Cornerstone PT & Wellness Center - January 2021

Cornerstone PT & Wellness Center - January 2021

JANUARY 2021

CORNERSTONE Monthly

77 Brant Avenue, Suite 101, Clark, NJ 07066

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CornerstonePTNJ.com

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732.499.4540

HOW TO SUCCEED AT YOUR FITNESS RESOLUTIONS (AND AVOID A HOSPITAL TRIP) TORTOISES DON’T GET TENDINITIS!

Cornerstone PT Patients

Last January, NBC News published an article with this headline: “My New Year’s Fitness Resolution Landed Me in the Hospital: Don’t Let It Happen to You.” In the story, Dana McMahan detailed the incredibly challenging kettlebell workout she’d set for her New Year’s resolution. She wanted to do a weighted pullup with a 53-pound kettlebell strapped to her. That would mean lifting herself and something that weighed half her body weight. Impressive, right? To get a jump on her goal, Dana went to the gym on New Year’s Eve and did a really tough arm workout that pushed her to her limits. It included pullups and weightlifting, both with dumbbells and machines. The next morning her arm “looked like a giant sausage.” By attempting to do too difficult of a workout too quickly, Dana had given herself rhabdomyolysis — a serious syndrome that occurs when you work your muscles to death, literally. Her intentions were good, but she still ended up in the hospital facing serious side effects like kidney failure and heart attacks. That was the end of her New Year’s resolution. Luckily, she pulled through. So, why am I telling you this sad story? It’s not to put you off New Year’s resolutions or discourage you from trying to stay fit this winter. (I’d love for you to keep up with your fitness, even if it’s just in small ways like doing sit-to-stand exercises from your chair or standing on one foot!) I decided to share Dana’s story because, in my time as a physical therapist, I’ve seen a lot of my patients make the same mistake she did. All too often, after a patient recovers from treatment, they go full speed ahead in the gym right away and develop tendinitis, bursitis, or strained muscles as a result. This sends them right back to our office just 4–6 months after they left! As much as I love seeing you guys, this isn’t the way I’d like to do it.

So, please do me (and yourself ) a favor. This year, when you start working toward your New Year’s fitness goals, remember that slow and steady wins the race. Be the tortoise, not the hare, and increase your workouts gradually. Whether you’re new to fitness or just getting back into a workout routine, your body will thank you if you start slow. You can also help prevent injuries by doing a warm up or cool down before you exercise. Dynamic and static stretches will prepare your muscles and surrounding tissues for the work you’re going to ask them to do. Speaking of safety, I understand you might be hesitant to even set fitness goals this year. Many gyms are still closed or feel unsafe because of the pandemic. Personally, I haven’t gone back to my gym this whole time. If you’re in the same boat, I’d encourage you to find other ways to stay active. My wife and her best friend have been keeping fit by bundling up and going on long walks “together” while on the phone. That might work for you, too! If not, go for a run outside, try a workout routine at home using exercise bands and dumbbells or test out a new exercise video in your living room. You can even join our small gym here at Cornerstone, where my daughter and I now work out. It’s clean and sanitized, and you get the extra benefit of supervision from our physical therapists and assistants. They can give you guidance on your workouts, and keep an eye on your progress to ensure you don’t put yourself at risk of injury with an overzealous New Year’s workout. Our gym is small, but a membership costs just $20 a month and comes with a healthy dose of peace of mind. If you want to learn more about our gym or get guidance on your home workout program, give us a call. We’re here to help you through 2021 and beyond.

VIP Referral Patient of the Month!

JOSE ORTIZ

The best compliment we can receive is to have one of our patients refer a friend or family member to our practice. If you refer someone and we are able to take them as a patient, both you and the person who was referred will be entered to Win a $25 gift card! It’s just our way of saying

Thank You!

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Soup’s On! Perfect Your Soup Recipe With These 3 Tips

“I had terrible pain in my heel that felt like I was standing on a thumb tack. The specialized physical therapy that I received at Cornerstone was amazing! Dave and Tyler were spot on with my rehabilitation.”

Soup is perfect for sick days and alongside grilled cheese, and Grandma always seemed to have a recipe to make everything better. For as simple and comforting as soup can be, re-creating those memories from your stovetop includes a few tedious steps. Become a soup master with this go-to guide to winter’s favorite dish.

–Mario R.

MIND YOUR PEAS AND CARROTS.

The magic of a hearty minestrone or old-fashioned chicken noodle soup comes from the flavors of vegetables to create the perfect blend of comfort and taste. However, overcooking or undercooking vegetables can ruin this delicate balance. So, consider the vegetables you want in your soup and plan accordingly. Start by chopping vegetables into bite-size pieces that will easily fit on a spoon. No one wants a spoonful of soup that’s just carrots after all! Then, add vegetables to your soup based on cooking time and flavoring. Carrots, onions, and celery should “sweat” in the pot with oil and seasoning before you add the broth to capture the fullest flavor of these ingredients. Potatoes and other root vegetables can be added in the boiling phase, while leafy greens only need minutes in the pot toward the end to capture their full flavor.

SIMMER TO BLEND FLAVORS.

