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5 Tips for a Healthier You!

May 18, 2021 – America has seen a staggering increase in obesity rates over the years. “From 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4%, and the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%.” (Source: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html)

Today, more than ever, it is important for us to reflect on what a healthy lifestyle looks like and consider taking steps to becoming healthier. Whether you are struggling with weight (this can mean underweight, borderline-overweight, overweight, or obese), decreased strength, chronic pain or fatigue, poor blood panels, or heart conditions such as high blood pressure a lifestyle modification should be in order. Healthy lifestyles can help prevent these issues from worsening and prevent overmedicating in the future.  “More than 131 million people — 66 percent of all adults in the United States — use prescription drugs.” (Source: https://hpi.georgetown.edu/rxdrugs/) According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Americans consume 75 percent of the world’s prescription drugs. Nearly three in five American adults take a prescription drug at any given time. To reduce the use of prescription drugs and improve overall health, it is important to find ways to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Here are some tips to get you started!

1. Get up and move at least once every hour for 5 minutes or more if you are working in the same position for multiple hours. It is important to break up the same posture through movement to boost energy levels and prevent pain.
2. Check your posture regularly! This might require setting an alarm on your phone every 30 minutes as a reminder to sit/stand up straight with your head and shoulders back. Avoid that forward head posture to prevent future complications
3. Drink enough water. The recommended intake for fluids is half of your body weight in fluid ounces and at least half of those needs to be water. For a 200-pound individual that would require 100 fluid ounces a day and at least 50 fluid ounces of that should be water.
4. Exercise on a regular basis. According to the American College of Sports Medicine all healthy adults aged 18–65 years should participate in moderate intensity aerobic physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes on five days per week, or vigorous intensity aerobic activity for a minimum of 20 minute on three days per week. Every adult should perform activities that maintain or increase muscular strength and endurance for a minimum of two days per week.
5. Eat well! Feed your body with nutritious foods such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. These whole foods will provide you with the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy and energized. Consider growing a garden this summer to save money on produce and promote quality recreation for you and your family or friends. If you are having difficulty with nutrition and would like more assistance, visit a nutritionist near you for guidance.

If you need assistance with any of these or if just getting these started is tough for you please contact us at Witte Physical Therapy to schedule a free consultation to learn more about what we can do to help you get started!

Resources: 

https://ieltsonlinetests.com/essay-samples/government-should-ensure-healthy-lifestyle-people

What is Chronic Pain?

May 11, 2021 –

You’ve been diagnosed with “chronic pain”. Now what? This blog will discuss what chronic pain is, how it is caused, signs and symptoms, treatment, and expectations.

Chronic pain is any bodily discomfort that lasts for more than three months or beyond normal healing time for that particular condition. Chronic pain can cause brain changes. When pain is constant or chronic it causes the nervous system to be on “high alert”, causing more sensitivity to pain. This can cause cells in the nervous system to be on high alert which makes the brain interpret normal sensations as “painful”. This cycle allows a person to stay in a constant or chronic state of pain. The brain’s job is to protect you from potentially harmful sensations, but with chronic pain the brain reacts to non-harmful stimuli in a negative way making the individual feel like something is really wrong when actually nothing is torn or broken.

      Common complaints include:

• “everything hurts”
• Sudden stabbing sensations of pain
• Pain may “have a mind of its own”
• Symptoms can appear even if you are not doing anything to cause them
• It feels worse when thinking about it
• It feels worse when you go through upsetting or stressful events in your life
• You may feel more anxious and depressed
• Symptoms may feel like they are spreading from one area to another
• You may feel fatigued and afraid to do your normal activities

These complaints are common, but do not necessarily mean your physical condition is worsening. It may just mean your nervous system is sensitive.

      Signs and symptoms can include:

• Fearfulness
• Body stiffness
• Deconditioning
• Decreased circulation
• Weight gain and/or a worsening of other conditions
• Feeling the need to increase medication use

 How can physical therapy help?

            The physical therapists at Witte Physical Therapy will work with you and educate you about chronic pain, find solutions about how to improve quality of life, and get you moving pain free again. Chronic pain is experienced differently for everyone and your physical therapist will tailor your treatment to meet your needs. Treatment may include education, strengthening and flexibility exercises, manual therapy, posture awareness and body mechanic instruction. Chronic pain does not happen over night and it will take some time for it to go away. The best thing you can do is be patient and trust that adhering to treatment with consistency will give you the best results.

