Balance in Action – Mondays at 1:00 pm
AHNEW year AHNEW you! Remember “Every movement counts!”
Welcome 2023!
Your New Year does not need to wait until January 1st. Begin today. Staying active is important for both physical and mental well-being. Let us help you stay active and healthy. Your well-being and fitness are a lifelong journey.
Here are a few tips to help you to set health and wellness goals to “jump start” your New Year:
- Keep your fitness goals simple and achievable.
- Break your goals into smaller chunks to stay fit.
- Prioritize your goals so to focus on the most important ones first.
- Set your action plan using a calendar or diary or index cards in a visible place around your home.
- Establish the best time of day for you to move toward your goals. Some people like mornings and others are better later in the day or evening. Integrating your fitness plan into your daily routine will help you succeed.
- Find someone you trust to keep you accountable for your fitness goals.
Staying active can improve your immune system, your heart, and other vital organs.
Just 6 minutes of activity can improve your mood and mental well-being.
Through physical activity and exercise you can improve your flexibility, balance, strength, walking, and reduce risk of injurious falls.
Remember dizziness is not a normal part of life. Neither is pain and stiffness. Both Dizziness and stiffness can be improved through proper guided movements with an expert.
If you need assistance, ask for help from an expert to keep you on track and help you stay accountable for your goals.
Call today for a free Discovery Consultation Visit or set up a Wellness Visit ~ 210-833-8336.
Join our classes weekly: Mondays Balance in Action 1pm; Tuesdays Yoga 5:30 pm; Wednesdays Floor Pilates 1pm.
Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD
Exercise Expert in Aging Adults
Clinical Specialist in Geriatrics and Neurological and Vestibular rehabilitation
14418 Old Bandera Rd.
Helotes, TX 78023
How to live to be 103?
Health, Wellness and Prevention
By Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD
Would you like to live to be 103? Watch for updates monthly.
Would you like to improve your flexibility, strength, mobility, balance and return to doing more activities with family and friends? Read On…
Happy Spring! Health, wellness and prevention are critical to primary prevention of disease and a wide variety of health conditions. Now is a perfect time of year to focus on a new you!
The American Physical Therapy Association suggests a comprehensive wellness checkup yearly. The Annual Physical Therapy Check-up includes a Personal health profile, Disease risk profile, Physical examination, and Physical functional performance examination. Other special tests may be administered depending on your Personal health profile. Specialized and individualized recommendations are made to you to improve your areas of need.
AHNew Physical Therapy provides you with an individualized activity program to enhance your quality of life by providing strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, pain management, dizziness interventions, and functional training especially to our aging and at-risk populations. By initiating a health and wellness program, you can prevent and defer many of the complications of disease.
We perform examinations, evaluative assessments, critical thinking, movement analyses, and guided our patients/clients in formation of an individual plan of care that leads to improved functional quality of life.
In addition, American Physical Therapy Association has had a few position statements (from 2006-present) that encourage patient/client health, wellness and fitness and management of disease. Health management of patients with disease are also encouraged. Additionally, physical therapists own health and wellness and fitness are advocated as we are examples to the population at large.
More recently (2017) the role of the physical therapists in diet and nutrition was included as a part of health and wellness, primary, secondary and tertiary care and within our scope of practice. Referral to other healthcare professionals is encouraged when special problems are identified.
Here’s wishing you a new you! A happy life is a healthy and active life!
Wishing you Functional Independence this month and always
Did you know that falls are responsible for 90% of Injury-Related ED and Hospital Visits Among adults age 65+?
The number of falls could be reduced significantly if we all participated in a more concerted approach toward falls prevention interventions, including referral to physical therapy.
Adjusting or eliminating certain prescribed medicines is highly recommended, e.g. opoids, where an overdose can lead to a fall or worse.
Most important is prevention of falls and to minimize injuries and return people to an independent functional quality of life after a fall.
Falls and injuries are not an inevitable part of aging.
A good start is to engage in specific exercises to improve strength, balance and functional independence and mobility under the supervision of an expert.
Regular eye exams and speaking with a health care provider about reducing medications that can increase the risk for injury are also recommended.
Health care providers can help prevent injuries by recommending that people participate in effective interventions, including referrals to physical therapy and avoiding certain medications that have side effects of dizziness or lightheadedness.
Here are some tips for you:
- Stay active – daily walking and activity – ask a friend to join you to keep you accountable
- Wear proper fitting shoes – avoid flip flops
- Practice safety around your home and do a safety check daily – look out for throw rugs, uneven surfaces, or unstable handrails. Install grab bars in your bathroom.
- Be vigilant – scan your environment to avoid obstacles
- Be proactive – schedule a regular check-up yearly with your physical therapist
If you have questions, contact Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD for more information about how to prevent a fall.
Exercise Expert in Aging Adults
Geriatric, Neurologic, and Vestibular Clinical Specialist
14418 Old Bandera Rd.
Helotes, TX 78023
210-833-8336
February is Heart Month.
Your heart is a muscle. Exercise it! Start moving in the roaring 2020’s!
Aerobics or endurance-based activities are integral to your heart health and mental well-being.
Dancing, walking, jogging, tennis, cycling, swimming, and hiking are all aerobic activities that can improve your endurance and energy level ~ find one that is “fun” for you.
Aerobics have also been shown to help with sleep patterns if done earlier in the day. Here are some tips:
- Start at your level of ability. You should be able to walk and talk at the same time.
- Breathing is important. If you experience shortness of breath ~ slow down a bit. Try pursed lip breathing. Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Aerobic activity can be done in a few small bouts of 5-10 minutes throughout your day with a goal of 30 minutes.
- You may want to set a realistic goal and gradually increase your activity toward your goal.
- Your body responds best to changes in exercise intensity and type (e.g. cross training). Try alternating slow and faster bouts of activity.
- Perform 5 days of aerobic activity per week for heart health and overall lifestyle program.
- Just do it! Be consistent in 2020!
Contact us today to join our 21-Day Challenge or for a Discovery Visit for a “tune up” in the roaring 2020’s.
We continue to offer you monthly Otago Fall Prevention workshops, weekly Balance, Yoga and Pilates classes.
Call for more information – your heart will love you!
Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD
14418 Old Bandera Rd. Helotes, TX 78023
210-833-8336
https://www.ahnewphysicaltherapy.com/
Dr. Newstead is a Geriatric, Neurologic and Vestibular clinical specialist. Her clinic is located in Old Town Helotes, one block from Flores Country Store. She accepts Medicare and Advantage Plans. Call today.