Your Health Matters

Hot Burns in the Summer Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Summer is heating up, and so can your skin. Picture an intoxicated adult backing into a burning metal fire pit, a youngster wielding a flaming marshmallow, a teenager sunning at the pool for too many hours—the season is ripe for summertime skin burns.

Burns come in degrees: first, second, third, and fourth. With a first-degree burn, the skin is red and you’ll notice some pain and swelling at the burn site. When the first and second layers of the skin (dermis) are burned, causing blistering, redness and swelling, it’s classified as a second-degree burn. Third-degree burns are very serious—potentially affecting all layers of the skin. A fourth-degree burn goes deep as the fat, muscle, and even bone. You’ll see white, leathery, blackened, or charred skin. The skin may be numb to the touch because of nerve damage.

How to Treat Minor First-degree Burns

If the skin is unbroken, run cool water (not ice water) over the skin and apply a cold cloth.
Cover the burn with a sterile bandage.
Take ibuprofen for pain and swelling.
For sunburn, take ibuprofen for pain, keep your skin moisturized with lotion, and apply a cold compress.

Be sure to keep an eye on any burns—they can get worse overnight. Think of sunburn that goes from red to blistering.

How to Treat Second-degree Burns
Most second-degree burns can be treated at Meritus Health’s Urgent Care, however location and size matter.

Look at the location of the burn on the body. Burns around the face, neck, and chest can cause breathing problems and should be treated in the emergency department. Burns to the feet and genitals also require a trip to the emergency department.
Check for the extent of the burn on the body. A burn area larger than the size of your hand is serious and should be treated in the emergency department.

How to Treat Third-degree and Fourth-degree Burns
For major burns, call 911 immediately. Before help arrives, follow these guidelines:

Make sure the person is breathing. If there’s no sign of breathing, start performing CPR. [link to CPR blog]
Remove any smoldering clothing, but NOT any material stuck to the skin.
Cover the burned area with sterile bandages or a clean sheet. Do not apply first-aid ointment and avoid breaking any blisters.
Raise the burned body part to above heart level and keep the burned area clear of friction.

By: Anne Gill

Stay Alive! Don't Text and Drive Update

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 28 May 2012 18:00:00 +0000

Did you know distracted driving is the number one killer of American teens? That is a dreadfully scary thought, especially when you realize that distracted driving-related accidents are 100% preventable. I have a hard time imagining anything worse than losing someone you love in an accident, but knowing that the accident could have been prevented would be more frustrating. Distracted driving, including texting while driving, is a major problem in our society, especially with our younger population.

Did you know they have toys for toddlers that look and sound like cell phones? Our teenagers have literally had a cell phone in their hands since about the same time they were learning how to walk.

Meritus Medical Center is home to a trauma center that serves Washington and Frederick Counties in Maryland, as well as parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. On a daily basis, trauma surgeons and nurses see the devastation of families and communities caused by preventable accidents with young victims. As a regional trauma center, Meritus Health trauma and emergency services thought an injury prevention program about distracted driving was crucial for our community. Born from this thought was, Stay Alive! Don’t Text and Drive, a program that encourages teens and their families to sign pledges to end distracted driving. My name is Jen Marsh, one of the campaign coordinators of Stay Alive! Don’t Text and Drive. In August 2011, the campaign was out and about in the community, visiting area high-school football games. More than 3,000 people signed the pledge in a matter of months! Community partners and local business leaders jumped on board, giving the campaign even more momentum.

Early in the 2011-2012 school year, Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) reached out to us about our campaign and the possibility of bringing this life-saving message to their public high schools! Of course, we were honored by the opportunity, so we packed up our cars and took the show on the road! Perfectly timed, right before proms and graduations, we partnered with FCPS, Frederick Regional Health System, and Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue to take the campaign to all 10 public high schools. In a matter of three weeks in April, we visited about 9,000 high-school students, passed out numerous Stay Alive! Don’t Text and Drive T-shirts, bumper stickers and bracelets, and had almost 5,000 pledges signed by students and school administrators. Nothing makes me smile more than seeing a teenager wearing the campaign T-shirt out and about or seeing cars sporting the cool bumper sticker with our life-saving campaign message.

So … have you signed the pledge to not drive distracted? If the answer is no, than please consider making the commitment. Go to www.meritushealth.com/stayalive to take the pledge. Do it for the young child in his car seat who sits behind you when you are driving. Lead by example for the teenager who is getting ready to get their driver’s license. Do it for your kids, your neighbor’s kids, your parents, grandparents, and friends. Please, please, please put the phone down. Be safe and enjoy another day.

I have taken the pledge and encourage you to do the same. Thanks!

By: Jennifer Marsh

How to Protect Yourself from the Summer Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 24 May 2012 21:26:00 +0000

As a young man, my dad spent as much time as possible playing basketball, football, tennis, golf, and any number of outdoor activities whenever he got the opportunity. Where my fair-skinned, red-headed, Irish dad went wrong was that he never wore sunscreen. Now, many years later, he has to visit the dermatologist every few months to check for skin cancer.

In the 1960s when my dad was growing up, the dangers of sun exposure were not nearly as well known as they are today. That is why it is so alarming to see that today’s society places so much of an emphasis on tan skin. From young girls who use tanning beds to achieve that “golden” look before prom, to the “stars” of the reality show Jersey Shore who are famous for their daily regimen of GTL or gym, tan, laundry, to the recent story about the mom who allegedly took her six-year-old daughter to a tanning salon, the pressure to have perfectly bronzed skin is everywhere in pop culture.

