Author Archive: Eleanor Elite

TMJ

Posted on by

Commonly misunderstood as a diagnosis for jaw pain, the abbreviation “TMJ” actually stands for TemporoMandibular Joint, which is where the temple and the mandible meet to form your jaw joint. When it becomes dysfunctional, it is appropriately termed TMJD (TemporoMandibular Joint Dysfunction) or just TMD (TemporoMandibular Dysfunction).

1129095540

Overview of Our TMJ Assessment:

  • Posture Analysis
  • Assess upper and lower c-spine mobility
  • Palpate head, neck and jaw musculature
  • Strength test lips, cheeks, tongue and jaw muscles
  • Measure jaw motion and observe tracking
  • Classify whether or not the joint is involved

 

Becoming Balanced

Posted on by

We are all seeking balance in our lives, between work and home and everything in between. But what about physical balance? Balance problems can be caused by a number of conditions including: 

  • Stroke 
  • Arthritis 
  • Diabetes 
  • Multiple Sclerosis 
  • And so much more! 

 

And these balance disruptions can be disrupted within the body from vision to the muscular system, all the way to the inner ear. There are multiple ways to treat these systems with physical therapy. With muscle strengthening and stretching, position training, and inner ear retraining, you could feel good as new!  

 

After balance is treated, the benefits are endless. Patients will experience less falling, and with that, comes confidence in their abilities to do more activities. Overall balance, mobility, and strength is increased which leads to more movement, better posture, and increased flexibility. If you would like to see these results, schedule your appointment today!  

Stay on (the) Track!

Posted on by

Did you know that 40 million people in the United States run regularly? However, it also comes with a high risk of injuries. Yearly, up to half of runners report an injury. Some of the most common injuries associated with running include:

  • Runner’s knee
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Shin splints
  • Hamstring injuries
  • Plantar fasciopathy
  • IT band syndrome
  • Stress fractures
  • Sprained knees and ankles

 

While physical therapy can treat many of these overuse injuries, we want to share some tips to keep you healthy and safe on your next run! 

  • Cross-train – weightlifting to strengthen quads and hips; yoga to increase flexibility.
  • Stretch after your run.
  • Your longest run should only make up 20% of your weekly total mileage.
  • Don’t increase mileage by more than 10% per week.
  • Get running shoes that fit properly and feel comfortable. 
  • Change your running shoes every 350 – 500 miles.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Consume adequate calories, carbs, healthy fats, and protein.
  • Beginners should start with intervals of walking and running.

 

 

1 Callahan, Lisa. “Running Injuries of the Lower Extremities.” UpToDate, 28 Oct. 2018, www.uptodate.com/contents/overview-of-running-injuries-of-the-lower-extremity.

2 7 Most Common Running Injuries. Pt Health, 23 Apr. 2018, www.pthealth.ca/blog/the-7-most-common-running-injuries/#.

School’s Back, Game On!

Posted on by

As we approach the end of the summer, we all know what that means…back to school time. Student athletes are gearing up for their preseasons after a year of quarantine, and as the games begin the injuries are bound to follow. Did you know, high school sports contribute to almost 2 million injuries each year? From sprained wrists to back pain, we are here to help your children bounce back to the sports they love! But before they step foot on the field, here are some tips we suggest in order to prevent any athlete’s seasons from getting cut short.

1. Stretch: It is crucial that every athlete stretches before and after any practice or game to keep the muscles loose.

2. Don’t play when you are injured: Continuing to play while injured could lead to more injuries or worsening any condition.

3. Rest: When you overwork your muscles they are more prone to strain and pain, it is important to take rest days when needed.

4. Drink water: Proper hydration is key to keep your muscles moving and your body feeling good. When we sweat we lose water and we need to replenish it after any activity.

Bye Bye Back Pain!

Posted on by

Did you know that nearly 80% of all Americans will experience an episode of low back pain at some point in their lives? …Or that back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and a leading contributor to missed workdays?

The good news: Physical Therapy can not only relieve the pain but fix the cause of chronic back pain!

