Health Watch

Happy Holidays to all our friends! We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a healthy and happy New Year!

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Greene rehab has been in business since 1978. We are still in business because of the many wonderful patients that have chosen to come to our clinic for their physical therapy. I would like to thank you. We know you can choose where you would like to go for treatment and we understand the trust you put in us when you call Greene Rehab. Again I say, Thank you.
Chris Greene DPT

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ARTHRITIS TIPS
Keeping active is good for your joints and your muscles. Movement increases joint lubrication, exercise increases muscle strength. Strong muscles increase joint support. Exercise regularly with light to moderate resistance.

Walking tips:
1. Wear supportive shoes with a good cushion. You should feel support under your arch. You can add arch support easily if needed. Dr. Scholls sells an inexpensive arch support that is made of a clear gel and shaped like a football. This can be easily added to any shoe.
2. Wear two pair of thin socks to decrease rubbing at the ball of the foot. This helps reduce friction on your skin.
3. If you are just starting a walking program, decide how far you think you can reasonably walk and divide that by four. If you think, “I can walk 4 blocks”. Walk a block in one direction, and then double back to your starting point. Walk a block in the opposite direction and again, double back. That way you never are too far from a place to sit if you need it.
4. It is a good idea to stretch before walking. Do gentle stretches that you hold for 5-10 counts.

Around the house:
1.Use utensils with larger hand grips. OXO makes nicely designed kitchen spoons, knives, etc what have a wider grip. You can also adapt your handles by cutting lengths of pipe insulation (sold at hardware stores). Secure the insulation with tape.
2. Alternate activities. If you have two projects to do, work between the two to give different muscle groups a rest.
3. Move your whole body when you sweep, vacuum or scrub. Don’t bend at the waist and try to reach the area around you from one spot, step forward and back with your feet, like “dancing” with the vacuum.
4. Extended handles on scrub brushes reduce the bending need to clean a bathtub or baseboards.
5. Be sure to hold laundry baskets, bags of groceries or anything that is a little heavier, close to your center of gravity (belly button height). Do not twist your trunk with weight in your arms. Turn using your feet, keeping the back straight.
6. When picking up an object from the floor, bend at the hips and knees, keep the back straight and lift the item, keeping it close to the center of gravity, (belly button height).

Look up the following web sites for more information:
1. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines
2. http://www.apta.org click on “For the Public” in the upper right hand of the page

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Each patient has the right to choose where they wish to receive their physical therapy. When a physician orders P.T. they may or may not recommend a particular P.T. As a patient, you should know that you always have the right to make your own choice. It is good to check with your insurance company to be sure that you have coverage at the location you desire. At Greene Rehab we understand that you have the freedom to go anywhere you would like and count it an honor when we are your choice.
Chris Greene PT/DPT

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Physical therapy can help speed your progress after back surgery. Treatment focuses on strengthening trunk (core) musculature properly and managing any residual post surgical pain. The core muscles surround the trunk like a cylinder and are important in maintaining good posture and supporting the back. Many patients with back problems present with a diastasis recti. This is the result of stretching of the connective tissue that runs from the bottom of the sternum (xiphoid process) to the pubic bone (pubic ramus). It can be felt as a dip or hollow area between the two halves of the rectus abdominis when lying on your back. It can be seen as a raised area that runs from the bottom of the sternum to the belly button when lifting your head (lying on your back). Proper strengthening of the rectus abdominis muscle is critical for providing support to the back. It is also important to avoid aggressive stretching following surgery, especially following a fusion or discectomy. It is possible to either prevent the fusion from healing or to cause a herniation of the discs above or below the surgical level. A partial discectomy results in a weakened area where the excess tissue has been removed and is at risk for further herniation with aggressive stretching. Post surgical pain is managed with manual therapy, usually massage techniques, and modalities such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation.

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Tendonitis of the tendons that run behind the inside ankle bone (medial malleolus) can be very painful. Standing and walking are usually limited by pain. It can be hard to flex the ankle and impossible to raise up on your toes. The Flexor Hallucis Longus passes behind the ankle and under the arch to the big toe. It flexes the big toe and and is important in the push of phase of walking and running, helping to propel you forward. The Flexor Digitorum Longus passes behind the medial malleolus and under the foot to attach to the 2nd thru 5th toe, acting to flex the toes. The Posterior Tibial Tendon passes immediately behind the medial malleoli and is important in supporting the arch. Wearing a shoe with a heel and good arch supports can help relieve some of the pain and reduce strain on the tendons. Adding additional arch support can also be helpful. Dr. Scholl’s Hidden Arch Supports are available in local stores and are an inexpensive solution to try. Physical therapy can be helpful with modalities such as ultrasound, electrical stimulation, cold laser, manual therapy and appropriate exercies. Tendonitis is an inflammatory process and will often be aggravated by too much exercise. It is important to do gentle movement, flexing the foot up and down as well as side to side, but aggressive exercise will aggravate the symptoms and should be avoided.

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Thank you to everyone that voted for Greene Rehab Services in the annual Best of Venice contest put on by our great hometown paper, the Venice Gondolier. We are honored to have been chosen as best physical therapy for 2011. It is our goal to treat each patient as a member of our family and we have been honored to meet so many wonderful people in our 33 years in business. We appreciate each and every vote cast in this years contest. Thank you Venice.

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