Dr. Joel's Earns his RN.

VIMG is pleased to announce that Dr. Joel Dekanich recently completed his registered nurse (RN) degree from the Institute of Health Care Professions in Boynton Beach, FL. https://www.ihpedu.com/

He is now a board certified RN in the state of CO and will be working in collaboration with our physician assistant Rachel Segerdahl, PA-C on various medical and physical medicine procedures. “I am excited to further my education in the medical field and expand my scope of practice to better serve our patient’s needs” says Dr. Joel. Congrats Dr. Joel!!

Graston technique - Improving Tissue Healing

When the body suffers a spinal or extremity injury, there are often concurrent structural changes within the muscles as they recover.  In a healthy body, examined under microscope, the individual connective tissue fibers in muscle look well organized, intertwining and running side by side in the same direction. Following an injury, the scene looks much different. The individual fibers scatter in random directions, and the rope-like structures look frayed.  Structures that should easily glide past each other   become stuck, or adhered together, which can affect one's normal movement patterns in the neck, back, and/or extremities.

Muscles that show this kind of change tend to experience more problems than just restriction of motion.  These muscles often exhibit painful trigger points along with weakness or inhibition.  These issues can then create a situation where surrounding tissue is also damaged while it overcompensates for the already injured tissue.  In this way, a small injury can spread and significantly worsen over time.

Luckily, there are several treatment options to help remodel the injured tissue back to its original state. Among these treatments, the Graston technique is one of the most effective. Graston incorporates a set of stainless steel tools to work on these damaged tissues with two goals in mind. From a physiological perspective, the shearing forces generated by the tools help to destroy the fibers that are poorly aligned. The normal, well-aligned fibers remain intact due to their inherent structural strength. Additionally, at the cellular level, laboratory studies have confirmed that this treatment increases the number of fibroblasts in the area for about two days after Graston is administered. The job of the fibroblasts, the repair cells of connective tissue, is to break down damaged fibers and rebuild new ones in their place. In this way, Graston technique can be used to focus the body's normal repair mechanisms to the areas that need it the most.

The best outcomes with Graston technique are produced during a course of 6-12 visits spread out among 3-6 weeks.  Treatment can be somewhat uncomfortable and may leave some bruising, but it should always be within the tolerance of the patient. Graston works best when combined with other therapies such as joint manipulation, stretching, and targeted exercise.  More information on this treatment can be found on the Graston Technique website: www.grastontechnique.com/

Ryan Azeltine DC

Welcome to Ken Wheeler PTA/LMT

Ken came to the Vail Valley from North Carolina after living in several states east of the Mississippi.  In North Carolina Ken started his career in healthcare attending Southwestern Community College to become a Physical Therapist Assistant then the Center for Massage in Asheville North Carolina to become a massage therapist and also has a degree from the University of Phoenix in Health Care Services.

 Ken has worked in a variety of settings, always in the field of health promotion. His work in North Carolina ran the gamut of helping develop restorative care programs in skilled nursing facilities, to in and outpatient Physical Therapy at Highlands Cashiers Hospital, to being program director for the Wellness Center and Outdoor programs for the Cullasaja Club in Highlands, North Carolina, a private country club.

 Ken returned to Southwestern Community College where he earned his Degree in Physical Therapy be the director of the Massage Therapy program while also teaching Functional Anatomy and Manual Techniques for Physical Therapist Assistants.

Ken has a deep love of outdoor pursuits and you may run in to him on a mountain or road bike, inbounds or back country skiing or just enjoying a hike or run on a mountain trail. His love of the sports in these mountains, as well as his daughter's ski racing brought Ken  from North Carolina several times a year for the past few years so he and his wife came to the conclusion that living and working in the Vail Valley would be incredible. 

 Ken has also worked with the National Ski Patrol for 10 years and is a Red Cross Certified Life Guard.

