Vital Care PT - November 2018

Vital Care PT - November 2018

MONTHLY

NOVEMBER 2018

(623) 544-0300 WWW.VITALCAREREHAB.COM T he S eason for G ratitude WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR?

Vital Care Patients ENTER TO WIN Find the misspelled word in this newsletter and call (623) 544-0300 for your chance to win a $10 gift card! CALL (623) 544-0300 Contest is for past and present Vital Care PT patients only. First, I have the utmost admiration for my employees. Running a business can be a complex and difficult task, but having a phenomenal team that I can trust significantly reduces the stress. In fact, my employees are some of the most loyal and dependable people I have had the pleasure of meeting. The process Given the number of holidays that take place this time of year, many people find themselves stressed, exhausted, and frustrated while trying to prepare for family celebrations. For example, in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, families will rid their house of every speck of dust, brave chaotic grocery stores to go shopping, and spend hours prepping the turkey before dinner. This frenzied practice causes many people, myself included, to lose sight of what is actually important this time of year: gratitude. That is why I want to spend some time this month focusing on the people I am most thankful for.

of finding an ideal candidate for a position, taking them through the hiring process, and then helping them get fully trained takes up a lot of time. But it’s necessary for the success of both the business and the employee. Fortunately for me, all the members of my team have been here for three years or more. That has really aided us in building strong relationships with one another and keeping the clinic running smoothly.

their rehabilitation, take responsibility for their own health, and demonstrate their gratitude so thoughtfully. In fact, our clinic seems to always have plates full of homemade cookies or delicious fruit-filled pies brought in by patients!

Lastly and most importantly, I am thankful for family, health, and the opportunities we have to make memories

“I want to spend some time this month focusing on the people I am most thankful for.”

One great example of my staff’s amazing work ethic occurred just recently. Many patients know Tim, one of our providers who has been with Vital Care Physical Therapy for five years now. I’ve always considered Tim a true asset to our clinic, but recently, he reminded me just how great of a teammate he really is. I arrived to work and noticed that Tim’s first patient had cancelled her appointment. Even though it was early in the morning and Tim didn’t have another patient scheduled for a couple more hours, he decided to clean the building’s air vents without any prompting. Now this type of hardworking behavior isn’t surprising to come from Tim — he hasn’t called in sick in the five years he has been here — but his dedication to not just helping patients, but also maintaining the clinic is symbolic of the commitment my entire team brings to work every day. In addition to my wonderful team, I am also grateful for the patients we get to work with. Often, we get to see a patient 2–3 times a week, which means that we are able to build meaningful friendships with them. Our patients trust us with

together. Over Labor Day weekend, we were able to go to Forest Lakes to stay at our family cabin. My parents, sisters, nieces and nephews, my husband, and our kids got to spend the weekend hiking the surrounding trails and selling my dad’s homemade salsa. Every year, Dad grows up to 400 pounds of tomatoes in his garden! He then uses them to make salsa from his special recipe. This year, the kids sold over 60 jars to the neighbors in the community, and they loved every second of it. While there are many other aspects of my life for which I am thankful, my trustworthy and hardworking staff, my caring patients, and my amazing family will always top the list. This November, my team here at Vital Care Physical Therapy wishes you a happy Thanksgiving and encorages you to take time to consider all you are grateful for this year.

–Andrea McWhorter

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H ow T hanksgiving B ecame a N ational H oliday SARAH HALE

Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays celebrated throughout the United States. One of the first documented Thanksgiving celebrations took place in 1621 when Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a feast together. But the banquet, which celebrated the colonists’ first successful harvest, wasn’t just one large meal, nor did it last for only one day; in fact, the feast lasted for three days. In later years, Thanksgiving also lasted for longer than a single meal. During the time of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress chose several days throughout the year to celebrate giving thanks. Then, in 1789, George Washington made the U.S. national government’s first Thanksgiving proclamation. He used this to speak to his fellow American citizens about the Revolution’s satisfactory conclusion and encouraged them to show their thanks for the freedoms they gained. Thanksgiving became a national holiday more than 200 years after its first celebration. It gained this status largely due to the persistence of a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale. Hale was a successful magazine editor, prolific writer of novels and poems, and author of the famous S uccess S tories OUR CLIENTS SAY IT BEST Thanks to Kacey and all of your team for helping me get stronger and more able to get back to doing every day activities. I really appreciate that exercises I’ve learned I can continue at home without fancy equipment. Thank you for the great care. – Mona Gruhl I had complete knee replacement surgery on Feb. 3, 2017. My knee was in extremely bad condition after four surgeries dating back to 1975. I feel like I am 95 percent now of what I used to be, but two months ago, I never thought I would be this mobile again. Andrea, Keith, Jim, Justin, and all the others were very instrumental in my recovery. I never thought I would “graduate” from therapy in less than two months. I am excited for my future and plan to be diligent in my exercises to create a more normal lifestyle for myself in the future. I highly recommend Vital Care for physical therapy.

nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” which was first published in her 1830 collection entitled “Poems for Our Children.”

