Mission PT - February 2021

Mission PT - February 2021

3321 E. Queen Creek Rd. #106, Gilbert, AZ 85297 • (480) 550-9100 • missionptaz.com February 2021

New Year, New Mission PT Location!

We have really exciting news to share this month: Mission Physical Therapy has opened a second location!

We picked this spot because of of its convenience for people in north Gilbert and in Mesa. It is just to the east of the Superstition Springs Golf Club. In fact, our new location has an impressive view out the back windows to the golf course. You’re going to love it!

Our second location opened on Feb. 1, and we couldn’t be happier! It is especially timely because in January, we just celebrated the seven-year anniversary of our first clinic. Over the past seven years, we’ve had so many great experiences getting to know our patients at our south Gilbert location. We’ve built many good relationships, helped a lot of wonderful people, and built up a strong PT team. We’ve always wanted to expand to help even more people in our community. This has been a long-term goal of ours, and it’s thrilling to see it come to fruition. While we are expanding, our patients can expect pretty much everything they’ve come to expect and appreciate with us over the last seven years. You’ll still be able to reach us with the same phone number, fax number, and email addresses. Even the hours of operation will be the same at both locations: Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The new Mesa location is situated in a business park with other medical offices, so we feel right at home.

Going forward, you have the choice of either visiting our Gilbert clinic or our Mesa clinic — whichever is most convenient for you! Both locations will follow the same business model. As always, we’ll be seeing one to two patients every hour. During that hour, you will receive one-on-one time with your PT — we don’t have techs or aides, just high-quality, personalized care.

And, just like our Gilbert location, our new Mesa location will take most insurance options and will have affordable self-pay options as well.

We are happy to be more accessible to more people with the opening of this Mesa location — both former patients as well as new ones! We have a great team committed to delivering quality care. Seven years later, we’re ready to open up this new chapter in the Mission PT story. We can’t wait to see what happens next, and we’re excited to take this journey with you. Here’s to a wonderful 2021 and to the best PT care in AZ.

The new office is in south Mesa on the northwest corner of Power and Baseline Roads, close to I-60.

Mission PT – Mesa Location 6636 E. Baseline Rd. #102 Mesa, Arizona 85206

P.S. Here’s the address for our new location one more time in case you want to cut it out and save it for your records!

Mission PT – Mesa Location

6636 E. Baseline Rd. #102 Mesa, AZ 85206

(480) 550-9100 Hours: M–F, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.

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Our mission is YOU. What is YOUR mission?

(480) 550-9100 • missionptaz.com

Relax a Little February is the month when many of us give up on New Year’s resolutions. We lose motivation, or life simply gets in the way. If you find yourself sitting on the couch more than you did in January, when you may have been actively pursuing your fitness goals, consider this permission to sit a little while longer: Rest days are good for you! Here’s why. Your body needs to move. Exercise has many benefits, but from a survival standpoint, exercise and movement help your body perform daily functions with ease. But that’s not when your body gets stronger. It’s actually on the days you choose to rest that your muscles and joints improve as a result of your exercise. Exercising creates tiny tears in your muscles. (Maybe that’s why it burns so much!) In the regeneration process — aka your rest days — the muscle is built back stronger than it was before. That’s why incorporating rest days into your workouts ensures you can climb up from 5 to 10 to 15 pounds for dumbbell curls or run more miles in a faster time than last week!

WHY REST DAYS ARE GOOD FOR YOU!

Beyond the improvement and fitness goals you have, rest days can also be essential to preventing injuries. Your body won’t become overworked, and your muscles get the necessary respite they need. Fatigue won’t set in as quickly, and you will find that you can do more as you properly incorporate rest days into your schedule. Fitting rest days into your daily routine is easier than you may think, but it sadly doesn’t involve sitting on the couch for too long. You should always find a way to move at least once each day. If you want to try running, start out by running three days each week. On your “off” days, incorporate some yoga, go for a leisurely walk, or focus on your arms and shoulders. This gives your legs and core a break from running while you still get the benefits of movement. (Plus, on the days you run, you will get a break from yoga or weightlifting!) It’s okay if you haven’t met your resolution goals just yet, but don’t give up! Find a way to add more rest into your routine, and you just might be more invigorated than ever before.

WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER WAIT FOR CARE YOU NEED TODAY A CAVITY GONE BAD!

Meet Jim, a dentist and friend of Ben. Recently, Jim talked to Ben about a situation he had with a patient. This patient had called Jim at 2 a.m. in excruciating pain. He needed help right then.

Shortly after Jim told Ben this story, they had another interesting conversation — Jim asked Ben for some advice about some shoulder pain he’d been experiencing lately.

“Why didn’t you call me earlier in the day?” Jim asked the patient.

“How long has it bothered you?” Ben asked.

“Well, it hurt, but I took a pain pill and it felt better,” the man replied. “It finally woke me up and it hurt so bad, I knew I needed help.”

“A couple of weeks. It usually goes away, but this time, it hasn’t,” Jim answered.

“ This time? ”

“Your tooth is almost gone!” Jim said, peering into the patient’s mouth. “This did not happen overnight.”

“Well, it’s been bothering me on and off for a few months.”

This is what troubled Jim the most. A tooth does not rot in a day. It happens over months or longer. It turned out, the patient’s issue began two years prior, starting with a small cavity. The body has a remarkable way of accommodating pain — it merely subsided. When the cavity got a little larger, the tooth began to ache again. The patient just got used to it. When the cavity got bigger and the pain became more significant, he simply started taking pain medication. It became a habit. Then, after months of putting up with minor pain and taking medication, the tooth had decayed so badly that it had nearly rotted away entirely.