Repeated sun exposure is responsible for any number of consequences for our skin. Wrinkles, premature skin aging, skin cancer, and discoloration of the skin to name a few. The kicker is that much of our sun exposure occurs while we grow up. That is why it is so important for parents to educate their children about the dangers of sun exposure and provide them with adequate protection. Below are tips to help both you and your kids limit skin damage due to sun exposure:

Apply sunscreen whenever sun exposure is possible. Many of us only think to apply sunscreen when we are at the pool or the beach. However, the sun doesn't suddenly stop shining when we mow the lawn, work on the garden, or go to a friend’s house for a barbeque.
Apply sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going outside. This allows the sunscreen to form a protective layer before you begin your exposure. This is especially important if you are going to be swimming. I know I got sunburn more than once as a kid just because I jumped right in the pool immediately after I applied sunscreen.
Don’t forget areas like lips, feet, ears, or the neck. They can be easy to miss and they can also be some of the most annoying places to get burned!
Do not be stingy with sunscreen. Always apply it generously.
Reapply sunscreen at least every two hours. Reapply even more often if you are sweating or swimming.
Always use waterproof sunscreen when swimming. It won’t do you any good if it all washes off!
Always use sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater.
Wear hats that protect your face and neck from the sun.

By: Shawn McNally

Aging Gracefully–with a Side of Independence, please!

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 21 May 2012 20:12:00 +0000

The idea of getting older is scary. When you are a teenager, you worry about where you will go to college. When you graduate college, you worry about getting a job. When you get a job, you begin to worry about home ownership, children, and aging parents. Eventually, all of us have to start considering the consequences of advanced age. Whether it is your parents or yourself that you are thinking of, there is no better time than now to consider the many elderly care services that are available.

Elderly care services are designed to help seniors live a full and meaningful life even if they have lost some of their independence. Below you will find brief descriptions of three options that are available:

Assistance with moving between
levels of a house is one way at-home
products can help keep you in your home.

At-home Services and Products
For people who don’t need 24-hour assistance, but may need a little help around the house, there are at-home services. At-home services can range from assistance with bathing and oral hygiene, cooking, medication reminders, shopping, and transportation to medication education, post-surgical care, wound care, and home therapy. At-home products such as LifeLine medical alert system can help people live independently without sacrificing the security of having help only a phone call away. There are also products available to help ensure safety in the bathroom, kitchen, and stairways.

Assisted Living

Assisted living facilities offer many of the same services that can be provided by at-home services, but in a community setting that caters to the needs of seniors. Many seniors may feel alone and isolated in their home especially after the death of a spouse. Assisted living provides these seniors with a community atmosphere. However, not all seniors will want to leave their homes for an assisted living home.

Nursing Homes
Seniors who are of a very advanced age or who suffer from a debilitating condition may be best served by a nursing home. Nursing homes provide 24/7 ongoing and emergency health services. If a senior you know has become a danger to him- or herself or requires constant and reliable medical care all throughout the day, it may be time to consider a nursing home.

As you think about the future, keep these options in mind.

For more information about services available to seniors in Washington County, contact the Washington County Commission on Aging at 301.790.0275.

For more information about Meritus Health’s at-home services and products, contact Meritus Home Health at 301.766.7800, Care At Home at 301.766.7801, or Equipped for Life at 301.714.0200.

By Shawn McNally

Heartburn on a Checkered Tablecloth

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:22:00 +0000

Who doesn’t like summer? The warm weather, beach vacations, cookouts, and acid reflux. Wait—acid reflux? If you suffer from occasional heartburn or acid reflux, picnic tables chock-full of fried chicken, hamburgers, and chocolate pie could be a digestive nightmare.

That chocolate pie with mint garnish may relax a part of your esophagus (the tube between the throat and stomach) and let acid flow upward. Fatty foods like fried chicken and rib eye steak put pressure on the esophageal sphincter (mouth-like muscle), making heartburn a sure thing. And that gin and tonic? Don’t even think about it. Alcohol increases stomach acid.

Heartburn is a fiery sensation in your chest that you usually get after eating. It gets worse when you lie down or bend over. Occasional heartburn (less than once a week) is not a big deal, and an antacid should do the trick. But frequent acid reflux, known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which occurs two to three times a week, is another matter. Left untreated, GERD can harm the esophagus. One way to curb heartburn and acid reflux is lifestyle modification—and that means passing up on some picnic favorites.

What to avoid:

Acidic fruits like oranges and grapefruits, especially when eaten on an empty stomach
Tomatoes, garlic, and onion
Pepper, spices, and mint
Mustard, ketchup, and vinegar
Wine, beer, liquor, and soda
Coffee and iced tea
Fried and fatty foods
Chocolate

Wow. What’s summer if you can’t have a hamburger topped with a tomato? Well, not all is lost. Ask your picnic host to set out these tasty options:

Grilled chicken or fish
Pasta salad (not tossed with vinegar)
Low-fat potato salad
Apples and bananas
Turkey sandwiches
Non-carbonated, caffeine-free drinks; herbal tea (without mint); low-fat milk

You can still enjoy an occasional adult beverage, but try cutting white wine with club soda or drink lite beer—and limit consumption to one drink. It’s always best to talk to your doctor about how often you get heartburn and a recommended diet. Look, you can still enjoy the family barbeque—just without the red meat and sauce!

By Anne Gill

Celebrating Emergency Medical Service Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:22:00 +0000

Imagine for a minute that you have been involved in a car accident, have had a fall, your young child has fallen into a pool, or your house has caught on fire. These are all terrifying events that could happen at any time.

Now imagine the feeling of relief that you would have when you see Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals arrive on the scene. These brave men and women bring along with them comfort, safety, hope, and the knowledge that the trauma is over and the healing can begin.

So why did I ask you to imagine such a scary situation?

Well, I hope that most of you have never had to experience such an awful story in your lives, but I wanted to get you in a mind set to help Meritus Health celebrate the wonderful EMS professionals we work with every day.

EMS providers deal with situations just like the one you just imagined each and every day. It takes an amazing person to be able to perform under that kind of pressure and it is important for us to recognize the hard work they put in to keep our community safe and healthy. That is why, in 1974, President Gerald Ford officially made the third week in May National EMS Week.

This year National EMS Week falls on the week beginning May 20. Meritus Health is asking you to help us celebrate by thanking any EMS providers that you know, have met, or just see out and about.

