7/12/2022 0 Comments Summer salad with easy viniagretteBy Jess Kehoe It's July and even though we've had pretty mild weather so far, July can get hot. And when it's hot I'm not interested in doing any cooking that heats up my kitchen! Summer is also when we have more access to fresh, local veggies, my family has a share with Garden City Harvest, so we have more greens than we know what to do with right now. A trip to the farmers market and you easily have a full salad to be made. When I make salad for dinner, I really like to load it up, to make it feel like a full meal. I add whatever veggies I have on hand, often steaming up some broccoli or green beans for added interest. I also like to include a protein. These day's I like to avoid the pricy meat isle and go for a can of beans and a hard boiled egg, maybe some seeds or nuts as well. As for dressing, sure the dressing isle has so many choices, but really a simple vinaigrette is so easy to make at home, you should try it! It's a great back up for when all your store bought dressings are nearly empty (this seems to happen to me a lot!). I've found, even though my kids are pretty flexible eaters, salad for dinner usually gathers some moans. But croutons save it for them! We buy the big bag at Costco, because making croutons is NOT that easy, and not last minute enough, but that Costco bag is perfect. In general I like to toss my salad with the dressing, but I also have a great hack for your lunch salad, because soggy day old salad is not that enticing. Grab a pint size mason jar, put your dressing in first, add some veggies that won't get soggy sitting overnight in the dressing, then add the lettuce. Leave it in the fridge overnight, ready to grab for the next day. At work, or home, when you dump it into a nice big bowl it's still fresh. Enjoy! Ingredients: For the salad, toss together the following in a large bowl (feel free to choose your own veggie adventure, this is just what I had on this day in the fridge!) 4-6 cups of lettuce, cut into bitesize pieces (any kind will work, this one is iceberg and romaine combo) Two small carrots, sliced Two radishes, sliced 1/2 kohlrabi, sliced One small head of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces and steamed for 3 minutes One sliced red pepper Two sliced mushrooms 4 hard boiled eggs 1 can garbanzo beans Two handfuls of pre-made croutons For the vinaigrette: Place the ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and pepper to taste
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On the road this summer? Car accidents happen a lot in the US, so if you have just experienced one, you've joined the multitude of unfortunate others with a new wreck in their hands. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, car accidents happen at frequent intervals estimated at one every 60 seconds. That equates to about 17 thousand car accidents each day and 5.25 million accidents across the nation on a yearly basis. Whoa!! That’s a lot. At Alpine PT we see many clients who have recently been in a car accident and it’s not uncommon to have some lingering aches and pains from such an event. We asked our PT’s to weigh in on some helpful advice if you find yourself a new member of this club this summer. Brace Hayden reminds people of these statistics, as they're quite common and can upset our lives in many ways. He understands that there are usually hassles with body damage to your car, haggling with insurance companies, the police and the other driver, and the aftermath of contusions and whiplash-related injuries. His advice to start is to “take a deep breath, harness your inner-calm, as this will get better...but I get it that at the present time it wasn't fun being in the wrong place at the wrong time.” If you notice some aches and pains coming on after a car accident, Dennis McCrea recommends that you get a referral to a Physical Therapist, of course. “Then I would recommend they use heat or ice, perform gentle movements of their neck, brief rest breaks and gentle massage until they see the PT and avoid a lot of looking down as with reading and looking at their phone.” Gentle movements immediately following a car accident and for the next few days is a common recommendation from our PT’s. Angela Listug-Vap has this advice “Know that delayed soreness is totally expected and normal. You might feel stiff with movement but don't be afraid to do light movement, walking and gentle rotations in the neck and back - it'll actually help even if it's sore in the moment.” Matt Schweitzer concurs, advising “gentle walking or gentle activity to keep moving help the blood circulate through the body. Listen to your body to not over do the intensity or duration.” Another piece of advice from Angela includes drinking extra water and icing sore areas. Water is an essential component of healing and an easy thing to try, and unfortunately many of us are already chronically dehydrated. Ice can be a miracle pain reliever without harsh side effects. All you need is 15 to 20 minutes, a few times per day. Advice from Leah Versteegen is along the same lines, reminding us how common it is to be sore, but that gentle movement is safe and helpful. “Onset of pain a few days after a car accident is pretty common. This delayed onset muscle soreness is similar to how your body may feel sore 2-3 days after running a marathon for the first time or that first day of ski season when your body isn't quite in shape. Your tissues are not prepared for the impact of a car accident and