June 2015
ALTA NEWS
Jane Knows Tape
Advance, a national Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation
magazine interviewed Jane Milliff last month about taping. Jane talked about the many benefits of taping for back injuries. To read the full article, click here.
Aimee Heckel Visits ALTA
Jonathan Oldham had a blast working with Aimee Heckel of the Daily Camera this spring. Aimee has taken dozens of exercise classes around the county, and is an eager student. Aimee experienced Pilates for Osteoporosis, as only Jonathan can teach it. And she was surprised by how much she learned about bone and spine health. Jonathan was trained by Sheri Betz, PT, the national expert in the subject. He is passionate about addressing the problem of using the entire
repertoire of classical Pilates exercises when clients have bone health issues. Jonathan will be teaching a series of Pilates classes
The Straight Scoop on Posture
My father, a physical therapist, used
to have me walk around with both
arms behind my back – my left hand
holding my right elbow – because he
was tired of telling me to stand up
straight. He learned during PT
school way back in the early 50s,
that bad posture caused pain and
physical therapists have been
sharing that story ever since.
Postural exercises are a staple in
most physical therapy programs, and
PTs routinely look at posture when
examining a patient. Our professors
taught us that if we fixed bad
posture, we’d alleviate pain. But
we’ve been wrong all along – as shown in multiple studies, bad posture does not cause pain and good posture doesn’t alleviate it. (1)
So why do I continue to care about posture and why should you care too?
How posture affects function and mood –read more
Paying It Forward
Michael Westphale has always been active. From hiking and biking in summer to skiing and hockey in winter, Michael made the most of his formative years in Steamboat Springs. But everything changed in 2003. Michael was hit by a drunk driver and spent 22 days in a coma. He had severe internal injuries, a brain injury and fractures of the pelvis, femur and sternum. Determination and hard work combined with the support of a dedicated
for Osteoporosis this fall. Stay tuned for more information.
SHE HAS A NAME!
rehab team helped Michael get his life back. And he wants to pay it forward.
Becoming a PTA was perfect.
Michael knows how to encourage
and support others in the rehab
process. And he’s eager to educate
patients about the root cause of
painful problems. Though Michael
has worked with professional
athletes in hockey, soccer, and
rugby, he is just as happy to treat
anyone who needs help reaching
their physical therapy goals.
And talk about passionate, Michael loves ASTYM! Here’s what ASTYM can do for you:
Achilles tendinosis, tennis elbow, and plantar fasciitis are painful conditions that can hobble people
“I’m passionate about helping patients get and stay motivated during rehab so they can return to all their activities without worry about a previous injury.”
Our beloved
Therapist/Pilates instructor, Erin and her husband Paul, welcomed Sybil Ruth Brooks on May 26th.
She is absolutely perfect!
Our Office will be
closed on
Friday, July 3rd
for the Holiday
for months. Though sufferers are often tight, stretching alone is futile in addressing the tightness. But that doesn’t mean there are no answers to these common musculoskeletal problems.
ASTYM was invented in 1996 to tackle myofascial tightness as never before. Using a small plastic tool and some gel, an ASTYM trained therapist can deftly increase range of motion in layers of connective tissue where fibrosis and scarring have left you stuck and tight.
To be effective,
ASTYM is applied to
the entire kinetic or
movement chain.
So, for an Achilles
problem, connective
tissue is treated
from the hip to the
foot. The technique
requires the
pressure to be applied in the line of the fibers. While movement is being restored, being active is critical. Not only should you stretch initially several times a day, but activity is essential to restore fascial movement along the normal lines of stress.
Talk to yourALTA therapist to see ifASTYM is appropriate for you!
