LIM_Healthy Hands

Oct/Nov 2018

Motion Matters The Newsletter That Helps You Return To A Life In Motion

Keeping Your Hands & Wrists Healthy For Fall Fun!

www.lifeinmotion-therapy.com

Oct/Nov 2018

Motion Matters The Newsletter That Helps You Return To A Life In Motion

From our family to yours, have a wonderful Fall season!

For The Love of Hands Feature Article Fall is finally here. My favorite season. The topic of this newsletter – hands. Also a favorite of mine. For those of you reading this issue, you are in for an extra special treat!

Written by Adrienne Riveros

this time. What a bummer in the beginning of the holiday season! This issue of Motion Matters will focus on enjoying the fun of the season and on ways to keepyourhandsandwristssafe! Continue readinghere forastory that will warm your heart and then mosey on over to the insert to learn some things about your hands that you may not know! There isevenaspecialchallenge there… The story for this issue takes placeoneyearago.AllofourLIM family knows our son, Greyson, and our nephew, Jaxon. This is the story of their adventure to Harvestmoon Farm.

How do you know it is Fall in Florida, you ask? Well, it is certainly not by the weather. It is still humid enough to choke a bug. Instead, you start to see the pumpkins come out, those cinnamon brooms catch your nose’s attention in the grocery store and the fall festivals start poppingupeverywhere!Youalso start seeing specific types of hand and wrist injuries during

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For The Love of Hands

Contrast Baths Feel better after a hand injury. Remember this tip.

each basin if instructed to do so by your therapist. Start in the hot water and gently move/squeeze. Then, move to the cold water and do the same. Follow the time sequence below alternating between hot and cold. Always respectyourpain. Ifyouneed tostop squeezing and just gently move or rest in the water, do so. Start and end in the hot water. Do this activity daily in the AM / PM or as needed.

The contrast bath technique is a useful way to decrease swelling in non-acute injuries.The theorybehind this exercise is that the “pumping” action helps the lymph system to move stagnant fluid away from the affected area. It will also help to decrease pain and increase range of motion. This exercise can be performed by filling two basins with water – one with hot water to your tolerance and onewithcoldwater toyour tolerance – you may even add ice. Put a wash cloth (easier) or sponge (harder) in

HOT WATER 3 minutes 2 minutes 2 minutes End in hot for 3 minutes

COLD WATER 1 minute 1 minute 1 minute

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Baby Greyson was 10 months old and Jaxon 16 months.The sun was bright and the air was crisp. Bundled in their sweaters, the boys meandered the corn maze. Of course, they weren’t quite ready to walk it on their own, so they were passed from hand to hand, arm to arm through all of our family members. Greyson had just recently learned to clap his hands and he perfected it as the corn plants ticked his little face. Jax was giving away high fives left and right. There was an air-filled jumping pillow that even adults could hop on and the giant hill slide seemed to be a favorite among the little ones. There were hungry baby goats to feed and the smell of freshly-popped kettle corn filled the air. Pumpkins were placed all over the property and ranged from teeny tiny to extra giant – a perfect one for every type of pumpkin carver. Although there were many things to see and do, Jaxon was as content as could be climbing around in the big, wooden rocking chair – the biggest rocking chair any of us had ever seen. Greyson sat in the hay among the pumpkins, twisting the pieces between his tiny little fingers. People all around were dressed in hats and scarves – including us! You’d think it was the dead of winter, but we were all embracing the chance to bundle up in our warm, fall-colored clothes. Families around us embraced each other, held hands, affectionately cared for their children, played games and, at the end of the day, waved their goodbyes. Although we were all different that day, we were all the same, too. We shared a common, golden thread… even in the smallest among us, we were able to share some of the most beautiful experiences together through one of the most magnificent creations ever made – the human hands.

SIMPLE BEEF STEW INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons Pure Wesson® Vegetable Oil • 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces • 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 cups assorted cut-up fresh vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions) • 1 can (14 oz each) lower sodium beef broth • 1 can (8 oz each) Hunt’s ® Tomato Sauce with Basil, Garlic and Oregano

DIRECTIONS Heat1 tablespoonoil in largeskilletorsaucepanovermedium-highheat.Add meat and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring until browned on all sides. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and vegetables to skillet. Cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Return meat to skillet; stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato sauce; simmer 15 minutes more or until meat and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

DEEP TISSUE LASER THERAPY Feel Better Today With

Patient Success Spotlight

“When I came here on January 10, 2018, I was just coming out of my 3rd or 4th cast after breaking my left wrist to the point I had to have surgery that included inserting a metal plate in my wrist to hold it together and heal. I was in pretty rough shape. It was very daunting, not being able to move any of my fingers, hand, or wrist. I was unable to hold or pick up a cup or dress myself. The minute I walked into Life In Motion, I was greeted by Sam who, with her happy and welcoming voice, put me at ease immediately. When meeting with Adrienne and the rest of the family (staff), I knew this was going to be a positive and ever-fun road to recovery. Life In Motion is not just a therapy facility, it is a family. Everyone is supportive, caring and experts in your body and the specific help your injury needs to heal. I now can dress myself, make a fist, hold a glass, and do most everyday things we take for granted in everyday life. Life In Motion is a team of people who not only take excellent care of you physically, but emotionally. You feel safe, positive and become more knowledgeable about your body. I want to thank Adrienne for putting me on the road back to full recovery. Also, for her love, humor and healing and creative skills. She made me this awesome splint to help me with my ulna. This is the place to come for inspiration on all levels. Thank you!!!” - Inez M. “I am now almost pain free”

RELIEF FOR:

• Back Pain • Neck Pain • Shoulder Pain • Elbow Pain

• Hand Pain • Knee Pain • Foot Pain • Post Surgery

Call Today If You Think Laser Therapy Is Right For You!

