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Alphabet Soup – What are all those initials after your names?

If you look at the OrthoSport Hawaii website under About Us/Staff  you will see quite a wide variety of initials after the names of our team members. These initials represent extensive education and training on medical and fitness topics which is why we have some of the most experienced physical therapists and medical fitness trainers in the state. In addition, most of these certifications require yearly continuing education. We are always updating our treatments and protocols to match the current evidence-based science in our fields. 

PT  – Licensed Physical Therapist – all Physical Therapy school graduates must pass a rigorous licensing exam after completing their clinical rotations in various medical settings.

DPT – Doctor of Physical Therapy – All PT graduate programs are now doctorate level and include courses on pharmacology, differential diagnosis, radiography/imaging, psychology, wound care, as well as the expected musculo-skeletal, cardiopulmonary, and nervous systems education.

MPT – Master of Physical Therapy

MPH – Master of Public Health

MEd – Master of Education

OCS – Orthopedic Clinical Specialist – a PT who completed a residency or OCS coursework and passed their exam to become board-certified in Orthopedics.

MTC – Manual Therapy Certified – a PT who completed a post-graduate training program in osteopathic manual therapy.

FAAOMPT – Whoo! This one means a PT is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists. A “Fellow” is a physical therapist who has demonstrated advanced clinical, analytical, and hands-on skills in the treatment of musculoskeletal orthopedic disorders and is internationally recognized for their competence and expertise in the practice of manual physical therapy.

LMT – Licensed Massage Therapist – in the state of Hawai’i massage therapy students complete 500 hours of study and hands-on training then sit for their state license exam.

ATRIC – Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute Certification indicates someone has specialized training and has passed an exam to become a certified Aquatic Therapist.

CSCS – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist – Fitness professionals with at least a Bachelor’s degree must pass a certification exam through the National Conditioning and Strength Association. They apply scientific knowledge to train athletes for the primary goal of improving athletic performance. The CSCS is one of the most respected strength coaching certifications.

CPT – Certified Personal Trainer – our staff are certified through a variety of recognized organizations including the American Council on Exercise, the Athletic Certification Training Commission, and the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

CPT – also stands for Certified Pilates Teacher via the STOTT Pilates method which requires months or years of training and apprenticeship as well as written and practical exams. 

CES – Corrective Exercise Specialist – a designation in the NASM for those who have taken special training to address movement and postural imbalances.

ATC – Certified Athletic Trainer – requires Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an accredited athletic training program and passing a comprehensive licensing exam. 

CWHC – Certified Wellness Health Coach through nutritional supplement and weight loss company, Optavia.

PN – Precision Nutrition Certification.

RD – Registered Dietician –  requires a Bachelor’s degree, internship, and national license exam.

 

Whether you are looking to decrease pain and stiffness, improve performance, lose weight, or recover from an injury, we have the professionals to get you to your goal. Call 808.373.3555 for more information.

 

Discover Nine Secrets for Longevity from Around the World

This informative article was submitted by Niu Valley clinic PT , Johanna Anagaran. Thanks Johanna for your contribution!

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Keys to Longevity

Carrots and more

It’s a question that remains as relevant as it is ancient: What are the keys to longevity? How can we live longer and happier lives?

Life expectancy in the USA has been declining for the last three years. The top ten causes of death are largely chronic diseases, and consist of heart disease, cancer, unintentional injury (including drug overdose), chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide.  Given the increasing prevalence of chronic disease, it’s no surprise that many people fear that although they may live longer, it will be with a radically reduced quality of life. This fear may be fueling the global wellness industry, which was a $4.2 trillion market in 2017.

However, increased spending on wellness does not necessarily mean improvements in health and longevity. How do we know what to invest in, and what are the most important factors for living better and longer?

The Blue Zones Project®

Blue Zone” is a non-scientific term given to geographic regions around the world that are home to some of the world’s oldest and healthiest people. The five blue zones are:

  • The Italian island of Sardinia
  • Okinawa, Japan
  • Loma Linda, California
  • Icaria, Greece,
  • Nicoya, Costa Rica.

What, if anything, do these areas have in common? A team of medical researchers, anthropologists, demographers, and epidemiologists uncovered what they termed “The Power 9” and turned the Blue Zones Project into a community well-being initiative. The Power 9 transform individuals and communities by encouraging behavioral and policy changes. For example, school programs teach children to grow vegetables and cook healthy meals. Honolulu’s Complete Streets design law accommodates people traveling by foot, bicycle, transit, or car, and of all ages and abilities. This not only helps people live longer and better, but also lowers community “healthcare costs, improve productivity, and boost national recognition as a great place to live, work, and play. “ 

How Do You Use the Power 9?

