Physical Therapy Services of Tennessee - January 2021

Physical Therapy Services of Tennessee - January 2021

JANUARY 2021 EastTennessee Physical Therapy News

www.pt s tn.ne t 423-543-0073

FROM THE DESK OF

DANNY D. SMITH

January 2021 Case Study Our patient is a 70 year old male who presents in the clinic with chief complaint of generalized weakness particularly in the lower extremities and trunk. He was referred with a diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease. Patient with ambulatory with stand- by assistance and a cane. He states that previously he was independent on ambulation without assistive devices three months earlier. Examination showed 3/5 quad, hamstring, and hip flexor strength, 2/5 foot and ankle strength in all planes of movement. He required moderate assistance to come from sit to stand. Patient was seen on 12 occasions in physical therapy where he underwent a series of resistive and functional exercise focusing on strength and balance. At the end of 12 visits, the patient was independent on ambulation and sit to stand from a chair. He was instructed in a home exercise and balance activities. His family was very cooperative with his home exercise and activity program. Patient was instructed to contact his physical therapist should he have any problems or concerns.

FIND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO EXERCISE In the Pages of Your Fitness Journal

Many of us have the goal of losing weight and gaining muscle, but without a plan, we won’t get there. If you don’t want to be frustrated by lack of progress, keeping a fitness journal gives you a place to plan ahead, set goals, determine what’s working, and know what you’re going to do every day. It takes the guesswork out of the process, which can maximize your results. If you give yourself a tangible way to assess every workout as you progress, you create a way to move forward in fitness. First, realize that your journal doesn’t have to be anything complicated. A simple notebook will suffice. You can even use a note-taking app on your smartphone or keep an ongoing document on your computer. Use whatever method you’ll be most likely to keep up with.

Welcome to 2021 and congratulations on making it through a year like 2020. Usually, we’d pitch the latest exercise and nutritional trends for health and fitness resolutions, but this year, we have a different idea in mind. Instead of talking about the types of exercises you should be doing to reach your goals, we want to share a different tactic. When it comes to working out, if we don’t know what we want to achieve or what we’re capable of doing, we rarely select equipment or exercises that are actually helpful for us. We just end up doing whatever seems most approachable. This is when knowing where you’ve been, where you want to go, and how you plan on getting there comes in handy. And a fitness journal can facilitate all three.

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On the first few pages, start by writing down your goals. Don’t be vague and unrealistic. The key is to break your goals down into smaller, more manageable milestones. For example, you could run at least 1 mile three days a week for four weeks in a row. Or, you could increase the number of pushups you can do by 10 within two weeks. Stay away from goals like simply losing 50 pounds by next year. The point of keeping this journal is to create and record measurable steps — the more achievable and finite details you can give yourself, the better. Next comes the actual recording part. Any time you do any type of workout, make sure you’re keeping conscious track of exactly what you’re doing and how you’re doing it so you can write it down afterward. For weight training, keep a record of things like the type of exercises, weight, reps, sets, and rest interval durations. For cardio exercises, write down what kind of cardio you did, the duration, your heart rate, distance covered, and your route (if outdoors). And with every type of exercise you do, always be sure to record the date, time, and how easy or difficult the particular exercise felt to you. If you want to make the most of your fitness experience, you can also go the extra mile and record a few daily additional details. Other information like your weight, hours slept, appetite, mood, energy, and motivation level can help you correlate which exercises make the most positive impact on many areas of your life. Recording these things is a great way to track the patterns either holding you back or pushing you forward.

Like any goals worth going after, keeping a useful fitness journal takes effort. But if you stick with it, we know you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much more achievable your fitness goals feel. So, grab those weights, paper, and a pen, and get going!

New Tax Rules for Charitable Contributions in 2020

Deductible Contributions If you choose to itemize your deductions, almost any gift to a qualified charitable organization can be deducted against your taxable income. It’s very important to keep records of all your contributions. According to the IRS, when donating items to a local charity like the Red Cross or Goodwill, the deductible value equals the fair market value of your items. If you made cash donations in 2020, there is a special rule to be aware of: Donations to public charities are now 100% deductible instead of 60%. However, this doesn’t apply to private foundations.

Many people tackled deep-cleaning projects while spending more time at home last year. If your cleaning spree ended in donating items to a local charity, or if you donated funds to help local organizations supporting pandemic relief, you can look forward to some tax breaks! To feel confident in claiming them, here’s what you need to know about filing your 2020 taxes, including some unique additions from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Itemized vs. Standard Deductions When filing your taxes, you’ll need to first decide whether you want to itemize your deductions or take the standard deduction set by the IRS. Even those who cannot claim other tax credits or breaks qualify for the standard deduction. However, if you do have qualifying deductions and they add up to more than the standard deduction, it’s smarter to itemize your deductions. Take note that the standard deduction was increased in 2020 because of the CARES Act. In 2019, the standard deduction for a single person was $12,200; in 2020, it’s $12,400. For those who are married and filing jointly, the standard deduction was $24,400 in 2019 and $24,800 in 2020. And the standard deduction for heads of household in 2019 was $18,350 and it’s $18,650 in 2020.

