Physical Therapy Services of Tennessee - May 2021

MAY 2021

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

EastTennessee Physical Therapy News

FROM THE DESK OF DANNY D. SMITH, PT, DHSC

2 HEARTWARMING STORIES ABOUT NURSES More Than a Year Into COVID-19, These Heroes Still Deserve a Shoutout

As I sit here on spring break with the family, I think of our practice and what makes us tick, especially in light of COVID-19 as well as all the competition we have in East Tennessee. I think of our present location and what makes it good. The thing that comes to mind is satisfaction with our place of stay. Would I return for another stay. The answer is yes I would return. This is due to my satisfaction and the satisfaction of my family. The same applies to Physical Therapy Services, P.A. We want our patients to be satisfied with our services and know they are welcome back at any time. We treat everyone like family. We try to get an exit evaluation on each patient at discharge. Two things we want each patient to have is a home exercise and/or activity program and the opportunity to evaluate the services they have received. Looking over the last 23–30 discharge evaluations, I find that all patients who completed the evaluation were pleased or, in most cases, extremely pleased with the services they received.

Rawsi Williams — a nurse, lawyer, and U.S. military veteran — once said this about nursing: “To do what nobody else will do, in a way that nobody else can do, despite all that we go through, that is to be a nurse.” I think that at this time last year, every single person in the country would have agreed with Williams. We would have shouted it from the rooftops! In May 2020, we were just starting to adjust to the “new normal” of the COVID-19 pandemic, and part of that was coming to terms with how amazing our health care workers are. Back then, the whole world celebrated nurses and doctors with drive-by parades, food donations, and daily applause. It was fanfare central. But now, even though nurses are still on the front lines delivering vaccines, I don’t see many people commending their efforts.

This gives us a road map to follow to continue to improve our services. If you have questions, please give us a call at 423-543-0073.

I think that’s a shame. Our nurses are still heroes, and they deserve recognition, especially on National Nurses Day, which is on May 6!

In honor of their special day, I went on a hunt for stories about nurses who have saved the day or just been plain awesome in 2021. One of my favorites was published by 9 News in Colorado. Nurse Amy Dempsey and her husband, Whitney, both work at the Lutheran Medical Center in Wheat Ridge. Amy delivers babies, and Whitney provides hospice care. On their 26th wedding anniversary this January, each was

–Danny

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Similarly, in California, nursing students stepped into their miracle-worker shoes early to help distribute the COVID-19 vaccines this January. According to the Los Angeles Times, a team of students from Cal State Long Beach volunteered their time to give shots, despite the crushing nursing school workload. When the call for volunteers went out, it was under the banner “HealthCare Heroes Needed” and the students came through immediately. “It wasn’t even a question of do I want to,” student nurse Naomi Muñiz told the Times. “If they need help and I can help, I’m going to go in.” Nurses like Amy and Naomi are still fighting on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s not all high-fives and student solidarity out there. Many nurses are struggling with burnout because of the long hours and high pressure of treating patients while trying to protect themselves. Hopefully, this pandemic will end soon, but until it does, try to show some love to the nurses in our community. If you get a vaccine this month, thank the person who gives it to you! You can also make a donation or drop off a care package on the stoop of a health care worker you know. Even an encouraging text message on May 6 could make a world of difference.

scheduled to get their second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, but there was a twist! Amy was volunteering to administer shots at the hospital. Serendipitously, her husband was her first patient! He joked that getting poked was a great anniversary gift. 9 News captured the moment on film, and it warmed my heart to see the couple high-five afterward. What a sweet moment between heroes!

Happy National Nurses Day!

Get Fit With Your Family

5 EASY WAYS TO GET EVERYONE MOVING

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. As a parent, you probably know exercise is important for your children’s physical development. It helps build healthy bones, muscles, and joints and reduces the risk of developing diabetes and other diseases later in life. But did you know that physical activity also has many mental and behavioral health benefits? It’s been shown to improve children’s cognitive skills and concentration, boost their self-esteem, and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the best ways to encourage healthy behaviors in your children is by modeling them yourself. Studies have found that more than 80% of adolescents and adults are not getting enough aerobic activity, showing that children often follow in their parents’ footsteps and that exercising together can benefit everyone. You may be thinking it’s hard enough just to get yourself to the gym, but Stephen Virgilio, author of “Active Start for Healthy Kids” encourages parents not to limit themselves to traditional forms of exercise. Instead, think of exercise more broadly as “leading an active lifestyle.” And remember that exercise can be fun and a great way to get in more family time. Here are five easy ways to incorporate more movement into your family’s day.

1. Create a walking ritual. Start walking around the neighborhood before or after dinner each night. Aim for a 20-minute stroll. 2. Have a dance party. Clear some room in the living room, make a playlist with everyone’s favorite tunes, and boogie down for as long as you have the energy. 3. Turn chores into games. Dirt has invaded from outer space and must be eliminated. Set the scene with your kids, grab your tools, and get to work removing the enemy while having fun. 4. Incorporate simple exercises into screen time. Start by making up fun names for exercises like situps or jumping jacks. Then, challenge each other to see who can do the most during your favorite show’s commercial breaks. 5. Get fit in the great outdoors. Cleaning up the yard, planting and maintaining a garden, or just running around outside are all great ways to get in more movement.