Here are the nine common characteristics of the Blue Zones that contribute to their residents’ amazing longevity and health. The best thing is that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to live and age well without sacrificing quality of life!

Girl moon birds at night

1.) Move naturally – Find ways to move more! You’ll burn calories without thinking about it. In addition to the obvious things like taking the stairs and parking the car farther from the store, you can also:

    • Start a garden
    • Volunteer to walk dogs at the animal shelter
    • Shop at the farmer’s market
    • Bike to work
    • Join a hiking club
    • Learn to swim
    • Take up birdwatching or star gazing

2.) Know your purpose – “Why I wake up in the morning” is the essential idea. People who have a sense of their gifts and strengths and use them daily have increased well-being. This could involve work or volunteering. Feeling needed and having a purpose-filled lifestyle can add up to seven years to your life! 

3.) Downshift – Reverse chronic inflammation and disease by finding stress-relieving strategies that work for you. Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap, and Sardinians enjoy their happy hour. How can you get yourself in the slow lane?

    • Regular napping (30min, 3x/week may reduce stress hormones and can decrease a person’s risk for coronary heart disease.)
    • Pet your dog or someone else’s (maybe after you took them for a walk!)
    • Watch a funny show and laugh until your belly hurts.
    • Read a novel, sing in the car, dance whenever you can.
    • Learn a new hobby or sport.
    • Set up a regular happy hour, lunch date, or game night with your pals.
    • Arrive 15 min early to every appointment to avoid rushing.
    • Learn to meditate or breathe deeply for 5 min.
    • Soak in the tub with your favorite bubbles (or friend.)

4.) 80% Rule – Eat mindfully until 80% full and this might be just enough to lose that extra weight. It’s about moderation and portion control. Blue Zone residents eat their smallest meal in the late afternoon/early evening.

5.) Plant Slant – Put more fruits and veggies on your plate, less meat & avoid processed food. The cornerstone of centenarian diets are beans, including fava, black, soy, and lentils. Meat is eaten on average only 5 times per month, with a serving size of 3-4 oz (about the size of a deck of cards.)

6.) Wine@ 5 – If you have a healthy relationship with alcohol, enjoy a glass of wine with good friends each day. People in all blue zones (except Adventists) drink alcohol moderately and regularly. The trick is to drink 1-2 glasses per day, with friends and/or with food. And no, you can’t save up all week and have 14 drinks on Saturday.

7.) Family first – Loved ones should be first. Investing time in family can add up to six years to your life. Keep aging parents and grandparents nearby or in the home, along with children. It lowers disease and mortality rates of children too.

8.) Belong – Connect/Re-connect with spirituality. Belonging to a faith-based community and attending services regularly can add 4-14 years to your life expectancy. Denomination did not seem to matter.

9.) Right Tribe – Surround yourself with people who support positive behaviors- and who support you. Create a healthy social network. The world’s longest-lived people chose or were born into social circles that support healthy behaviors. Okinawans create “moais”- groups of five friends that commit to each other for life. Research from the Framingham Study shows that smoking, obesity, happiness, and even loneliness are contagious.

How OrthoSport Hawai’i Can Help

From previous studies (e.g. the Danish Twin   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10848141 study), we know that genes determine only about 20% of what our life has in store for us. This means that we can influence our life and health significantly by choices we routinely make. It’s time to take control!

Man doing pullup

We at OrthoSport Hawai’i would love to be on your team and help you make healthy behaviors happen. We can offer support in the following areas:

  • Downshift with us by coming in for a relaxing massage and giving yourself a well-deserved time-out for your body.
  • Move more! Join a virtual group class via the Medical Fitness center or work with a Personal Trainer; sweat, laugh, and make new friends.
  • Get guidance on your body’s nutritional demands by making an appointment with our Dietitian or Health Coaches.
  • Come in to see our Physical Therapists if you experience any injuries so we can help you return to doing the things you love.

For more information, please visit:

https://info.bluezonesproject.com/bzphawaii

https://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/

Pre-diabetic and not sure what to do now? Read on…

According to the World Health Organization, diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation. Have you had your blood sugar checked? 

