Professional Physical Therapy - April 2020

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Don’t Let Stress Get the Best of You Fight the Sneeze With These Holistic Remedies Patient of the Month Spring Eating Made Easy

Beet, Goat Cheese, and Arugula Salad Bringing Asana Into Physical Therapy

How Yoga Meets Physical Therapy JOINING HEALTH AND ZEN

research to suggest that yoga and physical therapy together can improve patient recovery. A 2012 study published in the International Journal of Yoga found that patients undergoing physical therapy after a total knee replacement surgery experienced greater pain relief, less stiffness, and improved overall function when their therapy sessions included yoga movement postures. In the United States, yoga has long been used to help with stress relief. Today, its value in treating musculoskeletal issues — including lower and upper back pain, sciatica, and shoulder, neck, and hip pain — is becoming more apparent. Dr. Loren Fishman, director of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in Flushing, New York, is known to prescribe Downward-Facing Dog pose for osteoporosis, Twisted Triangle pose for piriformis syndrome, and Side Plank pose for scoliosis. Yoga is not a total replacement for physical therapy, but it can aid in recovery. Talk to your physical therapist today about your options for yoga therapy.

Imagine walking into your physical therapist’s office but instead of picking up light weights or climbing on a machine, you lay down a large foam mat. When your physical therapist arrives, they guide you through a series of body positions, using terms like “Asana,” “Child’s Pose,” and “Warrior Pose.” This combination of poses is a basic yoga session, and more physical therapists are incorporating yoga into their patients’ treatment plans.

When you think of yoga, the most common image is of an incredibly fit contortionist bending their body into impossible shapes. While some yogis (dedicated practitioners of yoga) can achieve these levels of flexibility, the purpose of yoga isn’t to fold your body into a pretzel shape. The core principles of yoga focus on exercising your body with gentle movements and calming the mind with focus and relaxation. Yoga promotes overall health and well-being, and in many ways, this ancient practice overlaps with modern principles of physical therapy.

Incorporating yoga into physical therapy isn’t some New Age trend. There is a lot of

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