Prevention is Key!The steps we take now to maintain and improve our health will help us to avoid unnecessary hardship in the future!

Lafayette Physical Therapy is on amission to help our communityprevent many of the diseaseprocesses that decrease one’squality of life. Over the years wehave developed several programsto ensure that our community haseasy access to information andeducation, and as of June 2015,we have launched the Stay FitSeries as a full-body preventionprogram.

Stay Fit offers specific classes withfocus on the upper body, lowerbody, core fitness, and stability.This allows participants to gain abetter understanding of theimportance of biomechanics,strength, flexibility, and stabilitywhile achieving sustainablefitness goals. Participants will alsolearn how poor posture, muscleimbalance and fatigue cancompromise performance.

Prevention is for everyone! Call usto learn more about our otherprevention programs withperformance-based classes forevery body.

Stay Fit Series – Friday Schedule

Upper Extremity 9:30 – 10:30AM

Lower Extremity 10:30 – 11:30AM

Core 11:30AM – 12:30PM

Stability 2:30 – 3:30PM

Classes are held at LafayettePhysical Therapy. Call (925) 284-6150 to sign up today!

NEWSLETTER

3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite B110Lafayette, CA 94549

925-284-6150

LafayettePT

Lafayette_PT

www.LafayettePT.com

Lafayette Physical Therapy, Inc.

SUMMER 2015 NEWSLETTER

SUMMER 2015 • NEWSLETTER • LAFAYETTE PHYSICAL THERAPY

SUMMER 2015

Contents Include: Stay Fit Series! ● Valerie’s Corner ● Vertigo and BPPV Article ● Staff Highlights ● New guidelines for acute injury care ● Summer & Fall Community Lecture Series

● Back to School – Backpack Safety!

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” – Benjamin Franklin

Back to school – backpack safety! Get an A+ for back to school backpack safety! Reduce strain, pain and risks of future injury.

(These tips don’t just apply to students, they can help every body!)

BackPACK Stats

According to several studies:

55% of students carry a backpack that is heavier than the recommended guidelines!

The total weight of a backpack should not exceed 15% of a child’s body weight.

More than 2,000 backpack-related injuries were treated in ERs, doctor’s offices, and clinics in 2007.

64% of American students (ages 11 to 15) reported back pain related to heavy backpacks.

Physical Therapist Recommendations:

1.Wear both straps! The weight of the backpack should be distributed evenly with the heaviest of the load centered in the middle of the back to promote symmetrical posture.

2.Pick padding! Padded, contoured shoulder straps and a hip strap are the better choice because they reduce pressure on the chest and shoulders and help to distribute weight evenly.

3.Customization! Ensure a good fit for your child’s body! The backpack should be able to be taken on and off with ease, adjust as necessary.

4. Ditch the clutter! Routinely purge unnecessary items. Doubling up on textbooks or accessing them online are great back-saving alternatives!

Learn more at: LafayettePT.com/backpack-safety

Lectures are scheduled on Tuesdays from 7pm-8pm

SEPT 29 – Feng Shui and Wellnesswith Michele Duffy, BTB, MFS

OCT 27 – Bone Health: How to Protect Your Bones with Valerie Watase, PT (Owner and Director of LPT)

All lectures are held at Lafayette PT.

For more information please visit: LafayettePT.com/events/

We would also love to see you at theLafayette Art & Wine Festival Sept 19 th & 20th

Summer & Fall 2015Free Community Lecture Series

What’s Inside: ● New guidelines for acute injury care ● Stay Fit Series! ● Summer & Fall Community Lecture Series ● Back to School – Backpack Safety! ● Vertigo and BPPV Article● Staff Highlights ● Valerie’s Corner

Save the date!

Complimentary ConsultationBack pain, neck pain, or other

issues slowing you down? Call us for a complimentary consultation!

925-284-6150

Valerie’s CornerHello, I am Valerie Watase, PT, Owner and Director of Lafayette PT and this ismy mule, Ginger, the LPT mascot! I wanted to thank everyone who attendedour very successful 40th Anniversary Open House celebration. We appreciateall the love and support.

We are excited for our upcoming calendar of events and wehope to see you soon. We have two more complimentarycommunity lectures scheduled this year and I will bespeaking October 27th on Bone Health (see back cover fordetails). I hope to see you all September 19th & 20th at theLafayette Arts & Wine Festival. Come say hello!

PHYSICAL THERAPY ● THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE ● PILATES & PERSONAL TRAINING ● BALANCE TRAINING

Thank You!

Stay Fit Series! ● Valerie’s Corner ● Vertigo and BPPV Article ● Staff Highlights New guidelines for acute injury care ● Summer & Fall Community Lecture Series

Back to School – Backpack Safety!

(Don’t worry! We move at your pace.)

“I feel the earth move

under my feet”–“I Feel the Earth Move” (King, 1971, track 1).

Carole King could be describing amyriad of states: falling in love,twisting and turning at theamusement park or simply rollingout of bed. The sensation ofvertigo, and its counterpart BPPV,can cause those affected to feelas if the earth is truly movingunder their feet, These sensationscan come and go, strike withoutwarning, last from merelyseconds to days (or longer) andleave us feeling out of control. Butwhat can we do? And how can aphysical therapist help?

