Are you at Risk for Falls?

Are You at Risk for Falling?

          A quick assessment of your balance can let you be more informed about your risk of falling.  One-third of adults over the age of 65 years fall at least once each year.  These falls can cause serious problems including hospitalizations and need for placement into a long-term care facility.  Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries, and over 95% of hip fractures are caused by an individual falling down.  Research has shown an increased chance of an injury with falls if the individual can not stand on one foot for at least 5 seconds without assistance.  In fact, many studies have been performed to assess the average person’s balance while standing on one foot. 

                        Age 18-69:  30-45 seconds

                        Age 70-79:  16-21 seconds

                        Age 80-99:  8-13 seconds

            A physical therapist can help improve your balance and decrease your risk for falls.  Please consult your doctor if you are having trouble with your balance or have a history of falls and he can write you a script for physical therapy.

Resources:

Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, Vol. 20; 1:07

http://physical-therapy.advanceweb.com

www.cdc.gov

What is SI Joint Dysfunction?

What is SI Joint Dysfunction?

SI Joint stands for Sacroiliac Joint.  This is a joint consisting of the sacrum (tailbone) and ilium (large pelvic bone).  This joint is not designed for much motion except to assist with walking and for shock absorption.  For women it is also involved in child birth.  The joint is held together with ligaments that allow 2-4 mm of motion on a regular basis and more when female hormones are released during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Many different things can cause pain to this area including arthritis, birth abnormalities, and direct injuries to the joint.

It is possible to have these joints shift out of normal alignment.  The ilium may shift up in relation to the other joint or it may rotate.  This may have been caused by a car accident, a fall, or pregnancy. 

A Physical Therapist can assess your SI Joint to check your pelvic alignment.  A trained therapist can help realign these joints through manual treatment.  This can generally be corrected within the first treatment.  Several factors such as core muscle strength, ligament laxity, and compliance to therapist’s instructions will determine if it will need re-adjusting in future treatments.  Some people are able to maintain their alignment after the first treatment.

After correcting this alignment, it is important that you avoid certain activities that would encourage it to shift back out of place.  The three main ones include jogging, stairs, and crossing your legs.  As the ligaments tighten back up and you strengthen your core muscles, you may return to these activities.

In the event that your SI Joint remains unstable, a sacroiliac belt may help provide external stabilization until your muscles can do this for you.

Correcting your SI Joint alignment may cause some initial soreness, but should significantly decrease your pain.

Winter Activity Safety Tips

Winter Activity Safety Tips

Are you planning a winter get-away?  Common injuries include: falls causing bumps and bruises, cuts, broken bones, head injuries and spinal injuries.  Here are some tips to help avoid injuries and frostbite.

*Protect yourself and family from cold and exposure by wearing boots, hats, and mittens or gloves.

*Layer clothing – it protects from cold and provides extra padding in case of falls.

*Wear water repellent outer clothing and check clothing periodically for dryness.

*Tuck in loose scarves and drawstrings so they do not get caught or snared on trees, branches, rocks, sleds, skis, etc…

Winter activities such as Ice Skating, Sledding, and Skiing precautions:

*Ensure activity is in appropriate designated areas.  They should be clear of debris and well lighted. 

*Don’t go alone, and let someone know where you will be and when to expect your return.

*Children 12 and under should wear protective head gear, and be supervised by a responsible adult.

*Limit time exposed to cold and wind.  The wind chill factor makes it feel much colder than the temperature really is. 

*If you get wet, get into dry clothes as soon as possible.

*Warm up indoors with a warm drink like hot chocolate.

Have fun and be safe!

Avoid Winter Blues and Bulge

Avoid Winter Blues and Bulge

 

          Can’t go outside?  Keep busy with exercise.  If you are unable to go to a gym, you can use your kids gaming system (Wii/Kinect) or home gym.

          Always start with a warm-up for 2 – 5 minutes.  Swing your arms and legs slowly to start the blood flowing is a good place to start.

          There are games for all levels of exercise from beginner to expert.  Wii: Just Dance, Carnival Games, Wii Sports, Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus, and many more.  Almost all Kinect games can be used for exercise because your body is your controller.

          Don’t have a home gym?  You don’t need one.  Set your kitchen timer for 30 minutes and grab a couple of 8 oz cans from the pantry and you have ½ lb free weights.  (16 oz = 1 lb) You can do tricep exercises by holding your arm behind you and bending and straightening your elbow.  Bicep curls are easy too.  Just hold your arm out in front of you and bend and straighten your elbow.  Bicep curls can be done three ways: palm up, palm down, and thumb up.

