OPTM Physical Therapy Aug/Sep 2019

OPTM Physical Therapy Aug/Sep 2019

Monthly

Thank You, Team! Honoring OPTM Saratoga’s Dedicated Employees

At OPTM Physical Therapy of Saratoga, we don’t take our jobs lightly. We know that patients come to us when they have a problem that affects their mobility and daily life, and every employee at our clinic is integral to patient care. As Labor Day approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about how valuable my employees are to this clinic and me. I have learned in my two decades of physical therapy experience that there are few components as dire to a patient’s healing than the team that quarterbacks their care. The backbone of our clinic starts with our clinical staff. These are the physical therapists who have years of specialized training and are continuing their education on the human body and healing. They are the reason people come to see us, and their expertise is invaluable. Guiding this core of therapists is our clinical support team. These trained professionals lead a patient through their care plan and ensure treatments are carried out successfully. Off the clinical floor and near the front of the office sit our friendliest and sweetest employees. Our front desk team members are instrumental in making sure our office can complete its daily duties and keep to our calendar. These team members manage schedules, answer phones, coordinate with doctors’ offices and other clinicians, and carry messages between patients and doctors. It’s safe to say that we would be lost without this team. And finally, behind the scenes are our back-office staff, who primarily manage billing and insurance payments. They make sure our therapists and other staff members can continue to help our patients heal by keeping our lights on, but they also manage our standard business practices, like marketing and hiring. Without this team, OPTM Saratoga could barely function.

I’m proud to say that I have a team of employees who value giving back to the community, and they frequently support causes I am passionate about. They have engaged in Rotary fundraisers and events, and they have supported my work with Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council. (See our article on walking on Page 3 for a group that stemmed from this council!) Even better, we can spend hours together after work and really enjoy each other’s company. There’s something to be said about working in an office that values its employees, and our times spent at Dave and Buster’s or hosting casino nights certainly exemplifies that. At the end of the day, when you’re in the office, you have a job to do, and when you can find employees and coworkers who mesh together as well as we do, it’s a truly special gift. OPTM Physical Therapy of Saratoga would not be the clinic it is today without this fun, organized, compassionate, hardworking team behind me. They strive to be better each day, and I cannot wait to see how they help this clinic grow. Be sure to thank the next OPTM Saratoga employee you work with! They will appreciate your support. Dr. Fabrice Rockich

Together, we make up one cohesive unit dedicated to improving and healing the community we live in.

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That’s So Hip! How Your Hips Influence the Rest of Your Body

SUCCESS STORIES

If you rock killer moves on the dance floor or can climb the stairs instead of hopping on the elevator, then you have your hips to thank. Your pelvis connects your legs to your torso, linking the superhighway of nerves that is your spine to your lower extremities. The ball of your femur — the top portion of your leg bone — connects to the socket of your pelvis, which gives you fluid motion and allows you to run, hop, squat, and do the splits. But when you’re living with hip pain, just sitting and standing can feel like a chore. It’s stiff and unbearable, and sometimes shooting pain sends shockwaves down your legs. This pain can feel insurmountable, and it can also cause discomfort in other parts of the body. For example, your knees and your hips work like a unit. Your knees give your hips flexibility, but this means that when your hips feel pain, there’s a good chance your knees will, too. Hip pain often shoots down the legs and into the knees, leaving the lower half of your body feeling the brunt of these conditions. Researchers have even found that knee pain can commonly be the only symptom of a hip condition! It’s also common for hip pain sufferers to feel soreness in their buttocks and outside of the hips. This can cause pain to stretch up into the lower back, and in some cases, hip pain can signal that the lower back has sustained an injury. Furthermore, living with hip pain and not seeking relief can cause severe soreness and stiffness. Your range of motion can become limited, which can cause your knees, hips, lower back, and even your feet and ankles to sustain damage. Physical therapy can work the pain out of your hips by using fluid therapeutic techniques and exercises. Therapists design regimens for your specific pain, targeting other parts of your body that have become a victim of your chronic hip soreness. Don’t let hip pain dictate the health of your body. Get back on the dance floor or climb stairs with ease with the help of OPTM Physical Therapy of Saratoga. Learn more by calling 408-973-7700 or visit OPTMSaratoga.com.

“Before physical therapy, I struggled with back spasms and pain. When my spasms flared up, it was a struggle to walk and would prevent me from playing the sport I love — tennis. After a few months of working with Ben, my pain and spasms are gone. I also

have a series of exercises in my toolbox to give me strength and the mobility to prevent relapses. I am now on the tennis courts again and fully enjoying it.”

–Shawna Ballard

“Before I came to OPTM Saratoga, I was having trouble with my shins. As a high school track runner, I didn’t want to stop running. Finally, it got so bad that I needed to see a doctor. I was told to go see a physical therapist in order to get better. I was nervous at first coming to

OPTM Saratoga, but they greeted me with open arms. The more I came, the more I was excited to go to my next visit. My PTs helped me get back on track with running, and I was able to run in my last meet of the year. I will miss my second home and all the people here. Thank you so much, OPTM Saratoga!”

–Sydney Chancey

“I started PT because I was having pain in my knees when I squatted during normal, daily activities and movements in CrossFit. Phil and Devan identified imbalances and helped me strengthen various muscles to improve the

way my knee cap tucked, which alleviated the pain. Now I am back to doing everything I had been doing before — yay! Thank you, Phil and Devan, for helping me get back there (stronger than before!), and for making it so much fun along the way!”