let you know by creating that feeling of stiffness and soreness for days and even weeks after. Getting in to see a PT for an assessment and some advice on how to best help your body recover is essential during this time period. Everyone's body is different, and every accident is a little different so making sure that your recovery plan is catered to your specific needs is important. Your body will heal and with the guidance provided by your PT, you can get back to doing what you love most just a little faster.” Bottom line is that as long as you have no severe injuries, be ready for some delayed soreness. Don’t hesitate to seek referral to PT, stay hydrated and get some gentle exercise and movement going. You can call us at (406) 251-2323 to get scheduled and safe driving this summer! By Samantha Schmidt, PT COVID-19 hit hard and fast. The daily news feed tells the stories of the pandemic’s detrimental impacts to our communities, country, and world. Yet, during some of our country’s toughest times we have been gifted with innovation and opportunities. COVID-19 has proven to be a pivotal springboard for our health care system in providing greater access to Physical Therapy services especially for rural Montanans. During the lockdown, Telehealth Physical Therapy gained support from third party payers, the government, and the tech sector to provide online care so patients could continue their rehabilitation safely. Initially, both physical therapists and patients were apprehensive about this type of access; however, very quickly the results of online physical therapy sessions demonstrated powerful positive impacts in overcoming pain and limitations. As reopening and a return to a new norm occurs, Physical Therapists will continue to provide Telehealth options for those who need it whether related to a public health crisis, out of town travel for work, or a lack of local services. It is a new norm in which the Physical Therapy profession is excited to not only embrace but to grow. Just this week, Sam Schmidt, PT, with Alpine Physical Therapy, evaluated a USFS trail crew member who had an acute Achilles tendonitis episode while shed hunting. The trail crew member is stationed in a remote Montana town, and after a week of acute management was advised by her doctor to seek PT. As a PT, Sam took a detailed history of the injury and current symptoms then observed and evaluated the trail crew member’s foot and ankle function all via online. From there, specific guidelines of returning to activities, modifications for work, and appropriate prescribed exercises were given . . . all from the trail crew member’s bunk house. This saved time away from work while allowing the trail crew member to be proactive in taking care of the most important tool for work – the body! “It was really convenient and super beneficial to get good professional advice and diagnosis during my work week. I think folks like me who are living away from their normal places can really benefit from this type of access to PT.” M. K. USFS Trail Crew Member Last week, a patient in Lewistown, MT, was able to seek the expertise of Lymphadema PT Specialist, Antara Quiniones, DPT, of Alpine PT in Missoula, MT. This patient is facing ongoing oncology treatments that resulted in lymphedema issues that required a specialist like Antara to help. “It is great that patients can access this type of specialty care without travel or really leaving the comfort of their home,” reports Antara. “We are seeing more and more patients from outlying smaller communities starting to seek the specialties of our team of PTs at Alpine PT through this new type of access – online physical therapy,” states Alpine PT co-owner and staff PT, Sam Schmidt. In addition, Sam describes several of the other specialists in her company. “We have pelvic health specialists, a vestibular specialist, persistent pain specialists, and many of our PTs focus on high level athletes from youth sports to those aggressive Pickle Ball players out there! It has been great to see how many more people we can help through these online sessions thanks in part to COVID-19 pushing this innovation.” Physical therapists are specialists in evaluating painful movement dysfunction to address limitations people might experience in everyday activities, work related tasks, or recreational pursuits. PTs use their keen sense of observation in combination with specific questions and testing to understand how to best help patients get back to an active pain free life. Online physical therapy is a natural and easy way for technology to help rural Montanans live a better life through better movement. Call to book an online visit and experience this new option for accessing PT from the safety and comfort of your home. (406) 251-2323 or schedule an appointment online at alpineptmissoula.com. 5/20/2022 0 Comments Celery and olive pasta saladBy Jess Kehoe Summer is upon us, time for light meals, and BBQ side dishes. A fresh pasta salad, with very minimal cooking is perfect for either. The recipe is vegetarian, but feel free to switch out the garbanzo beans for grilled chicken if that is your preference. When I made this, we ate it at room temperature and it was perfect. This would also work as a great make ahead dish, just take it out of the fridge an hour before serving.