Northern PT 3 Easy Steps To Healthy Knees

Your Diagnosis Does Not Define You By Nic Tremblay, PTA

9 Come Back In For A Consultation Whether you want to come in for a check-up, suffered a recent injury or you want to improve your health, you can choose the physical therapy practice you want! Come back to Northern Physical Therapy for a consultation today! See our physical therapists for: • Recent injury • Nagging aches and pains • Back and neck pain • Joint pain and movement problems • Walking or balance difficulties CALL TODAY! (802) 626-4224 8 1 4 4 7 8 1 4 3 6 8 5 7 5 4 1 4 2 4 3 9 7 2 http://1sudoku.com  While approaching this subject I find my thoughts continuously drift back to a specific person from my past. When thinking of diagnoses, this guy had more than his fair share. Among them were heart palpitations, hyperkyphosis (this forced him into a hunched position), and various respiratory issues just to name a few. Being a high school student and navigating the treacherous terrain of adolescence didn’t make things any simpler for him. It would have been quite easy for this young man to say “I am hyperkyphotic”. Can you see where this is going? Are you visualizing a shy and reclusive teenager wishing that he wasn’t afflicted with all of these issues that he didn’t ask for? If so, you would be absolutely incorrect in that assumption. The thing about this guy was that even though his issues were plain to see, nobody really seemed to notice them, least of all him. His sense of humor, good nature, and self-assuredness shone brightly despite everything that ailed him. One pitfall that can trip up even the best of us is the knee-jerk reaction to mentally set parameters on oneself after a diagnosis is given. Many diagnoses are associated with stereotypes and it is very easy to fall prey to these ideas. For example, some believe that people who have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia cannot exercise or perform physically demanding tasks. The reality is that exercising within one’s tolerance is far more beneficial than no exercise at all. In fact, Daniel Clauw, MD, professor of anesthesiology and medicine at the University of Michigan states, “Exercise is one of the most effective treatments for fibromyalgia...it benefits all of the symptoms of fibromyalgia including pain, fatigue, and sleep problems.”

It’s estimated that approximately 27 million Americans are afflicted with osteoarthritis. This is a disorder in which the bones of joints begin to wear and tear. This degeneration can be painful and limiting if not properly dealt with. One may think “I’ve got bone wearing in my knees and it doesn’t feel good. I’d better stay off of my feet.” Well, Wolff’s law would say otherwise! This law states that when bone supports a load it will remodel to adapt to the weight. This essential allows the bone to thicken which, as one could imagine, is exactly what an osteoarthritic knee needs. So, regular walking, swimming, biking, and low level resisted exercise can be a tremendous help to that knee you thought was done for. I urge you to think twice the next time you’ve decided that your diagnosis is your destiny. Talk to a professional and find out how you can take control of yourself and your life!

Greenlaw,Ellen. “FibromyalgiaExercise,OneStepataTime.”WebMD,WebMD,18Oct.2013,www. webmd.com/fibromyalgia/features/fibromyalgia-exercise-one-step-time#1.

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