Move Forward Radio

October 1, 2015: October is National Physical Therapy Month, and this year the American Physical Therapy Association is recognizing the occasion with a campaign to educate the public about healthy aging, and releasing a list of  nine physical therapist tips to help you age well. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, a physical therapist  discusses some of the themes from that list, which includes information on chronic pain, diabetes, falls, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, and several other conditions that currently effect staggeringly large numbers of older adults. Download the podcast on iTunes. Read the full list of physical therapist tips for healthy aging at MoveForwardPT.com. 

September 17, 2015: If you’ve ever pulled your bike out of the garage for the first time all summer and then gone on a long ride, or if you’ve ever hit the weight room hard on January 1, trying to achieve a year’s worth of fitness goals in single day, you’ve probably experienced delayed onset muscle soreness, otherwise known as DOMS. It's a long name for something that's quite common, and also preventable. In today's episode of Move Forward Radio, the director of research at the Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York, shares his perspective on the effectiveness of many current treatments for DOMS and his predictions for possible prevention methods in the future. Download the podcast on iTunes. Learn more about physical therapy at MoveForwardPT.com.

September 3, 2015: Chronic diseases are widespread in this country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost half of adults have at least one chronic health condition, and a quarter of adults have two or more. Chronic diseases are also often deadly – responsible for seven of the top 10 causes of death in the U.S., and expensive – accounting for 86% of our nation’s total health care costs. The good news is chronic diseases are largely preventable. In today’s episode of Move Forward Radio, a physical therapist talks about chronic disease prevention, both in terms of a physical therapist’s role in preventing chronic disease, and in terms of our own role taking responsibility for our long-term health. Download the podcast on iTunes. Learn more about physical therapy at MoveForwardPT.com.

August 20, 2015: This summer, the United States Women’s National Team clinched the World Cup trophy with a 5-2 win over Japan. As the team hoisted the trophy at the end of the match, forward Amy Rodriguez was in middle of it all, celebrating with her teammates. Not only did this moment allow Amy to add a World Cup title along side her two Olympic gold medals, but it was made sweeter because of her well-earned return to the team roster after having a baby not quite two years earlier. Pregnancy and childbirth are easy to take for granted, but it’s a physically challenging experience – even for an elite athlete. The changes to a woman’s body during and after a pregnancy can make any everyday activity a challenge, let alone playing a high endurance sport at a professional level. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, Amy describes how she approached her pregnancy and her return to sport. While it may be comparatively high achieving, Amy’s story reflects a journey attempted by moms of any athletic ability who l

August 6, 2015: The number of total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries has more than tripled over the past two decades.  Despite the growing popularity of the procedure and the improved outcomes, TKR is an invasive and expensive procedure. One physical therapist has watched patients and families struggling to cope with the information overload that accompanies TKR surgery, and decided there had to be a better way to prepare families and improve expectations.  To fill that void, she has written a guide book for families called “Granny Gets a New Knee: and a whole lot more.” In this episode of Move Forward Radio, she discusses some of the things patients and family caregivers should know about total replacement surgery – perhaps most crucial of which are the benefits of seeing a physical therapist before the procedure. Download the podcast on iTunes. Read more about TKR on MoveForwardPT.com. 

July 23, 2015: In the July 2015 issue of Redbook magazine several physical therapists were asked to share the advice they give their friends. The answers were diverse; from encouraging children to try multiple sports, rather than specializing at a young age; to reminding women that a physical therapist can help them strengthen pelvic floor muscles to avoid problems like urinary incontinence. In this episode, Move Forward Radio follows Redbook’s lead. Over the course of this episode you’ll hear from seven physical therapists about the advice they find themselves most commonly giving their friends or their patients – those things they wish everyone knew. Download the podcast on iTunes. Read more about physical therapy on MoveForwardPT.com.

July 2, 2015: July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month.  The word “arthritis” might call to mind images of older adults, and with good reason – aging is a primary cause of osteoarthritis, which affects an estimated 27 million Americans. But arthritis isn’t exclusive to adults, children can develop arthritis as well. Juvenile arthritis isn’t a specific condition but an umbrella term that includes numerous types and subtypes. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, a physical therapist will walk us through those types of juvenile arthritis and describe typical treatments for the disease. Download the podcast on iTunes.

