Choice PT: Arthritis Pain Relief

Move to Live Your Resource to Moving Well and Living Life

DO YOU KNOWWHAT YOU (K)NEED TO BE DOING FOR YOUR KNEE PAIN?!

I think we all remember singing the song, “your hip bone’s connected to your, thigh bone. Your thigh bone’s connected to your, knee bone. Your knee bone’s connected to your, shin bone….”you get the idea. There’s a lot of truth behind those lyrics and it’s quite common that compensations in one area of your body can place more stress on another area. The fancy term for this theory is Regional Interdependence (there

will be a quiz later). (continued inside)

INSIDE: • Do You Know What You (K)Need... • Osteoarthritis is a Pain! PT Can Help • Patient Success Story • CPT News

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Move to Live Your Resource to Moving Well and Living Life

DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU (K)NEED TOBEDOINGFORYOURKNEEPAIN?!

(continued from outside) The concept of Regional Interdependence applies to many areas of the body, but possibly the most common area is the knee joint. My first year out of PT school, I heard a more experienced PT say: “the knee is really a stupid joint, it just listens to what the hip and ankle tell it to do.” Research study after research study confirms that if your hip or ankle aren’t working the way they should be, your knee is going to try and pick up the slack. Imagine you have 3 employees that all have the same job duties. All three show up to work, but two of them just kick back and take a nap while the third is trying to do all the work. That hard worker will be able to sneak by carrying the extra load for a period of time but eventually will become overworked, burnt out, and cranky. Many times your knee joint is that hard working employee trying it’s best to make up for inefficiencies at the hip and/or ankle. Enter meniscus injury, ACL injury, early arthritic changes, tendonitis, bursitis, and even dislocations.

Your program should address both the injured, painful structure as well as the underlying issues that caused that structure to become painful in the first place. If you’re struggling with knee pain, remember that song we used to sing as kids, you could be a few simple hip strengthening and ankle stretching exercises away from a much happier knee! As always, let me know if you have any questions, we’re here to help in any way we can!

Have a great month! Joe

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OSTEOARTHRITIS IS A PAIN! PT CAN HELP

you partake in. Joint alignment can alter and the muscles around a joint can weaken over time, causing the cartilage to shift or thin. As cartilage wears down, Osteoarthritis becomes much more common. As Osteoarthritis progresses, more symptoms can arise. The most common symptoms are:

As we all age, our bodies experience a certain “wear and tear” on cartilage and joints. This can cause inflammation and pain, known as arthritis. According to the American Arthritis Foundation, Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, making itself apparent in people as they age. It can certainly take a toll on one’s body, resulting in achy or painful joints after exercise, after a long day on one’s feet, or even after prolonged periods of inactivity, thus causing joints to constrict. The most common areas of Osteoarthritis are found in the fingers, hips, knees, and spine. These are all joints that we use excessively, even in our daily lives. Just think - by the time you lift yourself out of bed, shower, brush your teeth, eat breakfast, and prepare to begin your day, you’ve already used these joints a multitude of times. Therefore, it isn’t surprising that pain can occur in them over time. If you believe you may be experiencing Osteoarthritis, give one of our physical therapists a call today to discuss pain relief. Why do we experience Osteoarthritis? While it is true that Osteoarthritis is most common in older folks, that is not always necessarily the case. It is possible that Osteoarthritis can present itself in younger adults, especially if they are prone to weak joints, poor dieting, or if they aren’t very active. Your cartilage works hard to protect your joints by absorbing the natural shocks that your body experiences on a daily basis. Therefore, much of your likelihood regarding Osteoarthritis is dependent upon the physical and nutritional lifestyles

• Joint pain.

• Swelling or tenderness in or around the joint(s).

• Inflammation or flare-ups of pain in the joint(s) after use.

• Feeling stiff after sitting or laying down for prolonged periods of time, especially when getting up in the morning. • Crepitus - also referred to as a “cracking or crunching” feeling when moving the joint(s), or the sound of bone rubbing on bone. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, 1 in 5 adults are diagnosed with arthritis annually. Physical and occupational therapy are the most common treatments for Osteoarthritis, usually helping with the relief of joint pain in just a few sessions. If you have arthritis, don’t fret - there is hope! While anti-inflammatory and pain medications will help for the time being, they are very much a short-term solution. Physical therapy can help in actually strengthening your joints and muscles once again, allowing for a much healthier and long-term pain relief solution. Therapy will also help in learning to use your joints in new ways once again, allowing for the highest quality of life despite the severity of your arthritis.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos

Patient Success Story

• kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined • 1/4 head red cabbage, shredded • 1/4 c. mayonnaise • 1 tbsp. Sriracha • 4 medium tortillas

INGREDIENTS • 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil • 3 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro • Juice of 3 limes, divided

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, cilantro, and 1/3 of the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to a baking dish and pour over mixture. Toss until completely coated and let marinate 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make slaw: In a large bowl, toss cabbage with mayo, remaining lime juice and Sriracha. Season with salt. Heat grill to high. Skewer shrimp and grill until charred, 3 minutes per side. Grill tortillas until charred, 1 minute per side.

FUN & GAMES

CPT News: Two New Future Doctors of Physical Therapy!

We are so thrilled to share the great news Mason Bryda and Torey Chenette have been accepted into the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Russell Sage College. They have been the dynamic duo at our Campbell Avenue clinic, as All-Star patient care assistants, and are behind the scenes helping to develop efficient marketing and operational systems. We are certain their future as DPT’s will be successful and we look forward to watching them grow into leaders of our profession.

Good Luck Mason and Torey this upcoming May!!

Erin