Willow PT: How to Relieve Shoulder, Elbow & Wrist Pain

NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness

Welcome Back Becca! REBECCA GRAYSON, DPT

Willow Physical Therapy is happy to welcome Becca back. Rebecca Grayson (Becca) is a travel PT and is originally from Bowling Green KY and has been a PT for 3 years. Becca enjoys working with post- op and general musculoskeletal injuries and has been certified in Trigger Point Dry Needling for 2+ years. She is also certified in Selective Functional Movement Assessment and her goal is to rehab people back towards the activities and hobbies that are important to them.

NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness

STRENGTHEN YOUR ROTATOR CUFF “Are You Protecting Your Shoulder From Injury?”

INSIDE: Use It Or Lose It Healthy Recipe Relieve Shoulder Pain In Minutes Patient Success Spotlight

Injury Causes Many shoulder injuries result from tasks requiring heavy lifting or repetitive reaching motions. Along with manual labor jobs, work around the house such as cleaning gutters or hanging up wet clothes are common culprits. In addition, athletic pursuits like weightlifting, swimming, and tennis can unfortunately lead to shoulder injuries. Along with these activities, passive movements can also be a problem. If you have continuous poor posture, the improper positioning of your shoulders, can make you extra vulnerable to scapula (shoulder blade) and rotator cuff injuries. Know The Warning Signs All of us experience occasional aches and pains from doing too much, which does not necessarily mean a chronic problem is emerging.

However, when those pains don’t go away, or when the uncomfortable feelings have certain characteristics, it’s important not to ignore them, and seek help. If you keep experiencing shoulder clicking or “popping,” for example, it may indicate a more serious problem in the shoulder area. Sharp pain should also be checked out with your physical therapist, as this means the shoulder joint is not moving in good alignment. There are also more easily-ignored symptoms, like a dull pain that runs along the side of your arm, or sudden arm weakness whenever you try to carry something or reach for an object. These symptoms, you should

If you are experiencing shoulder, elbow or wrist pain and need relief now, contact the professional therapists at Willow Physical Therapy for a pain-free and active life!

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USE IT OR LOSE IT

You can certainly ease problems associated with shoulder injury through medical attention and physical therapy. However, protecting your shoulders in the first place is always the best strategy. Make sure your posture is the best it can be at all times, whether it’s while you’re relaxing in your favorite chair, standing in line, hitting the gym, or working long hours at your desk. Think “up and back,” because letting the weight of your head and trunk rest forward puts pressure in all the wrong places, including your shoulders. Positioning yourself before sleep is also crucial; resting on your favorite side when the weight is on your shoulder can definitely create shoulder impingement over time. Avoid any positions where your arm is over your head while sleeping. You’ll additionally reduce wear and tear on your shoulders by being more mindful of how you use them. Does your job or sport absolutely require repetitive lifting, reaching or swinging? If so, it’s helpful to get coaching from a physical therapist—or even an actual coach—about how to reduce the strain on your shoulders by shifting your positioning and using the correct technique. Along with placing your body more efficiently to perform tasks, it’s also helpful to strengthen your shoulder muscles for light but frequent daily chores as well as strenuous, repetitive motions. Try to do a combination of some basic exercises a few times a week, in order to strengthen a range of muscles, including those in your rotator cuff region.

Doing wall push-ups—essentially a standing push-up in which you “lift off” from the wall rather than the floor—is one classic option. Secondly, consider buying resistance bands, which are inexpensive and portable. Attach them to a doorknob and pull them toward you, holding for a few seconds with each repetition. Do these reps in groups of five, two or three times a day. Lastly, don’t forget that classic “chair push-ups,” in which your arms do the work of lifting off the chair, are great for toning shoulder muscles. If you have questions about an aching shoulder or wondering if you are setting yourself up for injury, give us a call to speak with one of our physical therapists today. Your shoulders will be happy you did! http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00327 http://www.moveforwardpt.com/symptomsconditionsdetail.aspx?cid=95bd746b-b25f-46f5- 8373-fb56c9f6b46a

HEALTHY RECIPE Turkey Meatballs www.willowpt.com

INGREDIENTS • 1 lb ground turkey • 1 large egg beaten • 1/4 cup shaved parmesan

• 1 tsp basil • 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper • 1 (24 oz) jar red pasta sauce • 1/2 lb whole grain spaghetti

• 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder

DIRECTIONS Preheat broiler on high for 5 minutes. Combine all meatball ingredients in large bowl. Use your hands to mix the ingredients. Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop 18 meatballs onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Broil on top rack for 5 minutes. In a large skillet, bring pasta sauce to a low simmer. Add in cooked meatballs and simmer together for 5-10 minutes or until meatballs are completely cooked through. Serve with your choice of pasta, fresh basil, more parmesan and enjoy!

FAMILY ACTIVITIES IN THE SNOW

Patient Success Spotlight

For most families, winter/spring break brings with it celebrations, decorations,a tonof foodandawhole lotof fun.Butwhathappensduring the rest of the winter season? We understand that playing with toys can only go so far in keeping the kids entertained, so, to help you out, we’ve compiled a list of awesome, family-oriented activities that are specially designed to keep your days fun and active. 1. Enjoy the snow as a family. What better way to celebrate this season than to spend a little time outdoors in it? Rather than huddling in your nice, warm house, take some time to bundle up and enjoy the snow. Build a snowman, go sledding or have a family snowball fight. If you want to see the snow but not be in it, setting up a family nature walk is a great way to appreciate the beauty of winter. Spot different varieties of birds, collect leaves and twigs or take time to notice how things change with each season. The best part about being outdoors is you can always top it off with some nice hot chocolate and winter treats as a family. 2. Go ice skating. Onegreat thingabout living inAlaska is theaccessibility of awesome resources like the ice arenas. Take advantage of that by going ice skating as a family. Even the elderly can enjoy some time on the ice with a walker or other arena provided resources. 3. Craft it up. Keep the family activities free and fun with some at-home and do-it-yourself style craft projects that can be catered to family members of all ages. Frommaking paper snowflakes to indoor snowmen and edible snow, these tips and ideas are sure to provide hours of family fun with items you probably already have. Do you plan on being active this season with family, but are concerned about possible injuries occurring? Schedule an appointment with our physical therapists for a consultation on any risks or health conditions you may be concerned with. We’ll help you accomplish your active goals before the season ends! Kenner,Kari. “Top10WinterBreakActivities forFamilies:FunWays toKeepKidsBusyuntilSchoolStarts.”DailyHerald, 26 Feb. 2014, www.heraldextra.com/momclick/activities/top-winter-break-activities-for-families-fun-ways-to-keep/ article_b79c4fdc-7246-11e3-8a04-0019bb2963f4.html.

Brought me back to full function!

“Shoulder surgery brought me to complete dysfunction, and then Willow brought me back to full function again.” - Daniel G.

Relieve Shoulder Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing shoulder pain.

SCAPULAR RETRACTION Stand tall, shoulders relaxed. Pull shoulder blades back and down. Don’t hunch your shoulders. Repeat seven times. Loosens Tight Shoulders

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