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5 Key Ways to Avoid Heat Illness This Pre-Season

As summer nears it’s inevitable end, many of us (and our children) are gearing up to return to fall sports.  And you know what that means – pre-season training! Many high school sports begin their pre-season training this month, and with that come some very real risks of exertional heat illness. Exertional Heat Illness (EHI) can manifest in several different ways.  Minor symptoms include cramps, dizziness and light-headedness. Moderate symptoms include: Headache, nausea or vomiting, chills and goosebumps, and fatigue.  Severe symptoms which are signs of a heat stroke include signs of aggression or confusion, seizures, rapid heart rate and breathing, and a temperature in excess of 105 degrees fahrenheit.  If in doubt about your symptoms, it’s best to pursue medical attention immediately. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate! (But not too much).Sweating is the body’s natural cooling mechanism.  If we are unable to sweat, we are unable to cool. Proper hydration...

I Tore My Rotator Cuff! Now What?!

It’s happened to plenty of people you know, and now it’s happened to you. You went to lift something heavy, or you took a bad fall on your arm, and now your shoulder is in severe pain and you are having a lot of trouble moving it. The pain wakes you up at night, and stops you in your track when you reach for your morning. You let it go for a few days, thinking it will get better…maybe even a few weeks. But there’s little improvement. You finally decide to make an appointment with your doctor, and after a brief exam, the verdict is in: You’ve torn your rotator cuff. “Rotator Cuff…What is That Anyway?” The rotator cuff is a series of four muscles: the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor, and Subscapularis (Remember the acronym “SITS”). These four muscles are the primary stabilizers of the shoulder. In other words,...

Active is a Proud Sponsor of Superior Land Soccer!

If you’re at all familiar with organized soccer in the Marquette area, you’re probably familiar with the Superior Land Soccer Association (SSA).  The SSA provides the opportunity for youth and adults to compete in an organized league through the beautiful summer months in Marquette.  They also provide the opportunity for elite-level travel teams to continue competition throughout the other seasons of the year! Active has been a sponsor of Superior Land Soccer for three years in the youth levels.   Leslie Hartman, business manager at Active says that it’s been a privilege over the past few years to support the SSA.  “They’re such a well-run organization. We really enjoy supporting a local community organization that encourages children to be more active.” If you’re interested in being a youth soccer athlete in the Marquette area, please visit their website:  www.superiorlandsoccer.com.  Remember that when it comes to your athletic injuries, you...

Active Physical Therapy’s Expert Sports Medicine Staff Selected to Provide Sideline Coverage for 2018 U.P. Football All-Star Game

The Upper Peninsula Football All-Star Game is once again coming to the Superior Dome, and the teams have all been selected.  In past years, the Licensed Athletic Trainers at Active have had the privilege of of caring for the Upper Peninsula’s top football athletes during the week of this prestigious event.   This year marks the 11th year of the game since its inception, and is a great feature of young football talent across the Upper Peninsula.  The U.P. Football All-Star game is the brain-child of Todd G Goldbeck, DPT, ATC, CSCS, STC. He is a physical therapist and owner of XCel Physical Therapy near Madison, WI.  Active Ishpeming’s Scott Corkin has been providing sideline coverage for the event in years past.  This is his 5th year participating as an Athletic Trainer. “It’s a fantastic event to be a part of,” says Corkin.  “We really enjoy doing it. It’s...

Active Marquette Welcomes Anna Howes, DPT to the Fair Avenue Clinic

It is our pleasure to announce the addition of our newest member of the Active Team:  Anna Howes, DPT. Anna comes to us as a graduate of Central Michigan University’s Physical Therapy program.  She earned her undergraduate degree from NMU in Environmental Science, and worked as a Yosemite National Park Ranger for six years.  She also performed work as an environmental consultant before returning to Physical Therapy school at CMU. In addition to be a certified yoga instructor, she has a wide variety of clinical interests.   She’s particularly interested Orthopedic and Vestibular rehabilitation, and is excited to further develop her knowledge base in those areas. Anna says that she is very excited to be a part of the Active team, and is looking forward to having a positive impact on the lives of others. “My favorite part of being a Physical Therapist is being afforded the time it takes...

