Monmouth County's Ask The Doctor July/August 2019

Did you know that falls are the most common cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in the elderly? And colder weather brings sluggish joints and less blood flow to the body and the brain. This leads to slower reaction times and more unsteadiness. 1 out of 4 people aged over 65 falls every year. Over 3 million injuries are treated annually in the ER. Over 55 billion dollars are spent on treating the elderly due to falls, of which Medicare and Medicaid shoulder 75% of the cost. Not only is the fall a disastrous event, the after effects of depression, physical decline, feeling of helplessness, and isolation all are very common. This also leads to increased stress for the family or immediate caretaker.

Your podiatrist, Dr. Sanjay Gandhi , is an active participant in the National Fall Prevention Program. This includes a podiatric and gait examination to check for risk factors of falling. If you qualify, you are entitled to balance braces that keep your legs from “wobbling” or “teetering”. You also may be able to get free shoes that provide the proper support and grip to maintain ground reactivity. Preventing falls is essential to keeping those minor bumps and bruises away, but also to preventing major head injuries that can cause bleeding and sometimes permanent damage. If you are over 65, and feeling even the slightest bit unsteady, get screened properly today! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. A Step Up Podiatry

D I E T & F I T N E S S

Dr. Sanjay Gandhi, DPM Our Specialty Services For Adults, Children & Seniors Bunions Children Corns & Callouses Diabetic Foot Care Flatfeet Fungus HammerToeTreatment Heel Pain InGrownToeNails Plantar FasciitisTreatment Plantar Warts Orthotics and Surgery

215 Gordons Corner Road, Suite 2A Manalapan, NJ 07726

Complete Family Foot & Ankle Care

ASTEPUPPODIATRY.COM • 732-446-7136

NATIONAL HAND THERAPY AWARENESS WEEK “Certified Hand Therapist” • Shirish Godbole, OTR,CHT. • Able Hands Rehabilitation PC.

HAND is probably the third most important part of our body after the heart that drives us and the brain which guides us. We interact with the environment through our hands and make things happen in our personal or professional life. Hands perform millions of functions every day without us even thinking about it. Exactly the reason why hands are so intricate, complicated Major difference between the humans and the apes is our mighty opposable thumb. The joint at the base of our thumb is amazing and moves in multiple directions. It is pulled by 9 different muscles which are controlled by 3 separate nerves, a kind of coordination and collaboration unique to us as humans. There are 27 bones in our hand forming 29 joints, held together by 123 ligaments and pulled by 34 muscles giving us the ability and the agility to perform any job no matter how simple or complex. These muscles are fed by 30 arteries pumping enough oxygen to get the job done, easy or hard. There are no muscles in our fingers. It is probably the greatest puppet show you have ever seen. 1/4th of our cerebral cortex is devoted to the hand, indicating that our Creator also thought about our hands very seriously. Hand injury or impairment can be a devastating blow as it reduces our interaction with the world thus affecting our personal and professional as well as psycho-social life. Certified Hand Therapists (CHT’s) are highly trained and experienced in treating hand injuries and can make correct decisions at the right time including custom fabrication of Thermoplastic splints which is crucial in hand therapy. Close communication between the Therapist and a Hand Surgeon is also essential. CHT’s can be licensed Occupational Therapists or Physical Therapists, with a minimum of 3 years of experience (4000 hours), in treating hand injuries. Upon passing a board examination, they are entitled to be called CHT. Hand Therapists combine principles and practices of both professions to create a unique but highly effective approach in regaining hand functions. Take your hand health seriously. Any pain, swelling, stiffness, inability to bend or straighten fingers, tingling and numbness lasting more than a week should be evaluated by a specialist “Hand Surgeon’ in your local area for a correct diagnosis. Hand therapy, whenever needed should be provided and/or supervised by a CHT. Any delay can result in a domino effect of various issues stemming from a simple problem due to ignorance. Let us all have healthy hands to be more productive in everything that we do. Able Hands Rehabilitation will always be here to help you achieve that goal. PRESCRIPTION FROM A HAND SURGEON IS REQUIRED FOR APPOINTMENTS www.ablehandsrehab.com • Contact # (732) 727-7333 and prone to injuries or impairments due to overuse. There’s much more to our hands than the eyes can see.

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ASK THE DOCTOR

JULY/AUGUST 2019