          Aerobic exercise is easy too.  Jumping jacks are excellent, or you can march or jog in one place while watching your favorite show.  You could also exercise during commercials. 

          Tired of standing?  Sit down and march while sitting, or alternate kicking your legs out.

          Don’t forget to stretch after exercise for 2 – 5 minutes to keep your muscles happy, and drink plenty of water.

          Try getting 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week.

 

Good Luck!

 

If you have never exercised before, be sure to check with your Doctor before beginning any exercise program.

 

 

 

Frazzled Feeding

Frazzled Feeding

How do meal times look at your house? Is it a pleasurable experience with your family sitting around the table, eating the delicious meal you made, and having a nice discussion about your day? Or Is it a little less pleasing with children screaming because they don’t want to eat the lasagna that just took you an hour to prepare, your little one vomits because he finally took a bite of lasagna and it made him gag, or do you spend your entire meal just trying to keep your little darling buckled and seated in their high chair or booster because they are continuously trying to leave mealtime? Well if this sounds like dinner time at your house your child may be experiencing some feeding difficulties.

Feeding Difficulties can be very challenging for parents, caregivers, siblings, and children. There can be various reasons for children to having difficulty with feeding. The three most common reasons include medical diagnoses (such as: chronic constipation, reflux/GERD, food allergies/intolerances), sensory processing problems, or decreased oral motor coordination/control. 

Feeding difficulties checklist: (if your child demonstrates any of these you may want to discuss these issues with your pediatrician and see if Occupational Therapy would be helpful).

• Spitting out food
• Not opening mouth during feeds
• Gagging/coughing/vomiting at meal times
• Not acting hungry
• Pocketing solid foods in their mouth (holding the foods in their cheeks when eating for extended periods of time)
• Pooling liquids (leaving liquids in their mouth for extended time before swallowing)
• Problems advancing to chunkier textures (moving from stage 1 or 2 baby foods to table foods for example)
• Refusal behaviors
• Crying during mealtimes
• Throwing food, bowls, spoons from the table or high chair to avoid eating
• Only taking liquids from a bottle past 18 months
• Refusal to sit in a high chair

These are just a few examples of common problems seen in children that are having difficulty with feeding. Please consult with your pediatrician if you feel that you child is experiencing any of these problems and they are negatively impacting you his/her development.

Finally, feeding is about control. Children will not participate in a feeding experience willingly unless they feel safe and comfortable. Allow children to explore new foods at times other than meal times so that they don’t feel pressured to eat that new food.

Weekend Warrior Syndrome

Weekend Warrior Syndrome

As the weather improves and the days get warmer, are you finding yourself doing as much as you can on your days off?  Then on Monday morning you find yourself unable to move because you hurt too bad?  You are a “weekend warrior”.

Exercising, gardening, swimming, or any strenuous activity that you only do once a week is probably going to lead to unnecessary injuries, major soreness and/or pain.  It can be avoided with a few easy steps.

Prepare ahead of time.  You usually know what you are going to do next weekend.  Take time (at least 10-15 min) to use the muscle groups that you are going to use.  Hiking? Walk during the week.  Gardening? Practice squats. Plan ahead to avoid injury. 

Start slowly.  Warm up your muscles for at least 5 minutes before doing intense activity.  Stretch with arm circles, arm swings, leg swings, lunges, etc… to get things going, and get your blood pumping.

Add Gradually.  Increase activity with a steady pace and building up as you go.  Don’t try to run 5 miles full out, especially if you didn’t warm up or don’t run regularly.

Take breaks.  Give yourself a chance to rest while drinking a big glass of water.  Muscles like water and oxygen.  Give them both to keep them from having spasms and causing you pain. 

When you are finished, take time to cool down for at least 5 minutes.  Stretch the muscles you used for at least 20 seconds each.

Do not take pain medicine before you work out.  It masks the pain, and you need to be able to listen to your body.  Try non-medical solutions like hot packs, cold packs, massage, and rest.

Have a great weekend! 

Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy: Servicing children from Birth - 21 years old

Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy provides the highest level of individualized speech, language and social communication services to children in need, including diagnostic and therapy services.

How can I encourage my child to use words?