In 1827, Hale began a campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. For the next 36 years, she wrote numerous editorials and countless letters to state and federal officials expressing her desire that it gain official status. In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln finally declared it a national holiday, hoping that it would help heal the wounds of the country. Lincoln decided that the holiday would take place on the last Thursday of November. It was celebrated on that day until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving a week earlier in the hopes of increasing retail sales during the Great Depression. However, this plan was very unpopular, and in 1941, the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. Without the efforts of Sarah Hale, we might not have the pleasure of the Thanksgiving feast we know and love to this day. This year, give thanks for family, good food, and the resolve of one woman who recognized the importance of Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

– Rich Hoyt

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STRONG ABS CAN HELP WITH BACK PAIN Y ou D on ’ t E ven N eed a S ix -P ack Your back is likely the most overworked part of your entire body. Between picking up your grandkid after they fall on the playground, swinging your club to make par on the back nine, and pushing the mower back and forth across your lawn, you put a lot of strain on your back, which can lead to injuries. While it is practically impossible to go a day without overusing this area, strengthening your core and gluteal muscles can significantly reduce your risk of back injury. The vast majority of patients who come into Vital Care Physical Therapy are dealing with some kind of back pain, and they are always surprised when our therapists recommend abdominal workouts to combat it. You might be wondering, “What do my abs have to do with my back?” Kacey Kline, one of our former physical therapist assistants, describes it best with an analogy: She has patients think of their abdominal muscles as either a girdle or football pads and the strings they pull to tighten them as their back muscles. If the girdle or the pads aren’t the right fit for your body, then you will overwork the strings trying to get them tight enough. In the same way, if your core isn’t strong enough to support your body’s movements, you will overwork your back to compensate when lifting. This overcompensation leads to injuries and a lot of pain. If you come in with back pain, our therapists will start by giving you an anterior pelvic tilt test to determine if your core muscles are weaker than they should be. If we find that your back is making up for your abs, then we create a regimen of exercises to help you retrain your body to find a balance. For example, you should be able to naturally lift a heavy object with your legs and glutes or easily activate your abdominal muscles when carrying a heavy object or lifting it overhead without relying solely on your back. Retraining your body to find this balance takes a lot of hard work initially, but trust us, your back will thank you for it!

S picy , C reamy S weet P otatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 5 pounds sweet potatoes • 1 cup canned coconut milk • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375 F. On a large sheet pan, bake potatoes until very soft, approximately 75 minutes. 2. Let potatoes cool until they are safe to handle, then peel and mash. 3. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine coconut milk and curry paste. Once mixed, add the mixture, salt, half the sugar, and half the butter to potatoes. 4. 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 425 F. Spread potatoes in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. 5. Uncover potatoes and dot with remaining butter and sugar. Broil until brown, crusty, and delicious. Serve hot.

Inspired by The New York Times

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I nside 14545 W. Grand Ave., #108 Surprise, AZ 85374

THIS ISSUE

What Are You Thankful for This Year? PAGE 1

How Thanksgiving Became an Official Holiday!

Success Stories PAGE 2

Spicy, Creamy Sweet Potatoes

What Do Your Abs Have to Do With Your Back? PAGE 3

3 Movie Locations to Captivate Your Eyes PAGE 4

3 FAMOUS MOVIE LOCATIONS YOU NEED TO VISIT

Why Watch the FilmWhen You Can See it With Your Own Eyes?

Movies captivate audiences partially because of their ability to transport you to a different place. The heart yearns to be taken places, and cinema facilitates that journey. But what if you could immerse yourself in those fantastical worlds by visiting the destinations that you’ve seen on the big screen? Here are three places that are worth the trip. HOBBITON The only aspect of “The Lord of the Rings” that is more compelling than the fantastical journey of Frodo is the alluring, untamed countryside and quaint towns that make up Middle Earth. The Green Dragon Inn, Bilbo’s house, and the rolling hills of New Zealand make for a backdrop that will transport you straight into the life of Middle Earth’s smallest people — only these houses aren’t small at all. And you don’t need large, hairy feet to enjoy them. CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL Harry Potter captured the imagination of the world. There are multiple sites across the United Kingdom where you can get lost in the adventure that shaped a generation, but there is one spot at the top of almost every fan’s list. Hogwarts is a magic castle in J.K. Rowling’s books, but in real life, its film location is a functioning cathedral in Oxford. Take one step

onto the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral, and you might begin to wonder when the next Quidditch match will begin. TIKAL NATIONAL PARK When George Lucas witnessed a poster of this famous archeological site, he didn’t see an ancient culture — he saw Yavin IV, the perfect location for the Massassi Outpost, a rebel haven found in the first film of Star Wars. Though the movie paints a futuristic look at the region, walk through Tikal National Park, and you’ll experience it as a trip through history.

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