Another great way to thank EMS providers is by making their job easier. This can mean making any number of simple changes to your life, including:

Don’t be a distracted driver. Always watch the road and never text and drive. For more information about the dangers of distracted driving check out Meritus Health’s Stay Alive! Don’t Text and Drive website.
Check your fire detectors. Make sure all fire detectors in your home are working and have fresh batteries. Many fire departments offer free fire detector inspections. Check with your local fire department to see if they offer such a service.
Fall proof your home. Did you know that one out of three adults over the age of 65 will sustain a fall this year? For information about how to prevent falls check out the January 3rd episode of the Health Matters radio show.
Never leave your children alone near bodies of water–including the bath. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children ages one to fourteen. Always watch your children when you go to the pool, ocean, lake, or anywhere they are around water.
Learn how to perform CPR. By performing CPR until EMS professionals arrive, you can help save someone’s life. There are multiple ways to learn CPR, such as signing up for a CPR class, attending a community workshop, or just remembering your favorite disco song!

Join us in celebrating an essential part of the healthcare team- emergency medical service professionals!

By Shawn McNally

Spotlight on the Meritus Medical Center Auxiliary

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 10 May 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Scientific evidence suggests that positive emotions can help us live longer and stay healthier. One documented path to happiness is doing good for others. For 60 years, nearly 400 Meritus Health Auxilians have taken the “volunteer” path to happiness. During their journey, our volunteers have raised $4 million for Meritus Medical Center and its programs, and devoted 3.2 million hours of service. “These people have found out they have a lot to give—and are making a difference in peoples’ lives,” Mitch Towe, director of volunteer services explained.

Meet “golden girl,” Sue Fiedler, volunteer since 1977.
Sue could be a TV sitcom character, but for ten years, her dedication to the Tree of Lights annual campaign has been nothing short of serious. She has since handed over the Tree of Lights torch, but continues to work in the coffee kiosk, help in the Auxiliary office, and serves as board parliamentarian. “My fondest memory has been working with Jean Goodnight on the Tree of Lights. We’re still attached to the hip,” says the former Auxiliary president.

Say hello to the “challenger,” Linda Hovis, volunteer since 1977.
In 1977, Linda’s 14-year-old daughter considered joining the Volunteens—the hospital’s volunteer program for kids ages 14-18. The daughter’s friends discouraged her to join. But, Linda made a deal—if her daughter joined the Volunteens, Linda would join the Auxiliary (despite being a full-time teacher). Mom and daughter signed up and Linda later became chairperson of the Volunteens, two-time Auxiliary president, co-chair of the Tree of Lights, and Auxiliary newsletter editor. When not sleeping, Linda delivers patient mail and plans to be president again following the next two presidential terms.

Meet “no moss grows under my feet,” Delores Rice, volunteer since 2002.
The highlight of Delores’ 2004-2006 presidential Auxiliary terms was establishing “Repeat Performance,” the hospital’s thrift shop. According to Delores, this upscale store has been a valuable means for raising hospital funds. Everything Delores does is top-notch—co-chairing the Auxiliary time-keeping role, filling in at the thrift shop, booking physicians on Your Health Matters radio show, working at the Commission on Aging, and holding the treasurer position at the Corporation for Assistive Technology. “I’ve been given many opportunities in life and feel obligated to give back to the community,” says Delores.

Give a hand to Betty Dattilio, over-achiever and volunteer since 2004.
After a career in personnel for Washington County Social Services, Betty served as Auxiliary president. She currently co-chairs the Tree of Lights, works in the Auxiliary office, and staffs the emergency department’s information desk. She is a tireless fundraiser chairing and co-chairing events like Pastry Day, the sterling silver jewelry sale, and the Spring Fling. “Working with other Auxilians feels just like family,” says Betty.

Happy anniversary and thank you to the men and women who have served the healthcare needs of the region through Meritus Medical Center’s Auxiliary.

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, call 301.790.8143 or check out their website.

How to Pick Produce at the Farmer’s Market

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:15:00 +0000

The weather may still be making up its mind, but the fact is, it’s May and farmer’s markets are starting to pop up, including the one held in the Robinwood Professional Center Atrium every Tuesday afternoon from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm! Do you know how to pick the best, freshest produce? Check out this clip from our TV show, Your Health Matters, where Chef Joseph Fleischman, executive chef and food production manager at Meritus Medical Center, shows you how!

The Savvy Traveler

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:41:00 +0000

There’s nothing more exciting than a trip outside the United States. The passport, the travel guides, the coordinated wardrobe of no-wrinkle pants and shirts. However, from a scooter accident in Milan to developing travelers’ diarrhea in Belize, venturing into foreign soil has its risks.

Between stopping your mail and arranging a pet-sitter, here’s what you need to do to prep for your adventures abroad.

Make an appointment with your primary care physician at least one month before your trip and talk about your health history. Heart disease, lung conditions, and immune disorders can put you at risk for air travel. People with a history of blood clots or COPD can be affected by lower than sea level air pressure in the plane’s cabin.
Share your travel plans with your doctor. China, Africa, South America, and Mexico pose greater risks for travel diarrhea and certain infectious diseases than European or Scandinavian countries.
Ask your doctor about immunizations you should have specific to your area of travel before leaving. A big game hunt in South Africa or scaling the Great Wall of China might mean a typhoid vaccination.
Discuss preventive medications like an antibiotic for diarrhea or an antimalaria drug recommended for trips to Africa, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and some Pacific Islands.
Request copies of your prescriptions and get the generic names for the drugs.
Do your homework. Go to cdc.gov/travel/destinations for country-by-country travel health information.
Pack a first-aid kit in your carry-on luggage. In addition to bandages and antibiotic ointment, include hydrocortisone, ibuprofen, loperamide (Imodium), antacids, an antihistamine, and tweezers.
If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair.
Check your health insurance plan to see if it covers your health needs abroad.

An international traveler shared with me these golden rules: If you can’t open it, don’t drink it. Brush your teeth with bottled water. Order drinks without ice, and avoid street food vendors and steamed foods. And remember, the longer your trip and more remote your location, the greater the chance of getting an infectious disease. Be prepared!

Happy travel!

By Anne Gill

How Does Occupational Therapy Help Kids?

