Good breathing makes the difference between a pain-free and strong body versus one that is imbalanced and in distressed “fight or flight” mode. Taking a deep breath stimulates the vagus nerve which signals your brain to relax which improves sleep, digestion, and healing. The diaphragm and pelvic floor move together with our breath and are the foundation of our core system which also helps to strengthen the pelvic floor naturally.

Correct diaphragm expansion activates the core, relaxes hip flexors, decreases low back and SI pain, and naturally strengthens the pelvic floor.

How do you take a good diaphragmatic breath?

As you inhale: Rib cage expands in all directions. Think of expanding into all aspects of your bra band- the sides, front and back. Make sure your breath goes DOWN into lungs and not into your shoulders and neck.

As you exhale: Allow everything to passively reduce as breath leaves the body. You shouldn’t have to help your body to exhale.

• Tip: If you have a hard time knowing if your rib cage is expanding, place your hands at the bottom of your rib cage. You should feel your hands move out in front, back and sides. Your hands should move a lot!
• Keep practicing. This is a challenging exercise and can take a long time to get a hang of.

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Parkinson’s Disease is a movement disorder that affects the way you are able to walk, talk, balance, and move your arms and hands, in addition to other symptoms that can vary from person to person. It is considered degenerative because over time the severity of these symptoms worsen, though the rate at which the disease progresses is different for everyone and can be difficult to predict.

Once diagnosed, there are things that can be done to manage symptoms and at times slow the rate of progression of Parkinson’s. Speaking with your physicians about medication management is a very important piece of the puzzle. In addition to this, exercise, stretching, and specific daily movements have been proven to be extremely effective in the fight against Parkinson’s. This is where physical therapy comes into play. Physical therapists can perform an individualized evaluation of each person with Parkinson’s to figure out their specific needs. Below, we have listed some of the most common symptoms we see here at Active Physical Therapy, and how physical therapy can help.

Stiffness: Parkinson’s often causes feelings of stiffness and decreased flexibility, especially throughout the back and hips. This can make things like rolling over in bed or reaching across your body feel challenging. Physical therapists can teach you specific stretches and repetitive movements that can significantly improve your flexibility and mobility, helping you to feel better and move easier.

Weakness: Over time, Parkinson’s targets and weakens certain muscle groups. This often includes the muscles in your back and hips that help you stand up tall, as well as the muscles in your legs that help you power up to stand up from a chair or go up the stairs. In addition, people with Parkinson’s often have more weakness on one side of their body compared to the other (left or right side more affected). Physical therapists can evaluate exactly which muscle groups need the most attention in each person, and can prescribe specific exercises and movements to help.

Balance: People with Parkinson’s often report feeling off balance, and over time experience a higher rate of falls than the general population. Physical therapy can help to train the balance system to help you feel more stable and confident with things like exercise, walking on different surfaces, and going up and down stairs. We can also train safer ways to fall, and help you practice ways to more safely and easily get off of the ground when needed.

Walking: It is common for people with Parkinson’s to walk differently. This can include frequent tripping or catching of the feet on the ground or small objects, having shorter and smaller “shuffling” steps, not swinging both arms, and at times being more hunched forward. Physical therapists can help to train a stronger, more stable, and more efficient gait pattern.

If you or anyone you know have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, physical therapy can be extremely beneficial! At Active Physical Therapy we have clinicians with years of experience who are certified and trained in research backed methods to more effectively treat Parkinson’s Disease, including LSVT-BIG and Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery (PWR!). Please do not hesitate to reach out to either our Ishpeming or Marquette clinic with any questions or to schedule an appointment today.

Megan Mathieu, PT, DPT, CBIS

Physical Therapist

Active Physical Therapy

Ishpeming, Michigan

The post Physical Therapy Can Help to Fight Against Parkinson’s Disease appeared first on Active Physical Therapy.

Case Study of the Month: Speed Skating Mayhem

Welcome to the case study of the month, where we take a look at some of the toughest cases in Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy.  We break them down into segments that are easy to understand in the hopes that you learn the value of an experienced Sports Medicine/Physical Therapy Provider.

