Horizon PT - September 2021

Horizon PT - September 2021

physical therapy and rehabilitation

September 2021

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

AFTER A BUSY SUMMER Cooling Down

On a more personal note, I also traveled to Atlantic City with Flint’s Finest Basketball. You might remember that I started Flint’s Finest Basketball back in 2008 and have been coaching ever since. As a basketball fan, I thought this program would be an excellent way to give back to the community and encourage more kids to attend college. In addition to building technical skills and honing discipline and teamwork, the goal of Flint’s Finest is to get exposure — and ideally scholarships — for our players. We did exactly that during the tournament in Atlantic City, where many college coaches and scouts attended as well. The more we win, the more the team gets to play, and the more likely it is that someone will be impressed and offer a player a scholarship! At the end of the tournament, we had a record of 6–2 — not bad! Things around the office have been busy, too. If you haven’t been in to see us in a while, we hope you’ll notice some changes during your next visit. We’ve been investing in providing our patients with a better experience, and our most exciting addition is a new weight machine for use during treatment. We’ve also made cosmetic improvements, including painting the outside of our building and reinforcing the deck. It’s great to see the office get a much- needed facelift, and I believe patients will benefit from these improvements. It was a great summer, and we hope to have an equally busy fall. We hope to see you soon, so if you need an appointment, give us a call! 1 810-620-8042 -Dr. Jerome Adams

Summer is sadly drawing to a close with cooler temperatures and changing leaves just around the corner. It was great to have some semblance of normalcy back this year, and I’m grateful to have had a productive and fulfilling season. I started the summer by traveling to Nashville for some continuing education. It’s difficult to find time for these opportunities when you’re running a practice, so I was excited to learn and enhance my skills. Since I’m the only physical therapist at Horizon PT, the course was a great opportunity to socialize and “talk shop.” This class was on dry needling, which is a process where acupuncture needles are used on underlying trigger points. Though similar, dry needling is not acupuncture and requires different training. Dry needling treats muscle pain by improving blood flow to promote healing. I’ve been able to do a bit of dry needling at the practice in the past, but not as much as I’d like. With this added expertise, I hope to offer additional dry needling services to our patients in the future. “In addition to building technical skills and honing discipline and teamwork, the goal of Flint’s Finest is to get exposure — and ideally scholarships — for our players.”

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The Science Behind Sad and Mad Tears WHY YOU SHOULD CRY

CRYINGAND YOURHEALTH The benefits of crying have been explored by everyone from ancient philosophers to modern-day scientists. While philosophers noted the cathartic effects of crying, scientists have filled in the knowledge gaps about why crying feels good and how it’s actually good for us. The stress-reducing benefits of crying don’t just feel good in the moment. There are several secondary benefits such as: • Lower blood pressure, which keeps your heart healthy and helps you avoid stroke, heart failure, and dementia • Lower manganese levels, which helps decrease anxiety, irritability, and aggression • Decreased risk of ulcers and other digestive issues • Decreased risk of tension headaches and migraines Finally, crying serves an important social role. Tears elicit sympathy, signal that something is wrong, and facilitate connection during hard times. If you find yourself having chronic or uncontrollable bouts of tears, something else may be going on and you should seek professional help. But if you find yourself crying when stressed, angry, or sad, embrace your tears, knowing they’re helping make you healthier both mentally and physically.

Ronda Rousey is tough. She was the first American woman to earn a medal in the Olympics for judo, and she was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame to commemorate her six titles. Rousey is noted for her physical and mental toughness, so it might surprise you to learn that she loves a good cry.

“I really cry all the time … Everything [makes me cry]. Especially during fight week,” she told the Huffington Post.

While crying is more often associated with weakness than strength, the science of the tears we shed when we’re emotional — including feelings of anger, sadness, and stress — shows that crying actually makes us healthier. MORE THAN JUSTWATER Before you cry, you may feel a welling up of tears in your eyes that makes them appear watery. While tears of all types are mainly made up of water, scientists say that they are distinguished by their chemical makeup. Biochemist Dr. William H. Frey produced foundational scientific research on the science of crying. He collected tears from research participants who cried while watching a sad movie and compared their tears to participants who cried because of a cut onion. Frey said the emotional tears were not only unique to humans but that they’re also a “unique kind of tear.” Their unique chemical makeup has both a detoxifying and stress-reducing effect. Emotional tears have higher levels of ACTH, a stress hormone released by crying. They also have higher levels of endorphins and oxytocin, which are known to reduce both stress and pain.

