S U M M E R 2 0 1 0 V O L U M E 8 , I S S U E 2

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F D R E S H E R P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y

AGILITY

1075 Virginia Drive

Suite 200

Fort Washington,

PA 19034

215-619-4545

www.dresherpt.com

I n s i d e

t h i s i s s u e :

Are you shrink-

ing?? 2

Refer yourself to

physical therapy! 2

Dr. Weil’s Anti-

inflammatory

food pyramid

3

10 ways to im-

prove the quality

of your life!

4

Looking for a

job? 4

COUPONS! 4

● EXPERTISE ●

PERSONAL ATTENTION

● RESULTS ●

Life is like a ten-speed

bike.

Most of us have gears we

never use.

- Charles Schulz

The general theme of this newsletter is “Take Action to Take Care of Yourself!” Perhaps this pertains to your diet or your need for more exer-cise. Maybe it’s time you consult with your physical therapist to address your particular condition. Maybe a massage would really work wonders right now! Or is it time to work on that flaw in your golf game you’ve al-ways wanted to fix? In any case, there is no time like the present to improve the quality of your life. Dresher PT is fortunate to have a team of highly experienced profession-als ready and willing to help you help yourself TODAY! No more excuses… if you don’t take care of yourself, who will? All of us at Dresher PT wish you an enjoyable finish to your summer. It always seems to fly by too quickly!

Team DPT participates in Phil’s 5K race! On July 14th , 2010 team DPT joined together again for the 2nd year to participate in the 11th an-nual Phil’s Tavern 5K in Blue Bell. Hosted by the Ambler Area Running Club, the race drew 621 runners of all ages and running experience. The proceeds from the event went towards 2 local non-profit groups: The Inter-Faith Housing Alliance and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association.

While our veteran runner, Mike “the marathon man” Orzechowski finished with a medal-winning time of 19 minutes 14 seconds, the rest of the crew trickled in only “shortly” thereafter. Including runners, walkers, and cheerleaders, Dresher PT staff and patients were a formi-dable force! No matter your age or your running experi-ence, we hope many more of you, our patients, can join us next year. Coupling exercise with charity is a great com-bination!

Best regards, Matt Seabrook, PT, MS

P a g e 2

w w w . d r e s h e r p t . c o m

In both men and women, normal aging is associated with significant bone loss that occurs slowly over time.1 We all lose some height with aging, but how much is too much? Research has shown that a height loss of 2 inches or more in women is a highly significant predictor of osteoporosis.2 Osteoporosis is a condition that causes the bones to become weakened and susceptible to fractures. These fractures not only result in a loss of height, but can be both painful and even life-threatening. Osteoporosis may affect both men and women, but 80% of the cases in the U.S. are in women.

Bone loss occurs without symptoms, so all women age 65 and older should have bone mineral density (BMD) testing to determine if they have this condition. Younger women with a petite stature, prior low-force fracture, or family history may need BMD testing earlier. Ask your doctor what she/he recommends. Why do some people develop excessive rounding in the upper back causing a hump? Osteoporo-sis is associated with a rapid decrease in trabecular bone (the spongy bone that comprises the majority of the vertebrae/spinal column and the hip).1 As a result, the vertebrae become fragile and susceptible to micro-fractures, which may accumulate and eventually lead to a spinal frac-ture. Two-thirds of spinal fractures do not come to clinical attention 3 because unlike the pain from a broken limb, the pain from a spinal fracture is not always severe and may be mistaken for a simple back ache.

As the vertebrae fractures, it collapses forward, creating a wedge-shaped deformity. This deformity results in excessive curvature of the upper back. Unfortunately, once a woman has an osteoporotic spinal fracture, her likelihood of having another fracture increases dramatically. What can be done to reduce the risk of spinal fractures when you have osteopenia/osteoporosis? There are several things a woman can do to build bone strength and prevent spinal fractures. Even if a fracture has al-ready occurred, it is never too late to treat this condition. Prevention and Treatment may include: exercise, nutrition and medication.

Dresher PT now offers a 6-week program specifically designed to meet the needs of women with osteopenia/osteoporosis. Under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, participants will receive individual-ized exercise prescriptions including: spinal strengthening exercises, cardiovas-cular conditioning with weight-bearing exercises, education regarding not only good posture, but also how to avoid the twisting and forward bending motions that can increase your chances of fracture, nutritional guidance to augment the effects of exercise and use of the WHO FRAX calculator to determine your fracture risk. (Medicare and most other insurances will cover the cost of this program).

The best way to prevent fractures is to build strong bones.....…let us show you how!

Are You as Tall as You Used to be?

“Direct Access” means you can start physical therapy today!

Isn’t it time you addressed your problems of pain, weakness and/or immobility??

It’s never been easier!!

Direct Access Your Way to DPT! the stronger the wind,

the stronger the trees.”

DIRECT ACCESS is a law in Pennsylvania which allows you to immediately consult with your favorite physical therapist without a physician’s prescription for up to 30 days. Please note that, as of now, this law does not apply to Medi-care, motor vehicle, or worker’s compensation insurances, but all other insur-ances are eligible. Call us today and we can work together to solve your prob-lems!

