New Jersey Instititute of Balance - May 2018

Mothers Shape the World Moms make the world go round. After running the gauntlet of childbirth, they raise and guide us throughout our lives, shouldering the tremendous burden and responsibility of motherhood. Irena Sendler (1910–2008) 3 of History’s Bravest Moms

When the Nazis invaded Warsaw in September of 1939, Irena Sendler, a 29-year-old social worker and mother of two, hatched a scheme to rescue Jewish children from the brutal ghettos. Along with many friends and colleagues, she smuggled out nearly 2,500 Jewish orphans, hiding infants on trams and garbage wagons and guiding kids through a labyrinth of secret passageways beneath the city. Emmeline Pankhurst (1858–1928)

Mothers are in turn formidable, kind, powerful, gentle, wise, fierce, patient, supportive, empathetic, driven, and full of love. In honor of Mother’s Day, here are three historic moms who never stopped fighting for what they believed in. Sojourner Truth (1797–1883)

Before she escaped from New York slaveholder John Dumont, Sojourner Truth had at least three of her children sold away from her. When Dumont went back on his promise to emancipate Truth and her infant daughter in 1826, she took the girl and fled to an abolitionist Quaker family, but she was forced to leave her other daughter and her 5-year-old son, Peter, behind. Soon after, she learned that Peter had been illegally sold by Dumont to a slaveholder in Alabama, so she went to court and secured his safe return.

Despite being a wife and the mother of five children — two of whom died tragically young — Emmeline Pankhurst became one of the fiercest advocates for women’s suffrage in the late 19th century. After founding the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903, she and her cohorts adopted an aggressive strategy to raise awareness for the issue; they began by buttonholing politicians and staging

rallies, then progressed to vandalism, window smashing, and arson. She was instrumental in the movement. Pankhurst lived to see women gain the right to vote in 1928.

It was the first successful case brought by a black woman against a white man in American history. Truth went on to become a prominent abolitionist and a speaker for women’s rights, delivering her famous impromptu speech, “Ain’t I a Woman?” in May of 1851.

A Look at 3 Common Tennis Injuries D n’ Be Sidelined by Pain

Not all sports injuries happen instantly; many occur over time. Consider the activities that many of us are involved in throughout our lives, such as biking, golfing, and swimming. Tennis, for instance, comes with its fair share of long-term injuries. Over years of playing, these seemingly minor injuries can compound and worsen, leading to inflammation, pain, and reduced range of motion. When that happens, these injuries can leave you on the sidelines. Tennis Elbow Also known as lateral epicondylitis, this condition is characterized by inflamed tendons around the outer part of the elbow. This is also the injury most associated with the game of tennis, and for good reason. Due to the repetitive swinging motions that come with the sport, your muscles and forearms can become strained and eventually damaged. Rotator Cuff Tendonitis Your rotator cuff is critical for the range of motion you use in the shoulder joint. In tennis, stress on the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff

can cause them to become inflamed or even tear. Certain movements, such as the serve and the overhead slam, can strain the rotator cuff, leading to pain, sensitivity, and weakness in the shoulder. Impingement Syndrome Sometimes referred to as “swimmer’s shoulder,” this syndrome occurs when the tendons of the rotator cuff pass through the subacromial space and become inflamed. The subacromial space is the area below the acromion, an extended part of the shoulder blade, nearest the shoulder joint. When these tendons become inflamed, you can expect pain and a limited range of motion. With the right physical therapy program, you can address each of these conditions. You don’t have to rely on pain medication or surgery to correct these issues. The sooner you notice the symptoms — pain, inflammation, swelling, or loss of range of motion — the sooner a trained physical therapist can treat and potentially reverse your condition.

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