Check out our new program for Triathletes!

Peak Performance Triathlon Training Program

Designed for optimal performance & conditioning

• Functional screen by a physical therapist
  
• Swim analysis & conditioning
  
• Triathlon specific spin class
  
• Strength training

Click this link to view more information about Peak Performance!

Torticollis

Mary Lou Corcoran Physical & Aquatic Therapy’s Pediatric Team evaluates the infant/child’s range of motion, muscle tone, posture, developmental milestone and neuromotor status to identify areas of concern. A treatment plan is developed in conjunction with family/caregiver education. Without treatment, Torticollis patients’ fail to develop essential range of motion and eye convergence effecting the visual field, neglect of one upper extremity, jaw malalignment, scoliosis, muscle imbalances, poor balance, misshapen heads and extreme muscle tightness.

Therapeutic interventions include hands on techniques such as manual therapy, neuromotor re-education and modalities. Combination stretches into multiple planes of motion target the sternocleidomstoid muscle in supine, prone, sitting and side lying positions. One on one techniques utilize bilateral upper extremity task completion including fine motor skills and scapular stabilization.

Education of the parent(s)/caregiver(s) is provided through the use of interactive demonstrations along with illustrative handouts teaching proper hand positions, stretching techniques and positioning while emphasizing “tummy time” when the infant is awake and active.

MLCPT’s exclusive Pediatric Program was developed by two of our physical therapists with over 30 combined years of hands on pediatric clinical experience. Throughout the child's care at MLCPT, the Physician, parent(s)/caregiver(s), and therapist work together to help the child develop their maximum functional independence.

Persistent Wrist Pain Following Distal Radius Fracture

Have you broken your wrist and still have experience pain with gripping and twisting activities like pouring a drink or turning a door knob? Did you believe that you have a sprained wrist, as a result?

A common problem from a broken wrist (distal radius fracture) is pain after the fracture has healed. The distal radius is commonly broken because it bears 80% of the force when falling on an outstretched arm. This is why more people break this bone (radius) instead of the other bone in the forearm, the ulna. However, although the fracture occurs at the “thumb side” of the wrist, there is a ligament complex located on the opposite side of the wrist called the triangular fibro cartilage complex (TFCC) that can be injured. Additionally, the distal radius bone can heal shorter than it once was which will ultimately produce more force though the articular disc and TFCC creating more pain.

Studies indicate that 35-50% of all patients with wrist fractures present with problems in the TFCC region. As a result, an individual who has a recent wrist fracture may begin to feel discomfort at the ulnar/pinky side of your wrist after the bone heals and they start to regain motion. People will often complain of clicking, increased swelling, weakness, and lack of motion. They have difficulty with activities such as turning a door knob/key as well as difficulty ironing, scrubbing, performing a push up, Yoga and pouring a drink.

Rehabilitation following a distal radius fracture involves the use of modalities, range of motion and strengthening exercises. How well healed the fracture is (based on x-rays) and when an individual begins physical therapy determine what exercises they should be doing. These exercises may need to be modified by a physical therapist especially when persistent wrist pain is present. Functional recovery for stable fractures without complications can be six months and 1-2 years for complex fractures. Fortunately, the rehab process does not take that long. It is the therapist’s role to educate the patient and assist them in making maximizing their outcomes both in the clinic and home setting. The goal of physical therapy is introduce the patient to all of the available tools and exercises available to manage their symptoms until recovery is complete.

The wrist is very complex and requires careful evaluation to develop a good plan of treatment to achieve maximal functional recovery. If you are experiencing these symptoms and would like to schedule evaluation with our upper extremity team please call Marylou Corcoran Physical and Aquatic Therapy (315) 637-4747.

Operation Walk

Operation Walk is a non-profit organization that allows severely disabled arthritic patients in countries with underdeveloped health care systems to receive total-joint replacements at no cost. The recipients of care are afflicted with intense and unrelenting pain with mobility limitations that make the experience of a normal and productive life nearly impossible. The goal of Operation Walk is to enable people to return to their lives as productive members of society. To date, Operation Walk has conducted successful operations in Panama, Ecuador, Russia, Cuba, China, The Phillippines, Nicaragua, Peru, El Salvador, Vietnam, and the United States.

