Exercise Routines With In Home Patients

One of the biggest challenges after working with a patient in their home during the rehabilitation process is convincing the patient to keep up with heir exercise program to avoid losing the strength and progress they have made.

There is no doubt that many will lose the desire to continue unless someone is their to help motivate them to push beyond their preconceived physical and mental limitations.

Sometimes exercise and the older generation clash. I have heard numerous times," Richard, I worked hard enough when I was younger". Of course that does not have any bearing on what they are dealing with today in regards to their physical limitations or injuries.

Our bodies are a machine. You cannot let the human body sit and do nothing. To make it efficient and allow you to live some sort of quality of life as you age, physical exercise has to be in the equation.

I will always leave the patient or family member's with a copy of a program for the patient to follow but also warn them that both physical and mental boredom will set in unless they find ways to change the exercise program around to add variety.

 It is at this point unless you are highly motivated that you hit a brick wall. This of course is true of everyone at all ages and at all fitness levels. Our bodies are masters at getting accustomed to a movement than finding ways to make it easier and less taxing on our nervous system. There is where growth and progress stop!

To keep active and inspired with an exercise program get involved in a  membership at a local fitness center or wellness center at one of your local hospitals. Having others around to inspire you allows you to enjoy your activity. Also getting in a atmosphere where you can get further education on exercise and fitness is well worth the drive.

Consistency, and dedication is the only way to achieve success in anything you are doing. Exercise is no different.

You can either pay the price today or you will pay it tomorrow in physical decline and loss of independence.

Start today with a sound and functional exercise program. Better sleep, less pain, and a greater enthusiasm for life than begins to take shape for you. After all isn't that we all live for?



Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.richardhaynespta.com

Knee Replacment Rehabilitation Information and Ideas

Having a knee replaced can be a trying time for some patients and along with the discomfort that comes along with it, there is for some apprehension as well. As a physical therapist who has seen many knee replacement surgeries in my acute care and home health career, everyone will respond a little differently to the surgery.

One of the best books I have read and have in my medical library is the book titled Total knee Replacement & Rehabilitation by Daniel J. Brugioni, M.D. and Jeff Falkel, PH. D., P.T., CSCS.

I have found this book to be very concise and easy to read regarding knee replacement surgery and the rehabilitation process. I feel this book will give you as the patient a much better understanding of the entire rehabilitation process and how to care for your knee replacement not only during but after your physical therapy is over.

For the most part, many of us in the rehabilitation field follow what is prescribed in the book. The information no doubt is correct. However, when you have different individuals working with you between the orthopedic surgeon and the physical therapist and nursing, we all have little things that each of us will promote that we have found to be effective with our knee patients.

The book contains 261 pages of very good thoughtful information that many patients do not get during the pre-op classes at the hospital. There are of course many patients that do not get the benefit of this class as well. This book gives you all the information you will need to help you through the rehab process and answer many of your questions such as why your knee hurts at certain hours of the day  for instance, how to help with swelling and pain management and, when is the best time to use heat or ice.

The back of the book gives you a very detailed index of all the exercises you will need along with the page number where these exercises with a photo are located.

If you are in the process of considering a knee replacement or are having one completed in the near future do yourself a favor and get educated on what to expect and become knowledgeable on the exercises medical terminology.

If you have bought this book drop me line and give me your impressions of it. If you would like more information or have any questions about the information in the book before purchasing it please leave me a comment.

Your knee replacement is considered a major surgery. It helps to have as much information regarding what to expect and how long the entire process will take. In today's world of abbreviated doctor visits and at times getting little information due to time constraints it helps to be proactive.

Get the book and become a knowledgeable  patient and consumer.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.totaljointfitness.com

Knee Replacement Pain Relief Strategies

 Once your knee is replaced and the recovery and rehabilitation begins, the ability to control your pain to manageable levels can be different for everyone.

In the hospital your are medicated appropriately and generally the pain is kept in check by drugs that have been administered during the surgery and than once in your room during the next several days you are administered the proper dosages of pain medication on a timely basis.

The ability to control your pain once you get home and feeling better and able to move around a bit is where the challenge comes in for most.

