If you or a loved one has been affected by a stroke, there are many ways that our rehabilitation team can support your recovery. Here are some updates about our team’s approach, including how we use our neuromuscular electrical stimulation Neubie device to promote improved efficiency of your recovery. Each therapy area has a specialized focus but we all work together to focus on the whole you!

October 10th is World Mental Health Day. We invite you to explore your quieter side with one of these restorative yoga poses. These are perfect if you need to find time to slow down and release tension in the body. These poses are meant to be held for a longer duration with the support of props to maximize comfort. Find a comfortable spot on the floor and grab a few pillows, you can give one a go or try all of them!

In Yoga, breathing practices or “Pranayama” has long been known for bringing physiological, psychical and mental benefits to its practitioners. The root meaning of the word “prana” means “life-energy”. Breath control has many benefits in other contexts outside of yoga. For example, many are taught to breath out when exerting effort when exercising or completing heavy lifting to protect their spine. First responders are also taught to use their breath to remain calm and mentally effective during emergency situations. These are just small examples of how learning breath control may enhance your quality of life and mental fortitude.

As a caregiver for a person with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), you know things are always changing. Your spouse may have no difficulty getting dressed and then one day buttons are a struggle. Communication for people with PD can also change over time, but there are several approaches you can use to adjust and adapt to those changes.

As research continues to shed light on the benefits of PT for pain, and as a necessity for post-surgical rehab, it is becoming more commonplace for surgeons to prescribe PT BEFORE their patient’s major surgeries as well. Some studies have shown that this step can diminish the need for post-operative care by 30%! This process has been coined Prehabilitation or “Prehab” and the advantages are clear.

Finding the right personal trainer can be intimidating. Especially if you have previous injuries and other concerns about staying active without causing further strain to your body. Training with a Certified Personal Trainer and Senior Exercise Specialist can help ease those worries.

Back to School is right around the corner. That means kids will be returning to school, sports will begin training, and inevitably, athletes across the country will ramp up preparation for fall and winter competition. Today, everyone is looking for that edge that will give them a leg up on their competition – perhaps to crack the starting lineup, push for a collegiate scholarship, set a new personal record, or return from injury stronger than before.

Neufit, the maker of an electrical stimulation treatment device called the Neubie (pronounced New-Be), is at the forefront of cutting-edge technology providing individuals with a unique, competitive advantage over the competition.

My father-in-law loved crossword puzzles. I have fond memories of him sitting at the kitchen table working away on the daily crossword puzzle. Every now and then he would get stuck and ask my help. I usually had no clue, but occasionally, the synapses would fire just right, and I would get an answer correct- a great “a-ha!” moment that really did feel like it woke up my brain. I have no doubt that his daily battle with the Post puzzle is what helped his mind stay so fit throughout his life.

August is “Back To School” Month. Here’s a quick developmental expectations checklist to help you determine if your child should be screened by a Speech Language Pathologist(SLP):

Did you know Physical Therapists are part of the healthcare team helping to manage certain types of headaches and migraines? In this article we discuss the three types of headaches/migraines that our team is specialized in treating.

Neck pain can affect your ability to perform daily tasks, such as dressing, cooking, and driving. Some occupations, such as office workers, can lead to higher rates of neck pain, due to prolonged time sitting and poor sitting posture and ergonomics. We are also seeing a rise in neck pain due to the head down posture associated with increased mobile device use. Dry needling by a qualified PT can help.

If you've been to physical therapy, you likely got a home exercise program. Research says that if you do your home exercise program, you'll have a significantly better chance of meeting your goals and feeling better. Not doing your program increases the risk of recurrent injury or flare-ups with less positive outcomes long term. Even though they're important, adherence to home exercise programs is terrible. It's estimated that only 40 to 50% of patients do their exercises the way they're supposed to. What can you do to make sure you do your exercises and get the best outcomes? Here are a few ideas.

Did you know...? Our bone density decreases every decade by 10% for women and 3% for men. And women lose up to 20% of their bone density in the first 5-7 years of menopause.

Here are FOUR things you can do to help support heathy bones:

Occupational Therapists are skilled in rehabilitating visual systems to achieve maximum function, improving one’s quality of life and independence. For individuals with an injury impacting function of the eye, this is often accomplished through visual exercises to improve the mobility, strength, and overall function of eye muscles. For individuals living with chronic eye conditions such as cataracts, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma, OTs will assess their visual function, the set-up of their environment, and performance in their everyday tasks.

Did you know that there are different types of fat? Did you know that 1 in 9 women are diagnosed with lipedema? Not all fat is cellulitis!

