Therapy Article - KY

8/9/2019 Therapy Article - KY

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Theres nothing like a

nice, warm dip in thepool to relax those

aching muscles and joints.Or, better yet, theres noth-

ing like a warm dip in the poolto help those suffering fromchronic pain and joint issuesregain parts of their lives backthey may have once thought tobe gone for good.

Just ask Gary Thurman, onepatient taking advantage of anaquatic therapy programlocated at the YMCA through

Active Day of SomersetOutpatient Therapy.

I can see some improve-ment when Im in that water,Thurman said. I can dothings I couldnt do before.

Thurman has suffered fromchronic pain since he injuredhis back years ago, and he hadlearned to simply deal with thesevere pain which meantlimiting what he could do ineveryday life before his

doctor told him about the

aquatic therapy program.Year, after year, after year,

after year, Thurman saidabout the pain that had over-taken his life. Its alwaysthere.

And while Thurman isntpain-free, the therapy con-sidered an alternative to physi-cal therapy, which can be toopainful for sufferers of specificproblems has helped himregain the use of muscles andjoints hed quit using long ago.

The therapy can also help aperson deal with the painwithout the use of highlyaddictive, strong narcotics or deal with the pain with theuse of fewer narcotics.

I could tell I was getting alittle stronger in the water,Thurman said. I was usingmuscles I hadnt used inyears.

Active Day Center RehabAdministrator Judy Harmon

By Heather Pyles

Melanie Kilgore, a physicaltherapy assistant withActive Day of Somerset,lowers Kenny Perkins intothe pool for therapy. Hesuffers from diabetes,which has decreased circula-tion to his right foot. GaryThurman watches, he is intherapy for back pain.


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10 Southern Kentucky Health & Family Journal

Visit our Web site atwww.medicineshoppe.com

2008 Newspaper Holdings, Inc.

Jim Cherry, R.Ph.900 East Mount VernonSomerset, KY 42501M-F 9:00-6:00Sat 9:00-1:00

6066799227

Khalid Iqbal, M.D.GASTROENTEROLOGY110 Hardin Lane Suite 9 Somerset, KY 42503

606-679-7317

Dr. Khalid Iqbal, M.D. established his

gastroenterology practice in Somersetin 1985. He is fully trained in all the

endoscopy procedures, includingcolonoscopy. He has done more than

10,000 colonoscopies and has treated awide range of medical conditions.halid Iqbal, M.D.

said many people who sufferfrom chronic ailments like long-term back and joint pain,fibromyalgia (a disease thatcauses extreme pain over theentire body), muscular sclerosis,Parkinsons disease and diabetes(causing a significant decrease incirculation) are pulled into a

vicious cycle that renders theirbodies weaker than when theybegan.

So many people with chronicpain issues ... dont exercisebecause it hurts, Harmon said.

That reaction is a normal one.Severe pain naturally causes oneto consider not using the joint ormuscle that is causing the diffi-culties, and he or she assumesusing the problem joint or mus-cle would aggaravate it and onlycause more pain.

That may be true temporarily,but Harmon and Active DayCenter Physical Therapist SonyaBeattie said that sets up a seriesof events that lead to the affectedarea receiving less circulationand losing strength.

The bodys circulation system

delivers oxygen to the tissue, andwithout that oxygen, that tissuebegins to die. Beattie said thebody effectively cuts off circula-tion to an area once its con-vinced that the area does notneed the oxygen.

Many diabetics struggle withsuch a significant decrease in cir-

culation to areas such as the footthat theyre often forced to havethose limbs amputated.

For Kenny Perkins, that could-nt be more true. Perkins suffersfrom diabetes, which has led tocirculation problems in hislimbs, specifically his right foot.

I couldnt sleep of the nightbut for four or five hours,Perkins said. My leg would gocompletely numb.

Perkins said his right legwould also become ice cold forperiods of time, and he said hisdoctor told him the foot wouldhave to be amputated if the cir-culation didnt improve.

Thats when the aquatic ther-apy program became a possibil-ity. Perkins, who must stay in awheelchair because he cannot


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2009 11

put any weight on his right foot,is able to use the foot with limi-tations for the 30 minutes toone hour hes in the therapypool.

