![]() We have reached the month of March, which means it is National Athletic Training Month! Some may wonder what the difference is between an athletic trainer and a physical therapist. Both professions are dedicated to helping people optimize movement to return to and/or maintain their best level of function. Let’s go through a few more similarities and differences of the two professions. What does an athletic trainer do?
What does a physical therapist do?
How do athletic trainers and physical therapists work together?
Sources: Athletic Trainer Vs. Physical Therapist: Career, Salary, Education of PT Progress National Athletic Training Month: 20 Facts About Athletic Training ![]() These PT Pro Tips are brought to you by our Thiensville and Third Ward Therapist, Alissa Pearson, PT, DPT. Outside of work, Alissa enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, playing soccer, and playing with her dog.
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Welcome to the March 2023 issue of In Focus with PT Plus Physical Therapy ![]() What's New at PT Plus Spring Fever YMCA Family Event Join our therapist, Jordan Weyker for some family fun at the YMCA, swimming in the Family Adventure Pool, bounce houses, games and activities. Hosted at the Feith Family Ozaukee YMCA on 3/17 from 5-7PM and the Kettle Moraine YMCA - West Bend on 3/18 from 10AM-12PM. RSVP with the Facebook Event links above to see complete event details. ![]() Blood Flow Restriction Training Workshop Join Mark Snyder at the Hartland Movement Center on Saturday, March 25th to learn about how BFRT works and what the benefits are. This training technique allows for quicker recovery and faster strength gains making it popular among athletes and health enthusiasts. RSVP on our Facebook Event. Recent Google Review Deborah Lema, ★★★★★ I could complain about healthcare practitioners all day long to anybody willing to listen, but not about the good folks at PT Plus. Both Katie and Ryan are smart, skilled, kind, and engaged. And Nancy at the front desk rolls with my shenanigans and is always on top of things. I appreciate these people so much. ![]() Bay View – Brookfield – Elm Grove – Greenfield Thiensville – Third Ward – Racine – Slinger – West Bend ![]() Moving through Fibromyalgia with Physical Therapy Nearly 5 million people in the United States have fibromyalgia. This chronic condition causes widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive issues. It can be difficult to manage and can severely impact quality of life. The best treatment plans ... Read More. ![]() Nearly 5 million people in the United States have fibromyalgia. This chronic condition causes widespread pain, fatigue, and cognitive issues. It can be difficult to manage and can severely impact quality of life. The best treatment plans combine exercise, modalities and education. Physical therapists are experts in all three, so they're the perfect practitioner to help! Exercise Currently, recommendations for the management of fibromyalgia include patient education and non-pharmacological interventions. The right exercise routine can help with pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, depression, and more. A combination of strengthening, stretching and aerobic exercise is the most effective. You and your PT will work together to find the right type and intensity of exercise to best manage your symptoms. Modalities Exercise isn't the only tool the PT has to help people with fibromyalgia though. Gentle manual therapy and massage have been shown to help reduce pain and muscle stiffness caused by fibromyalgia. Physical therapists also use modalities to reduce symptoms. Examples include:
In addition to land-based exercise, some clinics also have the option of aquatic therapy. This combines the benefits of exercise with the warmth of a therapeutic pool. Education Education is another important component in treating fibromyalgia. A physical therapist spends more time with their patients than most other practitioners. They have the time to help you understand what's going on, and what you can do about it. Research shows that people with more knowledge about their condition have better outcomes, more confidence, and cope better. While there is no cure for fibromyalgia, physical therapists can help with pain management, strength, mobility, fatigue and function to help patients find relief from their symptoms. References:
![]() This month is American Heart Month. It’s also a snowy month, at least here in Wisconsin. While some people have the luxury, desire, and ability to travel south for the winter months escaping the cold and falling white stuff (snow), most WI natives are having to deal with removal of said white stuff. This is done by snow plowing, blowing and shoveling, or a combination of two or all of them. The last two options however, can be very strenuous for the young and old alike depending on the moisture of the snow fall and the total amount accumulated. Even having the very best and top of the line of snow blowers can still require a lot of energy to push the machine down the driveway and sidewalk. Now, you are probably wondering where I am going with stating all of this mostly common sense and knowledge. Well, what is less known is the increase in occurrences of cardiac arrests from snow removal, especially shoveling. According to a retroactive study from the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 6.7% of snow removal emergency visits were cardiac related symptoms. The highest was musculoskeletal exertion at 53.9%, followed by slip/falls at 20% (Watson, 2011). Unfortunately, we as physical therapists tend to see people once an injury already has occurred, and does often include longer rehabilitation due to traumatic falls, significant muscle strains related to the lower back and extremities, and also ligamentous and joint strains (musculoskeletal