Back to Action: Improve Health & Fitness

Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

“ Adults Over The Age Of 31: It’s Easy To Stay Active & Healthy! ” IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH& FITNESS

Many common aches and pains stem from tight muscles and poor movement. We were made tomove and today’s lifestyle of sitting in the car, at work and at home, means tighter muscles. In addition, as we age our connective and muscle tissues naturally become stiffer. Therefore, the older you get, the more important a daily stretching routine becomes. The key to good health is to keep your body flexible. This helps your circulatory, respiratory, lymphatic, and musculoskeletal systems. When your tissues are flexible, normal blood and lymphatic fluids circulate the body easier, oxygenating your tissues properly. (continued inside)

Inside: • Improve Your Health & Fitness • A Plank A Day Keeps The Doctors At Bay

• Patient Success Spotlights

• Practice News

• Relieve Pain In 60 Seconds

Health & Fitness The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH & FITNESS | A PLANK A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTORS AT BAY | PRACTICE NEWS

“The Key To Good Health Is To Keep Your Body Flexible. ” Improve Your Health & Fitness

In order to walk on two feet, adapt to bumpy surfaces such as grass, quickly run, turn, recover from a trip and more, we need a finely tuned balance system at all stages of life. Whether you are an active runner or just your average Joe, your balance systems are used thousands of times a day. How well tuned they are, dictates whether your muscles have to work too hard to do ordinary tasks or whether you can adapt to the strains of running, jumping and more. Most of the common declines in balance we experience are not noticed until they are quite severe. Whether you need help with back pain, neck pain, headaches, knee pain or dizziness, our physical therapists will address your balance systems. By testing what systems you are using, we can determine where there is a weakness and then provide comprehensive treatments that will fix the problem. To learn more about how we can help you balance and move freely without pain, call us today. www.back-to-action.com

PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHTS You are made to feel important! “Back to Action explains the core belief of this phenomenal group of people. I call them a group because that is what they are, a family group. They take special care to make your therapy the most important concern they have each day. Kristi is, in my opinion, the top therapist in town. She constantly stresses taking your time with each exercise so that you don’t rush through it and risk further injury. Each of the employees know your name and asks about you. The collective concern of each person working here is your health. You are made to feel important and valued as a patient. Customer care is better than anywhere in town. Each time I have come here, by the end of my sessions I am ready to get Back to Action! Thank you all.” - Douglas H.

Explained my exercises properly! “I definitely think Back To Action is great, most especially the staff. They explained my exercises properly and clearly. The physical therapy treatments have helped me identify my back issues. My flexibility and strength have improved as well.” - Terry W.

Look inside to learn more about our programs and say good-bye to inactivity and return to a pain-free, active lifestyle!

“ A Plank A Day Keeps The Doctors At Bay!”

A plank is a simple exercise that anyone can do to improve their core strength. This exercise helps you strengthen so many of your muscles, guiding them to work together. Your core muscles are vital to the health of your low back and spine. If you suffer from an achy back or neck, then try doing this exercise to feel better. How to do a plank (If you are unsure about doing this exercise, call us first!) 1. Start by lying face down. You may want to put a pillow under your abdomen if it is uncomfortable to lie flat. 2. Bring your elbows underneath you, then gently rise up onto your elbows and knees, so that your abdomen is off the floor. 3. Keep your abdomen tucked gently in so that your body is straight without sagging. IMPROVE YOUR STRENGTH & CORE WITH A SIMPLE EXERCISE

4. Try to hold this for 30 seconds if you can. You may feel your muscles shake a little while doing this, which means they are working! 5. It is important to start off with small increments and build over the course of a week as you become stronger. 6. To advance the plank and make it more difficult, lift your knees off the ground, keeping your body straight. 7. Ideally, you should be able to hold this position for 2 minutes. 8. You may have some soreness the next day as you are using muscles that have not been worked that way in a while.

www.back-to-action.com

Physical Therapists Are The Mechanics Of Your Body! Minor aches and pains are warning signals from your body to let you know something is not working properly. Don’t put off the pain until it’s too late. Come in today for a “Tune-Up.”

Relieve Pain In 60 Seconds Try this movement if you are experiencing pain.