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:31:00 +0000

Most people are familiar with occupational therapy for adults, which develops skills for the job of living. For children, occupational therapy focuses on skills for the job of playing.

Pediatric occupational therapists guide children from ages birth and up to help them learn new skills or regain function after an injury. Occupational therapy can help with children who have autism, developmental delay, fine motor delay, cerebral palsy, sensory processing dysfunction, hemiplegia (the paralysis of one side of the body), and problems with motor coordination.

Depending on the diagnosis, children spend time in therapy participating in a variety of activities. For example, drawing and handwriting help develop fine motor skills, while activities such as catching and tossing bean bags improve eye-hand coordination. Copying shapes from a chalkboard develops visual skills, while climbing up a suspended ladder strengthens muscles. Children involved in therapy are learning through play, so it doesn’t feel as if they are working. Each play activity is designed to help the child develop motor skills, learn how to play and engage with others, or learn how to process things they encounter in their environment.

How much occupational therapy is needed? That depends on the goals and needs for each child. Therapy focuses on improving problem areas and helping children to function as independently as possible. Some children reach their goals in as little as eight weeks, while others will stay in programs for many years.

Occupational therapy can help a child reach his or her maximum potential. If you are concerned about your child’s development or school performance or would like more information about Total Rehab Care and the pediatric program, please call 301.714.4025.

By Mendy Bishop and Anne Gill

Jump If You Have Abdominal Pain!

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:17:00 +0000

When my son was six, he experienced a horrible flu bug. Maybe it was the norovirus—to this day, I’ll never know. After three days of fever, throwing up, extreme fatigue, and numerous calls to the nurse line, I took my son to the pediatrician. “We must get to the bottom of this,” I demanded. The pediatrician had my son jump off a step to see if the sudden movement caused him any pain. Why? My doctor was checking for appendicitis.

So what is an appendix?

Your appendix is a finger-shaped pouch on right side of your abdomen—you can live with it or without it. A viral infection or a piece of stool clogging the opening can cause appendicitis. If your appendix bursts, it can lead to a serious infection in the abdominal wall and pelvis—even life-threatening sepsis (inflammation throughout the entire body). That’s why appendicitis is a life threatening emergency.

But sometimes people confuse appendicitis with the flu, kidney stones, or a urinary tract infection. According to Michelle Walker, DNP, CRNP, of Robinwood Family Practice, the big tip-off is sudden, sharp pain in the abdomen, as you’ve never felt before. The pain begins at the belly button and travels to your right side, and it gets worse when you jump or cough. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, and tenderness when you press on the abdomen.

Appendicitis usually happens to people between the ages of 10 and 30. Doctors can use blood tests, urine tests, and a CAT scan to pinpoint appendicitis. If you have appendicitis you’ll most likely need your appendix removed—and that means surgery.

Michelle says that most appendectomies can be done laporoscopically—making small incisions around the belly button and using a miniature camera and surgical instruments to remove the appendix. If your appendix ruptures, the surgeon will perform an “open” appendectomy, complete with a larger scar and a longer recovery period. The moral of the story: know the signs of appendicitis and seek medical treatment pronto!

By: Anne Gill

Rabies and the Great Outdoors

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:35:00 +0000

I don’t know about you guys, but I have been loving the unseasonably warm weather we have been having this year. (Although I am worried about what temperatures will be like in August. Yikes!) There are any number of fun activities that open up to us when the weather is nice. From a simple walk or run, to a picnic with friends or family, to going for a hike, there is no end to the fun that awaits us outdoors.

However, there are also certain dangers that we may face when we head outdoors. One such danger is running across wild or stray animals with rabies.

Rabies is a preventable virus that is passed through the bite of an infected animal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most rabies cases reported each year occur in raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.

In general, you should avoid contact with any wildlife, whether it looks friendly or not. However, there are a few tell-tale signs that can be used to identify an animal with rabies. These signs include foaming at the mouth, hiding in dark places, appearing excitable or restless, and biting at the air.

If you are bitten by an animal of any type it is extremely important that you try your best to make note of where you were and any distinguishing marks that can be used to identify the animal.

Next you want to wash the wound with soap and water as soon as possible. Washing a bite wound drastically decreases the chance that you will be infected by the rabies virus. After you finish thoroughly cleaning the wound you should contact animal control authorities. If they are successful in catching the animal it will make it much easier to determine if you are infected.

Once you have called animal control, you should visit a health professional. A healthcare professional will be able to treat the wound and will determine, along with animal control, if you should be treated for rabies.

Early symptoms of rabies are similar to the flu: fever, headache, weakness, and discomfort. If you do not seek treatment immediately, symptoms such as agitation, confusion, partial paralysis, hallucinations, and insomnia can occur. Once this second group of symptoms has set in, the disease is almost always fatal–which is why it is so important to seek medical help ASAP.

If it is determined that you are at risk for contracting rabies, your doctor will give you a shot with the rabies vaccine. This is the first of a four-dose series of shots that would be given over a 14-day period. Modern rabies vaccine shots are given in the arm just like a flu shot.

If you would like more information about rabies signs, symptoms, treatment, or prevention you can visit the CDC’s website which has a ton of great information.

By Shawn McNally

The Roadblock to the Doc

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:48:00 +0000

Why do some people avoid going to the doctor? Is it a gender thing? As caregivers, women can run out of time and energy for their own doctor appointments after carting everyone else around. Men need to go to the doctor less frequently since they don’t have the annual GYN exam. Sometimes it boils down to a lack of finances, insurance, or time off. And some people just don’t like sitting in the waiting room thumbing through the latest Kim Kardashian gossip.

But anxiety is another reason why people don’t go to the doctor, according to psychologist Amy Fox, PhD, of Meritus Health’s Behavioral Health Services. “From the sterile instruments to the pokes and prods, you have to understand what’s driving the anxiety,” said Fox. “What is it about the situation that’s causing the fear? Is it the doctor, the procedure, or possible diagnosis that’s creating this level of dread?”