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is the sensation ofspinning when in motion orperfectly still. Dizziness may be aseparate issue characterized bylightheadedness, but typicallyvertigo sufferers describe feelingsof:

• Spinning• Tilting• Swaying• Imbalance• Being pulled to one direction

These feelings may occur whenchanging position, such as whenturning your head, bending over,rolling in or out of bed, or maycome on when you’re not movingat all,

You might also experiencefeelings of nausea, abnormal orjerking eye movement,headaches, sweating, ringing inthe ear or hearing loss.

Vertigo may occur due to anumber of causes. These includeBPPV (as detailed below),Meniere’s disease, viral infectionswithin the inner ear, head or neckinjuries, neurological issues suchas stroke or tumors, migraineheadaches and damage inflictedupon the inner ear.

What is BPPV?

Benign paroxysmal positionalvertigo (BPPV) can occur whentiny crystals (calcium carbonateparticles called canaliths) becomedislodged from their normallocation and enter or clumpwithin the canals of the inner ear.When these crystals move theycan stimulate nerve endings thatcause feelings of dizziness.

This inner ear problem createssensations of vertigo, but causesmore acute periods of dizzinessspecifically when your head ismoved into certain positions suchas when lying down, turning overin bed or looking up.

Currently, BPPV can occur withoutany known reason but has beenassociated with trauma to thehead.

What Can Physical Therapy Do?

Treatment for vertigo greatlydepends upon its causation. Insome instances, vertigo willsimply “go away” because yourbrain has learned to adapt andrely upon other mechanisms tomaintain your body’s balance.

When it persists, vestibularrehabilitation can help! This is abranch of physical therapy thataims to strengthen the vestibularsystem (located mainly in theinner ear). Rehabilitation includesmanaging symptoms of dizzinessand imbalance while improvingstrength and flexibility withcustomized exercises. Treatmentplans are developed after aninitial evaluation to determine thecause of vertigo, then tests andexercises are recommended for

management.

At Lafayette Physical Therapy,Valerie Watase, PT and AlisonClark, PT have additional trainingin vestibular rehabilitation andhave helped many patients withvertigo, BPPV as well as manyother types of orthopedic andneurological conditions.

Physical therapy aims to restoreand improve strength, functionand movement. Ask a physicaltherapist what physical therapycan do for you!

Written by Valerie Watase, PTOwner and Director of Lafayette PT

Arranged and Edited by Julia Slater Community Outreach Coordinator

Please visit: LafayettePT.com/vertigo-and-bppv/for the full article and references.

Introducing Alison Clark, PT!Physical Therapist Alison Schienbeinrecently tied the knot to husbandDaniel on June 14, 2015. We are sovery happy for them!

Vertigo and BPPV: What Physical Therapy Can Do

SUMMER 2015 • NEWSLETTER • LAFAYETTE PHYSICAL THERAPY

SUMMER 2015 • NEWSLETTER • LAFAYETTE PHYSICAL THERAPY

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT LafayettePT.com

Tying the KnotStaff Highlights

Welcome Edward!Edward Crisologo, CMT is thenewest addition to our MassageTherapy team! He has receivedgreat feedback from our staff andmassage clients!

Congratulations to Lauren! Lauren Masi, PT has just completedher transitional Doctorate ofPhysical Therapy program at theUniversity of St. Augustine!

Anatomy of the Vestibular System

PPROTECTION REST ICE COMPRESSION ELEVATION

Protect or supportthe affected area forthe first 24 to 48hours after theinjury has occurred.

Use a sling or asplint if that helps.

Rest the affectedarea for the first 24to 48 hours.

Avoid activities thatcause additionalpain, swelling, ordiscomfort.

Try to move theaffected area gentlyfor 10 to 20 secondsevery hour you areawake.

Go about yournormal activities asmuch as possiblebut take regularrests.

R

If an injury or flare-up has occurredwithin the last 2days, use indirectice (such as a coldpack wrapped in adamp towel) andhold it for 10 to 20minutes.

You can repeat thisevery 2 to 3 hours.

Avoid ice burns bywrapping ice or coldpacks before placingit directly on skin.

Apply compressionwith a bandage orcompressiongarment until theswelling subsides.

Loosen immediatelyif pain increases orthe area becomesnumb.

Wrap the bandagestarting from theend farthest fromyour heart.

Do not wearcompression itemsthat are too tightwhile sleeping.

Elevate the affectedarea above the levelof your heart asmuch as possibleduring the first 24 to48 hours, especiallywhen sitting or lyingdown.

Support yourselfwith pillows orslings.

I C E

Our 40th birthday included a (web) facelift!

See the new face of LafayettePT.com

New features include: • New Resources• Informational Blog• Upcoming Events• Videos (Coming Soon!)• And interact with us on

Social Media!

There is a new update to the traditional recovery

acronym R.I.C.E. for acute injuries.

The newest addition to the

protocol!