Kinetic Physical Therapy Specialists - June 2022

Kinetic Physical Therapy Specialists - June 2022

JUNE 2022

847-515-8970 • www.KineticPTS.com

A FLORIDA TRIP FOR THE BOOKS! Remembering Our Lobster Corn Dog Adventure

It’s been a few months since our family trip to Florida for spring break, and I just realized I forgot to say thank you! The recommendations you gave me after I wrote about our Florida plans in the newsletter made our vacation one for the books. I’ll be honest: The trip to and from Fort Myers wasn’t perfect. We had to get up at 3 a.m. and drive all the way to Midway International Airport for the flight out, and then we were delayed for three hours on the way back! But it sure beat sitting in traffic for 24 hours, and Florida was worth every second of hassle. It was in the upper 80s and sunny every day we were in Fort Myers. I rented a car, but it pretty much stayed in the parking lot because we walked everywhere! When I say “we,” I mean me, Emilie, and the kids as well as my parents, my siblings, and their families. We spent the week testing out your suggestions and relaxing on the beach. One of our favorite stops was Celebration Park. We showed up one night to find 10 or so food trucks parked around a big open bar with live entertainment. Zach was in heaven as soon as he spotted a food truck selling corn dogs.

I wrote about Zach’s love for burgers last month, but he’s also the corn dog king. Even when he was little, he ordered corn dogs at every carnival. In Florida, he was thrilled to find a food truck selling a “lobster corn dog.” I swear he had his order in immediately. I was picturing a normal corn dog with bits of lobster meat inside, but nope — they took a whole lobster tail, breaded it, and deep- fried it! Zach took one bite and said it was one of the best things he’d ever eaten. When we weren’t chowing down, we were busy at the beach or playing games on the hotel patio. The boys and their cousins had a great time riding a banana boat through the waves. They tried to get me and Emilie to join them, but I turned that down pretty quickly. “Look, I have experience in this matter,” I told them. “Last time I had to sit on the front of one of those, all I did was get salt water in my eyes!” I declined the boat ride, but I was all in later when it was time to play games. The 12 of us gathered on the patio for rounds of Heads Up (a phone game where one person holds up the phone and has to guess what it says using hints

from the rest of the group) and good old-

fashioned Spoons. Things got loud and competitive very quickly, but we were having fun! In fact, it turned out we were having a very particular kind of fun without knowing it. While we were waiting for the sunset, another hotel guest walked up to us. “Are you playing Spoons?!” she asked. “You must be from the Midwest!” We admitted she’d caught us red-handed! It turned out she was from Wisconsin and our game reminded her of home. Overall, we had a great time in Fort Myers, but we’ll probably go back to our usual spot next year for Zach’s last spring break before college. In the meantime, though, we have another trip planned. Emilie’s dad is turning 80 next month, so we’re traveling to Oregon to celebrate with him. This will be my first time exploring the Oregon Coast. If you have any suggestions for things to do and places to see, please email me at [email protected]. You’ve already helped us plan one great vacation — let’s go for round two! –Mike Ulmer

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BORED WITH WORDLE? TRY THIS

5 Free Games to Exercise Your Brain

If you’re one of the 300,000 people who play the vocabulary-themed guessing game Wordle every day, we have good news: There are more online games just like it! Wordle went viral in October 2021. Although few people know it, the game actually started with romance. Software engineer Josh Wardle (yep, that’s where the name “Wordle” comes from) created it for his partner, Palak Shah. According to NPR, Palak loves word games — so to keep her entertained during COVID-19, Josh made her one! In January, he sold it to The New York Times for more than $1 million. Guessing the word of the day in five tries is addicting, and so is sharing your success on social media. But that spark might not last forever. To avoid total Wordle burnout and/or

keep the fun going between daily puzzles, try these five other online games that also involve words, guessing games, or both. Quordle: Wordle masters love Quordle, which is the same basic game — except you have to guess four words at once on four different boards. You have just nine tries to solve the four daily puzzles, so bring your A game! Try it at Quordle.com. Star Wordle: As you probably guessed, this is Wordle for “Star Wars” fans. The process is the same as with normal Wordle, but all of the five-letter words come from the “Star Wars” books and movies. Test your knowledge at StarWordle.com. Nerdle: Love words and math? This is the Wordle spinoff for you. Instead of guessing a word, players

try to fill in a daily math equation and solution. Solve them at NerdleGame.com. Worldle: Leaving words behind entirely, in this game you guess the name of a country or territory from its outline! You have six chances, and each time you miss one, the game will give you more information about where the country is located relative to you. Play now at Worldle.teuteuf.fr. Words With Friends: This isn’t a Wordle spinoff, but if you’ve never played it, you’ll probably love it! Words With Friends is basically Scrabble for just two players, and you can play online or over the app. Like in Scrabble, you compete to score the most points. Spell those long words and win at WordsWithFriends.com.

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS Getting Confidence Back

“In two treatments, the problem was solved! I came to Kinetic with three problems: 1) I became very dizzy when lying down or standing up; 2) I had trouble getting up from a chair without pushing off the table or chair; and 3) balance in walking was getting to be an issue. I was assigned to Amanda at Kinetic who listened very carefully to when the dizziness occurred and how long it has been going on (30 years).

