5 Tips for Summer

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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

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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/

FINDING THE ROOT CAUSE

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Elite’s Philosophy to Physical Therapy Treatment

Physical therapists are experts in movement. Often times, pain develops because there is an incorrect movement pattern, or a movement dysfunction. This is causing repeated microtraumas to the injured structure. The pain is the problem! The movement dysfunction is the cause of the problem – “the root cause.”

At Elite, our physical therapists focus on correcting those movement dysfunctions. This allows us to help improve your movement and quality of life. This is done through proper manual therapy techniques and/or proper prescribed exercises.

  • If a joint is not moving well or if a muscle is too short: This is causing the movement dysfunction. We use manual therapy techniques to give the structure more mobility and prescribe the proper exercises to keep it moving.
  • If a joint is moving too much or if a muscle is too long: This is causing the movement dysfunction. We will prescribe you proper exercises to stabilize the structure and to strengthen those muscles.

It is not only important to eliminate the pain, but to correct the movement dysfunction. That is the root cause of the pain in the first place. If the movement dysfunction is corrected, then the likelihood of the pain returning drastically decreases. Elite’s clinicians find the cause of a patient’s pain in order to correct their overall movement patterns. It’s what sets us apart!

With three convenient locations in Coatesville, Downingtown and West Chester. Elite is here for all of your physical and occupational therapy needs!

We’ll Get You Back on Your Feet!

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Chronic or acute pain and tenderness at the bottom of the foot or heel could be diagnosed as plantar fasciopathy. There is a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of the foot. It goes from the toes to the heel bone. It can become inflamed and this results in discomfort.

Often, the pain experienced is at its worst first thing in the morning. As a result, the first few steps of standing or walking for extended periods can increase levels of pain.

 

If Left Untreated, It Can Result In:

  • Chronic pain, hindering regular activities.
  • An irregular gait pattern, due to the pain, inducing foot, knee, hip and/or back issues.

How Physical Therapy Can Help:

A Physical Therapist will begin by conducting a gait analysis. They will instruct the patient in a series of exercises to correct gait decisions.  These exercises will work to stretch the plantar fascia and associated tendons and muscles, as well as strengthen the lower leg musculature to help stabilize the foot and ankle.  A clinician can also conduct ankle and foot joint mobilizations and manipulations, and dry needling to the calf muscles to minimize pain.

With offices in West Chester, Downingtown and Coatesville, our licensed physical therapists are available to see your patients within 24-48 hours. We’re here to help get your patients better faster!

Bursitis Be Gone!

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Bursitis can be quite the bothersome ailment!  So—what is it, what causes it, and how can PT help?

What is Bursitis?

Bursitis is the inflammation of the fluid-filled pads (bursae) that act as cushions for the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed and most commonly occurs in the shoulder, elbow and hip.

What Causes Bursitis?

  • Most often by repetitive motions or overuse
  • Direct, minor impact on the area
    • Repeated bumping or prolonged pressure
  • Less often from a sudden, more serious injury.

How can PT help?

A physical therapist can provide various exercises to:

  • Strengthen muscles to prevent pain
  • Reduce pain and swelling
  • Improve range of motion/flexibility
  • Improve posture
  • Learn a home exercise program

As musculoskeletal experts, physical therapists are well-equipped to develop individualized programs to tailor exercises for each patient. Call today to schedule an appointment at one of our three locations in Coatesville, Downingtown and West Chester and get back to healthier, pain-free living!

No Pain, No Gain–Myth Busted!

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The assumption made in the statement of “no pain, no gain” is that the more strenuous and painful the exercises the quicker the recovery. That is not the case. Your body can be over-loaded by pushing too far. This is what causes overuse injuries. An exercise done with excessive loads or repetitions can actually do more harm than good. Patients often come in to physical therapy with scared or preconceived notions that their therapy session will be painful. They know that physical therapy will make them better but believe this healing might come with pain.

What you should be feeling?

Muscle soreness from a day or two of doing exercises is normal however exercising should not be painful. Your body thrives under the right conditions of movement and exercise. Inactivity in our muscles leads to weakening and dysfunction of your body.

What about physical therapy?

Your physical therapist may use techniques that create some limited pain, however, if you are experiencing more than slight discomfort, you should let your physical therapist know right away. Slight pain is sometimes necessary when working to change dysfunctional soft tissue, breaking adhesions in the joint capsule to improve motion, or when performing specific exercises involving mobilizing the nervous system. Generally, the exercises that you will be performing in physical therapy as well as any home exercises your therapist will assign you should never be painful, as this may increase swelling by taxing the joint or muscle. If we create too much inflammation this will result in prolonged and delayed recovery.

To answer the question, when exercising pain will not improve the workout or your condition. Slight pain during your physical therapy session will be monitored by a licensed therapist. Elite Therapy Solutions always strives to ensure your patient has the best session to recovery.

Arthritis

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Over 27 million Americans suffer from arthritis, making it the most common cause of disability in the United States.  Arthritis is defined as joint inflammation, but the term is used to describe around 200 conditions that affect joints, the tissues that surround the joint, and other connective tissue. It is a rheumatic condition with the most common form known as osteoarthritis.

What causes arthritis?

  • Excessive wear and tear on the joints
  • Obesity
  • Work-related injuries
  • Post-traumatic accidents
  • Sports injuries

Signs 

  • Pain and stiffness first thing in the morning
  • Joints ache after prolonged walking, driving, climbing stairs
  • Reduced range of motion of the joint
  • Swelling and reduced range of motion

How can PT help?

  • Improve joint mobility
    • Joint mobilization
    • Stretching/balance exercises
    • Improve strength
  • Decrease pain
    • Ice/heat with compression and elevation
    • Electric stimulation

Need help addressing arthritis pain?  Call 610-466-7060 and schedule your evaluation at one of our three convenient locations in Coatesville, Downingtown and West Chester!