“Screen” Your Movements This Spring!

Let’s talk about the last time you—or someone close to you—interviewed for a new job. Chances are that the first step was a phone screen with your potential employer, and when you passed that portion of the process with flying colors, you were then invited for an in-person interview. At that stage, the employer probably asked you to answer a series of questions and to demonstrate your skills through a test or two. The process is set up in a way that narrows down the options until the most suitable candidate is found. Makes sense, right? Just as job recruiters screen applicants to find the best fit for an open position, your PT will ask you to perform a series of exercises so that they can observe and understand your body mechanics to uncover any issues or limitations. Used in combination with a full evaluation and assessment, these so-called movement screens are just one tool in identifying the most appropriate treatment or prevention program for you. But, unlike that test you may have taken during a job interview, the screen is not testing your skills or abilities, it’s simply a way of identifying how your body functions during a variety of movements. Now that spring is in full swing, it’s the perfect time of year to make an appointment with your physical therapist for a movement screen. The warmer weather means more time spent outdoors, participating in sports and other recreational activities that may be physically demanding. A physical therapy checkup that includes a movement screen will ensure that you’re physically able to engage in popular spring and summer adventures-whether it’s exploring in the woods, tending to your garden, or swimming at your family’s lake house. Physical therapists perform movement screens for a variety of reasons including:
• Identifying areas of strength and weakness

• Uncovering issues or ruling them out
• Determining readiness to begin a safe exercise program
• Improving sport performance (for both novice and elite athletes)

A movement screen is something that you can have done whether you have a nagging injury or are simply ready to kickstart your activity level after a long hiatus. Gaining an understanding of how your body performs during basic exercises, such as squats and lunges, helps your PT ensure that you can safely jump on a bike or into a pool this summer. And just like an employer screens candidates to identify the one individual who is likely to thrive on the job for many years to come, a movement screen can help you develop a lasting and fulfilling relationship with the activities you enjoy.

Chances are, you or someone you know has had back pain. Each year, 15% of the population has their first episode of back pain, and over the course of our lives, 80% of us will have back pain. Even though back pain is common, the medical community does a poor job of managing it. Stories of chronic pain, opioid use, multiple surgeries, and a lifetime of disability are far too common. Let’s look at some of the common treatments for low back pain and see how they stack up against physical therapy.
Medication: Low back pain is the #1 reason for opioid prescription in the U.S., however, in 2016 the CDC recommended against the use of opioids for back pain in favor of “non-drug treatments like physical therapy.”
Imaging: Having an x-ray or MRI for back pain is common, however, it’s rarely needed or helpful. Research has never demonstrated a link between imaging and symptoms. As we age, degenerative changes on imaging is common.
-90% of people age 50 to 55 have disc degeneration when imaged, whether they have symptoms or not
-In 2015, a study that looked at 1,211 MRI scans of people with no pain found that 87.6% had a disc bulge
-Just getting an image increases the chances of that you’ll have surgery by 34%
Surgery: The U.S. has sky-high rates for back surgeries, 40% higher than any other country and 5x higher than the U.K. You’d think that with all the back surgeries we do, we’d be pretty good at it, but the outcomes are terrible! A worker’s comp study looked at 725 people who has spinal fusions vs 725 people who didn’t. The surgical group had:
-A 1 in 4 chance of repeat surgery
-A 1 in 3 chance of a major complication
-A 1 in 3 chance of never returning to work again
Physical Therapy:
-Current clinical practice guidelines support manual therapy and exercise
-Research proves that early PT leads to better outcomes with lower costs and decreases the risk of surgery, unnecessary imaging, and the use of opioids
-A study of 122,723 people with low back pain who started PT within 14 days found that it decreased the cost to treat back pain by 60%
-Unfortunately, only 2% of people with back pain start with PT, and only 7% get to PT within 90 days
Despite the data showing that PT is the most effective, safest, and lowest cost option to treat low back pain, most people take far too long to get there. Almost every state has direct access, meaning that you can go directly to a physical therapist without a doctor’s referral. If you see your doctor for back pain, and PT isn’t one of the first treatment options, ask for it! #ChoosePT