“ I can now do most of my regular activities! I came to Kinetic PT after dealing with a sore Achilles tendon for many months. Emery patiently helped me to regain strength and flexibility so that I can now do most of my regular activities like hiking

In two treatments, the problem was solved and she showed me how to treat it myself in the future. She then worked on my strength in standing and my balance. I can now stand with ease without any support, and my balance is improving. Amanda is great to work with because she listens to your concerns while always working her goal for your progress. She is also fun to work with because of her sense of humor while pushing you to do more.” –Ron Brandt

without pain. Thanks, Emery and Kinetic!”

–Beth Macaulay

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5 ‘OLD GUY ACHES’ AND HOW TO FIX THEM (DADS, THIS IS FOR YOU!)

3. Shoulder Pain From Bursitis or a Torn Rotator Cuff: These injuries often come with overuse, and we see them all the time in avid golfers. PT treatments include hands-on modalities like ice, heat, ultrasound, and electrical stimulation to get you back in the game. 4. Lower Back Pain: Back pain can be a symptom of herniated discs, arthritis, or pelvis issues. A PT can help identify the real cause of your pain and treat it so you don’t have to deal with invasive surgeries or medication. 5. Elbow Pain From Tennis Elbow: If you play tennis to stay active, you might fall victim to the painful, swollen tendons of tennis elbow. Physical therapy can help boost your strength and flexibility and improve the blood flow to your tendons to promote healing. If you’re not a dad, do a man in your life a favor this month and tell him to call us for a free screening. We’ll fix up their “old guy aches.” It might not be a typical Father’s Day present, but there’s no better gift than a pain-free summer!

The older we get, the more painful it becomes to make it through the day. This is especially true for men who were hard on their bodies in their youth. Maybe you played sports, worked a physical job like construction, or roughhoused with your kids for a decade — being a dad is tough, and now you’re feeling it! The good news is that you don’t have to live with these aches and pains. Physical therapy can help! Read on for five common “old guy aches” that can be mitigated or healed with PT. 1. Knee Pain From a Torn Meniscus: You might have torn the cartilage in your knee playing sports back in the day — and now it’s just wearing out. A PT can give you exercises to increase your range of motion, reduce your pain, and increase your strength. 2. Hip Pain After Surgery: A whopping 36 million people over the age of 65 fall every year, and 1 in 5 of those people breaks a bone. If you’ve broken your hip in a fall and it’s still painful after surgery, the PT’s joint mobilization techniques and targeted stretches can help.

Sudoku

Broccoli and Grape Salad

A healthier version of broccoli salad? Yes, please!

INGREDIENTS • 3 1/2 cups small broccoli florets • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt • 3 tbsp mayonnaise • 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar • 1 1/2 tbsp honey

• Salt and pepper, to taste • 1 cup seedless grapes, halved • 1/4 cup sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS 1. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil. Add broccoli and onion, cooking until the broccoli is tender. 2. Once broccoli is cooked, drain water and add the vegetables to a bowl filled with ice water. After 2 minutes, drain water and pat vegetables dry. 3. In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. 4. Fold in the broccoli mixture, grapes, and almonds. Serve immediately.

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Inspired by EatingWell.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

847-515-8970 www.KineticPTS.com

11920 Oak Creek Parkway Huntley, IL 60142

INSIDE

Lobster-Stuffed … Corn Dogs? PAGE 1

Move Over, Wordle PAGE 2

Patient Testimonials: Getting Confidence Back PAGE 2 Get Rid of ‘Old Guy Aches’ PAGE 3 Broccoli and Grape Salad PAGE 3 Is Travel Insurance Worth Your Money? PAGE 4

Travel Insurance: Scam or Savior?

If you’ve ever booked a plane ticket or hotel stay online, you’ve probably been offered an opportunity to “protect” your purchase for an additional fee. Since you’re spending big dollars on your trip, you may have hovered over the option, wondering if it’s a wise investment or a quick money-making scheme. Before you buy, you should know that trip protection and travel insurance are different. When you book directly through the airline or hotel or on a travel website like Travelocity or Expedia, they offer you trip protection. These plans often provide nothing more than a voucher you can use to reschedule in the event of a cancellation — something you won’t need if you book refundable accommodations. But you can also purchase travel insurance through a reputable third party, and these policies offer cash refunds if your trip is canceled or interrupted. They also typically cover lost or damaged bags, and high-quality policies will cover medical emergencies that occur at your destination. But there may be restrictions, so always make sure you understand the terms and

buy coverage that offers the protection you want.

It can be hard to swallow the idea of paying more to insure yourself against an event that probably won’t

happen. So, can you skip it? The risk you’re willing to take is up to you, but remember the amount of money you’re spending on travel and consider whether it’s worth protecting your investment. While you may decide against travel insurance for your weekend trip two states away, experts recommend always purchasing it for international travel or cruises due to the higher cost and potential for things to go wrong. The price, they say, is usually worth the peace of mind. If you’re going to purchase travel insurance, you should take the time to shop around, just like you did with your accommodations. Not all plans are created equal, so read the fine print and make sure you understand what is covered — and what is not. The last thing you want is to spend your hard-earned money on a policy that leaves you holding the bag.

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