The Decision To Become A Physical Therapist

The Decision To Become A Physical Therapist

Health & Wellness • N E W S L E T T E R • The decision to become a Physical Therapist usually has personal ties…

Mike’s story is a personal one relating to several injuries that occurred while running high school track. The first time he went to physical therapy, it was for an ACL tear which took 6 months of PT to recover from. During that time he developed a strong interest in the muscles and joints and how the body moves. He saw how debilitating an injury could be and how his physical therapist (and future mentor), Mae was able to help her patients recover while teaching themwhat they needed to know to make sure their recovery continued long after finishing PT. Once Mike finished PT for a second track injury, he started working for Mae at LSTC. He worked many days after school

as a tech while she mentored him and even encouraged himwhen he decided to study physical therapy. After graduation, Mae and her partner Mic offeredMike his first job as a physical therapist at LSTC. Unlike many new grads, he never left. Mike’s ultimate goal was to one day own his own Physical Therapy Practice. For a short time after Mae retired, LSTCwas owned by a local hospital chain. Mike worked hard and continued on up through the ranks and eventually became the full time director of LSTC. When the hospital decided they no longer wanted a satellite clinic, Mike decided it was time to head off on his own. He took ownership of LSTC and the rest is history…

Dee and Mike Bills at graduation. (1994)

I hope you enjoyed reading about howMike became a PT. If youwant more information about events and clinic happenings, like and follow us on Facebook: www.facebook. com/LoudounSportsTherapyCenter Wishing you well this month and always, Dee

Helpful Information: 3 simple things you can do to prevent back injuries while gardening!

1. Use a ladder only when necessary. No climbing up chairs or old, turned-over 5-gallon cans. Very few gardens have perfectly even surfaces. Don’t let a tippy ladder tip you over. If you can’t reach something, leave it alone or make sure you have a someone holding your ladder. 2. Be careful on that slope or bank; it is a trap waiting to cause you to tumble. Make sure you keep sure footing when navigating steep areas. However, if you should fall and have a muscle strain or sprain, seek help from your physician or physical therapist immediately.

3. Bring your gardening up to waist level. Those aching knees and back will love it when you bring your garden closer to your reach. Bending and lifting from the ground can be tiresome and hurtful for your back. Using raised beds or a gardening table makes everything in the bed reachable. Get an old table that is long and narrow, not square and deep. Create an easy container garden by adding an extra patio table with all your pots of herbs and flowers. Follow these simple tips to avoid any injuries. We want you to have a safe and enjoyable gardening experience this season.

21251 Ridgetop Circle Suite #140, Sterling, VA 20166 www.LoudounSportsTherapy.com 703-450-4300

Our Pat ient Spot l ight

Kathy came to LSTC after back pain started impacting her day to day schedule. Her jobs require that she be on her feet for several hours at a time. She worked hard, completed her plan of care here and is back to living life pain free! Success Story: “I can work my normal shift at my retail job without pain. Previously, after 2 hours the aching would start and I had difficulty bending over to pick something up off the floor. Now I move with more ease. After my shift is over I can get into my car without the aching and pain starting. I feel so much better. The therapists have been wonderful.”

Pat ient Resul ts

MY BACK PAIN IS GONE! “I ama workingmomand have a very active toddler. I experienced extreme lower back pain and radiating pain downmy right side prior to coming to LSTC. The pain was so intense I could hardly get out of bed, let alone lift my daughter. During the course of my treatment at LSTC my back became stronger, mobility improved substantially and today my pain is GONE! Thank you to the LSTC staff, especially Kate and Tricia for all you’ve done for me!” ~Akia M. I CAN WORK ON CRAFTS COMFORTABLY! “My back, core and legmuscles are stronger than they have ever been, and I hope will prevent further back injury. I have been back to work at both jobs, can volunteer, work on crafts comfortably and hope to/ plan to dance at my son’s wedding at the end of May!” ~Lisa K.

I CAN PLAY SOCCER AGAIN! “Before physical therapy, I had trouble doing daily activities and could not run or play soccer. I had a lot of weakness around my hip and was not flexible. I feel much stronger in my hip and very mobile as well as flexible. I am confident as I am starting to run and play soccer again. With the help of therapy, I can domy favorite activities like weight lifting, hiking, and soccer.” ~Sara N. I FEEL CONFIDENT I CAN NOW KEEP BOTH KNEES IN GOOD SHAPE! “Before I began the course of physical therapy, both of my knees felt weak, sometimes failed when going up stairs, and flared with pain almost daily. After completing the 14 sessions you prescribed, I’ve experienced no flaring of pain for the last several weeks. I have a large number of exercises that I can do at home and at the gym to maintain the strength of and aroundmy knees. I feel confident I can now keep both knees in good shape.” ~Mark P.

21251 Ridgetop Circle Suite #140, Sterling, VA 20166 www.LoudounSportsTherapy.com 703-450-4300

Don’t forget to take LSTC with you on your summer excursions! HERE’S HOW TO PLAY: 1.‘Like’ our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ LoudounSportsTherapy Center/) 2.Post a photo of you wearing your LSTC t-shirt on vacation and note where you were in the photo. 3.Then, complete this sentence in the post: ‘Physical therapy helped me ________’ in the post. If you don’t have facebook, you can also email your picture and info to [email protected] and we will post it for you. Starting now through August, we will draw a winner from all the submissions at the end of each month. On September 1st we will draw a GRAND PRIZE winner.

Welcome Mike Lengel, Athletic Trainer

The LSTC family would like to welcome our newest Athletic Trainer, Mike Lengel. Mike recently graduated from George Mason University. He hails from Charlottesville, VA where he developed a passion for fitness and weight lifting. His interests in anatomy, athletic performance and helping others drew him to the athletic training field. Mike is excited to help patients get back to activities they love. When he’s not working, Mike likes to play basketball, listen to live music and travel. Welcome to the team, Mike!

Ask a PT: Have a question about physical therapy, an injury or a pain you’re feeling?

Ask your question by posting it on our Facebook or twitter page

Q: I sit at a computer for 8 hours at work every day. What is the correct way for me to set up my chair at my computer desk so I don’t injure my back? A: • Push your hips as far back as they can go in the chair. • Adjust the seat height so your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are equal to or slightly lower than your hips. • Make sure your upper and lower back are supported. Place a lumber roll, a rolled up towel or a small pillow in the small of your back. If you have an active back mechanismon your chair, use it tomake frequent position changes. • Adjust the arm rests so that your shoulders are relaxed and at a 90 degree angle.

Congrats to James, our first big winner in our patient referral game raffle! James came to LSTC for a concussion and referred 2 other patients to LSTC. In addition to movie tickets, he also won a $50 gift card. The game starts over now! We will draw another name once we hit 13 patient referrals so play along!

21251 Ridgetop Circle Suite #140, Sterling, VA 20166 www.LoudounSportsTherapy.com 703-450-4300

21251 Ridgetop Circle Suite #140 Sterling, VA 20166 703-450-4300 www.LoudounSportsTherapy.com

Outpatient Physical Therapy Specializing In: Lower Back Pain • Neck Pain • Sciatica • Hip Problems • Shoulder Pain • Bursitis • Tendonitis • Frozen Shoulder Joint Pain and Replacements • Foot and Ankle Pain • Plantar Fasciitis • Knee Problems • Arthritis • Muscle Pains Sprains • Strains • Hand and Elbow Problems • Sports Injuries • Concussion Management Program Sports Performance Program • Return to Sport Program • Balance and Vestibular Problems • Other Conditions