80% of Americans Experience Back Pain, But 100% of PTs Know How to Prevent It

Got back pain? You’re not alone. Eighty percent of Americans suffer from low back and neck pain at some point in their lives. Let that sink in. With such great odds that you—or someone close to you—will one day become a statistic, wouldn’t it make sense to arm yourself with preventive strategies and knowledge? Physical therapy is a good place to start.
By performing a thorough evaluation, a physical therapist can identify the muscular, postural and skeletal limitations that could one day lead to an episode of back pain. As part of the assessment, the PT will do some manual hands-on testing, exercises assessment and they will then gather an account of your daily activity level and environmental factors like operating machinery or working at a desk 40 hours a week.
The PT will then use all of this knowledge to design a personalized home exercise program, do some hands-on techniques, come up with a plan of care and teach you a few strategies to prevent back pain:

• Use good body positioning at work, home and during recreational activities.
• Keep the load close to your body during lifting.
• Ask for help before lifting heavy objects.
• Maintain a regular physical fitness regimen—staying active can help to prevent injuries.

Using the physical therapist’s hands-on manual skills such as dry needling, joint mobilizations, McKenzie spine techniques and others along with exercise can help not only treat but help prevent issues in the future.

Lifestyle can play a big role in back pain. In fact, inactivity and incorrect body mechanics while participating in certain activities are two of the biggest contributors to back pain. In addition to the strategies listed above, it’s also helpful to pay attention to little things throughout your day that could add up to bigger problems down the line. Let’s go back to that desk job for a minute: How often do you get up to walk, stretch and move throughout the day? A good rule of thumb is to stand up or move every 30 minutes. You may get bonus points with your boss, too, as your productivity soars due to the increased activity.

While low back pain rarely becomes serious or life-threatening, it can be quite painful and interfere with our daily lives. Working with a physical therapist can help patients identify the factors that might contribute to back pain and help to develop a prevention plan.
With such good odds that you could one day become a low back pain statistic, why not do everything in your power today to change your destiny? Seems like another good reason to find an activity (or better yet, two or three activities) that you enjoy, make it a regular part of your day and stick to it!

Are You a New Year’s Resolution Newbie, Master or Flunkee?

Turning the page on the new year is a chance to wipe the slate clean—and to be better versions of ourselves. And when it comes to what we want to improve, goals that fall in the health and wellness area top all other New Year’s resolutions, such as exercise, eating healthier, or getting more sleep. There are three types of people who choose a goal from the health and wellness category as a New Year’s resolution: the resolution newbie, the resolution master, and the resolution flunkee.

Resolution Newbie. Maybe this is your first time making a commitment to your health and wellness. Good for you! Whatever your goals are, taking that first step is a big one, so you’ll want to be sure that you’re prepared for the challenge. Particularly when exercising for the first time or returning to an active lifestyle after a long hiatus, it’s important to have the proper information and tools to be successful. And that means tapping the healthcare resources available to you: Clinicians like nutritionists and physical therapists can make sure that your body is prepared to take on new challenges and work with you to a design a program that will help you achieve your goals.

Resolution Master. Perhaps you fall into a different camp: You vowed to get healthy in 2020 and you achieved it! For 2021, your resolution is to continue the work you’ve begun. After all, living a healthy lifestyle is a lifelong commitment; it’s not something you do for a while and then revert back to your former habits. As you prepare to embrace the new year, are there any small tweaks you can make to advance your goals? Maybe you’re thinking about training for and running a half marathon, but don’t know where to begin.

Resolution Flunkee. Let’s say your plan for 2021 is to get in better shape and improve your overall health, but this isn’t your first rodeo. Your 2020 resolution was similar but it’s one year later, and you’re in the same place you were on New Year’s Eve 2019. What stood in your way? Did you have a plan? Without planning ahead, you’ll find yourself staring down the year of 2021 with the same goal in mind. Maybe you made sleep a priority, which in turn helped you to make better food choices at breakfast, but by afternoon, you found yourself choosing to energize with a soda and candy bar when all you probably needed was an apple and a 15-minute walk. Take some time to think about the previous year—good and bad—and take with you what you need and leave the rest behind. Afterall, you can’t plan where you’re going without understanding where you’ve been.

Blessings in 2021!

Are You A Passive Patient or an Active Consumer of Healthcare?