Here are some tips to overcome a doctor roadblock:

Make sure the doctor-patient relationship is a good fit. If not, find a more compatible physician.
If the doctor comes from a referral, talk to other patients about what to expect (physician’s personality, nursing staff, wait time, etc.).
Write down questions in advance. Patients often get tongue-tied or feel rushed, so it’s important to have a planned dialogue.
Bring a spouse or friend to the appointment as a second set of ears and a shoulder to lean on.
Establish a reward system for completing the appointment—whether it’s a latte, round of golf, or new handbag.

Fox warns that spouses and friends should not guilt the reluctant patient into seeing the doctor—or worse, make the appointment. “Ask questions rather than give demands,” said Fox.

Do you remember Lucy diagnosing Charlie Brown’s problems? Sometimes extreme distress about visiting the doctor means a bigger problem. People with iatrophobia, the fear of going to a doctor, see physicians as agents of doom rather than partners in health. If the reluctant patient, or a family member, experienced a horrible medical visit in the past, it can serve as the foundation for the acute fear. Severe phobias, said Dr. Fox, are best left to mental health professionals.

By Anne Gill

Barefoot Running: Good or Bad?

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Ok, there is something you need to know about me: I love new technology. It doesn’t matter what it is. A new iPad? Sign me up! Electric cars? Sounds great! There’s a refrigerator that can keep track of when your milk expires?! Tell me more!

How about a new type of shoe that is shaped exactly like your foot? More like a foot glove than a shoe really.

Ok. You’ve got my attention.

That’s right, I’m referring to the new phenomenon commonly called “barefoot” running. It’s a trend that has been growing more and more thanks to shoes like Vibram Fivefingers. So why would you want to wear shoes that, let’s be honest, just look so weird? Well some researchers feel that running “barefoot” with these shoes will improve your running experience and help you avoid injury.

Researchers say that we run differently when we run in shoes than we do when we run barefoot. Some believe that running barefoot is actually better for us, mainly because when you run barefoot you naturally land on the forefoot instead of the heel. By landing on this part of your foot you spread the impact out through the arch of your foot. When you run with shoes on, the impact is absorbed by the shoe and then goes up through your legs and knees which can cause injury.

The question is, is it true? Are these shoes really better for us? Well, let’s just say that if you asked that question of a magic 8 ball you’d get a definitive “Ask again later.” Shoe companies, researchers, doctors, no one seems to agree. As I mentioned earlier, there is research out there with claims of how these barefoot shoes are better than regular shoes. However, opponents say that more long-term research is necessary before we can make a final judgment.

So if you are a runner that has suffered from injuries in the past, trying out these new shoes may help; but you are trying them at your own risk. In addition, proponents of barefoot shoes do warn that the first few weeks are probably going to hurt while your feet and legs get used to the new running motion. As with any decision of this type, it is best to talk to your doctor and/or podiatrist before you decide to go “barefoot.”

by Shawn McNally

Get Smart on Seasonal Allergies

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 19:49:00 +0000

A field of flowers or allergens?

Sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, itchy-red eyes, postnasal drip, cough, and changes in your energy level—to some of us, spring is not kind. Pollen, dust mites, or pet danders bring about a cold-like sensation, but what’s really going on is hay fever or allergic rhinitis.

One in five people suffer from seasonal allergies, so if you are experiencing these symptoms, you’re not alone. You can stay indoors, loading up on over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants, or prescription nasal sprays, but opening your watery eyes to the environment around you can help too.

Start with your home- you spend a lot of time there.

Use HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters in air conditioners to better trap pollen spores. Remember to change air filters often.
Frequently vacuum floors using a HEPA filter vacuum bag.
Resist the temptation to let in fresh air and keep windows shut.
Change your bed linens often.

Look to Mother Earth- try these natural remedies

Wash out pollen and thin nasal mucus with a nasal saline flush. Neti pots help with congestion by pushing treated water through the nasal cavity.
Eat a nutritious diet filled with nuts, grapes, oranges, apples, and fresh tomatoes to boost your immunity to allergies.
Use butterbur leaf extract (certified and labeled “PA-free”) as an antihistamine.

Change your ways- these small changes could make a big difference!

Avoid being outside on windy days.
Delegate gardening and lawn mowing to someone else.
Avoid the outdoors when pollen counts are high, or in the early morning.
Head outdoors after a rain shower has cleared pollen from the air.
Wear sunglasses outside to protect your eyes from pollen.
Wash your hair before bed to rinse out allergens.

Talk to your primary care physician about your allergies. For bad seasonal allergies, your doctor may recommend skin or blood tests to determine allergy triggers and identify which treatments are likely to work best for you.

By Anne Gill

Behind the Scenes: A Look Into The Life Of A Trauma Surgeon

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Dr. Marc Kross, surgeon-in-chief,
Meritus Medical Center Trauma Services

It takes a special kind of person to commit to life as a trauma surgeon.

Consider this job description: You must like long and irregular hours. You must be willing to work weekends and holidays. You carry around a pager that is constantly buzzing. You must be able to diagnose and manage extremely complex injuries while a patient’s life is hanging in the balance. You have to be prepared to deal with any kind of injury ranging from gunshot wounds, to stabbings, to multiple rib fractures, to blunt force trauma. Oh, and before you can even take on this job you must go through four years of medical school, a five year general surgery residency, and a two-year trauma surgery or critical care fellowship.

Wow, and I thought my job was tough!

It’s no surprise that most physicians leave the trauma field after just ten years.

But for those who devote their lives to trauma surgery it can be very rewarding. As a Meritus Medical Center trauma surgeon and surgeon-in-chief of the trauma department, Dr. Marc Kross understands how to repair organs and tissue when they are suddenly injured. “I like the challenge of restoring the patient back to his normal lifestyle,” he said.

Although trauma surgeons need to move quickly and make snap decisions, Dr. Kross says that they still need to have feelings. “To be a good trauma surgeon, you must have compassion for those whose lives have been dramatically altered in a split second.”

Karl Riggle, medical director of the trauma program, used to be “continually worried that someone would get hurt and there wouldn’t be a place to care for the patient.” After all, “there’s a mountain between us and the big cities.”

