Accelerate Therapy & Performance - January/February 2021

Accelerate Therapy & Performance - January/February 2021

THE Recovery Review

FIND YOUR ‘WHY’ Take Control of Your Goals in 2021

JAN/FEB 2021

When I was working on my undergraduate degree, my mind was on what I wanted to do next. My big goal was to get

You also want to be flexible. There’s a saying, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” You might have a specific goal in mind, and the journey might not take you exactly where you planned it to go, but you’ll still land somewhere great. That’s okay. Sometimes we need to make adjustments or recalibrate. 2020 was a prime example of that. Many people had to recalibrate their goals. But if that goal means something to you, you’ll keep going after it. Here’s another thing you can do: Make a detailed plan and give yourself the steps you need to accomplish the goal. If your goal is to become fit, taking action every day, even if it’s small, will keep you on track. I recently taught a webinar about transitioning from sitting desks to standing desks. We all know that sitting all day isn’t healthy. Now, if you’re standing for much of the day, you’re increasing blood flow through your legs and burning more calories. Making the change from a sitting desk to a standing desk isn’t a huge change, but over time, it can make a difference. Another simple exercise is a daily 20-minute walk. You can even work up to 60 minutes over the course of several weeks or a few months. The point is to take incremental steps toward your overall goal. It’s all about being practical in your approach and tactical in your planning. No matter what you want to accomplish this year, it’s in your grasp. Find your “why,” put together a plan, and take practical steps toward your goal. Remember, to get to every goal, you first have to go on a journey. It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it.

into physical therapy school. While working on my undergrad, I had purchased a new laptop for school, so I decided

to set the password to something that would remind me of my goal of getting into PT school.

A lot of people talk about setting goals, but at the same time, a lot of people don’t accomplish their goals. While it’s important to set goals, you

shouldn’t set goals just for the sake of setting goals. One of the biggest reasons why people don’t complete their goals is because they don’t have an emotional connection to those goals. Having a goal like “I want to get into shape this year!” is great, but what’s the “why” behind it? Why is it important to you ? When my nephews were very little, my mother-in-law realized they were able to outrun her, even though they were under 5 years old. It hit her that she should be able to catch these kids. In that moment of realization, she started her fitness journey. She wanted to get in shape so she could keep up with them. That was her “why.” She put in a ton of work and became an absolute powerhouse! Now that I have three young kids, I’m grateful she went on this journey. She runs around with them and can practically wear them out. Plus, no one believes she’s her age! And it all comes back down to a goal she set for herself. And because she had an emotional connection to that goal, there was no way she was going to let it go.

Once you’ve found your “why,” another way to keep your goal top of mind is to have a mantra or a daily reminder of that goal, like my laptop password. Write it down on a piece of paper or a sticky note. You want to see it every single day to remind you what your goal is and why you’re going after that goal.

- Delaine Fowler , PT, DPT

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ESSENTIAL STRETCHES EVERYONE MUST DO!

Exercise and diet are the foundation of any healthy routine, but there’s often a vital component to wellness many of us forget: stretching! Start your day off right with these essential stretches. Neck Stretches Neck pain or tightness can lead to chronic headaches and even difficulty concentrating, but in just two moves, you can loosen the muscles in your neck. • Neck Pull: Start by raising your right hand above your head. While looking forward, bend your arm down toward your head and place it near your left ear. Then pull your head toward your right shoulder, placing minimal force on your head. Repeat as needed on both sides. • Neck Push: Sit cross-legged on the floor. Place one hand flat on the ground, as if you were pushing the ground away. While looking forward, tilt your head in the opposite direction of that arm. Hold the position for 20 seconds and switch sides, repeating as needed. Leg and Hip Stretches A tight torso can be painful, no matter what your daily activities are. Taking a few moments each morning to loosen your muscles after waking up can combat chronic pain and stiffness.

• Hamstring Hang to Downward Dog: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend forward until you’re folded in half. Grab your elbows and lightly swing side to side. After a few moments, lay your hands on the floor and walk your hands forward until your body is in a triangular shape. Stay there for a few seconds and pedal your feet for a deeper stretch. To end, either lower your knees down or walk your hands back to your feet and stand up. Back Stretches Your spine carries you all day long. Give it the proper foundation to avoid pain throughout the day. Here are two exercises to get you started. • Cat/Cow: Start on your hands and knees. Inhale and arch your back upward (cat) and as you exhale, lower your spine below neutral and look upward (cow). Repeat as necessary. • Child’s Pose: After cat/cow, lower down onto your forearms and keep your neck neutral, staring down at the floor. Sit your butt down onto your ankles and breathe deeply for a few moments. As with any form of exercise or stretching, always consult with a professional before you begin. In fact, a physical therapist can help you develop a routine that targets your troublesome areas!

