Discover all the latest information about injury prevention, movement, exercise, athletic performance, recovery, upcoming events and much more.
90% of student athletes report some sort of sports-related injury. 42% said that they’ve hidden an injury during a game so they can keep playing. Not our Patient of the Month. This is what happened when high school volleyball player, Katie, crushed her physical therapy so she could come back stronger than ever.
Read MoreForce. Motion. Acceleration. These are all terms that took on a different meaning for our physics teacher Patient of the Month, Joe, in physical therapy. After knee replacement surgery, physical therapy got him out of his comfort zone and beyond limits he wouldn’t have been able to go past on his own. Learn more here.
Read MoreThis golfer is not afraid to sweat! Although her recovery from hamstring surgery took a little longer to get through, her humor and determination has stayed in tact. Read more about her recovery and contagious smile that our staff loves here.
Read MoreAfter putting physical therapy off for years, our Patient of the Month is finally getting back to his CrossFit WOD without back pain. His advice? It doesn’t hurt to try physcial therapy - it fact, it healed him! Learn more about TJ’s physical therapy experience here:
Read MoreAfter physical therapy, this runner’s mantra went from “Eat, Sleep, Run” to “Eat, Sleep, Run, Bike, Lift, and Give Yourself Some Rest Days.” Physical therapy is what keeps her a strong & healthy athlete, more than what keeps her running. Read more about our spunky Patient of the Month’s recovery here:
Read MoreAfter a major bike accident sidelined this triathlete, our Patient of the Month Rachel (and beloved owner of Montclair Bread Company) was one of the hardest working, most dedicated patients we’ve ever seen. True to form, she blew all expectations out of the water and her surgeon recently said she was a full 6-12 months ahead of where all the science and his experience said she should be. Read more about Rachel’s unbelievable recovery here!
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Quinn
Congratulations Stacey!! When you meet this Ironmother, you know you're crossing paths with someone special. If you've seen her spring up a rope, throw weight over her head or whiz past people in a triathlon, you know she's tough as nails, but she is also one of the kindest and most gracious people you will ever connect with.
Like many competitors, the hardest part of injury is often mental. When you thrive on movement, being sidelined can be devastating and sometimes paralyze your recovery. I had to give my CrossFit buddy some tough love at the beginning, but once she committed, I got nothing but the best. I'm so proud of every bit of effort she put into therapy, and I could not be more excited to see her get back out there. She'll be passing me on the roads again in no time!!!!
In her Own Words…
Three Words to Describe Me: Grateful, Loyal and Determined
What brought you to PT? Two broken bones in my foot coupled with a sprained ankle on January 1st landed me in a boot for 2 months. When the bones did not show proper healing, I was put back on crutches for another month. Finally in April, three months after my accident and still in a boot, I limped into Iron Physical Therapy in Caldwell, NJ.
How have you benefitted from PT? I consider myself a physically active person busy raising three daughters. My injury caused everything in my life to come to a grinding halt. I could drive but not much else. Basic household chores and errands became very challenging. The longer the foot and ankle injury lingered, the less activity I was allowed and the more my frustration grew. After one particular doctors appointment, I was told to go home, sit on the couch and do nothing else. After 10 weeks, that was not what I wanted to hear, I finally got the ok to start physical therapy. It was such a relief to just start moving again and begin the process of regaining normal function. Having the Iron PT staff with me every step of my treatment to support and challenge me is the main reason I am back running, biking and swimming today.
What would you say to someone with the same injury?
Some breaks don't heal as well as others. And when you break the navicular bone in your foot, the healing process can be long and arduous and surgery is sometimes necessary. I would suggest someone with the same injury to see a specialist and line up your physical therapy appointments. After being in a boot for as long as I was caused a lot of mobility issues once the breaks healed. I was at my lowest mentally for my first appointment at Iron PT as it just didn't seem like my foot would ever heal. It was swollen to twice its size and I was walking with a limp. Dr. Mayes told me it was going to be fine, he had seen worse and to change my attitude. It was what I needed to hear. I had to check my negative attitude, get busy working and be patient with my injury. The healing process takes time and you can not hurry it along.
