April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month – #Take6forPD

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According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, every six minutes someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in the United States.

April is Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Awareness Month and along with the PD Community, we are encouraging everyone to take six minutes in an effort to raise awareness, advance the research, and become knowledgeable of the available treatments for this disease. With someone being diagnosed every six minutes, that totals 90,00 people per year in the United States alone.  Let’s be advocates.

Beyond awareness comes treatment. At Tx:Team, we have Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapists who are trained and certified in treating patients with PD. One treatment program which has been proven beneficial is the LSVT BIG® and LOUD® Program.

How do the LSVT programs benefit Parkinson’s patients?

Parkinson’s can impact function in everything a person does at home, at work, and in their community recreational pursuits. The LSVT programs help patients to maintain movement and voice for normal function in everyday life beyond medication and repetitive, non-direct task training exercises utilizing principles of neuroplasticity backed by years of research. It takes all 16 visits (four times per week for four weeks) to achieve carry over so that by the end of one month, patients know how to move BIGGER and be LOUDER all the time.   

A unique feature of LSVT BIG® and LOUD® is that it recognizes there is an internal cuing proprioceptive issue in individuals with Parkinson’s such as softer voice and smaller movements, in people that are unable to recognize their deficits the majority of the time.   

What is the focus of LSVT BIG®?

  • Faster speed  
  • Greater arm swing   
  • Longer steps  
  • Overcoming difficulty getting through the doorway  
  • Longer distance  
  • Faster clothing donning  
  • Grasping materials during meal preparation  
  • Legible handwriting  
  • Amplitude of movement when showering  

What is the focus of LSVT LOUD®?

  • Louder voice that is not hoarse  
  • Improved facial expression   
  • Reduction of monotone speech  
  • Improved emotion  
  • Using more words  

Who would benefit from BIG® and LOUD®?  

Patients who have a decline in the amplitude of their movement, voice, posture, and balance in addition to reduced speech intelligibility are motivated to participate in all required sessions.  

Why are these programs so important to this patient population?  

LSVT BIG® and LOUD® assists this patient population in maintaining, enhancing, and slowing progression of Parkinson’s Disease, which in return facilitates their ability to maintain a level of independence with the following skill sets essential for daily living:   

  • Changes in cognitive function. People with PD can still learn, but it might take longer and require more repetition of practice. As a patient progresses, the therapist will work on dual tasking so you can keep moving bigger and being louder while doing something else at the same time. For example, getting dressed and talking, walking while carrying something, or tapping your leg while reading.
  • Changes in movement amplitude. Commonly, people with PD have difficulty with activities they didn’t before. As a patient progresses, utilizing larger movements helps patients return to these activities without cues and assistance. 
  • Changes in communication. People who have PD have soft speech and feel that they are talking WNL while others “need a hearing aid.” However, people may begin to feel embarrassed with social isolation. As a patient progresses with continuous use of a loud voice, they are able to participate in conversations without feeling excluded while maintaining their dignity.
  • Changes in emotional regulation, pacing, attention, cardiovascular health, sleep, and confidence can also be seen!  

If you have any more questions about the LSVT program for BIG® or LOUD®, find a certified therapist in your area or visit this website.

 

Nidhi, Alita, and Johanna are all experienced therapists in the Outpatient Clinic setting in Frederick, MD.  They work collaboratively together to support and treat patients with a variety of neurological diagnoses. Nidhi, Alita, and Johanna enjoy the relationships they foster with their patients, and they love to help them achieve their functional goals.

Nidhi Talpade, PT, DPT, BIG® Certified
Alita Borkar, MA, OTRL, BIG® Certified
Johanna Ebbs, MS, CCC-SLP, LOUD® Certified.

Prehab to Prevent Injuries

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One of our innovative approaches to physical therapy at Tx:Team is Prehab. We focus on the prevention of injuries before an issue or pain arises. What does Prehab look like in terms of physical therapy? From ergonomic assessments in office environments to movement engagement for workers in the manufacturing setting, we can help.

The applications of Prehab are endless and they can end up saving companies and patients money in unneeded care. If you would like to learn more about preventing injuries from happening, fill out the form below:

    Please provide your email below to continue the conversation with Tx:Team.

    Virtual Physical Therapy

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    The way that jobs are done has changed quite a bit in the past few years and physical therapy is no different. Since the pandemic began, a need for physical therapy in a virtual setting has grown exponentially and here at Tx:Team, we are ensuring we are delivering on this need. Individuals want to have services from the privacy of their own home or worksite, and virtual services enable better adherence to their plan of care.