Short Track Speed Skating is by far the most stressful sport I’ve ever covered.  Skaters are going around an ice track at high rates of speed; sometimes in excess of 35 miles per hour. In the meantime, they have to remain upright on what basically amounts to a pair of razor blades.  These skates are SHARP.  Walls are padded, but there isn’t much forgiveness when you’re flying into the hockey boards; even if they are lined with thick foam pads.  Skaters often have to execute passes with such precision that they come within an inch (or less) of a collision.  If you want a sample of the pandemonium, watch this video of a short track mixed team relay from the most recent Winter Olympics.

I was working at a high profile skating event several years ago.  The arena was packed, excitement was high, and all eyes were on the ice.  The race began in the typical fashion – quick and steady with ever-increasing speed.  Somewhere toward the end of the race when the speed really begins to pick up, the skaters are traveling so fast around the bend that they have to transfer all of their body weight to a single skate blade in order to maintain their lean and balance.  All of a sudden, one skater lost an edge, slipped, and sailed into the boards.  Normally the walls are made of very thick cushions that are held together by very durable bungee cords.  They’re designed to have a lot of “give” when a skater crashes.  It was not the case at this particular event.  Being a special event that was held at a hockey arena, the mats were thick.  But, they were held together by the boards you would normally see at an ice arena.  This created much higher forces on impact.  

The skater landed fairly hard, but also in an awkward manner.  His skate was positioned in such a way that upon impact, the blade actually penetrated his thigh.  I watched him pull it out of his leg, and blood spilled out pretty quickly.  There was a fairly large panic in the crowd, as this was in a small stadium where most people could see just about everything.  This particular skater just happened to crash right in front of his cheering section of family members and friends, so you can imagine the scene was quite dramatic.  The Sports Medicine Team was then called onto the ice.

Immediate Observation: 

• Speed Skating athlete – conscious, distressed, clearly in pain, unable to get up.
• Bleeding is profuse, apparent, and obvious, appearing to originate from the thigh.

Subjective Report:

• Significant pain.
• Panic and fear setting in.

Objective Findings: 

• Bleeding appears to be venous in nature.
• No spurting or large arcs.

Primary Clinical Impression:

• Significant Laceration to thigh caused by skate blade.

In-depth Breakdown:

I was tempted immediately to start running out onto the ice, but hesitated.  A young man (non-medical professional) who was standing next to me threw caution to the wind and jumped the boards.  He ripped his shirt off and applied pressure to the wound using his shirt as a bandage.  In a panic, he was yelling “MEDIC!  MEDIC!”  We arrive on the scene after being called on by the officials, and the young man continues to shout orders in a panic.  We convince him to let us take over, and we apply pressure to the wound as a team.  

Well-aimed, direct pressure  is the best way to control bleeding.  We did this as a group, and ended up using Exxo-clear (think thick plastic wrap on a small roll) to add passive pressure while we transported him to the ambulance.

If that weren’t enough to deal with, we discovered that there were several people who had to be helped out of the arena because they couldn’t handle the sight of blood.  After assisting the athlete on the ice, it seemed that we were actually spending more time helping people in the stands following the injury.  

Outcome and Discussion:

It was a relatively quick incident when all was said and done.  It’s my understanding that the athlete was taken pretty quickly to the hospital.  

Here are a few things to reflect on that are important:

Some may wonder why I hesitated to head out onto the ice.  Certainly the young man who bolted out there got there first, and caught the eye of the entire crowd (and the press).  But as a medical professional, you can’t just start running out there.  Rule number one when approaching an injury scene is always:  Make sure the scene is SAFE.  Remember – we have several other skaters traveling at high rates of speed who are unable to just stop on a dime.  These skates don’t work the same way as hockey skates.  So that would be a major safety issue if we just rushed the ice.  I had made this mistake earlier in the week and almost caused quite an accident.  

