Preserve Your Light
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HAPPY DECEMBER 2020 HOLIDAYS! INSIDE 01 KEY FEATURE: BRIGHTEN PRESERVE YOUR LIGHT YOUR HOLIDAY SPIRIT THIS YEAR WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SELF-CARE 04 STAFF SPOTLIGHT 05 PATIENT SPOTLIGHT 07 SEASONAL TIPS: FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS 09 EXERCISES OF THE MONTH: MAKE YOUR HEALTH A PRIORITY 11 HEALTHY HOLIDAY RECIPE 12 CLINIC NEWS 13 WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU Brighten your holiday spirit this OVER 70 year with a little bit of self-care. LOCATIONS NEAR YOU 2020 brought a wave of unprecedented challenges. From pandemic panic to quarantine blues, this year has placed a heavy burden on many REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT people. On December 21, the Winter Solstice, we’ll have the shortest day (and the longest night) of the year, with many cold, dark months ahead. Add in the stress of the holiday season, and you might start to think that this truly isn’t the “season to be jolly.” Many people are trying to maintain holiday traditions despite COVID-19—working to virtually bring family together, give gifts, and prepare beautiful meals. But trying to juggle all of this in a new remote environment is a struggle, and leaves little room to appreciate the true meaning of the Season of Light. (KEY FEATURE CONTINUED ON PAGE 2) BAY STATE PHYSICAL THERAPY 2 DECEMBER 2020 OVER 70 LOCATIONS NEAR YOU REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT KEY FEATURE Brighten your holiday spirit this year with a little bit of self-care. (KEY FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1) SELF-CARE: A SIMPLE WAY RE-KINDLE YOUR These workouts can increase your heart rate during “INNER LIGHT” exercise due to gravity because your muscles work a Much like most of the natural world, this can also be a little bit harder to overcome the resistance of being time to “hibernate,” hunker down, and invest in much pulled down your staircase. needed self-care and renewal. Experts agree that taking the time to understand holiday stressors and investing in RESTORATIVE YOGA POSES your physical wellbeing goes a long way towards positively Restorative Yoga is a simple, relaxing way to help shifting how we experience the holidays. manage the stress of the holidays. By activating the Here are a few tips to help you have a grounded, enjoyable parasympathetic or relaxation response, yoga helps holiday season this year. balance the whole nervous system and sets the body up for deep healing, repair, and growth. MOVE IT, MOVE IT! A few examples of Restorative Yoga poses are: Exercise of any kind is a great stress reliever. Getting your body in motion helps oxygenate your muscles, integrates your mind and body, and generates a quick hit of endorphins which will boost your mood and clear your head so you’re ready to take on the rest of the day. TAKE A WALK Give yourself the gift of a walk every day this holiday season. Not only does it improve your circulation and strengthen muscles, but it lightens your mood. Psychologists have found that a 10-minute walk may be as good as a 45-minute workout when it comes to RESTORATIVE CHILD’S POSE relieving the symptoms of stress and anxiety. DANCE! Throw on your favorite music and have a quick lunchtime dance party! Have kids in the house? Let them join! Getting up and away from your desk to dance (even for 5 minutes) will get your blood flowing and loosen the stiff muscles from long hours in front of a computer. USE THE STAIRS Yoga Block Work with what you’ve got at home! Use the stairs in your house or apartment building to get your exercise RESTORATIVE HEART BENCH in for the day without having to go to the gym. (KEY FEATURE CONTINUED ON PAGE 3) BAY STATE PHYSICAL THERAPY 3 DECEMBER 2020 OVER 70 LOCATIONS NEAR YOU REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT (KEY FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2) A yoga block was used for the Psoas Release and Heart Bench. You can swap this out for stacked pillows, a rolled/folded blanket, or a pile of books (if they are sturdy!) Yoga Block Check out more yoga poses to do at home in our “exercises of the month” section of this newsletter. RESTORATIVE PSOAS RELEASE MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS Exercise isn’t the only way to deal with the hectic holidays. Boost your mood with simple daily meditation techniques to center yourself, relax, and relieve stress. Practicing mindfulness has been attributed to stress reduction, enhanced focus, and reduced anxiety. DOWNLOAD AN APP There are several great apps you can download to engage in a virtual guided meditation to focus your attention and clear your mind. A few examples include: • Waking Up • Insight Timer • Headspace VISIT YOUR FAVORITE PHYSICAL THERAPIST It’s been proven that stress is a significant contributor to physical pain. The frantic schedule and external pressures of the holidays may cause muscle tightening, joint inflammation, or other musculoskeletal pain symptoms. SCHEDULE A PHYSICAL THERAPY EVALUATION Be aware of muscle and joint pain if they start to flare up over the holidays andschedule an evaluation with your physical therapist. These can even be done via a virtual telehealth appointment. Your physical therapist can take a holistic view of your medical history, your physical limitations, and your goals to create a truly personalized path towards better health and a pain-free holiday season. But it all starts with self-awareness and self-care! The world has faced a lot of darkness in 2020, but with a little bit of self-reflection and care, you can learn to let the light back in for sustainable wellness. BAY STATE PHYSICAL THERAPY 4 DECEMBER 2020 OVER 70 LOCATIONS NEAR YOU REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT STAFF SPOTLIGHTS Laura Pempkowski, PT, DPT of BSPT Saugus “I usually get the winter blues when the lack of sun and chilly weather set in. When the sun goes down, I root into the couch and my mental motivation lurches to a halt. This year is extra challenging. COVID-life limits social interactions, the Farmer’s Almanac is calling for a deep chill, and I started as the clinical manager at the new Bay State office in Saugus! To stay fit (both physically and mentally), I’m leaning into the things that make me feel balanced, minimize stress, and maximize happiness. While we lose literal light with the change of seasons, I found some uplifting inspiration from my barre and yoga classes. We say “namaste,” which yogis have embraced to mean “the light in me honors and respects the light in you.” I’m respecting myself by being mindful of what my body and mind need. I signed up for virtual studio classes to make sure I regularly exercise— even booking classes at 7:30 p.m. so I don’t quit moving too early in the day. I want to send Christmas cards, but I might forgive myself if I just text loved ones, so I don’t feel overwhelmed trying to make the perfect cards. I also gifted myself a really nice pair of socks, so I can’t use the “I’m cold” excuse to not keep my momentum. It can be hard to prioritize yourself when you feel the weight of holiday obligations piling up. But as I tell my patients, you are worth it. Physical wellness influences our thoughts, feelings, and emotions (and vice versa). If you want to enjoy the holiday season, gift yourself the love, care, and effort that you extend towards others. Bodily pains, trouble sleeping, or heavy-heartedness can be signs you need to attend to your wellness. Physical therapists are a great resource for jump-starting your wellness needs. PTs understand how all of life’s stressors impact the ability to heal and stay healthy. We work with you to break down the barriers inhibiting your from achieving your goals—physical or otherwise. You only have one body, so keep it healthy and keep it happy.” BAY STATE PHYSICAL THERAPY 5 DECEMBER 2020 OVER 70 LOCATIONS NEAR YOU REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT PATIENT SPOTLIGHT Lorrie G., Patient of BSPT Carver “When I had my left hip replaced in the winter of 2011, I just picked a random physical therapist. After two appointments with them, I felt it was a waste of time and didn’t return. I lived with minimal range of motion and ignored the advice of my orthopedic surgeon to continue with PT. In the spring of 2017, I started asking around for a good physical therapist, as I was now preparing for right hip replacement surgery. A personal trainer at The Weymouth Club referred me to Dave Clarke at Bay State Physical Therapy. When it was time to start PT, I wasn’t really interested and still had the “waste of time” attitude. But by the time I left my first visit, Dave had changed my mindset! Dave was able to tell right away that I had not done PT on my left side, so I received a prescription from my orthopedic to be treated for both sides. At the end of 2019, I was having pain in my left shoulder. This pain was determined to be a pretty much everything that ended in “itis” or “osis” (in other words, a lot on inflammation!). I once again sought Pictured here is Dave Clarke, PT, DPT, working out Dave, who had moved to the Norwell office. We with Lorrie on strengthening her shoulder. started PT on my left shoulder in January, and we were making progress! Then, COVID-19 hit. It took quite a bit off effort on Dave’s part to convince me PT on my right shoulder, I called Bay State PT in that telehealth was a great option, and I would greatly Norwell to schedule my quality time with Dave, benefit from it.