In home health educating the patient in pain management strategies is both a job of the physical therapist and nursing personnel. The three main areas or techniques you want to follow as close as possible is the following:

1. Use Ice.   The use of ice is important after your exercises and as needed throughout the day. Most will use the ice up to two weeks after surgery. Some will use it more and some less. It will depend on your pain and swelling. Most knee replacement protocols call for you to ice and elevate your affected leg 20-30 minutes after your therapy.

Ice will help relieve the pain and slow down the nerve conduction in the knee allowing your knee to recover while you are still in the acute stage of recovery and reduce swelling.
You want to be sure though that you use an appropriate ice pack, one that encompasses the entire knee, top and bottom is what I would recommend.

Cold packs you can buy at your local medical supply store or at www.richardhaynes.com are what I consider as the best. They have the gel inside and can be put in your freezer easily when not in use.
I used one myself during my recovery and was completely satified with it.

2. Use Your Pain Medication:  I have seen patients try to ween themselves off their medication too soon
It is important to keep your pain as manageable as possible so that you are allowed to heal and recover properly. If you are in a state of chronic pain, your healing process is slower and you as a patient are miserable.

If the medication you were given does not work or you are having other problems please let your nurse or surgeon know immediately so that adjustments can be made.

You are recommended to take your medication approximately 45 minutes before your physical therapist arrives for your treatment. Be sure you get the therapist to commit to a time that you can expect them so you can plan accordingly.

3. Monitor Your Activity Level Closely:  This is the area where 99% of my patients get themselves into trouble. As I have stated in multiple posts throughout the years, your knee will be temperamental. It will not let you know you have over done an activity until later that same night and the next day.

Most of the complaints about chronic pain that I hear are from patients that do not know how to relax. I recommend that they follow the home exercise program for instance twice a day. Now there are numerous opinions in rehabilitation about exercise frequency etc... I like to take into account each patients personality, work ethic etc.. as well.

Some patient will attempt to speed up the recovery process this does not work! Unfortunately many will not know what over doing something is until they do just that. As the days and week go on many of you will learn your capabilities and how to throttle it down a bit.

Controlling your pain is a team effort of everyone including yourself during your recovery. Listen closely what your surgeon, nurse, and physical therapist recommend. All of us will have a little different slant in pain relief. it will be up to you to find out what works.

If you have a comment or question please feel free to comment, let me know what you are doing or have done to control your pain during recovery.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.totaljointfitness.com

Knee Replacement Exercises For Range Of Motion

There are numerous exercises that we use in the world of physical rehabilitation when it comes to getting the most out of your new knee replacement. Working in home health does not allow me to see the finished product when we ultimately discharge you to out patient physical therapy.

However, if there is one exercise or activity I promote to achieve the most mobility in either a total or partial knee replacement it is the peddler.

If  I can get my patient between 90-110 degrees of flexion and, approximately minus 3 -5 degrees of extension prior to going to out patient physical therapy than we both are happy.

I of course am trying to get the patient in the best possible position to be ready for the next tier in rehabilitation. One of the activities I add to my patients exercise program to not only get the most in regards to range of motion with their knee but, to add speed and coordination to it is the peddler also known as a restorator in rehabilitation.

I carry two of these personally in my car. I use it on all my knee patients about two to three weeks into their rehabilitation. This of course will depend on the patients progress, prior level of activity and, level of pain etc....

Using the pedal exerciser allows you the patient,  to develop the necessary speed and coordination your knee or knees will require to develop a smooth symmetrical gait pattern.

It also is comforting to the patient as it will help decrease pain and promotes circulation in the surgical area to promote healing and decrease some swelling .

I have used these for years with great results. I personally used this exercise on my own knee replacement as well. This Drive Medical Pedal Exerciser shown above is a quality piece of equipment.
I have seen them first hand in several homes. They are solid bikes that can withstand the workload you will give them. There are other's out there however some are very lightweight and do not work as well. they are not as smooth or durable.

Theses devices are great for the geriatric population that does not get much exercise to begin with to help maintain their lower extremity mobility.

For most baby boomers for instance they will advance to either upright stationary bikes or riding a bike in town for their daily activity.

