Reddy Care: How Bad Posture Affects You

Reddy Care PT & OT Newsletter

N E W S L E T T E R USE YOUR MUSCLES EFFICIENTLY!

suboptimal positions creating a less than ideal length for the muscles to operate comfortably. More force is required to perform tasks in suboptimal muscle length causing muscle fatigue, tension, and overuse pain. What do we do? We are not going to ditch the smartphone, so we must be smart with our bodies. Even in a technologically and medically advanced society, we must look at our ancestral roots and their physical behaviors. Anthropologists have discovered that indigenous people have documented little to no back pain. The reason is the spine and shoulders work in optimal positions. Observations of an indigenous spine show that their spines are elongated and the shoulders roll back. In sitting or standing roll your shoulders up and back and let them hang adjacent to your chest but not in front. For the spine take a deep breath in and feel the spine from the neck to the lower back elongate upward and let the spine rest there as you exhale. Another trick is imagining yourself like a string puppet or a marionette where a puppeteer is pulling you up by the string. You should make yourself tall as you elongate your spine from the neck down. The spine and shoulders should finally feel like they are perfectly situated vertically above your pelvis. Even as we enter a new age of modern society, we have our indigenous ancestors to thank for their smart postural behaviors. They have learned early on to efficiently use their muscles to sit and stand in ways that would help them perform tasks without pain. Keep your muscle length in check and make sure you are smart with your body as we adapt to ever-changing environmental and societal conditions.

The spine and shoulders are intricate parts of the body that help us perform functional tasks that are important to everyday living. The spine and shoulders are used every day and when these joints are overused in suboptimal

By: Dr. Anthony Ng, PT, DPT

positions they produce pain. The reason for this is because muscles work best under a certain length. The length-tension relationship of a muscle is important because it enables the body to perform tasks at an optimal level. Take driving a car as an example. You will notice that you’ve already set your car seat at an optimal position for driving. That happened for a reason. As the driver, your seat is in a position where the steering wheel is comfortably close to you. The rear view mirror is tilted and angled to your head’s convenience, and your seat is adjusted at the right distance. The seat should be reclined to an upright position that efficiently places your arms and legs for efficient vehicle operation. Can you imagine driving a vehicle where you must fully extend your arms to steer, or extend your leg so far out that you can only tap the gas pedal with the tip of your big toe? Your muscles will be exhausted after a few minutes of driving and it is not a safe way to operate a vehicle. When the muscle length is altered, it generates more force to help your body accomplish a particular task. Look around your environment and you will see people in suboptimal positions all the time. That is because humans have adapted to advancing environmental conditions and the digital revolution. People find themselves forward leaning using their phones and tablets. They lean forward to work at desks, compete in sports, and do household chores. The list goes on. Over time these tasks put our spine and shoulders in

Source: www.npr.org/sections goatsandsoda/2015/06/08/412314701/lost- posture-why-indigenous-cultures-dont-have-back-pain

NORTH SHORE TOWERS CLINIC NOW OPEN!

www.reddycare.net

N E W S L E T T E R

IS YOUR POSTURE THE REASON FOR YOUR ACHES & PAINS?

INSIDE : • A New Bayside Clinic Is Coming Soon! • Meet Our Farmingdale Staff! Do you suffer from daily or recurrent aches and pains? If so, your posture may be the culprit. Think about the number of hours a day we spend staring at a computer screen, hunched over our desks, or staring at our phones. That creates a lot of stress on the neck and back, especially if you are slouched, titled forward, or looking down for prolonged periods of time. How does poor posture affect me? Changes to your posture can negatively affect your body, and you may find yourself experiencing some of the following symptoms: • If your posture contains a forward head tilt– This forward-head posture creates a strain on the neck, which can result in neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, chronic headaches, and lower back pain. Tilting your head forward for long periods of time shortens the muscles in the back of the neck, and can result in soreness throughout multiple parts of your body. • If your posture contains slouching of the mid-back – If you slouch the middle of your back, you can drive your head forward and alter the way your ribs naturally align. By doing this, you may experience pain in the mid-back, in addition to pain in the neck. If this is your average standing posture, it is important to seek physical therapy treatment right away – over time, standing

• Reddy Care Reviews • In-Home PT & OT At Reddy Care

like this day after day may cause internal issues, as it creates pressure on your lungs, heart, and digestive system. • If your posture includes sitting for long periods of time – When you sit for prolonged periods of time, the muscles in your hips and legs will stiffen. When these muscles become stiff, they tighten and will pull on the lower back, causing pain. The joints also lose their range of motion, which can cause soreness or achiness in the hips, legs, and back, and can create issues with your gait. The way in which you walk can also have an effect on your posture. When you have improper posture, your center of gravity changes. This can cause your balance to decline, which can cause pain when walking, thus creating a vicious cycle of overcompensation and pain. The most common symptom of poor posture is low back pain, although pain can be present in other parts of the body, as well. The back muscles constantly contract to keep you upright, and they overcompensate when you slouch or hunch over. Over a period of time, constant poor posture can create an unusual amount of wear and tear on the low back, which can increase the risk of arthritis in the spine.

Call us today to talk to an expert about how we can help improve your posture!

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY NOW AVAILABLE IN OUR GREAT NECK CLINIC.

www.reddycare.net

A New Bayside Clinic Is Coming Soon!

Aquatic Therapy!

This new clinic will also have Aquatic therapy! Aquatic therapy allows for low-impact, high resistance workouts. This will also assist in reducing inflammation, reducing pain, increasing circulation, improving balance, and promoting relaxation. This is going to be an amazing new feature for our patients and we are so excited to see how it will change our patient’s lives!