Think about the last time you made a big purchase. Did you go out and buy the first thing you saw? Or did you research it, learn some things, compare it to other options, and select something that was right for you? Most people tend to be educated and research large purchases like cars, or the newest iPhone. So why do we so often fail to do this with healthcare? By becoming more educated healthcare consumers, we can go from passive patients who take the first recommendation that comes from a practitioner to an active consumer who weighs options and makes choices. Here are some questions to talk through with your practitioner the next time a healthcare decision comes up.

What are the benefits or expected results?

When a treatment or procedure is recommended, the patient often assumes that it will make them “better.” But what the patient expects and what the healthcare provider expects are often two different things. For example, a patient having back surgery expects to be pain free after surgery. The surgeon probably doesn’t expect that to happen. Outcomes from back surgeries are not always the best. A large study of 1,450 patients in the Ohio worker’s comp system showed that after 2 years, 26% of patients who had surgery returned to work. Compare that to 67% of patients who didn’t have surgery. There was also a 41% increase in the use of painkillers in the surgical group.

What are the risks and downsides?

Patients want to hear about the benefits of a treatment, but they often don’t ask or care about the risks. To be an educated consumer, you need to. Going back to the back surgery study from before, the researchers found a 1 in 4 chance of a repeat surgery and a 1 in 3 chance of a major complication. These risks need compared with other treatments. In the case of back pain, physical therapy is a valid alternative with a much lower risk.

What are the alternatives?

Don’t feel bad asking about alternative treatments. If you were looking at a certain car, you wouldn’t go out and just buy it. You’d at least consider the competitors and probably even test drive them. You should look at the other options in healthcare too. Maybe the first recommendation that your practitioner makes is the right one for you, but if you don’t consider the alternatives you’ll never really know.

Why this treatment over the other ones?

This is the question where the rubber meets the road. You’ve learned about all the options, now you can see if your practitioner is balancing the risks and benefits to make the right choice for you. Staying with the back pain example, research shows that more than 40% of people who seek care for back pain will not receive a treatment of known effectiveness. Back pain is also the #1 reason for opioid prescriptions, despite a 2016 recommendation from the CDC to avoid prescribing opioids for back pain and opt for non-drug treatments like physical therapy.

What does it cost?

This last question is becoming more important as patients bear an increasing share of the cost of healthcare. That back surgery that we’ve been talking about- it’ll likely cost between $60,000 and $80,000. Consider this, a patient who chooses surgery first will spend $60,000 and have a higher risk of disability, and a higher risk of painkiller use, while risking infection, etc. An educated consumer would learn that physical therapy is a viable alternative to surgery with comparable outcomes, much less risk and lower cost. In fact, a large study of 122,723 subjects showed that people with back pain who got physical therapy in the first 14 days lowered their healthcare costs by 60%. It’s easy to see why bargain shoppers love PT!

At Fast Track Physical Therapy, we see all kinds of injuries. It is common for people and athletes that exercise, to have a fear of getting injured. Beginners that are new to exercise, also have fears of getting injured when they finally have the motivation to start a new program. As physical therapists, we know the body’s musculoskeletal system better than anyone.

Here are some tips and suggestions on how to keep the body going without breaking it down in the end:

–Warm Up. It is never a good idea to workout muscles that are cold. Make sure you are warming up to increase your body’s core temperature to get blood flow to the working muscles, and also to mentally prepare yourself for the workout ahead.

–Cross Train. Your body will thank you when you change up your routine by engaging in different activities. This will not only help you avoid hitting a plateau in your workouts, it will give your muscles a much needed break from the same routine, day in and day out. Plus, not only will your body benefit from diversifying your exercise routine, so will your metabolism. Studies show that switching up your daily exercises can rev-up your fat burning.

–Be Smart About Your Training. Just because you could do a specific exercise 10 or 20 years ago, doesn’t mean you can exercise with the same speed and energy today. Be realistic about your training and not focus on what you used to do. “Too much, too soon” can be the number one reason why injuries occur. Gradually increase your time and the intensity of your workouts to prevent those nagging injuries.

