IN-OFFICE AND TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE

In-office and virtual appointments available for PHYSICAL THERAPY. (Proper respirator masks must be worn for in-office appointments for the entire session during the pandemic).

Common Myths and Misconceptions:

1. I Need to be in pain to consult with a Physical Therapist.

2. PHYSICAL THERAPY IS ONLY FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INJURED.

3. I'm too old to be pain free.

4. If pain goes away on its own I don't need to consult with a professional.

5. Physical Therapy ITSELF IS PAINFUL.

6. PHYSICAL THERAPY IS TIME CONSUMING.

7. PHYSICAL THERAPY ONLY TREATS MUSCLE INJURIES.

How can Physical Therapy help me?

These are a few of the conditions we treat:

Arthritis

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Back Pain

Back and Pelvis pain (Maternity)

Bursitis

Dizziness/Vertigo

Disc Herniation/Degenerative Disc Disease

Fractures

Headaches and Sinus Headaches

Plantar Fasciitis or Heel pain

Treatments Offered

Manual Therapy

Therapeutic Exercise

Neuromuscular Re-education

Pre/Post-Surgical Rehabilitation

Core Education and Strengthening

Pre- and Post- Partum Exercise Programs

Massage

Vestibular Rehabilitation (Dizziness/Vertigo)

Functional Dry Needling

THE KEY TO RESOLVING YOUR PAIN WITH LONG-TERM EFFECT IS BY ADDRESSING THE CAUSE AND NOT JUST THE SYMPTOMS.

Now offering Virtual Ergonomic Assessments

Ideal for those Working-From-Home and Students

What is "Ergonomics"?:

er·go·nom·ics, ˌərɡəˈnämiks/ noun: ergonomics.

The study of people's efficiency in their working environment. Origin (GREEK) ergon/work + (English) economics = ERGONOMICS.

Ergonomics can be defined simply as the study of work. More specifically, ergonomics is the science of designing the work space to fit you the “worker'‘, rather than physically forcing your body to fit the work space. Adapting tasks, work stations, tools, and equipment to fit the you can help reduce physical stress on your body and eliminate many potentially serious, disabling work related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). (OSHA). MSDs, or musculoskeletal disorders, are injuries and disorders of the soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and cartilage) and nervous system. They can affect nearly all tissues, including the nerves and tendon sheaths, and most frequently involve the arms and back.

Who should consider having an Ergonomic Assessment?

1. If your office is set up exactly the same way it was the first day you moved in.

2. If you find that you have particular symptoms that seem to appear or worsen when sitting/standing at your work space.

3. You sit or stand at your workspace >20min at a time all day long.

4. If you are one of the many that use “Shared Workspace”.

5. If it has been more than 3 years since you had an ergonomic assessment of your workspace.

6. If you wonder whether your work space could be improved at a low cost.

7. If you have no option but work from home due to a global pandemic (Covid-19).

8. If you are now taking all your classes online due to a global pandemic (Covid-19).

What does it mean to have an Office Ergonomic Assessment performed by OPTIMUM RESULTS?

This means having an Ergonomic Specialist with almost 15 yrs of experience perform an on-site evaluation by assessing your work space and how the space is being utilized. Assessing whether the space is set up in a way that is optimal for you. Making sure the space best fits you rather than making you fit the space.

What to expect from an Office Ergonomic Assessment performed by OPTIMUM RESULTS?

A 45-60min onsite (currently virtual only due to Pandemic) evaluation that include your concerns with your set up or possible symptoms you may be experiencing from your current set up, observation of the workspace and how it is utilized, video record created, immediate adjustments when possible.

1. After an evaluation is completed, a comprehensive written report will be sent to you with a list of your concerns, interventions performed on site, before and after photos as well as additional recommendations if appropriate or we can purchase and install any additional equipment of your choice for an additional fee.

2. Will follow up with you 2 weeks after the completed evaluation and intervention. Although you are welcome to contact us at any time.

Articles

Company Wide Ergonomic Assessment

Why should I consider having a Company Wide Ergonomic Assessment?

By reducing or eliminating ergonomic risk factors your company/organization can prevent costly Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) among workers. Ergonomic solutions can often improve productivity and increase job satisfaction can come from employees seeing the company ensuring their health and safety. Eliminating employee fatigue and discomfort can reduce turnover, decrease absenteeism, improve morale and increase employee involvement. 