Apple recently announced that select Apple Stores will now sell One Drop, a blood glucose monitor that closely integrates with the iPhone and the Apple Watch. Although this may be of great benefit to those who struggle to keep tabs on their blood sugar, the interesting thing is that Apple wouldn’t be selling this product if there weren’t a large enough market to make it profitable.  All forms of diabetes can benefit from close blood sugar monitoring and lifestyle choices that promote overall health. Type II diabetes and pre-diabetes are on the rise and Apple knows this as well as anyone.  A healthy bodyweight, appropriate diet, and the correct amount of exercise can go a long way in preventing, improving, and in some cases even curing Type II diabetes.  We know this, and yet diabetes continues to increase in both adults and youth.  

The American Diabetes Association states that “A healthy meal plan for people with diabetes is generally the same as healthy eating for anyone – low in saturated fat, moderate in salt and sugar, with meals based on lean protein, non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and fruit. Foods that say they are healthier for people with diabetes generally offer no special benefit.”  

In addition, they recommend at least 150 min of aerobic exercise per week as well as guidelines for resistance and flexibility training. 

If your physician has told you that you are “pre-diabetic” what does this mean in terms of your current diet and exercise plan (or lack therof?)  Should you follow a “fad” diet to lose weight in hopes that general weight loss will lower your blood sugar? Should you cut out all carbs and try to get your body into ketosis? Is saturated fat a good or a bad thing to eat? Both refined sugars and high quantities of fat can trigger spikes in blood sugar as can overeating in general. Is your doctor prescribing the correct lifestyle changes needed to improve your health? 

Why Treating Chronic Disease is so Difficult

One of the reasons modern western medicine struggles with chronic diseases such as Type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, asthma, cancer, and so on is because our single cure model of treating illness worked so well in the past. Acute illnesses such as polio, TB, cholera, and smallpox which were once the scourge of humanity responded immediately once a single treatment or preventative vaccine was discovered. Medical/pharmaceutical research is still looking for that single magic bullet that will eliminate chronic illnesses because our health care system is focused on cures, not prevention. 

Also, if the cure or preventative treatment isn’t patent-able (for example, broccoli ) it isn’t profitable. Who will fund such research? Prevention requires knowledge, motivation, lifestyle changes (sleep, exercise, stress, etc.), dietary changes, and commitment. Fortunately, even if you already have issues with blood sugar, these same preventative measures may decrease your symptoms and need for further treatment.   

Where to Begin

So if you’ve found yourself in a situation where you know you need to make a change but aren’t quite sure how to go about it, where can you turn? Your health insurance may not cover the dietary and exercise guidance you need to be healthy.  Do you give up?  Start taking medication but continue poor health habits?  Now is the time to take charge of your own health by investing in the knowledge and expertise you need to manage your blood sugar and prevent the debilitating effects of this serious disease.   

Here are three simple steps to begin your journey to a healthy lifestyle: 

  1. Consult with a registered dietitian regarding your diet and any changes you should implement. Find a meal plan you can stick with.
  2. Consult with a medically-focused personal trainer regarding an exercise program specifically designed for someone struggling with blood sugar.  You can work one on one with a trainer, join an appropriate group class, or learn a program to do at home.
  3. Inform your MD of your plans, and make sure to monitor any lab values they recommend as you make changes. Some people are able to reduce or eliminate medications as their health improves.

Yes, you may have to pay out of pocket for some or all of these interventions.  The choice is yours, pay now, or possibly pay with very serious consequences later.  To learn more about how the dietitians and personal trainers at OrthoSport Hawaii can help, call 808 373-1114 to set up a free, no obligation orientation in our Medical Fitness center. You literally have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

Exercise or Have Fun? Why Not Both?

One reason people give for not exercising is that they don’t “enjoy it.” Yes, sometimes we have to force ourselves to get off the couch or drive to the gym after a long day at work, but exercise CAN be enjoyable if you find the right “happiness mix.” Research has shown that happy people have common characteristics, and many are under our own control.  Here are some ideas on how to make an exercise program enjoyable and even fun! 

1. When you start a new exercise program, aim low.

In other words, most people try to do too much, too soon, too fast and for too long. They end up fatigued and sore which is definitely not fun. Eventually, they give up. If you joined a gym to start weight training, limit your first session to 30 min and use weights that seem extremely easy. You should be able to perform the exercise for 15 repetitions (reps) before muscle fatigue sets in. As you get stronger, you can increase the weight and lower the reps. If you’ve decided to begin jogging, start slowly! You shouldn’t hear yourself panting or feel seriously out of breath. Go easy and limit yourself to no more than 10 minutes if you haven’t jogged since, well, forever. Walk for another 10 minutes or so. Then add a couple more minutes of jogging every session or two and soon you will be jogging for 20 minutes or more. Make the initial workouts feel a little too easy and you’ll be back for more next time.

