Horizon PT - March 2021

Horizon PT - March 2021

physical therapy and rehabilitation

March 2021

3600 Miller Road, Flint, MI 48503 • 810-620-8042 • horizonptflint.com

LESSONS FROM 50 CENT THAT I DIDN’T LEARN IN SCHOOL If Not Fearless, Fear Less

I f you’re a parent to a school-aged child, you may know that March 2 is National Read Across America Day. Since it’s meant to encourage children to read, it’s no surprise that it falls on Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Though this day is aimed at children, it’s a good reminder to us all to pick up a book and experience the power of reading. When I was a student in physical therapy school, I had more than enough academic reading to keep me busy, so I never really had time to read for pleasure or even to learn about other things I was interested in. Now that the days of assigned reading are far behind me, I can create my own life syllabus, so to speak, and much of what I like to read these days are books about human behavior — including my own! As I’ve gotten older and become established in my PT career, I find reading is a great way to continue growing personally and professionally. A lot of my motivation to read comes from a desire to learn more about how to help and understand my patients. Reading is a way for me to develop skills that I didn’t learn in school and might not otherwise know. While you may think I learned how to help my patients in school, that’s not entirely the case. Much of my education was about the technical aspects of physical therapy, but when I became a practitioner, I found that wasn’t all I needed to help all my patients! I ran into an unexpected and frustrating challenge in my early days as a PT: Some people say they want to get better, but in reality, they don’t. And it’s not possible to help someone who isn’t willing to accept the help and do the work required. Other physical therapists might just write those patients off, but not me. I got curious. I wanted to know more about human motivation and mindset, so I could help get my patients involved in their healing process. The only way to do that is to understand what the person is looking for and what their goals are. You have to build a good connection — only then can you really help them. While I’ve read many books over the years that have helped me better understand people, there’s one that stands out, and one of its authors might surprise you. Here’s a hint: You can find him in da club with a bottle full of bub.

That’s right, rapper 50 Cent wrote a book about personal growth — with help from bestselling author Robert Greene. It’s called “The 50th Law” and it’s actually really good. “The 50th Law” is a follow-up of sorts to Greene’s earlier book “The 48 Laws of Power,” which I’ve also read. But what I like about the 50 Cent and Greene collaboration is that there are just 10 main principles that all center on one main point: Fear nothing . Or more realistically, fear less. Fear is a strong emotion, and if you aren’t aware of its role in your life, it can easily take over and influence your decisions without you realizing it. It also feeds on itself and can really cause you to lose energy and motivation to work toward your goals and dreams. It’s easy to succumb to fear because there’s so much we can’t control. However there’s one thing we can control, and that’s our mindset. The book’s 10 chapter titles really succinctly explain the principles that make up the 50th Law. 1. See Things for What They Are: This means that you don’t let your ego or emotions color your perception of what’s going on. I try to help my patients see the reality of the situation by first understanding them and then explaining what we can (and can’t) do to help them reach their goals. 2. Make Everything Your Own: This is about self-reliance. Being self-reliant is the ultimate freedom. For my patients, this can mean addressing their pain or injuries and getting back to living life with full function. 3. Turn Sh*t Into Sugar: This is my favorite takeaway from the book. It reminds us that every negative situation contains the possibility for something positive. Everything’s an opportunity if you look at it that way. In fact, a lack of resources can lead to inventiveness. Or as 50 Cent says, “Every negative is a positive. The bad things that happen to me, I somehow make them good. That means you cannot do anything to hurt me.”

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PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD

Understanding Plantar Fasciitis

With spring just around the corner, many people are itching to get out of the house and back into their outdoor activities. If winter has kept you from your outdoor jogs or walk, you may be especially quick to jump back into a workout routine. But this is a great time to learn about one of the most common foot ailments — plantar fasciitis. Armed with this knowledge, you can try to avoid this common overuse injury or know what to do if you start experiencing pain. WHAT IS PLANTAR FASCIITIS AND WHO’S AT RISK? It is the inflammation of the band of tissue — the plantar fascia — that connects your heel to your toes. It’s commonly seen in runners, those who are overweight, those who have to stand for prolonged periods, and those who exercise without wearing the proper footwear. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? Heel pain is the most common symptom of plantar fasciitis. You may also experience inflammation, swelling, calf pain, tingling in the legs, as well as difficulty flexing the foot or walking. Occasional heel pain after a walk or run is normal, but you should seek treatment if you’re experiencing intense pain that interferes with your daily activities. HOW CAN I TREAT IT? Physical therapy is a great way to treat or even help prevent plantar fasciitis! The team at Horizon PT can evaluate your activities and goals to help come up with a plan to prevent or treat heel or other foot pain. This may include

stretches, exercises, and evaluation of your footwear and gait. We can also suggest some warmups to do prior to engaging again in physical activity if you’ve taken a break. When the sun starts to shine and the days get longer, it’s natural to feel more energized and ready to move! It’s important to remember to start any new exercise routine cautiously and ease into it. Set a goal for yourself and let us help you reach that goal safely. If you do get overzealous and find yourself experiencing plantar fasciitis or other pain, or if you sustain an injury, remember that PT is a great way to address your pain and get you back to doing the activities you love.

