"Other" Women's Health Discussion Group

At November's session of the "Other" Women's Health Discussion Group, Kristen Pierce, PT, DPT, who specializes in pelvic physical therapy at Fauquier Health Outpatient Rehabilitation, will discuss how specific physical therapy interventions including exercise, manual techniques, electrical stimulation & biofeedback can be used to treat pelvic pain & incontinence.

Guest Speaker:
Kristen Pierce, PT, DPT, cert. MDT

Location:
The LIFE Center at Fauquier Health
419 Holiday Court, Suite 200
Warrenton, VA 20136

Dates:
Tuesday November 9th Time: 10:00 am
Monday, November 15th Time: 6:00 pm

To register for one of the sessions, please call the LIFE Center at 540-316-2640.

If you need further information or have any questions, please contact Marilyn Caine at 540-349-9325 or mcainepfd@aol.com

Fauquier Health Outpatient Rehabilitation Services is pleased to announce a new service

Physical Therapy Treatment

for the Patient with

Breast Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In 2011, 261,900 females will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and currently there are approximately 2.3 million breast cancer survivors in the US. Of the 261,900 diagnosed with breast cancer next year, 261,200 should have physical therapy.

Success of cancer care is no longer measured by just the eradication of the disease progression. Today, success also includes the return to pre-diagnosis activity and comfort levels. Quality cancer care requires a comprehensive approach which also includes rehabilitation. Physical therapists, who have trained in cancer rehabilitation and are members of the medical oncology team, are the specialists who can provide treatment for common musculoskeletal and cardiovascular problems that occur after cancer treatment.


Seventy to ninety percent of patients will have one or more of these common physical problems after cancer treatment:

· Pain
· Swelling
· Decreased range of motion
· Cording
· Strength loss
· Soft tissue tightness
· Soft tissue restrictions
· Risk for infection and lymphedema
· Fatigue
· Bone loss
· Muscle loss
· Neuropathy
· Weight gain
· Postural changes
· Loss of normal function


Rehabilitation by a physical therapist can eliminate, reduce, or prevent every one of these issues except neuropathy. Physical therapists in cancer rehabilitation provide treatment from a musculoskeletal perspective throughout the cancer treatment continuum so patients can achieve their full functional level.


Who should have cancer rehabilitation?

· People who have had or will have surgery
· People who have had or will have chemotherapy
· People who have had or will have radiation.


In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Fauquier Health Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is pleased to announce a new service provided to our community: Physical Therapy for the Patient with Breast Cancer.


Our cancer rehabilitation team consisting of physical therapists, Joan Wolf, PT and Kristen Pierce, PT, DPT, have recently received specialized training in the physical therapy treatment of the patient with breast cancer. Their specialized training will provide interventions to help eliminate pain, restore joint mobility, restore/maximize tissue flexibility, restore strength, restore activities of daily living, vocational, and recreational activity, and provide education for patients having breast cancer treatment. Treatment is always individualized based on the physical therapy exam and the patient’s goals.


If you have a question for our cancer rehabilitation team, please call 540-316-2680 or click on the button below to submit an inquiry via email.

The Fauquier Health Rehabilitation Team participated in the Pink Hair for Hope event at Warrenton's Salon Emage.

October is National Physical Therapy Month

October is National Physical Therapy Month

In recognition of National Physical Therapy Month, the American Physical Therapy Association is promoting making a commitment to physical activity so children and adults can combat and prevent obesity and its consequences.

The APTA has released the following ideas for fun ways for families to become active:

“Smart Moves” for Families

●Plan weekend family activities involving physical activity, such as hiking, swimming, bicycling, mini-golf, tennis, or bowling.

●Help your child plan physical activities with friends and neighbors, such as skating or softball.

●Have your kids brainstorm a “rainy day” game plan of indoor activities involving fitness games such as Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution.

●Remember that your family does not need to join a health club or buy fancy equipment to be active. Walking isn’t costly and it’s easy. So is designing a backyard obstacle course. Weights can be made from soda or detergent bottles filled with sand or water!

●Provide positive rewards for your child when he or she engages in physical activities, such as workout clothes, a new basketball, or an evening of roller-skating.

●Provide positive feedback about your child's lifestyle changes. Remember not to focus on the scale (for you or your child).

●Be your child's "exercise buddy." Plan daily walks or bike rides and set goals together for increasing physical activity rather than for losing weight. It’s also great “bonding” time!

●As you schedule your child's extracurricular activities, remember to plan time for exercise and activity as a priority for the entire family. Don't just "squeeze it in."

●Encourage children to try individualized sports such as tennis and swimming. Studies show such activities are the basis of lifelong fitness habits.

