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Dr. Ginger Garner

EudeMOMia® | Integrative Physical Therapy and Lifestyle Medicine

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hip labral surgery

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@DrGingerGarner

A student recently sent me an email that really to

A student recently sent me an email that really touched me. Keeping the student anonymous, I’d like to share the short backstory: ⁠
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I sent this particular student feedback on a case study submission - the assignment was to work through Integrative & lifestyle Medicine assessment and intervention (which includes yoga, yes) for an actual patient who has gastrointestinal and orthopedic issues because one cannot get better without addressing the other. ⁠
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This person is new to full-time caregiving for her mother, who has dementia. ⁠
Her mother was declining in health due to being in a facility during the pandemic. I know exactly the trauma this can exact, because I just lost my own grandmother in December to COVID, who had dementia and lived in a memory care unit. ⁠
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Anyone who is a #caregiver for a family member with #dementia knows just how all-consuming this is. ⁠
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So the student reached out to say the course was providing her with a means of radical self-care and self-reflection, which she really needed during this trying time. She included this: ⁠
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“The Katha Upanishad made me think of my MTY training: "We live not by the breath that flows in and flows out, but by him who causes the breath to flow in and flow out.”” ⁠
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I was moved, and wrote back: ⁠
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“That verse from the Upanishad is comforting, isn't it? We can take off our burden, like a cloak, and lay it down - it also reminds me of this verse: Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin.” (Matthew 6:28) My encouragement to you is to recall those things you did as a child, or anytime in life, that made you come alive, that made you feel like time was irrelevant, where you could lose track of it easily - make those things part of your joy/self-care. For me, that is music, reading, and time in nature with my family. What is it for you?” ⁠
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It also brings to mind this quote from Emily Dickinson. What brings you hope and motivation on this Monday morning? ⁠
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#mondaymotivation, #mondaymood, #mondaymorning, #hopeful #integrativelifestylemed

Cleaning closets today. What helps you clear the m

Cleaning closets today. What helps you clear the mental clutter? #declutter #lifestylemedicine ⁠
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#integratlivelifestylemed

Post op day 8. Today I’m back in the office, wel

Post op day 8. Today I’m back in the office, well officially yesterday, after my 2nd surgery. ⁠
I can’t stay away for long! ⁠
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What are my NOT so favorite things about this post-op experience? ⁠
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❎Another #seroma. Yep, that’s me. I have the perfect body type for cording and seromas. Thin, young”ish,” and active. ⁠
❎Another infection. When your wound has to left open after surgery, shite happens. Thank you antibiotics. ⁠
❎That feeling of despair, like you’ll NEVER be yourself again. Like you’ll never get to be active again. ⁠
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BUT - What are my favorite things about this post-op experience? ⁠
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✅The chance to practice #gratitude and #hope. The morning after surgery when I woke up with another seroma, I cried. Big and hard. But then I got my feet underneath me and dug in for the hard work of taking care of it. ⁠
✅Supporting others in their similar experience. ⁠
✅Giving myself a chance to just do nothing. I am not the kind of person to just be idle, so surgery (sheepishly I admit), is when I slow down and take a break. ⁠
✅Catch up on some novel reading. Outlander. Enough said. ⁠
✅Celebrating the little things. When you are down for the count with complications, you have to take what you can get and celebrate it. Like less infection, less, pain, less soreness, more movement, good digestion, a full night’s rest, a day of work without stopping to drain the seroma and change clothes every few hours, etc. ⁠
✅Getting perspective. Being with my family and reflecting on what’s REALLY important in life. ⁠
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It’s all about #perspective. That’s why I’m back to work this week. I love helping you with hip and/or pelvic pain, which can impact things as far away as your vocal quality and facial tension. I know it, feel it, and live it, having been through SO many freak surgeries and accidents. ⁠
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Oh and I’m celebrating #APTA today with my mask from #ATPACSM. Thanks APTA! ⁠
⁠@aptapics

#pelvichealth #postop #surgery #physicaltherapy #oncologyPT #pelvicPT

Can I get an amen? I used to use Olympic athletes

Can I get an amen? I used to use Olympic athletes as an example. No one can be in too of their game 365 days a year - don’t expect yourself to either.

