Willow: Staying Active & Avoiding Injury

Enrich Your Own Life NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness MY TRIP TO INDONESIA

I just returned from a trip that I take almost every year. My husband and I are involved with helping a small organization who help poor and needy families on a small island in Indonesia. It is our heart and passion to assist where we can. We are not medical people, or skilled in any profession, but we love these people and just a friendly face and a word of kindness goes a long way. This organization has a medical clinic and small hospital that treat only the poor. They work with patients who have HIV, Tuberculosis, and Leprosy, along with the everyday ailments that happen along the way. What a joy it is to play a game of UNO with a man who had leprosy and was an outcast for 15 years. When he arrived at the medical clinic he couldn’t walk, but when a young physical therapist showed him how to stretch and do some exercises, he was able get around without the assistance of others. I love to help in the school. The children come from all different communities and are learning their lessons in English and their native language of Bahasa Indonesia. They are so bright. It’s fun to see the excitement in their faces to be able to attend school and to learn. I love to sit beside them and read a book to them or listen to them read to me. I love going on walks with them and talking

about everyday things. What a contrast to my busy life here at home. I come home refreshed and ready to go when I come back to Fairbanks. Helping others is an excellent way to enrich your own life! -Cathy Cady

NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness

“Don’t Slam On Your Brakes Every Time You Feel Pain!” STAYING ACTIVE & AVOIDING INJURY

INSIDE: How To Prevent Injuries Healthy Recipe Relieve Knee Pain In Minutes Patient Success Spotlight

Whether you just like to play weekend sports, walk for exercise or are an avid athlete, injuries can happen from time to time. It’s easy to sustain an injury to your muscles, tendons, or ligaments if you do not train properly. At the microscopic level, when muscles, tendons and ligaments are over-stretched, little tears form in the tissues. Your body normally heals quickly from this. However, the severity of the injury determines how

and it is wise to have proper physical therapy rehabilitation to recover. Even old sprains and strains can stay around to haunt you if they have not been properly rehabilitated. Tendonitis Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons from overuse.This can be for a variety of reasons, but typically, that body part is taking the strain due to poor body mechanics. For example, tendonitis in the shoulder or elbow is typically from poor posture of the neck and upper back. This causes an altered movement in the shoulder and arm, increasing strain on the tendons. Physical therapy helps by relieving the inflammation and pain while restoring normal motion and posture. If you suffer from aches, pains, or would just like to move better than you used to, call Willow Physical Therapy today to learn more about how physical therapy can help you LIVE LIFE PAIN FREE!

long it will take to fully recover. Sprains and Strains

Severe sprains and strains may require braces and even surgery.These can range from mild to severe. Realize, that for even mild sprains, the body can take about 6 weeks to heal the soft tissue. That means adequate rest and rehabilitation is needed to fully recover from this type of injury. The recovery from this can be longer, 8 weeks or more

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HOW TO PREVENT INJURIES

Stretch Stretching is one of the most important ways to prevent injuries. Your muscles and other tissues require oxygen, nutrients, and blood flow to be elastic. Stretching helps bring these things into the tissues making them more elastic and allowing them to stretch more. This prevents over-stretching and tearing. Hydrate and nutrition Your body is more than 70 percent water and therefore requires water to be supple and function at its best. Without adequate water and nutrition, your body’s tissues are more prone to injury. Hydrate and make sure you replenish the electrolytes you lost during activity with a sports drink like Gatorade. Stay within your abilities We have all heard of the term “weekend warrior” which means a person that has not prepared their body at all to go out and do extensive sports or activities on the weekend.Typically, this person is more prone to injury, just because they are not prepared. If you have a hard time running, then you wouldn’t go out and do a marathon. Make sure that you train properly and safely for the sport or activity you would like to try. Wear proper equipment Make sure you have the right equipment to prevent injuries when doing activities. Good running shoes, proper hiking boots, helmets and much more can make the difference when it comes to preventing injury.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment at 907-456-5990!

HEALTHY RECIPE Chicken Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS • 2 tbsp low sodium chicken broth • 1⁄4 cup onion, chopped • 1 small garlic clove, minced • 1⁄4 cup bell pepper, chopped • 2 chili peppers, minced (to taste) • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped

• 8 flour tortillas • 1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded • 1 1⁄2 cups cooked chicken, shredded • scallion, cut on the bias (garnish) • salsa (garnish) • nonfat sour cream (garnish)

DIRECTIONS In a medium-heavy skillet, saute the onions, garlic and peppers until soft in the 2 tablespoons chicken broth. Add the chili peppers and tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes more until the liquid has evaporated. Add the chicken and stir well to combine. Spray a cold skillet with the nonstick spray and heat over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/8 cup cheese. Add about a quarter of the chicken mixture and top with another 1/8 cup cheese. Cover with another tortilla and cook for two to three minutes or until golden brown. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for an additional two minutes. Remove from the heat and cut into edges. Keep warm while frying the remaining quesadillas. Serve with salsa, scallions, and fat-free sour cream.

SUFFERING FROM FOOT OR HEEL PAIN?

Patient Success Spotlight

Why Does My Foot Hurt? Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot.This tissue is called the plantar fascia. It connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot is overstretched or overused.This can be painful and make walking more difficult. Physical therapy is an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis by using stretches and manual therapy to restore mobility to the foot. Foot and shin pain can come on frommany different causes. The most commoncausesdevelop fromchanges in thewayyouwalk,un-supportive footwear, long term standing, walking, or running. The key to recovery is an early evaluation and treatment plan developed by a physical therapist. The therapists at Willow Physical Therapy will determine the cause of your problem and quickly decrease your pain. Theywillhelpyoufind thecorrectbalancebetweenstrengthandflexibility. This allows you to have pain free walking or running and return to activity as soon as possible. Help To Relieve Your Foot Pain Physical therapy is the natural way of helping your body recover from ankle/foot pain. At Willow Physical Therapy, your pain is extensively evaluated by an expert physical therapist who has years of training in medical evaluation of musculoskeletal and ankle/foot conditions.   Your physical therapist then addresses the root cause of your pain. The treatment plan may include modalities to relieve pain, specialized gentle manual therapy to increase soft tissue and joint mobility, and specific ankle/foot exercises to rebuild your strength.

Helping with my flexibility and strength!

“I was shown and talked through some good exercises/stretches that are helping with my flexibility and strength. Throughout all of my appointments, all of the exercises were made very clear and concise; all followed up with practical exercises.” - B. Thomas Jr.

Relieve Knee Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing knee pain.

IT BAND STRETCH - SIDELYING Lie on your side. Pull ankle of upper leg back as if stretching your quad. Put the ankle of your lower leg on the outside of your knee. Apply pressure downwards to feel a stretch along the side of your thigh. Hold for 5 seconds repeat 6 times on each side. Strengthens Knees www.simpleset.net

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