    Activities to Encourage Speech and Language Development:

·        *Talk to your child. Encourage your child to make vowel-like and consonant-like sounds. “ma”, “ba”, “da”

·        *Model what you want your child to say. “Ball”. “This is a ball”. Teach your baby to imitate your actions, including clapping hands, blowing kisses, and using finger-songs like “Itsy Bitsy Spider.”

·       * Identify items and colors, count things around the home, use gestures like waving “bye, bye” to help learn meaning.

·        *Expand on what your child says. “Mama. Here is mama, I’m your mama.”

·        *Read to your child. Reading can be pointing to objects and pictures in books. Encourage naming and identifying familiar items.

How do i know if my child needs a Speech Therapist?

     Indicators That Your Child May Benefit From a Speech and Language Evaluation:

·        *Child is not expressing at least 50 words by the age of two years old.

·        *Child is using pointing and gesturing to request everything without vocalizations beyond the age of two years old.

·        *Child is not making eye contact when communicating with the parent or during play activities.

·        *Ask other parents or your child’s pediatrician if your child is comparable to other children his or her age.

**The younger your child is evaluated and diagnosed, the more positive outcome he or she will experience in speech and language development.

Heat vs Ice

When you first sprain your ankle, injure your elbow; turn your knee, etc...  What will make you feel better?  Heat or Ice?  Within the first 3 days, rest, ice and elevate the injured limb.  After 3 to 5 days, use whatever will help your symptoms.

Heat:
Relaxes tight muscles
Causes soft tissue to relax
Decreases pain caused by muscle tension or spasms
Increases circulation to the area
Helps those with muscle strain, spasms, and arthritis

ICE:
Decreases inflammation
Decreases pain
Decreases swelling

Do not apply for more than 20 minutes at a time!  It could cause nerve damage.  See your physician if you believe you broke something or symptoms last longer than 5 days with no change.  

Wii-habilitation

What is Wii-hab?  Wii-hab is rehabilitation therapy that uses the Nintendo Wii gaming system.  Physical therapists often use alternative methods to keep their patients interested in their therapy.  Wii-hab can be used with people who have Orthopedic and Neurological injuries.  Some of those injuries are broken bones, strokes, joint replacements, vehicle accidents, and other types of surgeries.  Wii-hab can also be great for people with pulmonary issues like COPD and have shortness of breath with activities.

Why is it beneficial? Could it help me?  Many functional areas can be targeted like: balance, activity endurance, upper body strength, lower body strength, core strength, eye/hand coordination, and memory skills. 

Wii Sports and Wii Fit are 2 games that require physical exertion.  (There are many games available for home use.)  Usually the patient becomes so engrossed in the game and competition that they do not realize how much exercise they are getting until they stop to rest.  The longer you play, the better your endurance gets.  That endurance can improve your everyday activities.  Can you imagine being able to sweep or vacuum the house without getting tired? 

Repetitive motions not only help memory skills, but increase muscle memory as well.  It increases communication between the brain and muscles requiring less time to complete an activity.

If you are tired of being inactive and unable to complete a simple without being exhausted, call your doctor and ask for a prescription for physical therapy.  Wii can help!!

It’s that time again!

Everyone is making their New Years Resolutions. More often than not, folks resolve to lose weight and get in shape. Intentions are good but time is limited with busy schedules and hectic lives. Before you know it the best intentions are lost in the shuffle.  How does one stick with it?  We all know that a healthy lifestyle includes exercise, but how do we do it? 

First, make realistic goals.  Try to do activities you enjoy.  Exercise with someone or a group. Walk with a friend or join the gym.  Be realistic about your capabilities.   Start out slowly and increase the time and intensity of your workout gradually.

Secondly, do your best to stick with it.  It takes time and repetition to make exercise routines a habit.  Try to make exercise a regular part of your schedule.   As time passes you will find it becomes easier and easier to maintain your exercise routine.

Next, utilize community resources to help you with your fitness goals. It’s good to have knowledgeable instruction to help establish your exercise program. It can help you avoid unnecessary pain and injuries. The Frank W. Stevens Wellness Center (located on the ADMC campus) can provide you with individualized instruction to meet your needs.

Above all, make it your priority to exercise and improve your fitness level. Any regular exercise can help you improve your overall health.  It’s well documented that improved fitness and weight loss can reduce your blood pressure and blood sugar levels.  Thirty minutes a day three times a week is a great way to start.  The health benefits from regular exercise more than offset the sweat and effort expended.

Be sure to check with your physician before you start a fitness program,  then go for it. You’ll be glad you did!