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

“I really enjoy lifting weights to get my shoulder better. Ashley was really nice and helpful. I will miss the moist heat. Thanks.”

“The workout really helped out!”

–Ronald Rhodes

– Michael Stokes

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COVID-19 RECOVERY CAN TAKE TIME Physical Therapy Can Help

of COVID-19 infection are not known, roughly 10% of patients have also reported “long COVID-19.” Long COVID-19 can result in symptoms lingering for months or even longer, and many patients report that engaging in physical activity exacerbates their symptoms. Thankfully, a physical therapist can help you feel more like your old self. Among other benefits, physical therapy can help you improve your breathing patterns, oxygen saturation rates, tolerance for physical activity, and rate of perceived exertion (RPE), all of which will make you feel healthier and stronger. Physical therapy can also help reduce anxiety and depression, which has been shown to appear in as many as 1 in 3 COVID-19 patients within the six months following their recovery. If you’ve recently recovered from COVID-19 or are still experiencing symptoms some time after your diagnosis, Horizon PT is here to help. We have experience with therapies that will help speed up your recovery and prevent chronic complications, and any treatment will be tailored specifically to your needs. Set up an appointment today to get your health back on track.

COVID-19 symptoms can range

from mild to severe. While those who are lucky will experience nothing more than a light

cold, others will suffer acute illness requiring hospitalization and intensive care. For some, COVID-19 can result in

a permanent disability and require significant lifestyle alterations.

If you’ve survived COVID-19, there’s a good chance your fight didn’t end when you left the hospital or

got your first negative test. Patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can experience fatigue, difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, or pain for weeks after the virus has left their bodies. While all of the long-term effects

Watermelon Jicama Salad

Have a Laugh

Inspired by BonAppetit.com

This late-summer salad hits every flavor note and is a great way to get acquainted with jicama, a root vegetable native to Mexico that you’ve probably passed numerous times in the produce section! It’s easy to prepare (just peel and eat) and has the crispness of an apple and the satisfying starch of potato.

Ingredients

• • •

1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped

• • • •

1 3-lb seedless watermelon

3 tbsp fresh lime juice Kosher salt, to taste

1 small jicama

1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced

1 scallion, thinly sliced

Directions

3. In a large bowl, combine the

1. Prepare the watermelon by removing the rind and cutting the melon into 2 1/2-by-1/2-inch sticks. 2. Peel the jicama with a vegetable peeler, then cut it into sticks the same size as the watermelon.

watermelon and jicama with jalapeño, scallion, cilantro, and lime. Sprinkle with kosher salt, toss gently to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning.

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810-620-8042

3600Miller Road Flint, MI 48503

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

THIS ISSUE Inside

Catching Up With Dr. Adams

The Science of Crying

Testimonials

Recovering From COVID-19? PT Can Help

Late Summer Watermelon Jicama Salad

Get a Jump on Winter Blues With Fall Exercise

GET A JUMP ON WINTER BLUES

AND EXERCI SE THROUGH THE FALL

Similarly, winter provides a great time to focus on a new type of fitness goal, like building muscle in an indoor facility or taking martial arts classes at the gym. It doesn’t matter what you do; what matters is that you do it. Stay active! While it’s a bummer that you can’t go trail running or biking, any exercise is better than none.

Less sunlight can have a negative impact on your mental well-being, and as you head into the darker, chillier months, worsening weather and shorter days can make staying in shape more of a chore than a joy. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. With a few tricks, you can thrive through the cold season. Finding ways to stay active while cooped up inside has never been easier. Thanks to the pandemic, online exercise courses, at-home workouts, and remote Zumba classes grew in popularity and are still going strong. If you embraced these for your summer workouts to avoid the heat, you can continue that routine this fall and winter and keep up your exercise, mixing it up if one course gets stale.

And don’t wait to get started: Add that “winter workout” into your weekly routine now. Not only will it help make the transition a little easier when you can’t go for your morning run, but also, if you’re trying a new sport, activity, or exercise, it gives you a buffer in case you decide it’s not for you after all.

Don’t let bad weather or fewer daylight hours be an excuse for less exercise. Your brain will thank you, and who knows? You might actually have fun, too.

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