Sample Articles: December 2005 - February 2006

A Needle For Your Pain?

By Scott Barrett

Exercise is good for everyone—including those who suffer from one of the many forms of arthritis. That’s great news, because up until recently, a lot of doctors believed that people with arthritis were supposed to avoid exercise because it would damage their joints. We now know that exercise can be quite a fix.

Sensible exercise can:

• Keep your joints flexible
• Keep the muscles around our joints strong
• Prevent further deterioration of bone and cartilage
• Improve your ability to do daily activities
• Give you more energy and help you sleep better
• Control your weight
• Make your heart stronger

An exercise program that is best for you will depend on the type of arthritis you have, which joints are affected and the severity of involvement. Your program may also depend on how active your arthritis is. Most arthritis sufferers will benefit from a balanced program including different types of exercise.

Three main types of exercise that should be included are range-of-motion, strengthening and endurance exercises. Range-of-motion (ROM) exercises reduce stiffness and help keep joints flexible, which can help people carry out their activities of daily living. The “range of motion” is the normal amount joints can be moved in certain directions. These exercises are best done in a non-weight-bearing position, such as lying on a bed or couch. If your joints are very painful or swollen, your range of motion may be limited. Move them slowly through their full range of motion.

It is important to make sure the joint is taken through its full range of motion in every exercise. Examples of ROM exercises include head turns, shoulder circles, elbow bends and back pats. Strengthening exercises are important because they help maintain or increase muscle strength. Strong muscles help keep joints stable and protected.

Once you have achieved full range of motion in your joints and built up an adequate level of strength you can begin to improve your endurance. Endurance exercises strengthen the most important muscle of all--your heart. They make your lungs more efficient and give you more stamina, so you can work longer without tiring as quickly.

The best methods for arthritis sufferers to increase their endurance are walking, water exercises and bicycling. Remember to always warm up, drink lots of fluids, and always consult your physician before staring any type of exercise routine.

For more information about this article or to discover more about the benefits of exercise for arthritis sufferers, call the Arthritis Foundation at 602-264-7679 or visit www.arthritis.org.

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The Chaplain’s Tower

Speaking with “Chaplain Frank”

Life Lesson: The Perfect Gift During this festive time of the year, buying gifts consumes much of our time, our thoughts and our finances.

Purchasing the perfect gift and staying within budget are twin goals that sometimes, are most difficult to reach. Nevertheless, we keep shopping for family members and friends on our gift list.

What really constitutes a perfect gift? Is it simply something the recipient doesn’t have? Is the perfect gift one that the recipient doesn’t return or exchange? Is the smile the recipient gives the signal that the gift is perfect? Surely, the perfect gift is not based on price, is it?

Through the years, I’ve thought several times that a gift I’d purchased for a family member or friend, was perfect, but learned it wasn’t. I, too, have been given gifts that were not something I liked or wanted, but smiled and thanked the giver to keep from hurting their feelings. In part, I suppose the perfect gift is one that’s used by the recipient.

For instance, each year for my birthday and for Christmas I usually receive cologne. I like many different aromas and enjoy receiving cologne as a gift. It’s something that I use on a daily basis. To me, cologne is a perfect gift.

Let’s consider another perfect gift: the gift from God. Much like gifts we receive during the holiday season, what we do with God’s gift is a matter of personal choice. We can utilize it, reject it or simply put it aside; but the choice is ours.

What will you do with the perfect gift? Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights...
James 1:17 (NKJV)

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Live Without Limits

By Barbara Feth --- HEALTHSOUTH

New Splinting Technology Helps Stroke Recovery

There is more good news on recovering upper extremity function following stroke. New dynamic hand splints are helping many stroke patients improve the function of their entire affected arm.

As discussed in the last issue of Quality Lifestyle Magazine, when a hand cannot function (due to weakness or abnormal muscle tone), the unfortunate result is often non-use of the entire arm.

Since the purpose of most movements of the shoulder, elbow and wrist are to position the hand for function—so one can reach for, lift, control and move objects, a non-functional hand not only leads to increasing problems at the wrist and hand, but leads to deterioration of muscles at the shoulder and elbow too.

The brain learns to ignore the affected arm, and the stroke patient believes that the entire arm does not work.

Many stroke patients have increased tone in the muscles that are used to close their affected hand, and weakness or paralysis in the muscles that are used to open their affected hand. This often results in a clenched and non-functional hand.

Two brothers, who are also Occupational Therapists, recently developed a dynamic splint that uses springs to “open” a clenched hand. Patients can learn to relax their abnormal muscle tone to allow the spring to “open,” allowing them to reach and then grasp, and then relax/release an object. These OTs were quite in tune with the “rules” of stroke recovery when they designed their SAEBOFLEX® hand splint:

1. There has to be a lot of practice, hours and hours each day.
2. The weak limb benefits from being “forced” into use.
3. The practiced movement needs to have meaning—something one     WANTS to do.

Therapists are trained in fitting patients for the SAEBOFLEX®, but are also trained in creative and functional exercises that can be performed by patients using the splint. Trained therapists are provided with colorful and functional exercise stations, including balls, tubes, rings, and buckets. Patients can then learn skills in a gradually challenging and fun environment.

SAEBO is currently developing a clinic model of its splint that can be used very early in a patient’s recovery, and an ankle/foot model that helps patient improve functional stepping.

For more information on this and other technologies to aid in recovery from stroke, please call HEALTHSOUTH Scottsdale Rehabilitation Hospital at 480-551-5471.

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Mouse Talk

By Amy C. Lowenstein

Valentine’s Day Is Coming!

Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to learn how the Internet can help you celebrate all the holidays throughout the year. There are many Internet sites which provide templates for making cards, and others that let you send Valentines via e-mail at no charge. There are sites which have ideas for sharing Valentine fun with your grandchildren, and even one site that offers singing valentines delivered in person.

Below you will find a sampling of what is available. For other sites, log on to Google.com and search under “Valentine.” Fun with Your Grandchildren:

Log on to www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/val. This site provides interesting creative ideas for celebrating Valentine’s Day with your grandchildren. On the home page you will find a list of activities to click on. These include pictures which can be printed on cards, Valentine crafts, holiday recipes, and links to other sites including clip art.

Singing Valentines: This is not free, but sounds like fun. Log on to www.singingvalentines.com where you can arrange for a singing valentine to be delivered at any chosen address by four members of the Barbershop

Harmony Society whose members are located throughout the country. Click on the Singing Valentines Locator and scroll down to find the appropriate state. Click for the appropriate city and then on the provider. The provider will list the price, times and performers. Prices vary for different locations. The service usually includes two songs, candy or a card, and a rose.

Valentine E-Mails: Try www.marlo.com for free e-mail valentines. Scroll down on the screen until “Holidays” appears in the left-hand column. Click on “Holidays.” A monthly list of holidays appears. Click on Valentine’s Day. Here you will find a selection of valentines, some of which are animated. You can add personalized greetings and select music. Valentine Cards:

There are many sites that have Valentine templates for you to print or download to make your own cards. www.familycrafts.about.com/ is one of the largest and best. Look for the search box, which appears on the left of the home page. Type in “ Valentines” and click on “Go.” A long list of activities to click on appears. At last count, this site offered 215 different ideas.

Have fun! Amy C. Lowenstein is the author of For Grandmas Who Do Windows, Dithridge Press, available at Barnes & Noble and online. Contact Amy at Grandmawindows@aol.com.