Inhale......Exhale.......

Deep breathing is a great relaxation technique and well known stress reliever.  A study done by the Mayo Clinic found that deep breathing can calm the heart rate, promote focus, and even decrease pain.  When performing these deep breathing techniques your body releases toxins and circulation improves.  You also increase the oxygen in the blood stream which helps to increase energy levels.  So when you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed from a busy day, take a few minutes to focus on breathing.  Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes, breathe in through your nose slowly and deeply, and then exhale through your nose using your abdominal muscles to push all the air out.  Do this about 5 or 6 times whenever you need to decrease stress levels.   

How do I know if my child needs Pediatric Therapy?

ð      Frequently says, “I can’t” or “I won’t” to age appropriate self-care and play activities.

ð      Low muscle tone, seems weak or floppy.

ð      Clumsy, fall frequently.

ð      Bumps into furniture or people, has trouble judging body in relation to spacer around him/her.

ð      Breaks toys or crayons easily.

ð      Does not enjoy jumping, swings, or having feet off the ground.

ð      Difficulty coloring in lines, doing puzzles or cutting with scissors by age 4 ½.

ð      Delayed language development.

ð      Overly active, unable to slow down.

ð      Difficulty tolerating lying on stomach.

ð      Dislikes bathing, cuddling, or hair cuts.

ð      Overreacts to touch, taste, sounds or odors.

ð      Avoids playground activities.

ð      Unable to settle down, sleep difficulties.

ð      Extremely sensitive to how clothes “feel”.

If your child is experiencing 3 or more of these problems, pediatric therapy intervention may be helpful.  You can contact our facility for more information, 979-848-9195.

Foot Pain and Orthotics

Foot pain from flat feet, fallen arches, neuromas, plantar faciitis, heel spurs, bunions, etc. can be helped by orthotics.

An orthotic is defined as a device for supporting, treating, or immobilizing specific muscles or joints that are weak from injury, deformation, or ineffectiveness.  Many people use them to correct structural issues of the foot.

Most people think that orthotics are ugly and cumbersome; yet, the truth is that most orthotics fit into your regular shoes and are unseen. 

At first they may be uncomfortable due to the newness and correcting of your problem/diagnosis: after a few days you get used to them, and your feet start feeling better.  You may even notice that your whole body feels better!

Orthotics can be purchased over the counter, but they can also be custom made for your specific difficulty.  Here at Angleton Danbury Medical Center Rehab we offer custom made orthotics.  For more information please feel free to call us at 979-848-9195.

Meet The Rehabilitation Department Therapists

Tanya Sotillo

Director of the Rehabilitation Services / Physical Therapist

Tanya N Sotillo is the Director of the Rehabilitation Services here at ADMC.  A Native of New York City, Tanya grew up on Staten Island. She attended the University of North Carolina-Charlotte on a track & field scholarship and received her BS in health promotions and kinesiology.  She went on to Long Island University and received a Masters of Science specializing in Exercise Physiology. After working a year as an Exercise Physiologist she decided to apply to physical therapy school.  She then came south to attend the University of Texas Medical Branch and received a Masters in Physical Therapy.

Tanya’s first love is Sports Medicine and Orthopedics.  She began her career working with professional athletes and weekend warriors at the T.A.N.K; a Houston clinic that applied Pilates along with physical therapy as a form of rehab.  She spent time at the Hospital for Joint Disease in NYC working with Post-operative orthopedic / spine patients.  She has worked as the Assistant Director at the Foot Clinic of New York, which is housed within the New York College of Podiatry where she worked with numerous Podiatrists and performed as an Adjunct Professor teaching Podiatry student’s manual treatment techniques. She has experience with patients who have had CVAs, spinal cord injuries and vestibular issues and has also worked with cancer patients outpatient and acute at MD Anderson Hospital. She has worked as Director of Rehabilitation in Skilled Nursing which allowed her to work closely with the geriatric population.  She also worked multiple years as Medical Team Leader at the prestigious New Balance Collegiate Invitational and the National Scholastic Indoor Track & Field Championships in New York City.   

 In addition to the time spent working in numerous treatment settings she became a Certified Pilates Instructor and traveled to Vancouver, Canada to become certified in the Active Release Technique.  She then applied these techniques to help many Track & Field athletes and NFL players rehab from injuries.  Tanya sat on the Board as Chair of women’s Track & Field for the non-profit organization, USA Track & Field New York City, and was Assistant Coach for the girls’ cross country / track & field. 

