One of the most frustrating injuries can be a foot or ankle injury. You rely on your feet to help you get from place to place, to help you move throughout the day, to help you function as you normally would. Which is why a foot or ankle area can make it feel like the end of the world. There are a few things that you can expect when recovering from an ankle injury.

Ankle Injury Recovery
Of course we are always going to recommend seeing a healthcare professional in the event of an injury, and if your doctor recommends therapy...come see us! In the meantime, here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to ankle injury recovery. 
Reduce Swelling: Reducing swelling is important when it comes to helping your ankle recover - which means plenty of ice and rest. Ice your ankle in twenty minute increments and keepy your ankle elevated. 
Take It Easy: It can be really easy to push yourself, particularly if you are feeling great within a few days. Always take it easy. Don’t put too much stress on your ankle right away and pay attention to how your body feels, as well as what your doctor says. 
Time: Time is going to be your best friend when it comes to your body healing, and different injuries will require different recovery times. You can anticipate anywhere from a 2-6 week recovery period. However, if you have a more serious injury such as a broken bone, you can expect more than a six week recovery period. But don’t worry, your doctor and physical therapist can provide you with crutches or a wheel chair to help you get around.

Preventing Future Injury
Now that you’ve recovered from your foot/ankle injury, you are going to want to prevent yourself from having to deal with that again. Here are some easy things you can do to help prevent any future injury, and keep your body safe and healthy!
Prepare Your Body: When it comes to working out, light exercise and a warmup is always a good idea. Preparing your body for physical activity is always a good precaution to take. While it won’t completely prevent injury - you should still spend 5-10 minutes warming up. 
Stay Alert: It’s easy to get injured when you trip or roll your ankle - which commonly happens on uneven surfaces. Keep an eye out when working out and when out in public to avoid injury. 
Footwear: Believe it or not, the footwear you choose is extremely important. The wrong shoe can lead to you getting injured, and won’t adequately provide your ankles and feet the support that you need to exercise. 

Everyone’s body is different, so when it comes to your care be sure to stay in close contact with your doctor as well as your physical therapist. At North Platte Physical Therapy, we are here to help meet your needs. We serve the communities of Wyoming and Nebraska with 22 clinics offering a full range of physical therapy services. Contact us today for more information.
 

Summer is already more than half way over - can you believe it? Hopefully you’ve been enjoying the summer to your full ability, but if you are unsure of how you’re going to stay healthy and active for the remainder (and even into the fall) we have some of the best tips for you from your Wyoming/Nebraska physical therapist.

Avoid Fad Diets
Fad Diets are tempting...but they ultimately are not going to be the best solution to helping you stay healthy and well. Fad Diets might help you lose weight quickly, but it’ll be easy to gain all of the weight you’ve just lost! No one wants that! When dieting, stick to a healthy balance and cut back on sweets, alcohol and non-whole grains. 

Moderation
Speaking of getting rid of the bad...have you ever heard of the phrase “everything is good in moderation?” That’s not always the best motto to live by, but there are sometimes where it can be good for you. Cutting out absolutely everything that is good can cause you to binge on unhealthy foods - so first try to cut back the bad things. Practice moderation, and good portion control!

Get Active
Staying (or getting) active doesn’t have to be difficult or hard. It can be as easy as committing to taking 10,000+ steps a day. Taking a morning and evening walk can make all of the difference in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Want to take it to the next level? Try working out a few times a week! It’ll not only make you feel better (endorphins are released during exercise) it’ll lead to you feeling strong and confident after.

Eat To Fuel
When you think of what you are eating and fueling your body with - eat to fuel. Try thinking of your body like an engine - afterall it is how you get from place to place. If you approach food as a way to fuel the body, it might make it easier for you to eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day. This includes eating more fruits, vegetables, and less bad fats (think sweets). 

Hydration
Hydration is essential to losing weight, and maintaining a healthy body! Water helps to fuel almost everything we do, if you aren’t drinking enough water your body is going to hold on to that excess water - we don’t need or want water weight! The rule of thumb is to consume approximately ⅔ of your body weight in ounces. 

Contact North Platte Physical Therapy to benefit from our sports medicine programs. Our expert staff is revered for providing superior and personalized physical therapy services throughout the Wyoming and Nebraska areas. We can provide comprehensive sports medicine services for individual athletes or entire teams, we use the best physical therapy techniques available, and we would be happy to treat sports injuries and maximize performance levels so you and your team can enjoy the thrill of victory.  
 

Knuckle cracking can be one of the most gratifying experiences, and many do it as stress relief and even to help with sore joints. But is cracking your knuckles really good for you? There’s always been a debate on whether cracking your knuckles is truly good for you, or if there is any damage that might occur as a side effect. While you knuckles might feel “loose” after, the question remains...is cracking your knuckles going to cause long-term damage? Your Wyoming therapist is here to help.

What does knuckle cracking really do?
In basics, cracking any joint is really just bending the joint until it makes a popping sound. While you might feel that your joints are “loose,” there is no medical evidence that cracking your joints actually help to relieve any pain or pressure. There is a possibility that it is a placebo effect - so keep that in mind!

Are their side effects to cracking your knuckles?
Whew, this one is a hard one to explain. For decades the theory has been that popping your knuckles can ultimately lead to arthritis, but honestly there isn’t any research to support this. We feel confident in saying that overall it is unlikely that knuckle cracking is related to arthritis. 

