Newsletter by Balance Rehab
N E W S L E T T E R
Say Goodbye to Neck Pain
See Inside • Imagine Enjoying Life Without Fear Of Neck Pain • Staff Spotlight • 4 Tips To Quickly Relieve Your Headache • Healthy Recipe • Have You Ever Suffered A Concussion?
balance-rehab.com
N E W S L E T T E R
Do you find your neck nagging you in the morning or at the end of the day? Do you feel muscle tension and discomfort in your neck or shoulders? Neck pain is becoming a silent epidemic in today’s society as more people end up with terrible forward head posture and tighter neck muscles. The culprit is our addiction to technology, staring into the TV, computer screen or our smartphones. The good news is that you can do a lot to relieve your neck pain and get on the right path to a healthy spine. The neck is extremely important in the overall posture of the body. Where the head and neck move, so does the rest of the body. Changes in the alignment of your neck can cause a variety of symptoms such as neck tension, headaches, migraines and even radiating pain or numbness to the arms and hands. Align your spine. One of the most important things you can do is to improve your neck alignment. Be conscious of how you sit and stand Imagine Enjoying Life Without Fear Of Neck Pain
throughout the day, keeping your head tall. This naturally pulls your spine into alignment. Hands-on relief. One of the best ways to relieve the tightness in your neck muscles is with specialized gentle hands on therapy. Our physical therapists are experts in alleviating tight muscles and restoring normal neck joint motion. If you are suffering with neck pain, shoulder pain, or headaches, call us today and speak to one of our experts. Your neck will thank you. Improve your upper neck motion. The upper neck accounts for over 60% of the total motion in the neck. It is also the area where many of the powerful shoulder muscles attach. Therefore, it is an area that becomes very tight. A simple exercise you can do to improve your neck motion, is the chin tuck. Simply stand or sit tall, then gently tuck your chin down until you feel a slight pressure or pull in the upper neck. Be careful to do this gently and talk to one of our therapists if you are unsure of performing this exercise correctly.
Are you letting pain hold you back? Call 603.890.8844 to schedule your appointment today!
ARUGULA, GRAPE, AND SUNFLOWER SEED SALAD Healthy Recipe
4 Tips to Quickly Relieve Your Headache
Most everyone has experienced a headache at some point in their lives. In fact, over 10 million people in the US suffer with daily headaches. The vast majority of headaches stem from limitations with neck motion. Headaches result from the spasm of arteries in the scalp and sometimes, the brain. Different triggers can occur from chemical sensitivities to pH or sugar imbalances in the blood. Often, the spasms are caused by irritations of the muscles in the neck and scalp that trigger the nerves to go into overdrive, causing a dull ache or even sharp pain. Here’s what you can do to prevent headaches: 1. Watch your posture – Alignment of the neck and upper back is crucial to alleviating the strain on the neck muscles. Be conscious throughout the day of how you are holding your posture. Bring work up to eye level and makesure thatyourcomputerscreen ishighenough toalleviateneckstrain. 2. Drink more water – A common cause of many headaches is dehydration. If you feel thirsty, then your body is already dehydrated. Avoid caffeinated beverages, as these are diuretics, causing you to lose water. Keep a glass of water next to your desk or in reach, and work to refill it 4-6 times during the day. 3. Balance your pH – The acidity of your blood can make you more prone to headachesand feeling tired.Makesure thatyoueatenoughgreenvegetables, leanproteinandavoid fattyorprocessed foods.Also,scalebackon thecoffee, as it is very acidic. Water also helps to balance your pH, so repeat step 2. 4. Exercise and therapy – Exercise helps to regulate your pH, reduce neck strain and improve your mood. If you find yourself suffering with headaches more than2 timesaweek, thenyoushouldseek theexpertiseofourphysical therapists. These symptoms can be the result of an underlying problem with your neck and need to be treated. Staff Spotlight MICHELLE PHILOPENA, PT is a Physical Therapist with over 29 years of experience working in a variety of settings and capacities. She received her Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Ithaca College in upstate New York in1990whereshewasalsoactiveoncampus in theSchoolofMusicasanoboist. Her first job was in Schenectady, NY in Acute Care and Inpatient Rehabilitation and then she moved to southern California. She worked in San Diego for Scripps Health in Acute and Sub-Acute Care, Chronic Pain, Sport Medicine and the Outpatient Department. After moving to Virginia Beach in 1996 she continued her career working for Sentara Healthcare. There she worked in a variety of positions and eventually focused her education and practice in developing skills for the Outpatient setting. She went on to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2008. Then in 2016 she started a small private practice in Virginia Beach providing Physical Therapy to patients recovering from many different types of injuries, illnesses and surgeries. Dr. Philopena has been involved for many years in the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the Orthopedic Section of the APTA. She is also a Certified Exercise Specialist in Cancer Rehabilitation and has lectured in the community on a variety of topics.
