As the ranks of senior adults swell, so too does demand for anti-aging products, services, and procedures.The good news: across the globe, people are living longer. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 6 people in the world will be 60 years or older by 2030. That translates to a senior population of 1.4 billion, up from 1 billion in 2020. By 2050, that population will have doubled. As the ranks of senior adults swell, so too does the demand … [Read more...]
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Human Trafficking Prevention Month
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.Instituted in 2010, the United States Department of State dedicates the month of January to raising awareness and equipping the public with resources to identify and prevent trafficking. Given their unique position, healthcare professionals are often the first to spot signs of human trafficking. They can also provide trauma-informed care and, when able, equip the trafficked individual with resources … [Read more...]
Helping Patients in Pursuit of Happiness
What is happiness? Imagine the following scenario. A patient comes to see a practitioner complaining of depression. Using solution-based counseling, the practitioner asks a theoretical question. “If you woke up tomorrow and your depression was magically gone, how would your life be different?” The patient replies, “I would be happy.” “I can help you become less depressed, but I can’t make you happy,” the practitioner says. “Only you can do … [Read more...]
Hydrotherapy Treatment for Physical Therapists
Hydrotherapy treatment involves the use of unique properties in water to achieve therapeutic benefits.Hydrotherapy treatment, or the use of water to treat disease or symptoms, is a practice dating as far back as 4500 BC. In ancient Roman culture, bathhouses were a vital component of public life. Their popularity continued through the centuries, spreading through Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries before crossing the Atlantic to the United States in the … [Read more...]
What Is Evidence-Based Practice?
Evidence-based practice: What it is and how it can be properly utilized?Evidence-based medicine, whose philosophical origins extend back to mid-19th century Paris and earlier, remains a hot topic for clinicians, public health practitioners, purchasers, planners, and the public. What is evidence-based practice? Sackett et al. defines evidence-based practice as the integration of the current best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient … [Read more...]
Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy For Men
“I thought only women needed pelvic floor physical therapy.”As a pelvic floor physical therapist, I hear this from my patients almost weekly. Sometimes it comes from men, sometimes from women. Occasionally it’s from other healthcare professionals. While pelvic floor therapy is critical for women, men have pelvic floor muscles, too. They can suffer from many of the same problems that women do, including incontinence, rectal pain, constipation, urinary … [Read more...]
Mindfulness, Meditation, and Pain
Mindfulness. It’s an evocative term, conjuring images of yoga retreats and burning incense.Right here, right now It’s an evocative term, conjuring images of yoga retreats and burning incense. While certain practices like meditation are often associated with mindfulness, they’re neither equivalent nor synonymous. American author and professor Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer in the field of mindfulness-based stress reduction, describes mindfulness as “the … [Read more...]
Post-Prostatectomy Kegel Exercises: Effective or Not?
Post-Can Kegel exercises help male patients experiencing pain and incontinence after a prostatectomy?Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor, or pubococcygeus (PC), muscles. These muscles contract and relax around the bladder and the bladder opening, which helps control urine flow. Many healthcare professionals and physical therapists agree that pelvic floor exercises before and after prostatectomy can help a patient achieve the best possible outcome. … [Read more...]