Give this tool a try then let me know what you think of your results. You can drop me a comment as I would be happy to hear what you have to say.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.totaljointfitness.com

Preparing For Your First Knee Replacement

Preparing For Your First Knee Replacement
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Richard_A_Haynes]Richard A Haynes
Having a knee replacement takes not only certain physical preparation but mental preparation as well. Before having the surgery it is important to have your home laid out for simplicity and easy navigation.

Find a chair that you will be spending a majority of your time in when you arrive home. preferably, its a recliner as you do not want to have your leg in a dependent position where gravity affects the pooling of the blood. Once your chair is designated be sure its of proper height and does not rock. Building a platform prior to surgery to place under the chair is an idea that many have used in the past with great success to raise its height for easier transfers.

Hopefully you have been given an exercise handout prior to surgery to begin preparing your body for the surgery. Completing basic exercises to the affected limb or limbs will greatly assist you in the post-surgical recovery as its known that muscle has memory, and will return to normal function and strength much sooner if exercised in the same manner prior to surgery. The time varies, but 3-5 weeks out should have you prepared and ready following a written exercise program.

Please be sure to have a quality cold pack or other cooling system ready when you get home. Your knee will recover and respond much faster and pain relief will be kept to a minimum with an effective cold pack. Check your local drugstore or better yet a local medical supply will have a larger selection. I see many patients trying to ice down a knee with a small bag of peas and carrots this is something I do not recommend, your knee will need better coverage than that.

Have your meals prepared or have someone that will be staying with you for the first 10 days to 2 weeks home, as the last thing you want to do is stand on your surgical leg in the kitchen preparing meals, believe me it will only take one episode of meal preparation to understand the importance of having food prepared or someone assisting you with it.

Make sure you bring home your compression stockings that are issued at the hospital, many leave them and find they would have come in handy at home. The stockings are to curb edema and to prevent DVT. Take your pain medication as prescribed as well. Many try to get off the pain medication too soon only to be very uncomfortable you will need the pain medication anywhere from 4-6 weeks out from surgery.

And most of all, complete the exercises that have been prescribed by your therapist. your final outcome will be only as good as the time you put into the exercise program. You will see a big change in your overall condition within 6 weeks after surgery if not sooner remember, everyone is different and what your neighbor did and experienced down the street will be different from your experience.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Preparing-For-Your-First-Knee-Replacement&id=838442] Preparing For Your First Knee Replacement

ALL About Total Knee Replacement

All About Total Knee Replacement
by: Adam Rise

You must be aware how difficult it is for you to carry out your day to day chores or activities if your knee is giving you pain. In severe cases, some people feel pain even when they are lying on the bed or when they are sitting in a comfortable chair. When you go and visit a doctor, he will first advise you to take certain medications and he may also recommend walking supports. However, if none of the above mentioned suggestions work, then you may be asked to consider getting a total knee replacement done.

What is total knee replacement?

It is a surgical procedure that is performed on the elderly people (and middle-aged people) to treat their knee pain. While we tend to ignore the importance of our knee most of our lives, we can not ignore the fact that our knee is extremely vital because if our knee is not functioning properly then it will not be easy for us to move or walk about the way that we used to.

After your doctor recommends total knee replacement surgery to you, you should sit and talk to your loved ones about it because this is a big decision and you need to know what your family members think about it. When you decide that you will undergo this surgical procedure, your doctor will recommend a good orthopedic surgeon who will perform the total knee replacement surgery for you.

With total knee replacement surgery, you will no longer have to sit at home all the time and depend on someone else to get your daily chores done. Moreover, it will be easy for you to move from one location to another with much easy and comfort. You will no longer have to suffer from painful knee. It has been found that most of the patients who undergo the total knee replacement surgery fall under the age group of sixty to eighty years old. However, there are also cases where the patients are younger.

There are many people who are not even fifty five years of age but they suffer from severe knee pain and as a result of this, they are unable to perform their daily activities or chores by themselves. The pain in their knee makes them dependent on others and this is when they decide to opt for the total knee replacement surgery.

