Pittman_How to Quickly & Easily Improve Your Posture

Pittman_How to Quickly & Easily Improve Your Posture

The Pittman CONNECTION The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

WOW! This Rain Has Been Amazing!

I cannot remember a wetter January in my entire life. I feel like I live in Seattle (if this is what Seattle feels like). We should have a ton of flowers if spring showers are supposed to bring them. Speaking of growing things, we are so happy to announce, in this issue, our newest team members. Look for them. We are so excited. We couldn’t dowhat we dowithout your trust and support. It has been awhile since I filled you in onwhat is going on inmy life. Here is a brief synopsis. I always knew that Foster would bemy first to break a bone. He avoided this for 12 years, then WHAM. Football injury, broken wrist. Football injury, broken forearm. Running in the yard injury, broken foot. Just a matter of time. He is almost over the foot injury and is ready for spring baseball. Me too. Hemissed the entire fall seasondue to the forearmbreak. Brinkley home schooled the first ½ of 5th grade but realized that she really loved school and her friends. Really, I think she needed the structure of classes. Many of you saw my facebook post of her dancing inAtlanta. That little thing is a fireball. She is really coming into her own and is following in big sister’s footsteps. Stone is really taking our kitchen by storm. He is becoming a really good cook with a lot of interest in the culinary program at CHS.

He and Sophie just went to a cooking class in Germantown. They made some Mexican flare from scratch. He mentioned that the tacos were amazing. The rain postponed the start to lacrosse season. He is on the varsity team as a Junior. Man, just typing that ages me a little. I get questioned a ton about Sophie andwhat she is doingnow. Here goes.The show is over, she did the tour, but that ended in December. She is now working for a dance convention called RADIX. She travels a lot with them assisting the head choreographers. When she isn’t with RADIX, she is taking classes and dancing with a dance company in LA. By the time you read this, she would have shot a commercial and gotten to perform with her company at Tony Robbins birthday party. Other opportunities are on the horizon. Hope is being themomager (mommanager) and keeping our home in order. This is a full time job. As for me, I am just extremely grateful for the opportunity to serve our community doing what we love. Jeremy

The Pittman CONNECTION The Newsletter About Your Health And Caring For Your Body

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The Key to Quickly & Easily IMPROVE POSTURE

Watching a confident person walk into a room, what is the first thing you notice? Their hair? Their outfit? Or something we like to call, “Theway they carry themselves.” That undeniable, but undefinable “carriage” is what often defines our first impression not only of a person’s health, but their intelligence and mental clarity as well. Posture and Aging It is no surprise that our bodies change as we get older. Beginning at about age 30, our bodies lose lean muscle mass and bone density making it harder to maintain a healthy weight. Changes in the cartilage and cushioned discs between the spine actually force us to begin “shrinking” as we age. In fact, it is common to lose one-half inch of height every decade after your peak height due to these changes. As a result,

our posture naturally changes aswe age to accommodate all of these factors. Postural changes, in turn, affect joint pain, balance and gait resulting in the characteristic poor posture so common in older people. That’s not to say that improving posture is exclusively an older person’s job. Poor posture can contribute to a host of health problems in every adult such as digestive problems, high blood pressure, chronic pain, and balance problems. Posture also affects the way you perform repetitive activities. Sitting slouched over a keyboard at work or stooped over while performing a repetitive task in a manufacturing plant can contribute to chronic back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. All of those times your mother told you to “Stand up straight,” or “Stop slouching,” she was trying to help

you not only feel more confident, she also wanted you to be healthier as a result. Even though you cannot stop the hands of time or quit performing repetitive tasks, there are simpleways you can improve your posture quickly and easily. 1. Work on Alignment Great posture is all about training the body to remain in positions that put the least amount of strain on themuscles and joints. Consider howyou spend themajority of your time during the course of a day. Are you sitting in a chair at work? Lifting, bending, squatting, or stretching? Do you do certain tasks over and over? How is your posture each time you do these things?

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Quickly & Easily Improve Posture

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While sitting, thismeans that all three curves of the back should be present with your weight evenly distributed on both hips. Correct lifting positions involve keeping your back straight and bending at the knees and hips. While standing, you should be able to draw a straight line from your head to your feet that touches your spine and runs through your hips. Wearing proper footwear fitted with custom orthotics designed for your work environment can help youmaintain your posture while you performbasic tasks over the course of the day. 2. Core Strength is Paramount The best way to improve your posture is to strengthen your core muscles. Your core is not only your abdominal muscles but also your stabilizing muscles that connect to your pelvis and spine. These muscles control how you bend, twist, walk, run, stand, and lift. Strong core muscles help you remain upright as you age and can even help prevent injury to your back. But a strong core is not born of hundreds of sit ups or crunches. These muscles are best worked through slow, controlled, weight bearing movements. Yoga, Pilates and weight training exercises are all ideal ways to strengthen your stabilizing muscles without having to lay on the ground. 3. Physical Therapy Physical therapy is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when you are considering ways to improve your posture. Most of the time, people visit their physical therapist after surgery or an injury but forget that these practitioners are experts at helping patients develop, maintain or restore function to their bodies. This includes helping patients find their ideal posture for all of their daily activities. Patients who go to PT for neck, shoulder or back pain are often surprised to discover that their problems

stem from poor posture. The therapist will assess the ways they sit, stand, walk, and work and begin helping the patient find ways to minimize stress on their body. These may include balance and strengthening exercises or even recommending changes to the work environment that would promote proper posture. Our bodies, like any machine, are subject to the forces placed upon them. Our posture can either magnify those forces on our joints and muscles or minimize them. Proper posture helps you look better and feel better, but it also helps your body function the way it should as you walk, run, jump, sit, stand, or even lay down. Fortunately, you do not have to tackle perfecting your posture on your own. Your physical therapist can help you findways to correct your body’s posture that are specific to your needs. Contact us today to begin standing tall once again.

