Modern Manual Therapy Blog - Manual Therapy, Videos, Neurodynamics, Podcasts, Research Reviews: Christine Walker

Showing posts with label Christine Walker. Show all posts

You only have 7 seconds.

That's because our attention span on the internet is so poor (did you see the Times article that said our attention span is shorter than a goldfish!?) Animal comparisons aside, you only have a few brief seconds to capture a visitor's attention and KEEP them on your website. Use your seconds wisely. So how do you do that?

You need to put the important AND informative information "above the fold."

What is "the fold?"

The fold is whatever someone sees on their screen without scrolling. This can get tricky, because depending on what type of device, or the size of your computer screen, different people are going to see different amount of information "above the fold". So generally, we want your important and informative information near the TOP.

This idea is not new. Publishers of all kinds have been using this strategy for years. Think about newspapers, magazines, even handouts…if you don't have something to capture attention at the top, you're going to be thrown in the trash (or ,on the internet, you'll be the victim of the dreaded "back" button).

So how do you make sure you're doing all you can on your physical therapy clinic's website to make sure you capture a visitor's attention and keep them on your website?

Make sure you have these key elements "above the fold." But what exactly are those key elements?

#1: Contact Information Your Phone Number

This includes your phone number, and for PT businesses, the cities in which you operate. People expect to see these elements immediately. On my clinic's website, they're first thing at the top right-hand corner.

They also expect your phone number to be "click-to-call" if browsing on a phone. This means that if someone taps on your phone number, they will automatically dial you. Be sure your website builder has this capability, as Google is expecting this on all sites and will reward you (or ding you) for it.

#2 Thought-Out Headline

Your headline must immediately qualify (and disqualify!) people so that they know whether they're in the right place, or not. Your headline should call out to "your people" and let them know that you work with people "just like them" every single day.

You must call out your specific audience. If you're not disqualifying some people, then you're headline isn't good enough.

#3 Easy Navigation

Visitors to your website should be able to quickly glance and see what other pages are available on your website. You do NOT want a single drop down menu that hides all the other pages on your website. Instead, you want visitors to immediately be able to see what other pages they can explore. It piques their curiosity.

#4 Your Logo

While I'm not a huge proponent of spending a lot of money on image brand recognition, you do still want to have a logo and consistent theme throughout your business. This includes having an easily identifiable logo that you use everywhere to represent your company.

Think about it - visitors will first see it on your website, and then be looking for it when they come to your physical location. It's a visual that people expect and want to see.

#5 Call To Action

These days, the average website visitor isn't going to be ready to pick up the phone and give you a call when they first hear about your physical therapy services.

Heck - I don't even like to pick up the phone to order a pizza anymore. I just hop online or go on the app. That way I'm not shouting over the phone at the guy or gal trying to take my order amid the chaos of kitchen sounds.

People want other ways to find out more about you and inquire about your services. Having forms they can submit online gives them an option that may be more appealing than picking up the phone. You want to display at least one call to action "above the fold" so that people know it's available.

And the last thing, a welcome video, is optional but highly recommended. When people are choosing a service, they want to know who they're doing business with. Especially in healthcare, you have to establish trust and authority. One great way to do this is by a welcome video. This video starts to break down the barriers between you and potential patients. It's a great way to start to get people comfortable with you.

The video does NOT have to be professional done…in fact, people relate more to simple videos shot on your phone. You'll likely seem more "real" and "likable" In a video that you shoot with your own camera.

So there you have it. I've given you 5 things that NEED to be on your physical therapy business website…and one bonus idea :)

via Christine Walker, PT, DPT, PYT, PES

Free webinar this weekend only!

Learn more from The PT Website Wizard herself, Dr. Christine Walker! Register for her free webinar by clicking below! It's the last webinar she is running this year and if you want to turn your website into a Patient Generating Machine, you need to tune in! It's free and seats are limited!

Keeping it Eclectic...

In this case study you’ll see how I blend take The Eclectic Approachand throw in a little yoga as to treat a youth athlete.

History: Pt is a high-level gymnast with a h/o acute hamstring injury 8 months ago. She was treated in a traditional outpatient PT setting and is now pain free with ADLs. She still has pain during running, tumbling, and vaulting preventing her from competing at her highest level. Alleviating factors include rest, activity avoidance, over the counter pain medication.

