Elite PT's online newsletter for December 2018
December 2018
(318) 443-3311
www.elitephysicaltherapy.us
ELITE
Physical Therapy Lagniappe Arriving Full Circle at ELITE
ever considered physical therapy. While playing tennis in high school, I had an ulnar nerve entrapment — which is a shoulder injury, in layman’s terms — and a partial tear in my Achilles. So I had done physical therapy for those injuries, but I’d never considered it as a career. But the physician’s suggestion lit a spark, and I decided to shadow physical therapists. Within the first day of shadowing at ELITE, I knew right away this is what I’m meant to do and where I’m meant to be. As an active person who appreciates sports and outdoor activities, helping people return to what they enjoy and making an impact on their daily lives is what I love about this field. It’s about getting people back to their daily routines and helping them achieve their aspirations. That idea was really appealing to me from the beginning. It’s very rewarding to be the person who helps a patient return to whatever activity they love or, even better, help them become better than they were before. A patient’s injury often comes as the result of an impairment in another part of their body. For example, maybe the patient’s hips were weak, so they overcompensated with their knees and got hurt. We get to go through the recovery process with patients and teach them not only how to repair an injured area but also how to strengthen other areas so they can perform better than
ever before. This process has made me aware of what a huge impact we get to have on someone’s life. Learning from Travis has been eye- opening. His methods are so incredibly functional and show that there’s more than one way to get the same effect. When I came to ELITE and learned about manual therapy, it clicked for me. Though I studied exercise physiology at LSU during my undergrad, it wasn’t until I came to ELITE that I realized how broad the physical therapy field is and how many different methods there are. I discovered I particularly enjoy manual therapy, and I went to a university that specializes in that field. To this day, it’s still the method of therapy I am most excited about because it feels like an ever-open door. You can always get better, learn new applications, and discover fresh techniques. Physical therapy is a never-ending learning process. As a PT, you have to challenge yourself, and manual therapy gives you that room to learn and grow. I gained my foundational knowledge from the University of St. Augustine, and now, through my mentorship with Travis, I’m able to blend all these techniques to treat our patients. In the future, I’m excited to continue honing my skills to get better and better.
This month, we’re introducing a new physical therapist to the ELITE team, Courtney Berry. After shadowing with ELITE three years ago, Courtney found her passion. She studied and graduated with a degree in physical therapy from the University of St. Augustine this summer. She has been working closely with and learning from Travis, and she will continue to focus on helping patients feel better through manual therapy. It’s so good to be with ELITE! It’s still a bit surreal that time has moved so quickly, from starting PT school to graduating and earning my license. Around this time three years ago, I was shadowing Bart and Don and the other physical therapists here. The experience confirmed that physical therapy is the career for me, and it’s incredible how it’s come full circle. I’ve always known I wanted to go into the medical field, but I initially thought I wanted to go the physician route. The more I shadowed physicians, though, the more I realized I wanted more time with my patients. One physician asked if I’d
–Courtney Berry
Elite PT • (318) 443-3311 • 1
How One Man Saved Hundreds of Animals Hurricane Hero Tony Alsup
In the wake of destruction, it’s easy to focus on self-preservation. After all, fight-or-flight instincts are hard-wired into our brains so we can survive dangerous situations. But while fear drives the actions of many in times of chaos, there are a few who find greater strength in compassion. Tony Alsup considered the potential devastation of Hurricane Florence as he sat comfortably in his home in Greeneville, Tennessee. Rather than sit back and watch, the truck driver packed up an out-of-commission school bus he’d bought and set off to South Carolina with one goal in mind: to save as many animals as possible. Stopping by every shelter he found along the coast, Alsup rescued over 60 cats and dogs in both North and South Carolina and took them to Foley, Alabama.
The heroic efforts of Alsup saved the lives of many animals, but it wasn’t the first time he’d rushed into danger for a good cause. He’d originally purchased the school bus, which he turned into Noah’s Ark last year, to save animals in Texas and Florida as Hurricane Harvey pounded the Gulf Coast. When he finished there, his mission shifted to helping animals in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island. It’s said that character is defined by the way someone acts when no one is watching. Many people heard of Alsup’s bravery after the devastation of Florence, but as news stories turned to sports, politics, and business, America slowly moved on. Victims of the hurricane who lacked supplies received less national
attention, but more than a month later, Alsup’s commitment to the cause was as strong as ever. Living out of the back of the bus for weeks, he drove pets out of the persistent flooding and convoyed shipments of desperately needed supplies to the coastal Carolina towns. You can follow Tony’s commitment on Facebook. He’s not asking for money or fame; he’s just a person with a heart to serve, using social media to promote awareness about those who desperately need our help. If you’re wondering what drives such a person, you can find it written at the bottom of every update he posts: “Love y’all, mean it.”
