Author: admin99

Deciding to undergo back surgery can be a daunting task, but sometimes it is the only way to provide relief. For patients who have decided to have back surgery, it is essential to prepare for the postoperative recovery period. At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, we want our patients to be well-prepared for their recovery. Our team would like to provide some information about the recovery process following back surgery and how they may improve their experience. 

Different Back Procedures

Back surgery is often the last resort for treating back issues. Those that have experienced herniated or ruptured disks, vertebral fractures, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disk disease may be candidates for surgical treatment. Here are some examples of different back procedures:

• Spinal Decompression. 
• Discectomy.
• Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty.
• Foraminotomy.
• Spinal Fusion.
• Artificial Disk Replacement.

Back Surgery Recovery

After back surgery, the length of your recovery time will depend on several factors, including age and physical condition before the procedure. Your specific experience will also depend on the type of back surgery you had, and the recovery period can range anywhere from a few months to a year. Whichever procedure you had, it’s essential to care for your back after surgery. Here are some tips to help you towards a successful recovery:

• Optimize your fitness before surgery – If your body is properly conditioned before your procedure, you have a higher chance of a quicker and easier recovery. Consult with one of our physical therapists before your surgery. We can help you strengthen your back and help keep your joints strong. 
• Keep moving – Rest is essential to your recovery, but many doctors want you to start moving again as soon as possible. Your strength and stamina can decline rapidly with just a few days of inactivity. Keep your joints moving after your surgery to avoid stiffness and weakness. Always consult with your doctor to make sure you do not further injure yourself. 
• Prioritize your rehabilitation – Rehab is arguably the most critical part of your recovery, and you should start thinking about it well before the surgery. Delaying your rehab can be detrimental to your progress after surgery. Our team offers in-home physical therapy to help our patients achieve maximum wellness. 

Contact HARS

At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, our goal is to help our patients achieve their full potential. We offer physical therapy and rehabilitation services to help facilitate your body’s healing process and get you back to optimal function. Contact our team to learn more. 

It’s essential to keep active all year round. Summer is the perfect time to get outside and do activities with your friends and family. It can be hard to find ways to stay active if you have limited mobility or joint problems, so our team at Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions would like to share some low-impact activities you can do this summer to have fun and stay fit. 

Low Impact Summer Activities

Warm temperatures and bright sunlight are an invitation from nature to get outdoors and get moving. There are ample opportunities to work low-impact exercises into your daily routine. These activities can be easy on your joints and help you improve your overall fitness. Before starting any new activities, it’s important to consult with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you to start exercising. Here are some low impact summer activities to try this season:

• Yoga – Yoga can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors. This exercise is good for your muscles and can help boost endorphins in your body while increasing your stability and flexibility. 
• Water Aerobics – Aquatic fitness is an ideal low-impact exercise. The water supports your body and puts less stress on your muscles and joints. 
• Gardening – Did you know that gardening can be more than just a hobby? This activity will benefit your muscles and your garden, and gardening outside allows you to enjoy the beautiful weather. 
• Walking – Walking is by far the most popular low-impact exercise. It’s free and easily accessible. You can take a leisurely stroll or amp up the intensity and walk at a brisk pace. 
• Tai Chi – Tai Chi can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors and is beneficial to your balance, flexibility, and stability. This practice also involves meditation and deep breathing, which can help reduce your stress and improve your mood. 

Contact Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions

Take some time to plan some low-impact exercises you can incorporate into your daily routine. At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, our mission is to help our clients overcome any physical or emotional obstacles resulting from an injury or disease. We provide clients with encouragement and education that enables them to achieve the highest level of comfort and wellness. For more ideas for low-impact exercises, or to schedule an appointment, contact us today! 

Everyone can experience joint pain from time to time. As we get older, this just becomes an expected part of your daily life. However, if your joint pain is caused by rheumatoid arthritis, your life can get more complicated. Here at Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, we understand that it can be challenging to cope with RA pain. Identifying RA early on can potentially help you manage your symptoms later on. To learn more about this condition, continue reading below. 

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder that causes joint pain and inflammation. This condition can occur when your immune system attacks your own tissues. This condition will usually affect your hands, knees, and ankles and lead to other complications in other parts of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis will usually bring forward the following symptoms:

• Joint stiffness that is worse after activity or upon waking. 
• Tender, swollen, warm joints. 
• Fatigue.
• Fever.
• Loss of appetite. 