The other reason is that it’s ALWAYS better to be the calm one in an emergency situation.  If the heart rate gets up too high, or you begin to go too fast, panic can set in and you can make mistakes.  Any seasoned emergency care professional will tell you:  when everyone else is in a panic, we have to be the calm among the storm.  It’s the only way to keep a clear head and provide the best care.  This also happened to be an especially high-pressure situation.  The event was televised internationally.  The athletes were of the highest caliber.  The way the pads were set up increased the risk for injury.  The competition was extra fierce because it was a qualifying event.  When injuries happened that weekend (there were a lot), the pressure was on the medical staff to perform at the highest level.

The Exo-clear was an important detail.  I’ll digress a little to tell this portion of the story.  Every so often in my career path I’ve run into strange professionals.  These people are usually independent, unlicensed practitioners who are in and around the sports medicine world.  The “Trainer” who has really been the equipment manager for 30 years who everyone just kind of started going to for medical issues.  The “Sports Therapist” who read some books and just loves to be around sports.  They won’t really tell you what their credentials are, and aren’t really able to answer any questions about what they do.  There was one such person at this event who was paid by one of the athletes to travel with them and provide care.  

If I’m honest, this irritates me on the front end.  I worked hard for my credentials, put my education to work, keep things legal, and continue to keep myself up to date to be the best practitioner I can be.  As off-putting as these types of people can be, I do often find that these practitioners are actually very good at what they do.  But I firmly believe that getting legally credentialed to practice in your field is an absolute must – regardless of the type of work.

Getting back to the Exo-clear.  The reason I believe the Exo-clear was so memorable was because the uncredentialed sports therapist was the one who started to administer the treatment.  I believe this technique really helped control the bleeding effectively because it provided a tight compression wrap (almost like a tourniquet) directly over the wound.  I remember thinking to myself sheepishly:  “That’s genius!  Why didn’t I think of that?!”  While a team of Doctors, Medics, and Athletic Trainers were holding manual pressure on the wound, she came in with the best solution possible.  Certainly a humbling experience. 

When everything was said and done, the athlete was taken safely for advanced care.  Those in the crowd who needed care received it at the highest level.  We worked together as a team and learned a lot.  I took away a lot from this experience.  I learned to be patient, more humble, think clearly, and be very aware of my surroundings.  This was an experience I will never forget and am proud to say I was a part of.  For more information on Athletic Trainers and the education and credentialing process, visit www.nata.org.

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Diastasis Recti Abdominis (DRA) is a separation of your abdominal muscles that often occurs during pregnancy and can remain after childbirth. After the baby is born it is normal for this to remain for some time, but if it is still present long after childbirth, it can contribute to low back pain, pelvic organ prolapse, and incontinence.

These may be signs you have a diastasis recti that needs to be addressed: You notice a bulge in the middle of your tummy when you go to get up out of a chair or out of bed, or the middle of your stomach feels softer and more squishy than normal.

A Diastasis Recti takes time to heal, but often can be improved with a guided exercise program and instruction on managing the pressure within your abdomen (i.e. how to breathe during various activities).

How to check for DRA:

Lay comfortably on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Then lift just your head, and feel along the center of your abs from the bottom of your rib cage all the way down to your pubic bone. The space between your abdominals should be no wider than about 2 finger widths. Also, more importantly, it should feel firm, like a trampoline. If it feels soft and squishy, that means your deeper abdominal muscles are not working as well as they should. You can have diastasis in different places, but it mainly occurs above the belly button, below the belly button, or along the entire length of your abdominal muscles.

How to minimize DRA during pregnancy:

The stronger your deep abdominal muscles are, and the better functioning your core muscles are, the more you will be able to minimize the diastasis recti during pregnancy, and improve your outcome after childbirth. To strengthen your deep lower abdominal muscles, work on flattening your lower belly as you exhale, or drawing your hip bones in the front together as you exhale. You may do this in sitting, standing, or on your hands and knees.

