Encore Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy in Corvallis, Oregon

Office Hours: Mon. – Fri. 8am-5pm
Call for information or to schedule an appointment:
541-758-2235 • Send an e-mail

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How to Access Exercise Classes from Home

May 13, 2020

As you may have seen in the quarantine community physical distancing workout like this one in Spain, people are eager to feel connected with each other and are missing their workout time. Diving into May, 2020 gyms in our area remain closed due to the Stay at Home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic. However, limiting our social contact shouldn’t also include limiting our activity. With many of the local trails also off limits, we’ve dug up some ways you can access exercise classes online and from your TV so you can stay strong and healthy while in isolation.

On Demand 

If you are an Xfinity customer, check out the free videos available On Demand. To use the speak feature on your remote you can simply say, “Fitness”. Otherwise press On Demand and scroll down for the exercise selections. Often they offer samples of premium channels so you can try out a few options for free. In addition, there are a myriad of free workouts that change frequently, ranging from 10 minute focused bursts of intense exercise, to dance, strength training, yoga, cardio, pilates, barre, and more.

Apps

For a variety of yoga sessions, download Down Dog. There is a selection of free options as well as an annual membership if you’re interested. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Down Dog, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Band 7 Minute Workout are completely free for new users until June 1st (no credit card required). ClassPass is another app that offers versatility and convenience. The idea is that you can join any local, or not so local, class even when you can’t be there. There is a free database of digital classes you can join anytime. If instructors offer it, you can pay as you go for livestream classes in real time. During COVID-19, ClassPass is giving 100% of livestream proceeds directly to instructors to help support their work.

There are dozens, if not hundreds, of other apps that are specific or general in terms of exercise options. Head to your Apple or Google Store to search for offerings that appeal to your interests and abilities. Most offer at least a 7-day free trial. Just be sure to set up a reminder to cancel if you want to avoid being charged.

Stream it

Your Smart TV and computer are valid sources for a great workout. There is a seemingly endless list of streaming options for every type of exercise. Daily Burn is one popular option with a one month free trial so you can get a new 30-minute routine each day of the week, as well as access to over 1,000 cardio, yoga, dance, pilates, and other workouts.                                                                                                                                                        Hint: If you have a smart TV you can stream many exercises directly (meaning you can watch them anytime). However, if you can only get them on your computer, use a universal HDMI cord to connect the stream from your computer and transfer it onto your TV for more convenient viewing during your workout.

DVDs and VHSs

If you don’t have access to the newest gadgets, apps, and streaming devices, a reliable old-school option of DVDs and even VHS tapes works great. If you don’t have any, ask around and borrow from a friend or neighbor.

Get Outside 

Of course, a good old-fashioned walk or run, bike ride, skateboard adventure, or roller blade excursion are also fabulous ways to take in the fresh air while working your body. Get outside as often as you can. Take the dogs with you or chase the kids on their scooters. Pump up the basketball for a family game of bump, put up the volleyball net, or dust off the ping pong table. Remember that movement is the key, so mix it up, keep it interesting, and have fun!

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Maintaining Physical and Mental Health While at Home

April 15, 2020

We spend a lot of time in our homes. Whether you’re retired, work from home, or have recently been forced to remain home due to the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020, spending copious amounts of time at home can result in sore, achy bodies and adversely affect mental health. If you’re spending markedly more time in your home environment, especially during cold and flu season or the current pandemic, take “steps” to ensure you’re as healthy as you can be.

Exercise

Obviously we believe exercise is important for improved mobility, cardiovascular health, and strength. However, exercise is also critical to mental health. Get those endorphins pumping by streaming exercise videos or fire up the old VHS and DVD vids. Even better, get outside for a walk, run, bike ride, or even gardening. As always, watch your body mechanics so your movements are helpful instead of harmful if you have existing or reoccuring conditions and contact your physical therapist if you have questions.

Air Quality

The air quality inside your home may be compromised by fumes, odors, and grease products while cooking, pet dander, dust, and inefficient exhaust fans. Regularly clean the filters in your home. This includes grease filters above the range, furnace filters, and vacuum filters, along with those in your air purifier. Also check that your bathroom and other exhaust fans are doing their job by holding a piece of tissue near it. If working properly, the tissue should get sucked in towards the vent. 

