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Pain. It's a universal experience, an unpleasant sensation that warns us of potential harm. But what if we told you pain isn't always a straightforward indicator of tissue damage? That's where pain science comes in – a field revolutionizing our understanding of this complex phenomenon. Traditionally, pain was viewed as a direct result of tissue injury. However, pain science reveals a more nuanced picture. The brain plays a significant role in interpreting pain signals, influenced by factors like stress, emotions, and past experiences. This means that pain can persist even after the initial injury has healed. This is where physical therapy steps in. Physical therapists are movement experts trained in pain science. They can help you understand your pain, identify contributing factors, and develop a personalized treatment plan to address them. This may involve manual therapy techniques, exercise programs, and education on pain management strategies. Physical therapy for pain goes beyond simply reducing discomfort. It empowers you to take control of your condition. By addressing the underlying causes of pain and restoring optimal movement patterns, physical therapy can significantly improve your quality of life. You'll experience increased flexibility, strength, and function, allowing you to return to the activities you love – pain-free. Ready to take charge of your pain? Schedule an appointment with Agape Physical Therapy today! Our team of skilled therapists will work with you to create a personalized plan to manage your pain and get you back on track to living a life without limitations. Visit agapephysicaltherapy.com to schedule an appointment today! Want to hear more about Pain Science? Listen to our Doctor of Physical Therapy , Brandon Duca from our Greece clinic who spoke on the radio about this very topic! Click the link to listen! https://www.seniorsrockradio.com/index.cfm?Page=Past-Shows

Do you or someone you know ever struggle with lymphedema or swelling, aching and/or heavy legs, or the presence of varicose veins or “spider veins”? If so, compression therapy may help! The lymphatic system, in large, is important for the optimal functioning of our immune system, as the lymphatic system is vital in producing white blood cells that stave off infections and other diseases. The lymphatic system is complementary to the circulatory system, in that it functions to maintain healthy fluid balances within the body tissues by removing excess fluids that leak from the blood vessels. Wearing compression stockings daily has been shown to decrease fatigue and pain in the legs and feet due to swelling or lymphedema. Without effective compression therapy, chronic venous diseases can develop, leading to worsening fatigue, pain, and fluid accumulation in the legs if left untreated. Sufferers of chronic venous disease are great candidates for compression therapy. What is compression therapy and how does it work? Compression therapy ultimately helps to decrease swelling and pain in the legs by improving blood flow in the lower extremities; thus, strengthening venous circulation and improving efficiency of the lymphatic system to drain waste and excess fluid from tissues in the body. In addition to providing pain relief associated with lymphedema or swelling, compression therapy is also highly effective for wound and ulcer management by reducing overall healing time. Compression therapy improves circulation and provides tissue oxygenation in order to accelerate wound healing, and may help to prevent development of venous ulcers. Who Can Benefit from Compression Therapy? For people with lymphedema or swelling, compression therapy is a highly preferred treatment for symptom management. Compression stockings should be worn during the day when in standing and with physical activity/exercise, and removed just before going to bed. Stockings should then be put on again first thing in the morning. Compression therapy can have numerous benefits for individuals in a wide variety of settings when used as directed. People who stand all day at work may utilize compression to help reduce fatigue, pain, or swelling by increasing blood and oxygen flow in the legs and feet when standing for long durations during the day. Athletes may wear compression on their legs, arms or hands to help improve blood flow and oxygen delivery with strenuous physical activity. Pregnant women may wear compression stockings to reduce the chances of swelling in their legs, feet or ankles during pregnancy. Compression may be indicated for individuals who cannot leave their bed or are confined to a wheelchair to help improve blood flow, reduce swelling, and decrease risk for ulcerations or wounds. Airplane passengers may elect to wear compression socks to help increase circulation and reduce their risk of developing deep vein thrombosis or blood clots when traveling. Compression therapy helps to prevent the development of a deep vein thrombosis (blood clot) in the legs, and is often necessary for patients following surgery to prevent blood from pooling in the veins of the lower extremities.