What to do if I have a DRA:

Exercises that will help improve DRA or make DRA worse will vary from person to person, depending on how one is using their core muscles. You will want to avoid any exercises or movements that cause your abdomen to bulge at midline. Try to avoid holding your breath during activities such as picking up your baby. Instead, when going to pick up your baby, exhale and work on pulling your vagina up  and flattening your lower belly. If you are having trouble engaging your deep lower abs, or your DRA doesn’t seem to be getting better, or you have other symptoms such as low back pain, urinary or fecal incontinence, or pelvic pressure; it would be helpful to make an appointment with a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health. Often just a couple of visits are needed to get you on track. Active Physical Therapy has 3 physical therapists who specialize in Women’s Health and look forward to helping you feel your best!

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Staying Healthy While Gardening – Tips to Avoid Those Aches and Pains

It’s that time again.  Spring has sprung and summer will soon be on its way.   For many of us, that also means the return of gardening.  It’s time to get outside, get in the dirt, and take care of those plants.  While gardening for many is enjoyable and a great form of stress release, it can also be tough work.  It involves a lot of digging, weeding, lifting, raking, planting, mulching, and more.  These repetitive movements can cause a lot of stress and strain on your muscles and joints, potentially leading to injury or pain.  Therefore, it is important to use proper body mechanics and keep in mind a few tips to avoid gardening aches and pains.  

5 Tips to Avoid Those Aches and Pains

1. Warm-Up – Get moving before you garden.  A brisk 5-10 minute walk can loosen up your joints, warm up your muscles, and get your blood flowing.  Stretches for your spine and limbs can also help to target any specific issues you have.
2. Practice Mindful Lifting – Be aware and maintain good posture while you work.  While lifting, bend at your hips and knees, keeping you back straight, and lift with your legs.  Keep the weight of what you are lifting close to you.  Pivot your feet instead of twisting while lifting to keep your feet pointing in the direction you are going.  Breathe.  Too often we hold our breath while lifting and this can increase the pressure in our lower back, increasing the chance of strain.  
3. Work Smarter, Not Harder – Use a wheelbarrow or garden cart to carry heavy loads or tools.  Moving several smaller and lighter loads is easier on our body than lifting one heavy load.  Use ergonomic tools to reduce strain on your body such as padded-handle tools, non-slip gloves, and keeling pads.  If you are unable to squat, try kneeling.  Give your knees a break and wear knee pads or kneel on a gardening mat.  If you are unable to kneel, sit on a bench or stool and hinge forward from your hips.  Also consider using elevated planters to reduce the need to bend or kneel.  
4. Listen to Your Body – Take a break if you start to ache.  Change gardening activities or gardening positions frequently to avoid stiffness, cramping, and repetitive movements.  Consider moving or stretching every 15-20 minutes. Take a short walk.  Pace yourself.  And don’t forget to stay hydrated and wear sunscreen!
5. Keep Moving After you Garden – Take a 5-10 minute walk after gardening and perform gentle stretches.  Both can help ease joint stiffness and muscle aches that you may experience afterwards.  

If the pain or discomfort persists longer than 48 hours, is severe, or interferes with your ability to complete your daily activities please seek out care from your physician or physical therapist.  It is easier and more effective to treat new and recent injuries than those that have been lingering for a few months. 

Kristen DePrey, PT, MS

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Safety During the Holidays

‘Tis the season for family, food, and fun (depending on how this whole pandemic thing shakes out).  Along with the holiday season come lots of exciting traditions including decorations, cooking, Christmas trees, ornaments, and…accidents?

You wouldn’t think so, but accidents are all-too-common during the holidays.  About 10 years ago, I was sitting at my mother-in-law’s house for Christmas dinner.  All of us were enjoying the taste of turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sharing memories from past gatherings.  Suddenly my wife’s uncle (who rarely ever speaks) casually says:  “There’s a fire in your living room.”  We all thought he was joking.  The look on his face was clear…he strongly urged us all to turn around.  Sure enough…there was in fact, a fire starting in the living room behind us.

My father-in-law jumped up from his chair to grab the fire extinguisher underneath the sink.  He put out the fire before most of us even knew what happened.  A piece of garland had gotten too close to the fireplace and caught fire.  It quickly spread to the other pieces above it, and damaged the mantle and the mirror on the wall.  Luckily nobody was hurt, and the fire department did not have to be called.  This is just one example of how things can go awry during the holidays.  