WHATWE’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE NEWYEAR!

patient knowledge. Another professional goal is to step out of my comfort zone and teach a class! Personally, I look forward to spending time with my family. My personal goal is to continue focusing on health, both physically and mentally. Kim Kennerly — I’m looking forward to continuing to help our patients meet their goals while also still meeting our goals as a company. My goals for 2021 include getting more involved in community events around Salisbury and expanding our clinic’s impact on local athletes of all ages. Leslie Cataldo — I’m looking forward to seeing our practice grow with the amazing team we have. Helping one person at a time get back to enjoying their life. Professionally, my goals are to give the best care to all my patients and to hit sales goals (then exceed those goals)! Personally, my goals are to live a healthier life both mentally and physically and to try something new monthly. Willie Mitchell — I’m looking forward to continuing the work we do for our clients and community. I enjoy what I do and want that to be evident for each client. In terms of goals, personally, I want to build relationships in 2021 with family, friends, and associates. I want to better my spiritual foundation. Professionally, I plan to focus on continuing education and enhancing my practical performance to improve clients’ experiences and outcomes as well as offer a tangible skill provided by our practice.

What are you hoping for in 2021? We asked our staff what they were looking forward to in 2021 and what personal and professional goals they had set for themselves in the new year. Here’s what they had to say! Alecia Nelson — I look forward to getting back to some normalcy. My goal is to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves. Brittany Clodfelter — I’m looking forward to growing and expanding Accelerate to help more people in Rowan County and surrounding areas. My personal goal is to return to my fitness training to run a 5K in the spring and possibly a longer race in the fall! My professional goal is to expand our clinic and add another full-time therapist to our awesome team so we can help more people in the community! Carmen Saldana — I’m looking forward to a year of growth and opportunities. My personal goals are to improve my growth mindset and to learn how to make effective decisions. My professional goal is to strengthen my knowledge in my job position by continuing to ask questions and listening actively to improve each day.

Jessica Parry — I’m looking forward to 2021 professionally, with hopes of continuing to grow our

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STAFF SPOTLIGHT

JANUARY SPECIALS

There’s a good chance you’ve met Leslie Cataldo. She’s been an Accelerate PT staple going on three years now! As a patient care provider, she’s involved in many aspects of the clinic, including one of her favorites — working with patients! Of course, she absolutely loves the staff, too! Leslie Cataldo Rings in the NewYear!

Buy a 6-pack of LASER treatments, get 2 free.

NEW patients only: Schedule your full care plan and receive 2 FREE Dry Needling sessions with your treatments! AMP plan: 1 year for $1500 for once per week visits or $2800 for twice per week visits (includes LASER, Dry Needling, or manual intervention).

She joined Accelerate after hearing from Delaine who needed help at the clinic. Delaine is one of Leslie’s close friends and knew how much Leslie loved people, so she asked if she would be willing to take on a role at Accelerate. The rest is history — it turned out to be a great fit! Like many of the staff at Accelerate, Leslie has also needed physical therapy. As is quite common, she dealt with headaches and also had issues related to back pain and plantar fasciitis. PT was the answer, and today, Leslie is much better because of the help she received from her therapist. It’s just another thing that gives our staff perspective when working with our patients. We’ve been there. Outside of work, Leslie is happiest when she is with her boys, her husband, and the dog! Together, they have a passion for the outdoors and take every chance get to travel, camp, or anything else they can find to do together as a family. Going into the new year, like so many of us, Leslie is praying that the virus will finally say goodbye. One big reason is that she’s excited to see her oldest son back on the stage doing what he loves, and she’s just as excited to visit Chicago with her youngest.

Call 704.630.9656 to sign up!

WORD SEARCH

FAMILY FIREWORKS FRIENDS JANUARY MIDNIGHT

BEGINNING CELEBRATION CLOCK COUNTDOWN

NEW PARTY WINTER YEAR

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INSIDE

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• Shoot for the Moon, Hit the Stars! PAGE 1 • Essential Stretches to Start Your Day • Here’s What We’re Excited for in 2021! PAGE 2 • Ring in the New Year With Leslie • Word Search PAGE 3 • Give Yourself the Boost of Getting Outside PAGE 4

LET THAT FRESH AIR FUEL YOU 4 TIPS TO MAKE GETTING OUTSIDE EASIER

3. Take your work outside. If you’re working from home, take some work outdoors. Phone and virtual meetings are a great outdoor option, especially if you’ll just be an active listener and aren’t required to do any work simultaneously. Attach a note

Hunkering down and waiting for the dark and chilly winter season to

pass sounds pretty nice. But the reality is, if we deprive ourselves of time outside, we do ourselves a big disservice both mentally and physically. Staying indoors all day affects your energy and mood, which makes it hard to get anything done, so here are four easy tips to make it easier to get a little fresh air. 1. Make it a priority. Getting outside means making the conscious effort to do so. If you want to reap its benefits, you have to decide to make it a priority in your day-to-day schedule. If you make the act important to you, you have more motivation to actually do it. 2. Use mornings effectively. Waking up and getting the day started can be hard. But studies have shown that natural light helps decrease your melatonin production, which means you feel ready to face the day sooner. So, set yourself a second alarm to head outside and take a quick walk around the block just after waking. Don’t even wash your face or grab coffee. Just get out there.

to your meeting reminders to get yourself set up outside five minutes before you start.

4. Create a schedule. It might feel strange to set reminders throughout the day to step outside, but you easily get wrapped up in activities and overlook breaks, and these reminders are exactly what you need. Start with 10-minute blocks three times a day. If you stick to them, soon you won’t need a schedule to get outside anymore. Winter weather may be cold, but even when you’re bundled up under a jacket and scarf, just 5–10 minutes outside can do wonders for your mood and energy for hours.

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