Snow is inevitable when living in the Northeast and most people need to shovel snow at some point each winter. Shoveling can lead to injury if done incorrectly so here are some tips to avoid injury while shoveling. Push the snow in front of you : it is best to keep the shovel in front of you rather than scooping a load of snow onto the shovel and then twisting to throw it into the pile. By keeping the shovel close to your body, you will place less strain on your back. Lift with your legs : once you have pushed the snow to the edge of the pile, bend your hips and knees and lift with your legs. Utilize the bigger muscles (glutes, quads and hamstrings) in your legs rather than the smaller muscles in your back. Move your feet so that the shovel stays close to your body when you place the snow on the pile. Do not bend your back to scoop the snow or twist to throw it on the pile as this is the type of movement that may cause back pain. Squeeze your abdominals : While lifting with your legs, keep your back straight by squeezing your abdominals to protect your spine from the load. By bending the knees and hips rather than bending at your back you will reduce the force through your spine and decrease the risk of injury. Never hold your breath : It is important never to hold your breath while shoveling. If the snow is heavy, it is better to do a little bit at a time rather than trying to remove all of the snow at once. More frequent shoveling may be a good idea so that there is not a large quantity of snow to remove all at once. Stop if you become short of breath or experience pain : Shoveling is hard work for the whole body so make sure to rest often if you become short of breath. Also, drink plenty of water before you begin as it is easy to become dehydrated while shoveling. If at any time you experience pain, stop immediately. Most injuries that occur from shoveling involve back muscles or the discs in your spine. Physical therapists are experts in treating musculoskeletal injuries, so if you are experiencing pain after shoveling contact your local PT today !

Overview Aging is an inevitable part of life and the biological changes that naturally occur as we age make us more vulnerable in a number of ways. Even in the absence of chronic disease, aging is associated with decreases in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function. These changes increase vulnerability to injury. Strategies for both prevention and treatment are necessary for the health and well-being of older adults. Benefits There are numerous benefits to strength training throughout life, but those benefits are even more critical as we age. Some of the most important benefits include: 1. Building Strength 2. Maintaining Bone Density 3. Reducing Risk of Falling 4. Maintained Independence 5. Improved Mental Health People often have other forms of exercise that they participate in, but research demonstrates that strength training is superior to walking, swimming or bicycling for all of the benefits listed above. Obstacles Often, as we age, other health issues arise, and barriers to exercise is a common complaint heard in the clinic. It is important to understand that people with health concerns often benefit the most from an exercise program. Those conditions that exercise benefits includes: Arthritis — Reduces pain and stiffness; increases strength and flexibility Diabetes — Improves glycemic control Osteoporosis — Builds bone density; reduces risk for falls Heart Disease — Reduces cardiovascular risk by improving lipid profile Obesity — Increases metabolism; burn more calories Back Pain — Strengthens back and core muscles to help support movement  Exercise Prescription If you are new to exercise, a good rule of thumb with regards to exercise prescription is shown in the chart below:

A new year brings about a lot of emotions. We are excited for a fresh start and we are encouraged to make healthy changes compared to last year. But what if you have pain? What if you start exercising and you start to hurt? I want to tell you about physical therapy and how we can help you reach those New Year’s resolutions. Physical therapists are trained in the ability to evaluate how you move and come up with a plan to help improve that movement in a pain free way. But what does that look like? Well, let’s talk about it. The first thing a physical therapy evaluation includes is discussion of your history. We want to know what you have done in the past and what led to an increase in discomfort. We also want to know what your goals are. Maybe you want to be able to pick up your grandkids or maybe you want to be able to golf this summer. These are things that physical therapy can help you get back to. After we talk about your main complaint and your goals, then we look at how you move. This includes watching you walk, strength testing, and then do other activities that may be related to your injury. Some of these movements may be difficult for you but this will help us come up with a plan to help you move better. On that first evaluation we will also give you a few exercises to go home with. This may include some simple stretching or strengthening movement that we discuss and have you practice in the clinic. At the end of the session, we go over everything we talked about and figure out how many times you need to come in. Sometimes people want to come in 2 or 3 times a week or you may only want to do once a week for a few weeks. This is something you can talk to your therapist about and come up with a plan that works for everyone. We want you to be successful with reaching your fitness and movement based goals for 2022! We would love to help you should you have pain or difficulty reaching these goals. Please feel free to call any office to discuss with a physical therapist on how we may be able to help!