How much does it cost to prevent a Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD)?

Many solutions to ergonomic problems in the workplace are simple and inexpensive.

How much does it cost to treat MSDs

The average cost for lost time after injury in the US in 2010 was $20,500 (OSHA).

Healthy employees are your most valuable asset. Creating and fostering the safety & health culture at your company will lead to better human performance for your organization.

1. Individual Personalized Office Ergonomic Assessment in your workplace.

2. Group Workshops on Ergonomics: how to adjust your own office space.

3. Educate Key Staff Members to become on-site office ergonomic experts

   • (NOTE: Can keep ORPT on retainer to be able to utilize as a resource/reference for any future evaluations key staff members may have).

4. ORPT offers Clinic, Virtual and On-site Physical Therapy. Update: Only Virtual Assessments at this time due to the Pandemic.

1. Individual Personalized Ergonomic Assessment in your workplace.

Components of ergonomic assessment:

We assess the work space for pros and cons + Recommend possible solutions + Implement solutions + Educate and Train = OPTIMUM RESULTS

2. Group Workshops on Ergonomics: how to adjust your own office space.

Presentations provided to multiple staff members that provides key information on how to perform your own Ergonomic Assessment and make the appropriate adjustments to your workspace. Q & A time included to address individual questions.

3. Educate key staff members to become on-site office ergonomic experts

Presentations provided to key staff members that provides key information on how to perform Ergonomic Assessment and make the appropriate adjustments to a workspace. Q & A time included to address individual questions

4. ORPT offers Physical Therapy to treat existing symptoms

• MSDs account for 34 percent of all lost-workday injuries and illnesses.

•Employers report nearly 600,000 MSDs requiring time away from work every year.

• MSDs account for $1 of every $3 spent for worker/employee compensation.

• MSDs each year account for more than $15 billion to $20 billion in worker’s/employee compensation costs. Total direct costs add up to as much as $50 billion annually.

• On average, it takes workers/employees 28 days recover from carpal tunnel syndrome, longer than the time needed to recover from amputation or fractures.

• Workers’/employees with severe injuries can face permanent disability that prevents them from returning to their jobs or handling simple, everyday tasks.

Options Available

Virtual Personal Training Sessions Only at this Time Due to the Pandemic

Prescription Exercise

Virtual Personal Training Sessions Only at this Time Due to the Pandemic

Ideal for those patients who:

1. want to be able to workout to stay healthy (Prevention).

2. want to resume working out after an injury

3. want to have an active lifestyle but don’t know how to or where to begin.

Post- Surgery Programs

Virtual Personal Training Sessions Only at this Time Due to the Pandemic

Ideal for patients who have completed the prescribed Physical Therapy after surgery but feel they need more to address weakness, stiffness, balance or other concerns.

Options Available

(Proper respirator masks must be worn during the entire session)

In office appointments available for balance and fall prevention. (Proper respirator masks must be worn for the entire session during the pandemic).

In-office and virtual appointments available for maternity program. (Proper respirator mask must be worn for in-office appointments for the entire session during the pandemic).

Benefits of exercise with a licensed Physical Therapist before, during and after pregnancy:

• Reduce backaches, constipation, bloating and swelling.

• Boost your mood and energy levels.

• Help you sleep better.

• Prevent excess weight gain.

• Promote muscle tone, strength and endurance.

• Can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes.

• Improve pelvic floor strength.

• Prevent and/or treat some urinary control issues.

• Prevent, Treat and/or improve a Diastasis Recti.

Before beginning any exercise program...

it is important to get your physician's approval. Generally, exercise during pregnancy is good for both mother and baby. There are some situations in which exercise may not be recommended:

• Preeclampsia (high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy)

• Severe anemia

• Cervical problems

• Vaginal bleeding

• Placenta problems

• Preterm labor during your current pregnancy

• Some heart and lung diseases

• A mother at risk of preterm labor

• Premature rupture of the membranes

In-office and virtual appointments available for maternity program. (Proper respirator masks must be worn for in-office appointments for the entire session during the pandemic).

