CardioFlex Physical Therapists at Plane Pull event

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CardioFlex Therapy in Davie is always looking for ways of staying involved in our community. Our Physical Therapists invite you to participate and support the upcoming Special Olympics Florida Plane Pull: a giant tug-of-war, pitting teams of up to 15 members against a plane to see which team can pull the 50 ton United 737 aircraft 12 feet the fastest. Teams must raise a minimum of $1,500 to participate, that’s just $100 per person! Your efforts allow Special Olympics Florida to continue providing year-round training and athletic competitions at no cost to the 44,000 athletes statewide.

Register and create your fundraising page by starting or joining a team. Ask your friends, family, and colleagues to support you in your efforts! They can join your team or help by making a quick secure online donation. If you are starting a team, begin by recruiting up to 15 members to join you on event day and help pull the plane!

There’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition,  so teams will compete for:

•  Fastest Pull
•  Slowest Pull
•  Most Team Spirit
•  Best Costume

The Foundation’s mission remains as vital today as it did when the movement was founded in 1968. Special Olympics Florida’s year-round programs in health, education, community building and sports address inactivity, injustice, intolerance and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics programs allow athletes to overcome these challenges and give them an opportunity to participate in their community, strengthen their abilities, and become champions! By “pulling” for athletes, you are helping reach and support more people who want to be a part of life changing programs.

Date: Saturday, September 29, 2018
Registration: 9:00 AM | Start: 10:00 AM
Address:
Palm Beach International Airport
1000 James L. Turnage Blvd
West Palm Beach, FL 33415

For more info visit: www.cardioflextherapy.com

Importance of Physical Therapy for Cerebral Palsy

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Physical therapy is often the first step in treating cerebral palsy. It can help improve motor skills and can prevent movement problems from getting worse over time. Physical therapy implements strength and flexibility exercises, heat treatment, massages and special equipment to give individuals with cerebral palsy more independence, as reported by the Cerebral Palsy Guide.

The extent to which physical therapy helps depends on the severity and type of each case of cerebral palsy. Individuals with milder cases of CP may only require some physical therapy to treat their condition. In more severe cases, it may be used alongside other treatments or medications. Beginning physical therapy as early as possible usually gives them the best chances at improvement.

Many individuals with CP live highly functional lives as adults. Many have careers and families. In adulthood, people with CP often focus on pain management, conserving energy, adaptive equipment, and environment modifications to promote independence at work and at home. Physical therapists can help with managing these concerns. Like many adults, individuals with CP have muscle and joint pain in adulthood. Physical therapists can prescribe an exercise routine that enables the individual to stay strong and minimize joint issues.

Physical therapists are skilled in all of these areas, and they partner with people with CP and their caregivers to address their individual goals for realistic, positive outcomes. There are many benefits of physical therapy, from improving mobility to preventing future issues such as contractures and joint dislocations by keeping the body strong and flexible. Many children and adults with CP increase their level of self-reliance through physical therapy.

The main goal of physical therapy is to make everyday movements easier for people with cerebral palsy.

Physical therapy can improve: Coordination, Balance, Strength, Flexibility, Endurance, Pain management, Posture, Gait, and overall health.

The types of exercises used vary and have specific benefits for each type of cerebral palsy. Some of the benefits by cerebral palsy type include:

1. Spastic – Physical therapy can reduce the muscle tension and jerky movements associated with spastic cerebral palsy. Exercises such as stretching can even relieve stiffness over time.
2. Athetoid – People with athetoid cerebral palsy use physical therapy to increase muscle tone and gain more control over their movements.
3. Ataxic – There are exercises that can improve balance problems faced by those with ataxic cerebral palsy.

Physical therapists also tailor treatment based on the location of movement issues. Movement issues in children with cerebral palsy can be limited to one half of the body (hemiplegia), the legs (diplegia) or in the torso and all four limbs (quadriplegia). Therapists prescribe special exercises and routines for hemiplegia, diplegia and quadriplegia that may help the child regain movement in the affected area over time.