#selfcare #selfcompassion #mindfulness #rest #activelifestyle #takecareofyourself

What is a tight pelvic floor?⁠⁠ ⁠⁠ Several

What is a tight pelvic floor?⁠⁠
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Several terms such as pelvic floor tension myalgia, piriformis syndrome, and levator ani syndrome and nonrelaxing pelvic floor dysfunction have been used to describe the problem of a tight pelvic floor.⁠⁠
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How to recognize a tight pelvic floor⁠⁠
* Do you have bowel, bladder or sexual dysfunction or pain?⁠⁠
* Do you have bloating, constipation, difficulty evacuating stool, straining with bowel movement, splinting the pelvic floor in order to have a bowel movement, manually evacuating the bowel or relying on enemas or laxatives, sense of incomplete emptying after or during going to the bathroom?⁠⁠
* Do you have urinary frequency, hesitancy, urgency, bladder pain, or do you lose urine shortly after getting a strong urge to go?⁠⁠
* Do you have pain with sex, aching in the pelvis after intercourse, or are unable to tolerate penetration?⁠⁠
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If so, you may need to find a pelvic PT to help. Link in bio to find a pelvic PT and to learn more⁠⁠
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#pelvichealth #pelvicpain #pelvicPT #pelvicfloorphysicaltherapy #pelvicheadache #guthealth #physicaltherapy #integrativephysicaltherapy #integrativelifestylemed #eudemomia #eudemonia #yoga #medicaltherapeuticyoga

5 days post-op tools of the trade. (Well some of t

5 days post-op tools of the trade. (Well some of them at least).

I was raised to not let ANYTHING beat the hope out of me.
I won’t lie and say that this new batch of complications - #seroma #lymphedema #postsurgical #pain is a walk in the park, BUT, I am proud to say I’m doing everything I can to get well as FAST as I can; which includes continuing to use what I know about #integrativemedicine and #lifestylemedicine to help me heal:

Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine Hacks I’m Using Right Now at 5 days post-op:

✅Sleep - Getting 8-9 hours of sleep, and sometimes a bit more due to lost sleep from surgery. I’m taking no more than a 30 minute nap daily to combat low quality sleep at night (due to edema-induced pain) and improve healing.

✅Hydration - Getting adequate hydration PLUS - (64 oz a day of water is a minimum for me right now) I’m adding magnesium chelate and vitamin C to it 1-2x/day in powder form. Thanks Designs for Health for a great product!

✅Mindfulness - Pain won’t control me quality of life, and practicing mindfulness and meditation is a sure-fire way to keep pain under control

✅Deep abdominal (A-D) breathing - I’m stuffed into compression garments 24 hours a day due to lymphedema, a seroma, and veinous issues, so my ribcage and spine are going to get stiff and limited if I don’t practice deep breathing. I’m using #yoga techniques to do that, which includes AD breath, Uyjaii breath, Viloma and Anuloma breath (go to my website to get free breath practices!)

✅Anti-Inflammatory diet - I have a gluten, corn, and rice sensitivity. They REALLY increase inflammation when I eat them, so I’m focusing on LOTS of clean protein/amino acids sources and veggies. I found an amazing local bakery that makes gluten-corn-rice free whole grain bread, and it’s making my life!

✅Stress management - This isn’t easy given the pain and lost time from work that’s happening - and I don’t have sick days because I’m #selfemployed So stress management is right up there with inflammation management for me right now. I do that through mindfulness, yoga, and breathing practice.

Continued in comments!

Tomorrow is surgery day #2, and I was soaking in t

Tomorrow is surgery day #2, and I was soaking in the positive vibes from my friends’ well wishes and prayers 💗- and then, wait for it - my 9 year old texts me this...😬😂 #becausechores #showmethemoney #boymom #thestruggleisreal #parenting #teachingresponsibility #lovequotes #yogaofparenting

I usually drop the Pose of the Week on Friday’s

I usually drop the Pose of the Week on Friday’s but last week was FULL (with all good stuff!).⁠
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This week’s #poseoftheweek is about what to do when a tight pelvic floor causes pain. ⁠
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Some of the questions I answer include: ⁠
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✅What is a tight pelvic floor?⁠
✅How to recognize a tight pelvic floor⁠
✅What you may feel if the pelvic floor is too tight⁠
✅What kids of things can cause tightness (pelvic floor dysfunction)⁠
✅What it looks like to relax the pelvic floor in ultrasound imaging (which I use in my practice)⁠
✅How can YOU relax your pelvic floor?⁠
✅What can be done to help (2 steps)⁠
✅How you can get started right now⁠
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✅A Bonus Tip for toileting with less stress (because a tight pelvic floor can really wreak havoc on your digestion)⁠
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Hope this is helpful to all my fellow women and mamas out there! The full link to this post is in the bio! ⁠
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#pelvicpain #pelvicfloorPT #pelvicPT #integrativephysicaltherapy #physicaltherapy #lifestylemedicine #integrativemedicine

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