Gibson Area Hospital & Health Services | Gibson gets it! | Fall/Winter 2019

Gibson gets it! 15 Do your bones a favor: Get screened You can’t feel your bones getting weaker. This means that osteoporosis—a disease of dangerously fragile bones—can sneak up on you. People often don’t realize they have it until they break a bone, usually in the hip, spine or wrist. That’s why bone density testing is so important. This test is a snapshot of your bone health. It can detect osteoporosis before you break a bone. And it can also predict your risk of a fracture. Sources: National Institutes of Health; National Osteoporosis Foundation; UpToDate Ask your doctor if you should be screened for osteoporosis with a DEXA bone density scan. Learn more a t www.gibson hospital.org . Patient testimonial contributed by Gloria Dickey A physical therapy patient found herself in need of rehabilitation that suited her situation. Dealing with the unkind effects of osteoporosis, she quickly discovered that the traditional route was not going to help her heal. It was time to say goodbye to dry and hello to Hydroworx! I broke both of my femurs on Nov. 19, 2018. After a few months of healing, it was time to learn to walk again. So in the middle of winter, Jan. 25, 2019, I put on a swimsuit and went to aquatic physical therapy at Gibson Area Hospital. There to help me was Beulah Reynolds, Therapy Aquatic Program Coordinator, in Paxton. Along with a lift chair, the therapist lowered me into the warm water. I began the exercises slowly. The water decreased both my body weight and my pain as it supported my body. I walked on a treadmill for 10 minutes to warm up my muscles—of course, hanging very tightly on the bars (that part changed with progress!)—as I watched my legs move on a camera. Then I began doing specific exercises to strengthen leg and hip muscles and work on balance. The pool provided me pain relief, and it helped me gain flexibility, strength and skill. I could not wait to go to my next aqua therapy session, even though I did 20 squats at the end of the exercises. Squats are much easier to do in water! Once I had functional gains, I did one aqua therapy a week and then added one weekly land-based therapy. In July, I was evaluated and told I could return to land-based exercise. Aquatic therapy provided me a program that was aimed at my needs. Thank you to GAH Therapy Services and to Beulah Reynolds, who helped me reach my goal to walk again so that I could maintain my independence, enjoy family outings and be active in our community. Join us for a class! The Body & Movement for Seniors class at Elite Sport & Fitness in Gibson City, led by instructor Rossella Reynolds, is designed to increase muscle strength, balance and range of movement and to improve activities for daily living. “As we age, we understand that staying active is not only about maintaining health; it’s also about preserving our independence and our well-being,” says Reynolds. She says class member Gloria Dickey is “a perfect example of what seniors can achieve with movement!” I’m walking again with Gibson!