CALDWELL 1906 Fairview Ave., Ste. 410 Caldwell, ID 83605 (208) 454-9839 Nampa, ID 83686 (208) 465-9418 THE ASCENT NAMPA - MIDLAND 130 S. Midland Blvd. Nampa, ID 83686 (208) 461-5057 NAMPA - SOUTHSIDE 3151 E. Greenhurst Rd.
SEPTEMBER 2019
True to our “work hard, play hard” mentality at Altitude PT, all six of our clinical staff (myself included!) and four of our spouses completed a mud run in July. It was a mess and a blast all at the same time. I embraced the muddy course and found myself fueled by the people around me. It was so much fun to share this experience with my team. This fall, we’re so excited to welcome a new physical therapist to our team: Ellie Toscan. Ellie brings a passion for people and an amazing skill set to our team. We’re actually welcoming Ellie back to Altitude; she interned with us in the fall of 2017, and that’s when we got to see firsthand what a dedicated student and skilled clinician she is. Ellie got along great with patients, and she has gone above and beyond in her education. She recently completed her orthopedic residency, giving her additional skills in the physical therapy field. Ellie also knows the Treasure Valley well. She grew up in Caldwell and graduated from Vallivue High School. She’s a Caldwell girl who’s ready to come home, and we couldn’t be happier to welcome her back. I can’t wait for you to meet her. In the meantime, you can read more about Ellie inside the newsletter. As we gear up for the fall season, we’re looking forward to connecting with our community. We get involved with school supply drives and clothing JUMPING INTO FALL WORK HARD, PLAY HARD
drives, and we’re always excited to participate in Rake Up Boise, a fun way to help out neighbors and meet new people in our community. We’re also hosting a few community workshops this month based on the challenges people commonly face. If you’re experiencing knee or low back issues, our workshops this month are created with you in mind. We’re also focusing on improving balance and preventing falls, both of which can become challenging as we get older. Sept. 23–29 is Fall Prevention Awareness Week, a week dedicated to creating awareness about falls and preventing them for those who may be vulnerable. Physical therapy plays a key role in the effort to decrease falls and improve balance, and during Fall Prevention Awareness Week, we’ll have specific
workshops all week geared toward these goals. If you’ve been struggling with your balance, have fallen in the past, or feel nervous about walking through the grocery store or walking on uneven ground, we’d love to see you at our workshops. Don’t miss out on any of your favorite daily activities because of your balance. We can help. You can find more details about our workshops on our website, and you’re always welcome to call and ask us if you want to know more about anything. I look forward to connecting with you, whether it’s at Rake Up Boise, here at the clinic, or at one of our workshops. It’s going to be a great fall, isn’t it? –Sean Weatherston
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THE BEST NATIONAL PARKS TO VISIT THIS FALL
movement therapy skills,” Ellie shares. This allows her to address issues like joint pain, muscle pain, and sciatica to help people enjoy their favorite sports and activities with ease. In addition to being a familiar face at Altitude, Ellie is no stranger to Caldwell. She grew up here and graduated from Vallivue High School. Joining Altitude was the perfect pathway to lead her back to her Idaho roots. “I’m excited to come back to Idaho,” Ellie says. She’s an avid hiker, skier, angler, mountain biker, and “you name it,” she says of the long list of outdoor activities she enjoys. Between finishing her residency and starting at Altitude, Ellie celebrated the milestone with a week-long, self-guided rafting trip along the Salmon River. It sounds like the perfect way to mark the start of her next adventure. Have you ever wanted to experience the colors of a Boston fall while enjoying the peace and tranquility of the great outdoors? Autumn leaves are a universally appreciated sign of the changing seasons, and there’s no better place to see those vibrant yellows, oranges, and reds on display than in one of America’s national parks. So, if you’ve got some free time this autumn, here are some parks worth seeing. ACADIA NATIONAL PARK, MAINE While the maple, birch, and poplar trees of Acadia begin to change color in September, mid-October is the best time to witness autumn in full swing. The park is crisscrossed with unpaved trails that date back to a time of horse-drawn carriages, preserving an idyllic setting. If you want to see the colors in full effect, take a drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard, and watch the sun crest over the vibrant leaves. To fully experience fall in the Northeastern U.S., Acadia National Park is a must-see. GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, TENNESSEE AND NORTH CAROLINA Further south, the autumn colors of the Smoky Mountains are no less breathtaking than those
in the Northeast. This park offers many scenic lookout points accessible by car, so don’t worry about hoofing it into the forest if that’s not your thing. Park wherever you like and watch the warm colors of ancient maples, oaks, and cedars change before your eyes. GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING While the West might typically be associated with evergreen pines, the deciduous trees of the relatively small Grand Teton National Park pack a colorful punch starting around the third week of September. It’s also breeding season for elk in the area, and their high, eerie whistles can be heard in the evenings. Popular destinations in the park include the Christian Pond Loop and String Lake. Just because the weather is cooling down doesn’t mean you have to abandon your favorite national parks until next summer. The natural beauty of America can be experienced at any time of the year, so start planning your next autumn outdoor excursion!