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Help Us Welcome Krysta, Gaby and Ted To Our Family!

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Life In Motion would like to officially welcome Krysta Postlethwaite! Krysta joined our team in August as a therapy tech. You will see her smiling face doing lots of different jobs around the clinic! Krysta has a Bachelor Degree in Health Education and Behavior from the University of Florida. She plans to continue her education to become an Occupational Therapist. Welcome to the family Krysta!

Life In Motion would like to officially welcome Gaby Gonzalez-Markowitz! Gaby joined our team in October as a therapy tech. She helps with maintaining the flow of the clinic, keeping it clean and fresh, and helping the therapists with basic tasks. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Florida State University. She plans to continue her education to become a Physical Therapist. Welcome to the family Gaby!

Life In Motion would like to officially welcome Ted Ellquist, our newest Physical Therapist! Ted joined our team in October. He has approximately 28 years of experience and specializes in the McKenzie Method of treating musculoskeletal conditions. Welcome to the family Ted!

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THE HAND CHALLENGE

The second – We are going to embark on a very special, heartfelt journey together that will bring joy to both you and those who surround you. Below, you will find a list of things that we will all be doing at the same time and you are challenged to complete the whole list. Take a moment during each task to appreciate the special role that your hands play in each one. At the end of this journey, you will likely find yourself in awe of the seemingly simple, and yet profound, ways that our hands “touch” our lives everyday. Once completed, shoot me an email at adriveros@lifeinmotion- therapy.com and let me know about your experience!

Give someone a hug. A great big one. Squeeze them a little longer than normal. Make sure you know them, of course! Write someone a handwritten letter and mail it via snail mail. If this makes you feel extra nostalgic, send several! Give someone a high five or a pat on the back for a job well-done. Make up a secret handshake with someone…and use it. Play old school tic-tac-toe with someone...on paper. If you don’t know what this is, ask someone over 25. Give someone a good, firm handshake. (If you are a current hand If you have children in your family, have them trace their hands, cut them out and put them somewhere safe where you’ll find them again one day! Make someone a “pinky-promise” – and keep it! Hold hands with someone I hope you that you find unexpected joy in completing these activities and that you give your hands some well-deserved recognition this holiday season for the treasures that they are! If you have trouble doing any of these activities, use the Free Screening coupon on the opposite side and come see me! Happy Holidays! therapy patient, use the other hand for now!) Learn American Sign Language for “I love you”.

The hand is one of the most magnificent creations known to man. Inside the hand alone, there are 27 bones, sometimes more. That’s a lot of bones! In order for the hand to move with the intricate dexterity and coordination that we never think about, it requires a sophisticated interplay of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels. Many of these structures are tiny, but they do big jobs! The hand is connected to the arm via the wrist – another structure that we don’t give enough credit to…until we can’t use it normally, that is. When an injury to the hand or wrist occurs, it can have a significant impact on a person’s day-to-day activities, such as dressing, writing and caring for loved ones. It can also affect a person’s ability to perform their job which can have unexpected, and sometimes very serious, implications. The worst thing is that accidents don’t care who you are or what you do. To add insult to injury, they don’t even tell you when they are going to happen. How inconsiderate of them! In short, our hands are our lifeline to many parts of our lives that we hold dear. However, they often go underappreciated until they don’t work “normally” anymore. Well, during this issue of Motion Matters, we are going to do two things to address this. The first – We are going to outline some simple ways to help you keep your hands and wrists safe while you enjoy all of the activities of this holiday season. (See “Keeping Your Hands & Wrist Safe” on the opposite side.)

Sincerely, Adrienne Driggers Riveros Occupational/Hand Therapist

www.lifeinmotion-therapy.com

KEEPING YOUR HANDS & WRISTS SAFE

As Fall is now in full swing, there are many opportunities to enjoy the cool weather, college football and, of course, all the yummy holiday food! Here are a few safety tips that will help you keep your hands and wrist safe! Don’t cut toward yourself. Always cut away from you. Don’t place your hand behind what you are cutting. Instead, place it opposite the side you are cutting towards. Keep all cutting utensils sharp. Sharp utensils require less force. • • Turkey-carving safety tips •

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Keep your cutting area and knife handle dry. This decreases your chance of slipping and cutting yourself.

Tailgating and grilling safety • Keep children away from grills, fryers and hot ovens. Keep pets at a safe distance from grills, fryers and hot ovens. Clean your grill regularly. Grease build up can cause fire flare-ups. Happy Holidays from all of use here at Life In Motion! Thank you for being a part of our extended family! • •

Preventing Falls •

Keep floors dry to avoid slip-and-falls. Wipe up all liquid or grease spills immediately. Keep frequently used items within reach to avoid using a step stool. Limit the use of extension cords and rugs.

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FREE HAND PAIN SCREENING! Call (727) 369-6355 to schedule FREE SCREENING. Have you ever… • had to ask someone else to open a jar of mayonnaise? • missed participating in vacation or leisure activities because of hand pain? • found yourself worrying about hand pain rather than living your life?

Use this coupon or give it to friends or family - spaces are limited to the first 10 calls. Expires December 30, 2018.

If you are suffering with hand pain, call us today to learn how we can reduce your pain and give you your hands back! (727) 369-6355