So even if you are younger but you suffer from serious knee pain, maybe you should consider undergoing this surgical procedure to get rid of the pain forever.

About The Author Of course, you should make sure that you go to a good and experienced surgeon who has experience in performing the total knee replacement surgery. Find out more tips about total knee replacement at http://kneesurgery.referenceguidetips.com The author invites you to visit: http://kneesurgery.referenceguidetips.com

Joint Replacement Rest And Recovery

Having either your hip or knee replaced after months or years of pain is the beginning of a new way of life for you. After  the surgery, you also are advised of the importance of the rehabilitation process from both your orthopedic surgeon and physical therapist.

Depending on the individual this can be construed in different ways. Some of the patients I came across in home health  for instance were not as active so they need the motivation to become disciplined with the home exercise program. Others, that were very active need to be advised to slow down their intensity somewhat.

Getting the proper rest during rehabilitation involves not working yourself to death with the home exercise program. For instance I advocate that my patients complete the program set forth 2-3 times per day at the most. I find many patients do well with two exercise sessions per day.

More is not better. If you complete the exercises as instructed you will receive all the benefits you need for a full recovery with two sessions per day. This makes no difference whether it is the knee or your hip.

With two sessions completed each day you will meet all the rehab goals set forth by your PT, and your orthopedic surgeon will have a big smile on his or her face when you see them on your first follow-up visit.
 
Some of the patients I have had over the years will push themselves to the point they are in constant pain. The knee also is more delicate and responsive when it comes to overworking the joint than the hip.

I instruct the patient to complete two sessions per day. After the exercises ice and elevate your knee. After your hip exercises elevate your legs as well.

With orthopedic injuries such as a knee replacement you will not know if you have over worked your knee until later that night or the next morning. Hips can be responsive as well though the symptom's are not as acute.

Rest  is important to obtain a full recovery. If you have continual chronic pain and this is not uncommon, just take a day off from the exercises. By taking the day off you will feel much better and your pain decreases and the operated joint becomes a little stronger.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.totaljointfitness.com

How to Avoid Knee Injuries

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
Knee pain is a common complaint for middle-aged and older adults, and often results from persistent strains over many years or minor injuries early in life. Most knee injuries are caused by ligament sprains and cartilage tears, which result from certain types of movements that can be avoided. Other knee injuries are the result of consistent wear and tear on the joint caused from weak muscles around the knee or an irregular gait. In general, women are at a higher risk for both sports-related and non-athletic injuries to the knee, but anyone, regardless of gender or activity level, can benefit from behaviors that promote knee health.

Steps

1. Avoid ACL or MCL tears in athletics. Tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial cruciate ligament (MCL) in the knee are common injuries in many sports. Avoid motions that may place you at high risk for tearing an ACL or MCL:
   • Avoid twisting the knee while running or jumping, and crouch to avoid knee injuries while turning, pivoting and landing.
   • Take care when slowing down from a sprint, or when making sharp changes in direction while running.
   • Avoid contact sports in which your knee may be susceptible to blows, such as American football and rugby.
2. Develop a healthy fitness routine for your knees.
   • Do exercises that strengthen the leg muscles, such as stair climbing or uphill walking, to stabilize the knee and avoid placing too much pressure on the joint.
   • Always warm up before exercising, and cool down afterward with light activity, such as walking.
   • Stretch your quadriceps and hamstrings regularly, particularly after exercising, to alleviate tension on the knee.
   • Avoid exercise that places too much strain on the knee. Increase the impact of your fitness routine gradually, particularly on high-impact activities, like running.
3. Care for your knees in daily activities.
   • Wear shoes that promote proper knee alignment. Well-fitting shoes should balance your foot and prevent the foot rolling inward. Check your shoe soles for normal wear, which should occur along the heel, outer edge and ball of the foot, and ask your doctor about orthopedic shoes if you experience abnormalities in your gait.
   • Avoid hyper-extending the knee. Never stand with your knees locked, but instead allow a slight bend in your knee at all times when standing or walking.
   • Adopt a plan for fitness and nutrition that helps you stay in shape. People who are overweight are at higher risk for knee injuries and other joint pain.
   • Do well-rounded stretching of your legs regularly, even if you don’t have a fitness routine. Daily stretching helps maintain healthy knees in your everyday activities.

