Health & Wellness Newsletter by Centra Rehabilitation
TIPS FOR SPOTTING &TREATING ARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE Health &Wellness Newsletter
Have you started to notice that your knees seem to be getting bigger? Do you notice popping, clicking, or grinding sounds with certainmovements? Does pain ensue when you bend, squat, or kneel? When you first wake up in the morning, do you notice that your knees feel stiff, achy, or painful? If you identify with any of these scenarios, you may be experiencing the effects of arthritis. The knees have two main fat pads, which reside just above and below the kneecap. These help to cushion the knee and assist with lubricating fluid flow around the joint. With arthritis, inflammation in the joint causes the fat pads to gradually thicken, choking the joint fluid flow. This leads to a vicious cycle of decreased lubrication, more “wear and tear”, pain, and swelling. (continued inside) INSIDE: • How Can Physical Therapy Treat My Arthritis? • Relieve Aches & Pain In Minutes • Preventing Falls During Your Autumn Trail Walking
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SEEK PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR YOUR ARTHRITIS PAIN
(continued from outside) If you have been living with stiff, achy, or painful knees, contact Centra Rehabilitation today to schedule a consultation. Our dedicated physical therapists will evaluate you, determine the areas of your daily life that are impacted, and create an individualized treatment plan for relieving the arthritic pains in your knee. Common symptoms of arthritis: It can sometimes be difficult to determine if you are truly experiencing arthritic symptoms or if you simply have a joint that is tight or overworked. In addition to the aforementioned signs of knee arthritis, additional symptoms may include: • Pain in the affected region, whichmay spread to surrounding body parts • Stiffness • Inflammation
• Muscle spasms • Joint creaking, clicking, or popping sounds • Increased pain with certain activities (such as work or physical activity) • Decreased range of motion in the affected area • Abnormalities in gait (such as limping) • Swelling • Weakness • Warm sensation in the affected joint If you have been suffering from any of the above symptoms and you are looking for relief, do not hesitate to contact us today, before your condition worsens. Arthritis is unfortunate, but with the help of Centra Rehabilitation, it can be very manageable.
YOU DO NOT NEED A DOCTOR’S PRESCRIPTION TO SEEK PHYSICAL THERAPY. IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA YOU HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO PHYSICAL THERAPY.
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HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY TREAT MY ARTHRITIS?
Regardless of the cause of arthritis, physical therapy plays a major role in the treatment of its symptoms. Physical therapy should always be the first method of treatment, before resorting to more aggressive procedures, such as surgery. In fact, studies show 60-70% of knee osteoarthritis patients can avoid surgery by getting physical therapy treatments first. Furthermore, physical therapy is actually 40 times less expensive than a total joint replacement – so it’s at least worth a shot! Physical therapy works by increasing the lubrication in your joints through improved joint motion, strength, balance, and coordination. The better lubricated your knee joints, the less friction, and wear occur, thus reducing inflammation and pain. During knee treatments, our therapists work to improve your patella (kneecap) and joint mobility. This improves the mobility of the tissue around the joints, especially the fat pads. As a result, this leads to improved blood flow, joint lubrication, and decreased swelling. Get started today! At Centra Rehabilitation, we are dedicated to treating each arthritic case individually. Each patient will receive their own personalized treatment plan based on their specific needs. It is very common for the muscles that support the lower back, hips, and knees to become weakened from inactivity due to arthritis. Your physical therapist will guide you through targeted, goal-specific exercises, aimed at reducing inflammation, providing greater support to the joints, and helping your muscles regain their overall strength. Are you looking for fast pain relief, in addition to improved motion, strength, and the ability to do physical activities you thought were lost for good? Contact Centra Rehabilitation today to get your knees started on the right path to health. Discover how you can move freely once again, with the help of physical therapy!
Sources: Katz JN, Brophy RH, Chaisson CE, et al. Surgery versus physical therapy for a meniscal tear and osteoarthritis. N Engl J Med. 2013
http://www.healthline.com/health/total-knee-replacement-surgery/understanding-costs#1
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Preventing Falls During Your Autumn Trail Walking As the weather starts to cool down, many of us will venture out into the outdoors to take advantage of the beautiful scenery among the walking trails. While this is undoubtedly a fun way to spend an autumn morning or afternoon, there are some precautions to take so you don’t end up hurting yourself. Nothing puts a damper on those beautiful views like tripping and spraining an ankle or bruising a wrist. At Centra Rehabilitation, we want to make sure you are safe while participating in your outdoor activities, so you can better enjoy them.
First and foremost, preparewith the proper equipment. When planning on hiking, climbing, or strolling through a trail this autumn, it is important to make sure you have the right tools at your disposal – especially when preparing to journey out onto a rocky or uneven terrain. Hiking boots with proper traction will help you maneuver those uneven terrains without the risk of slipping or falling. Custom orthotics may also be fitted to your boots. If this is a frequent hobby of yours, special products can be purchased to make hiking or climbing easier for you. If you are unsure about what may be the best fit for you, consult with one of our experienced physical therapists. Physical therapy can helpwith fall prevention. In addition tomaking sure you have the proper equipment, our physical therapy services can actually decrease your risk of sustaining a fall-related injury altogether. Balance is a large part of fall prevention, as lack of stability is one of the main reasons why falls occur. Your physical therapist will design a balanced training plan for you as part of your treatment, and may ask you to perform certain balance-based activities, such as standing on one leg or holding your balance while performing amentally-stimulating task (such as reciting the alphabet or reading a page from a book.) This will help with body control and will quite literally train your body to be better balanced. In addition to balance training, your physical therapist will also help decrease your fall risk with strength training. Strength training is typically pairedwith your balance training. Your physical therapist will design a strength training plan for you, which will focus on specific muscle groups in need of improvement. The goal of this will be to improve your standing and walking balance, as well as your ability to recover
from a loss of balance. This will be especially useful for trailblazers such as yourself, as even a falter in balance will be more easily recovered. For assistance with walking/hiking trails, it is likely that your physical therapist will also suggest endurance training. Endurance training is all about working up to more advanced levels of the same form of treatment. Your physical therapist will provide you with an aerobic exercise program and will slowly add on time to those exercises as your endurance improves. For example, your endurance training may begin at 10-minute sessions and then may progress to 30-minute sessions. This will help make maneuvering those long trails much easier on your body, as it will already be trained in endurance. Get started today. Don’t wait until you sustain an injury to seek the help of a physical therapist – we can helpmake you stronger, healthier, andmore agile before the fact! If you are planning on frequenting the trails this autumn, our experienced and dedicated team of physical therapists can help make sure your body is in peak shape. Contact us today to learn more, or to schedule your first appointment.
