming Tendonitis Don ' t Le t Pa i n S i de l i ne You !
Overcoming Tendonitis Don't Let Pain Sideline You!
Understanding tendinitis While there are some sports injuries that happen after a bad day, there are others that develop over time. Tendinitis is an incredibly common issue that causes pain to develop in the joints. This can impact the hips, knees, elbows or shoulders. Pain caused by tendinitis can impact everyday activities, making it exceedingly difficult to remain comfortable day to day or to remain active. Tendinitis can make simple activities such as picking up a gallon of milk or attempting to put something away on a shelf over your head incredibly painful and challenging. Unfortunately, when tendinitis develops, it often sticks around. This means that pain that begins as frustrating and seemingly minor can quickly become chronic and incredibly painful. Working with a physical therapist is the best way to address tendinitis pain early on, to improve range of motion and reduce the severity of your pain without having to turn to pain medications. What is tendinitis? Tendinitis is a common issue among athletes because it develops as a result of overuse.
Athletes are naturally at an increased risk for experiencing injuries. This is not a result of any particular health issue that athletes have in common. Instead, it is a simple exposure equation. The more frequently you push yourself to try new things, to engage in physical activity, or to push yourself to reach a new goal, the more you are going to increase your risk for potential injury. On most days, the injury won’t happen, but as every athlete knows, it only takes one bad day — one day when fatigue throws off your form or your gait, or you feel distracted and do not realize an obstacle is coming up, or a momentary fluke in which something goes wrong and you go down. What makes matters worse is the fact that many athletes attempt to push past the pain of their initial injuries, which often leads to more severe and chronic injuries. Working with a physical therapist is especially important for athletes for this reason. A physical therapist can help identify potential issues with posture or form that may increase your risk for injury, help identify potential injuries as they develop, and assess the severity of and best treatment options for those injuries as soon as possible, so you always know exactly what your body needs to feel at its best.
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Call Blue Sky Physical Therapy at 303.388.1537 or visit blueskypt.com to schedule your appointment today!
TIPS FOR AVOIDING SPORTS INJURIES School is almost back in session and with a new school year comes a new season for sports! Whether your kids play for their school team or an extracurricular rec team, there is always the risk of an injury. Some are fairly minor, such as scrapes and bruises, but some can be serious enough to need medical intervention. Here is a collection of tips that can help keep your kids playing the game they love rather than watching from the sidelines: 1. Get a preseason physical. Make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician to get a thorough sports physical before the season starts. A sports physical can assess any areas that may be a concern for your young athlete, and in turn keep them from exasperating any conditions that may need to be treated. 2. Emphasize the importance of warm-ups. Stretching is important to loosen muscle fibers and increase blood flow to the area. A mix of both static stretches (such as toe touches) and dynamic stretches (such as high-knees) will get your athlete ready to hit the field. 3. Make Sure they are getting enough rest. Muscle fatigue predisposes an athlete to injury, so sleep is critical for your body to restore and rebuild muscle fibers. Make sure your child is also taking a season “off,” as overuse injuries are the most common injuries seen in young athletes. 4. Make sure they are hydrating! Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, are a real concern for anyone exercising outside, especially on hot and humid days. Make sure your child is adequately hydrating before, during, and after activity. 5. Make sure they are eating a healthy, well- balanced diet. It is important for athletes to fuel up correctly with a diet that consists of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Be sure to make time for breakfast, too! Even when following tips and guidelines to the letter, injuries can unfortunately still occur. Be sure to tell your young athlete that the old saying “no pain, no gain” doesn’t apply when it comes to actual injuries. Playing through pain can lead to further damage and a longer healing time, so it is important to address any nagging pains or acute injuries before they turn into something more serious. Your physical therapy team at Blue Sky PT can help create a plan to treat and prevent injuries by promoting strength training and proper form. Call us today to see how we can help your child succeed this season!
Overcoming and Preventing Tendinitis (Continued from outside) While the average person may engage in standard physical tasks such as walking or typing, an athlete takes that repetitive behavior to a new level. Consider a tennis player, for example. In addition to running and jumping, a skilled tennis player will spend hours every week swinging the racket, and this could result in added wear and tear on the elbows and wrists, not to mention the shoulders. Every bone in the body is connected with muscular fibers called tendons. The tendons are flexible, allowing the body to move more freely by letting bones stretch apart or move in one direction or another. Tendinitis occurs when the tendons become inflamed. Swelling in the tendons can make movement painful and difficult. Typically, when pain is caused as a result of tendinitis, the pain is isolated at the noted areas of the body. This means that a tennis player may experience tendinitis in the elbow or shoulder, whereas a runner may be more likely to experience it in the Achilles tendon. In fact, this is why tendinitis in the elbow is frequently referred to as tennis elbow, while Achilles tendinitis is sometimes referred to as runner’s ankles or runner’s heels. Treating tendinitis The best treatment for tendinitis is time. Unfortunately, this is something that many people are unable to give to an injury. When tendinitis develops, the best thing to do is to use ice and to relax that part of the body. Taking a few days off from practice or away from your workout may be sufficient, but in other cases, this may require a few days in a wheelchair or on crutches, with the bulk of your weight off of the affected area. Working with a physical therapist can help you identify the best treatment methods for tendinitis. Your physical therapist can also help you identify the best range of motion and strength-building activities to reduce your likelihood of developing tendinitis. For more information about preventing or treating pain from tendinitis, contact us today!
