October Newsletter
Get Your Health Back On Track With Physical Therapy
Have you struggled with pain? Are you dealing with an injury affecting your ability to do your usual routine? Our highly skilled physical therapists can guide you back to health and back to doing what you love!
Research has shown individuals with low back pain who access physical therapy quickly have less pain and shorter episodes of pain. Whether you have recently had surgery or are recovering from a new injury, physical therapy at ARC Physical Therapy can help.
October is National Physical Therapy Month. ARC Physical Therapy wants to make sure that you have a reliable source to help you resolve whatever physical condition you face. Our physical therapists are highly trained and experienced in treating musculoskeletal disorders. We understand how important it is to get to the root of the problem and provide solutions that work.
Our team of physical therapists is devoted to helping our patients recover from injuries and pain that are interfering with everyday activities and making life way harder than it should be.
Request an appointment with ARC Physical Therapy today, so we can help you get back to the life you deserve!
Why Should I Choose Physical Therapy?
There are several reasons to choose physical therapy over costly surgeries and medications. Physical therapy has been shown to not only help resolve pain and improve function, but it is also effective at enhancing your overall health and well-being.
One of the most significant benefits of physical therapy is that it can uncover the underlying reasons for your injuries and/or pain. Some of the impairments your physical therapist can help you correct include:
- Loss of motion
- Weakness
- Poor posture and faulty movement patterns
- Gait abnormalities
- Loss of balance
- Coordination deficits
- Neurological impairment
- Unhealthy lifestyle behaviors (i.e., poor sleep habits, improper nutrition, lack of exercise, etc.)
4 Benefits of Physical Therapy
A physical therapist can educate you about ways to move safer, use your energy more efficiently, reduce the risk of re-injury, and enhance the overall effects of your care. The benefits of physical therapy treatments include easing pain, reducing spasms, increasing circulation, and promoting healing.
1Improves joint range of motion and overall mobility
Our ability to move depends on how individual joints move and how the body’s joints move in concert with one another. Increasing joint range of motion and mobility of the connective tissues around your joints (including the tendons, muscles, fascia, and joint capsules) will help your joints feel better and move better.
This will also help you improve overall functional mobility and activity tolerance, essential for work, leisure, and simple daily functions.
2Strengthens weaknesses and compensation patterns
Through injury or surgery, muscles become weak and impact your ability to move and function normally.
For some, an old injury or abnormal movement pattern has led to weakness due to compensations. Physical therapists are skilled at assessing the whole body, identifying weaknesses, and teaching how to restore strength and function.
3Improves overall health and well-being
When you see a physical therapist for pain and injuries, you will receive rehabilitation benefits to resolve the condition and a total body approach to health.
Physical therapists can recommend nutrition to improve pain, reduce inflammation, and improve overall health. In addition, physical therapists are movement experts and trained to help you move/exercise more, no matter your limitations or restrictions. More activity equals improved health!
4Helps reduce the risk of injury
By implementing a holistic approach, we can improve and restore your function and prevent injuries. This may include all components of typical physical therapy and include gait modifications and coordination exercises to stimulate the nervous system and help ensure your mechanics are ideal to avoid an injury.
Community Favorite
Thanks for Voting for Us!
Trick-or-Treating with the Grandkids? Make Sure to Warm Up First!
Quick Tip
You’re not as limber as you used to be — but the grandkids need their favorite spooky chaperone when they hit up the neighborhood this Halloween. What’s a grandparent to do?
One tip to remember is that trick-or-treating is good old-fashioned exercise, so you shouldn’t go into it cold. While the kids are putting on their costumes, take 5-10 minutes to perform some gentle dynamic stretches before you hit the streets.
Not sure what to do? Want to make sure you don’t accidentally hurt yourself? Our physical therapists can give you some guidelines and suggestions. Call us today to schedule an appointment!
Piriformis Stretch (Glutes, Sciatic Nerve)
Start by sitting up straight with your knees bent and feet flat. Bend your leg and place your ankle across the top of your other knee. Rotate your trunk toward your bent knee and gently pull your knee toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your hip. Hold for 30 seconds. 2 Sets, 1 Rep.
Materials needed: chair
Explore Fitness Options at the Medical Gym at ARC!
The Medical Gym at ARC offers a variety of workshops, small group training, one-on-one sessions, and monthly membership options! Check out our current schedule — with more to come, and lots of fun!
For more information, contact Alex Bohnstedt, exercise physiologist, at 630-326-8313 or by email at abohnstedt@arc-rehab.com.
Seasonal Recipe
Butternut Squash Soup
Warm up this fall with a simple, nourishing soup that’s easy to make ahead and reheat during a busy week.
Ingredients
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: splash of cream or coconut milk
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Add squash, broth, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Purée with an immersion blender (or in batches in a countertop blender) until smooth.
- Stir in cream or coconut milk if using. Season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
Patient Success Story
Real Results, Real Recovery
“
I can’t recommend John highly enough. I came in dealing with a rotator cuff tear, pain, and limited mobility, and his expertise, patience, and encouragement made an enormous difference in my recovery journey. John is not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also thoughtful and attentive. He takes the time to explain the “why” behind each exercise, adjusts treatment based on progress, and somehow makes even difficult rehab sessions feel encouraging and manageable.
Staff Spotlight
Shannon M.
Physical Therapist Assistant
“I am so happy to work at ARC. I could not be more thankful to work with such compassionate and driven individuals. It truly feels like a family here. What I like most about being a PTA is the ability to help someone back to the activities that they loved doing prior to their injury. To be able to see that light in someone’s eyes again is the best feeling. Outside of being a PTA, I enjoy spending time with my family and playing slowpitch softball.”
