Going into business Headless!

When your first start a new business, you are told the numbers of a business failing are stagering! So many people tell you why it won't work, at times you feel like you have lost your head in your pursuit of a business model!

When we started 9 years ago, we were told to watch your business closely, there is a better chance you will fail rather than succeed.

As an example, there was a less than 35% chance PTW would make it past the 9th year

(http://blog.globalbx.com/2008/10/06/small-business-statistics-and-failure-rates/). Also, we were in the beginning of the stock market losing up to 40% of its value, causing many to lose jobs. Banks became more stringent with lending practices, making money harder to come by.

Happy to say, we are still doing our work, creating opportunities for folks to come see us in order to achieve higher levels of function and performance.

Remaining steadfast to our mission (To Deliver Quality Driven Physical Therapy and Quantifiable Fitness/Wellness Services to our valued customers while exceeding their expections in all areas of the delivery of care), we work off old fashion principles of good business including:

1. Exceeding expectations

2. No wait Therapy

3. Emphathetic listening skills

4. Living with Urgency in our day

5. Creating good will (kitcen table conversation)

Although there is only a 10% chance we will be here 10 years from now, I have a feeling that its gonna be a good outcome and we'll still be standing.

So, keep your head together and communicate constantly your message with your employees while remaining steadfast to your core values, your mission, and the principles that guide your business...its all it takes to keep it going!

Robert Babb, PT, MBA

Got Pain? Move it, for your own good.

In the this months copy (April) of the J.A.P.T (Journal of American Physical Therapy), Fear-Avoidance with those with back pain is explored.

What does it all mean and what is the conclusion?

1. If you have Chronic, intermittent low back pain; you should be aware that fear of further injury may cause you to avoid certain movments or activities, which can lead to worse outcomes in the future.

2. If you are fearful of movement, you are at a higher risk of falling.

How can Physical Therapy help? Physical Therapist are trained as movement specialist. Moving body, learning new movements, and keeping active are part of a successful rehabilitation, and Physical Therapists at PTW are practice with an eye towards restoring function and movement.

reference: JAPT, Vol 91, April 2011, pg 525-533

What Opraha Forgot! (You can't control it)

Today, Oprah listed 7 things no one tells you about ageing.
http://www.oprah.com/style/7-Things-Nobody-Ever-Tells-You-About-Aging_1/3

She covers the facts:

1. More hair on your face (and guys in their nose and ears!)
2. Your hair on your head thins (Not a problem with some who lost it at 20!)
3. Your Eyebrows become sparse (My wife can save time from plucking!)
4. Your nose and ears keep growing (remember George Burns? What ears!)
5. Your teeth become more prominent (why don't older people get braces then?)
6. Your hands get spotted (and face)
7. Your feet become Gnarly (YUK!)

Morale of the story?
These are all things we can not control.

So, control your own health. Eat well, exercise plenty, laugh at yourself, find a hobby, discover passion in your job, have faith, and then you too can enjoy watching the 7 things about ageing that you cannot control. With good health and some luck (stay away from moving trains!), you can watch Oprah's ageing happen on you!

Dancing with the Stars is Back, dust off your shoes and Dance!

The wildly popular Dancing with the stars is back for its 12th season, can you guess who will win?

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20044700-10391698.html

Watching is fun, but don’t be a wall hugger when it comes to going out and dancing some yourself. The Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons position on physical activity lists dancing as a good option for your daily physical activity.


http://www.aaos.org/about/papers/position/1138.asp

Some Weight-Bearing Exercises to Build Strong Bones:

• Brisk walking, jogging, and hiking.
• Yard work such as pushing a lawnmower and heavy gardening.
• Team sports, such as soccer, baseball, and basketball.
• Dancing, step aerobics, and stair climbing.
• Tennis and other racquet sports.
• Skiing, skating, karate, and bowling.
• Weight training with free weights or machines.

Well, as a Physical Therapist, I like to tell people simply stay active is good, and dancing is a great way to stay active. Dancing helps with

1. Flexibility

Most dance classes begin with a warm up and stretch. If you are at Vinnie’s wedding, make sure you work your way up to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince with by starting with some Frank Sinatra. Dancing requires motion, motion requires flexibility, and flexibility requires warmth, so warm up first with light dancing. Once you feel “your groove”, go ahead and tackle the fast ones.

2. Strength

Large and small muscle groups are challenged dancing. Mini-squats, movement change in directions, and small jumps/steps all contribute to building muscle mass.

3. Endurance

Most weddings and dance clubs end appropriately with a slow dance, giving you time to cool down after a long night of movement. The longer the Heart rate stays elevated, hopefully in your training zone [220-your age) * .7], the more you can endure physically in life (and some say mentally) with better physical endurance.

So when you’re watching the first episode of Dancing with the stars, plug in your Wii or Xbox each commercial break, plug in a good interactive dance game (Just Dance 2, etc.) and strut to your own dance moves….it’s for your health!

Staying active and Injury free!

78 million baby boomers. Our bones are ageing, our joints are getting stiffer, our muscles decrease in strength beginning in our 4th decade of life. The Dept of Health and Human Services state adults should exercise 150 minutes a week.

Physical Therapists extensive knowledge (up to 7 years, most now Doctors) of anatomy, physiology, and exercise will serve you well in setting up an appropriate exercise program to keep you healthy deep into your golden years. For those who are overweight or have a physical disability, PTW can perform an evalution and devise safe exercise programs that increase strength and cardiovascular endurance, restore flexibility, and reduce pain. For those with Type 2 diabetes, PTW can help reducee the need for medications, lower risk of heart disease and stroke, and help manage glucose levels through safe and appropriate physical activties.

Either way, it up to you to get up, move, and give a Physical Therapists a call to establish a life-long habit of exercise.

PTW...
Lansdale...
Montgomeryville...
Quakertown...
West Norriton..

Call today for a program tomorrow!

215 855 9871

Quality Physical Therapy Busy

A local collegue of mine (and ex employee) recently commented about our practice, stating "You guys are always busy, and you handle the up and down trends in visits (that occur normally in our practice) so well". Recently he left town for career change, but still kept hours as a PT in a busy fitness center. With the "Muscle Head" mentality of the health clubs, he told me he was frustrated working in a fitness center.

After a big smile and giant "Thank You", we went on to define "quality care". At PTW, we define is as:

1. Appointment within 24 hours of your first phone call

2. Patient goal directed care (contrary to some centers who direct care without asking what they can help you get back to)

3. Staffed every day for a no wait policy on each and every visit (PTW has no waiting rooms)

4 Constant contact with your Physician, your family, or your place of work, if necessary

5. PT specific equipment and technology found with PT industry leaders

6. All Physical Therapists are Members of our Association, volunteer in our communities, and attend up to 5 continuing education courses to remain relevant and up to date

7. Flexibility in our hours to meet your needs, from 6:30 am to 7 pm and Saturday appointments.

8. A "Healing Arts" traditional and holistic approach of PT not found in busy fitness centers.

With 4 clinics, a group practie of 11 Physical Therapists, and a staff of 40, we relentlessly strive to exceed the expecations of all our customers in all areas of the delivery of care.

We have been blessed with a crew of true professionals that focus on the customer first.

For bodies under repair in the most traditional sense, go ahead and give us a call. We'll be ready and able to take your call now for an appointment tomorrow.

Robert Babb, PT, MBA