Get out there and GET MOVING

It was a later start than normal, but significant snow has finally fallen in the mountains here in the Pacific Northwest and that means the skiers and snowboarders are heading to the slopes in big numbers.  I have noticed a few more people running and cycling in my neighborhood in the last few days.  The gym seems a little more crowded and the people a little more committed to their routine.  Guess it’s always at the approach of a new year that we reassess- or establish - our physical and mental goals.  Exercise and healthy lifestyle choices usually top that goal list. 

Therapeutic Associates is committed to seeing its patients achieve the best physical health that life can offer.  For most, that means guidance through and to appropriate movement.  In fact, over the past year we have adopted the tagline “Get Moving” to motivate all of us - regardless of age, size, or ability –  to get healthy and active.  PTs are musculoskeletal experts.  As such, our therapists write articles on many topics, including exercise and other wellness tips, for our own publications and for journals, magazines, and other pieces distributed nationwide.  I thought it would be fun and appropriate this time of year to pull out the below article and share it with all of you.  After all, who couldn’t use a good reminder of just how important those core muscles are to our total-body strength?!  Thanks to authors Jennifer Lesko, PT, and Director of TAI-Queen Anne Physical Therapy and Erica Clark, PT, Director of TAI-West Seattle Physical Therapy.  For more tips and information, check out TAI’s bi-annual magazine, Therapeutic Outlook.  Let’s all get out and get moving! 

Core Stabilization for Winter Sports

Core stabilization exercises are defined as exercises that recruit one or more large muscle areas and involve two or more primary joints. Stabilization of the core involves the abdominals, lower back, upper legs, and the pelvic floor. Benefits of core stabilization include improvement in posture and balance, increased strength and agility, and enhanced athletic performance. A strong core can make all other forms of exercise more effective. Below are some examples of core stabilization exercises.

Exercise 1: DEAD BUG: Start by lying on your back with knees bent, feet on the floor, and both arms straight to the ceiling. Find your neutral spine and tighten your lower abs. Keeping your back relatively tight to the floor (don ‘t let your back arch), raise your opposite arm and leg as shown. Alternate back and forth. Try to do 10 repetitions, but if you are unable to keep your abs tight or if you lose your neutral spine, stop.

BRIDGING: With knees bent and hands on the ground, find your neutral spine and tighten your abs. Keeping your pelvis totally still, extend your hips lifting your bum off the ground. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower, keeping abs tight until you ‘re at the starting point again. Do 10 repetitions.

Exercise 2: BRIDGING WITH TINY STEPS: From the above described exercise. Keeping your pelvis totally still, lift one leg about 5 inches off the ground, alternating up to 10 repetitions. Similar to marching, it is important to have no movement of your back or pelvis. Keep your abs tight the entire time you are lifting your legs.

Exercise 3: BRIDGING WITH LEG LIFT: The body position and goals are the same as in exercise 3. There should be no pelvic movement or hip dropping. With a neutral spine and your lower abs tight, straighten one leg at the knee. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower and lift other leg.

 

Exercise 4: QUADRA-PED WITH ARM/LEG LIFTS: From a quadra-ped position (on your hands and knees), find your neutral spine and tighten your abs. Keep your back and pelvis very still. Slowly lift opposite arm and leg. Extend out as far as you can without arching your back, rotating or losing your neutral spine. Slowly lower and do the same on the other side. Imagine having a glass of water on your back that you do not want to spill.

Meet Olya Kurkoski, DPT

There are so many incredible people who work for TAI. I wish I could write posts about each and every one (maybe I will?!), but in the meantime I want to share individual stories with you on occassion. This week’s is about Olya Kurkoski, DPT, and Director of our Scappoose PT clinic in the Portland, OR metro area. Olya has a unique story in that she moved to the United States from Ukraine 15 years ago with virtually no English in her vocabulary and no PT degree. She has progressed in that time to not only become an amazing therapist, but also a Director of one of our clinics and, starting in January, a TAI Shareholder. Hers is an inspiring story of opportunity and success and makes me appreciate the capacity of the human spirit – in this case, of Olya’s spirit and that of all of the people who supported her throughout her journey. Here it is, in her own words:

“I was born in a small town in Ukraine, Novaya Kakhovka, not too far from the Black Sea. I come from a family that emphasizes sports. My father is a retired PE teacher and my mother is a former volleyball player. I was involved in track and swimming from my earliest memories.

Since I was 9 years old I wanted to be a PE teacher. In 1992 I graduated with high honors from Simferopol State University in Crimea, Ukraine. My Physical Education studies opened up an interest in advanced studies of anatomy and physiology. I was considering graduate school in Ukraine when I met and married my husband, a native of Bremerton, Washington.

After I immigrated to the United States in 1993, I decided to pursue a Physical Therapy degree. My career with Therapeutic Associates began in July 1994, when I started work as a PT aide at Flanders Physical Therapy – directed by Dan Jones. Dan gave me the opportunity of a lifetime. My English was still very rough but Dan encouraged me to keep studying PT school pre-requisites. In 1998 I was accepted at the Pacific University PT program in Forest Grove, Oregon. Therapeutic Associates provided assistance with a scholarship. I earned my MSPT in 2001 and went to complete my DPT in 2003.

