‘Women’s Health’ Archives

Women’s Health Across a Lifespan

posted on May 15th, 2012, by Rich. No Comments posted so far.

As part of National Women’s Health Week, the American Physical Therapy Association will be presenting

“Women’s Health Across a Lifespan”

Tune in tonight,  May 15 at 7 p.m. ET, for a great conversation with top experts who will discuss women’s health issues that can be prevented and treated by a physical therapist. Topics will include incontinence, pelvic pain, bowel/bladder problems, osteoporosis, chronic pain, lymphedema, pregnancy and post-partum conditions, and more!

Women across the country can listen here and call in to the show to ask questions or submit them in advance via Twitter by tweeting @MoveForwardPT and using the hashtag #overshare.

For more information on women’s health issues like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or speak to our women’s health specialist Taryn Cohn, PT.

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Women’s Health Week

posted on May 14th, 2012, by Rich. No Comments posted so far.

National Women’s Health week is a time for you to take care of you.

Schedule your check ups today.

Here is the list of things you should get checked.

In addition to this list of health screens, Baudry Therapy Center wants you to move and feel better.

Call this week to schedule your FREE  functional movement screen.

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Osteoporosis and Women: Prevention for healthier living

posted on May 30th, 2011, by editor. Comments Off posted so far.

Osteoporosis means porous bones. It is a disease that can lead to an increased risk of fractures. To get a better understanding of the disease, we look at its cause. Due to age, and myriad risk factors, bones become more porous and fragile. As they do, the likelihood of fractures increase. Many patients encounter no symptoms until the first fracture occurs.

This deterioration of the bone causes them to be weak and easily broken. Those with osteoporosis are vulnerable to bone fractures that can cause deformity and significant disability. Although any bone may be fractured, the bones of the spine, hip and wrist are especially prone. More than 40 million people in the United States have or are at high risk for osteoporosis due to low bone mass, according to federal health agencies. Are you at risk? Read on to find out.

Some facts about osteoporosis:

  • 44 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis
  • more common in women than men, 1 of 2 women and 1 of 8 men will be affected by osteoporosis in their lifetime
  • Only 35% of American adults consume the recommended daily allowance of calcium.
  • Osteoporosis costs Americans $17 million dollars annually
  • Osteoporosis is treatable and may be preventable.

Some of the risk factors for osteoporosis:

Age – All of us lose bone density as we age, some lose it faster than others. Age related loss of bone mass parallels the loss of total muscle mass. The amount of bone growth or loss is directly related to the amount of axial loading or the lack of loading to the bones. In other words, your body responds to the stresses you put on it. If you challenge the bones and muscles with exercise, they will respond by producing more bone or muscle to accomodate for the extra work. This alone is a great case in support of routine and regular exercise.

Gender – Of those diagnosed with osteoporosis, about 80% are women. About 1 in 2 women over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis. Women are more suseptable to osteoporosis, especially those who are post menapausal. Post menopausal women lose the production of Estrogen which protects bones by helping to slow the breakdown of bone. Therefore post menopausal women who produce less estrogen tend to lose bone mass.

Family history - research suggests that heredity and genetics play a major role in osteoporosis

Lower body weight - small-boned, thin people tend to have more problems with osteoporosis.

Inactivity –  those who are inactive are at hig risk for osteoporosis. Inactivity puts less stress on the body and therefore the body responds by atrophying. Exercise is a classic stimulus for increasing growth hormone. Growth hormone has positive effects on bone development.

Lack of Calcium and Vitamin D in the diet – Calcium is a vital building block for bone. Vitamin D helps your body use the calcium. Lack of either one of these nutrients due to dietary habits or other medical conditions, increases the risk of osteoporosis.

Excessive protein, caffeine, and sodium can affect the bone strength, and excessive alcohol or tobacco consumption also can adversly affect bone growth.

Medical conditions – there are many medical conditions and medicines that may effect your bone density. Consult your physician to learn if you may be at risk for osteoporosis.

The good news is that osteoporosis is treatable and may be preventable. Knowing your risk factors and understanding what you can do about it are the keys.