injuries). While snow removal is unavoidable here in WI if you own your own home or have a job that involves snow removal, it is important to take precautions to reduce the activity intensity. These can include shoveling lighter loads and taking your time, having family or friends help you with the task, or getting stronger before the winter season is upon us. This is one way physical therapy can help. Here at PT Plus, we can help get you stronger to reduce your potential for musculoskeletal injury which will also lower the cardiac demand that snow removal entails, thus lowering your risk for cardiac arrests. We can also correct and assist with movement patterns to help make the removal of snow easier in addition to helping to train and improve your balance to lessen the risk for slips and falls. Whatever the reason or need, we can help. Afterall, we are a more enjoyable experience then an ER visit. So, during this heart awareness month and snow removal season, please remember to be safe and stay warm. Spring is just around the corner. Thanks, Your local PT Plus team Source: Watson, D. (2011) ‘Snow shovel-related injuries and medical emergencies treated in US Eds, 1990 to 2006’, The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 29(1), pp 11-17. Available at: https://ajemjournal-test.com.marlin-prod.literatumonline.com/article/S0735-6757(09)00371-4/fulltext ![]() These PT Pro Tips are brought to you by our Slinger and West Bend Therapist, Dave Conway, PT, DPT. Outside of work, Dave enjoys paddle boarding, hiking, camping, swimming, and a desire for most anything new and adventurous! Welcome to the February 2023 issue of In Focus with PT Plus Physical Therapy ![]() What's New at PT Plus Shoulder Mobility Workshop Join our therapist, Peter Eidsmoe for a Shoulder Mobility Workshop on Thursday, February 23rd at 6:30PM. He will be presenting to staff, members, and the public at The Gym WB, located in West Bend. RSVP on our Facebook Event Invite! ![]() Welcome to the Team! We are excited that Sarah Heitman will be joining the PT Plus family! She will be working in the Elm Grove office beginning next week offering more availability and appointment times, so contact us today to schedule with Sarah! Recent Google Review Skyler Van Sluys, ★★★★★ Alissa has been a great PT with a deep knowledge and understanding of movement patterns and injury prevention. Providing great service and therapy to help heal me fast and effectively. ![]() Bay View – Brookfield – Elm Grove – Greenfield Thiensville – Third Ward – Racine – Slinger – West Bend ![]() Cold Weather Makes Warm Ups Even More Important! Warm ups are always important. They gradually raise your heart rate, and get you breathing a little faster. This sends more oxygen, energy, and nutrients to your heart, lungs, and muscles so they can perform at their best. Warm ups also get the aerobic energy system ... Read More. ![]() Warm ups are always important. They gradually raise your heart rate, and get you breathing a little faster. This sends more oxygen, energy, and nutrients to your heart, lungs, and muscles so they can perform at their best. Warm ups also get the aerobic energy system started, which takes several minutes. Getting it going before your activity also helps you perform better. What's different in the cold? Our bodies have a few tricks to stay warm in the cold. One of these is to narrow the blood vessels closest to the skin. That means that the more superficial muscles get less blood flow, making them more likely to be injured if you place too much demand on them before they're ready. The restriction in the blood vessels also makes your heart work harder. This doesn't mean you can't be active in the cold, it just means that you should take a little more time to get your body ready. How to warm up Start with something to raise your heart rate, maybe a brisk walk or light jog. Follow that with a dynamic warm up like walking or jogging while pulling your knees up high to your chest. Some high front kicks with straight knees will loosen your hamstrings. Walking lunges with an upper body twist will get your whole body moving. Your warm up should match the activity you have planned. If you're not sure how it should look, ask your physical therapist! Consider your clothes Dress in layers so you can adjust your clothing to your activity level. After you warm up, you might want to take off a layer to avoid getting too hot during your main activity. You can always add layers back when your activity level drops or the temperature changes. Even though it's cold, cool down We know it's tempting to rush inside to a warm blanket and hot drink, but don't skip the cool down. Keep moving with a walk or another form of active recovery so your heart rate can come down gradually. A cool down also helps your muscles to transition back to a relaxed state and can reduce soreness following your workout. Since your muscles are still warm, your cool down is the right place for static stretching. The shorter days and lower temperatures don't mean that you're stuck inside for all of your exercise. Follow these tips and you can safely keep moving outside. If you'd like a customized warm up or cool down, or have questions about your exercise routine, your physical therapist is a great person to ask! Welcome to the January 2023 issue of In Focus with PT Plus Physical Therapy ![]() What's New at PT Plus Wellness Continuum Class Series Join presenter Judy Ann Walz for a series of classes focusing on proactive and positive self-management for optimal health. These are free classes held in Hartford, WI. View this flier for more information. ![]() Join Our Team! At PT Plus, we look for people with passion, skill, and a desire to serve others. We support these qualities by providing an inclusive environment, continued education, and caring about employees as we would a family member. See