    Tx:Team provides a fully virtual physical therapy service when the situation calls for it, and we do this on a safe and HIPAA-compliant platform that works on any web browser with no downloads needed. All you need to do is simply join the virtual waiting room at the time of your appointment and you will be connected to your physical therapist.

    While in-person visits are still preferred in certain situations, the outcomes data from FOTO supports the effectiveness of virtual physical therapy. FOTO is the top outcomes data platform in the U.S. with over 9.5 million encounters and more than 24,000 clinicians inputting results – and Tx:Team is ranked in the top 4% nationally on this platform..

    If you are looking for the most effective virtual physical therapy experience on the market today, contact us at Tx: Team.

    Direct Access for a Physical Therapy First Approach

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    Did you know that if you are in pain or have sustained an injury you can see a physical therapist with no referral needed? Not only that, but it can save you both time and money in the long run.

    There is mounting evidence that visiting a physical therapist first can reduce costs and improve the overall outcome of injury rehabilitation. When you choose physical therapy first, it has been shown to lower costs by 72% and often provides similar if not better outcomes. A physical therapy first approach for uncomplicated low back pain leads to an average treatment duration of only 22 days, while seeing your primary care provider first leads to an average treatment duration of 66 days.

    Physical therapy helps patients reduce or eliminate pain by addressing the factors that are contributing to their pain. This also helps patients avoid surgery, and in the other cases pre-surgery PT helps patients recover more quickly with better outcomes. Plus, early physical therapy is associated with a reduced risk of opioid use.

    If you’re looking for someone to help you with a physical therapy first approach, contact Tx:Team today!

    It’s Women’s Health Week! Questions? We Have Answers!

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    May 8th through the 14th is Women’s Health Week and the goal is to empower women to make their health a top priority and educate on the steps women can take to improve their health.  During the week, you can get the answers to top questions that are asked about Women’s Health. 

    Women’s issues are important and most women suffer needlessly because they are not aware of the rehabilitation programming designed especially for women. Many patients suffer in silence from disorders caused from pregnancy, disease, musculoskeletal injury and surgery, or an unknown etiology.

    Women’s Health physical therapists are trained to evaluate and treat the common conditions as well as more extensive diagnoses. The Tx:Team’s Women’s Health Program works with each patient on an individual basis with the ultimate goal of returning you to your daily routine as quickly as possible.  Physical Therapists work alongside you, the patient, to examine, treat, train, and educate.

    Many of the diagnoses that women face are sensitive and can make a woman feel embarrassed. It’s time to get the conversations started! Since a women’s health program may be new to a majority of women, there are typically many questions surrounding how the program might help with your diagnosis or problem.

    What does a Women’s Health Physical Therapist do?  

    Women’s Health Physical Therapists provide specialized physical therapy services to diagnoses specific to women. These clinicians have received additional training for evaluation and treatment of the pelvic floor including both external and internal assessments.

    What conditions does the Women’s Health Program address?

    • Urinary Incontinence
    • Pelvic Pain
      • Clitirodynia
      • Levator Ani Syndrome
      • Prudendal neuralgia
      • Vulvodynia/VVS
      • Dyspareunia
      • Coccygodynia
      • Tension Myalgia
    • Pelvic Organ Prolapse
    • Low/Mid Back Pain
    • SI Joint Dysfunction
    • Pregnancy related pain
    • PreNatal/PostPartum Conditions
    • Painful scars (c-section/episiotomy)
    • Diastasis Recti
    • Back Pain
    • Neck/Shoulder Pain
    • Painful Intercourse
    • Sacrococcygeal Joint Dysfunction
    • Osteoporosis
    • Lymphedema Management
    • Fibromyalgia
    • Gynecological surgery (pre/post op care)
    • Myofascial Pain Syndrome
    • Pain associated with Interstitial Cystitis & Endometriosis

    Tx:Team Women’s Health Physical Therapy programs can be found at FMH Rehabilitation in Frederick, MD. Ladies, it’s time to take the steps to improve your health and Women’s Health Week is the perfect time to start!

    A Physical Therapy-First Approach to Chronic Pain

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    Chronic pain is affecting approximately 116 million people annually and this number continues to grow. According to the American Physical Therapy Association, the cost associated with these issues is $560–$635 billion every year in the U.S. for medical treatment, interrupted work time, and lost wages.