Did you know?  

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the three most common injuries during the holidays are attributed to cooking, decorating, and toys.  Here are some staggering statistics:  

• Cooking fires are the # 1 cause of residential fires.
• About 1,700 cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day each year
• Since 2000, there were 220 fire or scald/burn incidents involving turkey fryers, resulting in 81 injuries and over $9 million in property loss.  
• Each day during the holiday season about 200 decorating-related injuries occur.   About half of these involve falls. 
•  About 17,500 emergency room visits were attributed to holiday decorating injuries in 2018.  
• Six deaths were attributed to holiday decorating in 2019.  
• From 2015 to 2017, on average, there were about 100 Christmas tree fires and about 1,100 candle fires (in November and December), resulting in 20 deaths, 160 injuries and nearly $50 million in property damage each year.
• In 2019, there were an estimated 162,700 toy-related, emergency department-treated injuries and 14 deaths to children younger than 15, with most of the deaths associated with choking on small parts, like small balls and small toy parts and riding toys.

For helpful injury and accident prevention tips, take a look at the article here:  https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/holiday-safety

The holidays can be fun and enjoyable for all.  This year might look a little different.  But make sure whatever you choose to do with your time, please – be careful, be safe, and stay active!

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Accidental Injury Among the Leading Causes of Death in Men

When researching men’s health topics for this month, I came across an alarming statistic.  In 2017, Unintentional injury was listed as the third leading cause of death in men, behind cancer and heart disease.

After living through a pretty normal college experience as a young and energetic male in his late teens/early twenties, my first thought was:  “Well that’s not surprising.”  Immediately my mind went to all the ridiculous high-risk activities I used to do during those times for a thrill…but that’s a different story for a different day.  

Upon researching further, I found some sources that reported that men are twice as likely to die from an accidental injury than women, and that some of the most common types of accidental injury include overdose, motor vehicle accidents, and falls.  On the other hand, non-fatal unintentional injuries are composed mostly of falls, inadvertent strike, and overextension.  Personally, I can think of at least 3 people off the top of my head (2 of which are men) who had a significant accident last year resulting from a high fall.  This resulted in surgical intervention and significant rehab for all 3.

Now, injuries described as “unintentional” or “accidental” generally implies that something could have been done to prevent them.  To illustrate this point, I’ll share a recent close call I had with an unintentional injury.  A few weeks ago, luck happened to be on my side, and it was no doing of mine that helped prevent an injury of my own.  A friend of mine needed some help felling and cutting trees on his land.  He was working with an 8,000-pound mini-excavator and I was on the ground with several of our friends.  Most of us had chainsaws; we were marking and cutting up the logs as he knocked them over.  Now certainly this sets the scene for danger.  In one hand you have a very powerful machine that rotates a sharp chain at high rates of speed while in very close proximity to your body.  In the other hand (and in the same general area), there is a very large, very heavy, and very powerful machine that is designed to move heavy objects quickly.  Combine this with several people in one area, and disaster can happen very quickly with even just a little bit of carelessness.  Clearly there’s not much that could be considered “safe” about the scenario I just described.

To provide you with some context, it’s important to note that injury prevention is something that I live and breathe as a lifestyle.  Although I’m a chainsaw amateur, I do my best to be very careful when I’m using one.  I always wear chaps, steel toes, head, eye, and ear protection, and I use my safety brake between each cut.  I do my best to anticipate how a tree, log, or branch will behave as I’m cutting it, and immediately after.  More than that, I strength train 3-4 days per week, try to eat right, and get regular cardiovascular exercise as well in some form or another.  I believe that in general, fitness and injury prevention go hand-in-hand.  But this day there wasn’t any equipment, training, or knowledge that could have saved me.

I had partially cut a log that was in an awkward spot, and couldn’t complete the cut without pinching the saw.  So I pulled out the saw, and had my friend lift up the log just slightly with the arm of the mini-excavator.  The log was about knee-level.  I took my stance, and completed the cut.  Immediately the log let go and swung aggressively toward me and just past my knees.  It missed me by mere inches.  The only thing that saved me was my split stance that I just happened to take at that very moment.  Had I been in the way, it would have broken both my legs, and I would likely be recovering in casts as I write this.  It happened very quickly.

