TRY THESE SELF TESTS FOR KNEE AND HIP PAIN
If you’ve experienced any hip or knee pain and are considering whether physical therapy is a good choice foryour health needs, consider the following: • From a standing position, are you able to lean over and touch your toes? If so, then this indicates that you have proper hip and low back flexibility. If not, then you may need to improve your flexibility and joint range of motion, and physical therapy could be helpful. • In a sitting position, can you comfortably cross your legs, leaving your ankle to rest comfortably on the opposite knee? If this is painful, or one knee constantly must be lower than the other, then this may be indicative of knee concerns that could be addressed with physical therapy. • From a standing position, with your feet planted flat on the floor, can you push your body into a squatting position? You should be able to squat all the way down so that your buttocks are almost touching your heels. If you aren’t able to do this, then physical therapy may be helpful in improving your range of motion. • Standing near a wall or countertop, arrange your feet so that you are standing with the heel of one foot touching the toes of the other, as if on a balance beam, and see how long
you can stand still. Can you balance for 10 seconds? If not, then physical therapy may be able to improve balance and coordination. The goal of any physical therapy program is to restore range of motion and improve flexibility and strength while reducing the general experience of pain. Unfortunately, hip and knee injuries often tend to linger. Every movement relies so heavily on the hips and knees that it makes it difficult to allow these joints to actually rest following an injury. Physical therapy provides targeted exercises that support the joints with precise movements that help reinforce strength and range of motion.
For more information, contact your physical therapist to learn more about options that will suit your health needs.
HEALTHY RECIPE: QUINOA STUFFED SWEET POTATOES
INGREDIENTS •2 large sweet potatoes •1 tbsp olive oil
•1 tbsp chili powder •1 tsp cumin •1/2 tsp smoked paprika •Sea salt to taste •1 avocado mashed •Tahini •Hot sauce •Chopped cilantro
•1/4 cup chopped red onion •1/4 cup chopped bell pepper •1/2 cup frozen corn •1/2 cup cooked quinoa •1 cup canned black beans drained & rinsed
INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and prick with a fork. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and pepper and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add corn, quinoa, black beans and spices and cook 2 - 3 more minutes. When sweet potatoes are fork tender, remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice in half and place each half on a plate. Top with quinoa mixture, avocado and a drizzle of both tahini and hot sauce.
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