"The Good Stuff" is an occasional series that highlights recent media coverage of physical therapy and APTA members, with an emphasis on good news and stories of how individual PTs and PTAs are transforming health care and society every day. Enjoy!
A Good Stuff update: Back in 2016, Good Stuff shared the story of Leigh Anne Anger, PTA, who was fighting back after a triathalon bicycling accident that left her with multiple skull fractures, a broken clavicle, a fractured jaw, and detached ligaments in her shoulder. The road to recovery looked long and hard.
Guess what? She's back.
Leigh Anne's husband, Jay, tells PT in Motion News that not only is Leigh Anne competing again, but she just earned the top podium spot for her age group in the Rufus Racking Summer Roundup Triathalon. Congratulations, Leigh Anne!
Turning over a new leaf at the Forest Service: Jess Kehoe, PT, DPT, and Leah Versteegen, PT, are helping members of the US Forest Service avoid injury and move more efficiently thanks to their experience working with tactical athletes from other professions. (Missoula, MT, Missoulan)
Exercise? Just do it: Ryan Woods, PT, DPT, explains why any amount of exercise is better than none at all. (Picayune, MS, Item)
Planting the seeds of prevention: Greg Bachman, PT, points out why it's important for gardeners to stay flexible year-round to avoid gardening-related injury. (Emporia, KS, Gazette)
The realities of seeing a PT first: Mark Donald Bishop, PT, PhD, FAPTA, makes the case for physical therapy for pain management—and identifies obstacles in the health care system that make it hard for patients to connect with PTs. (theconversation.com)
Weakness cometh before a fall: Strengthening exercises can help people who are older guard against falls, says Greg Hartley, PT, DPT. (AARP online)
Concussion is a player in baseball, too: Jessica Schwartz, PT, DPT, says more awareness of concussion is needed in baseball and many other supposed "noncontact" sports. (New York Times)
Oh, baby! Ronit Sukenick, PT, emphasizes the importance of rehabilitation for new mothers during the fourth trimester. (New York Times)
No slouch when it comes to good advice: Eric Robertson, PT, DPT, provides insight on taking a realistic approach to improving posture. (Popular Science)
Diving into falls: Sylvie de Rham Tortorelli, PT, answers questions about falls and falls prevention. (Bellingham, WA, Herald)
Mighty Miss Maya: Anna Semelbauer, PT, DPT, has been helping 4-year-old Maya Tisdale achieve her dream of walking unassisted. (Traverse City, MI, 9&10 News)
Making the PT vs personal trainer choice: Ann Wendel, PT, ATC, discusses the factors that should guide a person considering working with a personal trainer or a PT. (refinery29.com)
Women and text-neck: Szu-Ping Lee. PT, PhD, and fellow authors of a study have found that text-neck pain disproportionately affects women. (ScienceDaily.com)
Stretching for a long stretch of road: David Reavy, PT, MBA, provides tips on the best stretches for road trips. (Men's Journal)
Taking a stand for healthy work environments: Rebecca Sanders Fung PT, DPT, and Eric Lederhaus, PT, discuss the importance of office environments that help employees avoid long periods of sitting. (Employee Benefit News)
Quotable: "Physical therapists are on the front lines: they're really good at being able to say, 'You're normal for feeling this way, it's totally reasonable that you're crying.'" – Clinical psychologist Deborah Roche, PhD, on the emotional demands of recovering from injury. (refinery29.com)
Got some good stuff? Let us know. Send a link to troyelliott@apta.org.