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Many patients experience lasting relief after only a couple treatments. It is particularly effective when administered as soon as possible following injury. The faster the inflammation is reduced and the healingprocess canbegin, the better. Your therapist will prepare the laser depending on your specific condition, treating the pain and inflammation along with improving cellular function to maximize the benefits. With Class IV Laser Therapy, treatments are quick, usually 2-10 minutes depending on the size, depth, and acuteness of the condition being treated. Most likely you will see the results with in the first few treatments. However, to get the best effects, 6-10 treatments are recommended based on the severity of the injury.

April 6th & 7th

Have You or a Friend Ever... • Missed work due to pain or injury? • Skipped a fun activity because you were afraid to aggravate your pain? • Found yourself worrying more about your pain rather than living your life? We can help you, your friend, or family member get back to living life pain–free! Call 901-850-5246 to Schedule Your Free Consultation!

Laser Therapy Laser Therapy is the application of laser light over injuries or lesions to improve soft tissue healing which gives relief to both acute and chronic pain. Laser Therapy penetrates the skin driving healing energy (photons) into the tissues. Most people feel little to no sensation or a gentle, soothing warmth. Using photobiomodulation, Laser Therapy reduces pain and inflammation without side effects.

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Make an appointment today by calling 901-850-5246. We can discover the source of your pain and develop a treatment plan specific to you.

Patient Success Spotlight

Today, we are saying goodbye to Mrs. Gayle. Over the past few weeks, we have been focused and working with her to improve her balance and endurance. “I can now do my everyday tasks, and even go upstairs to get into my attic. Mallory is just wonderful. If you are questioning whether or not to go to PT, Go for it.” – Gayle We are gonna miss you!

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Welcome Maranda and Troy to the Pittman Team!

Hello my name is Maranda Mackey and I am a Physical Therapist Assistant at PittmanPhysicalTherapy! I’mfromGadsden, Alabama and receivedmy Bachelor’s degree fromJacksonvilleStateUniversity. I obtained my PTA degree from Concorde Career College here in Memphis! I have two nieces and one nephew and when I’m not working,

I’musually hangingwith them– they’re awesome! I live downtown and love going into all the neat shops/restaurants that are near me. I also enjoy running and spending time with friends; outdoor music events aremy jam. I love the career field that I have chosen and I’m so grateful to be here with this crew. Feel free to ask me anything! On a closing note, War Eagle! – Maranda

Hello, my name is Troy Brunson and I am a new Physical Therapist here at Pittman. I am from Monticello, AR where I grew up with my mother and older brother. Growing up, our favorite thing to dowas to play sports and spend family timewithmy grandparents. I attended the University of Arkansas at Monticello where I met my wife Allison. I

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Follow Your Pittman Team Stay in the Loop with News & Events Happening at Pittman! on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM! went on to the University of Central Arkansaswhere I receivedmy Doctorate of Physical Therapy. Now, I am living inGermantownwith my wife Allison and our golden doodle Dixon. Our favorite things to do are spending time outside and cheering on our Arkansas Razorbacks! Woo Pig Sooie! – Troy

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Try these exercises to help maintain a healthy body Exercise Essentials

SITTING POSTURE Improves Posture

WALL POSTURE Check Your Posture

While sitting, place your feet flat on the floor. Tip your pelvis slightly forward. Straighten

your spine until your ears are directly over your shoulders and your shoulders are over your hips. Draw your shoulder blades gently back and together. Tuck your chin. Stretch up tall; imagine a string attached to the top of your head, pulling you up to your full height.

Stand with your heels up against a wall. Attempt to get your heels, buttock, shoulders and head to touch the wall at the same time.

Exercises copyright of

Not all exercises are appropriate for every person. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting.

www.simpleset.net

Who do you know that needs our help?

Refer a Friend

Do You Have Friends/Family Unable to Do the Following? 9 Move without pain 9 Bend & move freely 9 Balance confidently & securely 9 Sit for long periods of time comfortably 9 Walk for long distances 9 Live an active & healthy lifestyle

Share the Benefits of Pittman Physical Therapy! Has Pittman Physical Therapy helped you live a better life? Let others know how much we can help them, too! Simply visit the following links to leave your review on our Google and Facebook pages:

Referral Club: Thanks to our patients for referring a friend or family member! Jen Perryman Joyce Mckenzie Lillie Julie Mitzi Workman Betty Shelton John Harrell Hope Pittman Carolyn Brugess Martha Murphy Cathy Moore

Allison Andrews Ashley McGrough

Betsy Freedle Jeff Halfacer

If you know someone suffering with aches and pains, give the gift of health. Refer them to Pittman Physical Therapy today. Pass along this newsletter or have them call us directly to schedule an evaluation! You will get your name in our next newsletter and you could win a $20 gift card! WIN A $20 GIFT CARD

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