Throughout PT school, I had several TAI therapist mentors and after I graduated, I worked as a staff therapist at TAI-St. Helens Physical Therapy with director Pat Corrigan. Pat helped me to grow in my marketing, business, and management skills. In 2004, TAI opened a clinic in Scappoose and I was selected as clinic director. I am now in my fifth year running the Scappoose location and recently my colleagues voted to invite me to become a company shareholder.

People in Ukraine and across the world say America is the land of opportunities. I have certainly come to appreciate that this is the truth. I came to this country knowing maybe 100 words of English, unable to make a simple phone call, without anybody but my husband. Now after 14+ years of working for Therapeutic Associates, with the support and encouragement of its outstanding professionals, I know I have achieved the American dream.”

Olya in Moscow, Russia in Jan 1993, one day before leaving for her relocation to the U.S.

Wii-Hab

This weekend I went to a friend’s house and played Wii Bowling. I’m a novice and still fascinated with the technology, so playing generates a lot of excitement, if not a high score for me Around the 5th frame, I asked the group – Any of you guys heard of Wii-hab? To my surprise no one – not even the therapists in the room – had. I went on to explain what I knew and realized that some of you might also be interested.

If you Google “Wii-hab,” you’ll find articles and blog posts and videos on Wii-hab experiments from across the country. No one seems to claim that it replaces more traditional or typical forms of therapeutic exercise, but dozens and dozens of therapist anecdotes attest to the progress that their patients have made under their guidance while working with the Nintendo system. For some, the competition format of the games is motivating, while others find freedom in “virtually participating” in activities that injury or pain might otherwise keep them from in real life. The games – the Wii-Fit series in particular – seem to challenge players to test standing, balance, upper and lower extremity strength, range of motion, posture, hand-eye coordination, reflexes and endurance in ways that compliment their rehab exercise plans. And, time and time again, patients and therapists alike comment on what might be Wii-hab’s most important attribute…it’s fun!

I know at least one TAI clinic is using Wii-hab: Sequim Physical Therapy in the north Olympic Peninsula in Washington. Director Enid Halewyn has been using it there for several months now with patients of all ages with various types of balance and proprioceptive issues. In her words: “We’re loving it!”

There is no scientific evidence on the affects of Wii-hab on patient progress, but studies are under way. Regardless, it sounds like it will continue to be used on a supplementary basis and, just maybe, this trend will lead to other innovative interactive-media rehab experiments.

If any of you have thoughts on or experiences with Wii-hab, please share.

Leadership Development Training

When TAI CEO Steve Anderson talks about our Leadership Development Training Program, he usually starts with something like…’One day I was on my stairmaster – where I do a lot of my best thinking – and I thought What makes Therapeutic Associates stand out among its competition and what will help propel the company and the profession forward? And that’s when the Leadership Development Training Program really started to take shape.‘   Now, because the company structure has always been one where leadership is key, we have always helped our therapists to cultivate these skills.  But it was several years back when Steve led the way toward formalizing these offerings into the unique program we now provide that supports therapists through different levels of training in the business aspects of running a practice. 

The first level of classes is encouraged for all therapists – and, in some cases, for all staff – regardless of a clinician’s interest in one day becoming a Key Person.  These classes cover basics in Customer Service, Marketing, Time Management, and Coding/Reimbursement.  Level 2 gets a bit more in-depth in its coverage of HR, Communications, and Contracting, among other topics.  This level is designed to nurture TAI Key People.  The final level is intended for those who are ready and waiting to move into a Key Person role when the right opportunity arises.  It covers areas including Financial Management, Business Planning and Budgeting, Delegation, and Stress Management.  Participants at this level receive mentorship from their current Director, review case studies, and undergo other training.  All levels of the Leadership Development Training Program include reading lists and lots of peer mentorship.

While the first priority for any of our Key People is to be a top-notch clinician, we believe that business skills are very important tools in the belt of any private practice therapist.  I’ve noticed a few PT schools around the country have begun to include this training in their curriculae and I look forward to new developments in this area in our field in the future.  For more information on our Program, see our website - or email me if you’d like to chat with a clinician who has gone through it.

Meet Jessica Dorrington

Jessica treating a patient

Jessica Dorrington, PT, MPT, CMPT, CSCS is the Key Person at Therapeutic Associates-Bethany PT in Portland.  She took that role in 2005, just 3 years after graduating from the University of North Dakota with her MPT and then working as a staff therapist at another TAI clinic.  Since her arrival, Jessica’s clinic has been steadily growing (now 3 full-time PTs, plus aide and front office staff) and her program offerings are among the most diverse in the whole company, with everything from women’s health, ASTYM, headache/cervical spine, golf, pediatrics, and yoga programs.

Jessica was introduced to PT like so many therapists are – as a patient.  She was a competitive runner and suffered injuries and found the work of her therapists to be not only helpful but intriguing.  In her own words, “I have always been amazed at the human body and how everything works. Combine this with the science aspect of the career, getting to impact so many lives each and every day, and you have my dream job!”  Jessica is still an active runner and cyclist (in fact, check out this video of Jessica and fellow TAI therapist Morgan Denny on Cycology Today, a production of the NW Cycling TV Show by the NW Bicycle Safety Council).  She recently achieved CMPT status (her manual training is through NAIOMT) and in 2009 she plans to take the OCS exam and move toward completion of the NAIOMT Fellowship program.  And she’s well on her way to qualifiying for TAI Shareholder status in the near future.  Not bad for therapist who graduated just 6 years ago

To read more about Jessica and other TAI Key People, visit our Key Person page on our website.