Take these steps to help arm yourself against osteoporosis:

  • Consult with your Physician. Find out if you are at risk and what an appropriate plan of action is
  • Consult with your Physical Therapist. Exercise is one of your best options to deter bone loss
  • Contact one of the many organizations devoted to osteoporosis and it’s research. They are great sources of information on osteoporosis
  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Stop smoking
  • Avoid overuse of alcohol
  • Get more active

To get more active try these simple exercises:

BRIDGES
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet hip distance apart. Tighten your abdomen and your glutes, bring hands together across from your chest and lift hips off the table.

PRONE SCAPULAR SQUEEZES WITH CHIN TUCK
Lie on your stomach with your head off the edge of the table. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and perform a chin tuck lengthening the back of your neck.

SUPINE SCAPULAR SQUEEZES
Lie on your back, squeeze your shoulder blades back into the mat. Hold for 8-10 seconds.

SINGLE LEG BALANCE

STANDING HIP EXTENSION WITH BENT KNEE
Stand with feet hip distance apart, holding on to the counter. Bend your knee and push your leg back focusing the force through your heel activating the glutes.  Maintain erect posture and abdominal stability.

STANDING HIP ABDUCTION
Stand holding on to the counter. Lift your leg out to the side, maintaining erect posture and abdominal stability.

Repeat these exercises 10-15 times for 1-2 sets each. fast walking or a workout on an elliptical machine can also be great exercises to promote bone growth. While these exercises are basic, they provide a good start towards a preventative exercise program. Remember each individual will have a different tolerance for exercise. You should consult a health professional when starting any exercise program. A physical therapist is the ideal person to help you to develop a safe and effective exercise program. Knowing what to do, how much to do, and when to do it is vital to building new bone growth. Consult with a physical therapist and get on the right track to bone health.

Bone is active tissue and is constantly changing. Osteoporosis doesn’t occur overnight. It is a gradual process that can eventually leave you in bad shape. Resistance and weight bearing exercise are great ways to fight osteoporosis. Bone develops and deteriorates based on the demands put on it. Resistance, or weight bearing exercises pull on bone, which stimulates it to grow and gain strength. Proper exercise can significantly effect your bone development and/or slow bone deterioration.

So start early, and be consistent. Do what you can do to prevent osteoporosis and live a healthier life!  Start now!

For further information there are many resources on osteoporosis:

National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), Foundation for Osteoporosis Research and Education (FORE), and American Bone Health were all used as sources of information for this article. These organizations are dedicated to educating individuals about osteoporosis. For more detailed information on osteoporosis, please visit their web sites.

filed under Aches and Pains, Exercise, Women's Health.

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Sportsmetrics – Sports Training to Decrease Knee Injuries

posted on May 26th, 2011, by Rich. Comments Off posted so far.

The occurance of serious knee injuries is up to five times higher in females than males.

Sportsmetrics programs have proven to decrease knee injuries in female athletes.

YouTube Preview Image

To find out more about sports training and preventing knee injuries please call us at 504 841-0150, or see www.sportsmetrics.net

filed under ACL injury, Athletes, Athletics, Exercise, Sports injury, Women's Health.

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Prep Your Body for Pregnancy

posted on May 16th, 2011, by editor. Comments Off posted so far.

By Taryn Cohn MSPT, COMT

Often when women are starting to consider conceiving a child they begin to ask a lot of questions about what they need to do to optimally prepare their bodies for this transition.  What should I be eating? Should I take vitamin supplements?  What sort of exercise routine should I be engaging in?  An important place to start for the answers to most of these questions is of course with your OBGYN.  However, physical therapy can offer many suggestions in how to best prepare your body physically for the demands of pregnancy and postpartum.

Many young mothers or expectant young mothers end up in physical therapy with one very common issue, low back pain.  In order to maintain a healthy low back it is dependent on several different muscle groups working synergistically together to create a solid foundation.  Often you hear people say the key to a healthy back is a strong core.   But what is the core exactly?  The core is made up of the muscles of the abdominals, specifically the transverse abdominals, the lowest level of the four abdominal muscle groups. The pelvic floor muscles, those that run from the pubic bone to the tailbone lining the base of the pelvis, the muscles of the hips and the muscles of the back.  During pregnancy the body has to make numerous accommodations in all of these areas in order to carry and deliver a child to full term.  It is because of this that many women suffer muscle imbalance, abdominal, core and pelvic floor weakness following delivery.