–Wear Proper Workout Attire. If you have to think about how long ago you purchased a new pair of running shoes, then it is definitely time to head to the store. Going to a specialty store for expert advice on what shoes you should be wearing is the first step, because they can gauge what shoe fits best with your arch, gait, and body weight. So many injuries come from wearing worn out shoes without any support. Your poor feet!

–Eat a Balanced Diet and Hydrate. What you eat and drink is just as important as your workout. Not only will carbohydrates give you energy for your workout, they will replenish those glycogen stores for your recovery and for the next workout. Protein after your workout is just as important as this will help repair those muscles you just broke down. Work with a sports nutritionist to understand when, how much, and what foods you should be eating to keep you healthy and energized for your workouts.

–Add Strength Training and Core Work to Your Routine. Having a strong, fit body is a great way to keep the injuries away. If your muscles are balanced with a strong core, then your body will not wear down or have to compensate for being weak or tight.

–Listen to Your Body with Rest and Recovery. Your body will give you the signals you need to know when to back off. If that knee is feeling a little achy, your soreness lasts for more than the recommended 24 to 48 hours, or you are just plain tired, then it is time to look over your exercise routine. Rest and recovery might be what your body is looking for. Make sure you take those rest days as your body is making actual gains during this time.

–Don’t Push It. We all want to have goals, and sometimes we push ourselves out of our comfort zone. But you have to make sure you are not pushing your body too much where it can’t handle it. Often times, that is how injuries occur.

If a pre-existing injury or pain is keeping you from working out, call us!

Our Ancestors May Have Held the Secret to Better Brain Health…

It turns out that while our early ancestors spent their days out in the wilderness hunting and foraging for food, they may also have been keeping their brains sharp. Researchers at the University of Arizona have found a connection between the highly active lifestyle that was prevalent in those ancient days and the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related diseases.

Our ancestors covered long distances—mixing moderate and intense bouts of physical activity throughout the day—as a means of survival. In sharp contrast, today’s average American starts his/her day by getting ready for work or school, then sits in a car to travel to the office where you’ll likely spend hours in meetings or in front of a computer, only to retire home to catch up on the latest series on Netflix. This is how most of my days go. For the most active among us, exercise might consist of an hour at the gym three or more days a week and perhaps a few short walks sprinkled in throughout the day. Any activity is good, but that level of activity doesn’t completely erase the damage we do to our bodies during the other 23 hours in the day which are largely spent sitting in a desk chair or at the dining room table, reclining on the family sofa or sleeping.

An obvious connection can be drawn between today’s sedentary lifestyle and a host of prevalent modern-age health problems like obesity and chronic illness, but how do low levels of activity affect our cognitive abilities? In the mentioned study, they say that the amount of exercise that our ancestors engaged in reduced the burden of a genotype that leads to a high risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease and increased mortality. As a result, the researchers stress the importance of exercise as a potential disease prevention and intervention tool.

Beyond reducing the risk of disease and injury, the role that movement and exercise play in a person’s cognitive performance cannot be underestimated. Many research studies have proven that engaging in regular physical activity keeps our brains in top form, helping us to focus, recall, and think more clearly. Moving more frequently and for longer periods of time can help fight off disease and boost our brain function. Just some food for thought next time you settle in to binge watch Game of Thrones or pass up an opportunity to bike. Be active not only for all the physical benefits, but for your brain health too.

Is the source of your low back pain a mystery? You’re not alone: Nine out of 10 patients don’t know the primary cause of their back pain. The problem is that most people seek treatment after they’ve begun exhibiting symptoms of back pain. While this may seem logical on the surface, our therapists at Fast Track are here to tell you that there’s a better way.

The key is to go to a physical therapist before you begin to see the signs and symptoms of back pain. I’m sure that right about now you’re asking, “Why would I do that?” One, because our physical therapists are trained to recognize the physical dysfunctions that may one day lead to back pain. And two, because eight out of 10 Americans suffer from low back pain at some point in their lives, so the chances are good that you could become a statistic one day.

Seeing one of our physical therapists at Fast Track is one of the most effective ways to prevent back pain from occurring in the first place. Doesn’t that sound like the better alternative? Great, now that you’re on board, let’s talk about what you can expect during that physical therapy appointment. The first time you go, your physical therapist will collect a complete picture of your medical history. During subsequent visits, it’ll be important to update your physical therapist about any changes in pain that you are experiencing.