A Pain-Free Tomorrow OUR PAT I ENTS SAY I T BEST

“Wonderful place — Jerome is awesome, and his staff is extremely helpful and accommodating. They really work with you to find the source of the problem and put together the right exercises and stretches to get you back to 100%. 10/10 would recommend to anyone, very personable and professional.”

“I had a very good experience, and I had no pain when I left. I would recommend to anyone who has any problems and needs therapy to come here.”

–Rufus

–Allison

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9. Push Beyond Your Limits: PT is a lot about helping people understand and respect their limits, but this point is really about believing in yourself and setting goals. This is perfectly aligned with how we approach patient care. Sometimes the right information or encouragement from a PT can help give a patient more confidence. 10. Confront Your Own Mortality: Okay, this might seem dramatic, but think about 50 Cent growing up in Queens, New York, being raised by his grandmother after his mom died when he was just 8 years old. The truth is, remembering that life doesn’t last forever can be a great motivator to fear less and live the life you want to live. This book, and so many others, has taught me that I need to have a great understanding of each patient’s purpose and mindset to be able to help them. Without books, I wouldn’t be armed with all the extra knowledge I’ve gained that helps me in so many different ways. (I’ve even read books written by women about relationships to better understand my wife!) If these 10 principles have made you curious, check out “The 50th Law” to learn more. I really appreciated the insights, and you may notice the next time you’re in for PT how I put them into play!

4. Keep Moving: This one is pretty self-explanatory. If you let fear rule, you will hold yourself back. Fear less, and you’ll keep moving and growing. As I said before, getting to know my clients’ goals and their mindset can help me see when fear might be playing a role in their recovery process. When that’s the case, I try to explain how PT can help and give them the information they need to get where they want to go. 5. Know When to Be Bad: Being bad means getting over your fears about confronting people. Fear less and be bold. 6. Lead From the Front: Basically, leading from the front means practicing what you preach. This has been a key lesson for me as a business owner. My team is not just listening to what I say, they’re watching what I do. The same goes for my patients. 7. Know Your Environment From the Inside Out: Know your mind first, then make sure you are observing your environment and the people in it. Only then can you really make connections and grow. 8. Respect the Process: Mastery takes time. I mentioned that despite my years of education, I still had a lot to learn in my early days of PT. Achieving your goals or dream doesn’t come easy or fast. Accepting that and persevering is part of respecting the process.

-Dr. Jerome Adams

Have a Laugh

Green Goddess Smoothie

Inspired by AmbitiousKitchen.com

If you’re looking to get your green on, why not try this light smoothie?

Ingredients

• • •

1 1/2 cups fresh organic spinach

• • •

1 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1 organic apple, peeled and chopped

1 tbsp chia seeds

1/2 medium avocado

1 medium frozen banana

Directions

3. If necessary, add in more almond milk to thin the smoothie. 4. Serve immediately and enjoy!

1. In a large, high-powered blender, add in all ingredients. 2. Blend on high for 1–2 minutes, or until all ingredients are well combined.

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

THIS ISSUE Inside

What 50 Cent Taught Me About PT

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Testimonials

Green Goddess Smoothie

Meet This Life-Saving Rat From Cambodia

AN AFRICAN RAT RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GOLD MEDAL FOR SAVING LIVES

has been around since the 1990s, teaching animals how to detect land mines and tuberculosis.

A metal detector can take anywhere from 1–4 days to

detect land mines in the war-torn landscapes of Cambodia. However, a Gambian pouched rat named Magawa can detect them in 20 minutes.

Magawa only works for a half-hour during the day, but as he nears retirement age at 7 years old, Magawa has sniffed out 39 land mines and 28 unexploded munitions in his career. His tremendous work has now been recognized worldwide. In 2020, the U.K. veterinary charity PDSA gave Magawa its gold medal for “life-saving devotion to duty, in the location and clearance of deadly land mines in Cambodia.” Over 30 animals have received this award so far, but Magawa is the first rat. “To receive this medal is really an honour for us,” Apopo’s chief executive, Christophe Cox, told the Press Association news agency. “But also, it is big for the people in Cambodia, and all the people around the world who are suffering from land mines.” Now that’s a real hero if we’ve ever seen one. Thank you, Magawa, for all your hard work, and we hope you have a long and happy retirement ahead of you!

Magawa’s ability to sniff land mines has been lauded as “truly unique,” as he potentially saves hundreds of lives every day. Yet, he weighs a mere 2.75 pounds and is only 28 inches long. While that’s larger than your average rodent, Magawa is still light enough to safely step over land mines without setting them off. That’s been amazing news for Cambodians. The land mine problem began during the civil wars of the ‘70s and ‘80s, causing over 64,000 casualties and creating 25,000 amputees since 1979. But where did Magawa come from? A Belgium-registered charity named Apopo trained Magawa in Tanzania as part of the program HeroRATs where after a year of training, the animals become certified. This program

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