June is Lipedema awareness month, and like many other underserved populations, we need more awareness about Lipedema, especially in the healthcare community.

As a Certified Lymphedema Therapist, I often have the conversation with a client about the differences between lipedema and lymphedema and what we see clinically. My heart goes out the individuals (over 90% are women) that get this diagnosis and are being called fat and to “just diet and exercise and it will go away.” Nothing could be further from the truth!

Although PD is a progressive disease (a disease that gradually worsens over time) and the cause remains largely unknown, there is no room for fret! There are PLENTY of strategies and therapies that can help maintain one’s functional level and slow the progression of this disease.

Spring is official here and with it, comes spring cleaning, longer daylight hours, blooming flowers, and the desire to get outside and enjoy the warm weather. Although many wish to partake in Spring activities, some suffer from low back pain that limits their ability to participate, or worse, affect their ability to perform the tasks required for daily living (also known as Activities of Daily Living). According to the CDC, low back pain is one of the most common types of pain with 25% of U.S. adults reporting signs/symptoms within the past 3 months.

In this blog we address the signs and symptoms of low back pain and share five of our favorite, simple exercises.

Congratulations, you had your bundle of joy and made it through 9-10 months of pregnancy and were a champion at the delivery, whether vaginally or C-section and whether with medication assistance or not. But did you know it’s not just 3 trimesters, there are 4! Maybe it should be named quad-mester??

Speech pathologists are trained clinicians in addressing swallow problems across the lifespan. When asked why I went into this field, my answer is simple: “So that when I’m 95 and want my cake and ice cream, someone is there is help me do it safely.”

After almost two decades as a Speech Language Pathologist, I have found that there are many great and simple strategies that can help adults eat and drink safely.

Here are a few of my favorite tips:

Specific exercise programs are recommended by neurologists and movement disorder specialists to help with the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Here is a list, with supportive research, on how exercise can help.

There has been a direct correlation between boxing and the management of symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

if you have had a long break from activity because of COVID restrictions or cold weather, your body won't be ready to jump right back in. Here are a few tips to help you get more active without getting hurt:

Check out our top ten reasons to start your fitness journey now

Did you know that the most common cause of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is falls? The largest increase in fall related TBI deaths since 2008 occurred in people 75 years and older. After a brain injury, an individual will often need interdisciplinary care including physical (PT), occupational (OT), and speech therapy (ST). It is important to note that early PT and OT intervention is proven to reduce the risk of falls especially older adults and those with neurologic diagnoses.

If you have received a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, you may be wondering what happens next. How do you continue to live your life as independently as possible? How will you keep yourself functioning at your best for as long as possible? What should you do if you feel like you are having more trouble completing daily tasks? These are all good questions and a sign that you might benefit from therapy to help improve your function. Three important members of the allied health professional team include Physical therapy, Occupational therapy and Speech therapy. All three disciplines have great potential to help you maintain and/or improve your function.

Spring is a time of invigoration with new energy, new goals, and an excitement to get back outdoors following the cold winter months. For many, Spring marks the beginning of baseball, softball, lacrosse, and track & field among other sports. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, high school/collegiate athlete, or looking to pick up a new hobby, it’s essential to understand the basics of shoulder care and preparation to avoid injury and keep your shoulders strong and mobile.

The Neubie (pronounced New – Be) is exciting new technology in electrical stimulation that can be a vital tool to improve performance of the hand and arm especially following a stroke or other event that produces neurological damage. Unlike traditional e-stim, Neubie provides direct current, electrical stimulation that helps occupational therapists (OT) better identify muscular and nerve miscommunications and promote increased sensory and motor recovery. Improved communication between muscles and nerves helps clients achieve maximal function.

Healthy skin is appreciated not only for its cosmetic benefit, but also for its role in immune system function as the first barrier of defense, and vitamin D production. Unfortunately, people diagnosed with lymphedema have an increased challenge maintaining a healthy skin barrier.

January is notorious for the creation and revisiting of New Year Resolutions. For many, these long-term goals are related to health. Some of the most common resolutions are to exercise more and lose weight. Research has long supported that exercising supports a multitude of our physical, mental/emotional and physiological functions. For example, exercising can boost our ability to concentrate, stabilize our moods and promote better sleep quality.

Check out our nine tips to help keep your voice healthy well past 2022.

January is National Cervical Health Month, and we aren’t talking about a pain in your neck or about your poor posture. For all of the ladies and individuals with female reproductive organs, this is for YOU! Just as you are starting a new year and a new outlook on your health, don’t forget your cervix. There are many misconceptions and misinformation about cervical health and prevention, but here are a few tips and recommendations not only for your overall pelvic health, but specifically to your cervix.