ELLIE COMES HOME OUR NEWEST PT IS RIGHT AT HOME AT ALTITUDE
Last month, Ellie Toscan wrapped up her orthopedic residency at Creighton University. This month, she joins Altitude PT as a physical therapist. We are so excited to welcome this awesome individual back to our clinics. We first got to know Ellie when she did her clinicals here as a student in the fall of 2017. Ellie got along really well with our patients, and it was clear that she was would be a skilled clinician. Since then, she’s gone above and beyond in her education, completing her orthopedic residency at Creighton in order to address the deeper aches and pains people experience. Ellie says it was the realization that she likes treating a wide range of patients that encouraged her area of specialization. “I really enjoy working with people throughout the age spectrum, from high schoolers with sports injuries to people with osteoarthritis of the knee and low back pain,” she says. “I wanted to specialize more, so I went back to Creighton to specialize in orthopedic PT.” As Ellie explains, an orthopedic specialty means she’s focused on treating the muscles, joints, and nervous system to ease aches and pains. “I’ve gotten to hone in on movement analysis and
Ellie and her new Aussie pup, Groot
Ellie and her sister, Andie
Ellie and Codi
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THE REAL HERO OF EVERY PT STORY
DIANNE’S DEDICATION TO HER RECOVERY
From the generous reviews, thank-yous, and general appreciation our clients show us, you’d think we were the big stars around here. But that’s not the case at all. Our patients are the true stars. They are the heroes of their PT journeys. They find the courage to overcome pain and embark on the road to recovery. They are our patients like Dianne, who worked diligently with our PT, Kayla, to find relief. Here’s what Dianne shared about working with Kayla at Altitude PT. “I highly recommend Altitude Physical Therapy. I was in horrible pain and had been for a long time. During my first visit, Kayla located the problem, and I actually got some relief. Within a month or less, I could walk and not scream! They’re a team, and they work closely with each other to ensure the treatment plan is cohesive. I feel great now. I miss them actually! I know if I ever need PT again, that’s where I’m going!” –Dianne TAKE A BREAK
What Dianne doesn’t mention is the dedication she put into her recovery. Kayla gets to tell that side of the story (and no surprise, she loved working with Dianne just as much). “Dianne was so fun to work with! She is the perfect example of how PT works when YOU work. She was very consistent with performing her home exercises and was always looking to problem- solve ways that she could incorporate them into her normal daily routine. She is undoubtedly the hero of her story, as it was her dedication and consistency in putting in the work, both inside and outside of the clinic, that allowed her to get back to doing what she loves without pain!” Thank you for sharing your story, Dianne. As Kayla shared, it was our joy to work with you on your heroic recovery!
Missing your favorite activities? Our upcoming Altitude PT Workshops can help!
These are FREE and open to the public!
FALL PT WORKSHOPS:
Tuesday, Sept. 10: Knee Workshop 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24: Low Back Workshop 7 p.m. Sept. 24–26: Balance and Fall Prevention Workshops: Tuesday, Sept. 24th Caldwell Clinic 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept 25th Midland Blvd. Clinic 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26th Southside Clinic 10 a.m
Spots are limited! Call Kathy (208) 465 9418 or visit AltitudePT.com to register.
TOMATO SALAD WITH HORSERADISH
Savor the end of tomato season with this spicy and healthy salad. Because the horseradish- spiked dressing packs a punch, you only need a little to add a lot of flavor.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
• • • • •
1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup buttermilk
1. For the dressing, whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, and horseradish in a mixing bowl; season to taste. 2. In serving bowls, arrange tomatoes and top with scallions. 3. Lightly drizzle tomatoes and scallions with dressing and serve.
2 tbsp prepared horseradish Salt and black pepper, to taste 2 1/2 lbs heirloom and cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
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2 scallions, thinly sliced
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Inspired by Food & Wine Magazine
(208) 454-9839
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1906 Fairview Ave., Ste. 410 Caldwell, ID 83605
(208) 454-9839 www.altitudept.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Jumping Into Fall The Vibrant Colors of America’s National Parks Employee Spotlight
The Real Hero of Every PT Story Tomato Salad With Horseradish NFL Lowers Concussion Rates in 2018
A HEAD ABOVE THE NFL’S NEWEST RULE CHANGES TO DECREASE CONCUSSIONS
Prior to the 2018 National Football League (NFL) season, the league administration introduced two rules aimed at preventing concussions: Players are no longer allowed to “wedge” block — players running shoulder-to-shoulder into another player — during kick-offs, and they can’t lower their helmets when they tackle.
use of more sideline concussion protocol testing and increased advanced helmet technology aided in this boost. The NFL reported that 74% of its players were now wearing its latest protective headgear, a 33% increase from 2017. According to USA Today, the NFL’s chief medical officer, Dr. Allen Sills, also indicated that medical teams across the league performed more sideline concussion tests than any year prior and saw a 75% decrease in diagnosing. The league is considering testing mouthguard technology that would give medical teams more information for diagnosing concussions. As we prepare for another season of football, there’s no telling what 2019’s numbers will show about the NFL’s latest safety protocols, but if 2018 was any indication, they just might be headed in the right direction.
Fans and players complained about the “soft” stance the NFL took on the gritty play football was built on. Most notably, former Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews was subjected to a game-costing “roughing the passer” penalty for tackling in a way that would have been allowed in years prior. The NFL reported that it would be using Matthews’ hit as a teaching tape. Despite the backlash, offseason reports may suggest that these rules have influenced concussion rates. The NFL reported a 24% decline in the number of concussions between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, lowering the total from 281
in 2017 to 214 in 2018 when combined with preseason play. In the regular season alone, the number of reported concussions was 135 compared to 190 from the year prior. However, it’s worth noting that 2017 saw high recorded rates of concussions. Figures going as far back as 2012 indicate that 2017 was one of the most concussed years in recent football history. Still, NFL and medical officials point to 2018’s decrease in concussions as a positive sign that league initiatives are working. Officials say the new rules helped push the numbers down, and the
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