Sara Janda

Physical Therapist

Sara Janda is a Physical Therapist and is originally from La Grange, Texas.  She earned her bachelor’s of applied exercise physiology at Texas A&M University in College Station.  She then attended UTMB in Galveston to obtain her Master’s of Physical Therapy.  She has worked in multiple out-patient clinics such as Memorial Herman Sports Medicine, hospitals and nursing homes.  She has experience with patients from 18-months old to 103 years old.  Sara’s passion is in sports medicine and pediatric therapy. 

Sara lives in Alvin with her husband of 9 years.  She enjoys camping, SCUBA diving, traveling, waterskiing, and reading.  She also has fun doing unique activities such as grass skiing, driving barstools, riding couches down the road, and riding the neighbor’s jet ski around the block.

Melissa Dickens

Occupational Therapist

Melissa Dickens is an Occupational Therapist with 7 years of experience in her field.   She holds a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from UTMB in Galveston and is licensed by the State of Texas.  Her passion is serving the pediatric population.  Melissa has worked in local school systems and outpatient clinics.  She has professional experience in orthopedics, neurological dysfunction and pediatric developmental delays. Melissa specializes in pediatric feeding difficulties and seating and mobility. She enjoys assisting and educating parents and patients on mobility equipment and other specialized equipment to help their children gain independence and increase function.  She is currently working towards her certification as an ATP (Assistive Technology Practitioner).  Growing up with two childhood cousins with special needs was what motivated Melissa to decide that Occupational Therapy would be the career for her.  Seeing the determination, love, and compassion that their family and therapists had is what drives Melissa to help each child and their families.  At home, Melissa enjoys staying busy chasing after her two year old son and helping out her family in their restaurant.

Robert Brown

Physical Therapist Assistant

            Robert has been a Physical Therapist Assistant for 13 years.  He has worked in various settings including outpatient, inpatient and skilled nursing facilities.  Robert also serves as a Clinical Instructor for Physical Therapist Assistant students from several local colleges.  Prior to becoming a Physical Therapist Assistant, he worked as a Paramedic for 20 years.  During that time he held positions as Shift Supervisor, Maintenance Supervisor, Assistant Director and Director of EMS in Huntsville Texas. He also served in the Huntsville Fire Department where a achieved the rank of Captain.  Robert has a B.S. from Sam Houston State University in Criminal Justice and an A.A.S. from San Jacinto College in Physical Therapist Assistant.  He received his Paramedic training at University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.

Robert lives in Angleton with his wife and 3 children.  He enjoys hunting, fishing and golf.  He also enjoys camping and other outdoor activities.  Robert is a member of the First Baptist Church in Angleton.

Melissa Brown

Physical Therapy Assistant

Melissa Brown is a physical therapy assistant and is originally from Palacios, Texas.  Melissa achieved her associate’s degree in physical therapy from Wharton County Junior College and has Associates in Business Management for Park University.  Since attaining her license in June of 2005, she has worked in the outpatient orthopedic setting primarily.  However, she does have a great amount of experience in the inpatient acute setting.  She has worked in leadership positions over the years at previous clinics and enjoys the variety of experiences the physical therapy field offers.  She is certified thru Sole Supports to fit patients for orthotics.  She has been married 20 years and has two wonderful children.  She is a Girl Scout leader and a volunteer religious education teacher.  In her spare time she enjoys reading, camping, and hunting.  

Angleton Danbury Medical Center Mission Statement

Our mission is to improve the health status of our community through education, prevention and quality care.

Vision Statement
Our vision is to be a nationally recognized health care leader and provider of choice.

Value Statements
Dignity: We will treat everyone with respect and dignity.

Access: We believe that access to health services is a fundamental right of each resident of our district.

Patients' Rights and Responsibilities: We believe that patients and families have the right and responsibility to participate in their health care decisions.

Stewardship: We will maintain vigilant trusteeship of our district and community resources in all our operations.

Excellence: We will pursue the highest levels of quality service and continuously seek to improve our processes.

Innovation: We will strive to utilize the most effective technology and innovations while maintaining financial responsibility.

Partnership/Collaboration: We recognize the importance of collaboration with all health care providers and community service agencies.

Wellness/Education: We are fully committed to wellness and education, the foundations for improving the health status of our community.

Honesty/Integrity: We will demonstrate the highest levels of integrity through honesty in our words and actions.

Environment: We will maintain an environment of joy for a job well done.