Falcon Physical Therapy

A year ago we were just starting to hear of the novel coronavirus (COVID). No one had any idea at that time that the entire world would still be affected by it in 2021. With the lockdowns and more time spent at home, people took up new hobbies or returned to old favorites. I would love to hear how you spent your time at home over the past year. Did you bake bread? Take up knitting or crocheting? Do some long dreamed of home renovation? How was your garden? Please share with... us your projects and pictures if you have them. I'll go first. I watched a lot of YouTube videos on woodworking and sewing. I didn't do any woodworking, but I did sew masks and learned how to bead. Here is a picture of a mask that I made with Ruth Bader Ginsberg inspired beading as a Christmas gift. Thank you, Bridget, for allowing me to use your photo.

Our PT students Ericka and Ben participiated in the physioball challenge! We promise it was not a requirement to pass their clinical, we just like to have fun :)

It's been about a year since coronavirus and COVID became household words. People are still getting sick and we are still limiting where we go and wearing at least 1 mask. (At least I hope you are.) Luckily, the vaccines are being rolled out and the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. What else can we do? There is a possibility that taking Vitamin D might help. The evidence is not there yet to know definitively, but Dr. Fauci takes a Vitamin D supplement and... he says that supplementation is generally regarded as safe. (Please talk to your physician or pharmacist before starting any supplements.) France routinely gives its nursing home residents Vitamin D supplements. This started prior to COVID. People in the northern latitudes are especially low in Vitamin D because we stay inside and the sun isn't as bright in the winter. How can you get enough Vitamin D? Our bodies can make Vitamin D from the sun. But who wants to go outside for 15-30 minutes during February when it's 20 out? And even when we do go out we are so bundled up that not much skin is exposed to the sun. We can also get Vitamin D from fortified milk, egg yolks and and some fish. How much do you need? Recommendations are for 600 IUs a day for adults under 70 and 800 IUs a day for those 70+. https://www.webmd.com//20210128/vitamin-d-might-help-fight

Will you be watching the Super Bowl tonight? Are you hoping that Brady loses or are you pulling for your numbers in the square that you bought? I've made chicken wing dip to eat all by myself. What are you eating?

During the Bills playoff game on January 16th the Baltimore Raven’s QB, Lamar Jackson, suffered a concussion. This made me think about his road to recovery. Concussions are considered a mild traumatic brain injury, but can be serious with long lasting effects on an individual that can cause problems with their physical and emotional health, and their cognition. Cognition is important as that is how we think and reason. The effects of a concussion could take weeks, months, or ...even years to recover and recent research has shed light on post concussion syndrome and how Physical Therapy can play an important role in recovery. Concussions occur during a whiplash injury such as a car accident or from a direct force to the head from a fall or trauma. Physical signs can include: - Headaches - Dizziness - Difficulty with balance - Double or blurred vision - Glassy eye stare - Fatigue - Nausea/Vomiting Emotional signs can include: - Mood Swings - Change in personality/behavior - Anxiety - Depression - Irritability - Restlessness Cognitive signs can include: - Difficulty with short term or long term memory - Slow problem solving skills - Fogginess - Difficulty concentrating - Worsening grades in school At Falcon Physical Therapy, we can work with a patient with post concussion syndrome. Treatment will start with an interview to understand the symptoms they are experiencing. The PT will then assess muscle strength, coordination, balance, sight, hearing and memory. The PT may also look at the neck as this is a common area for injuries that can occur at the same time as a concussion and can contribute to dizziness and headaches. The PT will let you know which activities (i.e. sports, electronic devices, work, school) are appropriate to limit after a concussion and when it is safe to return to the activities. Rest is important to allow the brain to heal and once symptoms begin to subside it will be safe to start a recovery program to restore strength and endurance. The program will be designed to allow exercise without making the concussion symptoms worse. The PT may also provide vestibular rehabilitation by providing exercises to help with dizziness and imbalance. Physical Therapy is extremely important after a concussion to help a patient prevent overloading their brain by returning to normal activities or sports too soon. Returning to sports too soon might interfere with healing of the brain tissue and make symptoms return and thus delay healing. Western New York Fact: The Buffalo Treadmill Test was designed by a professor at the University at Buffalo Rehabilitation Science program and is used internationally. We use this test at Falcon Physical Therapy to look at a patient’s response to exercise with post concussion syndrome. For more information: https://www.choosept.com//physical-therapy-guide-to-concus