Physical therapy can also treat a range of other issues experienced by children and adults with CP, including:

– Scoliosis – an abnormal curvature in the spine, common in up to 30 percent of children with cerebral palsy.
– Thoracic kyphosis – a contortion of the upper spine.
– Lumbar lordosis – a contortion of the lower spine.
– Pelvic inclination – a protrusion of the pelvis either in the front or rear.
– Pelvic rotation – a horizontal contortion of the pelvis.
– Pelvic obliquity – a contortion of the pelvis at angle.
– Knee deformity – abnormally straight or bent knees that may be caused by pelvic deformities.
– Shortened Achilles tendon – a shortened tendon that causes issues with walking and standing.
– Hand and wrist deformities – abnormal flexing in the hand and wrist that prevents development of fine motor skills.

For more info visit: www.cardioflextherapy.com

Shoulder Injuries and Frozen Shoulder by CardioFlex Therapy

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There are many reasons why the shoulder is one of the most delicate and frequently injured joints in the human body. First of all, the shoulder is the 2nd worst lever system in the body, next to the hip joint. Because a person’s arm is so long, and the shoulder is so small, then it’s probably the worst lever in the body, taking everything into consideration. Additionally, the shoulder has an intricate ball and socket joint formation, which allows almost a “free” range of motion that spans up to 180 degrees. Some people that have hyper-mobile joints may actually be able to move their shoulders over the 180 degrees, as well.

There are many delicate ligaments and tendons that connect the shoulder joint together. Among the most delicate are the Rotator Cuff muscles and tendons.  The Rotator Cuff consists of 4 muscles and tendons that run continuous, the Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Subscapularis, and Teres Minor. The Shoulder capsule itself is part of the joint around the shoulder and contains the Labrum, a cartilage ring for cushioning, and is attached to the biceps tendon for additional stability.  Because of all these complicated and intricate structures combined with a poor level system, the shoulder is especially vulnerable to being injured.

Read more about this in our blog by clicking above.

Vestibular Rehabilitation & Maneuvers eliminate Positional Vertigo & BPPV

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Over the past 6 years CardioFlex Therapy has successfully treated hundreds of vertigo patients, and assisted them in eliminating their dizziness. I want to share some concepts of how to use Vestibular Rehabilitation to get maximum results for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) patients.

Diagnosis
The first step in getting rid of dizziness begins with a solid diagnosis. Does the patient have a peripheral or a central problem? What causes the patient to get dizzy? Is there any spinning vertigo with the dizzy episodes? Patients that have Meniere’s Disease or other chronic conditions will get recurring bouts of dizziness, so helping them resolve each episode quickly will be the best case scenario for those individuals.

Central Vertigo involves brain and spinal cord lesions such as tumors, cysts, surgeries, scar tissue, and degeneration. Neuromuscular disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Ataxia, Stroke, & Parkinson’s Disease can affect the cerebellum in the brain, causing gait and balance disturbances as well as severe vertigo. Peripheral Vertigo is typically considered to be caused by anything not in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Much of the time, Peripheral Vertigo is synonymous with Positional Vertigo (BPPV).

To truly diagnose the vertigo as peripheral, the patient must have a brain MRI to rule out central involvement. A Hallpike Dix test and a Supine Roll Test are performed to see if the patient has Positional Vertigo on the left side, the right side, both sides, or not at all. Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is caused by displaced otoconia, commonly called crystals, which tend to get stuck in the 3 semicircular canals. The Hallpike Dix Test will be positive if crystals are stuck in either the Anterior or Posterior canals. The Supine Roll Test will be positive if crystals are stuck in the Horizontal canals.

Eye tests need to be conducted with and without head movement to see if there is a visual sensory-in component. In other words, if a patient gets dizzy from visual tests with or without head movement, then there is probably a visual sensory-in pathway which can trigger the symptoms at any time, usually seen with severe vertigo. If the patient gets any nystagmus (spinning vertigo), then they have a sensory-out component through their eyes, and are more likely to have a sensory-in component as well.

Treatment
At CardioFlex, we believe in a concept that we call “Repetitive Maneuvers.” We believe that several maneuvers should be performed in each treatment session in order to clear the crystals out of the semicircular canals, and become free flowing like they were before getting stuck. There are several maneuvers that we like to use in our sessions to clear the crystals, such as the Brandt-Daroff Maneuver, the Semont Maneuver, Epley’s Maneuver, and the Barbeque Roll Maneuver.

Read more about Vertigo in our blog by clicking above.

Stretches for Morning Back Pain Relief recommended by Physical Therapists

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Here at CardioFlex we know that on some mornings its harder to get out of bed than others. This is because one of the most common complaints that patients have over 50 is… lower back pain. CardioFlex would like to share some videos to help combat the stiffness and discomfort of lower back pain. Here are 5 stretches that you can do every morning before you get your day started. We hope you enjoy!!

