Congratulations to Clanton Encore Athlete of the Month, Makayla Mims! Makayla is a junior, multi-sport athlete at Verbena High School. She has played varsity softball, basketball, and cheered for 4 years and wears jersey #25. Her awards consist of MVP and best defensive player. Makayla has a 4.0 GPA and plans to attend Wallace State to become a registered nurse. She is the daughter of Christy Bryant and Chris Mims.
Congratulations to the Cullman Encore Athlete of the Month, Tyler Rice! Tyler is a Senior, multi-sport athlete at Cold Springs High School in Bremen, AL. He has played Baseball for 6 years, Basketball for 4 years, and Football for 2 years. You’ll find him wearing jersey numbers 17 and 11. Tyler came to us after he tore his right and left ACL in a spring game last year. He wasn’t able to play any football this past season; however, for his Football senior night game, they let him dress out and play for one snap. Then last December, he got cleared to play baseball.
His hard work has payed off and he has quite a few sports awards, including the Baseball All-County award for the past 3 years and the All-Area award, Basketball Area Championship for the past 3 years and the County Championship awards, as well as the Football All-County award. After Tyler graduates, he plans to attend Wallace State for 2 years and then transfer to UAB to become a nurse practitioner. We’re proud of you Tyler!
Congratulations to the Long Beach Encore Athlete of the Month, Mackenzie Fleming! Mackenzie is a Freshman athlete at Long Beach High School. She is a member of the Varsity Bearcats softball team and wears jersey number 15. Mackenzie has already received some pretty impressive awards including the defensive player of the year award in 7th grade, and MVP of the year in 8th grade. After graduation, she plans to major in sports medicine. Keep up the good work Mackenzie!
“A Person’s a Person, No Matter…..”
Horton, the elephant, a popular children’s book character of Dr. Seuss, vows to take care of the tiniest people living on a tiny flower he carries around by his trunk. He faces obstacles from others in his journey but he meets his goal to treat all with respect and protect even the smallest.
For 30 plus years, I have worked with children with disabilities as a pediatric physical therapist. These children may have movement, visual, hearing, behavior and/or speech issues. The most fragile of these children appear to be the ones who require a wheelchair or stroller to get where they are going with or without help.
Each child in a wheelchair is usually accompanied by a parent, family, friend or caregiver. Many have shared their frustrations with me about how strangers, classmates, extended family,people in a waiting area at the doctor’s office, or those at the checkout in a store responded toward their child. The stares, inappropriate comments, or looking beyond the child in a wheelchair are all negative responses that have been shared.
My response to that child or family is that when people see someone that appears different they feel awkward or uncomfortable and truly don’t know how to respond appropriately. To assist the general public in knowing how to comfortably respond to a child in a wheelchair I make the following suggestions.
And always remember, “A person’s a person no matter how small or young or using a wheelchair.” 🙂
This article was written by Jeanne Weeks, PT and Director of Pediatric Rehab for
Ocean Springs Neurosciences Hospital in Mississippi.
Congratulations to the Arab Encore Athlete of the Month, Anna Leigh Hunt! Anna Leigh is a Senior at Brindlee Mountain High School. She has played basketball for the Varsity Lady Lions team for three years now and wears jersey number 13. She currently has a 3.6 GPA and plans to major in education and become an elementary teacher. She is the daughter of Wendi and Matt Hunt.
The technology boom of the past decade has not only made our lives easier (debateable), but also caused a surge in overuse injuries. Smart phones, i-pads, and laptops (to name a few) have become as common TV’s and cars to every household in America. The age of instant access to information and social media has made keeping up with news, family and friends much easier but has come at a price. Elbow pain, specifically Lateral Epicondylitis, and Carpal Tunnel syndrome (a topic for another day) have become more common and can become extremely debilitating if not treated in a timely manner. Keep in mind that it can take as little as 3 weeks for an injury to become chronic and therefore seeking early intervention can literally be the difference in a successful outcome and months of pain and discomfort. Unlike most injuries, Lateral Epicondylitis is a problem that almost anyone can diagnose, as long as you know what signs to look for.
