BenchMark Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a medical, hands-on approach to relieving pain and restoring function. So, what can you expect at a physical therapy visit? It's pretty simple. So simple, we've broken it down into four sections. #PTMonth #ChoosePT #UpstreamFamily

Help us prevent devastating, proposed Medicare cuts that reduce patient access to outpatient physical and occupational therapy! You can start by sending a letter to your lawmakers in Congress asking them to oppose Medicare cuts to specialty providers. To #FightTheCut, visit https://bit.ly/3iZie3S and select the option Contact Congress Today and Raise Your Voice Against Medicare Cuts.:

We love to hear our patients’ success stories. How has your life improved through your experience with us? Are you moving better and feeling better? Do you have a therapist you want to applaud? Share your experience with us, and we might include your story in one of our upcoming emails or social media posts. https://bit.ly/3uhLypR

Physical therapy wound care is for patients who have open wounds as a result of pressure, vascular insufficiency, trauma, surgery, or diabetes. One of our therapists, Emily Myers, DPT, answers the common questions regarding wound care and physical therapy. #PTMonth #ChoosePT #UpstreamFamily #AskATherapist

Because of your votes, BenchMark PT won the Best of 2021 in the Physical Therapy Center Category! We are grateful to our customers and community and appreciate Best Self Atlanta Magazine for this honor.

Stretch, strengthen, heal, balance. Bring your physical therapy and rehab program to your home with a patient kit. Each kit is specific to the body part needing therapy to assist in elevating your results and now you can find all you need right here: https://shop.urpt.com/

It is clear that regular exercise positively influences multiple factors correlated with health AND happiness. Exercise releases feel good chemicals including endorphins, BDNF, serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals reduce the transmission of pain signals, promote feelings of pleasure, and reward and increase motivation. Exercise also reduces the release of cortisol, a stress-inducing chemical. ... In short, exercise: * Reduces stress and anxiety levels * Improves overall mood * Boosts the immune system * Reduces physical pain * Helps maintain routines * Improves sleep quality * Improves energy levels * Helps encourage weight loss Physical Therapy Can Help If pain, injury or other personal factors are limiting your ability to be active, physical therapy can help. Physical therapists perform comprehensive evaluations to determine any musculoskeletal impairments or functional imitations that should be addressed in your active lifestyle plan. They can recommend appropriate exercises, environmental modifications or lifestyle changes to help you meet your personal fitness and well-being goals. Physical therapists are here to empower you to lead a happier and healthier life through exercise.

Depending on severity, Covid-19 symptoms can lead to deconditioning, or a decline in function that occurs with prolonged inactivity and bed rest as your body struggles to recover. The general rule is use it or lose it but how quickly your fitness level declines depends on your original fitness level, your age, the length of inactivity time, and the reason for the inactivity. How can physical therapy help?

More than half of skiing injuries involve the lower extremity, with more than 30 percent of injuries directly related to the knee. These six tips will held reduce and prevent ski-related knee injuries so you can keep enjoying the winter fun. * Take lessons from a professional instructor in order to maintain a proper, effective skiing technique. * Have your bindings set correctly and use the correct skis for your ability, height and weight. * Warm up with dynamic activities f...or at least five minutes. Take a few easy and slow ski runs to complete a warm-up. * Follow all posted safety rules. Ski on trails that suit your ability and fitness level. * Hydrate * Take rests, as injuries are more common with fatigue. Preparation is essential to preventing ski-related knee injuries. Body preparation can be achieved through cardiovascular fitness, range of motion and flexibility exercises, ski-specific exercises, balance and proprioception exercises, dynamic functional movements and core-strengthening exercises. Although all ski-related injuries cannot be avoided, many can be prevented through proper training, conditioning and preparation. If a knee injury is suspected, seek immediate medical advice and treatment.

Our clinic in Dawsonville Downtown, GA is opening later this month! The clinic is located at 29 Main St Suite 130 and can be reached at 706-344-1323. For a full list of services and to request an appointment, visit: https://benchmark.urpt.com/locations/dawsonville-downtown/

We love to hear our patients’ success stories. How has your life improved through your experience with us? Are you moving better and feeling better? Do you have a therapist you want to applaud? Share your experience with us!