We are very excited to announce that Reddy Care is expanding to reach more people in our community! This spacious clinic has room for amazing technology to ensure the best treatment and gorgeous views of the Throgs Neck Bridge! Keep an eye on our social media to stay up to date on the opening!

Source: HudsonAquatic Systems LLC. www.hudsonaquatic.com/why-water

In-Home PT & OT At Reddy Care

At Reddy Care Physical and Occupational therapy we can treat patients in the comfort of their homes. Patients receive one on one care which allows us as therapists to be able to focus on individualized goals that cater to patients’ activities of daily living. Goals are set up after the initial evaluation which focuses on specific activities that patients want to improve. This could include, but not limited to, walking independently, preventing falls, reducing fear of falling, improving ability to go up and down stairs, improving ability to perform activities that require reaching or bending, and improving ability to get in and out of the bathroom etc. Patients can be treated by manual techniques to help alleviate pain and improve mobility. With therapy being performed at home, therapists are able to address situations in the home that the patient might have difficulty with. Physical and occupational therapists can also help educate patients on the correct use of assistive devices such as walkers and canes. Our occupational therapists are also able to help patients with their daily tasks such as meal preparation, dressing, bathing/ showering, transfers, use of splints and joint protection strategies.

Occupational therapists can also teach patients energy conservation techniques so they can perform their activities of daily living without onset of fatigue and/or pain while improving the efficiency of the movements. The ability to bring equipment to the patient’s home enables us to provide a variety of therapeutic interventions. We evaluate the patients’ progression through every step of their plan of care and make appropriate adjustments frequently to ensure that our patients continue to improve their functional outcomes. These outcomes are measured through scientific scales which helps us evaluate the progress made through therapy. If you have any questions about how In-Home therapy can help benefit you, please call us at 516-829-0030 and we can have one of our Clinical Directors or therapists also do a free phone consultation to provide an overview of how you can benefit from receiving therapy in your home.

www.reddycare.net

THANK YOU FOR TRUSTING US WITH YOUR CARE

Meet Our Farmingdale Staff !

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy’s Farmingdale office has a clinical staff that includes four physical therapists and one physical therapy assistant. Physical therapy aides work closely with the therapists to assist with exercises as well.

Dr. Mithun Abraham, PT, DPT earned his physical therapy degree at New York Medical College and also has a Masters degree in Public Health Policy and Management. He has a diverse clinical experience and has worked with a variety of patient populations including outpatient orthopedics, post-op rehab, young athletes, geriatrics, neurological injuries and wound care cases. Dr. Gherick Gonzales, PT, DPT received his physical therapy degree from American International College. He enjoys treating orthopedic cases including the low back and neck, neurological cases including radiculopathies, post-operative injuries as well as sports related injuries. Vanessa Salguerro, PTA received her physical therapy assistant degree from Nassau Community College. She is very fond of the geriatric population and also enjoys treating orthopedic conditions. Vanessa began working for Reddy Care as a receptionist and learned the administrative side of physical therapy and also worked as a physical therapy aide for the Great Neck office prior to her receiving her PTA degree.

The Clinical Director, Dr. Eric Bayer, PT, DPT graduated with honors from Thomas Jefferson University in 2008. He enjoys treating patients from various populations with a strong interest in orthopedic conditions, post- operative cases and vestibular rehabilitation. Dr. Bayer

has a Certification in Applied Functional Science which places an emphasis on analyzing and implementing movement patterns that are commonly performed throughout the day into treatment programs. He is also in the process of completing a certification in golf specific treatment and training.

Dr. Jared Einhorn, PT, DPT received his physical therapy degree from Quinnipiac University and has a large interest in treating sports injuries in the pediatric population, recreational athlete and weekend warrior. He has his level 1 certification in Mulligan for the lower quadrant, which is

a treatment theory developed to decrease pain and increase range of motion in specific joints. He is currently working to complete his full certification to become a certified Mulligan practitioner.

All of our therapists work very closely as a team and share a strong passion in helping patients return to their optimal level of function.

Reddy Care Reviews

Servicing Long Island & the 5 Boroughs In-Home Therapy is Covered by Medicare Part B, Workers’ Compensation, No Fault & most other private insurances. Call (516) 829-0030! In-Home Physical & Occupational Therapy

“The OT and PT staff are talented in their craft...” “All of the staff act professionally. All of them are polite and eager to accommodate whatever the client’s needs are. The OT and PT staff are talented in their craft and report going to ongoing professional development courses to maintain professional education.” - Charles “I would highly recommend coming to Reddy Care Farmingdale location, you won’t get another location with this kind of incredible staff, and amazing equipment.” “Amazing experience with a tremendous staff. Everyone is friendly and will provide excellent care. Was referred to this location due to ankle surgery and it’s amazing to know what an incredible staff that cares so much for its patients especially Abraham and Eric. The location is well organized, kept really clean and has amazing equipment to support what injury you’re dealing with. I would highly recommend coming to Reddy Care Farmingdale location, you won’t get another location with this kind of incredible staff, and amazing equipment.” - Seir

All staff are following the mandated precautions by the CDC. Each patient is given a KN95 mask. Therapists wear KN95 masks, booties, face shield, gloves, gowns, safety glasses & carry sanitizing solutions and no-touch thermometers.

* We give all of our patients a KN95 Mask *

DID YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE MEDICARE YOU CAN BE SEEN IN YOUR HOME WITHOUT BEING HOMEBOUND? If you don't qualify for home health care through a certified home health care agency or have been discharged and need more therapy, then WE CAN HELP!

www.reddycare.net

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

www.reddycare.net

Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software