Next, your physical therapist will perform an examination using a variety of tests and measures. This gives your PT the ability to see how your back, hips, core, shoulders, knees and ankles perform during a series of carefully selected exercises.

The information gathered during an evaluation helps your physical therapist to identify changes from one appointment to the next, a critical step in assessing your back pain and a host of other debilitating conditions. If a problem is identified early enough, then your physical therapist is better equipped to discuss preventive measures and will design a personalized plan of care just for you.

Treating back pain is only one of the multiple conditions we treat at Fast Track Physical Therapy. If you or someone you know is dealing with back pain and cannot contribute it to an injury or specific cause, we can help!

Most people think of heart rate or blood pressure when they think of vital signs. It is common to use numbers to quantify health and risk of disease. The American Heart Association encourages people to “know their numbers” referring to blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood glucose, and weight. However, research is now showing the importance of moving properly for health. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers you can use to quantify your movement health:

Walking Speed

Walking speed has been called the “sixth vital sign” in medical literature recently. It is easy to measure, and takes into account strength, balance, coordination, confidence, cardiovascular fitness, tolerance to activity, and a whole host of other factors. It has also been shown to be predictive of future hospitalizations, functional decline, and overall mortality. Normal walking speed is considered to be 1.2 to 1.4 meters per second.

Push Ups

Push ups are popular to build strength, but a recent study found that they can show us a lot about your heart too. Researchers found that men who could do 40 or more consecutive push ups were at a 96% lower risk for cardiovascular disease than were men who could do less than 10. The push up test was also more useful in predicting future cardiovascular disease than aerobic capacity measured on a treadmill.

Grip Strength

Hand grip strength has been shown to be strongly correlated with health. The stronger your hand grip is, the less likely you are to suffer from cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, COPD, and all types of cancer. In the study, muscle weakness was defined as grip strength <26 kg for men and <16 kg for women. Grip strength below these numbers was highly correlated with an increase in disease.

Standing From the Floor

If you can’t easily get down on the floor and back up your health might be in trouble, according to a study that looked at more than 2,000 people. The study asked people to go from standing to sitting on the floor and back up with as little support as needed. They found that if you need to use more than one hand to get up and down from the floor that you were 2 to 5 times more likely to die in the next 7 years than someone who can do it with just one hand, or even better, no hands at all.

Moving well is obviously important to overall health and longer life. These tests can give a snapshot of how you’re doing. If you’re having trouble with any of them, considering seeing a movement specialist – your physical therapist.

Who doesn’t love a cute, soft puppy? Did you know that dogs can be a benefit to your health? Well I know that first-hand how good dogs can be for you. My husband and I have two dogs, and one of them is Bella, a Canine Good Citizen Therapy dog. She comes to work with us every day at Fast Track Physical Therapy. She gives patients comfort and brings a smile to their faces even when they are in pain.

There are different types of dogs that can help both physical and emotional needs of people. So, what is the difference between a therapy dog, service dog and emotional support dogs?

A service dog is trained to help people with disabilities such as visual impairments, diabetes, seizure disorders etc. Service dogs are working animals, not pets. They have been specifically trained to perform tasks related to the disabled person’s specific disabilities.

A therapy dog has been obedience trained and is trained to provide comfort and affection to people in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes, schools and physical therapy clinics like ours. Therapy dogs provide mental health and physical benefits to people who spend time with them. Spending time with a therapy dog has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduce anxiety, and increase endorphins and oxytocin. I know that our patients enjoy time with Bella.

Emotional support dogs provide their owners therapeutic benefits through companionship and love. Emotional support dogs comfort those with mental and emotional conditions such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders etc.

Now, not everyone needs a service or therapy dog, a family pet can be more than just a pet. Studies have shown real health benefits for those living with pets, including, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, reduced stress levels, lower triglyceride, better mental health and help you heal faster from injury or illness. Studies have found that the very act of petting an animal, such as a therapy dog, yields a relaxation response that can help alleviate the need for medication in those who require it for their physical ailments. Just getting out to walk your dog in the neighborhood is getting you up and moving too which is good for your health.

Just a few more reasons to love dogs…:)