An Additional Charitable Deduction

if you choose to take the standard deduction rather than itemize deductions on your 2020 tax return, you may qualify for a new dedication courtesy of the CARES Act. If you donated to a qualified charity before Jan. 1, 2021, you can deduct up to $300, for single filers, or $600 per married couple.

The CARES Act can save you hundreds of dollars on your 2020 tax return. Use this guide to navigate the upcoming tax season. Happy filing!

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Focus on Fitness for 30 Days ARE YOU UP FOR A CHALLENGE?

Everyone’s done it. We’ve rung in the new year on the promise that this is our year to get healthy. We’re going to finally lose the weight, eat healthier, and feel better than ever. Sadly, many of us fail at this endeavor every single year. Let’s make 2021 different! Work toward your wellness goals by trying monthly challenges. These challenges allow you to focus on one area of your wellness each month, which will ultimately ensure you create sustainable habits. Here are three challenges to get you started! January: Step Up Getting extra steps in during the day is the quickest way to introduce more activity into your life. Start easy and

just track your regular steps for one week. Then, set a goal to get 1,000 more steps than that in the following week and build from there. Keep going until you’re regularly hitting a number that is at least 5,000 steps beyond your baseline! (If you don’t have an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or other fitness tracking device, find an old-fashioned pedometer and get to work!) February: Drink Up Tracking your water intake and challenging yourself to drink more can help you feel more energized and make progress on your other goals. Start by calculating how much water you need to consume. Experts suggest taking your body weight, dividing it by two, and drinking that many ounces of water each day. (For example, a person who weighs 150 pounds should drink 75 ounces of water.) Can you drink that much water each day for 30 days? If not, drink more each day throughout the month until you reach your goal. Give it a shot. We guarantee you’ll have more energy! March: Bulk Up Choose one area of your body to focus on this month. Want to improve your arm strength? Work your way up from five to 50 pushups throughout the month. Follow the same formula with squats if you want to focus on your legs. Or, try planking to strengthen your core. Start the month by holding the plank for 30 seconds and work your way up to 2–3 minutes! As you progress in each challenge, you’ll notice significant improvement. For the best results, rest whatever area of your body you’re focusing on during your regular exercise routine. (That’s how muscle grows!)

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE Inspired by GoodHousekeeping.com

Take a Break!

INGREDIENTS

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1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks

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8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, lightly salted

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2 garlic cloves, sliced

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1 tbsp olive oil

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14 oz chicken stock

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1 tbsp all-purpose flour

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1 sprig rosemary

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1 onion, finely sliced

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Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

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2 celery sticks, thickly sliced

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1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

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2 carrots, thickly sliced

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1 leek, thickly sliced

DIRECTIONS

4.

Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.

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In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks, and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

2.

5.

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P hysical T herapy S ervices , P.A.

Inside This Issue From the Desk of Dr. Smith PAGE 1 Keep Your Goals by Keeping a Fitness Journal PAGE 1 How to Deduct Charitable Contributions on Your 2020 Taxes PAGE 2 Make Resolutions Easier With Fitness Challenges PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole PAGE 3 Don’t Shy Away From Talking About Your Pelvic Floor PAGE 4 We Need to Talk About Your Pelvic Floor Health It can be awkward to talk about, but pelvic floor health can have a significant impact on your lifestyle and happiness. For many, the pelvic floor is a source of pain and incontinence, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Your pelvic floor is just like any other body part; with proper strength, it can function normally and pain-free. The pelvic floor consists of the pelvis and the muscles and organs that protect it and are housed within it. It functions with the urinary, reproductive, digestive, and musculoskeletal systems, so any time you eat, use the restroom, or simply sit or walk, your pelvic floor is working. But when it’s not working properly, many patients — primarily women, but men can struggle with pelvic floor health, too — experience pain during bathroom visits and sex (or an inability to do either), pain in the lower back, digestive issues, and leaking. This can happen for a variety of reasons. For women, pelvic floor weakness or prolapse is often the result of labor, but age, traumatic injury, and genetics can also affect your pelvic floor. Though pelvic floor issues are relatively common, patients may be embarrassed by the associated symptoms, and as a result, many avoid seeking treatment.

The good news is that strengthening the pelvic floor often involves simple exercises and stretches, like glute bridges, squats, and cat/cow pose. While improving your pelvic floor health, try to avoid doing other exercises that can strain it, such as running or heavy lifting. (As your pelvic floor gets stronger, you can slowly add these exercises back into your routine.) Consulting with a physical therapist and developing a regimen to improve or maintain your pelvic floor health is a great way to treat or prevent pelvic floor weakness. The best part? As your pelvic floor health improves, other components of your life will too. You’ll see improvement with your digestion, you’ll never have to worry about sneezing or coughing too vigorously, and your personal relationships can improve. It’s worth having a discussion with a professional. Contact your physical therapy team today to learn more about how to improve your pelvic floor health, and, ultimately, get your life back.

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