He hasn’t had to deal with that worry since January 2, 1980, when Meritus Medical Center first became designated as a trauma center. Now, in 2012, the Meritus Medical Center trauma center is the place accepting severely injured patients from other hospitals in the region.

By Shawn McNally

Occupational Therapy: What is it? Who can it help?

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:29:00 +0000

Amber Kress, OT

Have you ever had an injury or a surgical procedure that made it difficult to accomplish your day-to-day activities? If so, you could have benefited from occupational therapy.

What is occupational therapy? Well, according to Amber Kress, an occupational therapist with Total Rehab Care, that can be a difficult question to answer.

“Occupational therapy is a very diverse field that encompasses many areas, which is why a general definition is so hard to come by. Our overall theory is to look at the individual, environment, and roles an individual deals with on a daily basis. We use a holistic approach to problem solve [and] to allow maximum independence in all areas of an individual’s life.”

Occupational therapists look at an injury and they see every area of your life that the injury affects. Kress gave the example of a fractured shoulder:

“We don’t focus only on a fractured shoulder and getting it moving again. We understand that a fractured shoulder affects everything you do throughout the day, such as driving, working, washing your hair, taking care of your children, and so many other things. We specialize in looking at each area and adapting the environment or task to allow independence until you get the shoulder motion back.”

At Meritus Health, our occupational therapists provide a wide variety of services, including the following:
Hand and upper extremity rehab. We are currently the only place that offers this specialty service in Washington County.

Pediatric rehab focusing on everything from learning disabilities to autism. We offer a comprehensive care plan for autistic children through a partnership with Brook Lane Health Services.
Neurological rehab for individuals with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, strokes, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders.
Inpatient and acute care rehab to maximize patients’ independence so that they can return to their home environment safely.
Mental health rehab, with a focus on coping skills, reintegration into the community, social skills, and management of cognitive disabilities.
Total joint replacement rehab to regain independence with daily activities following a hip, knee, or shoulder replacement.

Our occupational therapy staff is dedicated to providing holistic care throughout our community. If you or someone you know could benefit from occupational therapy, please call Total Rehab Care at 301.714.4025.

By Shawn McNally and Amber Kress, OT

Radon: Is It Hiding in Your House?

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:15:00 +0000

Did you know that about twice as many people die each year from radon exposure than from drunk driving accidents, falls in the home, drownings or home fires, according to the Enivronmental Protection Agency? Did you know that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking? It’s true.

Radon is a toxic gas that is created when certain elements found in soil naturally decay. When this happens, radon moves up through the soil and into the air above. From there, radon can enter your home through cracks in walls and floors, construction joints, gaps in suspended floors and around pipes, and cavities inside walls. Once it has gotten into your home, the radon becomes trapped and starts to build up.

Any home can have a radon problem. Old or new, drafty or well-sealed, basement or no basement, it makes no difference. Even if your home is in an area that does not have a history of radon problems, you may still be at risk.

That is why it is extremely important to test your home for radon. If you have never tested your home, you should ASAP. If you have tested your home before, it is important to keep in mind that you should retest every two years.

Testing for radon is a quick and easy process. You can get radon test kits in most hardware and some other retail stores. Most tests ask you to simply leave them for a few days in the lowest lived-in area of your home. In many cases this will mean the main floor of your home. However, if you have a basement that sees a lot of use or has a bedroom in it, then it should be tested instead.

Once the recommended amount of time has gone by, you will send your test to a lab that will send you back the results. Radon is measured in “picocuries per liter of air” or “pCi/L.” According to the EPA, you want your results to be below 4 pCi/L. If your results are higher than that, you will want to do another test.

If you find that both tests show that you have more than 4 pCi/L, you will want to have a radon vent installed in your home. This vent will suck any radon out of your home and push it back outside. These systems have been proven to be very effective and can eliminate as much as 99% of the radon in your home.

Remember, radon is a gas; it cannot be seen or smelled, so it is very easy to expose yourself without ever knowing it. That is why it is so important to get out to your nearest hardware store and get testing!

By Shawn McNally

How Disgusting Is Your Favorite Device?

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:45:00 +0000

Between talking, texting and surfing the web, your cell phone gets handled a lot—and according to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, it could be full of bacteria and viruses. The British study found that 92% of the cell phones tested in the UK have bacteria on them—and 16% contained E.coli—which comes from human and animal feces. Pretty gross, but think about it. Germs hang out on shopping carts, toilet seats and handles, and door knobs—why not cell phones? Few people wipe off their phones and many share them.

The problem isn’t so much that we take our cell phones everywhere (including the bathroom, yuck!) and use them all the time. The issue boils down to good housekeeping and hand hygiene. Maybe you’re good at using wipes at the grocery store to clean off your shopping cart, but have you taken an anti-bacterial wipe to your cell phone lately? A wipe or a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean your phone.

Chances are, if you have a dirty phone, you’ll have dirty hands. No matter how often you wash your hands, if you don’t clean your phone you’re picking up germs every time you pickup the phone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend being especially vigilant about hand washing in these situations:

Before, during and after preparing food (especially if you’re using your phone for the recipe!)
Before eating food
Before and after caring for or visiting someone who is sick
Before and after treating a cut or wound
After using the toilet
After changing diapers
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
After touching an animal or animal waste
After touching garbage

If you’ve forgotten how to wash your hands thoroughly, here’s a refresher:

Wet your hands with water and apply soap
Rub your hands together to make a lather and continue for 20 seconds (or enough time to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice)
Rinse your hands with water and use a clean towel or air dry them

When soap and water aren’t available, hand sanitizers are a good substitute as long as they contain at least 60% alcohol. Remember, clean hands make for safer wireless communication!

By Anne Gill

Sodium Lurking in Your Diet

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:48:00 +0000

If you’ve been good about avoiding the salt shaker, three cheers for you. Unfortunately, sodium still lurks in your diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 80% of salt is already in the food you buy, like processed and restaurant foods! Too much salt is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke—and Americans eat far over the recommended daily allowance of 1,500 milligrams per day.