However, you should not just be worried about artritis. Be careful when popping your knuckles/fingers. If you crack your knuckles, or fingers, by pulling on them it is possible to pull your finger right out of its joint! This would certainly be an unpleasant experience,  but it’s also possible to damage ligaments doing this. So be careful. In addition, cracking knuckles can cause inflammation and weaken your grip over time. While it’s not as bad as arthritis, it can be uncomfortable and cause issues. 

How to maintain healthy joints
If you are looking to keep your joints healthy, there are a few things you can do. While you don’t have to stop cracking your knuckles...why risk inflammation and possibly weaken your grip. The biggest thing you can do for your joints is to maintain a healthy body weight, stay healthy through exercise, and continue to eat healthy and watch your nutrition.

Everyone’s body is different, so when it comes to your care be sure to stay in close contact with your doctor as well as your physical therapist. If you realize you might be encountering some unpleasant wrist or hand pain, contact us. At North Platte Physical Therapy, we are here to help meet your needs. We serve the communities of Wyoming and Nebraska with 22 clinics offering a full range of physical therapy services. Contact us today for more information.
 

If you've recently had a baby - congratulations! Having a baby is an exciting time, but can be overwhelming and even stressful. If you needed a c-section, that can only add to your stress and the emotional rollercoaster you might be feeling. Recovery from a c-section should be relatively painless, but it can involve some additional steps even physical therapy. Here are some of our tips to help you to a speedy recovery:

Get Moving
We mean this, but be sure to take it easy. When we say get moving we mean participate in some light stretching, a brisk walk, or something that won’t put too much stress on your body. By getting your body moving, not only will you have the chance to get some much needed fresh air - but can also help get your collagen moving and prevent it from shortening. Just make sure to get your doctor’s approval prior to moving to often or starting a new routine. 

Scar Tissue Massage
To help prevent any adhesions from forming along your scar, we recommend scar tissue massage. Practicing light scar tissue will help your scar heal and help to prevent any further infection and scarring - just make sure you work together with your doctor and physical therapist to ensure it won’t cause any unintended damage. 

Bracing
While growing in popularity, belly braces aren’t your best option when recovering from a c-section. Belly braces are advertised to help train your body to maintain a flatter stomach, however it can be possible that your body gets used to the brace doing the work and can ultimately cause undue stress to your body. Your body is in a delicate state after a c-section, it’s important to do the best you can to help you body heal properly and safely. However, the decision is always your choice, so do what you and your doctor feels is right for your body.

Self-Care
While we are advocates of always practicing self-care, you should be especially aware of your body and take care extra care after a c-section. C-sections can be traumatic for your body, so be sure to practice basic self-care. This includes getting plenty of rest, focusing on good nutrition, and relieving your pain through doctor approved exercises, physical therapy, and pain medication.
Everyone’s body is different, so when it comes to your care be sure to stay in close contact with your doctor as well as your physical therapist. As professionals we are here to help and guide you to the best possible solution. At North Platte Physical Therapy, we are here to help meet your needs and ensure a safe recovery, or a safe start to a new exercise routine. We serve the communities of Wyoming and Nebraska with 22 clinics offering a full range of physical therapy services. Contact us today for more information.
 

Healthy living can feel difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. No matter where you are at in your health journey, nutrition and exercise is your key to feeling great and living a long/healthy life. Not only this, but staying mindful of your health can help to prevent back pain, joint pain, and other common body aches and ailments as time goes on. If you are looking for some tips to help get you started on your healthy living journey, we have compiled our seven best tips - straight from your Wyoming physical therapist!
The first step in living a healthy lifestyle is exercise, and this includes more than just becoming a gym rat. You’d be surprised with how just moving your body more can help you feel rejuvenated and even make it easier to achieve your fitness goals. Here are some tips to help you get moving more often:
Take it easy: If you aren’t used to exercising, take it easy! Practice warming up and cooling down with each workout and make sure you switch up your exercise routine. It’s also important to listen to your body - if you are tired and sore, a rest day is much needed!
Go the extra mile: When it comes to your daily routine, try making small changes such as taking the stairs versus the elevator or parking in a spot slightly farther away. As these small changes become habits, you’ll start to see a difference. 
Find a buddy: Having a workout buddy will keep you accountable and give you someone to “feel the workout burn,” with! It’s easier for you to break a workout date with yourself, but not with a friend.

You can’t outrun a bad diet! Proper nutrition is essential in not only maintaining your ideal shape (no matter what that looks like), but it’s important in staying healthy and lively as well. Poor nutrition is the root cause of many health issues, here are some tips on how to focus on your nutrition, without breaking the bank or taking hours of your time: 

• Bring your lunch: Bringing your lunch to work, or even when you know you’ll be gone all day, can help keep you on track to achieve your health and fitness goals. Not only will this help save you money, but it’ll be healthier and even boost your confidence.
• Plan snacks: When it comes to day-snacking, always have your snacks ready to go and packed. By planning your snacks you can avoid unhealthy snacking.
• Stock for success: Stock your pantry for success! Avoid buying cookies, candies and other unhealthy foods to stock your pantry with, but instead buy healthier options such as low-fat crackers, protein bars, and fruits/veggies. 
• Portion control: Ever heard of everything is okay in moderation? While that isn’t always true, it is something good to remember when it comes to eating. It is perfectly okay to enjoy some brown rice, but maybe only have half a cup versus three cups!  

If you are unsure about starting a new exercise routine, or need assistance we are here to help! Our team of professionals at North Platte Physical Therapy, are here to help meet your needs. We serve the communities of Wyoming and Nebraska with 22 clinics offering a full range of physical therapy services for post-cast recovery. Contact us today for more information.