Still looking at your New Year Resolutions? If you’ve penciled in start running on your list, we’ve got 5 steps to safely begin so you can add a check mark to one of your new goals. 1. Start SLOWLY. It takes time to adjust to running and increasing distance or speed too quickly can lead to injuries. Never increase your mileage by more than 10 percent each week. 2. Use a RUN-WALK program. Use a circuit between running and walking. As you get more comfortable with runnin...g, the intervals of walking can decrease and the amount of running will increase. 3. Wear PROPER SHOES. The best way to figure out what type of shoe you need is to have a local specialty running store help you. They LOVE welcoming new runners to the family and will ensure that you are fitted appropriately. The proper shoe will decrease the extra force that is placed on your joints and reduce the chance of pain and injury. 4. Find a running BUDDY. A great way to overcome the mental struggle that makes you want to stop because you are tired or bored is have a friend complete the workout with you. Having someone to talk to and push your toward your goals (and commiserate with you) will help quiet that inner voice telling you to stop. 5. Consult a doctor PRIOR to new exercise. Beginning any new exercise program can be hard on your body. Before you start running, visit your primary care physician to ensure that you are ready to take on the task. #MondayMotivation

Every year, December brings us holidays and wintry weather and every year in our clinics we encounter patients who have fallen while walking on the snow and ice. The incidence of falls often is higher in the elderly. Statistics show that about one-third of the elderly population over the age of 65 fall each year. To prevent slips and falls this winter: 1) Take your time to get to your destination 2) Wear footwear with rubber soles to help provide better traction... 3) Take small steps to maintain your center of balance 4) Avoid carrying heavy bags, especially on steps. Having both hands free helps to maintain balance 5) Hold onto the car for support when getting in or out See more

While there is no strong evidence that it prevents people from getting COVID-19, exercise may help to limit the risk of fatal coronavirus complications. The ACSM has found that our bodies produce immune boosts by mobilizing millions of cells during whole-body cardio exercises. As blood circulates, it carries these boosts throughout our organs, where the immune cells look for foreign, potentially infection-carrying cells to fight. Read on to learn how many minutes of cardio per week the American College for Sports Medicine recommends: https://benchmark.urpt.com//exercise-may-protect-against-/

In many parts of the country, we are in the throes of winter’s cold weather. For many people, cold weather is more than inconvenient; it causes a very real increase in pain. Whether you have a chronic, systemic condition, a long-standing orthopedic problem, or just the aches and pains that come with aging, cold weather can magnify the associated pain. But why?

Despite unified warnings from lawmakers, specialty providers, and other stakeholders, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) plans to move forward with deep, across-the-board payment cuts to more than 30 specialties including an alarming 9% cut to physical and occupational therapy services on January 1, 2021. Fortunately, Congress is working to stop these severe cuts from taking effect. Representatives Ami Bera, M.D. (D-CA) and Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN) rece...ntly introduced the Holding Providers Harmless from Medicare Cuts During COVID-19 Act (H.R. 8702), which would provide much-needed relief to dozens of specialty providers that are scheduled to incur severe Medicare reimbursement cuts by keeping funding levels for affected specialties at 2020 levels over the next two years. Your lawmakers need to hear from you about the urgency of stopping these devastating cuts before the end of the year. Please email your lawmakers now and ask them to oppose Medicare cuts to specialty providers by supporting H.R. 8702! https://www.aptqi.com/take-action/

The hand is a complex and delicate part of our body that we use for all aspects of our daily activities. One of the most common diagnoses is carpal tunnel syndrome. Did you know occupational and physical therapy can help with carpal tunnel syndrome? Recent evidence has suggested that occupational and physical therapy are just as effective as surgery in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome when manual therapy is utilized. The use of manual therapy can improve hand and wrist function and improve pain and result in lasting outcomes making it an excellent first-line choice for treatment.

We are honored to be nominated for Best Physical Therapy Center with Best Self Atlanta Magazine! Cast your vote now through November 2nd!

The proposed 9% Medicare cut to physical, occupational and speech therapy will undermine patient access and lead to negative downstream consequences for seniors & healthcare delivery system costs. Ask your lawmakers to #fightthecut: https://www.APTQI.com/FightTheCut

We’re excited to announce the opening of our Sandy Springs, GA location! The new clinic is located at 5575 New Northside Drive, Suite 100. Clinic director, Jeff McIntyre, earned a doctor of physical therapy degree from Dusqusne University and is certified in dry needling and a certified functional evaluator, or CFE. Jeff’s clinical interests include orthopedic and neurological populations, sports medicine, injury prevention/wellness and injured workers. The clinic is open 9a...m to 7pm Monday and Wednesday; 7am to 4pm Tuesday and Thursday; 7am to 1pm Friday and can be reached at 770-726-7867. To learn more or to request an appointment visit our website: https://benchmark.urpt.com//sandy-springs-new-northside-d/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BMPTNewNorthsideDr/