Here are some common sodium culprits and their range of sodium per serving:

Canned soup – 700-1,260 mg (46.67-84%)*
Frozen cheese pizza – 450-1,200 mg (30-80%)*
Salted pretzels – 290-560 mg (19.33-37.33%)*
Salad dressing – 110-505 mg (7.33-33.67%)*

* percent of your daily allowance

Why is there so much sodium in our prepackaged foods? Salt (or sodium chloride) helps prevent foods from spoiling. It also brings out the flavors in food—making cakes and cookies sweeter. And the diet soda you love? Well, salt helps mask its metallic or chemical aftertastes.

So what’s a processed food-lover supposed to do? Well, eat more fruits and vegetables (that message never gets old) and read the “nutritional facts” panel on the foods you buy. Registered dietitian Brandy Baxter recommends looking for foods with less than 500 mg per serving. Here are some more tips from Brandy:

Eat foods labeled “low sodium or “no salt added”
Find nutrition information of major fast food chain menu items online (before you pull up to the drive-thru)
When dining out, avoid sauces—they’re loaded with salt.
Skip the soy sauce when eating Asian foods.
At a restaurant, don’t eat the skin of your baked potato. It’s often treated with salt.

Sometimes it feels like you just can’t win. You choose a can of soup over a cheeseburger and you’re still not doing right by your diet. It makes you want to eat a dozen cocktail weenies. But the take-away here is to read food labels and pick fresh over processed foods.

By Anne Gill

I finished the 5K, but now I’m sore.

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Mat and I after finishing the 5K!

As some of you may remember reading, I started a New Year’s resolution to finish a 5K. (If you don’t remember, you can see those posts here, here, and here).

Well, on March 17, I finished the St. Patrick’s Day “Run for Your Luck” through Hagerstown! It felt great to finish the race. I didn’t run the whole time – there were a lot more hills than I expected – but I finished. My legs felt like jelly and I got more side stitches than I care to admit, but I’m still proud that I accomplished my goal.

I knew that I wouldn’t be doing myself any favors if I sat down immediately after finishing, as much as I wanted to. I walked around for a little bit, and when I got back home, I took my dog for a short lap around the complex. I was thinking that doing this would help me not feel as sore the next day.

Well, on Sunday, I could barely walk. My calves were tight, it hurt to flex my tibialis anterior (that muscle that runs down the front of your leg), and I discovered the muscles on the side of my hips and how much you use them when you walk.

So, where did I go wrong? I didn’t immediately become sedentary, and I’ve been training for this 5K–I didn’t just overexert myself out of the blue. If you frequently exercise, you probably know right away what I didn’t do.

I didn’t stretch properly after the run. How do you stretch properly after a run, you ask? Well, Total Rehab Care helped me figure that out. These are the stretches they recommended:

Hamstrings – While standing, place the heel of the foot on a stool and lean over your thigh while pulling your toes toward you.

Quadriceps – Lie on your stomach. Bring your foot toward your buttock and grab your foot with the same hand (so, right leg and right hand, or left leg and left hand). Pull your foot toward you.

Hip Flexors – Begin half kneeling. Bend forward at hip and rest chest onto front leg. Steady yourself with arms to each side. Press the opposite hip toward the floor.

Calves – Stand facing the wall. Stagger your feet, one foot in front of the other with toes pointed straight ahead. Keeping the back heel down and leg straight, shift weight forward while bending your front knee slightly. This stretch should be felt at the top of the calf. Then hold for five seconds..

Iliotibial band – Stand with one shoulder against the wall. Cross the opposite (outer) leg in front of the other. Lean into the leg closest to the wall. Hold for a few seconds. Repeat with the opposite side. This stretch should be felt on the outer thigh on the leg closest to the wall.

By Kayla Murphy

Have You Thanked Your Doctor?

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Have you ever had a doctor who provided you with excellent care and service? How about a doctor who took the extra time to make sure that you were satisfied with your healthcare? Have you ever wished there was a way that you could recognize a doctor who has impacted your life in a positive way? If you answered yes to any of these questions you will be excited to know that March 30th is National Doctor’s Day.

According to the National Doctor’s Day Organization, March 30, 1933, marked the first observance of Doctor’s Day. Eudora Brown Almond organized the first Doctor’s Day observance which included mailing greeting cards to doctors as well as placing flowers on the graves of doctors who had passed away. From that day forward, Doctor’s Day was celebrated informally until 1990 when President George H. W. Bush signed a resolution designating March 30 as National Doctor’s Day.

Meritus Health will be celebrating Doctor’s Day this year by providing each of our doctors with a Doctor’s Day 2012 mug, chocolates, and a note thanking them for the extremely important work they do every day. In addition, Meritus Health will enroll every doctor in our health system in a raffle. Winners of the raffle will receive tickets to local events.

We invite you to help us celebrate our doctors, just like Mrs. Almond did all those years ago. Please print out this star and write your favorite doctor’s name as well as any comments you would like to make about what makes that doctor exceptional. Then, mail the star to:

Medical Staff Office
Meritus Medical Center
11116 Medical Campus Road
Hagerstown, MD 21742

These stars will be prominently displayed in Meritus Medical Center and after Doctor’s Day concludes, the stars will be taken down and delivered to the men and women they honor. I hope that you will join us this month by celebrating the doctors who make a difference in our community.

By Shawn McNally

Concussion in Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:20:00 +0000

In recent years, concussion has become a hot topic for media discussion, and public awareness of sports concussions has grown dramatically. This is largely a result of the NFL and other professional sports organizations taking a leadership role in bringing sports-related concussions into the public eye. This has been a welcome development because awareness of concussion is important for all of us, and with March being brain injury awareness month, there’s no better time to learn about concussion in sports.

The Center for Disease Control estimates there are nearly 3.8 million incidences of sport related concussion each year, and the vast majority occur in high school athletes. There are literally thousands of youth concussions for every concussion that occurs in professional sports, so we owe it to our youth athletes to educate ourselves about this health issue.