2. Make exercise a party!

Or at least make it a social activity.  Joining an exercise class, sports team, or training group means meeting new people and getting inspired by the instructor, coaches, and athletes more advanced than you. However, you still need to follow tip 1make sure the workout is a little too easy the first few days.  Don’t kill yourself to complete all the bootcamp exercises like the advanced students, and don’t try to keep up with those goat-footed hikers racing ahead of you on the trail.

3. Have fun with technology.

There are many different types of fitness trackers, GPS watches, phone apps, websites, etc. that provide more data than you will probably know what to do with. You can track your daily steps, your average heart rate, your max heart rate, your stress level, your sleep quality, calories burned, pace, distance, and more. You can generate maps of your runs, hikes, swims, bikes etc., to share with friends.  You can compare your workout efforts over the weeks and months to see how much you’ve improved. Be careful though, that you don’t become overly obsessed with collecting data and miss the actual experience of the workout.

4. Make it meaningful to yourself.  

Why are you exercising, to look good and improve your health? Those are great reasons, but they may not be enough to keep you motivated over the long run.  One way to stay focused is to have a larger goal.  Are you trying to overcome an injury? Don’t let where you are now, limit your potential, dream big!  Perhaps you’d like to complete a marathon, sky dive, or snorkel the great barrier reef?  Is there a mountain you always wanted to climb, a wave you wanted to surf, or a sport you always wanted to try? If you don’t know how to achieve your goal, consult with a personal trainer who can set up a customized plan to get you where you want to go and keep it fun along the way. When you’ve accomplished one goal, enjoy your success and then pick something new to work towards.  You will have achieved a fitness-based lifestyle!

5. Make it meaningful for others. 

Many charities sponsor awareness and fund-raising runs, walks, races, and so on. Staying fit while helping others can be very rewarding. Even without a charity, you can dedicate your efforts to someone or something you care about. Create your own team, design your own t-shirts, medals, events, and so on to proudly accomplish your goals in honor of a greater cause.

push button in car6. Use music.

It’s great to listen to your tunes while exercising on your own or feel the beat in a group class. But you can also use music to get yourself pumped prior to your workout. Listen to inspirational music when you first get up in the morning or in the car while you drive to your workout and you’ll be less likely to talk yourself out of exercising. Not a big music fan? Try listening to positive affirmations, freely available on YouTube and other sites to get your motivational juices flowing.

7. Get outdoors.

It may seem obvious but staring at the same four walls for every workout is not conducive to calling it “fun.” If you usually swim in a pool, learn how to swim in the ocean, it’s really quite different! Instead of an indoor rowing machine, try joining a recreational paddling club or rent a kayak.  Attend an outdoor Taichi or Yoga class.  Go for a full moon walk.  Play a new outdoor sport like Frisbee (Disc) golf or lawn bowling. Use your creativity and don’t let the weather keep you indoors. With the right attire, you can enjoy just about any sport in most conditions.

 

The key to achieving a lifestyle where exercise is consistent and productive is to make it fun.  After a year of fun, you may be surprised how fit and healthy you have become and possibly made new friends along the way. 

The OrthoSport Hawaii Physical Therapy Experience

Our guest author for this post is one of our favorite patients and medical fitness members, WENDY PUNG!  She offers her own experiences and advice for anyone who may benefit from physical therapy and medical fitness to improve their movement, strength, functional mobility, and to decrease or eliminate pain. Thanks Wendy! 

PT – IT’S NOT SO SCARY

By Wendy Pung

So you’ve seen your doctor for that nagging pain or you’ve just had surgery and you’ve been given a prescription for physical therapy (PT). This is your first experience with PT and you have no idea what it is, what to expect, and probably most important of all—am I going to hurt even MORE? Just to let you know, the person who is writing this piece to try to allay your fears about PT is not a physical therapist or any other person working in the medical profession. If OrthoSport Hawaii were an airline, I would be called a “frequent flyer” as I have been sent to PT for nagging pains and post-surgery rehab too many times to count! And these many treatments have nothing to do with anything that the Physical Therapists have done or not done; I just have a lot of physical problems. What is PT anyway?

Woman laughing in aquatic therapy pool

To put it simply, physical therapy is a medical treatment to help decrease your pain and stiffness and improve your motion, strength, and overall functional mobility. The therapists do this using a variety of techniques such as exercises, pool therapy, ice, soft tissue and joint mobilization, to name a few.

You may need a prescription from an MD for PT, it depends on your insurance. You can call OrthoSport Hawaii to find out if you’re not sure. In any case, before arriving at your first appointment, you should find out:  what to wear, whether your medical insurance requires a co-payment for each appointment, what documents you need to bring with you (e.g. a list of medications and hospitalizations, insurance and ID cards, etc.) and the clinic’s cancellation or no-show policy.