CardioFlex is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 7pm, and specializes in Orthopedics, Sports Injury, Neurological Conditions, and other Specialized Programs like TMJ treatment, knee rehabilitation, herniated disk treatments and more. Whatever your condition is, come in for a consultation. We accept all insurances, including Medicaid and Worker’s Comp.

For more info please contact us.

Phone: 954-693-9090

To view the videos we invite you to visit our blog by clicking above.

Understanding Pain by CardioFlex Therapy

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CardioFlex offers free Injuries & Conditions Advice, so we would like to present some very informative videos on understanding pain and how it affects the body. Both videos go into detail how pain occurs and what we can do prevent, manage, as well as get rid of pain.

We’ve developed several Specialized Programs for injuries and conditions. For orthopedic and sports injuries, we specialize in Knee Rehabilitation, Shoulder Physical Therapy, Tennis Elbow Therapy, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment, Plantar Fasciitis Treatment, Lower Back Pain and Sciatica Therapy, and TMJ Treatment. For neurological disorders, we specialize in Stroke Rehabilitation and Vestibular Rehabilitation. For therapeutic massage, we offer Herniated Disc Treatment and Headache Treatment. And for cardiopulmonary conditions, we specialize in Lymphedema Treatment and so many more.

We hope you enjoy the videos!!

For more info please contact us at: 954-693-9090

Email: info@cardioflextherapy.com

To see the videos we invite you to visit our blog by clicking above.

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Commonly, patients have tightness when raising their feet upwards into Dorsiflexion, which affects their bio-mechanics and how effectively that they can run, and even walk. By stretching out their ankles, calves, and feet with two great stretches, we assist our patients in accomplishing their functional goals. These exercises are called the Gastrocnemius Stretch (a straight-knee stretch) and the Soleus Stretch (a bent-knee stretch).

The Gastrocnemius is the larger, posterior muscle within the leg. It originates at the back of the femur and patella and is attached to the Achilles tendon, along with the Soleus. The Gastrocnemius is responsible for providing the propelling force for actions like running and jumping.

Lying just beneath the Gastrocnemius is the Soleus. The Soleus originates from the upper portions of the tibia and fibula, the bones of the lower leg, and joins the Gastrocnemius to attach to the Achilles tendon. The Soleus is responsible for flexion of the ankle joint, especially when the knee is bent, therefore extending the foot downward.

Click on the link above to read more!

Physical Therapists participate in Special Olympics Surf Event

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The physical therapists at CardioFlex Therapy are proud to support and participate in the upcoming State Surfing Championship that will take place in Cocoa Beach on September 15th. It takes all of us — athletes, volunteers, families, sponsors, coaches, the general public — who are willing to open our minds and hearts and accept people with intellectual disabilities, to make up our Special Olympics Florida community.

By working to remove obstacles, change attitudes and open minds, Special Olympics provides opportunities for its athletes to demonstrate courage, experience joy and share their gifts, skills and friendship with the world.

Come on out and lend a hand or come out and cheer on the surfers!

Where:Alan Shepard Park
202 E. Cocoa Beach Causeway
Cocoa Beach, Florida 32931

Hosted by:Ron Jon Surf Shop
Tournament managed by:  Ron Jon Surf School

Schedule of Events for the day:

7:00 am – 7:30 am	Opening Ceremony
8:00 am – 8:15 am	Coach Update
8:30 am – 4:00 pm	Competition and Awards
11:30 am – 12:30 pm	Lunch

For more info visit: www.cardioflextherapy.comhttp://www.cardioflextherapy.com

Shoulder Injuries and Frozen Shoulder by CardioFlex Therapy

Having shoulder pain? Don't let it become a frozen shoulder!! Read more here:

http://www.cardioflextherapy.com/blog/shoulder-injuries-and-frozen-shoulder/

There are many reasons why the shoulder is one of the most delicate and frequently injured joints in the human body. First of all, the shoulder is the 2nd worst lever system in the body, next to the hip joint. Because a person’s arm is so long, and the shoulder is so small, then it’s probably the worst lever in the body, taking everything into consideration. 

Contact the physical therapists at CardioFlex Therapy in Davie for information and help on shoulder pain, how to get over it and management.