One of the most difficult aspects of exercise is finding a convenient time to spend 2.5+ hours of activity during our schedule every week. We’re busy people! Outside of 40+ hours of work per week, many of us have kids, pets, side-jobs, and friends that we are obligated to spend time with. These priorities of family, fun, and work often exceed our desire to exercise. And guess what… That’s OK! We must recognize our limitations in order to find the best way to fit exercise around our lives. But being “too busy” is never a good excuse unless you’re a new business owner or a new parent. The issue isn’t not having time, the issue is exercise is not prioritized over other aspects of your life. So the question becomes: How can we use exercise as a catalyst to improve our lives with work and family, rather than a barrier that takes us away from our obligations? Here’s how: 1. Set a frequency and duration that is suitable for YOU Think about your schedule and determine what days and times you typically find yourself on your phone, watching TV, or stalling in a certain way. That is time that work, fun, and family priorities have been met. A perfect opportunity for you to improve your body and mind. 2. Exercise your entire body Having a plan that works out major muscle groups throughout the body for each session can be very beneficial for the person who can only get to the gym 2-3 days/week. Not only will you set yourself up to dominate your goal of hitting the gym 2-3 days per week, but you’ll be hitting multiple muscle group multiple times every week which will maximize your time efficiency. 3. Expect to have off weeks The most difficult part of the plan is sticking to the plan. Give yourself credit after your exercise sessions because you just did a great thing for your body, mind, and life. And don’t be harsh on yourself when life gets in the way. There will be weeks that exercise is put on the backburner because of your priorities of family and profession. When these weeks occur, take them in stride, and get back on the saddle as soon as you can make time again. 4. Exercise is exercise Whether you lift, run, dance, stretch, or play basketball. Find a variety of activities that you enjoy. The ultimate goal is to be able to perform activity for life !  When exercise becomes a top priority, changes will occur . Your arms will start to get cut, your butt will become firmer, and that back pain that lingers from inactivity will fade away. Your mood will improve, your ENERGY will return, your sleep will be deeper, and you’ll be as productive at the end of the week as you are at the beginning of the week. Stairs won’t leave you out of breath, you can play on the ground with young family members without getting cranky knees, and you will begin to feel like a younger you. This probably sounds too good to be true. But as PT’s, we see these major changes with our clients every day . Make a commitment to exercise and you will feel and see changes

What is Direct Access? In New York State, most health insurance carriers will cover physical therapy without a doctor referral, so long as the PT has at least 3 years of treatment experience. This gives you the ability to refer yourself right to Physical Therapy, the people who are trained as primary care providers for sport related injuries, aches/ pains, women’s health specialties, vertigo, work related pains and much more. How does it work? The rules are simple. Each year you are allowed 10 visits, or 30 days with a physical therapist, per body part. This means if your shoulder is aching from a weekend of playing football in the backyard, you can call a physical therapist and have them evaluate you and make a treatment plan to get your pain free functioning shoulder restored. If the sustained injury requires more time than the allotted 30 day period, your physical therapist will assist with educating your physician on your health status to acquire a script in order to finish up your care with whatever extra time is needed for you. Direct Access does not end there however. Down the road, if you were to need any other care from your PT, Direct Access is able to be used for another body area within the same year. For example, once that shoulder is fixed, and you want to get to work on your knee that’s been a bother for quite some time as well, get that evaluated as well! Is PT cheaper if I have a script from my physician? Your cost for PT access is no different if you have a physician referral or not. It all depends on your insurance coverage or if you choose to pay out of pocket. I’m interested, what do I do to get started? Give your favorite PT a call . Here at Agape we are very quick to get people in with a therapist who is Direct Access eligible. We will also check your benefits for you so you’ll know exactly how much the services cost for you!

