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We have some pretty great people on our team.
Let’s meet in person - come in for a tour!
Maria recently interviewed the president of the University of Vermont (UVM) Water Polo club who is a patient at the Burlington clinic. Jacob Powers took time out of his academics and athletics to help give us a better understanding of water polo.
We love to see how physical therapy helps our patients with their dreams and goals.
By: LuAnn Bellis, PTA, CEAS
A good chair is a key factor in setting up an ergonomically correct work area. Since ergonomics is the study of adapting the workplace to fit the worker and the tasks involved, it is very important to choose a chair that fits you well and provides the necessary support to maintain good posture for extended periods of time at work.
It’s not always necessary to spend a lot of money on a chair but it is important to find a chair with the most adjustability in your price range. The most important adjustable features are:
Other features that allow for even more adjustability are seat tilt and back tilt. While these features may give even more options for adjusting the chair they are not as critical in maintaining good posture as the ones listed above.
Remember, no matter how well your chair fits you, it’s still a good idea to get up and move around throughout the day!
PT360 has partnered with the VNA to offer Foot Care services at our Williston location. We know how important foot care is for everyone and especially our seniors. Contact us today to sign up for this great new service.
Please see more information here.
Old Lantern in Charlotte
April 16, 2013
Julie Clayton, Maria Thibault, Edie Bernhardt, and Erin Adams enjoyed a night out at the Old Lantern in Charlotte for The Community Health Centers of Burlington. All proceeds from the event were to benefit The Community Health Centers of Burlington mission to provide quality health care to the residents.
Nutritional support, exercise guidelines, myofascial release, and manual lymphatic drainage for Lyme Disease
March 16th, 2013
12:30 -1:30 pm
Free and open to the public, please call to reserve your seat as space is limited.
Dr. Carol Gardner, Deborah Harris, PT, RD, Edie Bernhardt, PT
426 Industrial Avenue, Suite 190
Williston, Vermont
802/860-4360
Deb Harris, PT spoke on WCAX the 30 about the Survive and Thrive Cancer Survivorship Program. Check out the link below.
http://www.wcax.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=8400395
By Deborah Harris, PT, RD, CLT-LANA
With the onset of cold temperatures, snow, and ice, there is a tendency for many of us to minimize our physical activities and stay inside where it is warm and dry. Unfortunately, little to no physical activity, over-indulgence throughout the Holiday season, and too much cheer can add up to unwanted weight gain and poor physical fitness.
With careful planning, you can adopt positive life-style changes that can be continued throughout the year. To create balance in your life you need to rethink all areas and avoid common pitfalls many weekend warriors have fallen into. A balanced life includes rest and relaxation to restore your body, establishing a set bedtime to ensure you get 8 hours of sleep each night; following sound nutrition; consuming alcohol in moderation; obtaining proper exercise 30-45 minutes 3-5 days/week; and practicing daily affirmations of prayer, meditation, and/or yoga for physiological quieting of the mind. Each part of your program fits together into your personal lifestyle puzzle and can impact your overall success.
The biggest challenge will be getting started. Remember, focusing on small, incremental changes over time will always produce the best outcomes. You don’t have to eat yourself into a coma during the holidays and at every party thereafter. You can eat something healthy before you go so you aren’t ravenous when you get there. You can choose one treat to indulge in and make it count. Consume raw fruits and vegetables, lots of greens, whole grains, lean proteins, minimal fats, and lot of water. Avoid caffeine and sugars that create significant fluctuations in your energy levels and unwanted crashes.
The benefits of exercise are vast. Exercise can increase your energy levels, facilitate weight loss and/or maintenance of ideal weight status, and improve your overall endurance, stamina, and fitness. And let’s face it, endorphins in your blood stream is far better than any sugary treat. When starting out, remember less is more. Start slow and increase your workout time, repetitions, and resistance. A basic exercise program should include 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise and core strengthening. I would recommend the following:
Warm-up: 10-15 minutes of cardio
Resistance Exercises:
Squat
Front Lunges
Side Lunge
Deadlifts with rows
Front Planks
Side Planks
Bridging with ball squeeze
Lower Abdominals
Shoulder Diagonals
Shoulder Flexion
Triceps
When the winter hibernation movement creeps in, take a moment to step back and write out a game plan. Remember, small changes over time results in the best outcomes. For more information, please contact Deborah Harris, PT, RD, CLT-LANA at PT360, Vermont’s only employee-owned physical therapy cooperative. Deborah has degrees in general dietetics and physical therapy, and obtained certifications as a Registered Dietitian and Physical Therapist. She is one of the owner/members at PT360.
As a competitive skydiver my body is pushed to the limits on each and every jump. After about 1,000 jumps my shoulders had started to fail me and I had shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and detached tendons. Surgery took place about a month before I left for a two week vacation in Vermont. I had just started physical therapy treatments back home (Boston) and was nervous about the thought of not receiving treatment for two weeks while being away. PT360 had treated my mother on several occasions so I contacted them to see if they’d be willing to see me while I was in Vermont, so as to not disrupt my recovery. The therapists at PT360 were so accommodating and willing to treat me while I was in Vermont that they squeezed me in multiple times during their already busy holiday season. Being able to receive such great treatment while I was away resulted in an uninterrupted recovery which allowed me to get back to the sport I love, competitive skydiving, and resume training with my team on schedule. I was able to train hard all summer and then complete at the U.S. National Skydiving Championships held in Arizona in October 2011. My team outlasted 30 other teams from across the nation and won the gold medal in formation skydiving. Had it not been for the great team at PT360 I probably would not have been able to resume training on schedule which would have jeoparidized the entire season for my team. So thank you PT360 for helping my realize my biggest goal as a skydiver – to win a gold medal at the U.S. National Skydiving Championships!