By focusing on being the best, we deliver an experience that exceeds our patients’ highest expectations. #PTMonth #TuesdayTestimonial

We’re excited to announce the opening of our Ringgold, GA location! The new clinic is located at 113 Poplar Springs Road and is led by clinic director, Matt Eller. Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Georgia Southern University and a doctor of physical therapy degree from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. His clinic interests include sports-related injuries and post-operative care. Matt is trained in the treatment of vestibular/vertigo disorders and has experience treating orthopedic conditions and neurological disorders. You can follow us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/BMPTRinggoldGA/ To request an appointment, please visit our website: https://benchmark.urpt.com/locations/ringgold/

People that have been affected directly by the coronavirus or who have limited physical activity due to self-isolation may have similar issues increased fatigue, weakness, difficulty breathing, decreased endurance, and reduced balance. The good news physical therapy can help! We take an individualized approach with each patient and perform a thorough evaluation that includes vital monitoring (heart rate, blood pressure, breathing function, etc.), balance testing, strength... and flexibility testing, and activity tolerance. These tests and measures establish a baseline of function. We then develop a plan to progress safely to the highest level of function. HOW WE DO THIS: Capacity Testing Musculoskeletal Evaluation Manual Therapy Corrective Exercise Balance and Gait Training Goal-Oriented Functional Activities Safe-Discharge Planning Evidence has shown that manual therapy, followed by corrective exercise, improves overall lung function. We teach strategies to minimize stress on the heart and lung systems and the rest of the body. Our ultimate goal is to return patients to their prior levels of function, improving their quality of life by getting them back to normal. #PTMonth

Outpatient therapy can play a vital role in helping the adult population continue to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. By providing services such as orthopedic rehabilitation, wellness programs, pre-habilitation, fall prevention, and pelvic health services, our trained clinicians can help improve independence, strength/conditioning, balance, and overall general well-being. Proposed Medicare cuts could limit your access to these very programs and services that keep you active and healthy. Help us #FightTheCut by visiting urpt.com/FightTheCut

It's #PTMonth and we are proud to continue to spotlight our physical therapists. This #SaturdaySpotlight is on Cierra Thornton, PT, DPT. Cierra initially aspired to become a physician, but after personal interactions with physicians she knew she would desire more face-to-face time with her patients. After some more research, she discovered a list of careers that not only allowed, but encouraged extended face-to-face time with patients. Physical therapy was at the top of the l...ist based on her interest at the time and the diversity of the field. After shadowing a therapist in high school, her interest in physical therapy grew even more. Cierra says best part of her job are discharge days. "Discharge days allow both you and your patient to reflect and often rejoice in the progress they have made. Whether if be three weeks after initial evaluation or 16 weeks, the feeling is the same," she says. "Physical rehabilitation is a process that has many highs and lows and to know you have equipped a patient with the tools needed to heal or manage their condition is an amazing feeling."

For athletes facing injury, the ultimate goal of physical therapy is to get them back in the game as quickly and safely as possible. However, athletes who return to sport too early risk the chance of reinjury. We take a multi-disciplinary sports medicine approach to treatment with our athletes by including coaches, athletic trainers, and physicians in the process, carefully guiding the athlete’s rehabilitation to ensure a full and safe recovery. Physical Therapy Benefits for... Athletes Include: Functional baseline testing Decreased soft tissue inflammation Relief of spasms Improved tissue healing Increased balance and coordination Personalized exercise program to improve mobility Regaining lost strength Targeted sport-specific exercise to return to pre-injury function Preparation to avoid recurrent injuries See more

Core strength enhances both balance and stability which can help prevent falls and injuries as well as reduce pain. Physical therapists can show you which exercises are best to properly engage your core and achieve your goals. #PTMonth #PTHumor

Manual therapy is one of the most important and beneficial treatment techniques used among physical therapists. Manual therapy is a personalized 'hands-on' approach aimed at improving the mobility of the joints, muscles, and neurovascular structures. It includes specific, evidence-based techniques to treat soft-tissue injuries and joint limitations to improve efficiency of movement. The below diagram shows conditions that can be treated by one of our skilled physical therapists using manual therapy techniques. #PTMonth