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups chopped celery 1/2 cup pitted and sliced in half Kalamata olives 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 1/4 cup grated Parmigiana cheese 1 cup packed spinach leaves 1 lb pasta, I suggest using a bite size type of pasta such as rotini, fusilli or farfalle. Directions: In a small bowl, add the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano and garlic, whisk together. Cook the pasta as directed on the package. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add the beans, celery, olives, spinach, and cheese. Toss with the dressing and season with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy! By Kristina Pattison, DPT, OCS, CSCS Spring is here! And Run Wild Missoula runners are preparing for the next event of the season: Run for the Trees 5km and 10km on April 23rd. This time of year, as volumes are increasing in the marathon and half training plans, and runners try their mettle at shorter courses, questions start rolling in about injury prevention. Particularly, how to incorporate strengthening exercises into the routine to help prevent overuse injuries. Strength is defined as the body’s ability to create force to perform work. For runners, this includes production of propulsion force to move the body forward with every step. Strength also means the ability to withstand force or pressure, which translates to being able to absorb nearly 3-4 times the force of the body’s weight with each step. Heavy weight training is associated with improved performance in short distances.1,2 It also leads to improved running economy at submaximal intensities, such as during endurance runs.3 These changes are believed to be related to changes in muscle fiber composition, improved neuromuscular coordination, and increased musculotendinous stiffness. Realistically, strength training must be employed carefully during the running season. For example, heavy strength training prior to a running workout can increase the cost of running and reduce running performance that day and into the next.4 Also, it takes at least 6-8 weeks to learn appropriate movement patterns for strengthening safely prior to loading with heavier weights or explosive movements. For these reasons, it may be best to start introducing traditional progressive resisted exercise in the fall or winter, while directed by a professional, such as the certified personal trainers at the Peak Health and Wellness. However, you can absolutely use some variations of traditional lifts during the season to work on conditioning the core, hips, legs, and arms for improved running performance.5,6 These variations include variations of the single leg deadlift, the single leg squat, and lunges, with or without arm movements to work on upper body posture and arm swing. Romanian Deadlift to Row: Front Squat to Overhead Press: Lunge and Row: Kristina Pattison is a Missoula, Montana based ultra-distance trailrunner. Locally, she works as a physical therapist for Alpine Physical Therapy at the Peak Health and Wellness Center Downtown. She is board certified in orthopedics and certified as a specialist in strength and conditioning. Formerly, Kristina worked as a wildland firefighter and Missoula Smokejumper. She is passionate about helping athletes dream big and achieve their goals. Contact Kristina today about Physical Therapy through Alpine Physical Therapy or coaching through Flight Phase Coaching. References 1. Rønnestad, B.R. and Mujika, I. (2014), Strength training and endurance performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports, 24: 603-612. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12104 2. Storen, O., Helgerud, J. A. N., Stoa, E. M., & Hoff, J. A. N. (2008). Maximal strength training improves running economy in distance runners. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 40(6), 1087. 3. Guglielmo, L. G. A., Greco, C. C., & Denadai, B. S. (2009). Effects of strength training on running economy. International journal of sports medicine, 30(01), 27-32. 4. DomaKenji and DeakinGlen Bede. The effects of strength training and endurance training order on running economy and performance. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 38(6): 651-656. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2012-0362 5. Sato, K., & Mokha, M. (2009). Does core strength training influence running kinetics, lower-extremity stability, and 5000-M performance in runners?. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 23(1), 133-140. 6. Schmitz, A., Russo, K., Edwards, L., & Noehren, B. (2014). Do novice runners have weak hips and bad running form?. Gait & posture, 40(1), 82-86. 4/14/2022 0 Comments Spicy Peanut NoodlesBy Jess Kehoe, DPT Are you thinking about eating less meat, or trying "Meatless Monday"? Do you want a quick and tasty meal? Like Thai food? All are good reasons to try out this noodle recipe. In my experience sometimes tofu is a little "blah" or maybe it's the texture people aren't psyched on, but this easy treatment of it provides some flavor and a little crunch, that I really like. If tofu is not your thing, feel free to substitute with chicken, cooked stir fry style in the same sauce suggested for the tofu. I also skipped the "spicy" part by omitting the chili paste since my kids are pretty sensitive to the kick, but I think this addition will really increase the yum factor! In fact I'm sure my husband added some Sriracha to his serving.
