Congratulations to the Fayette Encore Athlete of the Month, Tre Tranum! Tre is a senior, multi-sport athlete at Hubbertville High School. He is a member of the football and baseball teams and has played varsity sports for 6 years now. Tre has received the Iron Bunch Award 6 times (!!!), and has also received the 2015 Lineman of the Year award! After high school, Tre plans to attend the University of Alabama and major in engineering. He is the son of Amanda and Kenny Tranum.
Congratulations to Tillman’s Corner Encore Athlete of the Month, Ava Balliviero! Ava is a senior athlete at Alma Bryant High School. She has been a member of the Lady Hurricanes Soccer team for 5 years and wears jersey #17. Ava has also won 2nd place in the Southern Shootout Soccer Competition. After graduation next spring, Ava plans to attend college to major in physical therapy. She is the daughter of Tessie Balliviero.
People everywhere are experiencing the transformative effect physical therapy can have on their daily lives. In fact, as experts in the way the body moves, physical therapists help people of all ages and abilities reduce pain, improve or restore mobility, and stay active and fit throughout life. But there are some common misconceptions that often discourage people from visiting a physical therapist.
It’s time to debunk 7 common myths about physical therapy:
1. Myth: I need a referral to see a physical therapist.
Fact: A recent survey by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) revealed 70% of people think a referral or prescription is required for evaluation by a physical therapist. However, all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) allow patients to be evaluated by a physical therapist without a physician’s prior referral. In addition, 49 states and DC allow for some form of treatment or intervention without a physician referral or prescription (Michigan being the exception). On January 1, 2015, patients in Michigan will be able to do so, as well. Some states have restrictions about the treatment a physical therapist can provide without a physician referral. Check out APTA’s direct access summary chart (.pdf) to see the restrictions in your state.
2. Myth: Physical therapy is painful.
Fact: Physical therapists seek to minimize your pain and discomfort—including chronic or long-term pain. They work within your pain threshold to help you heal, and restore movement and function. The survey found that although 71% of people who have never visited a physical therapist think physical therapy is painful, that number significantly decreases among patients who have seen a physical therapist in the past year.
3. Myth: Physical therapy is only for injuries and accidents.
Fact: Physical therapists do a lot more than just stretch or strengthen weak muscles after an injury or surgery. They are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing potential problems before they lead to more serious injuries or disabling conditions—from carpal tunnel syndrome and frozen shoulder, to chronic headaches and lower back pain, to name a few.
4. Myth: Any health care professional can perform physical therapy.
Fact: Although 42% of consumers know that physical therapy can only be performed by a licensed physical therapist, 37% still believe other health care professionals can also administer physical therapy. Many physical therapists also pursue board certification in specific areas such as neurology, orthopedics, sports, or women’s health, for example.
5. Myth: Physical therapy isn’t covered by insurance.
Fact: Most insurance policies cover some form of physical therapy. Beyond insurance coverage, physical therapy has proven to reduce costs by helping people avoid unnecessary imaging scans, surgery, or prescription drugs. Physical therapy can also lower costs by helping patients avoid falls or by addressing conditions before they become chronic.
6. Myth: Surgery is my only option.
Fact: In many cases, physical therapy has been shown to be as effective as surgery in treating a wide range of conditions—from rotator cuff tears and degenerative disk disease, to meniscal tears and some forms of knee osteoarthritis. Those who have recently seen a physical therapist know this to be true, with 79% believing physical therapy can provide an alternative to surgery.
7. Myth: I can do physical therapy myself.
Fact: Your participation is key to a successful treatment plan, but every patient still needs the expert care and guidance of a licensed physical therapist. Your therapist will leverage his or her specialized education, clinical expertise, and the latest available evidence to evaluate your needs and make a diagnosis before creating an individualized plan of care.
Congratulations to the Winfield Encore Athlete of the Month, Garrett Cooper! Garrett is a senior athlete at Marion County High School. He is a member of the Track and Cross Country team and has ran on varsity for 6 years. Garrett has won the Track All-County, award, All-Section award, All-State Pole Vault, and 2nd and 3rd place in pole vault at the State Indoor track meet! After college, Garrett plans to attend the University of Alabama to study Architectural Engineering. He is the son of David and Joy Cooper.
Stroke kills almost 130,000 of the 800,000 Americans who die of cardiovascular disease each year—that’s 1 in every 19 deaths from all causes.1
A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when a clot blocks the blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. You can greatly reduce your risk for stroke through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, medication.
Anyone, including children, can have a stroke. Every year, about 610,000 people in the United States have a new stroke.2
Several factors that are beyond your control can increase your risk for
stroke. These include your age, sex, and ethnicity. But there are many unhealthy habits that you can change. Examples include smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and not getting enough exercise.
Having high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes also can increase your risk for stroke. However, treating these conditions can reduce the risk of stroke. Ask your doctor about preventing or treating these medical conditions.
The most common signs and symptoms of stroke are:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg.
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding others.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.
If you think that you or someone you know is having a stroke, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Your doctor can perform several tests to diagnose stroke, including brain imaging, tests of the brain’s electrical activity, and blood ow tests.
