Prevention Archives

20Feb 2023 by Patrick Donovan

3 Strategies for Bone Health

Prevention

3 Strategies for Bone Health Bone loss is considered the "silent thief" of aging. You can’t see it like you can with muscle loss (or grey hairs!). When I talk about bone health in the clinic, I am more interested in your unique fracture profile. How likely are you to fall? What faulty movement patterns are you using? Are you engaged with a bone-centered diet? With the right strategies, we can reduce your fall risk profile. Please don't wait - you can start today. Today, we have three videos for your indulgence. 1. Three strategies to improve bone health 2. An effective exercise to improve posture 3. Recommendations for adequate protein intake to prevent osteoporosis." 3 Bone Building Strategies Those with low bone mass may be asking: is walking enough…

12Dec 2022 by Patrick Donovan

What is the Senior Fitness Program?

Balance, Health content, Prevention

Are you nervous about having a fall, having trouble playing on the ground with your grandchildren, or having enough energy to go on your next vacation?Are you going to the gym, but not getting stronger or more flexible? Don't wait for the decline to set in. Don't wait for the fall to happen, or when you absolutely need knee surgery. Be the best version of yourself with the Senior Fitness Program at Heather Lane Physical Therapy. This program empowers you to take control of your own health to avoid falls and build the strength you need. This 90-minute session looks at ALL the muscles and joints that limit you. We will look at different measures of function related to your goals. Whether it's walking for weight loss, an osteoporosis…

04Apr 2022 by Patrick Donovan

The Lifespan of Health

Health content, Prevention

We all have been raised by hearing the most famous proverb, "Health is Wealth". This proverb indicates that nothing is more important than good health, but as we grow up, a significant deterioration can be noticed in our health. The branch of physical health and sciences did amazing wonders in the sciences and paved new ways for people to enjoy a long healthy life as much as possible. Physical therapy is also a part of this phenomenon that is leading wonders to people's lives. This branch of wonders constitutes therapists who provide services to individuals and make efforts to restore, develop and maintain the utmost movement and functional ability for the whole Span of life as the active movement is an integral component of good health. Physical Therapy brings an…

28Jun 2021 by Brigitte B

Competing as an Older Athlete? Rely on Physical Therapy

Exercise, Health content, Prevention

At Heather Lane we’re all about keeping people active for as long as possible, so we were on hand in Albuquerque at the 2019 National Senior Games, where men and women compete in all sorts of sports and games in five-year age categories starting at age 50 and going past 100! We are hear to talk about how you can rely on physical therapy to help keep you competing well into your later years! “I never get surgery” We saw a lot of braces on knees, elbows, ankles—you name it. Barbara Warren, a 73-year-old swimmer and track and field athlete from West Virginia, clued us in a little about the ongoing struggles of senior athletes. Barbara has been a decorated athlete since her swim team days at Stanford…

18Feb 2021 by Brigitte B

Are You Making the Most of Your Direct Access to Physical Therapy?

Health content, Pain, Prevention, Treatment

While many states places restrictions on access to physical therapy, Colorado is among those that permit "direct access" to PT. If you live in Colorado, are you reaping the benefits of that? What is direct access? Direct access to physical therapy means that insurance will cover your evaluation and treatment services with a physical therapist without requiring a referral from your physician or other healthcare professional. Direct access is sometimes called "self-referral," because you simply make your own appointment and go to a PT for treatment if you’re experiencing pain or other relevant condition. Direct access to physical therapy can save you time and money by getting the services you need faster. Who has direct access to physical therapy? All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin…

21Jan 2021 by Brigitte B

Hunchback Starting? 3 Physical Therapy Videos Can Help Set Your Posture Straight

back, Balance, Exercise, Health content, Prevention

Do you have hyperkyphosis? You probably know it as hunchback. If your spine is curving more than it has in the past, you're probably chalking it up to aging. But who wants to look old? Let's tackle that hunchback posture with some physical therapy before it gets worse. Treating and preventing hunchback posture If the mirror tells you that you may be suffering from hyperkyphosis, a trained physical therapist has the tools to evaluate your condition and may refer you to a specialist. Medication can ease pain from the hunchback posture, and in some cases surgery may be recommended. At Heather Lane Physical Therapy, following the evaluation we design and implement either a treatment regimen or a preventative strategy—whichever is appropriate for your specific needs. In the three videos below, Heather…

06Jan 2021 by Brigitte B

How Your Muscles, Joints and Bones Affect Your Balance

Balance, Health content, knowledge, Prevention

When it comes to staying upright, it’s important that your body's physical components - particularly your muscles, joints and bones - are in good shape. If you can keep these healthy, you have a much lower chance of falling. Muscles and joints Your muscles contract and expand to move your body through space. If they can’t do that well, it's easy for you to take a fall. To move the body, your muscles tug on your joints and make you bend. Other structures involved in this process are tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Muscles cross joints, and when the muscles contract, the joint moves. If the muscles are not sufficiently lengthened - that is, sufficiently flexible - the joint will not move well. It may move with a jerky motion,…

23Dec 2020 by Brigitte B

When You Retire: 3 Things to Think About (Not Money)

Health content, knowledge, Prevention

We spend our working lives preparing for retirement, establishing savings accounts and IRAs, but not much time making sure we have our health in retirement. Often in all the planning before we retire, we neglect to anticipate changes in mental and physical wellness that can turn a happy, active retirement into a sedentary one. As you transition into your senior years, with a little attention you can maintain and even improve your mental and physical wellness. Aging is a process that requires specialists to help navigate your unique health demands and goals. When building your team of experts for your individual needs as you age and retire, consider three key areas: general health, cognitive health and musculoskeletal health. General health in retirement Primary care physicians (PCPs) are always the frontline…

10Dec 2020 by Brigitte B

Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Can be Addressed by PT

Health content, knowledge, Prevention

Many older adults are hesitant to bring up pelvic floor dysfunction with their doctors. After all, urinating when you don’t mean to is embarrassing, and some patients fear that they will share their humiliating stories only to be told that they should accept wearing adult diapers for the rest of their lives. Seek help for pelvic floor dysfunction However, you do not have to accept that at all. Find a medical provider you trust so that you can candidly and thoroughly share your symptoms related to pelvic floor dysfunction. Two common types of pelvic floor dysfunction are 1) stress incontinence, when urine squeezes out after you cough, sneeze or experience other sudden contraction of the core muscles, and 2) nonrelaxing pelvic floor problems, when the pelvic floor muscles cannot contract…

29Oct 2020 by Brigitte B

Engaging Mind and Body to Fight the Ugly Truth of Ageism

Health content, knowledge, Prevention

Fighting ageism keeps you busy! We receive humorous birthday card with the words “over the hill” displayed on the front. We excuse an ordinary error by saying we had a “senior moment.” Well-meaning friends compliment us with, “Wow! You look good—for your age.” We accept these everyday occurrences, but they are hurdles when it comes to fighting ageism. Ageism is a form of discrimination or prejudice as a result of your age. Ageism occurs in the workplace as well as in personal relationships. While younger people experience a different sort of ageism, seniors can find ageism detrimental to their wellbeing. Research shows this to be especially true when seniors believe the negative stereotypes associated with getting older. These stereotypes include memory issues, loss of independence, and developing new symptoms and…