    A Physical-Therapy First approach offers solutions to increase functionality, reduce or eliminate pain, and avoid or recover from surgery at much lower costs. At Tx:Team, our FOTO data, Net Promoter Score and patient satisfaction results show that we are consistently delivering superior outcomes and getting employees back to work with higher efficiency and effectiveness. Watch this quick video to learn more about how we address chronic pain issues through physical therapy:

    At Tx:Team, we’ve been perfecting this physical therapy-first approach for almost 40 years and we routinely show above average results and much fewer visits than our competitors. Fill out this form to learn more about why working with us is good therapy:

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      Physical Therapy to Combat Musculoskeletal Costs

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      Musculoskeletal Costs are a top three expense on most health plans, and on some they’re even number one. This trend is not going anywhere, and if anything they are increasing. At Tx:Team, we’re looking to combat that. Dan is here to explain how:

      At Tx:Team, we are committed to getting our patients better faster and getting them out of the seemingly endless healthcare loop. Fill out this form to learn more about why working with us is good therapy:

        Please provide your email below to continue the conversation with Tx:Team.

         

        The Importance of Rehab When Recovering from Covid-19

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        Patients recovering from Covid-19 experience a variety of negative side effects, both cognitive and physical, and without rehabilitation, those side effects can continue for much longer if not permanently.

        In a study published by The Lancet, 76% of Covid-19 patients reported that they were still experiencing at least one symptom associated with the Covid-19 six months after they were discharged from the hospital, including 63% who reported experiencing fatigue or muscle weakness at the time of the evaluations. According to the researchers, fatigue and muscle weakness were the most-reported symptoms among the participants at the six-month follow-up evaluations.

        Fatigue and muscle weakness are two main physical symptoms that patients experience during and after being diagnosed with Covid-19. After only three days in the ICU, a patient may lose up to 9% of muscle mass, while some reports indicate brain scans resemble that of a traumatic brain injury. That’s where the role of rehabilitation comes in.

        “It’s important not to wait (to start rehab) – the longer you experience muscle atrophy, it becomes a vicious cycle,” said Rich Stieglitz, Director of the Department of Rehabilitation at Tx:Team in Frederick, MD. “If you’ve become deconditioned and weak, you could start to experience back pain and joint pain; you’re at risk to hurt yourself if you’re not strong enough. When you don’t feel good, you don’t move. When you don’t move, you don’t feel good. It’s important to get your body systems going, being able to move and move correctly.”

        Rehab in the Hospital After a Covid-19 Diagnosis

        After being diagnosed with Covid-19 during the acute phase, it’s important to start exercises in small doses. “The more exercises they can tolerate in short stints, the better their lung capacity can be,” said Stieglitz. “We work with patients all the way from being on ventilators to getting out of bed to walking. When you’re hospitalized due to Covid-19, your strength and endurance is compromised, you need assistance. And because of the addition of Covid fog, you lose the ability to think and connect all the dots. If a patient doesn’t have any strength and they’re gasping for air, it’s hard to tell them to turn over in bed – we have to show them. Simply sitting up and not falling over is a challenge. We’re trying to protect patients.”

        Outpatient Rehab for Recovery 

        After leaving the hospital, it’s important to address everything from fatigue to depression in Covid patients. While we have the ability to do rehab in-person, patients can also choose to do their rehab through telehealth in the comfort of their own home during the quarantine phase for early intervention. Through telerehab, we can work on strength, endurance, cognitive, and respiratory functions with patients through physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

        Covid-19 Rehabilitation

        When it comes to rehabilitating a patient during or after Covid-19, there are a variety of exercises available. “Depending on the patient’s ability, we’re going to focus on generalized strength training and endurance,” said Stieglitz. “It might be a challenge to walk to the mailbox for a patient, maybe you can’t carry in your groceries. We’ll assess a patient from a functional standpoint and then work to simulate tasks that you used to be able to do but can’t do now.”

        Covid rehab starts with breaking down the activity or exercise to its sub-components to strengthen the pieces a patient is struggling with and increase their function. For example, if a patient is getting winded walking a flight of stairs, a therapist can work with them to walk on a treadmill or walk against water currents in a pool.