Tips

• If you play a seasonal sport, engage in cross-training or weight training year round to maintain your knee strength and avoid injury during your usual season.
• If you feel knee pain developing, avoid further injury by resting, icing down your knee, using compression bandages and elevating the knee.

Warnings

• Consult a doctor within 72 hours if you believe you have injured your knee. Take weight and pressure off of the knee immediately until you can receive professional consultation.

Related wikiHows

• How to Maintain Fitness when Injured
• How to Strengthen Your Knees
• How to Handle a Knee Replacement
• How to Know if You Have Arthritis in the Knee

Sources and Citations

• http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/arthknee
• http://www.womenfitness.net/knee_injury.htm
• http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/sports/knee_injuries.html#a_Preventing_Knee_Injuries

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Avoid Knee Injuries. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Exercise and Aging

 Many of my posts advocate the importance of exercise and aging. With aging for most of the adult population that is not taking care of themselves comes a steady functional decline. With the loss of the ability to physically get around and be independent, you eventually have to surrender your life over to someone else to care for you.

Several of the most common problems reported as we age are arthritis, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and orthopedic impairment. These are the most common problems I run across in the world of physical therapy.

 

The areas of the body I see that appear to lose the most strength as we age are the lower extremities and the trunk or core. Our arms will lose some strength but not at the same rate as your legs and trunk or your abdominal and back extensors.

With a loss of strength comes problems associated with loss of balance later in life.

I have also stated I would like to see a small gym in every household in America to help combat the aging process that turns those golden years of ours into tin. Getting everyone to use the gym is another matter however. It takes discipline and having a goal to improve yourself both physically and mentally that will give you a fighting chance to survive.

We all understand though that we are in a game called life that we were not meant to win ultimately,

In time, age catches up to us and our bodies just cannot sustain itself any longer. This however is not a good enough reason to just lie down and give up.

With strength training exercises you can help project yourself forward into a life as you age that you will admire and feel at the top of your game. Your body was designed to work. It must be exercised both with weight training and cardiovascular work to keep it in top condition and to help ward off the chronic ailments I listed above.

Strength training exercises such as leg presses, bench presses, back rows, military presses are four of the recommended exercises that target virtually every muscle in the body. These are called compound exercises which involve multiple muscles and joints working at once.

Compound exercises as we age in my opinion are the best exercises to incorporate into your routine to get the most bang for your buck. In the younger population they are also known as mass building exercises.

Stronger muscles equate to better protection of your weight bearing joints in your lower extremities such as your hips and knees. Stronger muscles protecting those joints will reduce the wear and tear on them decreasing the likelihood or helping lower the painful effects of osteoarthritis. Exercise also helps control weight gain that is the biggest problem we face when it comes to our knees and hips as we age.

Depending of course on your age, physical condition etc... will determine how you begin a program if you have not lifted in the past. You may start by using theraband for instance before graduating to weights.

Maintaining a strong body as you age allows you to be in control of your destiny instead of someone else.

Richard Haynes PTA

Total Joint Fitness LLC

Punta Gorda, Florida.

http://www.richardhaynes.com

http://www.totaljointfitness.com

http://www.orthopedicweightloss.com

Deep Vein Thrombosis

During my home health visits I see quite a few joint replacement patients. Total knee and hip replacements are becoming more prevalent in rehabilitation today just due to our aging population.

One of the many items I need to be on top of with each visit is to look for signs of a DVT or otherwise known as a deep vein thrombosis. If I even suspect one, it is time to stop the treatment and get in touch with my patients doctor and or nurse ASAP!

These clots will generally develop in the lower extremities in the superficial or deep veins. I did have not long ago a patient that developed a clot in his upper arm. he had complained of shoulder pain so it was not at first thought to be a clot.

The pain in his arm became so bad one weekend he was taken to the ER by his family where an ultrasound detected the clot. He had surgery just in time to save the arm.

It had been missed for several weeks by doctors, rehab staff and nursing originally.

Patients that undergo joint replacement surgery are at a high risk to develop a DVT.

