BenchMark Physical Therapy

This Physical Therapy Month, our #upstreamfamily associates are offering their thanks to the physical therapists that have been a true inspiration to them personally and those who have gone above and beyond to support their patients, community, and clinics. Thank you, Sarah Christopher, DPT, for inspiring those around you! "Sarah Christopher is the new clinical director for this location. At first, I was afraid of how a new boss would be. Sarah is kind and concerned with not ...only her patients but her employees as well. Our patients enjoy working with her, and I feel they really look forward to conversing with her when they come in. She is good at remembering what her patients last spoke about and their concerns. I have had patients call me back after their appointment with her to tell Sarah, "thank you." She takes the initiative to market for our clinic and takes women's health courses to open up another branch of people we can help. She is awesome, and I want her to know that what she brings to our clinic does not go unseen, and we at New Vision want to thank her for all her hard work. Thank you, Sarah Christopher!!!" #Upstreamfamily #PTmonth #ThankATherapist

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

Tomorrow is the first day of spring - are you ready for some spring cleaning? 30 minutes of housework is considered moderate exercise. Who knew that getting your home into shape could get you into better shape, too? Now that the winter hibernation is over and it’s time for our spring cleaning, let’s take a look at how your household chores can improve your fitness.... https://bit.ly/3bZaDiG

Feel the benefits of physical therapy: 1. Stress Relief When you remove the stress of being unhealthy from your mind and body, you lower your cortisol levels. High cortisol levels have been linked to atherosclerosis, reduced cognitive functioning, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. 2. A Better Understanding of Your Condition Through physical therapy, you can learn more about your condition. 3. A Stronger Core Physical therapy focuses on core stability and strengthening to restore pelvis and back muscle health (whole body support).

This #wearitwednesday is a pretty special one and dedicated to one of our own - Georgia Account Manager, Amanda Hayhurst, and her son, Reese. On December 2nd Amanda’s family received earth shattering news that every parent prays they never hear. Their precious, lively, and loving 2-year old son was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Reese has been battling the leukemia ever since. You can follow his journey on Facebook under Rooting for Reese. This past #wearitwednesday was dedicated to him as Amanda’s fellow account managers, along with some clinics, choose to not only draw awareness to leukemia, but also rally around their teammate and friend in an effort send love for Amanda’s precious son, Reese. #UpstreamFamily #RootforReese #leukemiaawareness

This week is National Patient Safety Week which is something that we committed to not just this week, but every week. Our highly trained staff has always practiced industry-exceeding techniques to ensure our facilities, linens, and equipment are disinfected and handled properly each and every day. Our clinics are CLEAN. Our environment is SAFE. We are READY to provide the care you need!

Could tightness between your shoulder blades be causing your head to ache? Headache symptoms are associated with many different illness and pathologies and account for 8 million doctor visits each year. Common causes of headaches: * Muscle tension and tightness * Decreased neck range of motion... * Tightness between the shoulder blades * Episodes of dizziness or vertigo * Teeth grinding HOW CAN PHYSICAL THERAPY HELP? Neurological Rehab is effective for migraine, tension and cervicogenic headaches - helping decrease the latency and intensity by 50%.

Every one is different. Every injury, every condition and every need. During your first visit, your physical therapist will do an initial evaluation and discuss your plan of care. The therapist uses this information to set goals for your continued treatment. Your subsequent visits will focus on treatment that is based on your diagnosis and individualized goals. Physical therapy goals may include improved movement, strength, endurance and flexibility, as well as decreased p...ain. We will empower you to take an active role in your healthcare but you must always remember: be patient with your body, mind, yourself. #MotivationMonday

Santa knows the benefits of physical therapy include: Improved muscle function, for a long night of guiding the sleigh. Greater flexibility, for climbing in and out of the chimney. Stress relief, during a hectic holiday season. ... A stronger core, for hauling gifts. Every patient has a unique health history, diagnosis and personal goals. When you come for your first appointment, we will create a personalized treatment plan for you.

Winter is here, but your training doesn’t have to take a break just because the weather has gotten colder and snow is on the ground. When the weather turns for the worse, you can continue to run in cold wind, freezing temperatures and snow, or go inside on the treadmill for three months. There is no wrong decision; it all depends on the individual runner and what best suits his or her needs.

TIME IS RUNNING OUT ACT NOW TO STOP MEDICARE CUTS Congress must act immediately to stop drastic Medicare cuts from effect on January 1st. These regulations, proposed by unelected government regulators, would cut some Medicare services by up to 10% - limiting access to needed care for seniors during a health crisis. There is pending legislation in both the U.S. Senate (S. 5007) and U.S. House (H.R. 8702) that would stop these Medicare cuts.... Your help is needed - contact your Senator and Member of Congress today. Ask them to support and pass S. 5007 and H.R. 8702 before the adjourn for the year. Time is running out text APTA to 52886 or visit our take action page. It takes just a few minutes to protect seniors from these unnecessary Medicare cuts. Don’t wait take action right now! #FightTheCut https://bit.ly/34iYwsR

Vertigo, the sensation or illusion of spinning, can have many root causes. Did you know physical therapy can help? A physical therapist will complete a comprehensive evaluation to determine the underlying cause of your vertigo and will create a customized program to address your needs. Treatment for vertigo may include:... * Eye tracking exercises * Balance exercises on various surfaces * Walking exercises with various head movements * Habituation (Brandt Daroff) exercises * Canalith re-positioning procedures

