Clinical care – Here for Life

Sports physicals create opportunities for healthy conversations

July 17, 2019

The start of school also signals the kick-off for school athletics. According to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), the non-profit that coordinates most of the interscholastic athletics in the state, more than 300,000 youth participate in middle school or high school athletics each year from over 525 schools. In fact, despite our smaller population size, Minnesota ranks 10^th in the nation for school athletic participation. This is great news for the youth of our state as physical activity and sports participation have many physical and emotional health benefits. Youth who are involved in sports are more likely to get the recommended 60 minutes of vigorous activity each day. Additionally, sports participation has been shown to improve social connection, reduce depression and suicidality, improve confidence and self-esteem[i]. For high school boys and girls, participation in sports teams is associated with higher academic achievement as well[ii].

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One day at a time…. celebrating 50 years of Knapp Rehabilitation

July 5, 2019

It’s hard to put into words the daily life at Knapp Rehab, Hennepin Healthcare’s inpatient acute rehabilitation unit. To end up in Knapp, something pretty awful sent you there – a stroke, a traumatic brain injury, a chronic disease, an accident. (more…)

What is a chemical peel?

June 21, 2019

Just what is a chemical peel? It sounds kind of scary, right? Well, it shouldn’t. Chemical peels have been around for a long time, and if you have thought of trying one, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Everyday sun exposure can affect the quality of your skin and, of course, there’s always that aging thing happening. A fifteen-minute chemical peel over your lunch break can improve your skin’s color and texture. “It’s a chemical exfoliation that removes dead, damaged skin to reveal a new refreshed glow. And, it only takes fifteen minutes!’” explains an RN within the dermatology department.

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Nutrients in foods more beneficial (and tasty!) than dietary supplements

June 12, 2019

The best way to benefit from the nutrients found in foods is to well, eat them – according to a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

“Nutrient sources in their original packages – food – have shown the greatest benefit,” explains Natalie Ikeman, PA at Hennepin Healthcare’s Golden Valley Clinic. “Investigators found that the use of dietary supplements did not lower one’s risk of death. And in fact, in some instances, excessive use of supplements like calcium were associated with a higher risk of cancer-related death.”

Nothing can beat a well-balanced diet says Ikeman, and combined with adequate exercise and activity it has a proven record for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

“Staying healthy involves more than taking a supplement or pill,” she says. “It’s making positive lifestyle choices that impact your mental and physical health and motivate you to be the best you can be. Eating sensibly and enjoying nutritious meals gives us the benefit of seeing, touching and tasting the intelligent and delicious choices we’re making about the fuel our bodies need.”

“No easy pill or powder can replace our food’s natural packaging. And once we start processing food to isolate nutrients and put them some other form, we’re losing the full benefits of how they were meant to be absorbed in our bodies.”

Natalie Ikeman is the founder of The Great Slim Down weight loss program, a one-on-one program that provides counseling once a month for 12 months on a healthy diet and exercise ideas to prevent chronic diseases caused by increased body weight. For more information go to hennepinhealthcare.org/greatslimdown.

Don’t ignore the warning signs

June 5, 2019

If you received a lab test result that indicated something was wrong would you ignore it? There is a common medical condition that may seem like an annoyance for men, but can actually be a warning sign of a more serious health problem that shouldn’t be ignored. (more…)

Having a voice when disease cuts it short

May 21, 2019

May is Better Hearing & Speech Month – a time to appreciate and celebrate speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and the field in which they practice.

SLPs are experts in communication. They treat common and complex speech and swallowing problems in both children and adults. But diving deep into an amazing spark of technology showcased in the documentary Gleason brings to the forefront hope for those battling ALS and other diseases such as cerebral palsy and stroke, who lose the ability to speak. Hennepin Healthcare offers eye gaze devices to those patients who have lost their voice.

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Getting a grip on jammed fingers

April 3, 2019

Athletic or not, most of us have experienced the misfortune of a jammed finger injury – which is actually a finger sprain. Casually walking past a dining room chair, opening a car door or even gardening can be the everyday activity that puts your finger at risk.

Jammed fingers are a frequent injury for many sports – but especially for basketball when the ball hits the tip of the finger and pushes it back toward the hand. It’s not often serious but pain and swelling can affect one or more of the joints and cause discomfort.

“The knuckles, or joints, of our fingers each have ligaments that help provide stability,” explains orthopedic surgeon Jacqueline Geissler, MD. “If the fingertip takes the full impact of an object, it can sprain these ligaments. A sprained – or jammed finger can be quite painful and can be hard to move initially but usually gets better.”

These types of injuries can be very difficult to avoid because they happen so fast. Following good technique for ball handling, passing, and maintaining focus during play could minimize the risk for injury. (more…)

Midwife means “with woman”

March 13, 2019

by Kate Pfaff, APRN, CNM

Did you know that the word midwife means literally, “with woman”? It is a simplified but accurate description of what Hennepin Healthcare Birth Center midwives do every day. We are skilled at listening to women’s concerns and priorities, and strive to be fully present for them through important life stages.

At the heart of midwifery is the belief that labor and birth are normal life events for most women. We, therefore, try our best to maintain the “normalcy” of the situation. This might look like quiet reassurance when labor is hard, or the encouragement to continue eating and drinking to keep up energy levels. Our laboring patients can be seen meandering the hallways slowly, soaking in our large hydrotherapy tub, or creatively positioned with pillows and yoga balls in a comfortable resting state. Many of our patients choose to use pain medication in labor, and we fully support these choices too. (more…)