CLUB NEWS
Sisters Athletic Club
February 2013
FEATURED CLUB MEMBER
Ethan Kennedy
Ethan is a 7th grader at the Sisters Middle School. He has lived in Sisters for the past 5 years having moved here from Las Vegas and prior to that California. Ethan works out at the Club regularly after school with Andrew. He enjoys working with Andrew because Andrew helps work him through the most difficult exercises and gives him some free choice on the types of exercise that he would like to do.
Ethan plays lacrosse and soccer but says he will be trying out football in the fall. He enjoys snowmobiling in the winter and swimming in his pond on hot days in the summer. In his free time Ethan enjoys working on his nitro remote control cars. They go up to 50 mph. He says he is not a very good driver so they do break a lot but he is good at fixing them.
In school his favorite subject is math but he is looking forward to summer break. Ethan has 2 German shepherd dogs, a dachshund a cat and a sister. He enjoys living in a small town where he does not have to worry about crime and he says that Brandi is his favorite SAC employee. We are really proud of Ethan and his commitment to fitness and are happy that he chose Sisters Athletic Club as his place to work out.
FEATURED STAFF MEMBER
Brittany Baldessari
Brittany is the newest member to the SAC team although she has been a part of the SAC family since she was 15 years old. Brittany is the daughter of our very own (front desk) Michelle and Karl Baldessari. She is a graduate of Sisters High School and has most recently been attending college at Portland State, however she is transferring to OSU Cascades and is planning to major in Exercise Science. Brittany recently moved back to Sisters from Portland where she was the Aquatics Program Director for Oregon Athletic Clubs.
Brittany swam competitively for 15 years and is now coaching the Sisters High School Swim Team. At the Club Brittany coaches masters swim and swim club and does private swim lessons as well. Brittany helped get the SAC swim club started when she was just 15 years old and now she is working on getting our swim club affiliated with USA Swimming allowing our kids to compete in meets.
Brittany enjoys being back in Sisters and out of the city so that she can live a healthier lifestyle outdoors. This summer she plans to try open water swimming in the area lakes and rivers. Something you might not know about Brittany is that in addition to competitive swimming she was also a competitive jump roper. Picture “double Dutch” and gymnastics tricks with a jump rope – cool! We are happy to have Brittany back at the Club and love all of the energy and vision she has for our swim program.
Find out what accupuncture can do for you and join Rachel Pearce L.Ac. for an accupunture demonstration, Q&A session, complimentary auricular treatments and refreshments on Wednesday February 20th from 5:30-6:30pm in our conference room. If you suffer from back pain, stress, headaches, allergies, injury, infertility, joint pain or other ailments, accupuncture could change your life!
JOINT HEALTH
Matt Kirchoff
Joint maintenance is extremely important for preventing the onset of joint pathologies such as Osteoarthritis (OA) and for allowing you to continue to participate in whatever you love to do.
Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent joint disease, affecting an estimated 40 million Americans. The disease is characterized by the degeneration of cartilage and bone and most commonly affects men and women over 65 in the hands, spine, hips and knees. Factors associated with an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis include repetitive joint impact combined with twisting, obesity, serious musculoskeletal injuries, smoking and repetitive occupational activities such as kneeling, squatting and heavy lifting. Much research has been done recently on the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin and their effect on joint cartilage. While some studies show that glucosamine and chondroitin can decrease pain and functional limitations in those with OA, other studies show no difference when compared to placebo treatments. The most recent studies show that 1500 mg of crystalline glucosamine sulfate daily in three doses of 500 mg is the most effective dosage and must be taken long term. While the potential adverse effects of glucosamine are generally minimal and mild, it is still recommended that interested patients consult their physician before taking the supplements to avoid any health complications. The American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) does not recommend either supplement. The AAOS focuses their recommendations for joint health on reducing excess body weight, low impact aerobic exercises, flexibility and range of motion exercises, quadriceps strengthening and taping to decrease pain and pressure. Here at Therapeutic Associates, our physical therapists are uniquely trained to implement these recommendations in order to reduce unnecessary joint damage and promote a healthy pain-free lifestyle. Those of you who enjoy primarily high intensity are not relegated to joint pain and degeneration. While high impact and intensity forces are not ideal, often corrections in faulty mechanics and muscle imbalances can alleviate stresses and re-distribute forces throughout the body. Physical therapists are movement specialists capable of identifying and correcting these problems to add longevity to your joints. Physical therapists can design programs to implement the strategies listed above and progress their patients safely in order to get them back on the links, courts, mountains, or wherever it is you want to be. Once your pain has subsided, you will still need to continue to be mindful of what you have learned and participate in your home exercise program. A 2012 study on physical therapy outcomes showed a significant decrease in patients’ pain levels when they continued their home exercise programs independently 4 times a week as opposed to those who did it 2 times or less. Your physical therapist will design a program that is efficient and individualized in order to maximize your health and prevent future injury. It is often possible to significantly decrease the degeneration of your joints with simple changes. Listen to your body, and if you need assistance, we are here to help!
TATE’S TIDBITS
February is American Heart Month. This is a time to re-examine the measures that you take to maintain a healthy heart. Eating well and regular exercise are ways that we can keep our hearts healthy and prevent cardiovascular and heart disease. Sometimes we need a little added motivation to make sure that we are working within our target heart rate zone to get the most out of our workouts. One way to do this is with a heart rate monitor. This is a band that you wear around your chest with a watch on your wrist that tracks your workouts and heart rate along with calories burned. If you have a heart rate monitor but need a lesson on how to get the most out of it we are offering a workshop with Andrew on Wednesday February 13th at 4:30pm. You can sign up at the front desk. If you are interested in getting a heart rate monitor we have them for sale as well.