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By admin Uncategorized

It’s True: You Really Can Maintain A Healthy & Pain-Free Lifestyle. Here’s how!

 

LBP brochure cover

Our wellness goal at OrthoWell Physical Therapy is to partner with YOU in order to provide the BEST in physical therapy maintenance care to prevent return of pain or injury for a LIFETIME!

When you have experienced the OrthoWell approach to physical therapy care, you realize that we do things a little differently. We are not paint-by-the-numbers physical therapists. We are truly passionate about figuring out what is wrong with you. We are Holistic. We are Comprehensive.

On Day 1 you will see that we spend a lot of time evaluating your condition in order to provide you with an accurate functional diagnosis. If you aren’t assessing, you’re guessing! We don’t want to waste your time or your money.

Why don’t your entrust your care to the experts? Becoming a member of our Wellness Membership Program is the answer for long-term health and wellness.

Just think how you would feel if you received a monthly or even bi-monthly treatment that included a combination of Active Release Technique, Graston Technique, Cupping Therapy and Deep Tissue Laser Therapy to release stiff tissue that re-occurs as result of participating in sports, running, or even the daily stresses of being a stay-at-home Mom. Your treatment would be focused on problem areas that we identify with a re-evaluation. You wouldn’t just get “generalized” treatment that may or may not help solve the problem. You would then be instructed in appropriate exercises to perform during your session and to continue with as part of your maintenance or progressive program.

You can pre-purchase a package of wellness visits to become a member in our Preferred Program. This would qualify you for a FREE Deep Tissue Laser Therapy session with each visit. Consistent use of laser therapy helps to stimulate chemical reactions in your cells to accelerate healing and prevent future injury during your sport or daily activity. You will also receive future discounts and coupons for things such as custom foot orthotics, EFAC cream, physical therapy equipment, and referrals rewards to local health care practitioners such as personal trainers, massage therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists who we trust and do business with.

The best part of this program is that you pay less when you make a commitment to your health.

Purchase a package of 6 wellness visits for $65 per visit or $390

Purchase a package of 12 wellness visits for $55 per visit or $660.

Why take a risk with your health?

 In life there are no guarantees, but why take a chance on your health? Convince yourself that you are doing the most to OPTIMIZE your health. Partner with us to take control of your long-term health and wellness. What are you waiting for?

Read More at https://orthowellpt.com/wellness-membership-program/

 

By admin Clinicians, Foot Orthotics, Foot Orthotics, Foot/Ankle, Foot/Ankle, Pain Management, Pain Management, Patients, Running, Running

Are Toe Crunches just as important as Stomach Crunches??

Intrinsic Marbles

 

I have struggled over the years as to the importance of including toe flexor strengthening as part of a program for plantar fasciitis. Many researches agree that the potential causes of plantar fasciitis are just too numerous and multi-factorial. The evidence in the literature has not been conclusive and I have let many of my patient’s comments that “this is silly” when picking up marbles dictate my decision-making. I have slowly but surely, and I believe wrongly, eliminated this important exercise from my treatment approach. I have recently read several articles that have rekindled my enthusiasm for toe flexor strengthening. So why the change in heart??

I am always looking for ways to get our patients better…faster. I have written a book on plantar fasciitis called the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Manual and it identifies ankle muscle weakness as a result of plantar fasciitis but not include the presence of toe flexor weakness. That is my oversight and I will correct that in the book. Yes, the literature does identify weakness of the ankle muscles and the toes flexor muscles with the plantar fasciits population, yet the research does NOT confirm any causative factor of this weakness on the development of plantar fasciitis.(1,3,4) It is the chicken or the egg conundrum. Unfortunately, there are theoretical assertions that the “flexor digitorum brevis muscle (the muscle directly underneath the plantar fascia) plays an important role in distributing pressure away from the plantar fascia” that are simply not supported by research. (2) Does this mean that we should not perform strengthening exercises? Let me provide some more evidence.

As we get older, we get weaker. We all lose muscle mass, we lose muscle fibers and, as a consequence, we see decreases in strength between the ages of 30 and 80 within a range of 20-40%.(5) Several articles have also shown that “older people” exhibit 24-40% less strength in the muscles of the foot and ankle(5,6,7,8). As a consequence of foot and ankle weakness, older adults are more susceptible to loss of balance, the development of foot and toe deformities and can be susceptible to overuse syndromes such as plantar fasciitis. (5,6,7,8) The biggest question that has not been answered when it comes to strengthening exercises for older adults is WHICH exercises are the most effective?

As a result, we have to rely on some common sense. If the muscles in our ankles and feet get weaker as we get older (proven!), then we should strengthen them to avoid plantar fasciitis. Right? Not necessarily. There is not a direct correlation between weakness and the development of plantar fasciitis but, then again, many people don’t believe that there is a direct correlation between human activity and climate change. My point is why should we wait to change our approach until it is conclusive – whether it be climate change or your plantar fasciitis?