Simmering is the key to a great soup. Once all your ingredients are in the pot, reduce the heat to a low simmer. This allows the flavors to play together without overcooking. If a soup is boiled for too long, the vegetables, meats, and/or pasta can become mushy and underwhelming.

SEASON GRADUALLY — BUT GENEROUSLY.

No one enjoys a bland soup, but too much seasoning can overpower the natural flavors of your ingredients. Add your seasoning to vegetables as they sauté in the pot before adding the stock. Then, add the stock and the remainder of your ingredients. Only add more seasoning as the soup simmers and do a taste test. Add a bit of salt and pepper until it’s perfect! If you over-salt, don’t panic. Adding more stock, potatoes, noodles, or cream can fix your soup in a pinch.

“I started physical therapy two weeks after surgery at Cornerstone. I went from not being able to lift my arm to relatively having no pain doing anything. The exercises that Tyler had given me along with the personal care and attention were the driving factors behind my success. I could not have healed as quickly without him.” –Richard S.

Bonus Tip: Always serve your soup with bread, toast, or crackers. It’s the perfect vehicle to soak up all the flavors!

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IS THE COLD MAKING YOUR ARTHRITIS WORSE? Massage Therapy Could Save Your Christmas

If your arthritis seems to be getting worse and worse with the declining temperature, it’s not your imagination — the weather really is working against you. Unfortunately, here in New Jersey it’s pretty much impossible to escape the cold. But with the help of a physical therapist (and some proven tips and tricks), you can fight back against the pain! WINTER AND YOUR BODY There are several reasons cold weather heightens arthritis pain. First, when winter hits, the atmospheric pressure drops, which makes our tissues swell. For people with arthritis, this can cause a lot of extra joint pain. On top of that, cold temperatures cause muscle spasms, increase our pain sensitivity, and reduce our blood circulation. All of these changes make arthritis symptoms worse, and because the days are shorter and the sun makes fewer appearances, a lack of vitamin D (which strengthens bones and joints) just adds to the problem. HOW TO FIGHT BACK One of the best ways to combat arthritis pain is with professional massage therapy. Here at Cornerstone Physical Therapy Health & Wellness Center, we

offer four different types, including deep-tissue therapeutic massage, Swedish massage, sports massage, and hot stone massage. Studies show that deep-tissue therapeutic massage can help alleviate chronic pain and the symptoms of muscle conditions, including arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation recommends massage as a treatment to fight inflammation, citing studies like one from the Miami Touch Research Institute, which found that “moderate pressure massage daily led to reduced pain and anxiety and improved grip strength” in patients with hand and wrist arthritis, and that “the combination of [professional and at-home] massages could possibly reduce hand pain up to 57%.” Apart from reducing pain and inflammation, massage has other perks, like lowering your stress level and blood pressure. START AT HOME TODAY Your first step to arthritis pain relief should be calling our clinic at 732-499-4540 to schedule a massage therapy appointment. After that, though, you can take steps to make yourself more comfortable at home. For example, you can use a

heating pad or hot water bottle to stay warm and keep your pain in check. Other steps like getting regular exercise, taking vitamin D supplements, and reducing your sugar intake will help, too.

SLOWCOOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

• 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, lightly salted • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 onion, finely sliced • 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced • 2 carrots, thickly sliced • 1 leek, thickly sliced • 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 14 oz chicken stock • 1 sprig rosemary • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. 2. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. 3. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks, and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds. 4. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. 5. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. 6. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.

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77 Brant Avenue, Suite 101 Clark, NJ 07066

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

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INSIDE This Issue

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Tortoises Don’t Get Tendinitis!

Testimonials

3 Steps to Perfect, Comforting Soup

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How to Fight Winter Arthritis Pain

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

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These Old-School Hobbies Are Making a Huge Comeback

Out With the New, In With the Old!

January is National Hobby Month — and for good reason! As people set goals for 2021, they’re also thinking about trying new hobbies. But with so many out there, picking just one can be a hobby in itself. Thanks in

rediscovered their card collections and remembered how much fun they were. As a result, card sales went through the roof, and online card communities lit up with activity from all over the world.

part to COVID-19, many people have rediscovered old- school hobbies. Some of these have been around for decades or even longer, and others have established communities that can rely on one another for support, sharing information, and more. Here are four great examples. MAKING BREAD Over the last year, interest in this ancient hobby has skyrocketed. Homemade bread is tastier and more nutritious than store-bought, and it’s so satisfying to watch it come together. Not to mention it’s a great skill to have! With so many types of bread to try, you’re not going to run out of ideas any time soon.

RESTORING CARS Car restoration is a hobby that lets you get your hands dirty, and it’s one that you can do with your kids or grandkids. It can be not only educational for them but also fun! Together, you can track down

parts, talk to folks who are also interested in restoration, and learn about the history of your car. Though car restoration can be a bit costly and time consuming, it’s certainly a journey worth taking.

EMBROIDERING Embroidery has taken off because it’s both

inexpensive and fairly easy to get into. Plus, many people have fallen in love with its meditative quality. One of the great things about embroidery is that you can use it to make amazing personalized gifts, like pillows, wall

COLLECTING CARDS No matter what people were into during the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, there was a trading card game for it. And even going into 2021, that tradition has been kept alive. When many people were stuck at home last year, they

hangings, and kitchen towels!

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