–MacKenzie Soldan

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Starting a fitness routine can be daunting. It’s hard work, and your muscles often ache when you first begin. But there’s one way you can incorporate wellness into your daily life and go easy on your joints: walking! Check out these tips for creating a walking routine, and you will be a walkin’ fool in no time. Meet New Friends! Studies have shown that seniors can be one of the most isolated groups. That isolation can lead to depression and major health complications, including memory loss and poor cognitive function. In Saratoga, we have a walking group designed to combat this! The West Valley Striders have been strutting around town since this April. OPTM Saratoga’s fearless leader, Fabrice Rockich, has been integral in establishing this educational walking group and is excited to see it continue to grow. Learn more by searching for the West Valley Striders online! Explore Saratoga! It’s time to learn more about downtown Saratoga. Commit to shopping local, park your car in one location, and get all of your shopping done by walking from store to store. Enjoy a night on the town by catching dinner and walking through Wildwood or Kevin Moran Park. Take a walking tour of some of your favorite sites, or Get Moving by Adding Walking Into Your Routine WALK THIS WAY

commit to walking to a new store once a month. The commute may take you longer, but you will get your workout in, get your errands done, and be happier and healthier in the process. Take a Break! In today’s sedentary world, it can be hard to incorporate walking. We sit at computers all day at work, and it can be difficult to convince ourselves to take a break. But studies have actually found that taking more breaks during work can boost your productivity. Add more walking into your day by taking an after-lunch stroll or form a midafternoon walking group. You could even host meetings outside or walk around the corner to grab coffee instead of sipping on the break room’s burnt swill. Soon, you will be getting more steps than ever before. Before starting your new walking regimen, consult with a medical professional. The experts at OPTM Physical Therapy of Saratoga can provide safe walking tips and techniques to help you get the most out of this new routine. Call 408-973-7700 for more information.

SUMMERTIME GAZPACHO Gazpacho, an Andalusian soup made of blended vegetables and traditionally served cold, is the perfect refresher on a warm summer day.

TAKE A BREAK August Word Search

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes; cored, seeded, and cut into

• 1 small Vidalia onion, peeled and cubed • 1/4 cup basil leaves • 1 clove garlic, peeled • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste gradually raising speed to high until smooth, about 2 minutes. 4. Add blender contents to bowl and mix until just broken up, about 10–20 seconds. 5. Let mixture sit in fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. Transfer to bowls and serve.

L C K S C J Y C S

J

A P

J B P

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X N O C N V U Z J

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L R O X S H P N E R D L I

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1-inch chunks • 1 small cucumber; peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks

F L E M N P O K C A B R B X N Z B D H L A Z O N A E Q C R M L S N I C N S P L M W Z T E I I L E S K A H P M L E A V E S W S A T J L E U H U J A Y W I V R K F U C S T W T U E F H O U Q J Q T H N B Z A D U F J T D A A S E I E F J U T K G V S R W M R Y L O W D Q M J G X U F X O J V L F O Y W K J K S G D U Y F R Y H E K Q T Y T Q U Y I H G M N I L F M F Y O I A

• 1 red bell pepper; cored,

seeded, and sliced into ribbons

Directions

1. Place a blender and

medium mixing bowl on your workstation. 2. Divide the tomato chunks, cucumber pieces, and bell pepper slices evenly between blender and bowl. Place entire onion in blender. 3. Add basil, garlic, olive oil,

AUGUST CHILLY

BACK COOL

CHILDREN

END

August Chilly Fall Summer

Leaves Supplies Children End School Teachers SCHOOL TEACHERS

FALL

LEAVES SUPPLIES

SUMMER

Back Cool

vinegar, salt, and pepper to blender. Blend on low,

Inspired by CookieAndKate.com

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18780 Cox Ave Saratoga, CA 95070 408-973-7700 www.optmsaratoga.com

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Dr. Rockich Explains His New Role Page1

What People Are Saying About Us Page2

Finding Treatment for Chronic Hip Pain Page2

Tips for IncorporatingWalking Into Your Daily Life Page3

SummertimeGazpacho Page3

Physical Therapy Is for More Than Injuries Page4

Beyond the Break Physical Therapy Helps With Stroke Recovery, Parkinson’s, and More In TV dramas, physical therapists often urge the hero back into action. Usually, their patient has suffered some dramatic injury, like breaking every bone in the right side of their body or losing a leg to a rampaging horse. And while many physical therapists do specialize in helping athletes recover from injuries, applications for the practice go well beyond that stereotype. People battling the aftereffects of a stroke or suffering from long-term ailments like Parkinson’s disease can also benefit from regular physical therapy sessions. In fact, the National Stroke Association lists a physical therapist as a vital member of any stroke recovery team, placing them alongside experts like dietitians, psychiatrists, neurologists, and speech- language pathologists. In those cases, physical therapists are on hand to help stroke survivors with movement and balance issues and to recommend exercises that rebuild strong muscles for walking, standing, and other everyday activities. Parkinson’s disease afflicts the central nervous system and makes movement difficult, and its symptoms can also be mitigated by physical therapy. Denise Padilla-Davidson, a Johns Hopkins physical therapist who treats people with Parkinson’s, recommends PT to her patients for

improving their balance, strength, and flexibility. Specifically, bike or elliptical exercises can help those with Parkinson’s remaster reciprocal patterns (movements from side to side or left to right). There’s also a form of therapy called LSVT BIG, which involves performing exaggerated physical movements, and it can help those with the disease stave off hypokinesia, which is the decrease of movement that becomes more severe as Parkinson’s progresses. Similar physical therapy programs can be adapted for those with other chronic diseases, like multiple sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease, by slowing the diseases’ progress and making the people who have them more capable and comfortable. Of course, treatments vary on a case- to-case basis, so be sure to consult your doctor before starting PT.

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