The best way to insure quick recovery following pregnancy is to make sure these muscle groups are functioning optimally prior to conception.  There are a few simple exercises you can begin to do at home to start strengthening right away.

The first of which is called a transverse abdominal isometric.  To perform this exercise, lie on your back with your knees bent.  Place your fingertips just inside the your hip bones so they are resting on your abdomen.  Perform an abdominal contraction by pulling your belly button towards your spine.  Make sure when you do this you are not squeezing your gluteal muscles or holding your breath.  If you are doing it correctly you should feel your abdominals tighten underneath your fingertips.  Secondly, keeping your fingertips in the same location on your abdomen, perform a pelvic floor contraction, this is done by engaging the muscles that you would use to stop the flow of urine.  If you are doing this correctly you should feel the same tightening of the abdomen under your fingertips.  Begin by performing these exercises separately, holding 5-10 seconds with each repetition and do up to 10 repetitions each.  Once you feel you have the hang of it, try to do the abdominal isometric and the pelvic floor isometric at the same time.  It is likely that the pelvic floor muscles will fatigue before the abdominal muscles do, do not be concerned by this, it is normal.

Another exercise you can start builds on the exercise you just learned.  Lie on your back with your knees bent, perform your abdominal and pelvic floor isometric contraction, then squeeze your gluteal muscles (buttocks) and lift the entire pelvis off the floor.  For some people this may cause your hamstrings to cramp up.  If this happens this is an indication that you have weak gluteal muscles and therefore, really need this exercise!  Try to hold your pelvis off the floor for 5-10 seconds; you are working towards 10 repetitions of this exercise as well.  For those of you that get really good at this exercise you can try to lift your hands off the floor or lift off one foot (that really makes it challenging).

Lastly, as I mentioned before, the pelvic floor works very closely with the musculature of the hips, so it can be engaged indirectly with hip internal and external rotation and breathing.  Lie on your back with your legs straight.  Take a nice deep breath filling your abdomen with air, as you do this simultaneously externally rotate your hips by pointing your toes away from each other.  Then exhale your breath through pursed lips as you internally rotate your hips bringing your toes towards each other.  You are working towards 10 repetitions of this exercise as well.

These three exercises are a good foundation from which to start as you begin to prepare your body for pregnancy.  As many questions as you had about preparing your body for pregnancy you will likely have just as many, if not more after you deliver.  A good resource for exercises to help restore muscle balance and pelvic floor function after delivery is a book by Janet A. Hulme, Solving the Mystery of the Pelvic Rotator Cuff In Human Function and Movement. This book has exercises you can begin as soon as two weeks after delivery. Good Luck!

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National Women’s Health Week

posted on May 10th, 2011, by editor. Comments Off posted so far.

The U.S. Government has named May 8-14th National Women’s Health Week.  We didn’t think one week was enough time to celebrate women, so Baudry Therapy Center has named the entire month of May Women’s Health Month!

Baudry Therapy Center encourages all of our women to visit their Physician for a regular check-up. This month only, we’re offering free health screens to all women.  Come in and find out why your elbow hurts, why your back is stiff in the morning, or how to lose weight. It only takes 20 minutes.  Take a little time out for yourself and call us to set up your free health screening. You deserve it!

In addition to checking up with your doctor, try some of these ideas to live a healthier you:

  1. Get organized. Spend time planning your daily or weekly calendar.
  2. Learn more about diet and proper nutrition.
  3. Treat yourself to a spa day.
  4. Come to Baudry to find the right exercise program for you.

Your family relies on you so much.  You enrich the lives around you. You make things special. You owe it to yourself to stay healthy. If you don’t want to do it for yourselves do it for your family. They need you.

All of us have special women in our lives. These women take care of us and put us in front of their own needs. As an extended Mother’s Day gift to your mom, encourage her to stay healthy!

filed under News & Events, Women's Health.

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Exercise – A Vital Component to Healthy Living

posted on January 7th, 2011, by Rich. Comments Off posted so far.

By Rich Baudry, PT, DPT, OCS

The benefits of exercise are well documented and include favorable effects on body composition, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.  At it’s core, exercise improves the quality of our movement and thus our function.  But as there are many options when it comes to exercise, what’s really the best exercise for you? Well, by determining why you want to exercise you will discover how you should exercise.  The movement  qualities of coordination, endurance, strength, and power can all be improved with exercise.

