Experts Blogs

The chronically ill need advocates.  This past week, , Jennifer Jaff, a valuable figure in the legal rights world for the chronically ill died from  'complications from crohn's disease'.   She'd learned in childhood about living with difficult, unpredictable illness. Jennifer Jaff was  smart and dedicated to her task.  A ground breaker in many ways,  the services  she provided were sadly unique. Legal rights are a critical piece in the effort to allow those living with chronic illness  to live fruitful lives.  But as you might have noticed,  my focus is much smaller.  My mission is to assist individuals in discovering how they can shape...

How can you be sure that you are sitting correctly on your bicycle There are quite a few measurements that should be taken to avoid any "bike-fit" injuries. Some posture tips for a comfortable bike ride have to do with handle bar placement and seat height. If the seat height on your bike is too high it will cause your posture to slouch forward, which could cause low back or neck pain. The grip on your handlebars should be relaxed and hand placement should be changed during your ride to avoid muscle fatigue in one position. If you are having pain...

Living with a chronic health problem can be awfully isolating.  Even if you're the most social person, there's no one with whom you can share your daily challenges.  You might think it would be easier if you could find someone who also has these challenges. But there's this -- the  mutual sharing of health problems can lead to overload.  Just ask any 85 year old living in an assisted living what it's like when everyone is in as bad shape as you and that's all anyone talks about! But until you get to that point in life when the rest of the world seems to have finally...

Total knee replacements are one of the most common orthopedic procedures performed on older adults. From 1979 to 2002, the number of total knee replacements (TKR) among people age 65 and older increased approximately eightfold; performed more frequently on women than men. Because this procedure is so common, research has proven that Physical Therapy is mandatory for proper, FULL recovery. As a Physical Therapist Assistant, I have found that most people who decide to have this joint replacement are very unaware of what recovery and therapy will be like post-surgery. The first few days of recovery should include gentle range of motion...

7 BIG IDEAS for Regaining Power in the Workplace with Chronic Health Problems  1.  Focus On What You Can Control.   You may not be able to control the course of your illness, but you can take charge of your career direction and the choices you make.  View this as a challenge to meet rather than an obstacle in the way.  2.  Ignore The Nay Sayers.  Common wisdom says that stress is bad and most work is stressful. Therefore, if your body is vulnerable, you should not work. But stress is not always negative.  Unpleasant work or working with uncomfortable pressure can be bad...