With the Bills win this weekend I was thinking about the great coach Marv Levy. He always had wise words and I thought that these words are especially poignant today. I hope that I will be able to make another Bills post next week. Go BILLS!

Feeling Dizzy? Have you been experiencing dizziness, or a feeling that the room is spinning? Do you feel like you are walking like a drunk? Does the dizziness end when you hold your head very still? These symptoms can be debilitating and may keep you from doing your everyday activities for fear of falling or you are convinced that something serious must be wrong.... You may have a common disorder called Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). That’s a lot of words for something that isn’t that serious. Let us help you understand what is happening. There are crystals in your inner ear called otoconia. Normally they are attached to hair cells that send signals to your brain about head movements. These otoconia can become dislodged due to age, recent travel by air, infection, or head injury. When the otoconia are floating around free they end up in a fluid filled canal. When you move your head the otoconia move around and stimulate cells that tells your brain that your head is still moving even when your head is still. After your head is still for awhile, the crystal comes to rest and is no longer telling your brain that your head is still moving. It feels like the room is spinning because one inner ear is telling your brain that your head isn’t moving, while the other inner ear is telling your brain that your head is still moving. You imagine why the room feels like it’s spinning! Main symptoms of BPPV: - Room spinning dizziness that lasts up to 1 minute - Lightheadedness - Imbalance - Nausea/vomiting At Falcon Physical Therapy, we are trained to detect and treat your BPPV and other disorders of dizziness and imbalance. If you think that you might have BPPV or are feeling other dizziness and unsteadiness call us to schedule an evaluation. We will perform various tests to diagnose and treat you and get you back to walking with confidence!

Heat? Ice? Which one should you use? Hot and cold packs are both commonly recommended to be used at home when someone is feeling pain. But which one should you use? Heat therapy is good for:... Pain relief Increasing blood flow to the area Improving motion and elasticity of the tissue Using heat is best for pain that you have had for more than a week to relax muscles. Cold therapy is good for: Pain relief Decreasing blood flow to the area Reducing swelling and bruising of the tissue Using cold/ice is best to calm down inflammation after injury or irritation or during the first week of pain. Still confused? Ice is your best bet when you aren’t sure which one to use. When using hot or cold packs at home, use them for no more than 20 minutes every 2 hours. Make sure that there is a towel or pillow case between your skin and the hot or cold pack to avoid burns or frost bite. Never put ice directly on the skin. If you have been using heat or ice and pain isn’t getting better, call us to schedule an evaluation. We can help you figure out the source of your problem and how we can help you or refer you to someone who can.

We are are accepting new patients! Pictured here is Sara! She is one of the physical therapists at Falcon Physical Therapy who has been with the team for over a year. At Falcon Physical Therapy, your physical therapist will be working with you every step of the way to get you back to doing what you want to do again. During your time with Falcon PT, you will be given an exercise plan made just for you, hands-on treatment, and valuable education in order to help you get back... to your usual daily activities. Here’s how to make your first visit a success. 1. Do you forget your appointments? Ask for a courtesy reminder text. 2. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to fill out our intake forms, or stop by before your appointment so that you can fill the forms out in the comfort of your own home. 3. You will need to bring your insurance card, and prescription if you have one. You don’t necessarily need a prescription to see a physical therapist. 4. Please wear clothes that are easy to move around in and that allow the physical therapist to see the joint or area of pain. 5. The visit will last approximately 50 minutes. The evaluation will start with a chat with your physical therapist so that they can understand your issue and how it impacts you every day. After that, you will undergo a physical assessment to examine how you move, how strong you are and other special tests that the PT will use to come to a diagnosis. Treatment will start day 1! At Falcon Physical Therapy, we work with you to design your plan of care to reach your goals to get you back to where you want to be. We are excited and ready to have you in the clinic!