When you arrive at your first appointment you will be given a set of forms to fill out and sign. These are no different than the forms that your doctor would give you at a first appointment. The most important form would be the one that asks you to describe the problem that brought you to the clinic to be treated by the therapist. Providing details of your pain, limitations, and the goals you would wish to achieve after PT is completed is crucial at this point so don’t be afraid to lay it all out.

You will then start your appointment with the physical therapist. He or she will start the evaluation by asking questions and assessing your overall condition, by taking measurements and testing your strength, range of motion, flexibility, and balance among other parameters. Remember that if you are having any concerns during this procedure, speak up! I have been treated by MANY therapists and none (so far) has bitten, and all have been very understanding. They are always more than helpful, answering my questions with impressive knowledge of the complexities of the human body and how it works.

Your physical therapist will then devise a plan that is just for you, to get you back to moving and feeling better than when you first arrived, using the techniques mentioned above. If you are given exercises to do in the clinic and “homework,” be sure to do them as directed so that you can achieve the best outcome from the therapy. But if anything that is prescribed gives you more pain or any other new symptoms, be sure to tell the therapist. He or she can then modify your treatment—PT can be hard work sometimes but it shouldn’t make you feel worse so talk to him or her!

Besides the channel of communication between you and your therapist, there is also one between the therapist and your doctor. Your doctor will be sent reports on your progress with PT and if additional treatment is required to get you to your goal, they will coordinate that with your therapist so they’ve got you covered! All you have  to concentrate on is going to your appointments, doing what is being asked of you at the clinic and at home, and you will receive the best outcome from PT! Good luck!

New Year, New Ideas

OrthoSport Entrance Sign Aloha! It’s February and the year 2019 (the Earth Pig) is well underway. When the year is new, many people like to begin projects, self-reflect, clear clutter, and start off on a new foot. Here at OrthoSport Hawaii, we’ve decided to commit to improved communication with our clients, patients, customers, and referral sources, as well as the general public, to promote health, mobility, function, and fitness on Oahu. In addition to these regular posts on our website, you will be seeing more interesting content on our Facebook and Instagram pages. We will be running contests and challenges, offering fun prizes, and encouraging more interaction from you – our favorite people!

One of the many things that makes OrthoSport unique is our Medical Fitness center. Did you know that we used to call it the “MOG” which stood for “Medically Oriented Gym?” You may still hear some of our long-term (notice I didn’t say “older” 😉) members referring to the MOG, but we dropped that moniker in favor of something a little less, well, odd-sounding. Whether it be a MOG, a Medical Fitness center or just a great place to focus on health and fitness, doesn’t really matter though because what does matter is the care and treatment our members receive; which starts when they begin their initial orientations. Unlike big franchise gyms, YMCAs, and even the exclusive fitness clubs on the island, the OrthoSport Medical Fitness center focuses on providing a variety of health and fitness services to individuals of all ages, abilities, health conditions, and fitness levels. We meet our customers right where they are. Today. Our complimentary, no-obligation fitness orientation helps you assess where you are in terms of your health, physical fitness, diet, and overall well-being. Based on that, we recommend services tailored to your budget, needs, and goals.

For example, a typical member of our Medical Fitness program may have completed physical therapy for a knee injury but doesn’t yet feel ready to return to his or her favorite sport, let’s say tennis. I know tennis players will do just about anything to keep playing! This member may work 1 on 1 with a personal trainer to regain their strength and agility, but with the confidence that comes from knowing our trainers are educated and equipped to professionally challenge their clients without causing re-injury.

Another member may be struggling with balance due to age or illness. A balance screening can assess whether he or she should pursue physical therapy first, or if our Balance and Bones group class might be a good fit. In addition, a nutritional consult with our Registered Dietitian may help address feelings of light-headedness, dizziness, and so on. And of course, we have many members who literally adore our heated therapy pool. Some people will join the gym solely to use the pool to continue their aquatic therapy program or for pain relief and relaxation.

Whether you are a past or current physical therapy patient, a Medical Fitness member, or someone interested in improving the quality of their life, OrthoSport Hawaii is here to serve your needs. We are always happy to chat with you about your health concerns and goals. We have physical therapists and Medical Fitness trainers waiting to meet with you, so what are you waiting for?

For information on Physical Therapy call: (808) 373-3555.

For Medical Fitness services call (808) 373-1114. Contact us via our web page.
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