Inhalation, Exhalation, Inhalation, Exhalation…REPEAT…over and over throughout the day and night. The simple act of breathing may be an act that many of us take for granted as it happens without much thought. However, HOW you breath is a very important component to your speech and voice.

Physical Therapist Matt Gallegos, PT, DPT gives us a concise explanation of how chronic pain occurs and some current treatments. Pain shouldn’t be something you just have to “live with”. There are great treatment strategies that therapy can provide to help you get back to moving and doing the things you love.

Are you feeling dizzy or imbalanced? Do you avoid sleeping flat due to a fear of vertigo? Does turning your head when you walk make you unsteady?

Physical therapy can help! Vestibular Rehabilitation is a specialty type of physical therapy that you or your loved one may benefit from.

This blog post is a follow up to our recent “Don’t Fall into Fall” post. One important way to keep safe and reduce your risk of falling is to add some balance-based exercises to your daily routine.

As the weather grows colder during the fall and winter seasons, it is imperative to stay active. In Yoga Ayurveda teachings, wintertime is seen as a period of rest and rejuvenation. This is time for reflection and restoration of energy for the rest of the year. However, this does not mean hibernate and be completely inactive. You can adjust your usual routine to better serve you during these temperature shifts. By staying active, you will maintain your level of strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, mental wellbeing and more. Here are some quick tips to maintain your wellbeing during this cozy time of year:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 1 in 8 Women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime therefore it is important to be aware of the early signs of symptoms of Breast Cancer for early detection and treatment. A variety of successful treatment options are available contributing to 3.8 million Breast Cancer survivors in the United States, however addressing secondary effects are treatment may be less understood. People may experience loss of motion, fatigue, numbness, swelling, and balance issues. Fortunately Cancer related problems can be eased with the help of a physical therapist.

The Do’s and Don’ts When Working with a Personal Trainer shares helpful tips to make sure you stay healthy and safe when working with a personal trainer. Tips like..
DO: Put in your maximum effort when completing each rep with full range of motion and proper form
DON’T: Push yourself to complete each rep as quickly as possible

We are excited to announce that Virginian Rehabilitation and Wellness is now offering Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery (PWR) to persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) in Northern Virginia. We have physical therapy teams at both our Fairfax and Chantilly locations certified as PWR!Moves® Therapists.

An Occupational Therapist (OT) is an expert in upper extremity rehabilitation, frequently encountering and treating various conditions – both new and old – of the shoulder, elbow, wrist, and hand. OTs are trained in treating a wide variety of conditions that may impact function of the arm and hand.

Those suffering from a neurological condition, such as Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease, may experience trouble swallowing. This is called DYSPHAGIA. Dysphagia can have many different causes; however, it’s an issue that needs to be addressed because it can lead to major health problems like dehydration, malnutrition, choking or aspiration pneumonia.

Over 90% of the population will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime…. Research has shown conservative physical therapy management as the first intervention significantly increases an individual’s best chance for recovery from back pain while avoiding long-term disability.

Step outside and one can see the signs of spring emerging, - the weather is getting warmer, the birds are singing, and my personal favorite, the flowers are appearing! This blog shares some helpful hints to make gardening easier and safer

Meditation has been shown to help calm the body and mind. With this calmness, meditation can have profound benefits for your physical, mental, and physiological health. It can even affect your hormone production and lead to better sleep, attention, and digestion. If you are a fan of walking outdoors, consider adding this element of reflection to your routine.

LSVT stands for Lee Silverman Voice Training and is a evidence-based, research supported treatment for clients who have Parkinson’s disease. Speech therapists who undergo the process to be certified to deliver LSVT LOUD therapy have the skills teach clients NOW how to strengthen the head/neck/diaphragmatic musculature which will not only improve vocal loudness and intensity, but have LONG LASTING health benefits LATER.

The home is an important part of an individual's identity, security, and comfort. However, as people age, new challenges arise that make it more difficult to stay safe and independent in their homes. An Occupational therapist(OT) can play an important role in making sure that older adults can age in place safely.

Speech pathologists can assist in introducing and implementing behavioral interventions to assist in recalling important information or performing daily activities. They can assist in use of strategies to preserve communication and cognitive function as long as possible.

Because of the COVID pandemic our country is showing signs of Upper Cross Syndrome. “Upper-Cross Syndrome;” is an overly fancy way to describe a forward hunching posture or “texting neck”. This posture tends to develop over time and puts unnecessary stress on your spine.