 Ken's diverse life experience is a good analogy for how he approaches the human body. "I like problem solving and will throw everything I have at a problem until we find what works best." Ken learned Active Isolated Stretching and Strengthening from the developer Aaron Mattes by working with him in his clinic in Sarasota, Florida. 

 He has been trained in Cranio Sacral, Myofascial Release, Neuromuscular therapy as well as other modalities. He has 16 years of experience in treating orthopedic and neurological conditions in both Physical Therapy and as a personal trainer.

Jackie Inducted into College Hall of Fame

Jackie Plesha is the College of St.Scholastica women’s basketball program’s leading scorer with 1,686 points. She is the only player in program history to break 1,600 points. She also holds career records for 3-point field goals (152) and free throws made (458). She not only scored a ton, but also distributed the ball as she ranks third all-time in career assists (271). Plesha led the team in scoring all four seasons of her career and led the team in assists in three of those four seasons. She ranks third in career steals (290) and fifth in career blocks (59). Plesha holds the program record for points in a game (37) and points in a season (526). She was named the NAIA Independent Player of the Year in 2005, a three time NAIA Honorable Mention All-American and a three-time UMAC Player of the Year. Plesha was a three-year team captain and was named a NAIA Scholar-Athlete in 2004

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy now Available in Vail and Edwards.

HBOT is a non-invasive therapeutic treatment that delivers an increased dose of oxygen to cells in your body.

Why Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

All living creatures require air, water and food - and nothing is more vital than oxygen. Your body's tissues need an adequate supply of oxygen to function. When tissues are injured, they may require more oxygen to heal. An overall increase in oxygenated blood improves oxygen delivery for vital tissue function to help promote healing, minimize injury, improve symptoms of altitude sickness, and fight infection.

How does HBOT work?  

"Hyperbaric oxygen therapy increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in your blood," says Nayan Patel, a biomedical engineer in FDA's Anesthesiology Devices Branch. The treatment exposes your body to higher atmospheric pressures than normal which drives more oxygen into your system, ultimately tripling the oxygen concentration in your blood! The available oxygen then travels through your blood to be delivered at oxygen-deprived tissues.

Why Would You Use Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

The FDA and Medicare have approved the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for thirteen conditions, including diabetic ulcers, neuropathies, wound healing, anemia, and compartment syndrome.  In addition, current research shows that HBOT is a viable treatment for the growing list of “off-label” conditions including various symptoms of brain injury and concussion, sports injuries, altitude sickness, chronic fatigue, and stroke. Though these conditions are not yet formally approved by the FDA, research regarding the effectiveness of HBOT is quickly expanding. Two of these conditions are of particular interest to the group of patients that are commonly treated in our clinic.

First, HBOT is very effective for acute mountain sickness. This is a common occurrence for both locals and guests to the Vail Valley when traveling from sea level. The initial symptoms of altitude sickness can include headache, lethargy, decreased performance, lack of coordination, insomnia, appetite loss, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. A session in the hyperbaric chamber will create even higher oxygenation levels than what you would experience at low elevation, helping your body to recover quickly from acute altitude sickness.

Another exciting use for HBOT is helping to increase the healing rate of injuries. This is of particular interest to our athletes in the valley, both locals and those visiting. The working speed of the body's repair cells is limited by their ability to produce energy, and the amount of oxygen at the injury site determines how much energy can be produced. While you are being treated in the hyperbaric chamber, all four oxygen-binding sites on your hemoglobin (the portion of your red blood cells that carries oxygen) will be filled rather than the 2-3 sites which is normal for this altitude. Additionally, the higher pressure will allow oxygen to also dissolve into the plasma (the liquid component of your blood) so that it can easily be transported to the injury site. HBOT works synergistically with rehabilitation to help injuries resolve faster so that our patients can return to their active lifestyles.

In order to try HBOT at VIMG, you will need a brief physical first to make sure you are an appropriate candidate for this treatment. If you are interested in a complimentary session in our chamber, give us a call at 926-4600 today!