Physical Therapy Services, P.A. - May 2022

Physical Therapy Services, P.A. - May 2022

MAY 2022

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

EastTennessee Physical Therapy News

A Tribute to Our Founder, Dr. D THE LEGACY THAT REACHES BEYOND OUR DOORS

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

On Monday, April 25, 2022, Dr. Danny Dale Smith — our founder and our team’s champion and rock — passed away. Many knew him as Dr. D, although they may not know the tremendous grace Dr. D carried while traversing many less-traveled paths in his life. As the oldest physical therapy private practice in the state of Tennessee, Dr. D had many opportunities to rest on his laurels. But he didn’t. Always an innovator, Dr. D compassionately trained staff to put the patients first, and never took “no” as an answer.

This month’s newsletter is somewhat different. I am writing from a desk in my hospital room at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. I am here being treated by some of the world’s greatest scientists and physicians. I have been diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma, or a type of blood cancer. I am scheduled to be here for 120 days. Things are progressing nicely according to the medical staff. I am asking for prayers and thoughts for my family, my children, my grandchildren, and especially for my wife, who is here with me and will be for the entire 120-day stay. To say she is tough is an understatement. I appreciate all the cards, letters, and prayers from everyone at home.

On top of his dedication to his practice, he volunteered for 45 years as the sports medicine provider for Elizabethton High and surrounding county schools. His loyalty to his community was profound and beloved, ever since he was born in Elizabethton, Tennessee, to the late Dale and Joan (Honeycutt) Smith on Oct. 24, 1950. If anyone had lived true to the proverb “leave the world better than it was when you arrived,” it was certainly Dr. D. He started with his own neighborhood. Not only was Dr. D a gifted doctor, but he was also a gifted athlete. He grew up as a star baseball player at Elizabethton High School and earned a scholarship to play at Milligan College. After three years, he was accepted into Physical Therapy School at UT Memphis, graduating in 1973 with a B.S. in physical therapy. After moving back to east Tennessee, Dr. D earned a master’s degree at ETSU in 1978, and, by 1980, he became the founder of Physical Therapy Services, P.A., which continues to offer state-of-the-art physical therapy care.

I will be back in town before you know it. Love to you all,

–Danny

Of course, he didn’t stop his education there. He later earned his doctorate of physical therapy, becoming the first DPT in the state of Tennessee, from The Institute

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of Physical Therapy at University of St. Augustine in September 1996. Finally, Dr. D obtained his DhSC in health science in physical therapy at the University of St. Augustine in October 2000. Like our staff and patients, thousands of people learned to trust and celebrate Dr. D for his bright optimism, humility, and passion. During his 45 years of serving his community, he acted as an Elizabethton City School Board member from 1986-2000 and chairman from 1987-2000 and Kiwanian of the Year for years 2009, 2013, and 2021. He was even inducted into the Elizabethton High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

Within the world of physical therapy, he was the recipient of the Sports Physical Therapy Section Distinguished Service Award in 1999, the Sports Physical Therapy Section Ron Peyton Award in February 2009, the Turner A. Blackburn Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2011, the Sports Physical Therapy Section Hall of Fame in February 2011, the Mac Hensley Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2018, and the Carol Liken Award in February 2021. Dr. D started the first sports PT residency program in the state of Tennessee in 2012. No matter where Dr. D spent his time, whether with his family, his staff, his community, or by himself at the lake, the absence of his energizing presence will be felt everywhere. He will be greatly missed both as a doctor, a mentor, a community leader, an advocate for children in the community, and a family man. His legacy will be cherished at our practice, and far beyond our doors, for many years to come.

On the left side of the cover article is the last little blurb that Dr. D wrote to us all before he passed.

–Your Team at Physical Therapy Services, P.A.

Paddle Your Way to Better Health

BIG BENEFITS OF CANOEING AND KAYAKING

Mental Benefits

The weather is getting warmer, which means you can do more activities in the water. Canoeing or kayaking is an excellent way to get outdoors and be active. Besides looking at the beautiful scenery around you, taking to the water confers several physical and mental health benefits.

• While canoeing or kayaking, your body releases serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins from neurotransmitters. This will help boost your mood and self-confidence and improve your focus. • These activities can enhance your memory and learning ability. This is because it exercises your hippocampus, one of the largest portions of your brain that is responsible for verbal memory and learning. • If you have trouble sleeping, this activity can improve your sleep. Exercising during the day can make you naturally tired, which helps you fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night. • Since you’ll be in the sun, your body can produce more vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for strong bones and an effective immune system. Canoeing and kayaking are great outdoor activities to help you get your daily dose of physical activity and a mental health boost. So, enjoy the warm weather and be one with nature — this may be your new favorite summer hobby this year!

Physical Benefits

• Paddling can help improve your upper-body strength and muscle tone — because you’re using your arms to guide yourself through the water with the paddle. Paddling helps strengthen your arms, shoulders, chest, and back. • You use your legs to balance, maneuver, and change directions in the vessel. In turn, this movement helps strengthen your lower-body muscles. • While trying to stay centered and balanced on the water, you will develop more core strength . Paddling helps work your lower back, abs, and oblique muscles. • It’s a form of cardiac exercise that will help your heart circulate more blood throughout your body. It will also improve your endurance , enabling you to go longer distances faster.

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