what opportunities are available. ![]() Recommended Read: Breathe: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor. This book was recommended by our Physical Therapist, Katie Schaul. "Great book for reminding us the importance of the simple things in life that we do every day. Remembering to breathe and breathe correctly can be the missing link to decreasing pain, reducing injuries, and generally staying healthy." Recent Google Review Danielle Jahn, ★★★★★ Highly recommend PT Plus! Finally finding relief from sciatica pain. Alyssa is excellent." ![]() Bay View – Brookfield – Elm Grove – Greenfield Thiensville – Third Ward – Racine – Slinger – West Bend ![]() Have you scheduled your 2023 PT Exam? Haven't thought about having an annual PT exam? We're biased, but we think you should. You see your optometrist and dentist regularly because your eyes and teeth are important. You get an annual physical from your family physician. You might even be getting ready to see your accountant to get your yearly taxes done. But what about the rest of your body? READ MORE... ![]() Haven't thought about having an annual PT exam? We're biased, but we think you should. You see your optometrist and dentist regularly because your eyes and teeth are important. You get an annual physical from your family physician. You might even be getting ready to see your accountant to get your yearly taxes done. But what about the rest of your body? Have you lost range of motion, or strength? How's your balance and coordination? These all affect how you move. You might not notice small changes until you have problems like trouble lifting a heavy load, joint pain, or a sprained ankle from a stumble. An annual PT exam can catch problems early, then correct them before they lead to something bigger. What to Expect An annual PT exam is quick and easy. Your annual visit may include:
How Important Is Moving Well? There is strong evidence suggesting that movement is a valuable predictor of future health and resilience against disease. Moving well can keep you healthier and help you live longer. Here are some examples of the power of movement when it comes to predicting future health: Gait Velocity Gait velocity is how fast you walk. Studies have shown that if your typical walking speed is over 1 m/s or 3.3 ft/s, you're likely able to complete typical daily activities independently. You're also less likely to be hospitalized and less likely to have adverse events like falls. Get On and Off the Floor A series of studies suggest that if you can go from standing to sitting on the floor and back to standing without using your hands, you're a lot less likely to die than someone who can't. It's called the sitting-rising test. You can find the instructions and examples with a quick internet search. Notice that both gait velocity and the sitting-rising test aren't specific to any one thing. The risk of hospitalization in the gait velocity studies was hospitalization for any reason. Death in the sitting-rising studies was death from anything. So science says that moving well is incredibly important to your overall health. It's also important for your quality of life. We think moving well is just as important as your teeth, eyes, and taxes. If you agree, get that annual PT exam scheduled! References Why provide an annual physical therapy visit - https://www.apta.org/patient-care/interventions/annual-checkup Physical Therapists' Role in Prevention, Wellness, Fitness, Health Promotion, and Management of Disease and Disability - https://www.apta.org/apta-and-you/leadership-and-governance/policies/pt-role-advocacy Ability to sit and rise from the floor is closely correlated with all-cause mortality risk -- ScienceDaily Gait velocity as a single predictor of adverse events in healthy seniors aged 75 years and older - PubMed (nih.gov) Welcome to the December 2022 issue of In Focus with PT Plus Physical Therapy What's New at PT Plus Closed for the Holidays A friendly reminder that we will be closed Monday, December 26th in observance of Christmas. We had a wonderful time celebrating the season early as a team! We will also be closed Monday, January 2nd for the New Year. ![]() A farewell to Frank January 5th officially marks Frank's last day in our Elm Grove office. Our staff is here and ready to serve you with all of the heart and compassion that Frank has always shown you. His love for our profession and dedication to all of you will continue to live on at PT Plus. That is our promise to all of you, continuing to touch your lives through our work. Leave us a Review Looking for the perfect Christmas gift to show your appreciation for your therapist - all we want for Christmas this year is a Google Review! Simply click a link below and leave some kind words, it will make our holiday season! Leave a Google Review: Bay View – Brookfield – Elm Grove – Greenfield – Thiensville Third Ward – Racine – Slinger – West Bend Featured Testimonial ![]() A Physical Therapy Holiday Survival Guide Keeping up with physical therapy during the holidays is tough. There are so many other things to do - cooking, parties, shopping, travel, and visiting with family and friends. But if you're in physical therapy over the holidays, there's a reason. You're having pain, or not moving as well as you want to. These issues place limitations on your life, which are going to affect your ability to do things - like cooking, partying, shopping, traveling, or enjoying time with friends and family. So even though keeping up with your PT this time of year is tough, it's important. That's why we're going to give you our best tips to help you through the holidays. Plan Some of what makes the holidays challenging is the crazy schedule. To survive this, you're going to have to plan ahead. We're not just talking about appointments on your calendar, either (although those are important). Here are some