First, What is Lateral Epicondylitis? Simply stated, lateral epicondylitis is overuse tendonitis of the wrist and finger extensors. Pain and discomfort are felt on the outside of the elbow and can run down the forearm into the various muscles (muscles that make up the back of the hand). The muscles on the back of the wrist are very small and they all come together and insert just above the elbow.
Second, What are the symptoms? 1. Tender to touch, just above the elbow on the back of the forearm. The area will definitely be sore due to the inflammation. 2. Pain with picking up weighted objects such as a jug of milk, coffee cup, etc., and even something as simple as typing on your laptop. The pain noted in this area can run the entire gammit from sharp pain to a dull, achy feeling. The pain generally subsides when the affected hand is at rest. 3. Noted weakness. Noticeable weakness with gripping activities along with pain in the above mentioned area is a sure fire indicator that you may have lateral epicondylitis. It is not uncommon for me to have patients tell me that they have problems with dropping objects (usually making a mess). 4. Pain with resistance. Make a fist on the hurt arm. Push down on the back of the affected hand with the uninjured hand and that can elicit pain in the elbow. If all these symptoms are present, BAM, you have just acturately diagnosed yourself with Lateral Epicondylitis.
Now I know you are extremely proud of yourself and you should be but ultimately I’m sure you really just want to stop hurting. Let’s talk about the important stuff, the steps to recovery. What to do: 1. Ice. But you say, I hate ice. Believe me, early on, ice is your friend. Putting an ice pack on the painful area for 15 minutes 4-5 times a day greatly enhances your chances of saving a copay. 2. Medication. My medication of choice is Aleve. 2 in the morning and 2 at bedtime for a week is where I generally start. Ibuprofen or Motrin is an acceptable substitute. These medications are called NSAIDS and can be affective at fighting muscular inflammation. If you are unable to take NSAIDS, consult your physician for alternative medications. 3. Rest. It’s simple but true. Making a conscious effort to limit the use of the affected hand greatly improves your chance of success. Trust me, I get it. This is easier said than done, but if you don’t use the affected arm, it won’t hurt. Continuing to use the injured arm increases the inflammation in the tendons and delays healing. 4. Bracing. I struggled with whether or not to mention tennis elbow braces but I do feel they can help manage your pain but here is my disclaimer. Make sure you use them correctly. Proper application is key. If you are unsure of how to properly apply the brace, seek assistance from a qualified health care provider.
In conclusion, Lateral Epicondylitis is not something that you have to run to the doctor with. We mentioned that time is important and it is but give yourself 1 week of managing your symptoms with these simple steps and if the pain improves, then give yourself another week, if it doesn’t, seek the advice and counsel of your family physician. Remember, early intervention and treatment is important to kicking that unwanted uncle out of the house before he wears out his welcome.
This article was written by one of our PT, ATC, Matt Moorer.
Congratulations to the Decatur Encore Athlete of the Month, Brianna Thorne! Bre is a senior at West Morgan high school and is member of the Lady Rebels Soccer team. You can find her on the field wearing jersey number 21 this year. She has wracked up a few awards during her high school career – the AL.com Super All-State 1st Team award, the 2015 1-3A All-State award, the 2015 Decatur Daily Player of the Year, and was chosen to be on the AHSAA North All Star Team. Bre currently has a 4.03 GPA and plans to attend UAH to play soccer this fall. She is the daughter of Brian and Jennifer Thorne. Keep up the good work, Bre!
Congratulations to the Gordo Encore Athlete of the Month, Charcarya Brown! Charcarya is a Senior at Pickens County high school. She has been a member of the Varsity basketball team for 6 years now and wears jersey #1. Her awards consist of All-Tournament Team and Varsity Letter award. After graduation in May, she plans to attend the University of West Alabama to become a physical therapist. Charcarya is the daughter of Shunta Brown and Jerry Wilder.