Objective:

R SLR PROM lacking 20 degrees from opposite side
FADDIR decrease and painful pinch with overpressure
Unable to maintain transverse abdominis (TA) contraction and breathing with hook lying knee lifts, significantly more ASIS movement on R
Bridge with increased activation of hip flexors on R
Palpable soreness of proximal R HS near ischial tuberosity
Test/retest of gymnastics skills complicated by concurrent UE injury (different mechanism of injury but could be another case study on its own) that limited UE weight bearing during the first 1-4 visits.

1st Visit:

Corkscrew hamstring/sciatica tensioner (see Dr. E's post here)
Hip inferior glide grade III
Home program: self standing hamstring/sciatic nerve tensions (see Dr. E's post here)
By end of treatment seeing 5-10 degree improvement in R SLR PROM

2nd Visit:

SFMA Rolling - patient had the most difficulty going supine-prone
IASTM proximal hamstring
Posterior chain activation exercise including single leg bridge, double leg bridge with single leg lift
Yoga poses: Warrior I, II, III series for challenging hamstring response to stress and concentric/eccentric loads
By the end of treatment session pt lacking only 5 degree PROM test by SLR compared to unaffected side. Also able to perform splits and cartwheel pain free.

3rd and 4th visit:

Completing practice pain free (with the exception of vaulting - separate wrist issue)
Strength deficit on R - unable to perform single leg squat to the floor
Worked on retraining of landing mechanics with 2 footed and single leg jumping to improve force distribution during gymnastics.
Continuing posterior chain activation exercises from above with additional of single leg squat.
Yoga poses to focus on pelvic control and neutral spine in quadruped with extension of arms and legs. Progressing difficulty of core rotational stability.
Added chair pose with emphasis on seating femoral head in acetabulum through tactile cueing of hip ERs prior to starting pose. Pt seeing immediate improvement in squat by being able to lower down farther and with decreased pain.
Instructed on how to use yoga strap to perform a self-inferior glide/hip corkscrew for R hip (will post a video of this soon!)
By 4th visit had equal HS PROM for the first time in 8 months.

Final Thoughts:

Sciatic neurodynamics was very important for regaining full hamstring motion needed for gymnastics
Activation of posterior chain and hip external rotators crucial to retraining squatting
This may be obvious…but your rehab needs to be SPORT specific. Too many times I see gymnasts who are “discharged” from PT, however still have deficits that either severely limit their gymnastics or put them at high risk for re-injury.

Christine Walker owns her own PT practice inside in Charlotte, NC where she helps active adults and athletes get back to the activities and sports they love without painkillers, injections, or multiple trips to the doctor's office. To learn more visit her website or connect with her on Twitter.

Want an approach that enhances your existing evaluation and treatment? No commercial model gives you THE answer. You need an approach that blends the modern with the old school. Live cases, webinars, lectures, Q&A, hundreds of techniques and more! Check out Modern Manual Therapy!

Keeping it Eclectic...

Thanks for helping make 2016 one of MMT Blog's biggest yet! We had just short of 1 million visits this year! I still remember the milestone of 1 million hits about 2.5 years into blogging! Now we hit that annually!

In 2016 we launched the MMT Team of bloggers, many of whom instantly had huge hits that made this Top 5 list. I also launched my Untold Physio Stories short form podcast with Jason Shane, and Therapy Insiders Podcast had our biggest year yet!

Stay tuned for some big announcements in 2017, including partnering up for more courses under the MMT Brand (Corporate Wellness, Strength Training, Motor Control to name a few). We're psyched for 2017 and couldn't have made it this far without you.

5) 5 Ways to Improve Hip Mobility Without Stretching

sometimes stretching improves mobility - other times it does nothing but beat a dead horse
if stretching activates the neurotag association of strong stretch, discomfort or pain, often mobility does not improve
in this post, I go over ways to improve hip mobility using isometrics, repeated lumbar loading and more

4) Please Stop Pressing and Guessing or Poking and Hoping. Time to Eliminate Passive Intervertebral Assessment

does passive intervetebral (or any passive movement assessment) really enhance your clinical decision making?
or do you use it just because that's what you were taught?