Coordination refers to the ability to move body parts in an effective and efficient way. Coordination requires using the appropriate amount of muscle activity with the right speed and direction, at the right time. This requires the controlled firing of the appropriate muscles in a smoothly sequenced way. An ideal way to train for coordination is to use light resistance and perform many repetitions.  In order to gain coordination for a particular task may take as many as 10,000 repetitions.

Endurance is the ability to perform an activity for an extended period of time and is specific to the function at hand. Endurance training typically includes lighter resistances for longer periods of time or repetitions. This type of training relies heavily on the cardiovascular system.

Strength is the amount of torque a muscle or group of muscles can generate. A certain amount of strength is required for any activity. Strength is generally gained by lifting at moderate to heavier weight. Strength gains are directly proportional to the resistances used.  The lighter resistances produce modest strength gains, while higher resistances produce greater gains. Generally, when exercising for strength you should use a weight that you can lift for 8-15 repetitions.

Power is strength with speed. For pure strengthening you may use a weight that you can lift only 3-8 times.

The truth is that all of these qualities of movement are vital to healthy living; so, incorporating variety with your training is certainly important. To help you better target your workout, identify why you are working out. Your answer will help focus your program. The appropriate level of training depends on many factors. Things like your age, physical condition, previous injury, joint problems, arthritis, and/or the presence of other medical conditions affect your tolerance for training and must be taken into consideration when developing your exercise program.

Exercising is too important to your health to avoid. So for better success with exercising, put some extra thought into your exercise strategies. Start today. Any training is better then none at all, so get out there and do it!

For more information on how to train please contact our office or ask questions below.

filed under Balance, Core stability, Exercise, Golf conditioning, Weight training, Women's Health.

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Let’s Get In Shape!

posted on December 7th, 2010, by Rich. Comments Off posted so far.

By Rich Baudry, PT, DPT, OCS

‘Tis the season! What do we all tend to do during the holidays? Eat, drink and be merry, of course! Unfortunately, our scales do not agree with all of our eating, drinking and merry making causing us to start thinking about our health and fitness goals early in the holiday season; gearing up for a new year. Many people like to discuss the benefits of staying healthy by saying “Oh, you’ll feel great!” but very few discuss what will happen to our bodies if we do not take care of ourselves. Motivation is important…so, what motivates you?

If you are having trouble staying motivated to stay or get fit think of the alternatives. Things that generally accompany a deconditioned body:

  1. Weight gain
  2. Muscle loss, body fat increase
  3. Increased blood sugar
  4. High cholesterol
  5. High blood pressure
  6. Increased risk of heart disease, diabetes along with many other diseases.

Need I go on? One of the keys to longevity and living a healthy, active lifestyle is keeping our muscles strong and our joints moving. Aside from medical issues that are usually created by being deconditioned, there are many positives points to consider in regard to getting in shape:

  1. Feeling better
  2. Being able to enjoy the things you love
  3. Playing with your kids / grandkids
  4. Being more productive and have more energy

Baudry Therapy Center’s tagline is “strength, balance, motion…for fitness, for life.” Our tagline is constantly at the top of our staff’s minds everyday–not only for ourselves but for our clients as well. We strive to get you back to doing activities you love, be it walking, running a marathon, or playing with your kids. The positives far outweigh the negatives, so…what are you waiting for? Let’s get going!

filed under Exercise, News & Events, Weight Loss, Women's Health.

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Get Real With Weight Loss

posted on November 1st, 2010, by Rich. Comments Off posted so far.

By Rich Baudry, PT, DPT, OCS

As a Physical Therapist, I treat people for pain and physical dysfunction. People with back and knee pain and those who have difficulty enjoying the things they love like tennis, fishing, and playing with kids. In treating these individuals I often hear, “I guess if I would lose some weight I’d probably feel better,” or, “I’ve been working on losing weight,” or, “I know I need to lose weight.” The point is, we are all aware of the reality that we need to take better care of ourselves.

Unfortunately, in their attempt to lose weight clients often fail. They may lose 10 pounds over the first 2 weeks, only to gain 15 over the next 3. They have trouble keeping the weight off and in many instances end up heavier than they started.