Exercise Essentials
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EXERCISE VIDEOS! Our website has a number of exercise how-tos that can be incorporated in your at-home workout routine! Visit us at: blueskypt.com/video-exercises/ for access to our FREE fitness videos!
Patient Success Story Hear Why Patients Love Us! "I have had the pleasure of dealing with Blue Sky for one thing or another for more than 12 years. First for Pilates, which I have continued to this date. Then for a badly strained back and later sciatica. In all instances I have been treated professionally with great skill and care. The therapists at Blue Sky have not just dealt with the injury, but have been concerned with my whole wellness. Also, Pilates is wonderful because teachers are all PT professionals as well and so they understand my body. You can have complete confidence in this outfit. Incidentally, their COVID protocols are excellent." — Garry H. STAY HOME & STAY IN SHAPE! Are you maintaining social distancing and worried about losing strength or experiencing chronic pain due to decreased activity? No worries— we have you covered! Head over to our website at www.blueskypt.com for access to a series of exercise videos that can be completed in the comfort of your own home! Stay safe and active with Blue Sky PT!
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT: DRY NEEDLING
Dr. Samantha Harmon has been certified in a pain-relieving technique known as dry needling! D r y n e e d l i n g i s a t e chn i que phy s i ca l therapists use (where allowed by state law)
Earn Rewards With Our Referral Program! If you refer one person: $5.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE to be used towards one of our cash pay services. If you refer two people: $10.00 GIFT CERTIFICATE to be used towards one of our cash pay services. If you refer three people: 50% OFF one of our cash pay services. *Cash pay services include: a massage, a private Pilates session, a personal training session, or a private yoga session. to treat myofascial pain. The technique uses a “dry” needle, one without medication or injection, inserted through the skin into areas of the muscle, known as trigger points. Some dry needling techniques treat a broader landscape of the central nervous system. This is called non-trigger point treatment. Instead of inserting needles only in the area of pain, the practitioner may instead insert needles in areas around but not directly on the point of pain. This technique relies on the idea that pain is the result of a greater nerve or muscular issue, not a focused one only in the main area of pain. Physical therapists use dry needling with the goal of releasing or inactivating trigger points to relieve pain or improve range of motion. Preliminary research supports that dry needling improves pain control, reduces muscle tension, and normalizes dysfunctions of the motor end plates, the sites at which nerve impulses are transmitted to muscles. This can help speed up the patient’s return to active rehabilitation. Dry needling may provide relief for some muscular pain and stiffness. In addition, easing the trigger points may improve flexibility and increase range of motion. To learn if dry needling could help you, call us today at 303.388.1537!
In-Studio Pilates! With the transition from the stay-at-home order to the safer-at-home order, businesses have been allowed to gradually reopen following strict physical distancing measures. On May 11th, Blue Sky began having in-studio personal training sessions utilizing the Pilates equipment. We have a modified schedule; however, we do have sessions available everyday Monday—Saturday. (Please visit our website for the most current schedule.) We also have limited the number of participants to 5 per session to allow space for physical distancing. We are continuing to offer Virtual Pilates classes in August! Classes will be Mondays at 10:00 AM and a beginner class at 12:00 PM, and Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:00 AM. In addition, we are offering in studio private (one individual) and semi private (two individuals) personal training sessions utilizing the Pilates equipment. If you are interested in any of these options, please call us at 303.388.1537 for details and scheduling.
Healthy Recipe Feta & Herb Salmon
INGREDIENTS • 1 salmon fillet thawed • 1/2 cup Feta Cheese
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley • 2 Tbsp roughly chopped fresh chives • Juice from half a lemon • 1/8 tsp salt • Pinch of pepper DIRECTIONS Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil for easy clean up. Combine parsley, chives, Feta, lemon, salt and pepper on cutting board. Run knife through the combination several times, chopping up all ingredients to mix. Spread combined ingredients on salmon fillet. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Serve!
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