3) Child's Pose as an Assessment

Dr. Christine Walker's debut on MMT was one of our biggest posts of the year (and ever really)
people like simple assessments that help you dictate treatment, and the Child's Pose falls into that category
check out Christine Walker's awesome Therapy Insider's Podcast here while you're at it

2) A Review of Red Flags

Sian Smale, one of MMT Team's most popular bloggers had a great review on Red Flags
it was a follow up an inspired by one of our first Untold Physio Stories podcasts here

1) 5 Common Mistakes for Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to the Quad

Dr. Dennis Treubig proves that people love physical agents! He had the number one post and several very popular posts on post op ACL, Ranting on SLR, a safer and better alternative to Codman's Pendulums.
If you like his posts, just click on his name after the title to see them all! congrats Dennis!

Keeping it Eclectic...

All too often this comical depiction is accurate. We (or our patients) spend our time wondering if we are doing an exercise correctly.

Warrior II can be a powerful tool for physical therapists. Here are some ways I’ve used it in my practice:

Strength and balance training during prehab for a total knee replacement
Quad strengthening after cast removal
Motor control and balance training by transitioning in/out of the pose
Muscular activation of hip rotators
ROM for hip adductors and hip flexors
Motor control of pelvic and low back alignment
Facilitation of shoulder scapula stabilization and postural alignment
Neural mobilization of UEs

In order to achieve the full benefits, you need to perform Warrior II with proper alignment and regard for the body’s anatomical alignment. Here’s how you achieve the proper Warrior II pose:

Image Credit

From standing at the top of a yoga mat, perform a mini squat (chair pose) and then lunge your left foot back 3-5 feet. Your right foot should be pointing straight ahead with your left foot parallel to the back of the mat and turned inward slightly. Hips should be open completely, facing the side of the mat. Arms should be abducted to 90 degrees with elbow creases turned up to the ceiling and palms facing down. Your gaze should follow your front fingertips.

Check your alignment:

Place your hands on your ASIS. Are you hips completely facing the side of the mat? If your hips are tight (like mine) you may need to turn your front foot inward (as opposed to facing the front of the mat) until your hips can completely turn to the side. This way you get a true stretch of your inner thigh. Here's an example of a Warrior II WITHOUT hips properly aligned:

Image Credit (my annotations)

Check your low back. Are you maintaining a neutral spine and lumbar lordosis? What are you shoulders doing? Are they elevated?
Are your scapulas set against your back? Can you keep the crease of your elbow facing the ceiling and then turn your palms down? (If not you may be feeling some neural tension)

To exit the pose, lift your back leg, shift your weight forward, and return to a mini squat (chair). Then stand up.

By performing Warrior II with the appropriate body mechanics, you will see better results and improve your ROM, strength, motor control, and balance.

Header Image Credit
Reference: Garner, G. 2001. Professional Yoga Therapy, Volume I. Professional Yoga Therapy Institute, Living Well, US.

About the author:
Christine Walker is a Physical Therapist and Professional Yoga Therapist through the Professional Yoga Therapy Institute. She has her own cash-based PT practice in Charlotte, NC working with gymnasts, athletes, and active adults. To learn more visit her website or connect with her on Twitter.

Interested in live cases where I apply this approach and integrate it with pain science, manual therapy, repeated motions, IASTM, with emphasis on patient education? Check out Modern Manual Therapy!

Keeping it Eclectic...

In a previous post, I talked about how I use child's pose as part of my upper-quarter screen. Child's pose assesses flexion-based deficits. To look at extension-based deficits I use a cobra or up dog pose.

Here is a list of objective findings you can gather from using cobra:

Extension ROM of the spine, hips, knees, and ankles.
Flexion ROM of the knee and ankles (ask patient to bend each knee, then add ankle dorsiflexion)
GH and ST strength and compensatory patterns (ability to perform scapula depression in weight bearing, scapula positioning)
Extension-based spinal abnormalities (hinging at a particular vertebrae level, global trunk rotation)
Palpation of paraspinals
Pelvic and SI joint landmark position in extension bias (look for pelvic tilt as well)

Just like I did in child's pose, I will ask for the patient's feedback. What feels uncomfortable? Any tightness? Pinching? This gives me further insight into asymmetries and the patient’s perception of pain or discomfort.