            For more information visit https://www.choosept.com/symptomsconditionsdetail/physical-therapy-guide-to-chronic-pain-syndromes#WhatIs or call the therapists at Witte Physical Therapy for more information.

Resources:

https://www.choosept.com/symptomsconditionsdetail/physical-therapy-guide-to-chronic-pain-syndromes#WhatIs

Chronic Pain and Physical Therapy – Capital Area PT & Wellness

Common Running Injuries that Physical Therapy can help with

May 4, 2021 – As the weather warms up, many of us are trying to be more active outdoors. Some are engaging in running. At this time of year, the end of track & field season and “fun run” season is upon us. Currently, we are seeing an up-tick in activity for those training for fun runs, marathons and the peak of track season. This year is different from others as sports and fun-runs were cancelled or made virtual, and many had a year off from these usual activities. Now, more than ever, overuse injuries from running and other track events are emerging due to last year’s lack of activity.

Below is a list of some common running conditions that physical therapists help treat:

• Achilles tendon injuries
• Female athlete triad
• Groin strain
• Shin splints
• Hamstring injuries
• Calf strain
• Iliotibial band syndrome
• Knee pain
• Patellofemoral syndrome
• Plantar fasciitis
• Peroneal tendinopathy
• Lower extremity stress fractures
• Stress induced urinary incontinence

Physical therapists are movement experts who are trained to educate people on treatment and prevention of injury. This can include shoe, brace, and compression garment selection to fit the needs of the individual. Other preventative measures include proper strength training plans to prep the right muscles for prehab. Treatments for sustained injuries can include those previously mentioned as well as soft tissue mobilization, taping, and various modalities for pain relief and control. Strengthening and stretching are also important for improving injuries. If you are experiencing any injuries, are injury prone, or would just like to prevent future injuries please contact your local physical therapists at Witte PT to schedule an appointment and learn more about what we can do for you!

Sources:

https://www.choosept.com/running

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/marathoners-prehab

Concussions and Physical Therapy

April 27, 2021 –

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury which can cause lasting deficits of the brain. Every concussion is considered a serious brain injury. If you or someone you know has had a concussion, please seek medical help immediately. A concussion takes place when the brain is shaken violently. This can happen during a whiplash incident or with a direct blow to the head. With this can come temporary or permanent problems.

Recovery from concussions can take a few weeks, a few months or even years depending on severity of the injury. The key to a quick recovery is to seek treatment immediately as this can help minimize permanent brain damage or even death.  In some cases concussion symptoms may appear to subside, but can show up again later on if not treated appropriately. Following a concussion, a person can experience a variety of physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms.

Multiple studies have shown that receiving physical therapy for concussion management is beneficial, even if you don’t start right away (sources: https://academic.oup.com/acn/article/34/5/760/5539141?login=true, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6005749/). Physical therapists can provide treatment for a more efficient recovery plan rather than trying to figure it out on your own. Treatments may include rest and recovery plans, restoring strength and endurance, stopping dizziness, improving balance, reducing headaches, and returning to usual activities or sport.

Whether you have experienced a concussion yourself or may know someone who has, consider talking to your local physical therapists at Witte Physical Therapy for more information about if concussion therapy may be right for you.

Please contact us in Louisville at 402-234-3333, in Plattsmouth at 402-298-4747.

Source:

https://www.choosept.com/symptomsconditionsdetail/physical-therapy-guide-to-concussion

https://fit-pt.com/physical-therapy-treatments/concussion-therapy/

How Physical Therapy Can Help With Parkinson’s Disease

April 13, 2021 – Last week’s blog we discussed Parkinson’s Disease signs and symptoms and mentioned Physical Therapy as a means of treatment. Today we will be covering what physical therapists can do specifically to treat people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Physical therapy-based exercise programs have been shown to help slow symptom progression of Parkinson’s Disease. Even those who are experiencing early signs of PD have been clinically shown to experience a slowing of disease progression when adhering to a proper physical therapy program. A few programs as special therapy techniques are used in physical therapy to help patients with PD.

LSVT BIG and Loud is one program or tool that can be used by your physical therapist. The purpose of this program is to educate patients and their care givers on how to perform their best despite having PD. LSVT Big teaches those with PD to work toward big movement patterns and make their daily movements purposeful. For example, using larger steps with walking to avoid the common “shuffling gait” as seen in people with PD. Using loud words helps patients make the body-to-brain connection when re-learning daily activities. Research has also shown that repetitive cueing or background rhythmic music helps overcome the “freezing” commonly seen with patients who have PD.