 

  1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12968860
  2. http://running.competitor.com/2014/06/photos/new-techniques-treating-plantar-fasciitis_96398
  3. http://www.jospt.org/doi/pdfplus/10.2519/jospt.2003.33.8.468
  4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1672577
  5. https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/368357
  6. http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/61/8/866.full
  7. http://www.jfootankleres.com/content/7/1/32
  8. http://www.jfootankleres.com/content/7/1/28
By admin Clinicians, Pain Management, Pain Management, Patients

Do Pain Creams Really Work?

Pain Cream

Do pain creams really work??

There are a lot “pain creams” on the market that tout their effectiveness. Do they really work? Do they just take your mind off of the pain temporarily?

A topical counterirritant is a cream that essentially takes your mind off of the pain. Creams such as BenGay and IcyHot simply activate nerve ending in your skin that “fool” your brain temporarily. These products do not cross the skin barrier to get to the root of the problem. What if I told you that we recommend a product at OrthoWell that is:

*Safe

*Natural

*95% absorbed thru the skin

*Fast acting

*Research proven

We use a cream from two different companies that contains esterified fatty acids. One of the companies is EFAC at Hope Science and the other one is 1-TDC at Elite Science . The inventor of the EFAC-brand formula researched the effects of esterified fatty acids and came up with a combination that beats the effects of chondroitin and glucosamine…hands down! You can read the results and more about the evidence behind EFAC HERE.The proprietary formula for esterified fatty acids is the same in both products but the 1-TDC product uses a paraben-free cream. So how does it work?

It has been shown that EFAC reduces joint and muscular discomfort within 30 minutes of topical application and within 14 days of oral consumption. The effects of the esterified fatty acids include:

*Pain reduction

*Tissue regeneration

*Improved function and range of motion

*Reduction of inflammation

*Lubrication of your joints and tissues.

Read what Robin said about it:

“After only 3 days I noticed a huge improvement in my feet. I also applied the EFAC to my knuckles and thumb joint, when arthritis is bad! Pain gone after application! I want to take a bath in this cream!” Robin Graves. January 31, 2017.

The esterified fatty acids are carried in the membranes of our white blood cells. Because white blood cells are the first responders after injury or in the presence of inflammation, the fatty acids are delivered directly to the affected site and play a role in mediating the inflammatory process. You can read more about the pharmacology HERE. These products have shown dramatic effects in the treatment of gum disease and positive results have been demonstrated in humans as well as animals. Don’t forget about your dog!

Both companies offer a cream as well as capsules. The cream contains a 7% concentration of the esterified fatty acids where as the capsules contain a 70% concentration. You can maximize your benefits by taking the supplement orally as well as topically. There are no side effects and no maximum allowable dosage. You can essentially take as much as you want. However, the manufactures suggest 3-6 capsules per day. We recommend that you apply the cream at least twice daily or as needed depending on your pain level. In some cases, we suggest piercing the capsules and applying the contents of the capsule on smaller areas for maximum effect. There is a small amount of menthol in the cream for the topical analgesic effect. Research has been done that compared the effects of the cream with versus without the menthol and the results were the SAME

You can purchase these products online or in our office. Let us know if you want to give them a try! You wont be disappointed.

By admin QUICK TIPS

Runners Beware of Spring Fever

Here’s a great article for this time of the year for all of our runners.  It focuses on the importance of maintaining mobility and flexibility for good running health. In particular, it looks at the effects of increasing mileage and the toll that this can have on your body. This is especially important this time of year when everyone gets spring fever. So take a read and find out if you have anything to worry about.
CLICK HERE for the article.
By admin QUICK TIPS

Foam Rolling Decreases Post Exercise Soreness

While reading Mike Reinold’s blog I came across this segment of his article. Very interesting!

“While foam rolling has become popular, it still is used most often as a way to prepare for training.  However, a recent research report was published in the Journal of Athletic Training that looked at the effect of foam rolling after training on delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS) and performance.

In the study, 8 collegiate men performed a 10×10 squat protocol to completely exhaust their quads and cause DOMS.  The groups performed this two times, once with performing foam rolling afterward and another time without foam rolling.  In the experimental group, foam rolling was performed immediately after squatting, as well as 24- and 48-hours later.

Foam rolling for recoveryThe foam rolling procedure consisted of 2 rounds of rolling for 45 seconds each over the quads, adductors, hamstrings, IT band, and Glutes.

Results of the study showed that DOMS was significantly reduced when foam rolling was performed.  However, they also discovered 30 meter sprint time, broad-jump distance, and change-of-direction speed were all negatively effected by the presence of DOMS, but the impact was lower if they performed foam rolling.”

 

By admin All, Clinicians, Patients

CUPPING THERAPY

Cupping Therapy

We offer another specialized service at OrthoWell called Cupping Therapy. Cupping has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. It is used in TCM to stimulate specific points on the skin which correspond to acupuncture points that lie on energy meridians, or pathways. Through manipulation of the points on the skin, the TCM practitioner can influence or change a specific organ’s blood or energy called Qi (chi).

In our clinic, we use cupping in a different way. We are not TCM practitioners. We are western practitioners with a great respect for eastern treatment philosophy. There are many types of cupping methods. We use Dynamic Cupping in our clinic. I can personally say that I have had incredible results with dynamic cupping. One day I asked myself “if I have such great results, why not use cupping on my patients?”