Our clinicians at Elite Therapy Solutions have extensive experience treating pain due to:

• Muscle or ligament strains

• Bulging or ruptured discs

• Arthritis

• Osteoporosis

• Skeletal irregularities

• Posture

Seeking physical therapy first can also both save time and money. Compared to patients who waited or never saw a Physical Therapist, those who went to physical therapy first had lower out-of-pocket costs, pharmacy costs, and outpatient costs. They were also 87% less likely to need an opioid prescription, 28% less likely to need imaging services, and 15% less likely to make an emergency room visit.

Research has also proven that the sooner a patient is treated, the faster they will recover. We offer appointments within 24-48 hours for this reason! With 3 convenient locations, we’re here to help your patients feel their best with the most enjoyable PT experience!

5 Tips for Summer

Posted on by

Summer is finally here! 

It’s been a long winter, spent lounging in those big baggy sweaters, hoodies, or sweatshirts and forgetting about that “itsy bitsy, teeny weeny, yellow polka dot bikini” hiding in the depths of your dresser drawer. Before you start panicking about swimsuit season, here are 5 tips to flatten that stomach and tone your limbs just in time for summer!

1.  Drink lots of water:

Such a simple step, but it has a great impact! Did you know, when you are dehydrated, your body can mistake thirst pangs for hunger pangs? Before you grab for that over-processed snack pack to tide you over until supper time, try drinking a glass or two of water. Chances are, you are dehydrated and your body thinks that you are hungry instead. Also, try substituting beverages you would normally drink for a glass of water.

2. Eating smaller portions:

Reducing your portion size by only 20% can make a big difference in your drive to swimsuit bliss and become a lasting healthy lifestyle habit.

3. Don’t forget fiber and protein:

Fiber allows your body to be able to move fat and waste through your system more quickly, while protein takes longer to digest. Both give you that “full” feeling longer, making your tummy happy until your next meal.

4. Eat healthy snacks between meals:

Eating small, healthy snacks throughout the day keeps you from overeating during meals and stabilizes your blood sugar. Here’s the kicker though: it’s important to understand which snacks you should eat and which snacks you should pass up. A common misconception is to grab for the high-carbohydrate snacks, such as pretzels or yogurt… While these foods are relatively healthy, they are not very filling, leaving you unsatisfied before the next big meal. Stick to snacks high in protein and fiber, such as nuts, legumes, or “portable fruits”, such as strawberries, oranges, or peaches.

5. Exercise regularly:

Finally, a common myth to flattening your tummy is to do hundreds of sit-ups or crunches per day. Stop! There is no such thing as spot burning fat zones. And after the first 20 or 30 reps, your body gets lethargic and you end up “cheating”, therefore not getting the full effect of the exercise and potentially causing damage to your musculoskeletal system. The best way to tone up in time for summer is to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. 

With these tips in mind, you can get your body swimsuit ready in no time!

Carpal Tunnel….. to relief!

Posted on by

Carpal tunnel syndrome, also called median nerve compression, is a condition that causes numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hand. This happens because of pressure on your median nerve. The Median nerve runs the length of your arm, goes through a passage in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. This chain of events ends in your hand.

Patients with carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with physical therapy or surgery. Although surgery may be considered when the symptoms are severe, more than a third of patients do not return to work within 8 weeks after an operation. Based on the potential side effects and risks of surgery, patients often ask if they might try physical therapy first.

According to the Journal of Orthopedics and Sports Physical Therapy, research shows that after 1 year, patients who had physical therapy that focused on manual therapy of the neck and median nerve, combined with stretching exercises, had outcomes similar to those of patients who had surgery. However, the physical therapy patients experienced faster improvements at the 1-month mark than did patients whose condition was treated surgically. This research supports the decision of patients who wish to try physical therapy first before considering surgery.

For those diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, physical therapy offers strong evidence-based treatment options to help them recover. Evidence indicates that physical therapy is not only as effective as surgery to treat this condition, but the patient will see improvement up to two months faster.  Do you suffer from CTS?  Are you looking for the tunnel to relief? Schedule your physical therapy evaluation with us today for therapy so good, it’s elite!

Lets get moving again!

Posted on by

Lets get you moving! In honor of National Senior Health & Wellness Day being celebrated this Wednesday, May 26th, we wanted to share with you the benefits of physical therapy for Senior patients. Seniors benefit in numerous ways from physical activity and physical therapy.