1. Khosla, S. and B L Riggs. Pathophysiology of Age-Related Bone Loss and Osteoporosis. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am. 34: 1015-1030, 2005. 2. Kantor SM, Ossa KS, Hoshaw-Woodard SL, Lemeshow S. Height loss and Osteoporosis of the Hip. J Clin Densitom. 7(1):65-70, 2004. 3. Fechtenbaum et al., Reporting of Vertebral Fractures on Spine X-rays. Osteoporosis Int. 16: 1823-1826, 2005. “Good timber

does not grow

with ease;

P a g e 3 T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F D R E S H E R P H Y S I C A L T H E R A P Y

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is the localized protective reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection characterized by pain, redness, swelling, and sometimes loss of function. Sometimes you may have inflammation in your tissues and vessels, however, and have no obvious symptoms.

Good vs. bad inflammation

The process of inflammation is a positive response of our immune system to bring more nourishment and immune activity to the site of injury or infection. However, when inflammation persists or serves no purpose, it damages the body and causes illness.

What is an anti-inflammatory?

An anti-inflammatory is an agent that counteracts or suppresses inflammation. Most of the time anti-inflammatories are in the form of a drug (either steroidal or non-steroidal), or ice, as the cool temperatures inhibit local blood circulation, which reduces swelling in the injured tissue. One agent that many people don’t typically think of are the foods we eat. Certain foods can act as a natural, healthy, and tasty anti-inflammatory!

How can our food act as an anti-inflammatory?

Foods that are rich in flavanoids, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, and other phytonutrients, can promote healing and enhance our body’s immune function. A well-balanced, varied diet that is high in fruits and vegetables, and low in refined carbohydrates, and undesirable fats, contains many antioxidants which over time reduce inflammation. Examples of these foods are beans, leg-umes, whole grains, raw foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, and olive oil. Below you will find one example of an anti-inflammatory food “diet” designed by Dr. Andrew Weil. He is just one of the many physicians or dieticians to create a program based around food’s anti-inflammatory benefits. Take a look below to see how it works. Could it help you??

Eat Your Way to Less Pain and Inflammation!

Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid

As always, please consult with

your doctor before pursuing

any change in your diet.

Andrew Weil, M.D., is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of inte-grative medicine, a healing oriented approach to health care which encompasses body, mind, and spirit.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet is not a diet in the popular sense - it is not in-tended as a weight-loss pro-gram (although people can and do lose weight on it), nor is it an eating plan to stay on for a limited period of time. Rather, it is a way of selecting and preparing foods based on scientific knowledge of how they can help your body maintain optimum health. Along with influencing inflammation, this diet will provide steady energy and ample vitamins, minerals, essential fatty ac-ids, dietary fiber, and pro-tective phytonutrients.

Teas such as white, green and

oolong are rich in catechins—antioxidant compounds that are

known to reduce inflammation.

Fish are rich in omega

-3 fatty acids, the healthy fats, which are

strong anti-

inflammatories.

Dark chocolate provides polyphenols, which

are antioxidants believed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Choose dark chocolate

with at least 70% pure cocoa.

Supplements help fill in the gaps in

your diet when you are unable to get your daily requirement of

micronutrients. Ask your doctor

for his/her recommendation.

Whole grains digest

slowly, reducing the frequency of spikes in

blood sugar that

promote inflamma-

tion. “Whole grains” are grains that are

intact or in a few

large pieces, not whole wheat bread or

other products made

from flour.

Above information taken from www. drweil.com

Fruits and vegetables are rich in flavanoids and carotenoids, which both have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Buy organic if possible.

Leave blank for address label

*** (delete this when sending to print)

Dresher Physical Therapy • Orthopedic • Post-Operative •

• Sport • Spine •

1075 Virginia Drive

Suite 200

Fort Washington, PA 19034

Phone: 215-619-4545

Fax: 215-619-4555

www.dresherpt.com

P a g e 4

Take Action to Take Care of Yourself!

10 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Quality of Life!

1. Volunteer your time. 2. Find a hobby or start a collection. 3. Continuously encourage yourself to do better. 4. Exercise humility, patience, and tolerance

with people. 5. Laugh more, even if it is at yourself! 6. Get 8 or more hours of sleep. 7. Engage in at least 1 type of exercise daily (bike

ride, walk outside, practice yoga, lift weights). 8. Be mindful of what and how much you are

eating. 9. Drink more water! 10. Surround yourself with loved ones and appreciate

those relationships and bonds.

“We are what we repeatedly do.

Excellence then, is not an act, it is a habit.”

$10 off Swedish or deep tissue massage

Go ahead, treat yourself!

Expires November 2010 * Please present coupon at time of service

20% off ACL/PEP or GOLF

Program Now thru October 2010

Check out our website or call for information regarding both programs.

www.dresherpt.com

ATTENTION:\

Are you a college student majoring in kinesiology, exercise science, or have a science background and looking for great hands-on experience that pays??

We are currently looking for a physical therapy aide

Are you a licensed physical therapist in the area who would like part time work, covering for our therapists

when they are on vacation or out of the office?

We are currently looking for a a part time physical therapist

If you or someone you know seems qualified for either of these positions, please give us a call.

“Even if you’re on the right track,

you’ll get run over if you

just sit there.”