Client Testimonial
“The team at ELITE are professional, caring, and supportive. I felt like a friend instead of a patient. I would recommend ELITE to anyone needing therapy.
Thank you!“
––––– –JoAnn Derbonne
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Celebrating Our Growing Team and What’s to Come
It’s hard to believe 2018 is coming to an end! This year flew by, didn’t it?
strong foundation from her studies at St. Augustine and has developed skills while shadowing with and learning from Travis. We are so excited to have her knowledge and passion for this field. We know she is going to do a great job with patients and be a fantastic addition to our team. We are also looking forward to 2019! There are more changes coming in the next year — some you might see and recognize, and some you may not. Through it all, our priority continues to be making the patient experience the absolute best it can be. Each year, we recommit ourselves to serving our community and helping people get back to doing what they love. We want to thank our patients for making 2018 so great, and we look forward to providing you with even better things in 2019. Thank you for being part of this journey with us.
Like many years past, a lot has happened in these last 12 months.
We’re pleased with the year we have had at ELITE PT. All of our staff have worked hard to deliver the best care we can to our great patients. We continued to help our patients increase their mobility and return to the activities they love. During football season, we showed up to support our local teams and volunteered our skills to assist the players through their games. We are blessed with such great people to work with who truly care about the people they treat. We have all experienced personal and professional changes this year. Even when challenging, these experiences make us who we are and allow us to grow. Through changes and adversity, everyone has kept a positive attitude and worked hard in a professional manner. Our clinic is what it is because of the people who work here.
Happy holidays!
–Bart Jones
There have been staff changes, particularly with the addition of Courtney, our newest physical therapist we welcomed this year. Courtney brings a
Have a Laugh!
Holiday Roast Prime Rib
Ingredients •
1 bone-in prime rib (6–7 pounds)
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4 cups beef stock
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8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
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1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
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2 cups red wine
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Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions 1. 30 minutes before cooking, remove roast from fridge and let sit until it reaches room temperature. 2. Heat oven to 350 F. 3. Make small slits in prime rib and stuff with slices of garlic. Liberally season with salt and pepper. 4. Place a rack inside a roasting pan and roast prime rib for 2 hours, until medium-rare. 5. To make au jus, place roasting pan with drippings from roast over 2 burners on high. Add wine and scrape pan as liquid reduces. Add beef stock and cook until reduced by half. Finally, sprinkle in thyme. 6. Slice roast and serve topped with au jus.
Elite PT • (318) 443-3311 • 3
3446 Masonic Drive Alexandria, LA 71301 (318) 443-3311
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
www.elitephysicaltherapy.us
Hours of Operation: M–Th: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fri: 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Inside THIS ISSUE
• Meet ELITE’s New PT, Courtney
• Hurricane Pet Hero
• Hear From a Happy Client
• What We’re Looking Forward to in 2019
• Holiday Roast Prime Rib
• Everything You’ll Need for an Ugly Sweater Christmas
Ugly Sweater Parties A Fun Trend You Can Easily Follow!
It’s speculated that the first ugly sweater party took place in Vancouver, Canada, back in 2001. Since then, the trend has become one of the most popular holiday party themes. Come Thanksgiving, you’ll start to see racks in all types of clothing stores lined with hideous sweaters. If you’re ready to jump on the ugly-sweater-party bandwagon this Christmas season, here are a few things to keep in mind. YOUR VERY OWN UGLY SWEATER Ugly sweaters come in all shapes, sizes, and prices. You can head to H&M or a local thrift store to pick one up. However, if you have a
sweater that’s been cozied up for years in the back of your closet or a drawer, now’s your chance to give it new life. Arm yourself with a hot glue gun, thread, and needle, and patch Santa, Rudolph, or Frosty on it. And let it be known that an ugly sweater isn’t complete without sparkles, beads, and sequins galore. WHAT EXACTLY IS AN UGLY SWEATER PARTY? It’s rather simple — slip on your favorite Christmas sweater, gather all your friends and family members, make sure there are plenty of refreshments and games, and you’re guaranteed to have a top-tier party. A few ugly-sweater-
themed games that should be on the agenda include an ugly gift exchange, which is similar to the white elephant exchange, except with the gaudiest gifts you can find; an ugly photo booth, complete with terrible, tacky props; and, of course, an ugly sweater contest. This is the only time of year when slipping into a lurid red sweater with a stuffed Santa sewn on the front is considered trendy. So adorn yourself in the frumpiest, tackiest sweater you can find, and have some fun this December!
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