Don't Let Arthritis Slow You Down

Don't Let Arthritis Slow You Down

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

Don’t Let Arthritis Slow You Down

Are you one of the millions of Americans suffering from arthritis pain? Arthritis most often affects the neck, back, hands, hips and knees. As we get older, the wear and tear on our joints breaks down the cartilage. Instead of a smooth surface, the cartilage becomes worn down in spots, leading to thinned areas and sometimes bone on bone. Arthritis pain is caused by inflammation irritating the surrounding tissues and muscles. In severe cases, nerve endings are exposed on bone. Whether you experience arthritis in your knees, lower back, shoulder, or neck, if your joints don’t move like they used to, this causes further rubbing and increased pain. Relieving Arthritis Pain

When a joint becomes arthritic, it loses its normal motion and strength from surrounding muscles. By restoring normal joint movement and improving muscle strength, the amount of excessive pressure on the joint can be relieved. Reducing the pressure on the affected joint decreases inflammation and helps relieve pain by improving mobility.

Our clinicians at Northern Physical Therapy have years of medical training to help people relieve the stiffness, achiness, and pain associated with arthritis. Our experts analyze your joint movement, muscle strength, and overall function. We then pinpoint the exact areas that are causing the pain and improve your pain-free mobility. Call us today to learn more about how physical therapy can help your arthritis and get you back to living life pain free!

www.nptvt.com

Things You Can Do To Improve Your Life With Arthritis

• Stretch multiple times a day.

• Alternate your exercises doing weight bearing and non-weight bearing exercises.

• Use tools that make it easier on your joints such as large handled can openers and large grips on kitchen tools.

• Carry grocery bags on your forearms, instead of straining the joints in your fingers.

• Have commonly used items within easy reach to avoid squatting, kneeling or having to reach high overhead. • Get up and move often. Don’t sit for more than 30 minutes without getting up for a break.

• Avoid prolonged kneeling.

• Have good posture when sitting and standing.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Eat nutritious foods.

• Avoid fried foods, sodas and other items that increase inflammation in your body.

• Work with our physical therapists to create a treatment plan and update it with a yearly checkup.

If you have joint pain, call us today to learn about our arthritis relief programs. We recommend a yearly physical therapy checkup to ensure you are performing at your best.

Patient Highlight Northern Physical Therapy invites you to celebrate the life of Zach Hartwell

Zach was an exceptionally talented musician from his earliest years at Lyndon Town School. He will be remembered by his friends and family for his dry sense of humor, his creativity, his originality, and for his very warm smiling heart. Zach’s ability to create his cherished music was hindered during the years he became affected with brain cancer, but he never lost his passion for beautiful sounds. Zack was an original when it came to selecting music, paying little attention to what was most popular, and choosing to listen to the tunes that moved him. He had a great appreciation for some of the earliest rock-n-roll, especially for the Beetles. During his eighth grade year at LTS Zach redefined the meaning of ‘talent show’ when he performed an acoustic solo for his classmates and teachers, singing “Have You Ever Seen The Rain.”

The Tunes for Zach Fund has been established by NPT in memory of Zach’s musical talents, giving nature, and extremely brave confrontation with cancer. Proceeds from the fund will be used to award Lyndon Town School students who demonstrate a passion for music, but could also use scholarship monies when affording instrument rental or music lessons. NPT has deposited the first $1,000.00 into the account, and we are trying to get as many $5 donations as we can, in order to create a sustainable fund for our future LTS musicians. Zach would be really excited to see this come together. Donations are accepted at Northern Physical Therapy and/or Lyndon Town School (payable to LTS, please reference Music Fund).

Healthy Recipe Crunchy Cucumber Rounds with Diced Tomatoes and Goat Cheese Prep Time: 15 minutes

Preparation: • Slice cucumbers into ¼-inch- thick rounds • Place slices on a platter and sprinkle with salt and pepper • Place diced tomatoes on top of each cucumber slice and then top each cucumber round with crumbled goat cheese. • Sprinkle the tops of each cucumber round with chopped chives and drizzle extra virgin olive oil.

Ingredients: 2 cucumbers ¼ teaspoon of salt ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper 2 ounces of diced tomatoes 3 ounces of crumbled goat cheese 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped chives 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

www.nptvt.com Shoot For Gas

Only NPT would run a contest like this. Come in for your appointment, and shoot the soft shot gun in our homemade range (thanks Randy and Sandra). Based on your hits, you win points to be used in a gas card lottery drawing. The best part according to Anthony, “Nobody gets hurt!”

Stay Strong, Stay Active Always consult your physical therapist or physician before starting exercises you are unsure of doing. FORWARD BEND - LONG SITTING Sit with legs straight out and lower back tall. Bend forward keeping lower back tall to feel a stretch in the back of your thighs. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 5 times. Exercise Essentials Try this simple exercise to help with your aches...

Helps With Low Back Pain

Exercises copyright of

www.simpleset.net

WANTED:

Did you know three of our more popular therapists were referred by our patients here at NPT? We need your help in finding an energetic, fun and enthusiastic PT who is interested in joining our team. Check out our website for more information, or drop off a name/resume’. www.nptvt.com PHYSICAL THERAPIST

REWARD AVAILABLE!