Active Ishpeming’s Kristy Kerkela and Kristin Andreae Proudly Carry the Prestigious Sports Certified Specialization (SCS) Credential

Active Physical Therapy is proud to feature Kristy Kerkela and Kristin Andreae, who carry the prestigious SCS certification. To become a Sports Certified Specialist, applicants must first be a licensed physical therapist, have certification as an emergency responder, licensed as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or certification or licensure as an Athletic Trainer. An applicant must show evidence of 2,000 hours of direct patient care in the specialty area only, 500 of which are in the last 3 years, and 100 hours of which are athletic venue coverage with at least 50% in contact sports. An applicant can also participate in completion of a sports residency program (typically 1 year long) at an accredited clinical residency. Once accepted and approved for the next step, the applicant must sit for and pass the written exam for specialization which tests advanced knowledge and skills. The exam is only provided once a...

Active Marquette’s Jeannie Wagner Known Throughout the U.P. for Restoring Quality of Life By Managing Lymphedema

Jeannie Wagner has been a practicing Physical Therapist for more than 27 years.  A Chicago native, she began her practice in an outpatient setting after graduating from the University of Iowa in 1991, and then from Rocky Mountain University with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2008.   She worked at Marquette General Hospital for 18 years, where she started the hand therapy program.  After her time at MGH, she opened Balanced Body Physical Therapy and operated for 10 years with her colleague and business partner Laurie Smith.  Jeannie and Laurie both joined the Active team in early 2017. At Active, Jeannie currently treats a variety of patients who represent a wide range of ages and backgrounds; and she has a special clinical interest in distance runners and cross-country skiers. Among other things, Jeannie carries a specialist certification in Lymphedema management, which she earned through a rigorous process.  The...

Active Marquette to Partner with Queen City Running Company to Provide Injury Screens to Summer Running Group

Queen City Running Co. has been in business since 2015 and has been an excellent provider of athletic footwear since that time.  They have a wide variety of products and services, and do a great job finding the right shoe for your feet and running style.  They also organize regular running events and running groups. We are proud to announce that beginning this week, we will be partnering with their summer running group! Kyle Aho, DPT is a Gwinn native with a special interest in the running athlete.  He has an enthusiastic approach to patient care and has received specialized training in caring for the unique needs of runners and endurance athletes.  He will be providing on-site injury screens for anyone who is in need this summer. The first scheduled event will be this Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018 from 6-7pm.  Moving forward, Kyle will be on-site on the first...

Active Marquette’s Brooke Chapman Attends Sports Medicine Symposium in Ann Arbor

Brooke Chapman, PTA attended St. Joseph’s Sports Medicine Symposium last month in Ann Arbor, put on by Probility Physical Therapy.  This was a one-day course which covered a variety of topics and current practice trends related to sports medicine.  Some of the topics covered were running injuries, rotator cuff repair rehab, ankle instability and others. “I enjoyed learning from several physicians, physical therapists, and even a pilates expert on common sport-related injuries and treatment,” said Chapman.  “Their discussions included shoulder instability, common biking injuries, ankle instability and more. They relayed back to whole body movement rather than a single joint to facilitate healthy movement and injury prevention.” If you’ve been injured playing a sport you love, or would like to find out how to benefit from physical therapy by scheduling an appointment with Kristen or Brooke, talk to your doctor or give our office a call at 906-226-0574.

Running Assessment Program offered at all Active Locations

Did you know that running is increasing in popularity for all ages? There are many more events (5K, 10K, ½ and full marathons) and more participants in these events than ever before.  That fact – coupled with the research showing that up to 70% of runners get injured each year – shows the importance of proper mechanics while running. Even though there are many theories and techniques for running, it is important that if you are changing your style of running, your shoes or your gait mechanics, you need to ease into and practice your new technique in order to reduce your risk of injury. The following all increase your risk of injury with running: Running more than five days/week, or less than two days/week More than 10% volume increase in a week (total mileage) More than 40 miles per week Shoes that have  at least 500 miles total...

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