Happy Presidents Day!

For all of you history buffs out there, and in honor of President's Day, I thought sharing some interesting facts about our presidents and their injuries would be a fun look at our past and how physical therapy can help with these ailments so you don't have to suffer like they did!

Thomas Jefferson: In 1781 Jefferson broke his right arm after being thrown from a horse, and then in 1785 broke his right wrist while in Paris. It was apparently poorly set and bothered him for the rest of his life. He then fell from a broken step at his home in 1821 ( age 75), fracturing his left arm and wrist, and wrote less after this time. He was also reported to have repeated bouts of back pain from 1797 on. I think Jefferson could have definitely benefitted from PT (the first PT school graduated 'reconstruction aides' in 1914- 93 years afterJefferson's last injury.)

Theodore Roosevelt: At the age of 54, Teddy was prevented from exercising due to chronic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that had crippled him a good deal. Due to this, he became quite large around his middle. Today, physical therapists can help people with RA maintain joint mobility and alignment, reduce swelling associated with flair ups, and help to maintain fine motor function for longer. 

William Taft: Taft was plagued with bouts of gout, a painful condition usually effecting the joints of the feet and hands. It can become worse with prolonged standing, which Taft did in 1909 (age 53) shaking hands with thousands of people at Pocatello, Idaho. Gout can be a painful condition that physical therapy can help with. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower: One day a visitor tot he white house noticed a leather bandage around Ike's wrist. Apparently he had an arthritic condition, and when the visitor stated he was glad it wasn't serious, Ike replied,"I should say it is serious! It means that I can't play golf!"  If you have a minor arthritic condition that limits you from doing the things you love, don't wait for it to get better on its own, see a physical therapist for help today. You don't have to live with pain and should be able to do all the activities you love!

John F. Kennedy: Back problems started in 1938, and an old knee injury occasionally caused him limp, in addition to allergies, poor hearing, and a sensitive stomach. He was prescribed steroid treatments in 1937 which may have contributed to his problems, and his back was a continual source of difficulty. On the day he was shot, he wore a back brace that consisted of canvas with metal stays and an Ace bandage with extra padding.

Ronald Regan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama also had injuries of a broken hip, knee ligament sprain and tear of the quadriceps tendon, a torn meniscus, and hip pain respectively. All of these injuries required physical rehabilitation. 

You: Many of the conditions that effected out pas US presidents continue to cause problems for many of us today. But, thankfully, you have access to modern physical therapy practices to help you overcome your ailments. If you have nagging aches and pains, old sports injuries that ache when the weather changes, or chronic diseases such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, STOP SUFFERING! There is help today! Contact me for an appointment. I can't wait to help you feel better, and get your life back!