        “There are lots of techniques to try to make it fun and encouraging,” said Stieglitz. “We want to set them up for success and engage the patients so they can see their progress. It’s all designed at returning to what they were doing before they got sick so they can return to their job or recreational activities. Let’s get motion back into your life while we monitor your blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, and vital signs to make sure you’re okay and won’t crash. Covid knocks you down and we want to make sure patients are safe.”

        What is Physical Therapy

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        Physical therapy is a branch of rehabilitative healthcare that includes the evaluation, assessment, and treatment of individuals with limitations in functional mobility.

        Physical therapists are trained to assess your condition and help you regain maximal functional mobility and independence. They use a variety of treatment modalities and techniques to help you move better and feel better.  Treatment is highly individualized, cutting edge, and research-based to return patients to their optimum functional level.

        Often part of a rehabilitation team, physical therapists provide hands-on therapy, exercises and stretching maneuvers to patients with chronic conditions or serious injuries to ease pain and facilitate health and wellness.

        Through focused home exercise plans and individual attention, these professionals help patients restore their range of motion, build strength, improve flexibility and manage pain as they recuperate.

        Who benefits from Physical Therapy?

        If you have an injury or illness that results in pain, physical impairment, limited movement, or a loss of function, a Physical Therapist can help.  Some patients are referred to physical therapy from his or her physician, but others seek therapy directly.

        The benefits of physical therapy include:

        • Prevent the onset and or slow the progression of conditions resulting from injury, disease, and other causes
        • Pain management with reduced need for opioids
        • Avoiding surgery
        • Improved mobility and movement
        • Recovery from injury or trauma
        • Recovery from stroke or paralysis
        • Fall prevention
        • Improved balance
        • Management of age-related medical problems

        Physical therapists treat people across the entire lifespan. Many therapists have certifications or specializations to treat a certain population, like children, the elderly, or athletes. Regardless of age, if you have impaired mobility, a physical therapy evaluation may be warranted to offer treatment and a strategy to improve function.

        6 Myths About Physical Therapy

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        Physical therapy is changing the way people overcome debilitating pain and lack of mobility. It is a conservative, cost-effective approach to restore function. However, common myths and misconceptions often discourage people from utilizing physical therapy. Tx:Team DPT, Megan, is here to debunk some of those myths.

        Myth #1: Physical therapy is only used following an accident or an injury.

        False. Physical therapy is often used to treat nagging pain due to sustained postures, abnormal movement patterns, and repetitive stress. Physical therapists are skilled at evaluating and diagnosing musculoskeletal issues and can be effective in treatment of these underlying causes, potentially preventing issues from becoming a bigger problem.

        Myth #2: Physical therapy is painful.

        Otherwise known as, “No pain, go gain,” this myth is partially false. Post-treatment soreness can occur; however, the goal of physical therapy is to mitigate pain and correct dysfunction. The physical therapist that you work with can adjust your treatment program, modify movements and exercises, and minimize discomfort to help you achieve your goals. The main goal of 95% of patients seen in the clinic is to decrease pain, so most of the time, that’s our goal too.

        Myth #3: It hurts, so I shouldn’t move it.

        Usually false. In some cases, it may be recommended that you rest and allow tissues to heal, so always check with your physical therapist first. But in most cases, the opposite is recommended. It’s usually more beneficial and will actually speed up recovery if you move the injured area. Most of the research out there suggests that early mobility leads to a faster recovery. The more you move, the better your outcomes. Or as we in the therapy world often say, “motion is lotion.”

        Myth #4: I need to see my doctor/surgeon prior to going to physical therapy.

        False. Patients have direct access to physical therapy. This means that you can see a physical therapist without a doctor’s prescription.  Some insurance plans require a prescription to utilize physical therapy services, so always check with your individual insurance provider. When accessing a Physical Therapist first, there are also the potential cost savings in co-pays, prescriptions, and imaging that could potentially be avoided.

        Myth #5: Physical Therapy is just massage.

        False. Physical Therapy is a multifaceted approach to restoring function which often includes, but is not limited to, manual techniques such as massage.  Neuromuscular re-education, exercise and activities, and the use of therapeutic modalities are also treatments used in your recovery. Your plan of care is specific to you based on your functional limitations and activity restrictions. The massage or manual  techniques are just one part of the comprehensive approach that may target specific tissues to complement other interventions within a treatment session.

        Myth #6 I have to go to a clinic to be treated by a Physical Therapist. 

        Not at all! With today’s technology, a patient is able to receive evaluation and treatment through telerehab platforms that enable virtual visits with your physical therapist from the comfort of your home.