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DISCOVERING PROPER ERGONOMICS FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE
With all of us working from home, it can be difficult to find a comfortable workspace. However, it is important to make sure that the ergonomics in your office are functioning properly, in order to avoid developing unwanted aches and pains. When working from home, ask yourself, “how do I maintain my posture throughout the day?” Do you catch yourself slouching frequently? Do those last couple hours of the workday leave you achy and ready to call it quits? If you are experiencing aches and pains, especially in your neck or back, poor posture is probably to blame. Fortunately, posture can be improved with some ergonomic changes. For more information on how to optimize the ergonomic setup of your home office or additional tips for beating daily aches and pains, contact Centra Rehabilitation today. Making the most of your work-from-home days. If you work from your home office all day, it is important to have a proper ergonomic setup. Make sure that you are at a proper height with your desk chair and computer, so you don’t have to slouch or lean forward. Additionally, make sure your chair has the proper lumbar support needed to help you sit straight while you’re working.These simple steps can help tremendously with your overall posture. If you are at a desk for extended periods of the day, it is important to make sure your back posture is okay. Sit upright, place your feet flat on the floor, and try not to cross your legs. Make sure there is a small gap between the back of your knees and the chair. Having a chair with strong back support and padding is also recommended for making your upright position more comfortable. In addition to making the most of your home office, it is also important to make sure you are taking care of your body. When working from home, it is no secret that most of the day is spent with limited levels of mobility. It is important to make sure that you get up every 30 minutes or so and take a small walk, at least for a minute or two. This will help in loosening up your muscles and joints, as well as initiating a stronger blood flow. Exercise is incredibly important in general, especially if your job involves several hours of inactivity. When you exercise, you are stretching and strengthening certain muscles of your body, including problem areas such as your neck and back. Taking even a small amount of time to walk or jog around the neighborhood every day after working from home can highly improve your posture and gait – in addition to helping you get you out of the house for some time! Have you thought about investing in a standing desk? Did you know that standing burns between .7 to .15 more calories per minute than sitting does? It may not seem like a lot, but by simply standing for longer periods of time, you can easily burn more calories throughout the day. Sedentary lifestyles, especially the ones that many of us are experiencing right now, can increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, or other serious health issues. However, investing in a standing desk or alternate seating option at work can help in greatly decreasing these risks and making your home office more ergonomically friendly! Using a standing desk as opposed to a traditional sitting desk has been proven to lower one’s chances of developing
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. Nevertheless, standing desks are not for everyone, especially those with joint or vascular conditions. Youmay be asking, “doesn’t standing all day long have its own implications?” The short answer is – yes. Anything without moderation can have its pitfalls. Standing can boost your energy levels, concentration, and even your mood, but if you have a traditional 9-5 job, chances are that level of productivity will dissipate after a while. Standing for too long can cause you to run out of energy quicker and can take a toll on your physical comfort. Many medical professionals recommend adjustable desks for your homeworkplace environment, so you can spend a large amount of your day standing or stretching, with the opportunity to rest when you become tired. Studies suggest whether you choose a standing or adjustable desk for your workday, integrative support can be beneficial in easing yourself into the new setting. In fact, those who participated in some sort of integrative support program for their standing or adjustable desk stood for an average of 50 minutes longer each day than those who did not. At the end of the day, make sure you’re comfortable. No matter how you choose to work from home, ergonomics is an important concept to keep in mind. Ergonomic laptop desks and chairs can promote proper posture and decrease the risk for back problems, while workplace design can make an impact on your overall happiness, productivity, and well-being. At the end of the day, make sure you’re comfortable – don’t let the daily stresses of working from home take a toll on your physical health! There are several steps you can take to improve your posture, strength, energy, and overall wellbeing throughout the workday. Formore information, contact Centra Rehabilitation today.
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Relieve Aches & Pain In Minutes Without Pain Medication! Try these movements if you are experiencing pain.
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HIP HIKES While standing up on a step, lower one leg downward towards the floor by tilting your pelvis to the side. Then return the pelvis/leg back to a leveled position. Repeat 10 times on each leg.
KNEE EXTENSION STRETCH Stand on a step. Lower one foot slowly towards the ground. Keep your hips level! Step down and then off the step. Keep your knees aligned over your feet. Repeat 10 times, alternating start legs. 1 7 7 3 6 5
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Exercises copyright of
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Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing.
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At Centra Rehabilitation, you will receive hands-on therapy treatments by our friendly, caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions. It’s time to call Centra Rehabilitation if: • You’re tired of living in pain • You want to feel better and move better • You have been in an auto accident or injured on the job • You want to prevent injury
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Jamerson Family YMCA
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Alterholt Road
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Centra Virginia Baptist Hospital
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Centra Lynchburg Medical Center
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Bedford
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