My main mistake was probably trying to combine the use of the large machine with my cut.  I probably should have just had him move it to a more opportune spot and to complete the cut.  Additionally, I did a very poor job of anticipating the response of the log after it was cut.  Although in that particular scenario, both I and my operator didn’t see it coming.  After that I sat down for a few minutes to get my mind right before I made another cut.  It was definitely a close one.

The moral of the story is that unintentional accidents can happen to any one of us at any time.  Specifically speaking to men during this month, it’s important for us to be careful.  To think and try to anticipate what will happen when we’re engaging in those household projects that require us to be up on a ladder, use a piece of heavy equipment, or power tools that can cause unintended injury to ourselves or others.  The truth is that if we are not careful, we’re all one hand placement away from an unnecessary missing finger or misstep away from a broken leg.  I try my best not to live in fear or let uneasiness stop me from doing things that are reasonable.  But over the years, I’ve found that a healthy dose of respect for the tools that you work with and the job at hand can be the invisible missing piece to your injury prevention toolkit. 

If you’ve found yourself in the “accidental injury” category and are in need of Physical Therapy, there’s no better place in Marquette County than Active.  Give us a call at our Marquette or Ishpeming locations and we will be happy to provide you with a free consultation to see if Physical Therapy is right for you.

Be careful out there men, and be well.

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Why Physical Therapy Should Be Your First Choice In Care For Aches and Pains

So you’ve had back pain for years, and you’ve finally decided to talk to your doctor about it.  There are quite a few options that your doctor might suggest.  Some might include medications, procedures, or injections.  Physical Therapy is always an option that’s worth considering, and discussing with your doctor.  Make your choice count by considering Physical Therapy to treat your condition.  Here’s why:

• It’s Non-invasive

Physical Therapy is in many cases an excellent alternative to surgery.  It’s not an uncommon occurrence for a patient to avoid the need for surgery by going through a round or two of PT with us.

• It’s Low-Risk

Physical Therapy intervention involves a well-thought out plan of care from a skilled care provider.  Our care plans start with the very basics and move gradually toward more advanced progressions.  Patient feedback is important, and risk is very low.

• It’s Educational

At your Physical Therapy appointments, we’re doing more than “fixing you”.  You’ll receive educating about the root cause of your problem, how to attack it at the source, and keep it at bay long-term.

• It Provides Pain Relief

Who likes to be in pain?  One of the most common goals of our patients is to get rid of pain.  We have a variety of safe ways to treat pain without medications or surgery.  We use a combination of education, hands-on techniques, movement, passive modalities, exercises and others in order to empower our patients to take control of their pain and get rid of it for good.

• It’s a Viable Long-Term Solution

When we are ready to discharge a patient from our care, we always ensure that they have a comprehensive, custom home care plan that will help keep symptoms at bay.  If patients keep up with their home programs, in most cases they are able to continue to succeed in managing their issues long-term.

If you have any aches, pains, ailments or injuries, give one of our clinics a call and we would be happy to do a free consult with you to see if Physical Therapy is right for you.

Marquette:  (906) 226-0574

Ishpeming: (906) 204-7400

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Top 5 Ways Physical Therapy Can Enhance Your Life

Patients come into our clinics with a wide variety of aches, pains, ailments, and expectations.  Many of our patients come into PT because they’ve been told they have to.  It usually only takes an appointment or two for them to realize that Physical Therapy is way more than just feeling better. It should be a comprehensive experience specifically designed to make your life better than it was before.  Here are 5 surprising ways that Physical Therapy can not only help you feel better, but also enhance your overall quality of life.

5. No Pain, Less Opiods.  

Physical Therapy is an effective treatment for managing chronic pain conditions.  We restore function through movement and modalities without opioid intervention.  Although opioids have their place in healthcare, we have the skills needed to provide you with relief and restoration without the risk of harmful side-effects or medication dependency.