A concussion is essentially a mild traumatic brain injury, typically caused by an impact to the head sufficient to change the way the brain normally works. To parents, coaches, and teammates, the possibility that a youth has had a concussion raises many questions and concerns: How do I know the athlete has had a concussion? What do I do now? When is it safe to return to play?

Symptoms

There are a wide variety of symptoms that may indicate a concussion. Signs and symptoms of concussion can show up right after the injury or may not appear or be noticed until days after the injury.

Some of the more common symptoms are listed below. It’s critical for leaders of youth sports to be aware of these symptoms. While the majority of concussions eventually resolve without lasting effects, it is potentially dangerous to allow an athlete to continue to play after sustaining a concussion, and it’s estimated that 50% of athletes who experience a concussion will fail to report, or attempt to minimize the symptoms. Typical symptoms may include the following:

Loss of consciousness
Difficulty following directions
Slowed reaction time
Fatigue or insomnia
Headaches, nausea, blurry vision
Sensitivity to light or noise
Changes in behavior
Reduced tolerance to stress and/or busy environments
Disoriented/impaired memory/can’t recall events just prior to or after the injury

What to do

If you suspect a concussion due to observed or reported symptoms, remove the athlete from play for the remainder of the event. The question of when an athlete can return to play in future events is more difficult to determine, but there are some standard guidelines that should be followed:
Most importantly, consult with a medical professional before return to play, preferably a physician experienced in working with concussion/brain injury. Athletes should not return to play until the physician clears the athlete to return.

Many schools now do a preseason computerized screening of reaction time, attention, and other thinking skills, and will not allow return to play until scores return to baseline.
Before return to play, the athlete should be without any post-concussion symptoms at rest, and aerobic exercise should not increase symptoms.

Prevention

Of course the best way to manage the impact of concussions is to prevent one from occurring in the first place and to limit further risks if a concussion does occur. Some common sense suggestions for preventing concussions in youth include:
Educating athletes about the signs, symptoms, and risks of continuing to play with a concussion;

Always following the safety rules of the sport;
Always wearing protective equipment that is properly fitted when playing sports;
Always wearing a helmet when engaging in activities such as cycling, skateboarding, ski-boarding, riding a horse, ATV, or motorcycle.

Most people experience symptoms from a concussion for a short period of time, recover, and return to all of their previous activities. The risk for more serious injury occurs when an athlete gets a concussion and continues to play, or returns to play before the brain has fully healed. Being aware of concussion symptoms and taking appropriate steps to ensure sufficient rest and recovery before return to play make a great recipe to support a fun and positive athletic experience for our youth.

By Matthew Lilly, Program Manager at Total Rehab Care

How to Beat Colorectal Cancer Odds

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:16:00 +0000

In the big picture of life, the 24 hours it takes to prepare for a colonoscopy is a blip on the radar screen. So why do so many people avoid colonoscopies? Well, it could be the fear of the unknown (do I have cancer, what’s the procedure like?) or the special beverage you need to drink to prepare for the procedure.

Colorectal cancer (cancer of the rectum and colon) is preventable, but not enough people are being screened for the disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if everyone age 50 and older committed to regular colorectal screenings, nearly 60% of deaths from colon or rectal cancer could be avoided.

During a colonoscopy, the physician views the entire colon and removes any precancerous polyps before they turn into cancer. And because colon cancer develops slowly, often without symptoms, regular screenings can find cancer early when treatment works best.

Your chances of developing colorectal cancer increase with age. That’s why physicians recommend a colorectal screening starting at age 50. But a father, mother, brother, or sister with colon cancer means that you probably need to be screened sooner.

March is colorectal cancer month. If you’re 50 or older, talk to your primary care physician about a colonoscopy, and get it on the calendar. Sure, you’ll need to drink the special beverage and stick to an all-fluids diet 24 hours before the procedure. But that’s the hardest part. A colonoscopy is painless because you’re under light sedation, and the procedure is over in less than one hour. You see, it’s just a blip on the radar screen—and with colorectal cancer, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

By Anne Gill

There’s an app for everything!

noreply@blogger.com (Meritus Health) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:22:00 +0000

These days it seems like everybody has a smartphone. Advertisements are everywhere talking about the great games, movies, music, and web access that smartphones offer. But how can we use this new technology to improve our health and fitness?

This is the question that I asked myself as I began to explore the many different fitness and health apps on the market. Here are a few of the apps that I found most useful. The best part? All of these apps are completely free!

Fooducate:

Fooducate will give your food a
grade and offers suggestions for
more healthy choices.

Before we can start shaving the pounds off through exercise, it is first important to take control of what we eat. That is exactly what Fooducate promises to do. With this app you can use the camera on your phone to easily scan the barcode of that box of sugary cereal you were just about to buy. Fooducate will look up the cereal in its database and give it a grade (in this case a C) based on its nutritional value. It will also provide you with other types of cereal, with better grades, that you could buy instead.

Lose It!

LoseIt! allows you to input
your food and exercise and
keep track of your calorie budget.

Lose it! offers an easy way to track your progress towards that ideal beach body. This app lets you set up your own personalized program by inputting your starting weight, goal weight, gender, age, and height. From there the app will ask you how much weight you are looking to lose each week. Using this information, the app will give you a daily calorie budget. Each day you can then add the food you eat and any exercise you do. Whenever you add new food or exercise the app will let you know how many more calories you can eat and offers a handy little meter that shows how close you are getting to your calorie budget.

iMapMyFitness

iMapMyFitness uses
your GPS to keep
track of your favorite
exercise routes.

It’s almost spring and that means we can start taking advantage of the best gym equipment we have: nature! iMapMyFitness allows you to log your walk, bike ride, run, or hike using the GPS in your phone. You can save your favorite routes in the app and share them with your friends. The app will also tell you how far along you are on your route or how much longer you have until you need to be back at the office for those of you who like to get a little exercise in during lunch.

These are just a few of the many apps that can help you get in shape. There are many more apps available – from apps that create a workout program based on the type of equipment you have, to apps that will adjust the tempo of your music to match the intensity level of your workout. I encourage you to pull up your smartphone’s appstore and take a look for yourself in the fitness or health categories.

By Shawn McNally