“Stretching is an essential component of both exercise and health, as it helps to maintain flexibility and range of motion in your joints. It is easy to forget to stretch before a workout, perhaps because we do not know exactly why it is that stretching is so important. Well, stretching improves muscle development, increases range of motion, reduces your chances of an injury and provides a warm-up for your muscles. When your muscles are more flexible, the body can perform activities and exercise with the correct form; therefore, stretching also helps to improve posture.”
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5. Forearm Extensor Stretch: To stretch your forearm extensor, start by pushing your shoulder down and back, then externally rotate your shoulder. Once in position, apply pressure to your opposite hand and begin to stretch.
6. Forearm Extensor Stretch: Stretch the forearm extensor by pushing your shoulder down and back, and externally rotating the shoulder. Apply pressure with your opposite hand to begin the stretch
7. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck: This stretch highlights your sternocleidomastoid or SCM. Keep your neck as long as possible while slowly dropping your ear to your shoulder. You can progress this stretch by being seated on a chair and grabbing the bottom of the seat.
8. Neck Rotation Stretch: To stretch the SCM, slowly rotate your neck while keeping your chin elevated. For a deeper stretch, apply pressure with the hand opposite from the direction you are rotating.
9. Neck Extension Stretch: To work the SCM, place your hands on your hips while keeping your spine long and tilt your head back.
10. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck with Hand Assistance: Stretch the SCM and upper trapezius by keeping your neck long and slowly dropping your ear to your shoulder.
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11. Lateral Shoulder Stretch: To stretch your side deltoid, bring your arm across your body and lightly apply pressure to increase the stretch on your shoulder.
12. Standing Assisted Neck Flexion Stretch: This stretch will work your Trapezius muscle. Start by standing with your feet together. Keep your spine long, slowly sit your hips back and round your upper back while tucking your chin into your chest.
15. Lat Stretch With Spinal Traction: To stretch the latissimus dorsi, take a firm grip on a bar while slowly lifting your feet off the ground. Avoid this stretch if you have recently injured your shoulder.
16. Lat Stretch At The Wall: Also for the latissimus dorsi, place both hands on the corner of a wall or post. Keep your spine long while slowly pushing your hips out to the side. Avoid this stretch if you have lower back problems.
18. Standing Calf Stretch: To work the soleus and gastrocnemius, perform this stretch on the edge of a stair step. Lightly rotate your ankles to stretch the calf muscles actively.
20. Seated Forward Fold / Seated Toe Touch: To stretch the hamstrings and calves, sit and bend the knees as needed.
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27. Down Dog Variation At The Wall: To stretch your pectoralis and latissimus dorsi, position yourself far enough from a wall so that when you touch the wall your body becomes parallel to the ground. Hinge at the hips and keep your spine straight. Push your chest forward creating a slight arch in your upper back; stretch your lats and chest muscles.
28. Triangle Pose: This will work your external obliques. Start with a wide stance, your front foot straight ahead and your back foot at 90 degrees. Place your hand on your front leg or the floor as you sit back into your front hip, keeping your back straight.
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30. Supine Twist: This will stretch your glutes and external obliques. Lie flat on your back and bring one leg across your body. Slowly rotate your upper body in the opposite direction.
31. Seated Half Pigeon Variation: To work your anterior tibialis, sit with your feet in front of you and bring one hand behind you as you rotate your hip and bring one foot above your knee.
Congratulations to the Vernon Encore Athlete of the Month, Isaac Whittle!
Isaac is a freshman, multi-sport athlete from Lamar County High School. He has been a member of the football, basketball, baseball and track teams for 3 years now and wears jersey number 22. His sports awards consist of All-County Football, WAC- Football Offensive player of the Week, and Bulldog Athlete of the Week. After he graduates in 2019, he plans to attend UNA for 2 years and then transfer to University of Alabama to major in Physical Therapy. Isaac is the son of Tony and Janet Allen.
Keep up the good work, Isaac!
Encore Rehabilitation, Inc. 