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And Physical Therapy — Not Surgery — Helped! JFK HAD BACK PAIN Born into American royalty, former president John F. Kennedy would go on to preside over historic changes, including NASA’s growth and the emergence of the Peace Corps. Sadly, Kennedy’s tragic and controversial death often overshadows his work — meaning very few people may know just how impressive it is that Kennedy was able to do all that he did with debilitating back pain. Kennedy was plagued by ailments in childhood. This included bouts with whooping cough, measles, and scarlet fever. He was also diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, but his severe back pain would be his Achilles’ heel. Historians believe he had osteoporosis — the degeneration of the bone — in his lower back. Kennedy underwent spinal surgery multiple times, but the procedures reportedly did nothing to help. To combat this, Kennedy then tried various medications, including codeine, which is an opioid, and methadone, which is similar to morphine. Experts believe Kennedy could have been on as many as 12 medications at one time, many of which cause extreme mood swings

during times when the nation’s leader needed to be the most lucid man in the room. (The Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, for example, happened when he was on these medications.) Other doctors on Kennedy’s treatment team prescribed what was then called “exercise.” This form of physical therapy appears to be the only treatment that worked for Kennedy! (It’s also believed that he underwent massage therapy, heat therapy, and began swimming to treat his back pain, and all of these treatments helped in combination.) Soon, Kennedy’s doctors began to believe that treating him with intense medications was not ethical. His doctors weaned him off the drugs and only prescribed “exercise” routines. Furthermore, it’s been speculated that Kennedy’s leadership abilities were far better when he wasn’t on the medication, making it all the more imperative that he opted for physical therapy.

Easy & Healthy Green Rice Inspired by 101Cookbooks.com It’s been more than 60 years since Kennedy found relief for debilitating back pain through physical therapy, but the studies being done on his life, legacy, and the pain he suffered continue to astound historians and offer a glimpse into treatments for those in leadership. As many have found, it was physical therapy that not only helped Kennedy but also protected our nation.

Take a Break!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves • 1 cup tightly packed kale leaves, stems removed

• 1/2 cup yellow onions, finely diced • 1/2 cup green peppers, diced • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced • 1 cup long-grain white rice

• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock • 2 tbsp full-fat coconut milk • 1 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, purée spinach and kale with vegetable stock, coconut milk, and salt. Set aside. 2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. 3. Stir in rice and cook and toast for 1–2 minutes before adding the blended mixture. Increase heat to bring to a boil. 4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid has evaporated, 15–20 minutes. 5. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

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1975 West Elk Ave. Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-0073

1500 West Elk Ave. #104, Elizabethton TN 37643 423-543-2215

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

P hysical T herapy S ervices , P.A.

Inside This Issue From the Desk of Dr. Smith PAGE 1 2 Heartwarming Stories About Nurses PAGE 1 5 Ways to Increase Your Family’s Fitness PAGE 2 How Physical Therapy Helped JFK Be a Better Leader PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Green Rice Recipe PAGE 3 Can You Do Cardio at Home? PAGE 4

Get Your Heart Pumping at Home! 4 Living Room Cardio Workouts

steps. If you’re worried about keeping your balance, try doing this within an arm’s length of a wall so you can reach out to steady yourself, and remember to keep your back straight. Repeat 20 times. Seated Rows While sitting in a chair, keep your spine straight and shoulders back. Extend your arms until they’re out in front of you, parallel with the floor. Using your shoulder and back muscles, pull your arms toward you then back out in front, as though you were rowing a canoe. Repeat this exercise 8–10 times. Dance Dancing is a great cardio exercise and plenty of fun too! Pick your favorite dance style and start moving those feet. Some styles, such as ballet or hip-hop, can be more challenging, especially if your mobility is limited. However, freestyle is plenty of fun too. No matter how you choose to dance

Walking for 30 minutes a day is a great way to get in some exercise, but getting in a daily walk outdoors isn’t always possible. If you’re unable to enjoy your regular cardio exercise, what can you do? Try these four cardio workouts to get your heart pumping right from your living room. March in Place Marching is a great way to start slowly increasing your heart rate. Start by standing in place then lifting the legs up in a steady march, lifting each knee as high as you can without losing your balance. Make sure that you are also pumping your arms in time with your feet. For the best outcome, lift your legs 20 times. Side Steps Start by standing in the middle of the room with plenty of space for you to step left and right. Take a side-step in one direction, then two side-steps in the opposite direction, then move back two

and whether you’re by yourself, with a friend, or your spouse, turn on some music and start grooving to your favorite tunes. A Note on Safety: Before you get started on any exercises, make sure that the space around you is safe. Give yourself plenty of room to move around so you don’t have to worry about bumping into furniture and accidentally hurting yourself. If you’re an older adult, be sure to have a stable surface nearby just in case. A chair, for example, can help you steady yourself if you begin to lose your balance.

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