Signs of these can appear within 24-48 hours after surgery and are still a concern three months after surgery.

I know that clots can be difficult to detect with a physical examination only. These tests at times may not be accurate. One popular test that is used by medical professional is the Homans sign. We simply create forced dorsiflexion bringing your foot back towards your nose for instance. This will create calf pain if a clot exists. This however is a rough test in my opinion and, if there are any concerns that a DVT is presence, a trip to your local imaging center referred by your surgeon will clear the concern up immediately.

Some of the signs I look for when treating a joint replacement patient at their home are

• Calf pain
• Swelling
• Warmth
• Edema
• Calf cramping.

These symptoms also can be associated with total knee replacements and there be no signs of a clot with further inspection. Alot of the above symptoms are generated after surgery as well and are normal to some extent. So you can see where we have to be careful not to cry wolf as well.

It is important as a patient to follow your surgeons and orthopedic nurses advice on helping to reduce the possibility of a clot forming.

This is usually done with a prescription for a blood thinner that is administered every day for a scheduled amount of time.
Stay mobile. this is something I strongly urge my patients. Movement is good to help reduce the chance of a clot forming. Keep your leg elevated as instructed by your medical staff, use ice as needed to help reduce swelling.

If your surgeon advises you to use compression hose then please do so. So many times I go into a house and find the TED hose thrown into a corner or the cat playing with them.

They can be difficult to take on and off but, are part of the DVT prevention program. Some surgeons also will not use them. It all depends on what their school of thought is and, if you are prone to throwing off blood clots.

DVTs are something to look for and respect after a joint replacement for everyone of all ages male or female.
If you have a concern about them check with your nurse or rehabilitation professional on their next visit.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.totaljointfitness.com

Knee Replacement and Trouble Sleeping

Anyone that has had a knee replacement can remember some of those sleepless nights they had anywhere from one to three weeks out after surgery. Some of you may have had more and some less.
There are several reasons why this takes place and, it is something every knee replacement patient I treat during my home health visits, goes through to some degree.

There are several reasons for this temporary problem.

There is a normal response from your daily activity that your knee goes through during the night. In other words it will depend on how much or how little you are doing throughout the day.

 Too much activity such as walking more than your knee is ready to handle or not doing the required exercises which include bending the knee, cause it to tighten up during the night and give you that chronic ache you feel.

If your rehabilitation professional for instance asks you to complete your home exercise program 2x a day and you decide to complete it 4x a day you will pay a price for it about 2:00 AM in the morning.
Increasing your activity level too soon such as walking around the house without your walker one week after surgery will cause you to suffer some inconsistent sleep. I see this often.

Another problem I see is patient's deciding to cut back too soon on their pain medication. The first two weeks at home are crucial in regards to pain management. By keeping up with your pain medication and icing your leg with proper elevation, you help reduce the possibility of a sleepless night.

Take your pain medication prior to going to sleep. That will buy you some time to get adequate rest before your knee pain begins to flare up later that night or the early morning hours.

When I had my knee replaced, I remember it waking me up like clock work at 2:00AM. felt like someone had taken a baseball bat and beat it. I would get up walk around a little and take another pain pill and fall back asleep.

The first two weeks at home regarding your knee pain will be touch and go litterally. After going through this type of surgery there is really no way to avoid it. The surrounding muscles and soft tissue in and around your knee will swell, ache, and be warm to the touch for awhile.

If you ever see the video how knee repalcement surgery is done than you will get a better understanding why you have knee pain in the first place.

The most effective way to help this situation is take your pain medication before going to bed.
Slow down your activity level as the day goes on. Ice your knee and elevate it before going to bed.
When your knee begins to ache and it wakes you up, you can help reduce the discomfort signifcantly by pumping your knee back and forth. Move your knee, bend it several times, that will help reduce the pain and ultimately allow you to get several more hours of sleep.

This situation will take place for 2-3 weeks before you start really being able to sleep most of the night without getting up due to pain.