Those sessions usuallytwice a week have helpedPerkins body begin to re-estab-

lish circulation and bring life-saving oxygen to the problemarea.

People who cant even standon land by themselves can standin the water without help,Beattie said.

The water effectively helps

unload the ailing joints andmuscles, which helps the patientuse those areas and assists inlessening the pain.

But that doesnt mean thetherapy is a bed of roses. Beattiesaid at first many patients arefooled into thinking they can do

things they really cant whichcan lead to even more injuries.

Id of killed myself if Idtried to do that (the therapy) bymyself, Perkins said. Theymake me slow down and theytake my pulse.

Beattie said the importantthing to remember is baby stepsfor aquatic therapy patients,thought she pointed out thatpatients who are relativelyhealthy and recovering fromknee or hip replacement surgeryare expected to make progress ata quicker speed than those suf-fering from long-term issues.

And the therapy helps cardio-vascular health as well.

You dont think about pooltherapy being cardiovascularexercise, but it certainly is, saidHarmon.

And many patients simplyenjoy the therapy, which is anadded bonus.

It (the therapy) has helpedme a whole lot, Thurman said.I enjoy the water anyway.

Thurman said he may need toundergo a knee replacement

Complete cardiac diagnostic evalua-

tion with echocardiograms, stress

tests and cardiac catheterizations.

Complete vascular work-up of neck and

legs with ultrasounds and angiograms

Complete syncope work-ups with Tilttables, holters and event recorders

Complete heart failure treatment andevaluation

Pacemaker Placement and interrogation

External Counterpulsation for

advanced heart disease and heart

failure

Serving patients in the Lake Cumberland

Region for more than four years!

DR. IQBAL is board certified in Car-

diology and Internal Medicine, and

has advanced training in nuclearmedicine and Cardiac CT scanning.

He has received

extensive training from Allegheny

University and Medical College of

Pennsylvania, the University of

South Carolina, the University of

Pennsylvania, and Tulane University

Medical Center. He also completed

a heart transplantation and ad-

vanced hear failure fellowship. Dr.

Iqbal has been seeing patients in

Pulaski and Wayne counties for the

past four years.

DR. IBRAIZ IQBAL, MD, M.P.H., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.P.Board Certified in Cardiology and Medicine

850 Hail Knob Road, Suite BSomerset, KY

(606) 677-1112

WELCOMING EXISTING & ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

Gary Thurman, 54, injured his back several years ago and hasdealt with chronic pain for a long time. Hes in therapy to helprelieve that pain and regain some movement back that hehasnt been able to do in years.


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12 Southern Kentucky Health & Family Journal

surgery in the enarfuture, and he said whilehe knows recovery willbe difficult, he knows itsdoable with the help ofthe aquatic therapy pro-gram.

It wont be as hardgetting back this time as

last time, Thurman said.Both men plan on

continuing the therapyas long as they need it,and theyre looking for-ward to taking the meth-ods and tools theylearned to continue thetherapy on their own something that wouldntbe fathomable withoutthe help of Active DayCenter.

These ladies have all

been super, Thurmansaid. It takes a specialperson to do this andthey listen to your prob-lems.

Sometimes thats allit takes is somebody just

to listen, Thurmanadded.

Perkins is delightedthat the therapy hashelped him stave offamputation for thatmuch longer, and he saidhell continue to worktoward a healthier life

with the help of those atthe Active Day Center.

Im going to try tokeep my leg as long as Ican, Perkins said.

While Thurman andPerkins have both bene-fited from the therapy,along with several otherpatients, Harmon andBeattie said not everyonewill qualify as a candi-date for the program.

For more information

about the program andfor information on thosewho may be candidatesfor the program can callJudy Harmon at theActive Day Center at606-678-8566, ext. 27. I

Kenny Perkins, 54, suffers fromdiabetes, and is in therapy to tryto stave off amputation of thefoot. Its seemed to have worked

so far. He can sleep all night now(before, his whole leg would gonumb and wake him up, and itwould be ice cold too) and put abit of weight on it in the water ...but not much.

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