MLCPT is proud to announce that Julie Randall, PT, CSCS, LMT will be a member of an inter-disciplinary medical team that will be traveling to Kathmandu, Nepal in November 2011, the first journey for Operation Walk Syracuse. As a member of Operation Walk, Julie will be working closely with physicians (from St Joseph’s, SUNY Upstate and Crouse Hospitals), physical therapists, nurses and other health professionals; maximizing the post-operative outcomes of over 75 joint replacements to be performed in one week. While in Nepal, she will not only be responsible for the direct care of post-operative patients, but she will also serve as an educator, helping to instruct Nepalese health care workers in the latest techniques in rehabilitative science.

As you may imagine, the cost for such an endeavor can be staggering. In the United States, the charges for one hip or knee replacement can be in excess of $100,000, with the total cost being greater than $7,500,000. Fortunately, through the donations of more than 40 professionals, coupled with donations from implant and pharmaceuticals companies, the cost is reduced significantly. Contributions continue to be needed, however, to cover $200,000 in remaining expenses for team transportation, supply shipping, food, lodging, non-donated supplies and equipment repairs. If you have an interest in helping support Julie and Operation Walk, we would encourage you to visit the Operation Walk website to make a donation.

Don't Forget The Gluteals!

Do you have a stubborn running injury that won't go away? Do you ignore working your gluts in your training while focusing on your quadriceps and hamstrings? Most people fail to recognize that many common running injuries are often traced back to weak gluteals, namely the gluteus maximus and the gluteus minimus.

The gluteus maximus is the larger of the gluteals. Its primarily extends your leg/hip while you are walking. If you have a weak gluteus maximus, you may develop limited range of motion in your hip, poor running form, slower speeds and muscle imbalance that often leads to injury. The smaller of these muscles, your gluteus medius, has an even more important role. Located on the outer surface of your pelvis, it is responsible for stabilizing and balance your hips. when balanced on one leg, as is the case when walking and running. With exercise programs designed without emphasis on the the gluteals, many runners and athletes suffer from poor balance, and they do not even realize it.

How are they able to run with poor balance? They compensate by using other muscles that aren't intended to be used for balance. Over time, runners with poor balance will develop bad form and alignment issues in their hips leading to pain and injury. Common running injuries due to weak gluts include ITB syndrome, patellar tendinitis, hip flexor tendonitis, achilles tendinitis and even plantar fascitis.

How do you check your balance to see if this may be your problem? Practice standing on one leg with your knee slightly bent and time yourself. Repeat the same activity on your opposite leg. Pay attention to see if one leg easier to stand on than the other and assess if you have pain while standing on either leg.

Another, more challenging test (if the first is too easy) is to try a single leg squat. Try standing on one leg and while maintaining your balance, complete a squat. Are you able to maintain your balance? Does your knee bow inward or outward? Do you have pain and/ or difficulty completing the task? If so, you may need to work on strengthening your gluteals.

Most people who run will experience at least one or more injuries over the course of their running career. There are many simple ways to prevent these injuries without spending hours at the gym, using fancy equipment or lifting heavy weights to achieve good results. Effective exercises to strengthen the gluteals and improve your balance can be done with no equipment and with a minimal amount of time/effort.

If you are interested in prolonging your running career or improving your running form/overall health, a visit to a knowledgeable physical therapist can be a very helpful and beneficial way to achieve your goals. Although the gluteals are important, they are just one of many muscles groups involved in running and other athletic activities whose dysfunction and imbalance can lead to injury. Mary Lou Corcoran Physical and Aquatic Therapy has experienced clinicians who work with runners and athletes at varying stages of their lives, helping them relieve pain and return to a lifestyle that is important to them.

Many injuries, if caught early, can be healed much quicker and easier if stopped before they are serious. Don’t wait until the pain is severe before looking for help. If you are experiencing pain, consider calling us at (315) 637-4747 to schedule an appointment with one of our physical therapists for an evaluation and movement analysis screening; it may be the best decision you make in your efforts to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.

Posted by Julie Randall, PT

Kevin J. Reistrom, PT (1978-2010)

Kevin J. Reistrom, 32, of Syracuse, was surrounded by his loving family as he was called home to be with the Lord on Wednesday, after a long and courageous battle with brain cancer.