These techniques and more are used in physical therapy sessions to help treat patients who struggle with the effects of Parkinson’s Disease. Physical therapists have a solid background in using these techniques and our staff at Witte Physical Therapy devote one-on-one time in skilled therapy sessions to make sure these patients are receiving the best treatment possible. Give us a call to learn more today!

Louisville clinic: 402-234-3333

Plattsmouth clinic: 402-298-4747

References:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/physical-therapy-for-parkinsons-disease

Physical Therapy and Parkinson’s Disease

April 6, 2021 – April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. In today’s blog we will be discussing the background of Parkinson’s Disease and a physical therapist’s role in treating this condition.

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects dopamine producing neurons in a specific area of the brain. Symptoms develop slowly over time and can vary from person to person. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Resting tremors
• Bradykinesia (slowness of movement)
• Limb rigidity
• Gait and balance difficulties

Though the cause for Parkinson’s is unknown, treatments are available to help slow the progression of the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, complications related to Parkinson’s is the 14^th cause of death in the United States. It is important that those with Parkinson’s are educated in the treatments available to them for the best quality of life possible.

For someone with Parkinson’s, it is best to learn more about the disease itself and management to help gain control of their personal health. There are many treatments of Parkinson’s Disease and physical therapy is one of them. Although it’s not a cure, therapeutic exercise has been clinically shown to significantly slow the progression of Parkinson’s Disease symptoms. A recent study showed that early and regular physical therapy helped improve physical function and decreased disability (DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1725133). Also, having a therapist there to guide you through the process on a week-by-week basis can help you expand your knowledge of the disease itself and different tips and tricks to improved quality of life. For more information about Parkinson’s and physical therapy give the staff at Witte Physical Therapy a call today! You can get your questions answered by calling our Louisville clinic at 402-234-3333, Plattsmouth at 402-298-4747.

For more information about available resources for individuals with Parkinson’s visit https://www.parkinson.org/parkinsons-awareness-month.

Sources:

https://www.apdaparkinson.org/resources-support/living-with-parkinsons-disease/physical-therapy/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33742432/

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Physical Therapy: Well Care vs. Sick Care

March 30, 2021 – Below is some important information about the difference between “Sick Care” and “Well Care”. It is important to note that physical therapy’s role goes well beyond helping someone recover from a surgery or car accident. We can work on the smallest issues of pain and function to much larger concerns and issues that keep you from living your life as you normally would. We can also work to help you recognize your weaknesses and work on them before they become those bigger problems that end up costing you more money and time.

TRICARE has decided to waive the cost-sharing requirement of up to three visits to a physical therapist for low back pain. They’ve said that the goal is to encourage more use of “high-value” treatments for low back pain. TRICARE tells us in their summary of this demonstration what they mean by high vs low-value care: “Increasing the value of health care refers to improving patients’ quality of care and outcomes, improving patients’ access to care, and reducing overall costs of care. In contrast, low-value care refers to interventions that: are not proven to benefit patients; may harm patients; result in unnecessary costs; or waste health care resources.”

Well Care

High-value care leads to better outcomes, is easy to access and is cheaper for both patients and insurers. Physical therapy fits into this category, but looking at other high-value treatments helps us start to see a theme. In 2017 the American College of Physicians released widely endorsed guidelines for treating low back pain. Initial treatment recommendations include exercise, stretching, tai chi, yoga, progressive relaxation, heat or ice, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motor control exercise. These are all active treatments, where the practitioner and the patient are working together to improve. This is “well care”.

Sick Care

In contrast, low-value care tends to be “sick care” where the patient is a passive participant. TRICARE puts imaging before six weeks in the absence of red flag symptoms, surgery for non-specific low back pain, opioids as the first or second-line treatment, and bedrest in the low-value category. Spinal injections also fall in this category for most people.

This isn’t to say that imaging, surgery, or injections are always bad. For a small percentage of people with back pain, they’re the right treatment. But, most people should start with treatments that have the best outcomes for the lowest cost. If those treatments tend to focus on putting the person in pain in power to actively participate in their care rather than making them dependent on someone to “heal” them, that’s even better. Physical therapists know this and have been providing care that fits this model for years. TRICARE’s demonstration that waives cost-sharing clearly shows that insurers are recognizing the value of this type of care and that they are actively moving in this direction.