As with any type of joint replacement, it will take patience and monitoring your activity levels once you get home that will help keep the pain at a manageable level.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida. 33950
http://www.richardhaynes.com

Sarcopenia An Age Old Problem That Has An Answer

Sarcopenia is no doubt an age old problem. Matter of fact I confront it every day during my physical therapy visits. It is a problem we all have to deal with generally in our fourth decade of life and there after.

It is a natural event that occurs as we all age and it is brought on faster if we suffer froma chronic illness as well. Along with it comes a decrease in hormones more noteably growth hormone and the inability to function physically at a high level.

Unfortunately many people as they age just consider it a part of aging and really do nothing to fight it. Though in fact it is a part of the aging process, you can help slow  it down and prevent the problems associated with it by being pro active. Many people also know how to prepare for this aging phenomena and understand what it may take to combat it but do not take the time or have the discipline to work at it.

A large majority of my rehabilitation caseload involves geriatrics. With these patients many of them have suffered the ravages of sarcopenia or muscle wasting due to a decrease in physical activity.

With that decrease comes also the problem of a reduction in  nutritional consumption primarily protein that causes muscle wasting in itself. A decrease in growth hormone due to lack of exercise also it affected. High intensity exercise will in fact increase growth hormone output.

Many seniors I talk with and confront on a daily basis confuse physical activity with being in good physical shape. Walking around the block with friends or gardening is fine however, to slow down and even prevent serious muscle wasting and frailty as you age, you need to get involved in a good weight training program that pushes your muscles and stimulates a response for growth and cellular activity.

A weight training program working the large muscle groups consisting of your legs, back, chest, for instance using compound exercises or what is also known as multi-joint exercises are ideal for your body keeping itself strong and mobile as you age.

This information or prescription however is not recommended enough by the medical communities as it is not a money maker for them. It is easier to write prescriptions and get a small kickback from the drug companies to boot than push weight training.

Many of my patients I see that have fallen or suffered some sort of setback from an orthopedic injury could possibly have been avoided if they had followed the advice that we in physical therapy have been advocating for years.

Get into your local YMCA or wellness center and look into starting a serious weight training program once you get medical clearance from your doctor.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com
http://www.richardhaynespta.com

Strength Training After 50 Why It Is So Important

As I get older and understand more how our bodies function the more of a proponent I am of weight training for all of us no matter what your age.

Reading my previous posts you know that I always recommend that my patients go on to further their rehabilitation progress by getting started in an exercise program.

From an orthopedic standpoint for instance we have heard now for years the importance of weight training and how it helps in increasing bone density. I advocate weight bearing exercises when I can with my patients not only to help in keeping and hopefully building some bone density but, the functional components of the exercise also helps with strength and balance.

Your body will absorb calcium more efficiently and utilize it more effectively if you include weight bearing exercise into your program. How important is this after a hip or shoulder fracture?
You either know someone or suffer yourself from osteoporosis, a problem that occurs as we age and robs the bone of its strength making fractures more prevalent.

Many of the patients I treat are elderly and it is also known now that one of the biggest biological components of aging is muscle loss. Muscle loss equates to loss of strength. Loss of strength leads to frailty and falls. This where I come in.

Weight training and exercise has many benefits. It helps keep our bodies producing hormones that through a natural  decline, rob of us of our strength and causes muscle atrophy and the loss of a good nights sleep just to name a few.

Weight training and exercise will also improve your quality of life which we all can use and will need in the coming years. Preparing for your future should include how you plan on staying fit and have the ability to keep your independence.

Weight training also is very effective in burning fat, in fact it is twice as effective than aerobics. Body fat is something that all of us accumulate as we age for several reasons. The loss of muscle, the decline in hormone production and lack of adequate exercise are the three main reasons.

Whether you are preparing for surgery or have undergone a hip or knee replacement once medically cleared by your surgeon your next step should be to get yourself started on an exercise program that includes both weight training and aerobics.

Maintaining your strength and independence as you age is right up there with your financial planning.

I advocate this with my home health patients that are looking to improve themselves and their overall quality of life after surgery or a medical illness.

If you have any questions or comments on how you stay fit after 50 please drop me a line.


Richard Haynes PTA
Total Joint Fitness LLC
Punta Gorda, Florida.
http://www.richardhaynes.com

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