According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, approximately 2.4 million Americans will suffer from spinal stenosis by 2021. It is a silent epidemic that generally affects people aged 50 or older; however, it can also occur in younger adults who have a history of arthritis.
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RELIEVE YOUR SPINAL STENOSIS PAINS WITH SPINAL MANIPULATION IN THIS ISSUE: BACK-TO-SCHOOL BACKPACK SAFETY QUIZ! To participate, scan the QR code or go the website below to answer the quiz questions! Entries wi ll then be entered into a drawing for $25 in scratch-off tickets! www.professionalcarept.com/procare-newsletter-trivia/ One winner per location. Winner announced 9/24/20!
EAST PATCHOGUE • 191 PATCHOGUE YAPHANK ROAD • EAST PATCHOGUE, NY 11772 • P : 631.775.0971 RIVERHEAD • 806 EAST MAIN ST • RIVERHEAD, NY 11901 •P : 631.591.0838
REL I EVE YOUR SP INAL STENOS I S PA INS W I T H S P I N A L M A N I P U L A T I O N
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, approximately 2.4 million Americans will suffer from spinal stenosis by 2021. It is a silent epidemic that generally affects people aged 50 or older; however, it can also occur in younger adults who have a history of arthritis. Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of the canals in your spine that are formed by the vertebrae. This narrowing can impinge on the nerves exiting your spine and/or the spinal cord itself. Symptoms can vary, but often include radiating pain in the back, buttocks and even legs. Furthermore, weakness and poor balance in the legs can often occur, making it difficult to tolerate walking long distances and prolonged standing. Fortunately, targeted physical therapy treatments, such as spinal manipulation, can help manage the symptoms of spinal stenosis and provide pain relief. Spinal manipulation helps relieve pressure on joints, reduce inflammation, and improve nerve function. It is a gentle, hands-on form of manual therapy that focuses on evaluating and enhancing spinal function. To learn more about how spinal manipulation can help relieve your pain, contact Professional Care Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation today. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SPINAL STENOSIS DEVELOPS? The most common form of spinal stenosis is known as foraminal stenosis. Foraminal stenosis occurs when there is a narrowing of the foramen canals on either side of the spine, formed by the vertebrae above and below the segment. In each foramen canal, spinal nerves exit the lower back, in order to help different parts of the pelvis and legs function properly. With age and deterioration of the discs between the spine, the canals shrink in size. It is also possible for them to develop bone spurs. This irritates the nerve roots, especially when the spine is extended. People living with spinal stenosis typically feel better when sitting, but notice increased levels of pain with standing and backwards bending. HOW CAN SPINAL MANIPULATION HELP? Your spine is a complicated structure of vertebrae, discs, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves. Therefore, it takes a delicate balance to make sure it is at its peak level of health and function. Spinal manipulation is a treatment method that has been known to relieve a large variety of painful conditions, including spinal stenosis and its accompanying symptoms. In fact, a study published by the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy supports spinal manipulation as an effectivemode of treatment. The study, titled “Effectiveness of Physical Therapist Administered Spinal Manipulation for the Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review of the Literature” analyzed data from several reputable medical journals to determine the effectiveness of this form of treatment on patients living with lower back pain. Six randomized control trials were included for review and thoroughly assessed by the researchers. Results were overwhelmingly positive for the success of spinal manipulation. The conclusion is as follows: “Based on the findings of this systematic review there is evidence to support the use of spinal manipulation by physical therapists in clinical practice. Physical therapy spinal manipulation appears to be a safe intervention that improves clinical outcomes for patients with low back pain.”
Low back pain is the most common symptom of spinal stenosis. If your pain is limiting your life, our methods at Professional Care Physical Therapy and
Rehabilitation can help. FIND RELIEF TODAY!
Spinal manipulation has had a very positive effect on many of our patients at Professional Care Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. Through our advanced treatment methods, our physical therapists can help you restore more natural movement to your spinal joints, improve your flexibility to increase joint fluid circulation, improve your spinal muscle strength, and educate you on correct posture and prevention techniques. Essentially, we can help you do more, with less pain. In fact, our patients often report significant reduction in pain and improvement in daily activities after just a few short weeks of treatment. If you have been living with pain from spinal stenosis and you’re looking for relief, contact Professional Care Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation today. By treating your pain early through spinal manipulation, we can help manage it so it doesn’t worsen. Don’t live with the limits of your pain – relieve your pain and improve your spine health with us today!
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O C C U PAT I O N A L T H E R A P Y PAT I ENT SUCCESS SPOTL IGHT
“We are incredibly proud of how far Cristian has come in his rehabilitation in such a short period of time. He has made the effort to make all of his appointments (3 times per week) since the inception of his journey. He now has the ability to not only walk and contain his balance, but to write his name, and feed himself. Cristian is every therapist’s dream. His positive attitude, infectious smile, and determination to recover are what has helped him get to where he is in such a short period of time. Cristian isn’t a stroke sufferer, he’s a STROKE SURVIVOR!” — Amanda Paracat, MS, OTR/L, CHT “As a long time patient myself, I felt comfortable bringing Cristian here to Professional Care Physical Therapy, not only because of the caring, family atmosphere but because I knew that he would receive the best care possible. Cristian began his Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy rehab with Professional Care in January of 2020, after completing his chemotherapy treatments. Although Telehealth was an option during the COVID pandemic, we knew that it was important for us to continue our in-office visits with his therapists. Although an uncertain time, we never felt unsafe during Cristian’s appointments. Knowing that the staff had been following all CDC guidelines, increasing their sanitizing procedures and taking additional measures to protect the patients and employees, gave us peace of mind to continue his rehabilitation.” —Samantha Heise, Girlfriend
When we hear about stroke victims, oftentimes we typically envision that person being in their later stages of life. However, like most illnesses, strokes do not discriminate, especially when it comes to age. ProCare Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy patient Cristian Inoa understands this first hand, as he suffered a major stroke at the age young age of 37. In 2017, Cristian had been encountering seizures caused by a brain tumor and unfortunately, he suffered his stroke during a procedure to remove his tumor. Cristian’s stroke left him with impaired speech, the inability to walk, and no muscle movement in his entire dominant upper extremity. Like many stroke sufferers, Cristian would have to rebuild his strength and relearn the necessary day- to-day life skills needed to survive. With the support of his family and the love and guidance from his girlfriend, Samantha, the choice was made to continue Cristian’s journey to recovery at ProCare.