About The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association

Founded in 1956, the Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association champions the success of physical therapist-owned businesses. Our members are leaders and innovators in the healthcare system. The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) represents more than 85,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants and students of physical therapy nationwide. For more information, please visit www.ppsapta.org.

The above information comes from The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. They provided the resources for this article.

Athletic Training Month and Witte Physical Therapy

March 23, 2021 – As a part of National Athletic Training Month, we will be talking about athletic trainers and what they do! Witte Physical Therapy is fortunate to have an athletic trainer or two among its employees. Isabelle currently serves the Plattsmouth High School. The other trainers work as needed with various local high schools and events.  

The AT slogan of 2021 is “Essential to Health Care.” This is becoming more evident each year and is a big reason why Witte Physical Therapy has added athletic trainers to its team.

Athletic trainers are more than clinicians who work with sports injuries. Athletic trainers:

• Minimize the risk of injury and illness through education and promoting healthy lifestyles
• Implement evidence-based assessments to formulate clinical care plans
• Integrate practices in immediate and emergency care for the best possible outcomes
• Help to address injuries, illnesses, and general medical conditions with the goal of achieving optimal activity level through exercise, manual techniques and modalities

Athletic trainers are an integral part of an athlete’s healthcare team. They provide another level of healthcare that can help identify issues earlier and treat issues faster. When they work in unison with the physician, school nurse, physical therapist, parents, and coaches they can help to provide more efficient care to the athlete. Working with athletic trainers at Witte Physical Therapy allows us an avenue to get the athlete back to their sport faster and often in a more cost-effective way for the athlete and their family.

Witte Physical Therapy is proud to work with athletic trainers and we look forward to growing this partnership in the future. It is another way that we are trying to give back to our communities and provide them with the resources of bigger cities. By keeping the athlete and their family within the Witte Physical Therapy team is allows us to work in a more effective and efficient way to return them back to the game!

References: https://www.nata.org/advocacy/public-relations/national-athletic-training-month

Women’s History in Physical Therapy

March 16, 2021 – With March being Women’s History month we wanted to take some time to recognize their importance in the profession of physical therapy.

The physical therapy profession has grown and evolved significantly over the years. Physical therapy began during the polio epidemic and World War I. Mary McMillan, also known as the “founding mother” began working with World War I survivors in 1918. She later became known as the first re-aide. Later she began training other women to become re-aides. Once the polio epidemic took hold, McMillan saw the need to grow the PT profession and later formed the national organization called the American Women’s Physical Therapy Association now known as the American Physical Therapy Association. Today, women make up 70% of the PT profession.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.storyterrace.com%2Fus%2Fmeet-mary-mcmillan-the-mother-of-modern-physical-therapy&psig=AOvVaw0115mFubCJGtLK0NCYr35W&ust=1615991689522000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAIQjRxqFwoTCMjZxKeEte8CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD

We invite you to take the time to visit the following link: https://www.webpt.com/blog/8-famous-women-pts-from-history/ and take the time to read this blog. It shows the importance of women in physical therapy’s past and the foundation that they laid. At Witte Physical Therapy we employ 3 therapists, 2 therapy assistants, an athletic trainer, and a billing specialist that are all women. They continue to keep the profession moving forward today and into the future!

Since the beginning, PT has evolved to include clinical and non-clinical positions. The therapists at Witte Physical Therapy are clinical therapists who work with a wide variety of patients. Physical Therapists do not only treat patients with post-operative conditions. Outside of post-op conditions our physical therapists treat a variety of conditions including, but not limited to:

• Muscle strains and tension
• Spinal pain
• Headaches
• Vertigo
• Women’s health condition’s
• Pelvic dysfunction
• Parkinson’s and Huntington’s Disease
• Cancer
• Lymphedema
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Diabetes
• Cerebral Palsy
• Torticollis

Our therapists are trained to work with and treat all of these conditions. This list is not exhaustive, but provides some examples. Natosha Siemek, PT, DPT, can work with women’s health, pelvic dysfunction, lymphedema, cerebral palsy, and torticollis patients. Kayla Mammen, PT, DPT can work with headaches, vertigo, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease patients. The rest of our staff also have their specialties and can work with the above list and more!

Some of these conditions may come as a surprise. However, many disorders affect the body physically. Physical therapists are trained to work with disorders that effect the body’s physical function. Give us a call today in Louisville at 402-234-3333, in Plattsmouth at 402-298-4747 to ask questions and learn more!