Art Hurts
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN As a long time classical flutist I can personally attest to this statement. After especially extended rehearsal times, my lips have been known to go numb and tingly, my fingers to cramp up and my shoulders and arms to feel like I have been lifting weights from sustaining the same position for hours. Yes folks – art can hurt. I have the utmost respect and sympathy for professional artists who do this on...
Early Physical Therapy Helps ICU Patients
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN Physical therapists are needed across a range of specialty areas and departments in hospitals. Intensive care units (ICU’s) are one of the places where PT’s and traveling physical therapists on physical therapy travel job assignment are needed the most. Research and studies are now showing the benefit of early physical therapy in the rehabilitation of critically ill patients in the ICU. A University of...
Golfers Keeping Physical Therapists Busy
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN I recently had my first golf lesson by my significant other. His major critique was that I should stop swinging the club more like a baseball bat (what can I say, it’s my favorite sport). Other than that, there was no serious damage done and no injuries or pulled muscles that would send me screaming to a doctor or in, increasingly more cases of sports injuries, a physical therapist. Many physical...
Trends in Long Term Facility Rehab Programs
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN As the population ages and requires more complex rehabilitation therapy, the services offered by long term care facilities are moving forward with the times. For example, the roles of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and their travel therapy counterparts are expanding in nursing homes and other extended care facilities. Rehab therapists in these facilities no...
Speech Therapists Help With Singing
By Christine Whitmarsh, RN, BSN The voice can be a delicate thing. I learned this from experience in the basketball pep band, screaming it out, and by observation, watching shows like American Idol where contestants frequently “sing out” their voice and vocal chords. Enter the speech therapist and speech language pathologists and their expert abilities to heal the broken otherwise healthy voice and help repair the diseased or...