Like all ProCare patients, a customized design of the proper techniques and therapies was created just for his rehabilitation. His Occupational Therapist, Amanda Paracat began with the use of mirror-box therapy and other exercises to help retrain Cristian’s brain to “find” the proper muscles to work with again so that he could begin utilizing his dominant side for function. This, combined with desensitization and vibration techniques, Cristian began to show signs of muscle activation which led to controlled movement and eventually strength. The focus for Cristian’s rehabilitation now is using Tenodesis, a process where he can learn to control the wrist down into flexion which helps him open his fingers to assist in grasping everyday objects. Although his journey has not been an easy one, in just a few short months Cristian has proven to himself and everyone that knows him that the right attitude goes a long way.
S TA F F S P O T L I G H T MEET DR. SARAH GEARY, PT, DPT
school, Sarah volunteered to travel to Guatemala to provide physical therapy services to those in need of healthcare. She traveled to multiple cities in Guatemala in which she worked with young kids with developmental delays in a school setting, the general population in an outpatient setting, and even provided home-care services to those unable to leave their homes. Outside of physical therapy, Dr. Geary has participated in many sports growing up including, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, and dance. She was a part of the dance ensemble team and club soccer team at Sacred Heart University for all four years as an undergraduate and went on to become the coach of the Girl’s Club Soccer team while she attended graduate school. Sarah hopes to get back to coaching soccer in the near future with a special interest in participating in ACL injury prevention programs.
Dr. Sarah Geary, PT, DPT, grew up in North Babylon, NY and received her Bachelor’s in Exercise Science with a minor in Geriatrics at Sacred Heart University. She continued her education at Sacred Heart to receive her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Dr. Geary has a great appreciation for advancing her knowledge and clinical skills through continuing education, current evidence- based practice, and attending lectures fromworld- renowned orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Geary has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association since 2014, as well as being a member of the New York Chapter, Orthopedic Section, and Sports Physical Therapy Section of the APTA. She enjoys treating all-ages in the orthopedic setting with specific interest working with high school and collegiate athletes as well as patients with knee, ankle/foot, cervical/ lumbar spine, and shoulder injuries. While in PT
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ProfessionalCarePT.com
BACKPACK STRATEGIES FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS Aching backs and shoulders? Tingling arms? Weakened muscles? Stooped posture? Does your child have these symptoms after wearing a heavy school backpack? Carrying too much weight in a pack or wearing it the wrong way can lead to pain and strain. Parents can take steps to help children load and wear backpacks the correct way to avoid health problems. LOADING THE BACKPACK: WEARING THE BACKPACK: • Distribute weight evenly by using both straps. Wearing a pack slung over one shoulder can cause a child to lean to one side, curving the spine and causing pain or discomfort.
• Select a pack with well-padded shoulder straps. Shoulders and necks have many blood vessels and nerves that can cause pain and tingling in the neck, arms, and hands when too much pressure is applied. • Adjust the shoulder straps so that the pack fits snugly on the child’s back. A pack that hangs loosely from the back can pull the child backwards and strain muscles. • Wear the waist belt if the backpack has one. This helps distribute the pack’s weight more evenly. • The bottom of the pack should rest in the curve of the lower back. It should never rest more than four inches below the child’s waistline. • School backpacks come in different sizes for different ages. Choose the right size pack for your child as well as one with enough room for necessary school items.
• A child’s backpack should weigh no more than about 10% of his or her body weight. This means a student weighing 100 pounds shouldn’t wear a loaded school backpack heavier than about 10 pounds. • Load heaviest items closest to the child’s back (the back of the pack). • Arrange books and materials so they won’t slide around in the backpack. • Check what your child carries to school and brings home. Make sure the items are necessary for the day’s activities. • If the backpack is too heavy or tightly packed, your child can hand carry a book or other item outside the pack. • If the backpack is too heavy on a regular basis, consider using a book bag on wheels if your child’s school allows it.
1. The safest way to wear a backpack is to only use one shoulder strap. 2. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend the maximum safe weight for a child’s backpack should be no more than 50% of your child’s body weight. 3. Heavy backpacks can cause injury to a child’s developing musculoskeletal system. 4. When choosing a backpack, it’s always best to look for ones with padded straps for the best comfort. TRUE OR FALSE: B A C K P A C K S A F E T Y Q U I Z !
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DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT NEEDS OUR HELP? R E F E R A F R I E N D ! DO YOU HAVE FR I ENDS OR FAMI LY UNABL E TO DO THE FOL LOWI NG? • Move without Pain • Bend and move freely • Balance confidently and securely • Sit for long periods comfortably • Walk for long distances • Live an active and healthy lifestyle I f you answered “yes” to any of these, we can help!
Cal l us at 631.775.0971 (East Patchogue) or 631.591.0838 (Riverhead) to get started today!
A R E Y O U L E T T I N G Y O U R PA I N H O L D Y O U B A C K ? C A L L T O S C H E D U L E Y O U R A P P O I N T M E N T T O D A Y !
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