Ingredients
• 7 cups loosely packed baby arugula • 2 cups red grapes, halved • 2 tbsp toasted sunflower seed • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar • 1 tsp honey • 1 tsp maple syrup • 1/2 tsp stone-ground mustard • 2 tsp grapeseed oil
Instructions Combine vinegar, honey, syrup, and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, stirring with a whisk. Combine arugula, grapes, seeds, and thyme in a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar mixture over arugula; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.
Michelle’s career experience includes working with diagnosis in many areas including orthopedics, sports medicine, neurology, trauma, cancer, chronic pain, wellness programs and aquatic therapy. She believes the most effective Physical Therapy treatments are individualized to each patient with the goal of returning to a full, active, healthy lifestyle. She strives to provide a positive, supportive atmosphere for her patients and is excited to be a part of the Balance Physical Therapy Team.
She moved back to the Northeast with her family in 2018 to be closer to the mountains and currently resides with her husband and two sons in Goffstown. Michelle enjoys being active with her family, playing soccer, practicing yoga, skiing, hiking, gardening, cooking and traveling.
Call Balance Rehab at 603.890.8844 , or visit our website at balance-rehab.com to schedule your appointment today!
Did you know that more than 1 in 3 adults has prediabetes and 9 out of 10 don’t know it? That’s a scary statistic. But here’s the good news – even if you have already been diagnosed, you can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by following some simple lifestyle practices. Join Registered Dietitian, Noreen Gallo, for an informative workshop that will help guide you through understanding the disease, its risk factors, and how it is diagnosed. You will improve your knowledge about the impact food and exercise can have on maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. She will also guide you in food selection and recipe preparation so you can experience reduced stress around feeding yourself and your family. Join us in having a conversation around food and lifestyle changes – invite friends and family who have been touched by this disease and let’s build a community of health! We hope to see you there. DIABETES WORKSHOP August 13th | 6:00pm| Windham Office What is a Concussion? The general definition of concussion means the act of forcefully shaking or jarring. A sports concussion is a type of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) caused by a shaking or jarring of the brain. A sports concussion can occur with a bump, blow or jolt to the head or the body which causes the brain to move within the skull. This movement causes the brain to hit the inside of the skull or stretch which can result in a change in brain cell chemistry and structural injury from cell stretching. This damage can result in a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the portion of the brain involved during a sports concussion. Are Concussions Serious? Sports concussions are described as a “mild” traumatic brain injury because concussions are not usually life threatening. However, concussions are a brain injury and can lead to serious long-term consequences if not managed correctly by a qualified healthcare professional. HAVE YOU EVER SUFFERED A CONCUSSION? How can Physical Therapy help a patient recover from a sports concussion? Physicaltherapistsplayan importantroleonaconcussionmanagement team. Physical Therapist will evaluate and treat many aspects of concussion that may include dizziness that may arise from a neck issue (cervicogenic dizziness), balance deficits, neck pain, headaches
that are referred from the neck, vertigo from an inner ear condition (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), exercises for vision issues (ocular motor exercises), issues with blood pressure & heart rate with exercise (autonomic dysregulation), and help to progress patients through a graded return to play protocol.
balance-rehab.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker