The Blog of Head to Toe Physical Therapy
An insight into our world of Physical Therapy   

Topsham and Lewiston, Maine

Head to Toe Physical Therapy

Boosting the local economy, one PT clinic at a time

Can you remember the last time you were watching the local or national news and there was NOT a mention of the troubling state of the economy? We certainly can’t. Unemployment is up, small town America is suffering and many Mom and Pop businesses are being forced to close their doors due to big box competitors.  With such a big problem, it seems overwhelming to determine where to begin to try and solve it.

There are many ways to make an impact to our Nations economy, beginning at the local level.  Buy local. Shop at the Mom and Pop businesses, visit your local farmers market and try to be conscious of where the items you are purchasing were made. If you can, why not buy something that was created in the state you live in? The money you spend will support local families and businesses allowing them to survive all while sustaining your local economy.

How does this fit into Physical Therapy you may be wondering? Just as there are Mom and Pop stores with big box store competitors, the same goes for physical therapy clinics. At Head to Toe Physical Therapy, we are a locally owned and operated outpatient physical therapy clinic. We are not affiliated with any medical providers and choose to support other area local businesses when good or services are needed.  We try and do a small part to lend a hand in hopefully changing the economical environment surrounding us.

At a more grass-roots level, the result will begin to create itself through minimal changes in one’s lifestyle. Stop at your local coffee shop in the morning instead of a large corporately owned chain. Visit your local hardware store instead of one of its larger competitors.  Ultimately these choices will not have a huge impact on your personal bottom line, but will have a great impact on the local business you choose to support and their overall survival.

If nothing more, we hope that this blog post will provoke a little thought in your purchasing habits. Though it seems like a huge mountain to climb, we can make a difference, one transaction at a time.

“Be the change that you want to see in the world” –Mahatma Gandhi

Professional space for lease

Recently, the lower level build out within the Topsham clinic location has been completed! There are 3 professional office suites available for lease individually or as an entire unit.The space was created with the opportunity for health profession networking within the physical therapy clinic and throughout the office suites. This is the perfect opportunity to expand a practice for a massage therapist, chiropractor, aesthetician, occupational therapist or any type of health related profession. The space offers handicap accessability, storage, and ample paved parking places very close to the entrance. Please contact Jill at 725-4400 if you or someone you know would be interested in learning more or to view the space in person.


Shared entry/ waiting area

View of one room from within



Room from doorway



Possible set up for a massage therapist

The space is brand new, and looks even better in person. If you or anyone you know may be interested, call Jill to make an appointment to see the beautiful possibility awaiting you! 725-4400.

Winter has arrived!!

    The below freezing temperatures lead us to believe that winter has finally arrived here in Maine! Usually you are one of two types of people throughout the winter months in the North East. You either love it or hate it. Not very often do you find someone who is somewhere in the middle of that spectrum. You love it or hate it, plain and simple.
     For many of us who "love it" and enjoy skiing, showshoeing, snowmobiling, sledding or any other "s" verb you can think of to describe snow activities,  the sight of the first snowfall is invigorating! Of course, along with the beauty of perfect snowflakes falling from the sky, comes risk of suffering from many different types of winter related injuries. 
    First and foremost; winter driving. As a physical therapy clinic, we are not going to teach nor give you pointers on how to drive in the snow, but we will say this: SLOW DOWN!!! If you have somewhere that is imperative you get to during a storm, please give yourself enough time to get where you are going and travel at a moderate pace.  We see a number of patients at Head to Toe who have suffered injuries from automobile accidents, and we would love to see that number decrease. Nobody likes getting into an accident that could possibly have been prevented. 
    Once you have gotten where you are going, try to be aware of your surroundings. One in three adults age 65 and older suffers from a fall each year, with this statistic greatly increasing throughout the winter months. If it has recently snowed or rained with falling temperatures, there is a good chance the ground is going to be slick. Walk lightly, take baby steps and use assistance whenever possible. Who cares if you "look silly", take charge of your risk of falling and don't become a statistic. 
    Another danger in the winter months is hypothermia. Often people associate hypothermia with winter sports, or even have visions of people climbing Mt. Everest, but it can occur a lot easier than you may think. According to The Center for Disease Control: Hypothermia most commonly occurs at very cold environmental temperatures, but can occur at even cool temperatures (above 40 degrees) if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat or submersion in cold water. Hypothermia warning signs include shivering/ exhaustion, confusion/ fumbling hands, memory loss/ slurred speech or drowsiness. If you think you or someone you are with could be suffering from hypothermia, immediately take a temperature reading. If it is below 95 degrees seek medical attention at once! If symptoms are not extreme, get into a warm room and begin to warm the body with an electric blanket if possible. Remove any wet clothing and continue to stay warm and dry until internal body temperature increases to normal. Of course it is always advisable to seek medical attention even if you do not feel your symptoms were severe, its better to be safe than sorry.
  Along with the colder weather comes achy joints and pains not often felt in the summer months. Though we cannot change the weather,  we can give you ways to cope with how it affects you. One major pain-saver in physical therapy use is aquatic therapy. Our pool is kept at 85 degrees, the warm temperature aids in moving stiff sore joints and to be honest, the warm pool just plain feels good in the winter months! If aquatic therapy is not your thing, we have many other land-based routines that will help ease the pain felt throughout winter months. 
    Though winter is often an enjoyable time, it is more enjoyable if you use caution and are aware of winter injury risk factors. We hope everyone has a fun winter, and always remember Head to Toe PT is here for you if you need us!!

Pain Medication VS. Physical Therapy

A very dear friend of mine recently developed a cyst like growth on her leg. Initially she dealt with it as most of us would, by conducting personal research on what it could possibly be and praying it would just go away! She did not have health insurance and was avoiding a visit to the doctor like the plague. After about a week, it had only worsened. She bit the bullet and went to see a doctor and was diagnosed with cellulitis. Because she was in severe pain and only had the option of waiting until the antibiotics did their magic to help her condition, the doctor prescribed her with pain medication. As someone who did not frequent the doctors’ office, pain medication is not something she has or would usually take, but in this case the pain was unbearable.

In hindsight, she wishes she had never taken the pain medication. It made her paranoid, have crazy dreams both while sleeping and awake, become temporarily depressed all while living in a fog while the meds were in her system. She took the pain medication over a 2 day period and felt it took a solid three days of not taking the medication before she somewhat felt like herself again.

For her condition, physical therapy was not an option to aide in her healing process. But for many others who take pain medication on a consistent basis to deal with chronic low back pain, neck pain, headaches or whatever the ailment may be, physical therapy is a treatment alternative.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, physical therapists teach patients self-management skills and how to deal with pain in day-to-day life. They show people how to build up strength and improve range of motion, and how to make sensible decisions on how to avoid pain flare-ups. They teach the skills necessary to eliminate the pain and its triggers all together, rather than providing a mask for the pain (such as pain medication).

“Bodies are meant to move. Healthy joints and muscles need to go through their complete range of motion to prevent stiffness and soreness we often experience when being inactive,” says Patrice M. Winter, PT, MS, FAAOMPT.  It’s a simple concept, but totally makes sense. For more information on how physical therapy can help your chronic pain, give us a call to see how we can help.

The next time you find yourself reaching for pain medication to alleviate your chronic low-back pain, take a moment to ask yourself: “Do I want to ease the pain through medication? Or take control of the problem through physical therapy?”  

Holiday 2011 Newsletter and Contest!

Happy Holidays Everyone! We hope that everyone has had the chance to finnish (or perhaps even start) their holiday shopping!

It has been a great year for us here at Head to Toe PT. Below you will find our 2011 holiday newsletter with information of all the "happenings" here at Head to Toe PT as well as a few changes. We hope you will take a moment to read it and please feel free to provide any feedback.

On the last page of the newsletter, you will find our contest. Once completed, drop it off at either Head to Toe PT location or mail to:
Head to Toe Physical Therapy
attn: Newsletter Contest
439 Lewiston Rd
Topsham, ME 04086
Please remember to include your contact information so we can get a-hold if you if you are the winner!!

As always, we would like to thank everyone for their continued support and referrals of friends and family. We hope everyone has a pleasant holiday and a great start to the 2012 season!

Holiday 2011 Newsletter 

Don't shop 'til you Drop! But if you do, we can help!

With the holiday season in full swing, the excitement of family gatherings and togetherness can often be overshadowed by physical pain and mental stress. While this period is often referred to as “the most wonderful time of the year”, you may not agree as you are baking that last apple pie at one o’clock in the morning.  “The added demands of the holidays can stress the body, thus increasing your risk of injuries,” says APTA spokesperson and physical therapist E. Anne Reicherter, PT, DPT, PhD. “Using proper body mechanics can help prevent muscle and joint discomfort this holiday season.” 


Here are a few simple tips to help make life easier during the holiday season.

  • Make time for yourself. Though it may seem obvious, yet unachievable, making time for relaxation in a hectic day can make all the difference in the world. Dim the lights, practice deep breathing techniques, take a warm bath or relaxing shower, gently stretch tired and sore muscles or take a stress relieving walk.
  • Lifting. Test an object’s weight before attempting to lift a heavy package or luggage. Keep the load close to your body when lifting. If back pain persists more than a few days or gets worse, seek help from your physical therapist or other health care provider.
  • Shopping without dropping. Distribute the weight from your shopping bags evenly on both sides of the body. Wear comfortable shoes while shopping. Make frequent trips to the car to drop off purchases. Plan your trip accordingly; make a list to avoid aimless wandering.
  • Baking or cooking.   To allow for better posture with less bending over, be sure to choose a work surface that is an appropriate height.  Stand on a padded surface. If you have a tile floor, purchase a non-slip rug or foam mat to stand on.  Frequently perform gently movement exercises to keep the muscles in your neck and shoulders loose.

A full list of tips on ways to prevent holiday-induced neck, shoulder and back injuries, including some photos demonstrating proper lifting and carrying techniques can be found in the “consumer tips” section of APTA’s consumer website, www.moveforwardpt.com.  With hope, by taking a moment to follow these few helpful tips you will not fall victim to holiday pain and stress!

*Information within this article was provided from the American Physical Therapy Association and should be considered as educational, not medical advice.

Do you facebook? We do!!

    With all of the technology options this day in age, some are just learning about email, the world wide web (www) what a .com is etc. etc, how do we expect people to keep engaging and moving forward with formats such as Facebook and Twitter? 
    Facebook for anyone who is not familiar with it (odds are if you are reading this blog post, you have probably heard of or currently use facebook) hosts a medium that allows people to connect with other people and businesses alike. Facebook is your own "social media" for lack of better terms, that gives you the freedom to engage with whomever you choose (as long as they accept your friend request) . 
    From a business standpoint, facebook is great because of its popularity and ease of use for followers. It allows for constant contact of pictures, stories and interesting tidbits of information that might not otherwise be conveyed through traditional formats such as a web site or email. 
    At Head to Toe Physical Therapy, we like facebook, because it allows us to connect with our Head to Toe community on a less formal basis. We enjoy posting pictures of our PT dogs Ollie and Bailey, quirky quotes that we put on our sign, and any community involvement such as our food drive or the American Heart Association Heart Walk.
If you facebook, and most likely you do, "like" our page!
Head to Toe PT facebook

Balance Screenings and Open House- A Hit!

Friday October 21st, we held our annual Balance Screenings at the Topsham clinic, this year though was extra special; after the balance screenings Head to Toe PT celebrated 5 years in business! The turn out for the event was great, with fun had by all!


Jess greeted everyone who attended.
Snacks were available after the screenings.



Ange, helping out with one of the screening stations.



Many raffle prizes were won, with the grand prize an hour massage with Casey Cyr, LMT!




Casey Cyr, LMT offering free massages for all balance screening attendants!

For anyone who missed the event and is concerned with an ache, pain or ailment, Head to Toe PT always offers free injury screenings. Please call either of our clinics (Topsham 725-4400 or Lewiston 784-3400) to set up your free screening today!

Jill, Karen and the entire staff of Head to Toe PT would like to thank everyone who attended the event and made the day extra special. It has been a great 5 years and we look forward to the next 5. Thanks Again!!


Head to Toe PT Hosts a Food Drive



The leaves are full of bright colorful enjoyment, the air is crisp and fresh, fall is here in Maine and the beginning of the holiday season is upon us. While many Mainer's are fortunate enough to enjoy the holidays with friends and family, becoming delightfully over-stuffed on turkey and apple pie, a lot of people are not so lucky. Head to Toe PT will be teaming up with the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program to host a food drive beginning on October 18th. The food drive will have boxes at both Head to Toe locations and anyone who donates to the food drive will receive a free reusable grocery bag!

The Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program provides assistance to over 12oo families in the Brunswick, Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Durham, Harpswell, Lisbon, Lisbon Falls and Topsham communities. Their dedicated 250 volunteers help to run the soup kitchen, food pantry and food bank all of which make enjoying a delicious meal possible, when times are tough.

Please join Head to Toe PT in our efforts to make many families lives a little brighter this holiday season by stopping by one of our locations (439 Lewiston Rd. Topsham or 1977 Lisbon Rd. Lewiston) to drop off your donation and receive your free reusable grocery bag. We thank you in advance for your generosity and thoughtfulness this holiday season!

Save the Date! October 21st

    Can you believe it has already been 5 years??!! Head to Toe PT will be celebrating 5 years of serving the Mid Coast and Central Maine communities by hosting an Open House on Friday, October 21st from 4-6pm at our Topsham location (439 Lewiston Rd). There will be free food, fun giveaways and lots of great company! If you have ever attended Head to Toe PT for therapy, are interested in doing so in the future, are curious about who we are, or already know you love us and just want to come hang out, this is sure to be a great time! 


    Also, on October 21st from 2-4pm in honor of National Physical Therapy month, Head to Toe PT will be offering free balance screenings. Did you know one in three adults age 65 and older suffers from a fall each year? Often times these falls can cause serious injury and in extreme cases, result in death. With proper education on personal risk factors, these falls can be easily prevented. Our balance screenings will consist of 5 stations testing different risk factors, with a personalized conclusion and "action plan" to decrease your risk factors. There will also be information to take home with info on how to make your home safer. During the balance screenings (2-4pm) Casey Cyr, LMT will be offering FREE chair massages!! Who dose not love a free massage! 


    We hope that you will be able to attend one or both of these events on Friday October 21st from 2-6pm. If you know of anyone endanger of suffering from a fall, please encourage them to attend our free balance screenings. This is a must attend event, we hope to see you there!

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Monthly Archives

Recent Posts

  1. Boosting the local economy, one PT clinic at a time
    Thursday, February 09, 2012
  2. Professional space for lease
    Thursday, January 19, 2012
  3. Winter has arrived!!
    Wednesday, January 04, 2012
  4. Pain Medication VS. Physical Therapy
    Wednesday, December 21, 2011
  5. Holiday 2011 Newsletter and Contest!
    Friday, December 16, 2011
  6. Don't shop 'til you Drop! But if you do, we can help!
    Wednesday, December 07, 2011
  7. Do you facebook? We do!!
    Wednesday, November 16, 2011
  8. Balance Screenings and Open House- A Hit!
    Monday, October 31, 2011
  9. Head to Toe PT Hosts a Food Drive
    Monday, October 17, 2011
  10. Save the Date! October 21st
    Thursday, September 29, 2011
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