Our Top 8 Reasons to use Telehealth Physical Therapy: 1. Provides an option for patients looking to take extra precautions during this time of time of change and uncertainty. 2. Allows patients to participate in their physical therapy treatment from the comfort of ... their own home. 3. Can be used to complement your in-clinic treatment plan. 4. Quick access to care with no office wait. 5. Diagnosis, consultation, education and care management of their current condition. 6. Minimizes requirement to travel to a physical therapy clinic. 7. Telehealth PT also allows patients who live in a rural or far-away location to get quality care right at home. 8. Gives patients greater freedom to schedule appointments that meet their own specific schedules. #FeatureFriday #Telehealth See more

Our clinics are CLEAN. Our highly trained staff practices industry-exceeding techniques to ensure our facilities, linens and equipment are disinfected and handled properly each day. We follow all CDC guidelines for hand-hygiene, provide thorough sanitation between patient sessions and ensure access to hand sanitizer stations for all. Each clinic will always continue to adhere to additional safety measures and procedures as required by individual state guidelines. To read more about our the steps we are taking and our FAQ for protocols in place, please visit https://benchmark.urpt.com/coronavirus-update-clean-safe-r/

An estimated 23 percent of American adults suffer from arthritis, making it a leading cause of work pain and disability. But there is good news! You can take action to treat this disease and get back to doing the activities you love in your daily life. Though it seems counterintuitive, studies have shown that one of the best treatments for osteoarthritis is exercise. Read on for some evidence-based reasons why exercise is so important: https://benchmark.urpt.com//benefits-of-exercise-for-oste/

Is prehab right for you? When considering orthopedic surgery, prehabilitation, or prehab, prior to joint replacement prepares the body for extensive surgery and can assist in decreasing recovery times. In fact, with 4 weeks of prehab, postoperative functional exercise capacity increases significantly and individuals with better physical fitness prior to surgery have been shown to have better postoperative outcomes.

Invest in yourself - not only during your physical therapy visit, but at home. One of the biggest components of success in physical therapy is the home exercise program, or HEP. One could say the HEP is up to fifty percent of the reason you will achieve better outcomes; considering the average physical therapy visit ranges from 45-60 minutes, which may not be enough time to make the drastic change you need. The home exercise program will most likely be prescribed on the firs...t day and be geared toward your goals and the treatment that made you feel and/or move better. For example, if the radiating symptoms from your low back lessened after treatment on your back, your therapist will send you home with an activity to reinforce that movement on day one. Make sure your therapist teaches you the exercise and provides instructions on a take-home piece of paper that also includes frequency, duration, and number of sets and reps so you know what is expected of you. Staying motivated and adhering to your HEP can be difficult, but it likely will speed your pain relief or return to function. #MotivationMonday

Tell congress that you oppose Medicare cuts to speciality providers. We believe everyone deserves access to physical therapy! Click here to #FightTheCut www.urpt.com/FightTheCut

Our last #PTMonth #SaturdaySpotlight is on Kurtisha Norris, PT, DPT, CSCS. Kurtisha choose the physical therapy profession after observing a physical therapist working in a BenchMark clinic. She quickly fell in love with the profession throughout that experience and was fascinated by the power of the various treatment options to help patients reach their goals. She remembers how fun the environment was and how it made her excited to come back each day. Kurtisha learned that h...er passion for movement and the importance of integrating it into daily life was aligned with the goal of physical therapy. The opportunity to commit to sharing this and improving the quality of peoples' lives was one that she could not pass up. Kurtisha says her favorite part of the job is celebrating with her patients after they reach each and every goal. She loves to see the surprised looks on their faces and hearing the words "I didn't think I would ever be able to do that again."

This year, Upstream’s Pillars with Purpose is fighting for food security across the nation and has hosted a fund and food drive. Some of the numbers are already in: 8,351 pounds of food and 18K in donations...and we aren't done yet. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we gather data to report the final numbers. While the food drive may have ended, you can still join the fight with a monetary donation, visit https://pillarswithpurpose.org/fight-for-food-security/. #PillarsDailyBread

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

Happening now! We continue to fight for food security in our communities! This 5k was to benefit the Earl Besch Fund, which gives food to families in a local school district. So proud of these kids for running hard, understanding why awareness of the issue is important and for the teachers and district for supporting this great effort! #PillarsDailyBread

Last day of #PTMonth #SaturdaySpotlights and we're sad to see it come to an end. We've got a few more coming at you today to finish off the month strong, starting with Remi Onifade, PT, DPT, M. Ed. Remi says she became a physical therapist after always considering the medical field as an appropriate career to be independent, societally respected, and in a position to help the black community. She believes if you like your profession and it is something you could do for free depending on circumstances, you will be successful. As a physical therapist, Remi has found solace in the day-to-day interactions with her staff, using her hands to "fix" a problem, and creating an environment within the clinic that the community she is serving is using as their provider of choice.

It’s a wrap! There is nothing more fitting than closing out #PTMonth with those that make a difference every single day: Our physical therapists. All are committed to helping our patients achieve their physical goals and improve the quality of their lives. Thank you!

It is not too late to be heard! Use your voice to help us prevent devastating, proposed Medicare cuts that reduce patient access to physical therapy! Click the link to #FightTheCut www.urpt.com/FightTheCut