“Jim, do you remember what you told me about your patient’s tooth?” Ben asked. In that moment, Ben saw a lightbulb turn on above Jim’s head. “Why would this be any different?” Ben continued. “What starts as minor bursitis or tendinitis will end up as a torn rotator cuff if left alone. Your shoulder is breaking down — just like that patient’s tooth.” This is a lesson we can all learn from. You may feel an ache or pain now and choose to ignore it or decide to manage it with medication. But over time it can get worse, leading to a more significant, possibly costlier, problem. Don’t wait! Get the help you need now.

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(480) 550-9100 • missionptaz.com

SUDOKU

The Source of Your Pain vs. the True Source of the Problem There is a lot of talk among doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists about getting to “the source” of your pain. This is a little more challenging than just pressing hard on the spot you say hurts because anyone can point to where it hurts. The trouble is that the source of your pain and the source of the problem are likely two different things. You want to find the source of the problem, not the source of your pain. The source of orthopedic pain is always the increased pressure and/or chemical irritation by inflammation in an area that’s irritated, breaking down, or injured, even when your brain interprets those signals differently. Focus on the pain or the symptom and you’ll be disappointed, having only temporary relief. Fix the problem, and the pain will go away. Consider the findings of a study published in a medical journal in 1998. Researchers took MRIs of about 3,000 people without back pain. 81% of these people had disc bulges and 55% had what the radiologists considered as severe disc degeneration!

The next time you see an MRI and wonder how you can possibly get better or why you didn’t have pain at all, remember this: The MRI simply shows abnormalities and break down. It’s difficult to point to an abnormality on someone’s spine MRI and with full confidence say, “Aha! This is why you hurt!” The MRI is a snapshot. It does not show why it’s broken or how it got that way.

Strawberry Kissed Almond Butter Muffins

Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com

Enjoy this Valentine’s Day-themed muffin with your Valentine or treat yourself!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed • 3/4 cup natural creamy almond butter (can substitute creamy peanut butter) • 2 large eggs • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey) • 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup oat flour • 1 tsp baking powder • 1/4 tsp salt • 1/4 cup strawberry

Further, you might walk away from your doctor’s office with a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease. Is it really a disease? Perhaps we should focus on the first word of the diagnosis: degenerative. Then, we might ask why did it degenerate? Why did it break down? Think of joints as door hinges. All the hinges need to be considered to see the whole picture and a solution. The hinge that is breaking down is usually the source of the pain. It’s irritated or inflamed. But, it’s not the real problem. We need to look at the other hinges that are not moving correctly that are more likely to be the source of the problem. The good news is there’s more to your condition than your family history, age, and former injuries — none of which you can do anything about! Fortunately, there’s a whole lot you can do about the way you move, and it can start with PT. At Mission Physical Therapy, we like to discover and help with the source of the problem and get you moving better!

fruit spread, divided (we recommend Bonne Maman INTENSE)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 3. In a large bowl, mix bananas, almond butter, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. 4. Stir in oat flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth. 5. Evenly divide batter into liners. Add 1 tsp strawberry fruit spread to the top of each muffin. 6. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the spread into the batter. 7. Bake for 22–27 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 8. Transfer muffins to wire rack to cool and enjoy!

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Our mission is YOU. What is YOUR mission?

(480) 550-9100 • missionptaz.com

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3321 E. Queen Creek Rd. #106 Gilbert, AZ 85297 (480) 550-9100 missionptaz.com

Inside This Issue

1 The Mission PT Family Grows!

2 A Cavity Gone Very Bad! 2 You’re Building Muscle While You Rest 3 Strawberry Kissed Almond Butter Muffins 3 The Source of Pain Isn’t Always What It Seems 4 A Month of Love and Support

4 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR LOVED ONES THIS VALENTINE’S DAY Share the Love This Month

Every Valentine’s Day, people want to find the best ways to show their partner or even a close friend how much they care. It is easy to get sucked into thinking you have to give them the most expensive or elaborate present you can find, but sometimes, the most meaningful gifts are the simplest. Here are four easy ways to show your loved ones how much you care this February. A Text a Day Knowing someone has your back throughout the year, no matter how difficult things can get, is a great source of support and love. In addition to the usual communication you share with your loved one, add in a supportive text each day, whether it’s simply letting them know you’re thinking of them or wishing them luck on a presentation or interview. The best part about these texts is that they can be sent year-round. A Morning Message Board Whiteboards are fun to draw on and make great calendars, but they can also be used to share heartfelt messages with your roommates or spouse. Writing positive messages like, “I hope you have a wonderful day!” or “You matter!” can make all the difference. Waking up to a loving note from someone they care about could mean the world to them and shift their entire mood for the day.

A Daily Journal Entry February and March are usually when New Year’s resolutions begin to falter. To encourage yourself and your loved one, consider starting a daily journal. Leave a journal where you both have access to it and write positive messages inside for the other person. This acknowledgment of hard work is exactly what you both need to continue pursuing your goals this year. Random Gifts You don’t have to wait for a birthday, Christmas, or Valentine’s Day to give your loved one a gift. Buying small gifts lets your friend or spouse know you’ve been thinking about them. Whether it’s a treat they enjoy, a book, or even a small gift card, these thoughtful gestures are sure to make them smile.

4 (480) 550-9100 • missionptaz.com