EvolvingGait_Physical Therapy and Stroke Treatment

EvolvingGait_Physical Therapy and Stroke Treatment

NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2020 INSIDE

• Physical Therapy and Stroke Treatment • Healthy Recipe • We use the Best Physical Therapy Practices To Help Our Patients

Why Choose Us

Located in the New Beginnings Community Center in Medford, NY, we are the premier loca- tion for outpatient physi- cal therapy for the Post Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury Population. Our therapists have extensive experience in neurological and move- ment disorders resulting from TBI, stroke, Par- kinson’s and MS, just to name a few.

Physical Therapy and Stroke Treatment

www.evolvinggait.com

Physical Therapy and Stroke Treatment

Have you experienced a stroke or other neurological injury that has resulted in life- long disabilities? You may find that you’re unable to do several everyday activities that you used to be able to accomplish with ease. A stroke can affect multiple aspects of who you are; it can result in physical disabilities, balance problems, and intellectual and personality changes. Evolving Gait Physical Therapy, P.C specializes in treatment for stroke patients. Our team offers a combination of hands- on and equipment based exercise to help patients maximize their functional abilities and lead as full a life as possible. If you or a loved one has experienced a stroke, contact our clinic today to schedule your consultation. What is a Stroke? A stroke is caused by the sudden death of brain cells due to a lack of oxygen. This occurs when the blood flow to a particular portion of the brain is restricted from a clot or bleed. There are two different types of strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel is blocked, typically due to “arteriosclerosis,” which is a buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries that supply the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel leaks or ruptures due

to an abnormally-formed arterial wall. The severity of symptoms is dependent on where the stroke occurred in the brain, how extensive the damage was, and the duration of the stroke. A stroke can affect your cognitive function, speech, the ability to swallow, walking, balance, strength, and function. Living With the Effects from a Stroke Below is a list of possible symptoms you may be experiencing after a stroke. • Hemiplegia: One-sided muscle weakness affecting your ability to perform normal activities of daily living. • Abnormal gait pattern leading to difficulty walking without assistance. Often training is required in the use of a proper assistive device to maintain safety and independence. • Loss of balance and coordination leading to the possibility of falling. • Changes in muscle tone affecting your ability to move normally. This could be high or low tone, each of which has a unique effect on your movement patterns. • Drop foot. The inability to lift the toes of your affected side when walking.

• Isolation. You may find yourself confining yourself to the home because of your overall decrease in functionality and ability to ambulate safely. • Additional problems with speech, language and cognition, while not directly addressed by physical therapy, can also have a major impact on your life and can be addressed by our affiliate clinicians. Signs of a Stroke According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several signs of stroke in men and women include: • Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. • Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination. • Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/stroke- symptoms

How Evolving Gait Physical Therapy Can Help

Contact Our Office Today

Our therapists have extensive experience in neurological and movement disorders resulting from a stroke. Evolving Gait Physical Therapy provides physical therapy across a wide range of diagnoses, including both neurological and ortho- pedic disorders. We offer one on one treatment and focus on improving physical function so that you can live as indepen- dently as possible. Sometimes, a patient may have to relearn basic skills, such as walking, dressing, writing, speaking, or eating. At Evolving Gait Physical Therapy, our advanced methods and modalities are equipped to help you stake your claim over your life again.

Oftentimes after experiencing a stroke, many patients need life-long care and attention. Evolving Gait specializes in one on one specialized treatment for our patients suffering from a stroke or other traumatic neurological injury. Our ultimate goal is to help restore as much physical strength as possible, and to assist with our patient’s levels of activity as they relearn how to do normal everyday tasks.

We’re here to help. If you or a loved one has experienced a stroke, contact our clinic today to schedule an appointment.

We use the Best Physical Therapy Practices To Help Our Patients

Some of the best physical therapy practices for helping patients re- learn how to walk, use their upper body, and perform daily activities include the following:

• Constraint-induced move- ment therapy. Sometimes, only half of a patient’s body is affected by a stroke. With this type of therapy, a con- straint will be placed on the arm on the stronger half of the body. This forces the pa- tient to use the weakened arm to perform tasks, rebuild strength and function. • Functional electrical stimula- tion (FES). FES is performed on weak muscles. It can benefit stiff or painful areas of the body, and makes the muscles move. • Mental practice. Patients learn how to regain function in their hands, arms, legs, and feet by speaking an ac- tion out loud before perform- ing it. This helps rebuild the responses between the brain and the body. For example, a person might say “pick the shoe up” before actually picking their shoe up.

• Positioning. Positioning helps a patient with moving from sitting to standing or from sitting to lying down. It’s ef- fective in reducing muscle spasms and stiffness by help- ing the patient relearn prop- er positioning of their body. • Partial body weight support (BWS). BWS is done to par- tially support the patient’s body as they walk. BWS helps a patient relearn the correct way to walk, as the amount of support will be gradually decreased with the improve- ment of strength, posture, co- ordination, and balance. weight-bearing. One additional treatment that can be used through- out the course of stroke re- habilitation and muscle re- education is weight-bearing. Performing direct weight- bearing on the upper and lower extremities has been effective in improving motor neuron activity. • Induced

Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach HEALTHY RECIPE

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed

• 1 lb 93% lean ground turkey • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

• ½ tsp garlic powder • ½ tsp dried oregano • ¼ tsp salt • ¼ tsp ground pepper • 4 small hamburger buns, preferably whole-wheat • 4 tbsp tzatziki • 12 slices cucumber • 8 thick rings red onion (about ¼-inch) INSTRUCTIONS Preheat grill to medium-high. Squeeze excess moisture from spinach. Combine the spinach with turkey, feta, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well. Form into four 4-inch patties. Oil the grill rack. Grill the patties until cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 165°F.) Assemble the burgers on the buns, topping each with 1 tablespoon tzatziki, 3 cucumber slices and 2 onion rings.

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