AHNEW year AHNEW you! Remember “Every movement counts!”

Nov 7, 2022 | Healthy Tip

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:  

 

  1. Keep your fitness goals simple and achievable.
  2. Break your goals into smaller chunks to stay fit.
  3. Prioritize your goals so to focus on the most important ones first.
  4. Set your action plan using a calendar or diary or index cards in a visible place around your home.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

Sept 20-24 is Fall Prevention Awareness week

Aug 31, 2021 | Healthy Tip

Are you fearful of falling? Have you had a fall or near fall? Are you unsteady? Build your confidence and take control of your fear!

Falling is not a normal part of aging.

What are the facts about falls?

  • One out of three people over 65 years old will fall each year 
  • One out of two people over 85 years old will fall each year. 
  • Falling can be dangerous. A fall may result in broken bones, hospital visits, loss of the ability to take care of yourself and sometimes even death. 

What are some common reasons that people fall?

  • Decreased or bad eyesight 
  • Weak muscles
  • Trouble keeping your balance 
  • Side effects from your medicine 
  • Bad lighting or dark areas in your house
  • Uneven or slippery ground

Good News: You can reduce your chance of falling! What can you do to help stop a fall?

  • Schedule an eye check-up. 
  • Seek an expert physical therapist to design a well-rounded activity and exercise program to improve strength and balance.
  • Talk with your health care provider about the side effects of your medicine. 
  • Remove items from the floor of your house that may cause you to trip like rugs, toys, and foot stools. 
  • Put nightlights in areas of your house where you walk when it is dark. 

Where do I start? 

  1. Schedule an appointment for a health and fall prevention checkup. Make sure to talk about your fear of falling. Ask about your medicine and any side effects.
  2. Start and keep moving. Use the exercises given to you by your physical therapist to improve your strength and balance. These two skills will help you decrease your chance of falling.  Participation in the evidence-based fall prevention programs resulted in improved confidence, decreased fear of falling, and fewer injurious falls. 

 

Contact Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD today for a 30-minute free consultation or fall prevention screening at 210-833-8336 or ahnewPT@gmail.com

14418 Old Bandera Road, Helotes, TX 78023



Classes at AHNewPT – join in!

Oct 12, 2020 | Healthy Tip

*Balance in Action – Mondays/Fridays at 1:00 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84191900465

Meeting ID: 841 9190 0465

**Yoga in Action – Tuesdays/Thursdays at 5:00 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81749823374

Meeting ID: 817 4982 3374

**Pilates – Wednesdays at 1:00 pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/545290786

Meeting ID: 545 290 786

*No charge

**$40 unlimited classes of Yoga/Pilates through December 31 – check, cash, CC or Venmo (Ann-Newstead) accepted

YOU WILL BE PLACED INTO A WAITING ROOM, THEN LET IN WHEN THE INSTRUCTOR ARRIVES. FOR QUESTIONS, CONTACT ANN AT 210-833-8336.

 

Are You or Someone You Care About at Increased Risk for Injurious or Fatal Falls?

Jul 13, 2019 | Healthy Tip

Do you know someone who has dizziness, has vertigo, or who is out of balance?

Older people are at more risk for injurious or fatal falls. One in four people over 65 years of age fall. Falls result in more than 2.8 million injuries treated in emergency departments annually, including over 800,000 hospitalizations and more than 27,000 deaths. (NCOA 2019)

The cost of a fall can be devastating, not only hospital costs (over $70B by 2020), but also loss of mobility and independence. Falls can also lead to a downward spiral of further decline in ability to function in the home and community, mood changes, social isolation and lack of interactions with family and friends. A fall may leave your loved one fearful of falling and unable to perform the activities they enjoy most e.g. walking, hiking, dancing, shopping, or golfing, to name a few.

Falling is not an inevitable result of aging and can be prevented through evidence-based fall prevention programs, such as Otago, that is delivered by a trained expert.

Do you want to improve the quality of life of someone you care about? Join us at our next Otago Workshop:

Otago Exercise Program Workshop – FREE EVENT!
Saturday, August 10th, 2019
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Please RSVP by calling (210) 833-8336

What else can you do to improve your loved one’s balance and reduce falls?

  • Perform a safety check of the home environment by clearing out clutter, removing throw rugs and other trip hazards, and wearing proper fitting shoes
  • Review all medications for side effects
  • Encourage use of an appropriate assistive device such as a cane, a walking pole, or a walker
  • Support by attending group or individual exercise activity programs to build muscles (force, endurance and power), aerobics, flexibility, and balance training

For more information about a Discovery Consultation Visit, please call (210) 833-8336, or send us an email at: ahnewpt@gmail.com.

Dr. Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD
Certified Exercise Expert in Aging Adults (CEEAA)
Specialization in Geriatrics, Neurologic and Vestibular Rehabilitation

AHNew Physical Therapy
14418 Old Bandera Rd.
Old Town Helotes, TX 78023
(210) 833-8336

Vertigo Is Not Normal

Mar 31, 2019 | Health Tips

Vertigo is not a normal part of life…Start your day AHNew.

Are you dizzy? Have vertigo? Imbalance or disequilibrium or unsteadiness? 

“As many as 35% of adults aged 40 years or older in the United States—approximately 69 million Americans—have experienced some form of vestibular dysfunction.”

What is Dizziness? Vertigo? Dizziness is defined as you feeling as if you are spinning; whereas vertigo is your world spinning around you.

Both dizziness and vertigo can result in imbalance or disequilibrium and result in stopping activities that you enjoy most.

You have both a peripheral and central vestibular system that help control eye movements and balance. 

Cardiac and/or neurological events can also mimic dizziness and vertigo. Many people are seen in Emergency Departments for such conditions. 

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a small percentage of vertigo, followed by vestibular neuritis, endolymphatic hydrops or Meniere’s disease, Vestibular Migraine, Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD), or psychogenic disorders.

Finding a diagnosis of why you have dizziness or vertigo can be complex. It’s important to learn and discover more about the potential causes and solutions to improving your.

If you would like to learn more about how to lessen the effects of dizziness or vertigo, join us for an informational workshop. 

Contact Dr. Ann H. Newstead, PT, DPT, PhD at 210-833-8336.

Dr. Newstead is Certified in Vestibular Rehabilitation, Neurological and Geriatric Physical Therapy. She is a Certified Exercise Expert in Aging Adults.