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Show Hill department provides individual treatment plan, rehabilitation itive strain injuries injuries from low load, low like typing or stress but high repetition activities by Mary Galbraith Hilltop Times staff SrA. Sara Drake experiences chronic jaw pain that at its worst didn't permit her to eat for almost two months. She's been receiving treatment from the Physical Therapy Department at Hill AFB and has seen significant improvements. "When my nurse first told me that I was coming down to physical therapy for this, I thought he had absolutely lost his mind," said Drake. "I couldn't imagine what physical therapy would be able to do. It's absolutely amazing the different exercises that you can do and the variety of problems they end up getting sitting at a desk. Poor workstation setup can also result in the cumulative trauma injuries seen by physical therapists. 'To avoid upper back, neck, wrist, and hand pain, office workers should have their low back supported with a small pillow or rolled up towel, forearms parallel to the floor, monitor directly in front at arms length with the top of the monitor at or slightly below eye level, X. v ..(y wrists straight and relaxed with padded wrist support, ... . feet resting flat on the floor or if you can't adjust your chair height try using a three ring binder under your feet. Arrange your workstation so things you use most Wf are in easy reach. Consider a headset if you use the telephone a lot. Take short breaks throughout the day to stretch your back and move tense muscles," said McGuire. In addition to injuries caused by office wear and tear on joints, sports injuries are common. McGuire compared the body to a machine that needs exercise and proper nutrition so it doesn't break down. "A lot of injuries we see are due to a sedentary work setting coupled with no exercise activity. Then, when that person wants to play in a softball league they haven't kept their body tuned up so it's not able to tolerate the W activity stresses and they end up with sprains, strains and muscle pulls of various joints." I). Forty to 60 minutes of exercise three to five times with the understanding week is recommended 'i per most people will need to work up to that goal. But McGuire said as little as 10 minutes in the morning and afternoon will make a positive difference. "A person doesn't have to go to the gym. A person doesn't have to attend aerobics class," he said. "It could be as simple as a brisk walk to get your heart rate elePhoto by Mary Galbraith vated. If that's the best you can do it's a whole lot betSSgt. Timothy Drinkard works to return full range of motion to ter than not doing anything... Although some injuries, his knee under the instruction of A1C Jason Petrash. Drinkard had surgery after a skiing accident. like stepping in a hole and twisting your ankle, may improper posture and lifting, is a common problem that not be preventable, many injuries treated by therapists McGuire said costs billions of health care dollars annu- may be prevented with proper education and exercise. Circuit training is an excellent way to combine muscle ally. Overtime, repeated strains can cause disabling pain so he suggests reviewing the mechanics of lifting. toning and aerobic exercise. Remember to always train "First, think before the lift: 'Is this load too much for without pain. If pain near a joint does develop, try decreasme? Should I get help? Is there a better way to move the ing the intensity of the exercise so it's performed pain object?' Once you decide to lift the object, follow these free." The Physical Therapy Department treats a variety of steps: get a firm footing, bend your knees, tighten your abdominal muscles, keep the load close to your injuries but does not treat neurological rehabilitation, body, lift with your legs and keep your back upright. spinal cord injuries or pediatric developmental delay. Never lift an object while twisting your back. Instead, For more information on services they provide, call Ext. pivot on your feet," he said. The Physical Therapy Department also works on repet r involved with." Drake said the Physical Therapy Department has allowed for flexibility, scheduling appointments around the pain. "I've seen several different agencies for this and the physical therapists have done more to help me than anyone else," said Drake. "The exercises that they've given me have helped me get mobility back in my jaw. Anytime the pain gets bad, they've got treatments that work better than the medicines to help get the pain back under control." The Hill department has five technicians and two therapists helping active duty members, retirees and their families return to health. Anyone who is a member of the TRICARE Prime plan is eligible for treatment at the Physical Therapy Department. "Physical therapy is the treatment of illness and injury by physical means such as: heat, cold, sound waves, electric stimulation, manual techniques and therapeutic exercise," said Capt. Jeff McGuire, Hill physical therapist. "Physical therapists must be licensed by the state in which they practice in order to evaluate patients and provide treatment. In Utah, a physical therapist evaluates patients only after obtaining a referral from a licensed physician." McGuire said after referral, a therapist assesses the patient to determine the extent and nature of the injury. Then, the Physical Therapy Department establishes an individualized treatment plan and rehabilitation begins. "Physical therapy treatment helps to improve circulation, restore motion, strengthen and coordinate muscles, relieve pain, correct postural deformities and promote healing," said McGuire. 'The overall goal of treatment is to restore function to the highest level possible." Treatment plans also include patient education regarding injury prevention to reduce future risks. Low back pain resulting from minor strains, caused by -- s ny.. , " Lead exposure lea According to the by SrA. Leon Lala Public Health Occupational Safety and Health Admin- . Bioenvironmental Engineering annually performs lead exposure risk assessments for high priority facilities on Hill AFB. Visual inspections of high priority facili- ties look for peeling paint or areas needing repair. Lead is a metal used in pipes, batteries and soldering, and shields against radioactivity. It is commonly used in industrial operations, but if ingested or inhaled it's highly toxic and has a range of serious health effects particularly in young chil- dren. High priority facilities inspected by Engineering at Hill are child care centers and play grounds; Air Force licensed home daycare in military family housing; Pediatric wards and clinics, UCC, immunization, APU and waiting areas; temporary living facilities; youth centers and recreational facilities; other Bioen-vironment- al base playgrounds; and military family housing. istration, lead is one of the most common overexposures in industrial operations, and is the leading cause of environmentally induced illness in children. swallow lead particles or dust once it has settled. Water Lead can seep into drinking water from certain types of plumbing materials, such as lead pipes, copper pipes with lead solder and brass Sources In the past, people were commonly exposed to lead through leaded gaso-linNow, people e. are you breathe or potentially exposed to lead through ingestion Other exposures include deteriorating paint and dust, air, drinking water, food and conta- minated soil. Airborne: Lead can become airborne through sanding or grinding operations, Airborne lead can enter the body when faucets. Lead Based Paint: A 1990 study by the Department of Housing for Urban Development showed some lead based paint in 90 percent of all privately owned units built before 1940, 80 percent of units built between 1940 and 1959, and 62 percent of units built between 1960 and 1979. Homes built after 1978 should- n't contain lead paint, because it was banned from use on the interior and exterior of homes. Ingesting chipping paint in older homes poisons many children each year. If you renovate your home without properly removing lead based paint, you could expose your family to lead dust or particles. Lead dust can settle in your home, on toys, window sills, etc., and children can ingest the contaminated dust through hand-to-mou- th contact. Food: In a recent Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report, a family brought candied d terrajams contaminated by cotta containers back from a vacation in Mexico. In a second report, another family unknowingly prepared food with lead contaminated food coloring purchased in Iraq. Soil: Another HUD study says high levels of lead in soil came from deteriorating lead-glaze- lead based paint from around the foundations of homes built before 1978. Today, leaded gasoline is seldom used, but high levels of lead can still be found in soil due to past emissions. Q See Lead, page B3 |