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1 lb firm tofu, rinsed and patted dry, then cut into 1/2 inch cubes 1/3 peanut butter, preferably crunchy 3 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon water 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 1 glove of garlic, minced 1/2-1 teaspoon chili paste (to your taste!) 1 lb wide rice noodles 2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts. 1 cup peas (room temp or defrosted if frozen) Instructions: Preheat your oven broiler to high. Stir together the ginger and 1 tablespoon of the tamari or soy sauce in a medium bowl. Add the cubed tofu and mix to coat. I found that I needed another tablespoon of soy sauce here. Coat a cooking sheet with non-stick spray or use some parchment paper, spread out the tofu in a single layer. Place under the broiler for 5 minutes. Flip the tofu then broil another 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, peanut butter, syrup, rice vinegar, water, sesame seeds, garlic, and chili paste. Set aside. Cook the noodles according to the package. (Note - some rice noodles suggest you soak them for a while, but I just cooked mine like pasta. It worked out fine and was faster!) Drain and rinse the noodles, then transfer them to a large bowl. Mix in the peas, peanut sauce, tofu and scallions. Enjoy! By: Clare Antonioli PT, DPT, Colleen Ryan PT, DPT, Dana Solge PT, DPT, PRPC As pelvic health physical therapists, we specialize in the group of muscles that attach to the base of the pelvis. While we instruct pelvic floor strengthening exercises, commonly termed kegels, and relaxation exercises for the muscles of the pelvic floor, we also address the person as a whole. These muscles are particularly important in pregnancy and post partum because of their various functions - support the pelvic organs, stability in the pelvis, sphincteric control of bladder and bowels, sexual function and “sump” pump of lymphatic fluid out of the legs into the pelvis. The pelvic floor and pelvic girdle muscles go through significant changes during pregnancy as well as during labor and delivery. While the body has an amazing capacity to heal, some folks need support and guidance to return to their prior level of function following childbirth. The 4th trimester, the immediate postpartum period, has become recognized as deserving of care. We recommended a 6 week postpartum evaluation - however, women can come in much earlier if presenting with dysfunction. Pelvic health physical therapy during pregnancy can reduce the risk of common postpartum issues such as urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction, pelvic girdle pain, and pelvic organ prolapse. In the postpartum period, we can offer guidance and provide an individualized program to return to exercise - as most women are cleared for exercise much sooner than feel ready to do so. Physical therapy can also address birth related traumas such as scarring (cesarean or perineal) or diastasis recti (abdominal separation). As pelvic health physical therapists, we can help you with so much more than just your pelvic floor. We are trained to understand how the whole musculoskeletal system changes during pregnancy and after childbirth. Physical therapists can help modify and adjust what you are currently doing ranging from being able to continue running or lifting weights to something as simple as putting on your socks or breathing. We also help with the care of your body while you care for your new infant by instructing body mechanics, providing suggestions for feeding positions, or even carrying a car seat. Pelvic health physical therapy can answer your questions and offer you support throughout your pregnancy, the birthing process or postpartum. Many people feel overwhelmed and confused during pregnancy and postpartum and unsure if the aches and pains they are feeling are normal. Many postpartum pains are common, but they are not normal. Pelvic floor physical therapy can help. By Gary Gales, DPT The World Health Organization defines health as 'a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity'. With this definition in mind, what are the important factors that lead to this state? Are we physically strong and pain free? Do we have the endurance to complete the tasks that need to be done, and energy left over to do the fun and social activities? Do we live in a positive state of mind with optimism and joy for the coming times in our lives? Are we in balance with our environment, both internal and external? These are important questions we need to ask ourselves. We need to spend time looking outward and inward to determine our balance and then look at what tools we can incorporate to achieve this balance. Tools to improve our physical, mental, and social well-being are many and all within our control with a firm commitment to making them habits. We are run by our habits and mainly our subconscious mind and need to cultivate these good habits. We may need to reduce our bad habits that interfere with our health. Exercise is one tool that is non-negotiable, we need daily meaningful movements to program the body to build and maintain our physical systems. The fancy term is “mechano-transduction”. We are programming our body and our mind by inducing good stress on our body which tells our mind/body to physically build stronger with strength and endurance. Other benefits of exercise are releasing feel good hormones to improve our mood. We also burn up our negative stress hormones from spending too much time in a fight or flight mode or situations that our mind determines are a threat or danger to us. We are not made to be in this stressful state for long, but our subconscious mind cannot determine potential stress from true physical danger. When we are in this