June 18, 2015: Total shoulder replacements aren’t nearly as common as knee and hip replacements, but they can be an effective treatment option for patients dealing with osteoarthritis, among other conditions, when more conservative treatments fail. In this episode we'll talk with a physical therapist about what physical therapy before and after total shoulder replacement looks like.  And we will also talk to one of her patients, who suffered through shoulder pain for so long that surgery became his only option.  They both also address universal themes such as, what it takes to be a good physical therapy patient and the importance of addressing movement dysfunctions early on, before surgery becomes necessary. Download the podcast on iTunes. Read more about total shoulder replacement on MoveForwardPT.com.

June 4, 2015: Falls are one of the leading causes of injury for older Americans, and vestibular system disorders are a leading cause of balance problems, which often lead to falls. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, a physical therapist describes not only how our vestibular system works but also how problems with the vestibular system can be treated through physical therapy. He also discusses how vestibular rehabilitation is a rapidly evolving, even being offered to elite athletes who rely on balance to perform on the field of play. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes. To learn more about balance problems or conditions like vertigo, visit MoveForwardPT.com.  

May 21, 2015: Spinal stenosis is a degenerative disease that causes a narrowing within vertebrae of the spinal column that results in pressure on the spinal cord. And while it may sound like a serious problem in need of an invasive medical procedure (such as surgery), a recently published study in the the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that surgery should be considered only when other more conservative treatments, such as physical therapy, fail. In this episode, we’ll talk to one of the authors of the study, physical therapist Anthony Delitto, PT, PhD, FAPTA, of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, about treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis and what patients need to know about options to avoid going under the knife. Download the podcast on iTunes. Read more about spinal stenosis on MoveForwardPT.com.

May 7, 2015: The third leading cause of death in the United States is stroke. And those fortunate enough to survive a stroke often face problems with mobility, speech, balance, weakness, and memory loss, among other symptoms. Fortunately, depending on the severity of the stroke and the health of the individual – many of these side effects can be effectively treated by a physical therapist. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, a physical therapist addresses all aspects of strokes, including describing what stroke rehabilitation looks like; how to spot a stroke; identifying who is at risk, and how to lower that risk. Download the podcast on iTunes. Read more about stroke on MoveForwardPT.com.

April 23, 2015: Spring is the season when many Americans head back to the golf course and discover that their clubs aren’t the only things that have been gathering dust all winter. For all its quiet nonchalance, golf is still an athletic activity, and hitting a bucket of balls for the first time in months has a way of reminding a golfer about all of the different body parts that are activated in a single swing. Having a repeatable swing is key to having a good golf game. But with that repetition comes a risk for injury – to backs, elbows, shoulders, and more. In this episode, a physical therapist discusses treatment for injured golfers, and takes us through typical golf-related injuries, and offers prevention tips that can help golfers strengthen themselves and their game. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes. To learn more about how a physical therapist can help you, visit MoveForwardPT.com.

April 9, 2015: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 68 children in the United States have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Boys are five times more likely than girls to have ASD. And even though ASD can be diagnosed by age 2, many children aren’t diagnosed until after age 4. One thing children with ASD have in common is that their disorder can be treated by a range of therapists who have individual specialties but overlapping goals. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, Christine Baksi talks about her 4-year-old son Sam who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 2, and is currently benefitting from a wide range of therapies.  Her son's physical therapist joins her to discuss the collaborative team approach to help children with ASD grow physically and emotionally. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes. To learn more about autism spectrum disorder, visit MoveForwardPT.com.

March 27, 2015: At Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas, physical therapists often see patients who have suffered a mild traumatic brain injury or concussion in the line of duty. Sometimes the concussion is the result of an explosion in combat. Other times, it might be due to a fall or collision during training. Lt Col Tony Cromer Jr, suffered a concussion due to a more common workplace hazard, when his head was slammed by an opening door. The effects of that workplace accident, including headaches and dizziness, were the same as they often are for soldiers on the battlefield. In this episode, physical therapist Miriam Hammerle, PT, Cert SMT, and Cromer discuss his injury and treatment. To learn more about how physical therapists treat concussions and traumatic brain injuries, visit MoveForwardPT.com. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes.