What are you most excited about getting back to? It was an agonizingly long winter which dragged into Spring. I am just so excited to get back to moving without any pain or limitations! I coached my first several lacrosse practices this spring on crutches while trying to maintain some measure of fitness. I had to pull out of my favorite triathlon in Avalon last weekend but knew it was the right decision. I am on the road back and happy to just be lacing up my running shoes again. Although I'm not ready to race, I'm looking forward to doing a few triathlons and working out with Dr. Mayes again at CrossFit. I miss the workouts and the wonderful community of friends there. As I continue to regain my strength and fitness, I am so thankful to have Dr. Mayes and the Iron PT staff in my life!
Not only is Steve our Patient of the Month, but he is also the person we've seen make the most changes toward better health and wellness. Since starting therapy he has purchased a bike (and more importantly a helmet), participated in his first road race, started eating breakfast, and focused on better nutrition.
We are still working on better sleeping habits, but how can Steve rest when he is busy changing the world. He has committed his life to enriching the lives of students and inner city youth, and want to take a minute to honor that amazing work as well.
At this rate, we can hardly wait to see what happens next. Steve, we know your future is bright!!
In his own words....
Occupation: Education
Injury: Hamstrings
Three words to describe me: Ambitious, Gregarious, Dedicated
What brought you to PT? I started going to PT as a preventative measure due to tightness in my hamstrings.
How have you benefitted from your PT experience (physically or mentally)? I have benefited from my PT sessions in different aspects: my hamstrings are stronger and have more range of motion. Also, I have a more confident attitude towards my workouts.
What would you recommend to someone who has the same injury as you? Strongly advise them to reach out to Iron PT and follow the doctor’s orders. You will see immediate improvement and restoration of physical function and fitness level.
Any new goals now that you are feeling better? I look forward to playing soccer on a regular again. My new goal is to sign up for a mud run later this year.
Our cars require periodic preventative maintenance (oil change, tire rotation, fluids flushed, etc.) to run optimally. When we neglect to do this simple vehicle upkeep, we pay for it...and it's usually not cheap. So just like our cars, we too require preventative maintenance. If you're very active, then you'll likely need even more frequent maintenance, similar to a car driven 100 miles/day versus 2 miles. OR if you're an older model, then you might also need a bit more TLC.
So where am I going with this? I'm encouraging you to find a trusted "Mechanic" to take care of YOU, just like you have for your car.
So who should it be? As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I'm responsible for being the "mechanic" who understands and treats musculoskeletal problems (muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, etc). When it comes to overuse/repetitive sports injuries, it's especially important to find a PT who has expertise in soft tissue treatment. I'm a strong believer in Active Release Technique (ART), Graston and Kinesio taping. You can find you're local provider by searching the above websites.
So when should you see someone? I encourage my patients, especially athletes, to come in for a few sessions if they have nagging discomfort that goes on longer than a week. Early intervention with hands-on treatment and corrective exercise can prevent being sidelined. Many of you are good with stretching, foam rolling and cross training, but may need a few joint mobilizations and tweaks to your program to get out of pain.
So why don't people, especially athletes, do maintenance? Athletes are extremely STUBBORN and like to ignore pain/discomfort. If you don't know the difference between"good" pain and "bad" pain, you'll want to speak with your local physical therapist. My patients can always call or email me to check in about something that has started to bother them.
When I feel a twinge, I often do preventative maintenance (taping, Graston, ART, etc.) to keep things at bay. A quick 30-minute treatment is much easier than running 20 miles in pain (or worse, not at all)
People also avoid seeing their PT because they think a prescription is needed. In most states (including NJ), you do not need any type of referral. You can just come in and see someone for a few visits and often your insurance will cover the cost or you can just pay cash.
So treat your body BETTER than your car! You can't just go out and buy a new one.
Train hard, train smart!
IRON PT WOD: 10/22/2012
9 mi; 1hr 16 mins; avg. pace: 8'34"; 1058 calories
IRON PT WOD: 10/21/2012
Cross training: 15 miles on my bike trainer while watching the NY Giants beat the Redskins!
IRON PT WOD: 10/20/2012
13.51 mi; 1hr 52 mins; avg. pace 8'27"; 1623 calories
IRON PT WOD: 10/17/2012
6.39 mi; 52'18"; avg. pace 8'20"; 776 calories
IRON PT WOD: 10/15/2012
2.57 mi; 21'26"; avg. pace 8'27"; 311 calories
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