September is National Yoga month in addition to being Pain awareness month. Due to the close ties between yoga and pain management, we will be celebrating both! Watch for information all month long on the background and practice of yoga.
Summer is coming to a close… which means the start of a new school year for students and teachers everywhere. Bird PT wants you to have a fabulous start the new semester. Check out the tips below on how to have a safe and productive year.
As always, please call or stop by with any questions or concerns. 785-331-0106
Happy August and remember "Exercise is Medicine"! Bria Phipps, DPT
Bird Physical Therapy sincerely hopes everyone has a fun and above all SAFE Fourth of July. Please take a moment to look at the safety tips below. I have also reposted last years blog on heat and sun at the end for reminders on how to stay protected in this heat!
As always, we invite you to call or stop by with any questions or concerns.
Looking for some fun activities to entice the kids to get outdoors? Here are several ideas for home and around town. There are also tons more fun projects and ideas to be found online. Have a very happy summer everyone!
Please contact us with any questions or concerns. 785-331-0106
May is Bike month. Biking is a wonderful form of exercise and green transportation. Unfortunately cyclists are also prone to injuries and taking step to prevent this can add to comfort and longevity while cycling. View the pages below for more information.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns about the above information, feel free to call or stop by. New patients are always welcome!
A saying I use frequently with my patients and myself is “Progress, NOT perfectionâ€
I want to talk about what this means and why it is important for
reaching your goals.
Length of Stay
Very few conditions can be
adequately treated in only a couple of visits. The nationwide average for
outpatient physical therapy is 8 visits. However, several factors may increase
or decrease one’s visit number. These include but are not limited to diagnosis,
age, sex, language, physical or cognitive difficulties, the clinician, and
personal adherence.
Personal adherence you say?Yes! Although the clinician is a resource to guide and shape the rehabilitation process, ultimately it is up to the patient to ensure improvement and prevention of future injuries. This includes attending visits, working hard and following guidance during the session, being compliant with home exercises and instructions, and continuing a maintenance and prevention regimen after skilled care has ended. Research has shown that only 30% of patients in outpatient physical therapy attend all authorized visits, and only 35% of patients fully adhere to their plan of care! Factors such as baseline activity level, self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, social support, and pain levels during exercise impact adherence. Your clinician has a multitude of ways to optimize your experience in physical therapy. However, it is important for the patient to TAKE CONTROL of the process to ensure the best long-term prognosis.
Tissue Healing
The affected tissue or body part
is a major factor in the length of time and ultimate success rate of the
physical therapy process. Tissue healing takes time. Let me repeat for affect…
Tissue healing is a PROCESS and doesn’t happen overnight. Every condition heals
at a different rate and every person is different. The process can take anywhere
from 2 weeks to 1 year based on the tissue and the severity of the injury.
Additional elements such as movement patterns, hydration, nutrition,
inflammation, sleep, health, and age can speed up or slow down healing.
Aging
As I am sure many of you have
become aware, aging changes the body. Every tissue is impacted in some way by
the aging process, which in turn slows healing. The skin and other tissues thin,
dry out, and lose elastin and collagen; reducing elasticity. Bones lose
calcium, cartilage stiffens and degenerates, and muscles atrophy. Our nervous
system’s ability to transmit signals also slows. These, and other internal
factors slow the overall recovery from an injury.
It is also important to note that
the absence of pain does not mean the injury has healed.
Strengthening and Prevention
One of the most important parts
of rehabilitation is exercise. Strengthening, balance, flexibility, and
endurance training are all vital parts of fitness. Unfortunately, true change
in the muscles can take weeks to months. When pain has resolved this is a great
time to advance the strengthening process and work on prevention of future
injuries. Not continuing therapy at this point can put someone at high risk of
reinjury.
———
As a result of all these
processes, it is important to monitor and recognize improvement and success.
Keeping track of the ways your condition improves overtime increases motivation
and encourages persistence. Try to focus on the small victories; rather than
striving for immediate perfection.
If you have any questions or
concerns, or to schedule and appointment please contact us at 785-331-0106
Gardening is a great way to stay fit and enjoy the outdoors. Like all physical activities, injuries can happen if you over-do it. Here are some tips and recommendations for taking the best care of your garden, and yourself.
Feel free to stop by if a printed version would be more helpful. Thanks for being the best patients in the world!
March is nutrition month. Proper nutrition is not just an important part of your overall health but can play a big part in healing. Take a look at the posters below for helpful information on healthy eating.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at 785-331-0106 or the contact page on our website.