March 12, 2015: Because pregnancy is a core element of the life cycle, it’s easy to take for granted. A woman becomes pregnant, gestates the developing child for approximately 9 months, gives birth and then moves into motherhood.  But the naturalness of pregnancy can cause even the most of athletic of mothers to overlook the inherent physical trauma involved. During pregnancy and childbirth a woman’s body goes through profound changes in a relatively brief period of time, even in the healthiest of circumstances. And for women who exercise during or after pregnancy, failure to respect those changes has the potential to lead to additional problems. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, physical therapists Cwho specializes in pelvic health, outline how pregnant and postpartum women can exercise safely, and how to spot warning signs for problems that might require medical attention. To learn more about how physical therapists treat women-related conditions, visit MoveForwardPT.com.

February 26, 2014: In today’s landscape of technology, the image of playtime for children has changed, making sedentary activities far more common.  With tablets in hand, children have easy access to video games, social media, and other television programming; and less inclination to play outdoors.    Sedentary activities are fine in moderation, with a healthy amount of physical activity to balance it out. It’s imperative that adults encourage kids to put down the iPad and to pick up their feet for consistent bouts of physical activity. In this episode of Move Forward Radio, a pediatric physical therapist S discusses how sedentary behavior isn’t just a problem affecting school-aged children: she sees the negative side effects infants as well. View a library of easy childhood development activities from MoveForwardPT.com.  Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes.

February 11, 2015: February is American Heart Month. Each year in the U.S., 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease, making it the leading cause of death for American men and women.  Also, approximately 720,000 Americans will have a heart attack each year – an alarming number that sadly isn’t surprising when one considers that almost half of Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease: smoking, high blood pressure, or high LDL cholesterol. In this episode a physical therapist outlines the signs of a heart attack, the risk behaviors for heart disease, and the healthy behaviors necessary to avoid heart disease. She also explains the cardiac rehabilitation process that awaits patients who are treated for a heart attack. To learn more about physical therapy, visit MoveForwardPT.com. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes.

January 29, 2015: Conversations around physical disabilities often focus on what a person can't do. Adaptive sports turn that line of thought around by celebrating and exploring what people with disabilities can do. These days, adaptive sports combine a no-limits mindset with rapidly improving technology, resulting in people without legs skiing down a mountain, and people with spinal cord injuries swimming, and people with severe arm impairments participating in archery, and so much in between and beyond. In this episode, a physical therapist discusses landscape and benefits of adpative sports. To learn more about physical therapy, visit MoveForwardPT.com. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes.

January 15, 2015: The beginning of a new year often brings resolutions, and getting fit is always one of the top resolutions. So how will people be getting fit this year? According to a recent survey, an increasing number of people are doing body weight training, high-intensity interval training, or yoga. Those are just 3 of the top 20 items identified in the American College of Sports Medicine’s worldwide survey of fitness trends for 2015. In today's episode, a physical therapist and certified athletic trainer weighs in on the first 10 of the 20 trends highlighted in the survey, and discusses how people can safely incorporate these trends into their quests of becoming more fit. To learn more about physical therapy, visit MoveForwardPT.com. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes.

December 22, 2015: Marybeth Smith was serious about her commitment to lose weight.  Inspired by watching the Biggest Loser competition on television, she was motivated to stick to a self-designed exercise program at all costs. With a mantra of "no pain, no gain," she, at first, brushed aside the blisters on her feet and the knee pain she began to experience during her treadmill workouts. Soon her knee pain was so great, she couldn't exercise or perform regular daily activities. In this episode, Marybeth talks about how physical therapy ultimately got her back on the treadmill, and how her physical therapists were with her on the road to her personal journey of weight loss, pain free. To learn more about physical therapy, visit MoveForwardPT.com. Subscribe to Move Forward Radio podcasts on iTunes.