In its early stages, RA typically affects your smaller joints first. You might notice pain and stiffness in the joints that attach your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet. As this painful disease progresses, the symptoms will spread to your shoulders, hips, ankles, knees, and wrists. Our team understands that this condition can be painful and cause you significant discomfort. It would be best if you did not try to handle your rheumatoid arthritis on your own or ignore it. While there is no cure for RA, our team can help you manage your condition. You may have a negative outlook on your condition, but there are still steps you can take to improve your quality of life. Depending on the severity of your situation, the following can be utilized to help your symptoms:

• Physical therapy exercises.
• Steroid injections.
• Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
• Surgery.
• Joint Braces.

Contact HARS Today! 

Unfortunately, rheumatoid arthritis can quickly harm one’s quality of life. However, all is not lost! At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, we can help you cope with RA’s symptoms through a personalized program. To learn more about how we can help, or to schedule an appointment, contact our team today! 

As we age, we lose some balance and mobility that can potentially put us at risk of injuries and health issues. At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, our goal is to help our patients remain as healthy as possible. We offer various services to help patients deal with injuries and help them lead more independent lives. Please continue reading to learn how we treat joint dislocations. 

What is a Joint Dislocation?

A dislocation is caused by the bones in a joint being forced out of their usual positions. Dislocations are generally caused by traumatic impact injuries such as falls or car accidents. For smaller joints, less impact is needed to drive the joint to dislocate. Joints that have previously been dislocated can become more susceptible to dislocations, as the tissue holding the joint in place may have been stretched. Most of the joints in the body can become dislocated, but some are injured more commonly than others. Shoulder dislocations are most common among adults. Older adults tend to have poorer balance, making them more vulnerable to falls. Ligament and muscle weakness is also an issue that older adults face due to lack of fitness. Dislocations are usually easily visible. The area can be discolored and swollen or may appear deformed as a result. Some other symptoms can include:

• Inability to move the area. 
• Pain during movement. 
• Numbness or tingling in the area. 

Treating Joint Dislocations

If you have a joint dislocation, you should seek out help immediately. Trying to put the joint back in place yourself can lead to further injury. After the joint has been safely moved back into position, you may need a physical therapist to help you rehabilitate. Our team will evaluate your condition and determine the appropriate rehabilitation for your injury. For elderly patients, the goal of rehabilitation is to improve your strength and range of motion and help educate you on how to prevent these injuries from reoccurring. Falls are one of the leading causes of injuries for seniors, so we will work with you to minimize your risk of falls. Some of the ways you can prevent dislocations from occurring could include:

• Using handrails when using staircases. 
• Remove tripping hazards from the home. 
• Physical therapy treatment to improve balance and improve strength. 

Contact Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions

A joint dislocation can be difficult to manage on your own and can keep you from living your life comfortably. At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, we offer rehabilitation services that can be done in the comfort of your own home. Contact our team today to learn more about how we can help! 

Most senior citizens want to live in their homes for as long as possible. The question that arises with this is how to accomplish this safely. Unfortunately, aging diminishes balance, strength, eyesight, and memory, which can affect a senior’s ability to perform daily living activities. At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, our mission is to make a positive difference in our clients’ lives. We provide our clients with the help they need to safely ensure that they achieve the highest level of independence to remain in their homes. 

In-Home Injuries

Home should be a place where we feel safe. If you are a senior citizen, there may be certain dangers in your home that put you at risk of injury. To avoid this, you should be aware of the common injuries that typically affect senior citizens at home:

• Falls

Many injuries that occur in the home for seniors are related to falls. As you age, your mobility can become more limited and put you at risk of falling. Falls can often be the result of uneven surfaces and floors, unstable furniture, and poor lighting. Other risk factors for falls include lower body weakness, balance, walking difficulties, and poor footwear. Seniors that fall can suffer from broken bones or even brain injuries. 

• Sprains

Sprains are not nearly as painful as fractures, but they are prevalent among senior citizens. As we age, the tendons in our hands and ankles become less flexible, which increases the risk of strains and sprains. Simple activities like standing up or catching themselves from a fall can all cause a sprain. Uneven surfaces can also trip seniors up and cause injury. 

• Burns

Another common injury that affects seniors in the home are burns. This injury is common for those who cook regularly, but burns can result from an appliance malfunction, cooking accident, or product malfunction. Burns are among the leading causes of fatal injuries among seniors since seniors have a harder time responding to fire treatments. 