●Parents and children can do exercises while watching television (or at least during commercials), such as sit-ups, push-ups or running in place. Discourage snacking or eating meals while watching.

Source: American Physical Therapy Association

At Fauquier Hospital Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation we have highly skilled, experienced clinicians who have a multitude of certifications to improve your quality of life. We have several specialized physical therapy programs that provide treatment of Pediatric, Women’s Health, Spine, Sports Therapy, Occupational Injuries, Orthopedic and Neurological conditions. We can offer you a specialized examination and treatment in these areas of expertise.

Talk to our physical therapists today and make a plan to get moving!
Do you have a question for your physical therapist? We have an answer. Please click the button below to submit your question or call us at 540-316-2680.

Movement for Health

© Lisa F. Young Dreamstime.com

Active Aging

Physical therapists are exercise experts, providing services for a wide range of people to optimize their physical ability. They prescribe exercise as part of a structured, safe and effective program.

An important part of their role is to help people remain active as they age. More than any other profession, physical therapists prevent and treat chronic disease and disability in aging adults through specifically prescribed activity and movement.

The World Health Organization encourages regular physical activity for older adults, because it has been shown to imporve the functional status and quality of life in this group of individuals.

It says that older adults should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity at least five days a week, if appropriate.

Improving functional ability

Older adults engaged in regular physical activity demonstrate improved:

• Balance
• Strength
• Coordination & Motor Control
• Flexibility
• Endurance

As a result, physical activity can reduce the risk of falls--a major cause of disability among older people.

Participation in regular exercise leads to older adults having higher levels of functional capabilities, greater independence & improved quality of life.

Preventing & treating non-communicable disease

Participation in regular physical activity can prevent or improve many non-communicable diseases prevalent in older adults:

• Cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, stroke)
• Hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
• Osteoarthritis (a disease that causes joint swelling, pain & limits movement
• Osteoporosis (a disease in which bones become fragile)

Being active from an early age can help prevent these non-communicable diseases, and regular movement & activity can also help relieve the disability and pain associated with them.

Improving mental health

Physical activity has been shown to improve mental health and cognitive function in older adults and contributes to the management of disorders, such as depression & anxiety. Active lifestyles often provide older persons with regular occasions to make new friendships, maintain social networks and interact with people of all ages.

Information provided by the World Confederation for Physical Therapy: www.wcpt.org

If you would like to learn more about how a physical therapist may help you, or someone you know, to age actively please click on the button below to ask a question.

Is your child's backpack making the grade?

© Tracy Whiteside Dreamstime.com

While a backpack is still one of the best ways to tote homework, an overloaded or improperly worn backpack gets a failing grade, according to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA).

Improper backpack use can cause injury, especially to children with young, growing muscles and joints. A study led by APTA member Shelley Goodgold, PT, found that 55 percent of the children surveyed carried backpack loads heavier than 15 percent of their body weight, the maximum safe weight for children recommended by most experts.

Physical therapists recommend the following tips for safe backpack use

• Wear both straps. Using only one strap, even with backpacks that have one strap that runs across the body, causes one shoulder to bear the weight of the bag. By wearing both shoulder straps, the weight of the pack is better distributed, and a symmetrical posture is promoted. A backpack that has padded, contoured shoulder straps will also help reduce pressure on the chest and shoulders.
• Make sure the backpack fits. It is important to pay close attention to the way a backpack is positioned on the back, and the size of the backpack should match the size of the child.
• Shoulder straps should fit comfortably on the shoulder and under the arms, so that the arms can move freely. The bottom of the pack should rest in the contour of the lower back. The pack should "sit" evenly in the middle of the back, not "sag down" toward the buttocks.

Wrong (left): Strap on only one shoulder.

Correct (right): Wide, padded straps on both shoulders.

Wrong (left): Load too heavy.

Correct (right): Load no more than 10-15% of body weight.

Physical therapists recommend the following features when selecting a backpack:

• A padded back to reduce pressure on the back and prevent the pack's contents from digging into the child's back; A waist belt to help distribute some of the load to the pelvis;
  Compression straps on the sides or bottom of the backpack that, when tightened, compress the contents of the backpack and stabilize the articles.
• Reflective material so that the child is visible to drivers at night.

Some children may find backpacks with wheels a good option. However wheeled backpacks may present problems, such as getting them up and down stairs or trying to fit them into cramped locker spaces. If a wheeled backpack is chosen, be sure that the extended handle is long enough so that the child is not forced to twist and bend, and that the wheels are sufficiently large so that the backpack doesn't shake or topple. It is also wise to consider the weight of the backpack when empty. For example, a standard canvas backpack will be lighter in weight than one with wheels.
So how do you make sure that your child stays injury-free?