Eat Healthy

Food is the fuel for our bodies and lousy fuel leads to lousy performance. Stressful times frequently find us craving comfort food, but resist the urge to reach for sweets and fats. Instead, load up on fruits, veggies, whole grains, and healthy proteins that will give you an immunity boost should cold and flu germs find their way into your home. If you grab take out, be sure to wash your hands immediately before eating and again when you are done and have disposed of your trash. Better yet, transfer take out onto your own plates, dispose of take out containers and bags, and wash your hands before eating. Germs linger on any number of surfaces so if it didn’t come from your house, assume that any items can be harboring dangerous germs.

Medication

Most medications require consistent monitoring. Always make sure you are taking them as prescribed and your prescriptions are refilled as needed. Allow extra time when pharmacies are scrambling during busy seasons by calling in your prescriptions a few days earlier than you normally do. Also check with your insurance company to see if there is a mail order option and ask if you can get a longer supply than normal since most companies are currently covering a 90-day supply instead of just 30. 

Doctor Visits

Be sure to keep up the conversation with your health professionals. They are taking extra precautions as needed and you should too. Skip non-essential appointments when the risk is high, but be sure to reach out if you have concerns. Many doctors are offering telemedicine as a way to have a virtual face-to-face conversation and evaluate your needs. If you are dealing with tooth pain, severe health symptoms, or physical pain, don’t delay reaching out to your health professional for advice. If you are having flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor first for an over the phone evaluation and allow them to provide instructions for what to do next. They likely will redirect you to another facility that is better suited to treat you. Encore is offering E-Visits and limited in office visit on an as needed basis during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Shopping

Staying healthy when you can’t see the germs that make you sick is more challenging every time you leave the house. Wear a mask if recommended and use disposable gloves or put your hand in a plastic bag for tasks like pumping gas, loading groceries, or using the ATM. Avoid touching your face and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer that is over 70% alcohol often. Also allow groceries and other outside items to sit for three days or wipe them down with germ-killing cleaners before putting them away. This reduces your risk of picking up germs from a milk jug or pickle jar. If you use reusable shopping bags, be sure to toss them into the wash after your shopping trip.

Mental Health

Perhaps the most important and most overlooked aspect of being at home is feeling isolated, depressed, anxious, or scared. During uncertain times, it’s common to ride a wave of emotions so, when you do, reach out to others. It’s helpful to know you’re not alone and that most people are struggling with the same feelings. Help diffuse the feelings of distance by using phone and computer apps to keep in touch with those you can’t see in person. Download WhatsApp, Snapchat, Marco Polo, or Zoom. Make video calls instead of voice-only calls. Reach out to your therapist if you feel overwhelmed or hopeless and use these resources provided by the CDC when needed:

  • Call 911
  • Visit the Disaster Distress Helpline external icon or call 1-800-985-5990 and TTY 1-800-846-8517 Or text TalkWithUs to 66746
  • Visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline external icon or call 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224

Whether it’s your standard annual cold and flu season, or you’re under quarantine, taking care of your physical and mental health is important for you and your family, but will also benefit you when you return to normal levels of activity. Be well!

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Avoid Injury While Enjoying These Common Winter Activities

February 9, 2020

While many people hunker down inside the warmth of home during the winter months, others revel in the crisp air and anticipate long days on snowy slopes. If winter drives you outdoors, be aware that there are inherent risks to common winter activities. But you can avoid the common sprains, tears, and breaks of winter with these activity-specific pointers.

Skiing and Snowboarding: From the first snow of the season well into spring, skiers and snowboarders are ready to hit the slopes. It might seem rather benign to float across the snow during cross country or anticipate the inevitable downhill falls into powdery drift, but ski-related injuries are common and can be severe. 

During preparation for ski and snowboarding season, vary your pre-season exercise training. Lift weights, do yoga, and continue cardio with a variety of sports such as racquetball, basketball, or dance. Work to improve flexibility, core strength, mobility, agility, and balance so when you hit the slopes your body is primed for the impact and twisting motions required. Also do a warm up and some stretching before getting on the chair lift. Cold muscles are susceptible to damage, even those used in working out at the gym. And as always, make sure your bindings are set to your appropriate weight and skill level. 