Our method for using dynamic cupping is to lightly lubricate the skin. We place gel, polymer cups onto a region that we are treating by squeezing the cups and placing them directly onto the skin. When we release the”squeeze”, it creates a negative pressure within the cup which “sucks” the skin up into the cup. The intensity of the negative pressure depends on the tolerance of the patient. Our goal is to pre-stretch the skin and underlying fascia and then to have you slowly move through controlled range of motion exercises in order to increase the effectiveness of the stretch. This is the “dynamic” part of our cupping method. Cupping therapy should NOT be painful! You should experience a warm, pulling sensation during the treatment which lasts around 5-6 minutes. Cupping therapy can improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage. TCM practitioners talk about the release of energy “stagnation” via cupping therapy.

Yes, you will have cupping marks on your skin for several days after a treatment. The color and response to the cupping is dependent on the extent of stiffness or the extent of “stagnation” at the treatment site as well as the amount of time that the cups are in place. TCM practitioners believe that the skin is a mirror of our health. All skinmarks that appear as a result of cupping therapy are usually not painful. The discoloration is a result in a change of blood flow through the area. It is not traumatic “bruising”.  There is no external or internal damage inflicted to the skin and the capillaries do not leak as a result of injury due to trauma. The “bruised” areas will turn yellow green before totally fading away.

So, we typically perform cupping therapy after we have completed other manual techniques such as pump massage, Active Release Technique and Graston Technique. It is a good way to mobilize the tissue after the other manual therapy techniques. It is just another treatment technique that we offer at OrthoWell to get you better…faster! Check out the video below for a demonstration.

 

By admin Uncategorized

ONE DAY SPECIAL OFFER EVENT!!!

HELLO!

We would like to share the joy of the holidays by extending a special NEW YEARS offer to all of you! We value your support and trust in the services that we provide at OrthoWell PT and we want to show our appreciation. As a BIG THANK YOU, we are having a day of completely Free Exams and Deep Tissue Laser Therapy treatments in BEVERLY for:

·      All past clients who have not been seen in PT in more than 3 months
·      All present clients who have another problem currently not being treated
·      All loved ones, family, friends, neighbors and co-workers of our past and present patients

If you are a past or present patient then call 978-522-4199 to schedule your Free Exam.

If you are referring a friend or family member, please forward this email to them or have have them call 978-522-4199 to schedule their Free Exam.

The day of Free Exams will be on:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20th , 2015, from 1:00 to 6:00

The Free Exam consists of a 30 minute one-on-one appointment with one of our Physical Therapists. Our therapist will talk with you about the history of your problem and take measurements to test your motion and your strength.

After a thorough exam, they will discuss the CAUSE of your pain and provide you a PLAN for successful treatment.

They can also provide a complimentary Deep Tissue Laser Therapy treatment to your painful area. You can read much more about the benefits of therapeutic laser on our website by clicking HERE.

The appointments are free, but are limited as each PT only has 10 spots.  Call 978-522-4199 now to schedule your Free Exam.

The Free Exam is ideal for people suffering with:
·      Lower Back Pain
·      Neck pain
·      Shoulder Pain
·      Foot Pain
·      Knee Pain
·      Hip Pain
·      Tendonitis
·      Arthritis
·      Sciatica
·      Headaches
·      Difficulty Walking

If you are having pain or problems with day to day activities such as walking, standing, sitting for long periods, going up or down steps, sleeping, driving or even pain that limits your ability to work or exercise, then this is an excellent opportunity to see one of our therapists and find out the cause of your problem.

DON’T MISS OUT!!

Call 978-522-4199 to schedule your Free Exam for January 20th, 2015!!

Sincerely,

Chris Dukarski,PT

PS – As a Special Bonus for the first 10 people that sign up for the Free Exam on January 20th, 2015, you will receive a Free Copy of my book on plantar fasciitis called the Plantar Fasciitis Treatment Guide.
I WON

By admin Clinicians, Other, Pain Management, Pain Management, Patients, Special Techniques, Special Techniques

Trigger Point Dry Needling -Video – FREE trial!

For those of you who don’t know, we are offering another specialized service at OrthoWell PT. It is called Trigger Point Dry Needling. Our new PT, Katie Moulison,DPT, is certified in dry needling and she has been performing this technique for 2 years as well the past several months in our clinic. I have created a comprehensive web page devoted to trigger point dry needling. CLICK HERE. It is another one of those techniques that not everyone knows about. It is a technique that can have a profound effect on the chronic pain associated with trigger points and myo-fascial restrictions.

Here is a video that we made in-house about trigger point dry needling. It includes an explanation of trigger points as well as a demonstration of the actual trigger point dry needling technique. It will give you a much better understanding of the technique and may even encourage you to come in for a FREE session to try it out. Just give us a buzz and we will get you in the schedule. The video will be available on our trigger point dry needling web page as well as a comprehensive Q&A section. Don’t forget to share with your friends!!