Springtime Mobility – Solutions for Stability Although winter is far from over, it’s never too early to start thinking about getting back outside and enjoying all Maine has to offer.
Mobility Matters Preparing for Fall and Winter It’s that time of year again and if you’re a New Englander you know how to take care of your car through the snow, sleet, freezing rain, and road salt. But have you considered the preventive maintenance needs of your mobility device? All the wintertime elements along with the sand and salt that road crews put down can really eat away at your car, so upkeep is an ongoing and worthwhile chore if you want to keep your car looking good for many years to come. These same elements can also attack your mobility device, such as a rollator or wheelchair. Your mobility device, no matter what you own, is still subjected to the wintertime elements like your car and will benefit from some preventive maintenance throughout the winter season. In this edition of Mobility Matters, we are going to discuss maintenance and care options for your mobility device that are both easy and inexpensive. Follow these tips and it will help your device last for years to come. The good thing about most mobility products is that they are aluminum, which may not rust but salt will still cause some oxidization or corrosion if not cleaned away. Some devices like wheelchairs may be made of steel, and most devices have parts that if subjected to water and salt, will rust if not properly cared for. One of the easiest ways to maintain your device is just to keep it clean. If you get mud, salt, or sand on it, you can clean it with car wash soap or Dawn dish soap and water and let it dry. Just wipe down the easy to reach parts and let the rest dry naturally. It is also a good idea to give wheel bearings and other moving parts a light spray with something like WD-40. This can help dissipate the moisture while keeping things lubricated. Another really easy way to keep your mobility devices looking good and functioning properly is to bring them in to MedCOR for a tune up. That’s right, we work on the items we sell!
Maintaining your mobility is a critical part of supporting your overall health and wellness. But if you need some assistance walking, how do you decide which piece of mobility equipment is right for you, and how do you decide when you need it? If you have limited endurance and strength, it can lead to problems with your balance that could result in falling. Often, your healthcare provider may recommend a mobility aid based on your individual abilities. As you consider which device is right for you, let us take some time to review the various options and features of common mobility aids.
Love is in the air. Don’t forget about self-care. There is one person who is with you from the day you are born until the day you leave this earth – yourself. You are the one who is there through all life's ups and downs, experiences of pleasure and pain, and successes and failures. You deserve to treat yourself like the amazing human you are and embrace what you, as a unique individual, bring to the world. Taking care of your mind and body gives you the best chance to be the best version of yourself, reach your full potential, and improve the quality of your life. This is not to say other people cannot be involved in our self-care. Surrounding ourselves with a community of family, friends, and professionals who can support us and help meet our needs is just as important. Contributing to society and helping others can be a way to fulfill ourselves as well. To extend ourselves to support others, it is beneficial to all to make sure we are pouring from a full cup. As they say, "Self-care is giving the world the best of you, instead of what's left of you." Too often, people neglect themselves whether that be because of feelings that they do not have time in their busy schedules, they are exhausted from taking care of others, or they never learned successful strategies. Putting a little time and effort into self-care can have long-lasting implications for the health and wellness of our future self. Every moment we are fortunate to have an opportunity to grow and evolve to be better. There will always be bad days, good days, and days that feel ordinary, so accepting all of these as part of life can be empowering. You are strong, and you can do hard things. You prove that every time you wake up and have the courage to take on another day. Perfection is impossible and many things are out of our control, but success is achieved when we accept our best efforts, forgive our past mistakes, appreciate how far we have come, and always stay committed to moving forward toward the best versions of ourselves.
Conditions and injuries that affect our bones, joints, and muscles, can be painful! This pain can be debilitating as it impacts our ability to work while decreasing our daily quality of life, activity, and productivity. The lost time due to these musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) has a profound impact on the economy both in the workplace and at home.
Effective pain management is critical to our ability to function. When pain is poorly managed or treated with ineffective tools, there can be long-term consequences. Quality of life suffers. Delayed healing and increased sensitization of the central nervous system leads to chronic pain conditions. The indirect costs associated with untreated pain also increase the burden to the economy thanks to lost productivity, lost time, and lost wages. The risks of misusing both prescription narcotics and over the counter pain medications can be significant and have been well documented . Thankfully with many options to choose from, it is possible to find an effective pain relief recipe without pills!