stressful state our body releases hormones to increase our adrenaline, our blood sugar rises, and shunts blood to our muscles to get us ready to flee. Exercise can help utilize this excess blood sugar instead of the body storing it as fat. Stress also negatively impacts our digestive system. We can help reverse our fight or flight response by utilizing breath work. Our autonomic nervous system works to balance our body between the fight or flight response and the rest and relax response. We are not designed to stay in the fight or flight response for extended periods and it will inevitably interfere with our health and sense of well-being. A practice of deep breathing can upregulate our rest and relax response and tamp down the fight or flight. We must consciously turn our attention inward when we are stressed to see how we are breathing and refocus our breathing patterns to help reprogram our systems. There are many well-researched breathing techniques out there, but mainly breath work helps you tune in to what is happening within your body and mind at that moment in time. Much like regular exercise, making a conscious effort to bring awareness to your breathing and your state of stress a habit will take the time to do, but it is highly worth the effort. Another habit to cultivate is getting good sleep. Making sure you get sufficient and refreshing sleep as often as possible is critical. During a full night of sleep your body undergoes a lot of physical restoration and mental reprogramming. Adequate sleep can help sort out the activities of the day and restores our mental well-being. Diet is another area that is vital to our health. It’s been said that “we are what we eat” and this is extremely important to supply our body and mind the good resources to build ourselves mentally and physically. Try to make a balanced diet of nutritious eating a habit! If you feel you need professional help reaching your wellness goals, or pain is keeping you from exercising, check out Alpine Physical Therapy. We are experts in movement and helping you meet your specific goals. 3/17/2022 0 Comments Spring Veggie PaellaBy Jess Kehoe Back in college I did the Europe trip that so many kids do and I have this great memory of being in Barcelona, wandering side streets when we came upon this neighborhood feast. There were a few people mixing food in a HUGE paella pan, and a very long table set out in the middle of the street. We stopped to say hi see what was going on, and were invited to join them for food. I'm pretty sure that meal was better than this cheater version, but I would say this is a pretty good quick version. This recipe is a great vegetarian option, but I could see adding some shrimp, or sausage to this easily if you want some meat in your meal. You don't need a real paella pan, but you will want a pretty big frying pan. I have a big 12" one and it was pretty full by the end!
Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped 4 oz jar of pimientos, drained and chopped 1 can diced tomatoes, with the juices 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 2 cups rice, medium grain 3 cups chicken broth 1 cup water 1/2 cup chopped parsley 1/2 lb asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 cup frozen peas 1 6 1/2 oz jar of artichoke hearts, drained and sliced 1 can cannellini beans, drained Instructions Begin by chopping your onions and veggies so you are all prepped. Using a large frying pan, heat the oil on moderate heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the pimientos, tomato and garlic, cook stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Stir in the salt, turmeric and rice. Add the chicken broth, water and parsley and bring this to a boil. Lower to moderate heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed by the rice, about 10 minutes. Stir in the asparagus, peas, artichokes and beans, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for about 15 minutes. **I added about 1 cup of extra chicken stock during this time, because it seemed to be too dry. Remove from heat and let stand about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy! 2/17/2022 0 Comments One Pot Pasta and MushroomsThis is an easy and delicious one pot meal to make for a weeknight. It has a light and creamy sauce, and if you love mushrooms, like me, this really hits the spot. This dish is easy to personalize to your likes as well. It calls for dill as the flavoring herb, but would also be good with tarragon, sage or thyme. Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced 4 medium garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup water 1 1/3 cups vegetable or chicken broth 2/3 dry white wine 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 2 teaspoons dill 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice salt and pepper to taste Instructions: First, prepare your mushrooms, leeks and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan (big enough to fit your pasta and liquid). Add mushrooms and sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Then add the leeks, garlic and salt. Stir often until the leeks are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pasta and 3 cups of liquid (wine, broth and water). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until 3 minutes short of al dente, usually this is the time on the package. Stir in the cream and simmer, stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the cheese, herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan on top. ENJOY! |