Medical Imaging: Needs More Context
What does my X-ray or MRI mean? Have you ever had an X-ray or an MRI of a joint? Odds are you found some type of abnormality or maybe even a laundry list of findings. Often times, the phrases used in the reports sound scary, are hard to even pronounce, and make you feel like you “have the body of a 100 year old”! What isn’t mentioned on the report is how common some, or all of those findings are. This means your body could have looked like that before the pain or issue that brought you to the doctor’s office started. Here are some interesting facts compiled from several peer-reviewed studies. Over 40% of people under the age of 30 have evidence of lumbar disc degeneration, and over 90% of people aged 50-55 have similar findings. ¹ In a study with those over age 60, it was found…
Goals: Tips and Tricks
And with what seems like both a blink of an eye and somehow also the longest year on record, 2023 has come and 2024 is well underway. The good news is, you your are still pursuing your goals. The bad news is as time passes they become more difficult to keep in sight. The reasons can range from anything from no time in the schedule, boredom, or even something as simple as not having fun doing their new routine. I have been there, and could argue I am still there. However, recently I have begun using these 3 methods to keep myself honest and compliant with the New Year. Make your goals manageable It is easy to think of the end product when thinking of a goal. For instance, if I wanted to get back in to running, I might make my goal to run a marathon by 2025. While…
Managing Arthur-itis!
Arthritis – How to Manage! Do you have knee or hip pain that has been ongoing, chronic and only seems to be worsening? Have you been diagnosed with arthritis, or have been told that arthritis runs in your family? Are you worried you may need a joint replacement in order to improve your symptoms and lifestyle? The answer is NOT ALWAYS! There are many factors to consider when it comes to managing arthritis. These factors include (but are not limited to) medical intervention, lifestyle changes, proper self-care and wellness routines. There is no “one size fits all” approach – and each person should have an individualized plan to manage their symptoms. A few considerations and tips to begin: Seek out the proper health care professional Healthcare providers that should be considered when looking to diagnose and manage your arthritis include: Physical Therapists, Orthopedic Doctors (surgical and non-surgical), Massage Therapists, Chiropractors,…
New Years Goals
With a new year comes the age-old tradition of New Years Resolutions. As these resolutions often revolve around exercising more, I thought I would provide some information and advice on muscle soreness; in particular a condition we refer to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or DOMS for short). DOMS is a very normal condition to occur after exercise. DOMS is muscle soreness that typically takes around 24-48 hours to resolve. It can often feel like an aching sensation in the muscle groups that you worked out. Without going too into the minutia, DOMS occurs when you significantly ramp up your exercise. A good example would be if I were to go from not running at all, to deciding I want to run a few miles, I should expect to get some DOMS the next day. To be even more specific, I would expect to find my legs to be a…
Snow Shoveling Tips
Time is not on our side here… Look I hate to say it, but based on the past couple of weeks of weather we are likely in for some snow storms sooner rather than later. Which means, unfortunately, it’s time to break out the snow shovel as the kids get a “virtual” snow day. Now, I can’t change the weather conditions for this winter, but I can offer some advice for snow shoveling so that you decrease your risk of aggravating your back. Lift with your knees I can still hear my high school gym teacher, Mr Herman, correcting my form every time I went to pick up something from the ground. Luckily, his teachings have held true throughout the years. When you have to lift anything below your waist level, it is good practice to use a squatting motion to reach the object and bring it up, versus bending…
Beat the Heat
Lets talk about working out in the heat… What’s the new sound of the summer? Air conditioners turning on! No doubt about it, it has been a hot and extended summer. And with hotter temperatures comes concerns about hydration. Water is as important to exercise as stretching, if not more so. Without water, our muscles cannot recover properly, and we even run the risk of some serious adverse effects such as dizziness, passing out, and even heat stroke in severe cases. So how should we be hydrating? Well lets defer to the experts at the CDC and use their tried and true hydration tips for before, during, and after working out in the heat. (more information at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/userfiles/works/pdfs/2017-126.pdf) Before a workout My old cross-country coach used to say “if you are feeling thirsty, you are already too late.” Unfortunately, our systems for thirst and dehydration are a bit “delayed” shall…
Top 20% in Patient Satisfaction
Renaissance Home Health has earned the 2022 SHPBestTM “Superior Performer” Patient Satisfaction Award Exton, PA, August 30, 2023 – Renaissance Home Health (RHH) has been recognized by Strategic Healthcare Programs (SHP) as a “Superior Performer” for achieving an overall patient satisfaction score that ranked in the top 20% of all eligible SHP clients for the 2022 calendar year. The annual SHPBest™ award program was created to acknowledge home health agencies that consistently provide high quality service to their patients. The 2022 award recipients were determined by reviewing and ranking the overall satisfaction score for around 2,500 home health providers. With the largest HHCAHPS benchmark in the nation, SHP is in a unique position to identify and recognize organizations that have made patient satisfaction a priority and have been rewarded for their efforts with high marks on the HHCAHPS survey. “SHP is proud to present the SHPBest awards to our top-performing customers. We…
Returning from an Injury
Lets talk about getting back into exercise after an injury… Recently, I suffered an injury to my right shoulder that prevented me from doing my normal exercise routine for about a month. It took about a month to have enough function to return to where I feel safe and capable of returning to upper body exercise which truthfully felt like a daunting task. However, through using the principles below, I was able to safely and gradually return to my normal routine. About 4 weeks ago I suffered a training accident that resulted in a compression injury to my right shoulder (think falling straight onto your shoulder). Luckily, I was able to get an appointment with an orthopedic specialist the next day. They ruled out any major damage to the shoulder and cleared me to start exercising to my tolerance. This was a huge relief, but now I have to answer…
One-On-One Physical Therapy
1 to 1 Care. It should be standard for all medical practices. After all, when you go to a doctor’s office, you’re not in a room with 3 other people each describing what brings you into the office. So why shouldn’t the rest of your medical care be the same.
That’s where we are changing the game at Full Range Physical Therapy. WE bring individual care to injury rehabilitation, and WE lead by example. By scheduling at one of our clinic…
Active Spring Tips
Warmer weather and longer days are finally here! It’s time to get outside and enjoy that much needed sunshine. Whether you’re going for a long walk, taking out that bicycle that’s in the corner of your garage, or starting to prep your garden beds for a summer bloom, try these helpful tips to help stay injury free! #1: Start Slow The new warm weather tends to make us want to spend as much time outside as possible, be it walking, running, cycling, gardening, or even swimming. While it’s important to get your daily dose of sunshine, it’s even more important to prevent injury. The best thing you can do is start slow and listen to your body. It’s normal to feel aches and pains, but consistent pain that does not go away can be a sign that you may be doing too much. Start SLOW and and take periodic rests!…