Strengthens Core

www.simpleset.net

PRONE ALTERNATIVE ARM & LEG While lying face down and keeping your lower abdominals tight, slowly raise up an arm and opposite leg. Slowly lower and then raise the opposite side. Do not allow your spine to move the entire time. 6 repetitions on each side.

Take Care Of Your Aches & Pains Before It’s Too Late.

CALL TODAY!

Harlingen 956-428-8951

Del Rio 830-775-9118

Brownsville 956-621-0397

Eagle Pass 830-757-2497

PRACTICE NEWS: Keeping Our Patients Up To Date!

Brownsville. Back To Action Physical Therapy participated inandsupportedSt.Mary’sCatholic School’s 4th Annual Mommy and Me 5K/1Mile Run/Walk. TheSt.Mary’sMommy&MeRun/Walk isanevent forthewholefamily. Itwascreatedtostrengthen the relationships of families and community through exercise. It is also a special way for the community to celebrate Mother’s Day and recognize all that they do! The proceeds raised from this event benefit and support St. Mary’s Catholic School’s missions. We were also at the 2017 Pedal To Padre on the 7thofMay riding30milesandsupportingPedal to Padre, Inc. Pedal to Padre, Inc. plans to make donations to localnon-profitcauses in thecities we ride through or to local municipal recreation, beautification, or tourism causes. Eagle Pass. May was a busy month for us. We continuetostrivetoprovideexcellentpatientcare in the clinic and maintain an active presence in our community through various charities and events. May was the kick off of our book drive. BTA ishelpingSouthwestTexasJuniorCollege’s PhiThetaKappa(PTK)EaglePassHonorSociety. PTK is a two year college honor society with chaptersaroundtheworld.Partoftheirchapter’s mission istocompleteanannualserviceproject. Each year their chapter tackles a new project based on our community’s needs and research theyhavecompleted.Thisyear theyaregiftinga local elementary school a library remodel. They needourcommunity’shelpwithbookormonetary donations to fulfill this goal. BTA is helping with a book drive, during the library remodel and donations to help them meet their goal. If you can help, please stop by our clinic, we will be collecting books or any donations throughout the summer. We also participated in Camino Real’s Mental Health Fair. They had a good turnout with kids andfamiliesgettingthe informationtheyneeded for theirkid’sneeds.Therewasmusic, food,and variousactivitiesforthekid’stoparticipate inand a lotof resourcesandeducation for theparents. On May 25th, BTA joined the nation in bringing awarenessandraisingmoneytoendchildpoverty in theU.S.andaround theworldbyparticipating in this year’s Red Nose Day!

Harlingen. On May 13th, the Harlingen and Brownsville clinics got together at St. Mary’s Church in Brownsville for the Mommy and Me Run/Walk. On May 3rd, our clinical care coordinator, Anita, celebrated her 38th birthday. When you see her, wish her a Happy Belated Birthday. Back To Action Physical Therapy in Harlingen is having a Pet Food and Supply Drive. We are collecting donations that will be given to the HumaneSociety inHarlingentohelptheirmission to engage the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals. We would greatly appreciate any donations. DelRio. LastyearBack toActionsponsoredand volunteeredatLaughlin’sannualAdventureRace, andthisyearwedecidedtoparticipate!Together with some of our “back to action” patients, staff trained hard for the 3 mile run, 20 mile bike, and 1milerow inLakeAmistadas theBacktoAction Quads of Fury. It was an amazing experience/ teambuildingevent thatpushedus toour limits. One of our patients, Mr. Garcia, a competitve cyclist, has been in physical therapy for over a yearfollowingaserioushitandrunaccidentthat nearlycosthimhis lifewhilecycling.Hesuffered multiple broken bones in his arms, legs, pelvis, and sternum, and required multiple surgeries to save his life and reconstruct the damaged structures. We were SO proud to have him on our Adventure Race team cycling the full 20 mileswithuson thevery routehewas riding the dayof the terribleaccident.Hecouldhaveeasily passed us all by a long shot but stayed with the team and supported us. In addition to the Adventure Race, Del Rio staff also participated in Red Nose Day in support of ending childhood poverty. Kristi attended the Permant Party meeting on base for the Military Affairs Association welcomingnewlystationedActivedutyAirforce members and their families to Del Rio and providing information about the services we offer at Back to Action. And Devesh Digwal, PT attended a continuing education course for his level 1 certification in myofascial taping through Rock Tape.

www.back-to-action.com