We are so grateful, thanks to the providers and experts for your training and support! 2021 has been a remarkable year in many ways. We are honored to provide care and services for the many customers and providers throughout New England! It’s been a busy year, but our commitment to education is one of the many ways we keep you moving forward at MedCOR Professionals. Our remarkable network of community partners has generously committed their time and expertise to educate our patient care team so we can pass this knowledge along to those in need. Thank you to the clinics, providers, and vendors for the many wonderful presentations and learning opportunities this year!
Neck pain is a major cause of discomfort affecting many people at home and at work every day. It can range from a mild ache or “twinge” to extreme pain with weakness, tingling, and numbness in the arms. Minor cases might respond well to gentle stretching, heat, ice, and over the counter (OTC) pain relievers. Severe cases may not respond to a conservative approach and occasionally require surgery so it’s important to visit your trusted healthcare provider to find the source of your pain. What’s causing my pain? The root cause of neck pain varies but often stems from the following: Muscle strain due to overuse and poor posture from things like spending time hunched at a computer, smart phone, or behind the wheel of your vehicle. Arthritic or degenerative changes in the joints of your neck Disc compression and bulging discs that put painful pressure on nerves Injuries from auto accidents, sports, or a fall Diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, meningitis, or cancer Regardless of the cause, neck pain can have a detrimental impact on your physical, social, and psychological well-being. What are my treatment options? Whether it’s a result of “tech-neck” posture, an injury, a work-related strain, or from simply waking up with pain after sleeping in an awkward position, it's always a good idea to seek input from your preferred medical professional. A physical or occupational therapist, chiropractor, or physician will help define the root cause by doing some basic tests and then setting up a plan of care to address the underlying cause and symptoms. In some cases, x-rays or an MRI may be required to determine if surgery is required. Usually, a conservative approach is warranted and surgery isn’t necessary! In these cases, your provider may recommend stretching, flexibility exercises, and strength activities. They may also recommend cervical traction to provide you some relief in the clinic and even at home.
Q & A with Susan Price, Certified Orthotic Fitter and Compression Wear Expert Compression garments and various forms of sports compression wear have flooded the health and fitness market over the past few years. However, athletic compression wear and compression garments marketed for sports and fitness performance differ from medical grade compression garments. While both types of garments can provide various levels of compression, medical grade compression garments are engineered to provide clinical health benefits based on specific medical conditions. Medical grade compression garments are designed with very specific gradient compression. This means that the fabric exerts greater compressive force upon the body point farthest from the heart and gradually decreases incrementally as it gets closer. Medical grade compression is usually prescribed by health care providers and often requires the wearer to be precisely measured and fitted by a qualified health professional. For these garments to be effective, there are important details to keep in mind. To assist and educate our customers on the various considerations related to medical grade compression, we sat down for a detailed question and answer session with MedCOR Professionals very own Susan Price , a Certified Orthotics Fitter with over 20 years of expertise with measuring and fitting medical grade compression wear.
Recently a very charming senior couple came to the store looking to find a mobility aid that might work better than the current rollator the husband was using. One of the first things that was noticeable was the current rollator was too short, to which his wife made the comment that it was the only model available when they got it. This got me thinking about what we do differently here at MedCOR Professionals and why it is important for patient safety and satisfaction. We often see people who got a walker or rollator from a friend, at a yard sale, or online. Regardless of where they got it, it is critical that people receive proper training on safe use. It is also critical that their device fits them and their ability. Letting a customer go out the door with anything that is improperly fitted is poor customer service and simply unsafe! Proper fitting and instruction are about customer safety first and foremost. Poorly fitted devices do not provide the stability needed and improperly fitted mobility aids will leave people frustrated with the whole process. What is worse, is that they may stop using the device which limits their mobility further and can even lead to more falls. Maintaining mobility as you age can help decrease your risk of falls and hospitalization which allows you to live more independently.
