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April 2010

OSR Welcomes Two New Faces

OSR Physical Therapy is pleased to welcome two new staff members, Tim Strader and Stacey Roberts. Tim joins us as our new Director of Marketing. He will be working with physicians, referral coordinators and community groups around the valley to help promote OSR's four locations. Stacey has joined our administrative staff at the Anthem clinic, working in our billing department. Welcome aboard Tim & Stacey!

A Satisfied Patient

I went on a bike ride yesterday for the first time in over 7 years. This is a real accomplishment for me since after a car accident over 7 years ago, I was in such excruciating back pain that I ended up in rehabilitation for 8 months, had 2 surgical procedures, and at my worst, lost sensation and function in my right leg. I had resigned myself to believing that I would probably just spend the rest of my life with back pain. Then after having total pain relief following PT on my foot and knee (unrelated to the accident), I thought it couldn't hurt to give PT a try for my back.

The team at OSR (Gilbert location) are the best I've ever had the pleasure of working with. From Tyler's accommodating hospitality & warmth at the front desk to Bethany's friendly smile, patience & guidance with the exercises, the staff at this location are the cream of the crop. Of course I can't sing the praises of my physical therapist, Curtiss, loud enough. He spent time educating me, listening to my concerns, answering all my questions, and assisting me in progressing thru the treatments. Most of the time I am pain free now and on the infrequent occasions that the back pain flares up again, I have the tools I need to self treat and relieve the discomfort.

I would highly recommend OSR to anyone and everyone who asks me, and have. They have empowered me to get my life back & I'm doing things I had thought would not ever be possible again. It's not magic ... it's simply good mechanics & using our bodies functionally to be safe and strong.

Many thanks, forever grateful. -Erica Frishkorn

A Satisfied Patient

This month we are spotlighting not just one employee, but the entire Gilbert clinic. OSR Gilbert represents the third OSR expansion site and the second OSR clinic located within a Mountainside Fitness Center. Established to provide outstanding patient care to the southeast valley, including Gilbert, Chandler, Mesa and Queen Creek, OSR Gilbert has been open since June 2009.

As the clinic continues to grow within the local community, Clinic Director, Curtiss Young, PT, MPT, says their success has much to do with the positive patient results achieved through the attentive care of his staff. Bethany, Tyler and, newest on staff, Sarah Harwell, PT, DPT, team up with Curtiss to provide their patients with a welcoming, personalized and effective treatment environment, consistent with the "OSR Standard."

Our Gilbert clinic is working to develop relationships and build ties within the community, participating in local events and sponsoring high school athletic and sports medicine programs. They continue to offer numerous additional services, including assisted stretching, Quik-Stim packages, and OSR Edge Metabolic Assessments. Always willing to help, Curtiss and the Gilbert staff encourage inquiries and look forward to providing educational opportunities to patients through a series of upcoming seminars on physical therapy, wellness and related topics. OSR Gilbert: 480.857.7123.

The Shoulder: Always a "Humerus" Joint

By Mike Beebe: The shoulder is by far the most complex joint in the human body. While built mainly for mobility, it is at the same time quite unstable. Unlike other joints in the body the shoulder relies heavily on muscles and tendons for its stability rather than ligaments and capsular structures. The Gleno-humeral joint or shoulder joint is made up of the connection between the humerus (upper arm bone) and the scapula (shoulder blade). It can move in multiple directions. The head of the humerous and its relationship with the scapula is analogous to a baseball sitting on top of a shot glass, therefore being rather unstable. There is a rim of cartilage around the "shot glass" that helps to deepen and widen the area so the ball doesn't slide off. There are also numerous ligaments and other structures that also help to maintain the proper positioning to avoid an unstable situation.

The Arizona desert provides for some of the best outdoor activities around. Unfortunately this also leads to a number of injuries, especially to the shoulder. However, there are many times when the cause of the shoulder pain and impairment might be in the absence of trauma. Either way, the first step is to identify the offended structures, which isn't always as easy as it seems. The rotator cuff (the four muscles deep in the shoulder), the biceps tendon, the cartilage (labrum), and the capsule (the covering of the joint) are all potential suspects, just to name a few. Your orthopedist and/or Physical Therapist can help to make an accurate diagnosis. You may also need other imaging techniques such as MRI or CT scan as ordered by your doctor to determine the extent of the injury.

Over time, and usually with long periods of de-conditioning, the shoulder can become achy, painful, weak, and cause sleep disturbances. Poor posture and body mechanics can, with time, also cause shoulder-related problems. With age the rotator cuff can begin to weaken and fail even in our thirties and forties. Exercises to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder, scapula, and other structures are rather simple and not very time consuming. If appropriate, your Physical Therapist can design a routine of exercises to strengthen and stretch the necessary soft tissues to promote proper alignment and therefore proper function.

If you or someone you know has a question regarding the shoulder or other orthopedic- related concern, please stop by or call to speak to the licensed Physical Therapists at OSR - we're glad to help.

Relay For Life May 1, 2010

"Cancer doesn't sleep and neither will we" OSR is preparing for its 5th year of being involved with Relay for Life (RFL). RFL, is a fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. It is an overnight "relay" event designed to raise money for cancer research and celebrate survivorship while spreading awareness of cancer prevention, treatment, and research efforts. Every dollar counts and OSR appreciates all of your donations. If you have any questions or would like to donate, please call or stop by any OSR clinic location. Thank you for supporting our team! Together we can see a cure in our lifetime!

RFL will be held on May 1st-May 2nd 5pm-5am @ Boulder Creek High School in Anthem, AZ .