LuAnn Bellis, PTA, CEAS
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative form of arthritis and is characterized by the wearing away of cartilage. It is the most common form of arthritis and weight bearing joints (knees, hips and spine) are the most susceptible. Just because you have OA doesn’t mean you are ready for surgery. There are a variety of things you can do to prevent or slow the process, so don’t just sit there, BEAT IT!
Be proactive: take advantage of all the information available so you can fully understand OA and begin to make a plan. This can include info on medication, nutrition, physical therapy, medical procedures, etc
Exercise regularly: strong muscles support joints and can relieve some of the pain by decreasing stress on your joints
Attention to posture and proper body mechanics: Good posture means good alignment which will decrease stress on joints and strain on surrounding muscles
Try to vary your activity: change your exercise routine to avoid overuse of particular muscles and joints and take frequent breaks when performing repetitive tasks.
Ideal weight: maintaining a healthy weight decreases stress on joints and in general, promotes well being.
Talk to your doctor: seeing an orthopedic surgeon doesn’t mean you have to have a joint replacement but you can get valuable information about all of your options, both surgical and non-surgical, including medication, injections and arthroscopic surgery.
Keys for Optimal Basketball Performance, part III
Deborah Harris, PT, RD, CLT-LANA
Proper Nutrition
The two nutritional keys for optimal basketball performance are minimizing carbohydrate depletion and staying adequately hydrated. Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel utilized by the body in basketball due to the nature of the game (stop/start, change of direction, speed, jumping, physical contact, etc). Once carbohydrate (blood glucose) stores become depleted players experience fatigue – evidenced by decreased speed, quickness, reaction time, decision making ability, and mental focus.
Hydration is the second key to optimal basketball performance. Symptoms of dehydration are thirst, fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps. An easy way to monitor hydration levels is to check the color of your urine. Light-colored, clear, odorless urine throughout the day is a good indication of proper hydration. Strong, dark urine may suggest dehydration and indicates that the player must immediately start drinking water and sports drinks until hydrated.
Pre-Practice/Game Meals
A meal can be consumed 2-4 hours prior to practice or games. The further the meal is from the competition, the larger the meal should be and the more lean protein the meal should contain. The closer the meal is to the competition, the smaller the meal should be. Carbohydrates should be consumed from fruits, vegetables, and grains and should make up the majority of the meal. As a general rule, players eating pre-game should fill 2/3 of their plate with carbohydrates and 1/3 lean protein choices. High fat meals should be avoided in this time period. If a player is prone to muscle cramps during practices and/or games, it is usually due to dehydration and/or potassium depletion. To combat muscle cramps, a player should increase their consumption of potassium rich foods such as bananas, oranges, apricots, avocados, strawberries, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli, and cantaloupe or he or she should salt their food at the table or consume salty foods like pretzels, crackers, etc.
Pre-game hydration is equally important. Player should begin drinking 16 ounces of water 2 hours before practice or games. Then 30 minutes before a game, a player should drink another 4-8 ounces of water to top off their fluid levels. It is a good idea for players to get into the habit of carrying a water bottle around with them throughout the day to encourage fluid intake during the day.
Game Time Nutrition
Staying hydrated during the game is as important as drinking before and after a game. Water is the most important source and should be consumed every chance a player gets. Sports drinks contain both the fluid and carbohydrate needed to maintain hydration and energy levels during basketball games HOWEVER discretion should be used for players that are not playing for extended periods of time since sports drinks can also add unnecessary calories and sugar as well.
For players competing at high levels and that see a lot of minutes, they should consume a small portion of solid food at half-time to help reload carbohydrate energy. Appropriate foods would be a few bites of an energy bar or granola bar, orange wedges, fruit snacks, and/or fig bars.
Post- Game Recovery
AAU basketball and competitive high school “round robins” are especially challenging in that teams are forced to play multiple games in a row. Obtaining adequate carbohydrate and fluids in a small window of time are keys for optimal performance. A good recovery snack for 140 pound player would be 16 ounce sports drink (water for players seeing less minutes), a banana, and 2 fig bars.
Recovery snacks should be high in carbohydrates, low in fat, and can contain a small amount of protein. Other examples include fruits, raisins, graham crackers, yogurt, pudding cups (low fat), and smoothies. When possible the players should aim to consume a high carbohydrate, low fat meal 1-2 hours after playing to continue refueling the body.
Sports Drinks
Sports/Energy drinks are not all the same. Energy drinks containing caffeine should be avoided at all times (i.e. Red bull, monster drinks, rock star, 6 hour energy, full throttle, AMP, etc.) These drinks are very dangerous and can place players at risk for heart palpitations and excessive sweating.
Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade are good sources of fluid and carbohydrate but contain high amounts of sugar and if players are not careful they can consume excess amounts of calories. If you are fit and lean, are playing at a high level, and see lots of playing time, then a sports drink may be needed before and during a hard workout so your body doesn’t break down muscle proteins for energy. If you do not need the calories, then a sports drink with lower sugar content (G2, made by the manufactures of Gatorade) or water and electrolyte tabs (i.e. Lyte ‘n Go electrolyte tabs) might be more appropriate for replenishing your body.
Optimal Performance
Fearless basketball training combines physical and mental strength and focuses on maximizing performance. Training and playing at an optimal level creates winning reactions and instills a hard-working, positive mentality in teams and their players. According to BeingFirst.com, “For most people, ‘negative’ states of mind such as fear, doubt, and nervousness keep them from the peak experience of the flow, resulting in consistent underachievement of their full capability.”