Benefits

  • Improve balance, gait and endurance to reduce fall risk
  • Maintain strength, healthy joints and muscles
  • Increase joint mobility
  • Help reduce or control blood pressure
  • Reduce the risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases
  • Ease symptoms of stress and anxiety
  • Reduce and prevent arthritis joint swelling and pain
  • Increase the ability to live independently

Why Physical Therapy?

Most importantly, physical therapy can help Seniors strengthen weak muscles and increase mobility so that they can get moving once again. It can also improve endurance, so that the patient can enjoy physical hobbies like gardening or golf for longer periods of time.

Overall, physical therapy can give Seniors back their independence and make daily tasks easier. Working with the staff at Elite will not only reduce pain, but it will also help improve overall strength and ability and reduce the risk for falls or injuries, helping patients maintain a higher quality of life.

What we do at Elite

Evaluate each patient individually to find which symptoms are affecting their ability to maintain the best quality of life. Our physical therapists then formulate a plan of care made up of manual therapy and exercises.

  1. Medical history
  2. Medication review
  3. Clinical observation
  4. Berg balance scale
  5. Complete Physical Therapy Treatment

Know someone that could benefit?

Know of a senior in your life that could use physical therapy?  Have them visit us at one of our three convenient Chester County locations in West Chester, Downingtown and Coatesville!  We’ll evaluate, treat, and rehabilitate! We make sure that when someone leaves our clinic, that they feel that they have gained freedom from pain, and have a new lease on life! We help improve patients mobility, balance, strengthen key areas, and give tips to stay in optimal condition and prevent injuries!

Tendonitis is a PAIN!

Posted on by

Tendonitis is characterized by inflammation or irritation of a tendon — the thick fibrous cords that attach muscle to bone. The condition causes pain and tenderness right outside a joint. While tendinitis can occur in any of your tendons, it’s most common around your shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and heels. When tendons become irritated or inflamed, acute pain and tenderness make it difficult to move the affected joint.

       

If left untreated…

  • Tendonitis may become chronic
  • Can also lead to:
  • Weakening of the tendon (tendinosis)
  • Rupture of the tendon/permanent damage to the affected tissues

How can PT help?

  • Reduce pain
  • Strengthen muscles around damaged tendon to help avoid similar injuries in the future

Manual Therapy can…

  • Stimulate change in the tissue if the body is unable to do so on its own
  • Change the movement of a joint and the surrounding tissue by way of:
    • Joint manipulation/mobilization
    • Soft tissue mobilization

When it comes to reliable, highly skilled clinicians, we’ve got you covered from your head to your toes! Visit us at one of our three locations in West Chester, Downingtown or Coatesville, today!

Pre-Operative Rehabilitation

Posted on by

How does it help you?

While physical rehabilitation post-surgery seems to be standard operating procedure, did you know pre-operative rehabilitation is just as important?  In fact, implementing a rehabilitative program prior to surgery can actually cut down on recovery time, complications, and even healthcare costs!

Game Plan

Following surgical procedures, patients often experience a decline in strength and function, as well as increased inflammation, pain, and swelling.  Keeping this in mind, over a clinically suggested 6-week time frame prior to surgery, a physical therapist will assess the patient for muscle and joint strength, ability to move and perform day-to-day tasks, and degree of independence; all of which are crucial in creating the patient’s individualized pre-surgical rehabilitation plan.  From there, the goals of this plan are simple:

  • Mentally prepare patient for surgery
  • Reduce pain and inflammation
  • Restore range of motion
  • Improve muscular control of the affected area
  • Normalize movement patterns prior to your surgery
  • Improve overall well-being and fitness
  • Gain a good understanding of the exercises that you will perform immediately after surgery

The results

By addressing key muscles, joints, and tissue anticipated to be affected by the procedure ahead of time, physical therapists are able to enhance post-operative outcomes.  According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), participating in just 1-2 pre-operative rehabilitative sessions can reduce postoperative care by 29%, which translates into healthcare savings of more than $1000 per individual. 

*study based on patients with total knee or hip replacement

https://drayerpt.com/pre-post-operative-care/

http://www.actionsportphysio.com/en/health-tips/therapy-related/prehab/

http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/News/2014/10/2/PreOperativePT/

http://www.apta.org/PTinMotion/2016/2/Prehabilitation/

http://www.pivotalmotion.physio/what-we-do/pre-post-rehabilitation/