On Veterans Day we would like to thank our office manager Steve for his service. Can you pick out Steve among his family members who served?

You are never too old to have fun and be active.

RBG's workout was more than many 50 year olds can do.

Edit: Here is a link to the replay. We start at about 10 minutes in. https://m.youtube.com/watch Have you ever wondered what we do for fun? Here's your chance to get a glimpse into what Doc Amy does in her off hours. ... This Saturday, September 12 at 7 PM will be her debut with JGB Shibuki (Listed as Shibuki Taiko) a Japanese drum group. This is a live performance in an undisclosed location that is being broadcast for the Music is Art Festival in Buffalo, NY. There is a lot of music happening online this Saturday through their website so check it out. Please listen in on channel AB 7 PM Saturday Sept 12. #MiA2020 https://www.miafest.org/

Did you know that falcons are more closely related to the parrot than the hawk? I hope that you will take a little time to read about this endangered falcon that is native to the area along the Mexican border and into Mexico.

I hope that everyone is doing well during these strange times of COVID-19. Is there anything that we can do for you? Do you need groceries? We would happily do shopping for you. We are now open 4 days a week and doing the best that we can to follow CDC guidelines for personal protective equipment and disinfecting after every patient. We are seeing fewer patients an hour to help with social distancing. We are wearing masks because they work. Posted is an interesting photo th...e shows the results of bacteria growing after a person coughs with and without a mask and how far away they were. Please wear a mask when you are shopping and please make sure that your nose is covered. If you are too uncomfortable wearing a mask please use curbside pick up or Instacart. If you can't figure those out, let us know and we'll do that shopping for you. Please stay healthy.

Falcon Physical Therapy remains open at this time. Our priority is always the health and safety of our clients and employees. With the growing concern over the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we feel it is important to keep everyone informed of how we are maintaining a safe environment in our clinic, and how everyone can assist in protecting themselves as well. What are we doing?... 1. We are sanitizing all treatment areas and equipment thoroughly, as always. 2. We are making sure that alcohol-based hand sanitizer is available to both clients and employees. 3. We are cleaning overtime. We are taking extra precautions sanitizing our lobby, doorknobs, pens, bathrooms and more! 4. We are encouraging our employees to stay home if they feel sick. What can you do? 1. Wash your hands regularly. Be sure to wash for at least 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if hand washing is not an option. 2. If you cough or sneeze, cover your face with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. 3. If you are sick (fever, coughing, shortness of breath) STAY HOME! We have put our cancellation policy on hold at this time, but please call and let us know that you won't be coming in. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask us.

I hope that our patients are honest with us. Believe me, we know if you aren't doing your home exercise program.

Medicare is proposing to cut our reimbursement rate by 8% in 2021. This article talks about how Physical Therapy can help to prevent falls. What isn't mentioned there is how physical therapy can help to decrease opioid use.

It's Veteran's Day and once again we want to acknowledge our Office Manager, Steve. Thank you, and the rest of your family pictured here, for your service.

Comes out and see me cooking/serving food this weekend. Should be great weather.

Sharing a little falcon love.

Welcome Jameson Henry to the world. Mother and son are doing fine. He was born Monday April 22 at 5:30 AM at 8 pounds 6 ounces. As you can see, the family is happy that he has arrived.

You know I will.

My mother saved many ordinary things for a special occasion. Are you saving something for a special day? Make today a special day and use it in a special way.

I hope that everyone is warm.