4. Knowledge Is Power

At Physical Therapy, you get much more than just a quick fix.  You gain knowledge and understanding about your particular ailment.  You gain valuable insight into the root cause of your problem, the tools to fix it, and the know-how to keep it at bay for the long-term.  

3.  Full and Optimal Function

Our main goal at Physical Therapy is to restore your full function so you can live a vibrant, happy, pain-free life of purpose.  This not only means treating pain and restoring motion, but also restoring your prior level of function so you’re just as good as new!

2. Health, Vibrancy, Energy

Did you know that Physical Therapy often includes exercise?  Many physical ailments and be corrected and improved by simply adding movement and correcting dysfunction in the body.  It’s this initiation of motion that often begins an upward trend in your overall health.  The evidence is clear.  Exercise helps bring health and wellness.  At Physical Therapy, one of our goals is to get you (and keep you) moving.

1. More Friends, More Family

Most people wouldn’t include Physical Therapy on their top 10 list of fun things to do.  When they come see us, they’re usually in some sort of pain.  Maybe they broke their ankle and are having trouble after their cast is removed.  Maybe they just had shoulder surgery or a knee replacement.  Our patients usually need one thing from us…and that’s help.  What lies in this situation is the need for humility, and the opportunity for a special bond between patient and caregiver.  At Active, we strive to be more than just healthcare providers.  Our goal is to provide such a great experience to each person that walks through our doors that they become friends (who couldn’t use more friends?); and that over time, strangers become family.  

If you think you could benefit from our services, please see our website at www.stayactiveup.com.  We have two clinics in Marquette County.  One in Ishpeming at the Country Village, and in Marquette Across from the UP Medical Center.

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Athletic Trainers Play an Active Role In Helping to Curb The Spread of COVID-19

The MHSAA has approved the return of fall sports in the Upper Peninsula, and with it comes the highly-anticipated, but unexpected return of football season.  While the rest of us anxiously await the sights, smells, and sounds of the weekly Friday night lights, there’s a lot of work to be done behind the scenes.  

This year, Athletic Trainers are not only doing their regular duties as it pertains to athlete protection, but also trying to navigate the difficult waters of helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.  Extra steps must be taken, and Active’s ATs are in the trenches on a day-to-day basis protecting our children, and by proxy the rest of us as well.

There are some unique challenges that come with practicing as an Athletic Trainer during this time, but Active’s ATs are no stranger to thinking on their feet.  They are required on a daily basis to use their ingenuity, creativity, and problem-solving skills to react and respond to any situation that might present itself on a day-to-day (or minute-to-minute) basis.  

Active’s Athletic Trainer Pam Dost (Negaunee High School) says that she is collaborating with the school on several extra measures in order to help reduce the risks.  Athletes are instructed on safety protocols that take into consideration the specific needs of their sport.  Many are similar, but some sports require more precautions than others.  

At this time, attendance at athletic events is extremely limited.  “Athletes are given two vouchers for family members to attend games,” says Dost.  These vouchers are required for anyone who wishes to attend the event in-person.  

Additionally, all spectators and personnel are to be wearing masks.  Some athletes are required to wear masks as well during competition.  Although this is an evolving process and requirements could change.

Pam reports that all athletes are screened before they compete, and that she personally answers the screening questions and has her temperature taken.  “I’m also taking more precautions with hand hygiene between athletes,” she says. 

One additional challenge is to maintain social distancing measures.  The athletic training room tends to be an area where lots of athletes are required to be in a more confined area.  So Pam says that discouraging and minimizing congregating is one additional measure that she will be taking.

As there are uncertain times with ever-evolving recommendations, it’s so important to have a Licensed Athletic Trainer watching over the health of our local student-athletes.  You can rest easy knowing that the Athletic Trainers from Active Physical Therapy are doing everything possible to look after our children and protect their physical well-being while participating in the sport they love.

For more information or to become a patient at Active Physical Therapy, go to our home page or call one of our clinics using the information below:

Marquette:  1455 Fair Avenue.  (906) 226-0574

Ishpeming:  820 Carp River Dr. (906) 204-2700

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