You can take several steps to reduce your risk for stroke:
• Eat a healthy diet. Tips on reducing saturated fat in your diet are available on the Web site for CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/ everyone/basics/fat/saturatedfat.html
• Maintain a healthy weight. CDC’s Healthy Weight Web site includes information and tools to help you lose weight. http://www.cdc.gov/ healthyweight/index.html
• Be physically active. Visit CDC’s Physical Activity Web site for more information on being active. http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/ index.html
• Don’t smoke. CDC’s Of ce on Smoking and Health Web site has information on quitting smoking. http://www.cdc.gov/ tobacco
• Limit alcohol use. See CDC’s Alcohol and Public Health Web site for more information. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol
• Prevent or treat your other health conditions, especially high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Visit CDC’s pages on these conditions to learn more. http://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure http://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes
If you have a stroke, you may receive emergency care, treatment to prevent another stroke, rehabilitation to help you relearn the skills you may have lost because of the stroke, or all three. In addition, lifestyle changes, such as the ones listed above, can help lower your risk for future strokes. Talk with your doctor about the best ways to reduce your stroke risk.
**This info can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/docs/consumered_stroke.pdf
Congratulations to the Gordo Encore Athlete of the Month, Cliff Morton! Cliff is a junior athlete from Pickens County High School. He has played on the Basketball and Baseball teams for 4 years now and wears jersey #5. Cliff has won the Hustle Award for Baseball and MVP for JV Basketball. After graduation, Cliff plans to attend college to become an RN. Cliff is the son of Greg and Anissa Morton.
Congratulations to the Diamondhead Encore Athlete of the Month, Ally Gaspard! Ally is a dancer and cheerleader for Our Lady Academy in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. She is a senior and has cheered on the varsity squad for a year. Ally has numerous dance awards and plans to dance at Belhaven and major in Business. She is the daughter of Kevin and Wendy Gaspard.
It started showing up at the 2008 Olympics, we saw a lot of it in the 2012 Olympics, and I’ve seen in on multiple athletes in the 2016 Olympics– swatches in various colors applied in seemingly haphazard patterns to the body surface. With all the exposure, many are asking what does it do and does it work? Kinesio tape was developed in the 1970s by Kenzo Kaze-a chiropractor and acupuncturist. It is made of cotton, is latex free, and has a heat activated acrylic adhesive.
Plenty of elite athletes believe in it and claim that the tape is comfortable, flexible, and provides support to muscles and joints without limiting range of motion. It replicates the thickness and elasticity of skin, helping with function, stability, blood flow, and peace of mind.
“Enthusiasts also believe that kinesiology tape speeds healing by slightly lifting skin away from sore or injured tissues, improving blood flow and lymphatic drainage, and that it supports injured joints and muscles without impeding their range of motion. But these purported benefits are largely unsubstantiated.” – The New York Times
It’s true, clinical trials have not provided much support for the tape. One study found that the tape provided relief from shoulder pain immediately after application, but, the effects did not last over time. Another study found small beneficial results with range of motion.
None of the studies reported negative effects which may be why trainers use the tape on athletes who report benefits with it. According to Aaron Brock ATC, director of sports medicine for USA Volleyball, he has had “hit and miss results…some people absolutely love it…and sometimes, from a therapeutic perspective, we’re doing so many things,we don’t know what is effective and what isn’t…”
The bottom line is, more scientific research is needed to make a conclusive determination for its claims. But I have to give Kinesio tape credit since i’ve seen so many Olympians wearing it. Plus, it just looks really cool.
**This article was written by Jennifer Cordover, Director of Encore Performance Rehab in Birmingham, AL.
Congratulations to the East Central Athlete of the Month, Eric Saksa!
Eric is a sophomore athlete at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi. He is on the Wildcats Varsity Baseball team and wears jersey #14. He has a 3.5 GPA and is majoring in Pre-medical sciences. He is the son of Mike and Tonya Saksa. Good luck during baseball season, Eric! Go Wildcats!
Kacee Ward, SLP, Mr. Barker, and Jaime Garrett, OTR
Mr. Barker suffered a catastrophic stroke in February 2015. He received inpatient therapy and was then transferred to Ocean Springs Health and Rehabilitation Nursing Home for long-term care. After discharge, he received therapy in the home environment before beginning PT, OT, and speech at the local VA. A swallow study was conducted which indicated that Mr. Barker was aspirating on foods and liquids so it was decided that he would rely solely on the feeding tube that had been placed in the hospital for all of his nutritional needs, meaning that he could not eat or drink anything by mouth. He was wheelchair bound, required assistance for most of his self-care and had significant coordination and visual deficits. On 10/05/15, Mr. Barker was evaluated by speech therapy at the Neuroscience Center. Following evaluation, it was decided that the main goals of therapy would be to increase intelligibility when speaking and upgrade the patient’s diet from a feeding tube to foods and liquids that he could tolerate safely. Shortly after, patient also began occupational and physical therapy at the Neuroscience Center where he began training using a walker, learning techniques to compensate for visual deficits, balance training, strengthening and coordination training.
After several months of swallowing exercises in conjunction with neuromuscular electrical stimulation, Mr. Barker had a repeat swallow study. The speech therapist who conducted the study found that Mr. Barker was safe to start out on a mechanical soft diet with nectar-thickened liquids. We could finally start trials of foods and drinks in therapy! His feeding tube was removed on June 29th after he had maintained a healthy weight over the course of one month. As of August 2016, Mr. Barker is able to go out and enjoy meals at his favorite restaurants and at home. He is able to walk using a walker, can complete nearly all self-care with independence and even participates in light household tasks.
On a scale of 1-10, Mr. Barker rated his overall recovery at the beginning of therapy at this clinic at a 2, and now he feels that he is at a 9/10, “only because there is always room for improvement.”
Encore Rehabilitation, Inc. 