Kevin was everything a great man could be. He was a loving son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, friend, and above all, a very loving husband. He worked very diligently at everything that he did in his life. He graduated from Henninger High School in 1996 where he excelled academically. In addition to his scholastic achievements, Kevin played varsity football and lacrosse, which culminated in him receiving the student/athlete award as a senior. Kevin also played the alto saxophone in the concert and jazz bands for 4 years at Henninger and was selected to play with the Stan Colella All Star band for several years. He successfully pursued and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science from Syracuse University in 2001 and then worked as a fitness trainer for Train to Attain. With his perseverance and commitment to life-long learning, this led him to SUNY Upstate Medical School where he not only earned a second Bachelors degree, but also earned his Master’s degree in Physical Therapy. He thoroughly enjoyed working at Mary Lou Corcoran Physical and Aquatic Therapy as a well respected physical therapist. It gave him a great sense of pride and satisfaction to help improve the quality of life for his clients.

Kevin is survived by his wife of 2 years: Jamie (Bottino Compton) Reistrom, his parents Carl and Mary Ellen Reistrom of DeWitt, his mother-in-law Luann Bottino of Syracuse, his maternal grandmother Carmella Dungey Peiffer, and his grandmother-in-law Shirley Bottino of Cicero. He is also survived by his sister Catherine (Adam) Smith of Savona, NY and his brother Carl (Lia) Reistrom of DeWitt. Also surviving are his five nieces and nephews whom he adored: Corissa, Shaina, and Aaron Smith and Celia and Luke (Godson) Reistrom as well as several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Kevin especially enjoyed spending time with his family at home and also at their summer camp on Oneida Lake. His close friends, John (Bubba), Andy and Alex shared many good and memorable times together. Kevin loved attending Yankee games, bowling, golfing, reading, listening to music, playing cards and various types of games. Kevin was truly a goal oriented, polite, dignified and loving man who will be missed by so many people in many different ways!

We miss your smile, we miss your laugh.
We miss your humor, we miss your gaffs.
We miss your wit; your quick remarks.
We miss your passion; your baseball smarts.

Our patients have lost an advocate; a man whose dedication was only exceeded by his compassion for all those who walked through our doors. But while they have lost a therapist, we have lost a friend. May you always be remembered fondly and with love by all those who were graced by your friendship.

We love you, Kevin.

Advocating For Optimal Physical Therapy Care Under Medicare: The Second Step

The time is upon us to contact our representatives in the 111th United States Congress and remind them that November is coming, and we will let our votes speak for us! At this time, a greater than 21% reduction in reimbursement is scheduled to begin on December 1, 2010 for Medicare Part B Services. As was discussed at great length here, this is a remedy for a disaster.

I encourage all readers to click this link to send a message to your own elected official. If you are so inclined, I welcome anyone to copy/paste from the open letter below to make the process more efficient for you.

Spread this message as far and as quickly as you can: email, Facebook, Twitter, SMS…how the message gets out is not nearly as important as the impact our message can have if it is heard by as many people as possible!

An open letter to Congressional Leaders:

August 28, 2010

On June 24, 2010, you voted in favor of the Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010, preventing a devastating permanent reduction of 21.3% in physician reimbursement for Medicare services. Unfortunately, the legislation passed is only effective through November 30, 2010, when a greater than 21% reduction in Medicare reimbursement is once again scheduled to be implemented.

The cuts, as currently projected, impact all health professionals including physicians, nurse practitioners, physical and occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, physician assistants, chiropractors, psychologists and more. Each of these practitioners usually employ a support staff including receptionists, medical assistants, billing specialists and other support staff. We do not believe it is likely that practitioners will be able to continue under their current business models with a greater than 20% reduction in reimbursement over the next 20 years, while rent continues to climb, inflation rises and malpractice prices continue to increase. Instead, businesses will fail, directly as a result of a precipitous drop in reimbursement. One needs not be a governmental research analyst to predict the cascade of events that follows including medical field unemployment/layoffs, fewer businesses open to meet the demands of prospective patients, long lines with longer waits to see a clinician. In many cases, clinicians will simply stop participating with Medicare and down size to accept only privately insured or cash pay patients.

As a direct consequence, there will be less choice for the Medicare patient as they have fewer offices with their doors open, and even fewer offices that participate with Medicare Part B insurance. The clinics/businesses that remain available to the Medicare patient will be swamped with too many patients to treat, and too little time. Regardless of the clinicians experience or good intentions, quality of care will most certainly suffer.

This is not acceptable. Our Medicare beneficiaries deserve better. Please be a voice in the United States Congress against the implementation of Medicare reimbursement reduction in December 2010, America’s seniors need your support and initiative to maintain the availability of high quality care that they are entitled to.

Sincerely,
Keith P. Waldron PT, DPT

Reprinted with permission from The Concerned Physical Therapist