things to think about planning ahead: Your PT appointments Your schedule is busy during the holidays. So is your PT's. Plan and schedule your appointments in advance. You'll get the times and days that work best for you, and you'll already have your PT appointments in your calendar to plan other things around. Your exercise Hopefully you have a regular time to exercise. With the holiday mania about to shake up your routine, that time may no longer work. Think about when you're going to exercise ahead of time and you'll stay consistent. Your diet Healthy eating often gets derailed during the holidays. Putting low quality fuel into your body won't help you feel better. Think about planning what you're going to eat ahead of time. We're not saying to skip every holiday treat offered to you, but maybe think about which ones you really need to have, and which ones you can skip in advance. It makes saying "no thanks" to that third slice of fruitcake easier. Modify We're realistic. We understand that life isn't the same during the holidays as it is during the rest of the year. That's part of what makes this time of year special! With that in mind, our next set of tips focuses on making modifications to help you get through the holidays successfully. Your PT Plan When you planned your PT appointments out well in advance, you might have run into some challenges. Talk to your therapist about how you might be able to modify your plan of care through the holidays to make it all work. Maybe you're going to PT three times a week and you can only come twice a week for a week or two. Plan this sort of thing in advance with your PT and you can work together to come up with the best plan. Your exercise Exercise is so important, it made our list twice. Now that you know when you'll exercise, you might have to modify your routine to make it fit. Again, we recommend talking with your PT to see what you can do. Maybe your home exercise program can be modified so you can do everything in the kitchen during downtime when you're cooking up your holiday feast. Maybe you can reduce the number of exercises to focus on maintaining the gains you've made until things settle down. Your schedule In your planning in advance (see how important it is?) you might have found that your normal routine wasn't going to work. If your PT appointments or exercise time is usually right after work and you've now got commitments during that time, maybe you can move them to the morning before work. If you've been exercising outside, the shortened days may move you into the gym. Be flexible and consider temporarily modifying your schedule and your routine to make it work better during the holiday season. You can always go back to your previous routine after. The holidays are a special time of year. Keeping up with your health and your physical therapy can be challenging during this time. But you don't have to fall behind. With some planning and flexibility, you can stay healthy, survive the holidays and head into next year with good momentum! ![]() Turkey Trots have become a popular way for family and friends to get together and participate in a healthy activity before one of the more caloric holidays on the calendar. These events usually raise money for worthy causes during a time noted for giving and being thankful for the things we have. You have no doubt seen these events advertised or have friends that make it part of their yearly rituals. Maybe you were even thinking about getting involved yourself. What better way to burn some calories before you sit down and enjoy all that food! Before you sign up for that race though, make sure you are ready to participate with these helpful hints. Know your limitations: Most Turkey Trots are 5Ks which is 3.1 miles, though some may be longer so know what you are signing up for and choose a distance that you think you can handle. If you don’t have time to train but want to participate, find a race that has a walking portion and save the 5K for next year when you are ready. Train/Prepare: If you have decided that you want to run, there are some ways to get yourself ready physically. There are apps available for your phone that will plot out a training program to get you running 5K distances starting from a relatively sedentary lifestyle. This is an excellent idea if you haven’t run the mile since high school! By starting training early and utilizing steady progression, you limit the risk of joint injury. Also, find a friend to run with you. These events are meant to be social so having a friend come along will keep it fun and make you more accountable. As with any program, it is a good idea to have your physician clear you for participation in a running program. Think about clothing: You definitely need a good pair of running shoes but you also need to be prepared for the weather. It could be mild or it could be wet and freezing. Make sure you dress in layers so that you can add and subtract clothing as your body temperature rises during the race and drops after you finish. Warm up and stretch before and after the race: Make sure to get that blood pumping about 15-20 minutes before the race by walking or light jogging and then participate in some dynamic stretches. Dynamic stretches are active movements that stretch the muscles to their full range of motion such as hip circles, high knees or squats. You can look up a program specific for 5K runners or check with your physical therapist for ideas. Have FUN!!! Remember why you are doing it and enjoy the company and the atmosphere. Good luck and happy running! ![]() These PT Pro Tips are brought to you by our Racine Therapist, Ryan Schaul MPT, CIMT, CIDN. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys hiking, travel, and SCUBA diving. Ryan is a certified PADI Divemaster and enjoys helping teach others to dive. |
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