Horizon PT - December 2020

Horizon PT - December 2020

physical therapy and rehabilitation December 2020

3600 Miller Road, Flint, MI 48503 • 810-620-8042 • horizonptflint.com

AND WITH GRATITUDE FOR HOW FAR WE’VE COME Moving Forward Into 2021, Unafraid

way, either remaining in their home offices, working remotely, or heading back to a socially-distanced office space. At Horizon PT, we started the pandemic offering almost all of our services virtually to help make up for our physical location being closed to the public. But later in the year, when we were finally able to reopen our doors, I can say I have never been so grateful for the interactions with staff and patients that I once took for granted. That’s what I want to spend Christmas remembering: the thankfulness I felt just being able to be with everyone in person again, even if we still had to be careful and wear masks. As we’re giving and receiving gifts at Christmas time, I hope we can all take some time to reflect on that. While COVID-19 is still affecting our lives on a daily basis, I don’t want to be afraid to live my life. A lot of people are still living in fear — and not without reason. However, I think there has to come a point where we do everything we can to make sure we’re safe, and then just live our lives as best we can. If you’re here, you still have the world before you if you’re willing to take it on. So, this Christmas and New Year’s, spend some time looking back on how far we’ve come in the new normal. Let it fill you with gratitude for the things you once took for granted and fuel you as you step into the new year unafraid. Happy Holidays! 1 810-620-8042 -Dr. Jerome Adams

I don’t think I need to sugarcoat it: 2020 was a bad year, for reasons that are known to everyone. But even with a pandemic, as well as an economic and political crisis, we’ve still managed to make it through the year. Sure, COVID-19 is still a part of our reality, but by and large, we’ve found ways to adapt to the new normal — and I think that’s reason enough to go into this next year with confidence. At the end of last year, our team sat down and made goals for 2020, much like we do every year. We talked about the ways we wanted to grow as a business and the strategies we would need to employ in order to reach those goals. We figured that we would be able to tackle them just like any year. We didn’t expect for the first year of this decade to be fraught with challenges, the likes of which no one in our lifetime has ever witnessed. Instead of growing on track with our goals, a once-in-a-century pandemic forced us to close our doors for months. It changed the way we work, and more importantly, on a daily basis, it fundamentally changed the way we live. In the blink of an eye, we all had to adjust to a new normal. Now, fast-forward to the end of this year. At this point, while we’re still feeling the ramifications of the shutdown, and things are a far cry from where they were before the pandemic, we seem to be moving largely in the right direction. As a community, the new normal is becoming less “new” and more “normal.” Kids are adjusting to virtual classes or are maybe even back in school with proper social distancing measures. Adults are going back to work in the same

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SNOW SHOVELING HACKS

How to Spend Less Time Clearing Your Driveway Every Winter

you spray it with some common household cooking spray. This will make it a lot easier for the snow to slide off your shovel. Just remember to wipe your shovel down afterward! MAKE YOUR OWN SALT ALTERNATIVE. Sometimes you start shoveling, only to find that the snow concealed a layer of ice that you can’t scoop up with your shovel. However, if you combine 1 teaspoon of dish soap, 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol, and 1/2 gallon of water in a bucket, you can spread the mixture over the ice and melt it away, much like the salt you see on major roadways. BE PREEMPTIVE WITH SOME TARPS. Did you see on the weather forecast that your area is about to get some major snowfall? Throw down some tarps on your walkways and driveway. Then, after the snow stops falling, lift the snow off to the side, and your walkways will be as clear as if it hadn’t snowed at all. BLOW THE SNOW AWAY. If you’re lucky enough to be clearing your driveway while the snow is still powdery, rev up your leaf blower instead of breaking out your shovel. You’ll be able to clear your driveway in a fraction of the time it would take to shovel and dump it off to the sides of your driveway. With one (or a few) of these methods, you can clear your driveway and enjoy the fun side of snowfall in no time!

Everyone loves the snow — at least until it settles on the driveway, a barrier between your car and the open road. Shoveling snow off your driveway and walkway can be so tedious that you might be tempted to just hope and pray that the sun melts it all before you have to shovel it — which, of course, almost never happens. However, there are a few tools and methods you can use to clear the snow away that are faster than shoveling for hours on end. Check them out below. CREATE A NONSTICK SHOVEL. Wet, partially melted snow might work well for packing snowballs, but it’s a pain to shovel. It has a tendency to stick to the scoop and not let go — unless

With Horizon PT SHERRY FAR L EY ’S STORY

For about 4–6 months before I started treatments with Dr. Adams and his team, just walking around put nearly unbearable pain on my knees (especially the right one). I couldn’t ever wear high heels during that time. However, after 13 treatments at Horizon Physical Therapy, I was able to wear 3-inch heels for the first time in months. When I tried other physical therapy clinics before coming to Horizon PT, my appointments only left me feeling worse than I had felt before I came to them. They rushed me through the exercises, leaving me feeling achy and exhausted. On the other hand, Dr. Adams and his team started me off gently and only started having me do more strenuous exercises when I was ready. I could tell from day one that everyone at Horizon PT cared about my entire well-being. During my first visit, Dr. Adams and his staff asked me not only about my physical health but also about my emotional and spiritual health. Throughout my treatment, they not only helped me heal physically but also encouraged me to stay positive and keep moving forward. For anyone who is experiencing chronic pain but believes that the work it takes to get rid of it will be too much to bear, I recommend Horizon PT. Dr. Adams and his team will do everything they can to get you back to where you want to be.