Abdominal Separation (Diastasis Recti)

"Diastasis" means separation. "Recti" refers to your ab muscles called the "rectus abdominis."

It's very common among pregnant women. Although, this condition is not limited to pregnant women. Newborn babies also can have this separation but it should go away on its own. Men can get it as well (ex. large change in body weight, doing sit-ups or weightlifting incorrectly).

Pregnant women that are at an increased risk are those that:

1. have more than one child and especially if they’re close in age.

2. Are over 35 years old when pregnant

3. Having a heavy baby or twins, triplets, or more.

When the ab muscles move aside like this, the uterus, bowels, and other organs have only a thin band of connective tissue in front to hold them in place. Without the needed muscle support, a vaginal delivery could be more difficult.

The condition also can cause lower back pain, constipation, and urine leaking. It can even make it harder to breathe and to move normally. It's rare, but in extreme cases, the tissue may tear, and organs may poke out of the opening -- that’s called a hernia.

The muscle opening often shrinks after giving birth, but in some of women with diastasis recti, the muscle wasn't back to normal even a year later.

Do I have Diastasis Recti?

How to perform a self test

This simple self-test will help you determine if you have diastasis recti.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, and the soles of your feet on the floor.

• Place one hand behind your head, and the other hand on your abdomen, with your fingertips across your midline, at the level of your belly button.

• With your abdominal wall relaxed, gently press your fingertips into your abdomen.

• Roll your upper body off the floor into a “crunch”.

• Move your fingertips back and forth across your midline, feeling for the right and left sides of your rectus abdominis muscle. Test for separation at, above, and below your belly button.

Normal = 1 finger space separation or less.

*Diastasis recti = a separation or gap between the rectus abdominis muscles of 2 or more finger spaces or a distance of 25 mm (just less than 1 inch). This means the tissues joining the rectus abdominis muscles have either stretched or split apart.

COMMON MYTHS about Diastasis Recti During and After Pregnancy:

• All women should wait for at least six weeks after delivery before beginning any abdominal exercises or postnatal reconditioning program.

  • The exercise program is best when started as early as possible.

• Diastasis recti/abdominal separation requires surgical repair.

  • Most cases can be treated non-surgically.

• Diastasis recti/abdominal separation causes permanent bulging of the abdomen or permanent damage to the abdominals.

  • Following the right program can resolve this condition.

• Diastasis recti causes pain.

  • Can be asymptomatic. Can suffer from bladder leakage but have no pain. Symptoms can also occur later.

Dos and Don'ts

Don't strain. It can make matters worse. Constipation and lifting heavy things, including your kids, strain that connective tissue. Standing up and sitting down also count as heavy lifting in this case, because you’re lifting your body weight.

You push down when giving birth, but if done wrong, this action puts big pressure on the weak belly tissue.

Exercise.  Some routine fitness moves, including crunches, sit-ups, pushups, press-ups, and front planks, make abdominal separation worse. So can swimming, some yoga poses (like downward dog), and doing anything on your hands and knees. Once the area has healed you may be able to resume your normal exercise routine.

Allow the belly to heal. Physical therapists don’t have one standard guideline on what moves will bring the belly muscles back into line. Some research found success with the Tupler technique. It involves certain exercises done while wearing a belly splint, which protects and holds the ab muscles together.

The best time to begin core strengthening is before you get pregnant, if you don’t already have an abdominal separation.

Before starting any exercises during or after pregnancy, be sure to ask your doctor what's OK for you to do and what's off-limits for now.

Treatment

If your abdominal separation is not too big, you may decide to live with it. Although, I would not advice it. Especially if you are planning another pregnancy. Weakness in the abdominal wall can preclude many other symptoms listed above. Keep in mind how much you are going to use your abdominals in the coming months and years with a growing baby. The vast majority of women can close their mid lines and flatten their abdominal walls with the proper rehabilitation exercises. The abdominal wall can get as strong, or even stronger, after diastasis recti rehab.

Your doctor or Physical Therapist can measure how far apart your muscles are using finger widths, a measuring tape or instrument, or ultrasound. Then she can see whether it's getting better or worse. You can also do the self test mentioned at the top of this page.

In-office and virtual appointments available for DIASTASIS program. (Proper respirator masks must be worn for in-office appointments for the entire session during the pandemic).