But losing weight is simple … right? Eat less, move more.  If it were so simple, the weight loss industry would not be the dynamic money making industry it is today.

There are many obstacles to losing weight:

1.    Lack of commitment

2.    Lack of support

3.    Lack of knowledge

Making a commitment to your health, surrounding yourself with a strong support system of family and friends as well as providing yourself with knowledge on how, when, and what to eat and exercise are key components that will lead you to happy and healthy weight loss that will stick with you for life!

As a result of these observed obstacles, Baudry Therapy Center has partnered with Women and Men’s Nutrition & Weight Control Center to help clients lose weight and feel great.  Our approach is based on the latest scientific evidence. We utilize the expertise of exercise physiologists, physical therapists, personal trainers, dietitians, and nutritionists to provide the support necessary for successful weight loss. Our team provides smart exercise strategies proven to effectively burn calories placing you on the fast track to weight loss. We provide knowledge, enlist your commitment and monitor your accountability as your support system in order to reach your weight loss goals. This commitment begins with YOU!

Get your zest for life back and re-consider your weight loss needs with Baudry Therapy Center.

strength, balance, motion… for fitness, for life!

filed under Kids Health, News & Events, Weight Loss, Women's Health.

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Effects of Physical Therapy After Breast Cancer Treatment

posted on October 11th, 2010, by editor. Comments Off posted so far.

By Taryn Cohn, MSPT, COMT

The road to recovery following breast cancer treatment is multifaceted.  The experience can often be draining and confusing for individuals, significantly impacting their lives both emotionally and physically.  Seeking out advice and treatment through physical therapy can be an integral part in your journey towards regaining function and returning to the activities you love.  There are several areas in which physical therapists are trained to assist you in your rehabilitation, including orthopedic issues of the shoulder, full body conditioning and lymphedema.

Shoulder issues frequently become an area of concern for breast cancer patients.  The shoulder is a complicated joint that is made up mostly of muscle and tendon making it both very versatile and extremely sensitive to disruption.  It takes perfect coordination of many muscle groups for the shoulder to work properly.  Any surgical procedure—be it a mastectomy, lumpectomy, lymph node removal, breast reconstruction, or radiation treatments—can significantly affect function of the shoulder.  As a consequence, shoulder problems are a common occurrence among breast cancer patients. Following the surgeries and radiation, scar tissue develops often leaving residual nerve pain, sensitivity, and muscle weakness.  One of the most effective tools to combat these issues is early intervention through exercise and manual therapy techniques under the guidance of a physical or occupational therapist.  Patients should know that as soon as they have been cleared by their physician they should begin some basic exercises to help restore full use of the shoulder.

While much attention is focused on the chest and upper extremity recovery, it is important not to neglect the rest of the body.  Your body has been through a lot and has lost strength and endurance leaving it vulnerable to other orthopedic injuries.  Patients need to address the issues of stamina and overall body conditioning.  The treatments your body has had to endure leaves it weak and fatigued.  It is important to reestablish a strong foundation from which the body can optimally perform.  Our foundation relies on core strength.  The strength of the abdominals, back, hips and buttocks are very important to restore complete body stability.  Physical therapists can develop well rounded programs to address the individual’s areas of need.

One final issue that should be addressed when talking about breast cancer rehabilitation is that of lymphedema.  Lymphedema occurs when there is damage or abnormality in the function of the lymphatic system.  The lymphatic system is responsible for the transportation and removal of the body’s waste.  When it is unable to effectively perform its job it can result in a build-up of fluids and cell wastes in the tissues causing swelling of the limb that is difficult for the body to remedy without outside intervention.  Lymph node surgery and radiation increase the risk of developing this condition.    There are physical and occupational therapists that specialize in the treatment of this condition.   Ask your physician for recommendations regarding a lymphedema specialist in your area.

Regaining control of your life after enormous change can be a frightening and frustrating process, but it is not a process that has to be faced alone.  Special attention should be paid to both the mental and physical aspects of healing and rehabilitation.  To maximize your recovery seek out medical professionals. Physical therapists can provide the expertise and support necessary to get you back to life.

For more information on physical therapy after breast cancer please call us at 504 841 0150.

filed under News & Events, Women's Health.

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