Hiking and Snowshoeing: Hiking is both energizing and calming any time of year. During the winter months, you might take on snowshoeing as another option for hitting the trails. Either way, keep injuries at bay with basic safety precautions like wearing the right footgear, using a walking stick, and being mindful while you traverse the trail.

Mountain Biking: Hitting the trails is a great way to spike the adrenaline and get the heart pumping year round. Winter brings its own challenges with rain, sleet, ice, and snow so choose your route and gear carefully. Broken collar bones and AC joint sprains are common injuries caused by mountain biking so maintaining a strong core and balance are critical to safety. Also essential is a proper setup of your bike. Choose the right frame size and seat height for your body type. Make sure the petal depth doesn’t allow your knee to overextend at the bottom of the rotation. Also adjust your handle bars to you’re not hunching over too far (strains the back) or pushing down on the bars (hard on wrists, hands, and forearms). 

Ice Skating: Especially in areas of the country that don’t have regular access to skatable ponds, ice skating is a novelty shared by many during the winter months. Avoiding injury is a challenge since falls are almost inevitable. Protect yourself with the proper gear and thick clothing that will help pad a fall. Stay close to the edge if you’re in a rink so you can grab on to soften the impact. When selecting skates, choose figure skates over hockey skates as they are a more stable option. When it comes to the slow-motion fall, keep your arms tucked in as much as possible. Bend your elbows to protect your more vulnerable wrists and if you fall backwards, try to land on the side of your buttocks where there is more cushion and fewer bones. 

Sledding: Snow and sledding are ubiquitous signs of the season. Don’t let injuries damper the squeals of delight. Instead, insist on a safety protocol. Look for any obstacles in the path–and well beyond the distance you think it’s possible to travel on a sled. Avoid any slope with trees, stumps, or large rocks. Also be wary of ditches. Walk the area before sledding to check out the landscaping. Place a pad under your buttock to help with the impact from bumps. It’s best to select sleds with handles to keep you in place, but make sure to avoid entangling wrists in ropes.

Of course if you’re not looking for high-octane activities, opt for less physically demanding options like building a snowman, constructing an igloo, or making snow angels. If you have any questions about how to manage your physical therapy requirements with the activities you love in winter, just ask the team at Encore Physical Therapy. We’re happy to help.

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How Diet Affects Inflammation in the Body

December 23, 2019

Evaluating your diet is a powerful tool in the fight for optimal health. Making good food choices means reducing your chances of heart disease, diabetes, and other major illnesses. A healthy diet can also support mental health, provide the energy you need to remain active, and keep you out of the physical therapy office.

Diet and exercise have always been two words associated with weight loss and health. It’s no surprise considering the different effects food has on the body–both good and bad. While nutrition (or lack thereof) is often talked about in relation to other aspects of wellness or illness, it’s often undercredited as a major contributor to inflammation, which in turn is a significant cause of disease and chronic pain.

It’s important to understand that not all inflammation is bad. After all, inflammation is a critical part of healing from many illnesses and injuries. However, certain conditions are the result of the body having a hyperactive response to what it perceives as an invader, resulting in inflammation. This can become a vicious cycle where the body remains inflamed consistently rather than just as a response to illness or injury. The result is a group of ailments commonly known as inflammatory diseases, which can be chronic, such as in the case of chronic arthritis.

During an inflammatory response, your body produces a motherload of white blood cells, immune cells, and cytokines to fight off infection. It’s an amazing battle attack plan if you’re coming down with a bug. It’s not so great, however, if your body receives the wrong signal and perpetually responds as if there was an invader. The result of this information misfire is chronic inflammation. 

Foods are blamed as one possible cause for this response. For example, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition warns that processed sugars trigger the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines. Some people with joint pain find relief by avoiding gluten (found in wheat, barley and rye), and/or casein, a product of dairy products. Inflammatory diseases can often be substantially improved or even reversed with diet changes such as these.

Note that in addition to diet, inactive lifestyle, obesity, and stress all contribute to chronic inflammation so improving your diet might be the catalyst you need to inspire a more active lifestyle.

