AgeWell: Back Pain and Difficulty Walking

RECEIVE THERAPY IN YOUR HOME! AgeWell PT and LiveWell OT offer in-home physical therapy and occupational therapy services. If you have difficulty traveling or leaving your home, these services are for you! These services are also covered by Medicare. I N - OF F I CE SPECIAL TEST ING SERV I CES AgeWell PT offers in-house electrodiagnostic testing and musculoskeletal diagnostic ultrasound testing for all of our patients. We hope our therapy patients take advantage of these tests to improve their rate of recovery and therapy outcome.

HOW TO MINIMIZE RISK OF INJURY IF YOU FALL:

1. Protect your head.

2. Turn as you fall - if you find yourself falling, pivot to your side and tuck in your head.

3. Keep arms and legs bent - try and fall on thighs, buttocks, shoulders - aim for the meat / not the bone.

4. Stay loose - relax - soften your muscles and exhale.

5. Roll out of the impact - hit and roll - like paratrooper.

6. Spread out force of fall - distribute the energy so you take the fall in the widest area possible. • Stiff body breaks. Limp body bends. • Rigidity is your enemy. Pliability is your friend. • Avoid “FOOSH” = falling onto out-stretched hands. - Can lead to wrist, elbow fracture. • Avoid sedentary lifestyle - Keep moving!

How to get up from floor:

1. Don’t panic

2. Get to / crawl to strong stable furniture

3. Try and get from floor sitting to kneeling by pulling up with your arms onto stable furniture.

4. Pull with your arms / try and get your upper body weight up onto furniture so you can lift one knee up off floor and get same leg’s foot flat on floor. 5. Keep pulling so you can get other knee up off floor and that same foot flat on floor and your butt on the furniture you’re pulling up on. Easy exercise to increase strength and balance: 1. Single leg balance - stand on one leg while hold on to kitchen counter 6 times each leg. Try to stand on one leg for up to 15 seconds, 3 times a day. Progress to hands hovering over the counter (not touching.) 2. Sit to stand. Using sturdy chair with arm rests (no wheels,) stand up and sit down slowly using arms not at all or as little as possible. 10 - 15 times, 2 times a day. If you feel you’re a high risk for falls and live alone, it is recommended you use a medic alert type system or carry a cell phone on your person at all times. You should IMMEDIATELY speak with your doctor regarding your concern and seek help from a highly skilled physical therapist.

REFER A FR I END!

Get a free gift whenever you refer a friend or family member to Agewell Physical Therapy. It’s our way of saying “Thank You!” for spreading the word!

www.agewellpt.com

Call 516.488.8808 to schedule your appointment today!

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