Parents should look for the following signs that the backpack is too heavy

• Pain when wearing the backpack
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Red marks on the shoulders
• Above all, urge your children to tell you if they are in pain or have discomfort before a problem becomes serious.

Physical therapists are highly-educated, licensed health care professionals who can help patients reduce pain and improve or restore mobility – in many cases without expensive surgery or the side effects of prescription medications. APTA represents more than 70,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy nationwide. Its purpose is to improve the health and quality of life of individuals through the advancement of physical therapist practice. In most states, patients can make an appointment directly with a physical therapist, without a physician referral. Learn more about conditions physical therapists can treat and find a physical therapist in your area at http://www.apta.org/AM/www.moveforwardpt.com.

If you feel you or someone you know would benefit from physical therapy & would like to learn more, please give us a call at 540-316-2680. Or to submit an inquiry via email, click on the button below.

Fauquier Health's PM&R Team participate in Triathalon

Left to right: Bruce Edwards, Kristen Pierce & Elena Cooper

Team “Fauquier Health PM&R (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)” consisting of speech therapist Elena Cooper and physical therapists Bruce Edwards, David Grossmann, and Kristen Pierce participated in the 3rd Annual BRATS Triathlon Event #2 on July 19, 2010 held at the Vint Hill Community. The triathlon was a charity benefit to support the Owen Lea Foundation which is dedicated to serving families with neuroblastoma. The therapists enjoyed the hot July morning swimming 300 meters, biking 12 miles, and running a 5K.

Dave Grossmann crosses the finish line.

Cycling is a repetitive activity that can result in injury. Our physical therapists at Fauquier Health Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation department can provide you with the proper stretches, balance, and strengthening exercises to treat your cycling related injuries.

American Physical Therapy Association's tips for avoiding bike fit related injuries:

Postural Tips

· Change hand position on the handlebars frequently for upper body comfort.
· Keep a controlled but relaxed grip of the handlebars.
· When pedaling, your knee should be slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Avoid rocking your hips while pedaling.

Common Bicycling Pains

· Anterior (Front) Knee Pain
Possible causes are having a saddle that is too low, pedaling at a low cadence (speed), using your quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals, and muscle imbalance in your legs (strong quadriceps and weak hamstrings).

· Neck Pain
Possible causes include poor handlebar or saddle position. A poorly placed handlebar might be too low, at too great a reach, or at too short a reach. A saddle with excessive downward tilt can be a source of neck pain.

· Lower Back Pain
Possible causes include inflexible hamstrings, low cadence, using your quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, poor back strength, and too long or too-low handlebars.

· Hamstring Tendinitis
Possible causes are inflexible hamstrings, high saddle, misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals, and poor hamstring strength.

· Hand Numbness or Pain
Possible causes are short-reach handlebars, poorly placed brake levers, and a downward tilt of the saddle.

· Foot Numbness or Pain
Possible causes are using quadriceps muscles too much in pedaling, low cadence, faulty foot mechanics, and misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedals.

· Ilio-Tibial Band Tendinitis
Possible causes are too-high saddle, leg length difference, and misaligned bicycle cleat for those who use clipless pedal.

For further information see http://www.apta.org/

At Fauquier Health Outpatient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, our therapists treat not only cycling injuries, but all other types of orthopedic and sports related injures for all ages. If you feel you or someone you know may benefit from this service and would like to hear more, please call us at 540-316-2680. Or click on the button below to ask a question.

Dr. Bernard Filner to speak on pain management at the Women's Health Discussion Group

Dr. Bernard Filner, a board certified anesthesiologist specializing in treatment for acute and chronic soft tissue pain, will speak at the Women's Health Discussion Group on August 27th, 2010 at 10 am. The group will meet at The Life Center at 419 Holiday Court in Warrenton, Virginia. Dr. Filner will discuss the use of painless, noninvasive Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), also referred to as cold laser therapy, to externally treat many painful conditions including: Fibromyalgia, Myofacial Pain Syndrome, pelvic pain (including Pudendal Neuralgia and Intersitial Cystitis), back/facial/shoulder/neck pain, migraines, TMJ, carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, and more. Dr. Filner will also discuss nonsteroidal trigger point injections and the use of microcurrent treatment to help break up scar tissue and desensitize post surgical incision sites.

Dr. Filner teaches others around the country to use the LLLT technique. His website is: www.thepaincenter.us

There is no charge to attend this presentation. Please call the Life Center at (540) 316-2640 to register. For more information, contact Marilyn Caine, (540) 349-9325 or mcainepfd@aol.com