Celebrating 25 years!

McDonald Physical Therapy News

July 2014

Contact us at (574)233-5754

Fran's Favorite Quotes

"Don't mistake kindness for weakness"

Are you looking for a way to jumpstart your rehab and get back on your feet sooner?

Call us for more information regarding our AlterG� Anti-Gravity Treadmill�. The AlterG provides up to 80% body weight support to reduce the stress and strain on your body.

Watch this video for more information:

AlterG - Running, Injury and Rehab Equipment

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Logan's Run

8/2

Running Wild St. Patrick's Park

8/16

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Dear Friends,

Will you help us? I would love for McDonald Physical Therapy to reinvent a way to make your experience with us more convenient and beneficial.

By beneficial, I mean less hassle from the moment you realize you need help for your back, neck, shoulder, knee and/or ankle pain. By beneficial, I mean getting help with balance, strength training, getting in and out of chairs, or climbing stairs at your home. It is paramount to us to be here for you every step of the way!

Most of us don't need to see our quality of life erode quicker than we would expect to or like it to. It is not necessary to have constant pain, simply because it is assumed it's a part of growing old. I see work-out patients in our clinic every day who are 80 and 90 plus, and are physically active and enjoying life. They are amazing!

It is not only because they have great genes; it is also because they truly realize we all get weaker as we age. When they realized this, they realized maybe they could begin to improve their strength and endurance with our help. They realized, with proper guidance and exercise from a physical therapist who specializes in conditioning, they could get out of bed, out of a chair and walk for longer periods of time with less struggle and pain. They realized they were improving their life tenfold by taking the leap!

There was no magic. As many of us already know, the most difficult step to beginning something worthwhile is that first step. In the field of medicine, we have a way of making it more difficult than it should be for our patients to get the help they desire and need. We seem to throw barriers in the way. Patients are made to wait weeks and sometimes months to be seen for help with their pain.

It is with this in mind, that we are reaching out to you all for your input! Please help us find a better way to make it easier to help you recover from whatever physical issue you may be having. The entire medical community needs fresh ideas to find ways to help. We have to break through the present healthcare system which forgets the personal needs of the patient by putting them on hold and giving them appointments weeks and months in advance.

We are presently running a contest. We will be putting the name of every person who sends us ideas in a lottery to help patients in need more effectively. Upon receiving your idea, we will enter your name in a drawing to win up to $100 in cash. If we end up using your solution, we will give you another $50 and a free personal evaluation, as well as a 3-month workout plan in our clinic.

Thanks for your time and your thoughts and I hope you care enough to write us whatever ideas you might have in helping McDonald Physical Therapy serve you more appropriately. Our mission is to help you get stronger everyday and recover from whatever physical limitation you might presently have.

Much appreciation,

Fran

P.S. Please email me your idea(s) to Fran@Mcdonaldpt.com

Physical Therapy a Good First Choice

Before Surgery for Rotator Cuff Tears

Why get surgery if you don't need it? Those who experience nontraumatic rotator cuff tears, for example, would do just as well with "conservative treatment" such as physical therapy.

That's according to a study published in Bone and Joint Journal ("Treatment of nontraumatic rotator cuff tears: A randomised controlled trial with one-year clinical results" - January 2014), which found that patients who received physical therapy alone for rotator cuff tears showed similar rates of physical improvement and patient satisfaction to those who received arthroscopic surgery or open surgical repair, combined with physical therapy.

The "rotator cuff" is a group of 4 muscles that are responsible for keeping the shoulder joint stable. Unfortunately, injuries to the rotator cuff are very common, either from injury or with repeated overuse of the shoulder. Injuries to the rotator cuff can vary as a person ages. Rotator cuff tears are more common later in life, but they also can occur in younger people. Athletes and heavy laborers are commonly affected; older adults also can injure the rotator cuff when they fall or strain the shoulder, such as when walking a dog that pulls on the leash. When left untreated, this injury can cause severe pain and a decrease in the ability to use the arm.

An acute rotator cuff tear is one that just recently occurred, often due to a trauma such as a fall or lifting a heavy object.
Chronic rotator cuff tears are much slower to develop. These tears are often the result of repeated actions with the arms working above shoulder level-such as with ball-throwing sports or certain work activities

How is it diagnosed?

Your physical therapist will review your health history, perform a thorough examination, and conduct a series of tests designed specifically to help pinpoint the cause of your shoulder pain.

Physical therapists perform specialized tests to diagnose an impingement or a tear. For instance, your therapist may raise your arm, move your arm out to the side, or raise your arm and ask you to resist a force, all at specific angles of elevation. These tests may cause you to feel some temporary discomfort, but don't worry-that's normal and part of what helps the therapist identify the exact source of your problem.

In some cases, the results of these tests might indicate the need for a referral to an orthopedist or for imaging tests, such as ultrasound imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT).

How Can a Physical Therapist Help?

Once a rotator cuff injury has been diagnosed, you will work with your orthopedist and physical therapist to decide if you should have surgery or if you can try to manage your recovery without surgery. If you don't have surgery, your therapist will work with you to restore your range of motion, muscle strength, and coordination, so that you can return to your regular activities. In some cases, your therapist may help you learn to modify your physical activity so that you put less stress on your shoulder. If you decide to have surgery, your therapist can help you both before and after the procedure.

Regardless of which treatment you have-physical therapy only, or surgery and physical therapy-early treatment can help speed up healing and avoid permanent damage.

If you have any questions, please call us at (574)233-5754!

*article adapted from moveforwardpt.com

Direct access + YOU + McDonald Physical Therapy = Immediate CARE!

Do you have pain in your back, neck, shoulder, knee or arm? Do you have pain when you exercise, garden or when going about your normal routine?

If so, now you can call us... directly and get immediate relief as you no longer have to see your physician first. We now can address your pain and get you back to your healthy self without you having to take that step!

We want you back in the game TODAY! Call us for an evaluation at 574-233-5754