Contact Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions

At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, our team offers an extensive range of services to help seniors avoid injuries in the home and rehabilitate them if an injury occurs. From in-home physical therapy and occupational therapy to obtaining durable medical equipment, we aim to provide our patients with the safety and independence they need to stay in their homes as long as possible. To learn more about our services, contact our team today! 

Pain and tightness in your shoulder can be a nuisance. If you are looking to improve your upper body strength or are recovering from an injury, there are exercises you can implement into your routine to improve your mobility. Our team at Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions would like to share some of the best suggested exercises that you can do for upper-body mobility. 

Before we get into these exercises, we want to point out the difference between mobility and flexibility. Flexibility refers to the muscle’s ability to lengthen and stretch, and mobility refers to the joint’s ability to move through its full range of motion. Performing exercises specific to your upper body can help improve strength and mobility in your shoulders and potentially help you avoid injuries. We always recommend warming up before exercising to help with your overall performance. (Before beginning any exercise program, it is important to consult with a physical therapist or another medical professional.)

Arm Swings

1. Stand up straight with your arms at your sides. 
2. Tighten your core and swing your arms forward as high as they can go. Do not raise your shoulders while performing this motion. 
3. Return your arms to the original position, and repeat. You should do this movement for about one minute. 

Shoulder Pass-Through

1. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Hold a long stick with an overhand grip. The stick should be parallel to the floor, and your arms should be wider than shoulder-width apart. 
3. Engage your core and raise the stick above your head with your arms straight. Do not push past the point of comfort. 
4. Hold this pose, return to starting position, and repeat five times. 

Reverse Fly

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Make sure the weight is manageable. 
2. Stand with your knees slightly bent and your feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Bend forward at the waist while engaging your core. Make sure your back is straight. 
4. Raise your arms away from your body, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Stop this motion when you get to shoulder height. 
5. Return to the starting position and repeat. Do three sets of ten repetitions. 

Contact Us

At Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, we provide our clients with the education they need to help them achieve the highest wellness level. Our team will evaluate your capabilities and needs and develop a treatment plan that best serves you. To learn more exercises to improve your mobility, or to schedule an appointment, contact us today! 

As we continue to age, one of the most common issues we need to be aware of is an increased likelihood of falls and balance issues. While this may not seem like a big deal, the truth is that falls can come with serious injuries. Here at Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions, our team can help prevent this from happening. We can offer physical therapy sessions to help combat the likelihood of falls so you can remain as healthy as possible.

Potential Injuries To Be Aware Of 

As previously stated, falls can lead to a wide range of injuries and medical issues. Understanding what they are may have patients take the matter more seriously, which is why our team would like to spend some time sharing them. Some of the most common injuries a person can face as a result of falling includes:

• Broken bones.
• Ligament sprains and tears.
• Muscle contusions.
• Head injuries.
• Dislocations.

Risk Factors To Be Aware Of

Patients should not wait until after they have fallen and sustained an injury to start working on preventing falls. The sooner you begin the process, the higher the likelihood that it will be successful. That is why our team wants to make patients aware of the common risk factors that point to falls potentially being a standard part of their future. If you begin to recognize any of the below in your life, you should consider starting a physical therapy program with us:

• Living a relatively sedentary lifestyle in old age.
• Noticing you have begun to have trouble keeping your balance.
• Becoming easily fatigued.
• Generalized muscle weakness in the legs.
• Limited flexibility and range of motion.
• Pain in the joints located in the lower half of your body.   

How Physical Therapy Can Help

Physical therapy involves therapeutic stretches and strength exercises to correct medical issues that the patient is dealing with. When it comes to improving one’s balance and preventing falls, various aspects allow for this to be achieved. Some of what you can expect may include the below:

• Exercises and stretches specifically tailored to assist with balance.
• Strength training to correct any weakness and problematic imbalances.
• Endurance training to ensure falls don’t take place as a result of tiredness.
• Physical activities aimed at restoring any pain that could lead to future falls.

Schedule An Appointment

One of the best aspects about working with our team at Home Advantage Rehabilitation Solutions is that our team will travel right to your home to administer care. If you’ve been avoiding traveling due to the fear of falling, working with our team is the perfect solution. For more information on how we can help, please don’t hesitate to contact us today and schedule your first appointment.