Here's an example. A patient comes into the clinic complaining of loss of strength and painful reaching in his R shoulder. Two months ago, he had an urgent care visit for arm pain due to misuse of crutches (unfortunately his gait training post-op Achilles surgery did not include instructions from a PT). First I had him start in a cobra pose. (Excuse the clutter in these pictures. This home visit occurred in a kid's playroom.)

Here is what I see from this position:

R scapula elevation
Global trunk rotation to R

Next, I had him push up onto his hands into an Up Dog pose. Quickly, some of his deficits became more obvious.

Within 10-20 seconds the scapula winging and shoulder elevation escalated and he starting to experience a sensation of discomfort. While in this position, I inquired if he could perceive any changes in his shoulder position. He could not, so I gently placed my hands over his scapula to increased proprioceptive input. Immediately he commented that he could feel his scapula was not in the same place as on the L.

The misuse of crutches appears to have resulted in nerve damage. I have started him on a strengthening program for his scapula stabilizers.

If I had used traditional manual muscle tests, this patient would have been a 5/5 on every test. By using functional movements the deficit is more obvious and compensatory strategies can be monitored.

Listen to Christine's podcast on Therapy Insiders here!

Header Image Credit

Reference: Garner, G. 2001. Professional Yoga Therapy, Volume I. Professional Yoga Therapy Institute, Living Well, US.

About the author:

Christine Walker is a Physical Therapist and Professional Yoga Therapist (candidate) through the Professional Yoga Therapy Institute. She has her own cash-based PT practice in Charlotte, NC. To learn more visit her website or connect with her on Twitter.

Interested in live cases where I apply this approach and integrate it with pain science, manual therapy, repeated motions, IASTM, with emphasis on patient education? Check out Modern Manual Therapy!

Keeping it Eclectic...

On this episode of Therapy Insiders podcast we are joined by Dr. Christine Walker, a forward thinking young female business owner physical therapist who treats patients in a cash based model. Christine integrates yoga as well as her varied experience in pediatrics and sports to create truly unique clinical experiences for her patients.

Therapy Insiders Podcast is proud to be sponsored by:

Therapy Insiders is sponsored by WebPT: The ultimate EMR for physical therapists. Not only does WebPT produce incredible EMR software, they also produce awesome content. Don’t believe me? Check out www.webPT.com/payforperformance for an upcoming webinar on outcomes and why they are the future for physical therapy growth! Want a free demo? Of course you do! Give them a call at 866-221-1870!

Christine Walker, PT, DPT, PYT-C, PES
Christine Walker’s interest in physical therapy started as a youth athlete when she was battling injuries in order to return to competitive soccer and springboard diving. Before becoming a physical therapist, she founded a springboard diving program at a local pool and provided sports-specific performance training to youth soccer players. Since starting her own physical therapy practice, Christine specializes in movement-based injuries and dysfunction and the pediatric population. She frequently works with youth athletes and dancers, particularly gymnasts.Christine graduated with a B.A. in Exercise and Sports Science from UNC-Chapel Hill, and then completed her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. She has worked with adults in the outpatient and acute care hospital settings, and with pediatrics (ages 0-18) in the outpatient, inpatient rehabilitation, and acute care hospital settings.

Christine has completed all of her coursework for the Professional Yoga Therapy Studies (PYTS) certification and is pending graduation from the program. This extensive post-graduate training is the only yoga program that requires all students to be licensed healthcare providers. The program is a unique blend of western evidence-based medicine and ancient health practices. Christine is also certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine as a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES).

As a Medical Yoga Therapist, Christine uses yoga as medicine throughout her physical therapy practice. She also offers medical therapeutic yoga (MTY) classes to the general public. Through these avenues she addresses movement dysfunction, promotes health and wellness, and educates on disease prevention through exercise, stress management techniques, diet, and healthy lifestyle choices. She believes in the importance of an integrative and holistic whole-body approach to achieve optimal health.

Interested in live cases where I apply this approach and integrate it with pain science, manual therapy, repeated motions, IASTM, with emphasis on patient education? Check out Modern Manual Therapy!

Keeping it Eclectic...