Choice PT: New Year, New You!

Choice PT: New Year, New You!

Move to Live Y O U R R E S O U R C E T O M O V I N G W E L L A N D L I V I N G L I F E

It’s a new year, a fresh start, a clean page, a blank canvas, 2021 is OUR year!

Resolution (a noun ): a firm decision to do or not to do something. Some call it an intention, a decision, an aspiration, a commitment, a pledge, a purpose, or an undertaking. Whatever you call it, there are a lot of them flying around this time of year. Especially after the type of year we just closed out.” (continued inside)

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!

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Move to Live Y O U R R E S O U R C E T O M O V I N G W E L L A N D L I V I N G L I F E

INSIDE: • 3 Simple Tips To Help Improve Your Posture • #ChooseToGiveBack

• Choice Physical Therapy News • Patient Success Story NEW YEAR, NEW YOU!

(continued from outside) According to an online survey 188.9 million adult Americans (74% of the population) say they’re ready to better themselves in 2021. Health resolutions made up the majority with 46% of those people surveyed saying they’d like to improve their health in the upcoming year. Goal setting is great, I think it’s really useful to sit down and take some time to reflect on what exactly we’d like to improve. Unfortunately, some statistics report that the resolution failure rate is roughly 80%, and most lose their resolve by mid-February. Yikes! If you are one of those roughly 117 million Americans that would like to be healthier in the coming year (or if you have another resolution) human psychology principles can be applied here and hopefully help keep the wind in your sails until you reach that goal. Instead of saying, “I’d like to be healthier this year”... try to dig deep and ask yourself WHY do you want to be healthier? Do you want to be able to get down on the floor and play with your kids or grandkids (and not feel like 115 years old when you try to get up)? Have you seen a family member suffer from a chronic health condition that runs in the family (like heart disease or diabetes) and you don’t want the same for you? Do you enjoy exercising to feel good, look good, and have a stress management outlet and you’re worried that nagging lower back pain could stop you from exercising? We all have our individual goals, we just need to sit down and make sure they are specific to our

individual situation. (Hint: once you dig deep enough into your “why” that you get some goosebumps, you’re probably pretty close)! Once you’ve defined your why, ask yourself: what is the very first thing I need to do to get closer to my goal? Usually, it’s not: “I need to workout 5 times per week for 60 minutes each day.” Think on an even smaller scale, you need to build momentum at this phase and you need to be successful. Instead of going to the gym maybe you decide that with your busy schedule it will be feasible for you to walk around the block 3 times weekly for the next month. Once that is accomplished you can set the next goal. Small goals that are obtainable help to build positive feelings, feelings of accomplishment and they help us to form habits. The best improvements don’t happen all at once, small, even tiny changes made consistently over time will build up to significant, lasting changes in the long run. If getting healthier is part of your 2021 plan but you’re dealing with nagging aches and pains that you’re worried may sidetrack your progress, we’re here for you! Give us a call and set up a time to speak with one of our Doctor’s of Physical Therapy that can help you identify where your body may be compensating which can be contributing to your aches and pains, with that knowledge you’ll be able to develop a work smarter, not harder plan to move well and live your best life in 2021!

Cheers to a very precedented, very normal 2021! Joe

www.choiceptny.com

3 SIMPLE TIPS TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR POSTURE

Physical therapy treatments will yield the best results when focusing on improving your posture. However, there are some simple tips you can use on your own when standing, sitting, or bending in your daily life: 1. Standing Stand facing a mirror. Look at your shoulders - does one seem higher than the other? Look at your neck - does it tilt to one side or stick forward? Pretend that an imaginary string is pulling gently through the top of your head. Notice how your posture improves automatically when you try to be taller? Keep your abdominals slightly contracted to maintain this posture. When walking, make sure that your arms are moving comfortably back and forth, feeling the rotation through your torso. 2. Sitting Sit all the way back in your chair so you feel your lower back against the backrest. Avoid prolonged sitting on soft couches when watching TV, as this causes excessive slouching. Try to keep your feet flat on the floor and angle your chair so that your knees are slightly lower than your hips. Try using a small rolled-up towel for your lower back if you need more support while sitting. If you work at a computer, make sure that your keyboard and mouse are slightly lower than the level of your elbow. You may need to adjust your seat higher to make this happen.

3. Bending Most back injuries occur when bending and twisting at the same time. When you need to bend down to get something from a low surface, make sure you squat, and keep your abdominals tight as you do so. In addition, if you are lifting something, get your body as close as possible to what you are lifting. Try having one leg forward to use your legs more to lift, rather than your back. Contact us for assistance: As part of your physical therapy treatment, we can teach you proper posture, bending, and lifting techniques to protect your body from future injuries and make sure you stay healthy for the long-haul. Contact Choice Physical Therapy today to learn more about how we can help you live pain-free!

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PAT IENT SUCCESS STORY

FUN & GAMES

CHOICE SAFETY WORD SEARCH

• FACE SHIELD • GLOVES • SCREENING • FACE MASK

WORD BANK • AIR FILTER • CLEANING • DIVIDER

CPT TEAM NEWS

FREE SCREEN WEEK LOW BACK PAIN FEB 1 ST - 5 TH , 2021

Have you or a family member been complaining of LOW BACK PAIN , the #1 diagnosis we treat at CPT?

CHOICE PHYSICAL THERAPY TEAM MEMBERS OF THE MONTH!

If so, call the clinic that is most convenient for you to reserve a spot with one of our PT’s!

506 Campbell Avenue Troy, New York 12180 TEL: (518) 203-6761

290 Speigletown Rd Troy, NY 12182 TEL: (518) 279-2740

Dr. Casey Yurista, PT, DPT (Speigletown) & Anne Leathem, Patient Care Coordinator

#CHOOSETOGIVEBACK

Humbled by the outpouring of support for the Capital Region Toys for Tots drive which we partnered with OrthoNY for this year! Many thanks to our patients who brought in toys over the course of the holiday season and OrthoNY who set records for their toy collection efforts!! We were happy to have Michele Brinkman, COO of Ortho NY, in house to pick up all of the goodies! Grateful, Erin