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

We are excited to announce the opening of our newest clinic in Cummings, GA. The clinic is located at 5310 Matt Highway Suite 105 and can be reached at 470-239-4255. Clinic director Katie Dwozan earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a doctor of physical therapy degree from the University of North Georgia. She is trained in pelvic health rehabilitation for women and is certified in trigger point dry needling. For more information and to request an appointment, v...isit: https://benchmark.urpt.com/locations/cumming-matt-hwy/ Be sure to like our clinic Facebook page for news and updates: https://www.facebook.com/bmptmatthwyga

"Sports have been part of my life since I was a young girl. I played baseball/softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, and even a year of flag football. When I reached high school, I knew I wanted to do something that involved sports for my career. Throughout my time in athletics, I experienced no serious injuries until my senior basketball season when I tore a ligament in my knee. When this happened, I thought I was going to miss out on my senior softball season, my favorit...e sport I played and one that I aspired playing at the collegiate level. Carley Casado was my Athletic Trainer at the time and was the main person that supported me throughout my recovery and helped me return to softball and have a record-breaking season, which led to me being able to play at Penn State Altoona. After going through this experience, it made me realize that I wanted to be on the other end of this situation. I wanted to be the one that would help athletes to recover from injuries and return to playing the sport they love. There are so many aspects I love about being an Athletic Trainer. However, my ultimate favorite part is the relationships that I develop with the athletes. I get to be one of their biggest cheerleaders and be with them through all the successes and failures. I am the first person they see when they get injured, and the last person they see before they return to the sport they love. This process allows me to create important relationships and help shape them into not only a better athlete, but hopefully a better person overall. I hope to always have a positive influence on all my athletes’ lives in whatever way I can, whether that’s being an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or someone to be their biggest advocate. The best part about this is that they also have a big impact on me as well, both as a clinician and as a person. They help me to grow every day as well!" ~Ashley Struble, ATC Happy National Athletic Training Month! We are celebrating by taking a time out with some of our athletic trainers to find out what athletic training means to them. Our athletic trainers and clinical staff work closely together and are committed to providing superior sports medicine services. #NATM2021 #UpstreamFamily

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

Our clinic in Lake Oconee - Greensboro GA will be opening soon! The clinic is located at 6183 Lake Oconee Parkway and can be reached at 762-445-1940. For more information and to request an appointment, visit: https://benchmark.urpt.com/locations/lake-oconee/

Our clinic in Berwick - Savannah GA will be opening soon! The clinic is located at 5710 Ogeechee Road Suite 440 and can be reached at 912-777-3378. For more information and to request an appointment, visit: https://benchmark.urpt.com/locations/berwick/

One of the most common questions we are asked is, Should I use heat or ice? The answer depends on what type of injury you are trying to treat. BOTH cold and superficial heat can decrease the symptoms of musculoskeletal injuries and pain. Ice and heat are good options to manage the pain and swelling that occurs with musculoskeletal conditions. Both modalities have minimal side effects and are easily accessible when dealing with pain. The most general answer is use ice for ...acute (recent) injuries and heat for chronic (long-standing) injuries. With the knowledge of how ice and heat affect your body, the best option could come down to what feels best for your injury.

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!

It’s snow season just about everywhere! Don’t injure yourself trying to clean up after the storm. Snow removal can be a burden, especially to the low back, shoulders and neck. Below are some strategies you can use to help prevent injury: Widen Your Base of Support: Use a wide stance to improve balance and stability.... Use Your Legs: When you bend to shovel, make sure you keep your back arched. Do this by pushing your hips backward, shoulders forward and bending down from your hips and knees. Keep the Shovel Close: Hold the shovel close to your body to decrease strain on the low back, neck and rotator cuff of the shoulder. Know Your Limits: Be sure to keep each shovel load small enough to feel comfortable. Take breaks to prevent over straining muscles. Don’t Twist: Toss snow straight ahead vs. twisting your body to throw. See more

Did you know, patients who attend therapy in a hybrid model have the highest patient satisfaction rates? Our patients who attend therapy sessions via both telehealth and in-clinic are 99.5% satisfied with their outcomes. See for yourself: Through telehealth, you are able to connect with your therapist more frequently to ask questions and review home exercises which empowers you to take a more active approach to your care.

It's American #HeartMonth This week we're looking at the risk factors for heart disease: High LDL cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use. When you look at this list, it becomes clear that most if not all of these risk factors are controllable! As recommended by the American Heart Association for physical activity and overall cardiovascular health:... Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity (or a combination of both), preferably spread throughout the week. Where to get started? The easiest and most effective way to begin an exercise program is to start walking. It is easy, sociable, can be done anywhere, and doesn’t cost a penny. It is easy to make a walking program part of your daily routine and it doesn’t have to be 30 minutes continuously: You can break it up into three 10-minute sessions per day.