Read Last Minute Tips from ONS Physical Therapist Abigail Ramsey, DPT

• NO need to run now…  There‘s no gain to running at
  

  

  this point.  You can do light spinning on a bike to keep your legs moving.  If you absolutely need to run, do a light jog for 20-30 minutes on Friday.  Be sure to Rest on Saturday!

• When you pick up your bib, don’t get caught up walking and standing too much, and be selective when trying the free supplements and energy bars available. You can throw off your nutrition if something doesn’t sit right with your stomach!
• Wear layers! You can always shed a layer, but you don’t want to freeze while waiting at the start. If you do an active warm up, remember you are going to be in the starting corrals for a while. Don’t warm up to the point where you’re perspiring, as you run the risk of getting cold while you wait.

• Do not change your diet!  Eat exactly what and when you’d normally eat before your long training runs.  Be sure to pack an extra Gel shot in case you lose one.

• Use the medical tents if needed!  If you have a minor problem you can check into the tent, get the help you need like stretching, ice etc, and be on your way again.
• Forward Motion! If you have an ache it’s ok to walk a little if needed.
• Beware of eating the handouts on the course.  They are generous but you don’t know how your stomach will respond unless you have used that exact item during your training.

Post Marathon:

• Ice trouble areas.
• Keep Moving!   Active recovery will make the next few days easier!
• Spin on a bike using little to no resistance for 10-20 min to get your legs moving. You’re going to feel tight and sore but you will feel looser when finished.
• If you work at a desk the next couple of days be sure to stand up every 20-30 min and move around.
• Gentle stretching will help loosen up your muscles!

ONS Physicial Therapist Alicia Hirscht, DPT

ONS Physical Therapist Alicia Hirscht offers the following advice on prevention of neck pain and injury:

With the rise of computer-based occupations, it is now estimated that 60 to 70% of desk workers experience neck pain on a yearly basis. Static neck positions and poor workplace design are two of the biggest factors contributing to neck pain and injury. Following are some guidelines to help reduce the risk of neck pain:

1. Make sure your computer screen is directly in front of you, and that you are able to look straight at it, not down. If you have a laptop, consider placing it on a riser and using an external keyboard.  Position your keyboard close, so that you do not have to reach with your arms. Try to keep your trunk in a neutral posture, with a lumbar support at the base of your spine. Use a headset or speakerphone instead of holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder.
2. Get up and move frequently. Standing for a minute or two, every 30 minutes, is a good way to redistribute the forces in your neck and avoid reaching the threshold of pain and injury.
3. Exercise regularly to improve your overall neck health. Performing a routine of simple exercises, 3 times a week that includes strengthening for your upper back and stretching your chest and shoulders, can help minimize your risk of pain and injury.
   

   Exercises to help prevent neck injury

   

   1. Anchor the band in your office door. Pull back with your elbows bent, squeezing your shoulder blades together and opening up your chest. Repeat 2 sets of 15 repetitions.

2. Hold the band at your waist with your elbows bent and tucked into your sides. Rotate your hands outward, squeezing your shoulder blades together and opening up your chest. Repeat 2 sets of 15 repetitions.

3. Place your hands in a doorway, step forward with one foot. Bend your front knee and lean into the doorway, stretching out your chest. Hold for 30 seconds, repeat with opposite leg forward.

Make sure your computer screen is directly in front of you, and that you are able to look straight at it, not down. Try to keep your trunk in a neutral posture, with a lumbar support at the base of your spine.

ONS licensed physical and hand therapists offer professional, individualized treatment, using state-of-the-art techniques to evaluate and treat orthopaedic and spinal conditions. Our therapists hold advanced degrees. They are trained in rehabilitation for sports injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, orthopaedic and spine surgeries as well as treatments for movement impairment and functional limitation.

If you have been less active over the winter months and now can’t wait to get back into your exercise routine, a word of caution– take it slow to avoid early season injuries. Don’t try to pick up where you left off last fall. Build up your work out gradually.

Christina Hennessy from Greenwich Time and The Advocate has written an article, Spring Shape up, that offers some good advice, some of which comes from ONS’ Gloria Cohen, MD and Laura Liebesman, PT.

Below is our own list of tips for safe return to sports activity

• Practice a regular strengthening and flexibility program, remembering to balance opposing muscle groups.

• Warm up before every workout or sports activity.

• Wear appropriate footgear and do not use worn-out running or tennis shoes that can negatively affect biomechanics.

• When returning to sports or a fitness program, start slowly and build up gradually.

• Maintain your body with proper nutrition and hydration for optimal performance.

• Vary your fitness routine. Repetitive use of the same muscles and joints may cause strain or injury.

• If you feel pain, stop exercising and have the pain evaluated.

• Listen to your body and know your limits.

The free ONS Ski Injury Prevention Seminar will take place on January 26 at 7 PM.  It’s not too late to get ready for the ski season.  Don’t miss this opportunity to hear important tips for safe skiing, information about the most advanced treatments for common injuries such as a ruptured ACL, and a presentation on the latest ski and snowboard technology by Hickory and Tweed of Armonk.  Orthopedic and sports medicine specialists Steven Hindman, MD and Katherine Vadasdi, MD will discuss the causes of the most common skiing injuries and how many of them may be avoided. Physical Therapist Chalon Lefebvre, PT will discuss the importance of a pre-season conditioning and strengthening program.

Admission is free but registration is requested. Call 203-869-3470 or send email to clinicalresearch@onsmd.com to register.

The ski injury prevention seminar is offered by the ONS Foundation for Clinical Research and Education. The goal of the ONS Foundation is to improve standards of excellence for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders through clinical research, physician and patient education, and community outreach programs. For more information about the ONS Foundation for Clinical Research and Education, call Ifeoma Inneh at (203) 869 3131. The ONS Foundation for Clinical Research and Education is an alliance with Greenwich Hospital. For further information, visit www.ons-foundation.org or call (203) 869-3131.

Team ONS runs for Susannah

On Sunday, October 11th, to celebrate National Physical Therapy Month, “Team ONS” took part in Susannah’s Run, a 5-K run (or walk) at Tod’s Point in Old Greenwich, to support the Susannah Chase Memorial Scholarship Fund established in 1998. The annual event celebrates Susannah’s love of the outdoors and her dedication to running.  Proceeds from Susannah’s Run will go towards a scholarship given to a GHS senior every year in honor of Susannah Chase.

National Physical Therapy Month, sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), is a nationwide observance held each October. This year’s theme, “Move Forward: Physical Therapy Brings Motion to Life” reflects the physical therapist brand, “Physical therapists help you restore and improve motion to achieve long-term quality of life.”

Seven members of the staff of ONS Physical Therapy put on their running shoes to participate in the event. ONS sponsored the team and made a donation to help the cause.