A concussion is actually considered to be a mild-moderate traumatic brain injury that temporarily impairs brain function. The brain is injured either through direct contact, such as a forceful blow to the head, or through rapid acceleration-deceleration, such as a whiplash injury. Common causes of concussion are contact sports (such as football, soccer, and hockey), falls, and motor vehicle accidents. Symptoms of a concussion may include headache, light/noise sensitivity, nausea/vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and memory loss. It is not necessary to experience loss of consciousness in order to be diagnosed with a concussion.  When should I see my doctor? It is important to seek immediate medical attention if you experience the following “red flags”: Seizures Loss of consciousness or inability to awaken Lingering or progressive changes in hearing, taste, and/or sight Numbness and/or weakness in arms and legs Changes in behavior/increased irritation Unequal pupil sizes Persistent vomiting Symptoms that have significantly worsened or not improved after approximately 2 weeks What should I expect for my rehab? Most doctors will advise physical and mental rest for a few days immediately following the injury. It is then recommended that you gradually re-introduce both mental and physical activities, as long as there is no significant worsening of symptoms. Your physical therapist will likely guide you through a series of progressively graded cardiovascular/general conditioning exercises, strength training exercises, and eventually sport-specific activities (if applicable), all while carefully monitoring symptoms throughout to prevent aggravation of condition. They may also prescribe exercises to address dizziness, balance concerns, vertigo, and other general feelings of uneasiness. The process may be slow, especially if the injury was severe and the symptoms are significant, but it is critical not to re-injure the brain while it is healing.

The bottom line. It’s safe to assume that this is the information we are all interested in any time we head to the doctor, dentist, mechanic or hair salon. We know the same rule applies for physical therapy and in the age of high copays and high deductible health plans we often have to brace ourselves when walking up to the receptionist’s desk after our appointment or after finding that statement in the mailbox It’s a safe bet that not knowing how much PT will cost prevents a lot of us from even picking up the phone or pulling up a website to schedule that first appointment. It pains me to think of how many people have been written a PT referral, are walking around with pain on a daily basis, or are just waiting for that injury to get better “on it’s own” due to financial anxieties. Now I’m one who rarely jumps on virtual internet soapboxes, but I’m going to just this once to make a case for physical therapy being the most frugal option for you to deal with your current pain or injury. The reason I can stand on this virtual soapbox is because there is actual research and evidence that shows which provider you see first for your injury has a drastic effect on how much money you will spend to treat that injury. If you followed the link to the evidence, I commend your thoroughness in investigating this topic. If you did not, I appreciate your trust in me to summarize the research for you which shows that physical therapy not only offers the lowest costs but also achieves the same or better outcomes, especially when compared to pain medications, injections and surgeries. To break this down even further for you, I’ve created a list of products I’ve come across recently that cost about the same if not more than one episode of PT care (around 8 visits). For the sake of transparency, I must disclose that I will receive a small financial incentive if you purchase any products using the affiliate links below (just kidding, I wish). Weird looking ceiling fan at Home Depot One tire for your truck at Discount Tire A new bedroom set from IKEA A working Lego Grand Piano from the Lego Shop A 4.5 star Robot Vacuum on Amazon That YMCA membership you can’t use because you’re in pain Now I’m willing to bet some of you are thinking, “I really would prefer a new bedroom set over going to physical therapy,” but let me tell you, 5 hours of crawling around the floor trying to put that thing together and your back is going to wish you had invested in the therapy in the first place. There is a lot to be said about knowing the cost upfront of the investment you are making into your body, health, and function. Rest assured that we will run your insurance benefits and let you know your total out of pocket cost BEFORE your first appointment. I have yet to meet a physical therapist who wasn’t willing to work within your budget to help you meet your goals. Please, please do not put off the care you need any longer. If you do, it just might cost you.