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HOWTO PREVENT PAINAND SORENESS While Working From Home

slouching forward, make sure your shoulders are tucked back. Finally, if you spend your day looking at a computer screen, make sure it’s at eye level so you’re not craning your neck looking up or down.

If you stopped going into the office for work back in late March or early April, you probably thought your kitchen table, barstools, couch, or folding chair would be a temporary workstation. However,

with so many people continuing to work from home indefinitely as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, that time away from your ergonomic office chair or standing desk may be taking its toll on your musculoskeletal health. Luckily, you don’t necessarily need a special chair or desk to prevent chronic pain from taking over your joints as you work from home. All you need is an understanding of what constitutes good posture and how you can incorporate that into whatever workspace you’ve made for yourself at home.

CREATING A SPACE CONDUCIVE TO GOOD POSTURE

With these marks in mind, any workspace can become one where you can maintain good posture and avoid chronic pain. For example, if you sit on a barstool, try putting an ottoman under your feet to keep your legs from dangling. Or, if you sit on a couch, put some pillows behind your back so you can sit up straight. If your computer is sitting on a low table, try propping it up with some books so you don’t strain your neck.

In any case, proper posture is only part of the battle. To prevent chronic soreness, you should also take frequent breaks to stretch and move around. And remember, for any soreness that’s developed over the past few months that just won’t go away, give Horizon PT a call. We’ll get you back to full mobility again!

THE MARKS OF GOOD POSTURE Maintaining good posture is a full body “exercise,” where you have to be mindful of everything from your head to your toes. Your feet should be flat on the floor, with your knees bent at 90-degree angles. Your back should be flat against the back of your chair, and in order to keep you from

Have a Laugh

Not Your Grandma’s Fruitcake

Inspired by SimplyRecipes.com

Fruitcake gets a bad rap, but when made correctly, it’s delicious! Try this recipe to upend your preconceived dessert notions.

Ingredients

• • • • •

1 stick butter 1 cup sugar

• • •

1 tsp baking soda 1 cup sour cream

1 egg, room temperature

3 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit of your choice, chopped

Zest of 1 orange

• •

1 cup nuts of your choice, chopped 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tsp salt

Directions

until fluffy. Add egg, zest, and sour cream mixture. Then, add remaining flour and salt. Mix, then add fruit mixture. 5. Pour batter into lined pan. Fill up a separate loaf pan halfway with water. Bake both pans in oven for 1 1/2–2 hours or until a skewer leaves the cake clean. 6. Use “handles” to remove cake from pan and cool completely on a rack before serving.

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with greased baking paper. Ensure the piece running the length of the pan stands 1 inch above each side to form “handles.” 2. In a small bowl, mix baking soda and sour cream. 3. In a second bowl, combine fruit, nuts, and 1/4 cup flour. 4. In a third bowl, beat butter and sugar

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810-620-8042

3600 Miller Road Flint, MI 48503

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

THIS ISSUE Inside

Moving Forward Into 2021, Unafraid

Hate Shoveling Snow? Try These Hacks

This Edition’s Patient Testimonial: Sherry Farley

Tips for Preventing Pain and Soreness While Working From Home

Not Your Grandma’s Fruitcake

Winter Road Trip Essentials You Didn’t Know You Needed

A DRIVER’S GUIDE TO SAFE HOLIDAY TRAVELS

WINTER ROAD TRI P ESSENT IALS YOU DIDN’ T KNOW YOU NEEDED

sporting goods store. You could even save a life by adding a few more essentials to your kit, like a blanket, snacks, and an extra cellphone charger.

On Sept. 24, 2019, more than 2.5 million people passed through TSA checkpoints at airports across America. On the same date this year, those terminals saw just 826,316 travelers — a nearly 70% drop. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Americans have been thinking twice about air travel, and this holiday, millions of would-be flyers will set out on road trips instead. Road tripping is a great way to avoid contact with a lot of people, but it can also be dangerous, especially in winter weather. Fortunately, you can take several steps to keep your family safe. Getting your car checked before you go, for example, can save you a lot of hassle on the road, as can investing in a set of snow tires. It’s also smart to take precautions such as letting a friend or family member know your route, predicted arrival time, and where you plan to stop for gas along the way. Apart from that, one of the best things you can do is pack an emergency kit. AAA sells premade kits through outlets like Amazon, and you can find

At this point, you’re almost a safety black belt. But to take your kit to the next level for winter driving,

there are three more little-known items you should stash in your trunk: a shovel, a bag of sand or cat litter, and an extra bottle of windshield wiper fluid. If you get stuck in a snowbank, the shovel will help you dig your way out without risking frostbitten fingers. The sand or cat litter will boost your traction if you sprinkle it around your wheels in an icy spot, and the extra wiper fluid will make all the difference if you run out during a snowstorm.

Once you’re prepared, crank up the Christmas carols and get driving!

a basic kit with things like jumper cables, ponchos, rope, batteries, pliers, zip ties, and a first-aid kit at pretty much any Walmart or

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