When it comes to identifying foods that actually cause inflammation in the body, most doctors agree an anti-inflammatory diet includes plant-based foods and excludes meats, dairy, and processed foods. For a better understanding of what plant-based means and how to prepare recipes with those guidelines in mind, a quick internet search will provide loads of information. 

The most important thing to know is that one diet does not fit all. Every ‘body’ is different and, in turn, responds differently to foods. While one person can seemingly eat whatever they want without ill effect, another may feel achy from a single donut or bagel. There are many ways to find out what is the best diet for your system. Seek out a nutritionist, talk with your doctor, invest in food allergy testing, or take on an elimination diet removing one type of food at a time and evaluating the resulting changes.

As it pertains to physical therapy, eating the right foods can significantly reduce recovery time after an injury. It can also offer substantial benefits regarding the advancement and treatment of conditions like arthritis. Making the investment in your diet could improve your energy, focus, and quality of sleep. Proper nutrition can also reduce pain, achiness, and stiffness so you can perform your best.

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Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow: Causes and Treatment

December 2, 2019

Pain centered around the elbow that may or may not radiate down or up the arm could be a condition commonly known as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow. Ironically, while it is a common ailment of athletes, it can also be caused by any repetitive motion so it is often seen in professional painters, those who work at a computer, construction workers, cooks, etc. Typically pain is felt or is increased up to several hours following the offending activity.

The condition is more technically known as epicondylitis and although it does involve the inflammation identified by the “itis” in its name, there is more to it. Your doctor may also refer to it as tendonitis, which is an inflammation of the tendon. That is often the case, however, a more accurate diagnosis identifies the overuse of the tendon. This overuse and repetitive motion results in microtears of the tendon, a condition called tendonosis. 

While we’re busy defining terms, there is a difference between tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow even though they both cause pain of the elbow region. Tennis elbow is lateral epicondylitis, meaning it affects the outside of the elbow. This pain is felt throughout the elbow, forearm, wrist, and sometimes even parts of the hand. Golfer’s elbow, on the other hand, is medically referred to as medial epicondylitis and affects the inside of the elbow, also radiating down the forearm and wrist or up to the upper arm.

Epicondylitis is most common in people ages 35-50. Those under age 35 showing symptoms may be evaluated for growth plate issues or other causes. Those over 50 could have other causes as well, such as misalignment. For this reason, it’s important to be diagnosed by a medical professional. 

Epicondylitis can often be treated with rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication. Sometimes these efforts alone will reverse the problem within a few days, or it could take up to one year. 

Adding physical therapy to your toolbox of remedies can reduce healing times and make your recovery more comprehensive. Physical therapy can help increase strength, improve flexibility, and rejuvenate healing blood flow. The first step of treatment is evaluation. This involves a discussion of your work and leisure activities and a physical evaluation of your movement and use of muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the elbow area. Your therapist may also identify seemingly unrelated problems such as misalignment in the shoulder, upper back, or neck regions.

If your therapist thinks it is too soon to initiate strengthening, he or she might start with techniques to reduce inflammation and pain. These may include E-stim, massage, ice, tape, straps, braces, relaxation, or shockwave and laser therapy.

Once your therapist decides you’ve reached the right level of healing, it’s time to introduce new exercises to improve flexibility and strengthen muscles from the tips of your fingers up your arm. These will likely include stretching of the hands, wrists, and forearms. Your therapy will also include customized exercises to strengthen muscles that work in conjunction with your tendons. Since epicondylitis is caused by repetitive motion, your physical therapist can help you retrain your body towards different movements to resist future occurrences. 

With the proper evaluation, therapy, and training, epicondylitis can completely heal, leaving you to crush that golf drive or smash the squash shot. If you think epicondylitis is holding you back, call Encore Physical Therapy to set up an appointment today.

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Encore Corvallis Office

We are located in the Westview Plaza in Corvallis:
2609 NW 9th Street
Corvallis, Oregon 97330
Phone: 541.758.2235
Fax: 541.230.1227
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Encore Albany Office

We are located in Albany at:
1107 9th Avenue SE
Albany, Oregon 97322
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