New Evening
Appointment times!
Tues & Thurs 7am – 7pm
Tues & Thursdays
Redington-Fairview General Hospital
Rehab & Fitness Services
46 Fairview Ave, Skowhegan, ME 04976
(207) 474-7000 FAX 858-4772
Vol 3-3
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech-Language
Pathology
Aquatic Fitness
Athletic Training
Personal Fitness
Referral
Information:
207-474-7000
Fax 207-858-4772
Prompt appointments
Flexible times
Quality care
Outpatient Clinic &
Pool Facilities:
Mon & Wed 7-5pm
Tues & Thurs 7-7pm
Friday 7-4pm
Call for special class
and swim lesson times
and schedules.
Summer 2010
SWIMMING……The Coolest Exercise Under the Sun
Outdoors or indoors, swimming
is an activity than can be
enjoyed by people of all ages,
fitness levels, and body types.
For years, experts have been
saying that swimming is great
for your health and simply one of
the best exercises out there,
ideal for almost anyone —from
competitive types to the
physically challenged.
Water has long been recognized
for its healing and rejuvenating
powers. Swimming provides an
excellent cardiovascular workout
and a less joint-stressing means
of acquiring a full-body workout
by recruiting all the major
muscles via the natural
resistance of water. It burns
from 400 calories per hour at a
light moderate effort to over 800
at a fast vigorous effort.
But swimming is more than just
a great exercise, it is an
important life skill. With Maine’s
abundant amount of lakes,
ocean front, ponds, and rivers,
swimming is a basic safety need
for both young and old alike.
People who are comfortable in
the water and who know how to
swim are better equipped should
they ever face a water
emergency. Not to mention that
swimming is great fun as well!
At RFGH Rehab & Fitness,
we’re dedicated to bringing the
many benefits of aquatic
exercise and swimming to our
community. Our swim programs
span the young and old. We
begin with Parent/Child classes
designed for children 6 months
to 5 years old to join their
parents in the pools and geared
to build swimming “readiness”
by emphasizing fun and safety.
From there, participants move
on to levels 1 through 6,
advancing their independent
swimming abilities and water
safety skills. For the more
advanced and inspired
swimmers, we also offer
lifeguard training.
So whether its teaching the
brand new swimmer or assisting
the casual swimmer improve
their strokes, Rehab & Fitness
has a swim and aquatic exercise
program for everyone. If what
you want is a lifetime of health,
fitness and vitality then get in the
water and swim!
For more information on aquatic
exercise or swimming programs
at Redington- Fairview General
Hospital’s Rehab & Fitness
Services, contact Kelly Dangler
@ RFGH 474-7000
Moving More Kids at
Rehab & Fitness
Services!
Over the last two years, and as
part of the New BalanceSomerset Heart Health’s
Healthy Community Coalition
Move More Kids grant, RFGH
Rehab & Fitness Services is
proud to have trained over 30
new lifeguards and taught over
200 kids of all ages to learn to
swim! Community Aquatic
Programs Coordinator Kelly
Dangler and WSI—Red Cross
Swim Instructor Kathy Poirier
have teamed up to teach young
and old alike water safety and
the tremendous, life-long
Kathy Poirier and her students
benefits of swimming. Thanks
to New Balance and SHH, and
thank you Kathy & Kelly!
For more information about future swim
lessons, call Kathy at RFGH Rehab &
Fitness, 474-7000.
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Page 2
Exercise your hearing muscles?
Not all patients do their homework, but now you can give
them more reasons to stick to
an exercise program.
The American Journal of Audiology published research earlier
this year reporting that
cardiovascular health positively
impacts hearing over time,
according to a press release
from the American SpeechLanguage Hearing Association.
And the benefits were particularly notable among older
adults. Many people naturally
lose some hearing acuity as
they grow older, but aging is
only one of many factors that
contribute to the decline,
researchers pointed out.
The study reports evidence that
cardiovascular fitness has a
protective role in hearing
loss prevention. Other health
and fitness determinants, body
composition, blood pressure,
and blood lipids displayed no
significant relation to hearing
sensitivity, whereas muscle
strength was inversely related,
researchers noted.
Simply put, researchers found
that cardiovascular fitness
influences hearing due to
increased blood circulation,
especially to the organs and
muscles on the inner ear, in
particular, the stria vascularis in
the cochlea. Metabolism and
blood flow are directly related to
the vascular pattern of the
cochlea.
So go for a vigorous walk and
help not only your heart, but
your hearing too!
Back pain is second only to the common cold as the leading reason why people see a physician or lose time at
work. Back pain is the number-one cause of disability in
workers under age 45. Approximately 80% of Americans
experience low back pain during their lifetime. An estimated $20 to $50 billion annually is spent in the United
States in medical treatments and disability payments.
What should one to do for back pain?
• Apply cold/ice packs for 10-15 minute intervals during
the first 48 hours of back symptoms. This helps to control
excessive inflammation as a result of injury.
• If symptoms last longer that 48 hours use of a hot pad
can help with muscle tension or spasms. Use caution when
using heating pads to avoid burns.
• Limit bed rest for no more than 2 days after symptoms
begin. Spending more time on bed rest causes the bones
to lose calcium, weakens muscles, and is likely to make
back pain worse.
• Low stress aerobic exercise is an effective treatment
for back pain. It releases the body’s own natural pain killers called endorphins. Walking, stationary bike, water aerobics, swimming are all good low stress aerobic exercises.
What about Physical Therapy?
An evaluation by a licensed Physical Therapist may help identify
tissues injured, restrictions of movement, and any strength or
endurance problems. Treatment may involve manual mobilizations and non-invasive modalities such as ultrasound, e-stim, or
traction for accelerating tissue healing and decreasing muscle
spasm and pain. For avoiding future back pain, best practice also
includes improving a person’s strength, flexibility, and endurance
in muscles involved in their core strength and stability such as
their hips and legs.
Clinician Focus: Anna Staehli, MPT
Anna’s experience at RFGH
Rehab & Fitness Services
extends well beyond the start
of her employment here in
2007. “I grew up in Solon,
went to Carrabec High School
and became interested in
physical therapy when I had
rehab at this facility for an ACL
reconstruction in high
school. I even did my last
clinical rotation here at the
hospital. “ Graduating from
the University of New England
in 2001 with a Masters of
Anna Staehli, MPT
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapy, Anna has
worked locally at skilled nursing
homes and outpatient
physical therapy clinics. She
has focused much of her clinical
attention on manual therapy
techniques designed for the
cervical and thoracic spine and
extremities. Her dedication has
recently culminated in a prestigious two-year clinical fellowship
at the Institute of
Orthopaedic Manual Therapy in
Massachusetts starting January
2011. The Institute uses the
internationally recognized
Norwegian approach to enhancing manual therapy Her
teammates here at Rehab &
Fitness couldn’t be more
proud of her.
Congratulations, Anna!