Hands For Living_Avoid Wrist Injuries

Hands For Living_Avoid Wrist Injuries

NEWSLETTER

3 Easy Ways to Avoid Wrist Injuries

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NEWSLETTER How to Support Your Healing Process By Helen Reilly, OTR/L

Being sidelined by injuries or surgery is very frustrating. My job is to help get you back into the game as soon aspossible,butpatients often ask me how they can speed up healing

even more. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to quicken recovery, but there are a few ways you can help your body to heal. Nutrition is Important! When we are injured our bodies need quality nutrition to help our cells regenerate. Make sure you eat enough protein and vegetables… and drink plenty of water! Cut Back on Smoking and Alcohol Consumption If you are a smoker, consider cutting back, or stoppingaltogether.Smoking interfereswithhow our bodies heal due to reduced blood flow and can significantly lengthen the healing timeline. Likewise, if you are a heavy drinker, alcohol will weaken your immune system, thus interfering with your body’s ability to help itself. Diabetes can also affect your recovery, as it slows the healing process. If you are diabetic, keep your blood sugar under control and you will benefit with a shorter healing time. Follow Your Home Exercise Program Another important key to your recovery is exercise.Cardiovascularexercise improvesblood flow throughout the body, which helps promote healing. Ifyou choose to performcardiovascular exercise, consult with your therapist or doctor first, as they will offer safe suggestions. You also will be given a home exercise program (HEPs) to help you regain strength and motion. It is important to performyour HEP unfailinglyto supportyourhealing.Workingwitha therapist is

Are you in Pain? Call Today And Start Feeling Better Fast! 425-368-7943

an important first step on the path to recovery, however,oneortwo45-minutetherapysessions a week is not enough. It is equally important to set your body up for success by performing yourhomeexerciseprogram.Thatprogrammay includewearingabrace. Ifso,wear itconsistently; don’t skip a day out of laziness or because it is inconvenient,stick to itandyouwillberewarded with a strong recovery! Remember, the healing process is temporary, and putting in the effort and sacrifice now will not only boost your recovery, but help assure you don’t have recurring issues down the road.

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3 Easy Ways to Avoid Wrist Injuries

Your wrists are some of the most commonly overlooked load- bearing joints inyour body.Think about all of the lifting, gripping, carrying and movement your wrist does in a day. Chances are that you don’t even think about ways you are at risk for a wrist injuryuntil suddenlyyou develop a problem. Butyou knowwhat they say about an ounce of prevention. Fortunately, there are three easy ways to avoid wrist injuries and keep these under appreciated joints at work. Ifyou are alreadyexperiencing wrist pain, contact us today to find out how hand therapy can help alleviate your pain and prevent future injury. 1. Mind your posture. What does your back have to do with your wrists? As it turns out, everything. While it may seem counter-intuitive, therapy will often focus on core strength and posture while treating wrist pain and injuries. Your overall posture when you sit at a computer, swing a tennis racket or lift a weight of any kind will often determine how much force your wrists take. Great posture will yield a lifetime of pain-free movement, while poor posture can result in tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and wrist sprains and strains. Even ifyou usuallyhave ergonomically sound posture at work, the way you sit, stand and lift at home and in recreational activities can play a role in your wrist health. Hand therapy focuses on your posture during all of your daily activities as a way to address what is causing your wrist pain. 2. Take frequent breaks. People are funny. Once we sit down to work, we feel like working without breaks will give us the edge. In reality, studies have shown that small, frequent breaks improve productivity and prevent discomfort, even in physically demanding jobs. Taking a 10-minute break every hour to stand, stretch, walk to the water fountain, or look out the window gives you the “reset” your bodyneeds to keep working without pain. Frequent breaks also give you a chance to think about your posture and make corrections. This is especially important in jobs that require repetitive motion. Your hand therapist can show you the most effective stretches for preventing wrist injuries and relieving pain and stiffness throughout your day. Additionally, they can make recommendations as to how to use your break times to correct your working posture.

3. Exercise! The importance of exercise cannot be overstated. Not onlydoes regular,vigorous exercise helpyoumaintain a healthyweight and limit the pressure placed onyour ankles, knees and hips, exercise can increase flexibilityand strength inyour wrists.Typically, the joints in your body are made up of a series of ligaments, soft tissue that connects bone to bone, and tendons, soft tissue that connects muscle to bone. When the muscles surrounding your joints are strong, you enjoy a lower risk for strains and sprains. This is especiallytrue inyour wrists. Strengthening the muscles in your hands and forearms can lower your risk for injury in your wrists. Your hand therapist can teach you stretches and targeted exercises that will strengthen these muscles and keep you pain- and injury-free. Your wrists are more vulnerable than you think. Fortunately, avoiding wrist injuries is simple. Minding your posture, taking frequent breaks and working with a hand therapist to create a preventative exercise routine can keep your wrists healthy for years to come. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and receive your very own “ounce of prevention.” 425-368-7943

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11209875

Fun & Games SUDOKU 7 5 8 6 7 1 4

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7 2

Hand Exercise Helps With Weakness and Pain 7 2 4 3

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1 6

Flex Bar Bend

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n°318548 - LevelHard

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n°310547 - LevelHard

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the emptysquares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

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Execution: •

3 8

4

3 1

Sit or stand with good posture. Make a fist, flex your fist up Repeat 6 times with each wrist 5 3 2 9 6 5 7 3 2 1 5 8 9 • •

9 7

1 4 6 2

5 3 8 1 7

6

9

5 6 3 7 2

8 3 4 8 1 3 5 6 1

3 7 5 4

2 3

1 2

4 1

8

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n°36953 - LevelHard

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n°315994 - LevelHard

Patient Spotlights “She helped me learn how to change my workstation to improve my posture, which was incredibly helpful.” “My therapist was able to help me work to my goals by providing me with tips and exercises to help me reach them. For example, she helped me learn how to change my workstation to improve my posture, which was incredibly helpful. My therapist is kind, knowledgeable, understanding and truly invested in improving my life through therapy.” - Kayla I. Play on your mobile these puzzles and find their solutions by flashing the codes below : n°318548 n° 310547 n°36953

Chicken Quesadillas

n° 315994

• 2 tbsp low sodium chicken broth • 1⁄4 cup onion, chopped • 1 small garlic clove, minced • 1⁄4 cup bell pepper, chopped • 2 chili peppers, minced (to taste) • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped • 8 flour tortillas

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• 1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded • 1 1⁄2 cups cooked chicken, shredded • scallion, cut on the bias (garnish) • nonfat sour cream (garnish)

In a medium-heavy skillet, saute the onions, garlic and peppers until soft in the 2 tablespoons chicken broth. Add the chili peppers and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes more until the liquid has evaporated. Add the chicken and stir well to combine. Spray a cold skillet with the nonstick spray and heat over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/8 cup cheese. Add about a quarter of the chicken mixture and top with another 1/8 cup cheese. Cover with another tortilla and cook for two to three minutes or until golden brown. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for an additional two minutes.

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