We've received our first dose of the vaccine!

We are happy to announce that the full QuistMD team has received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine, and we are scheduled for the second dose later this month. We are grateful to benefit from the impressive work done to develop this vaccine, and happy that our heightened immunity will offer additional safety to our patients, family and community. 

We hope that the vaccine will become available to the broader community quickly, and that when your time comes, you will take advantage of it as soon as possible! This is the most important and promising pathway to returning to normal life. You may be wondering what it was like to receive this vaccine. Most of our team received the shot from a nearby pharmacist. Almost all of us experienced a very sore shoulder for a few days, and one team member experienced very mild flu-like symptoms the following day. The vaccine does not contain any live virus, and this type of reaction is a result of the immune system responding to and learning from the vaccine. 

While we take comfort in having the vaccine, we are all continuing to take COVID safety precautions including mask wearing, physical distancing, hand hygiene, COVID screening at entry, and enhanced ventilation. We ask our patients to continue taking these precautions as well.

For more context on the view we are taking of the vaccine and our continued precautions, we recommend an informative recent New York Times op-ed: Underselling the Vaccine. It features views of prominent and well-regarded public health scientists on what the vaccine means for us going forward. We especially wanted to share the concluding sentences of the article as a concise summary of how we will be proceeding, inspired by President Biden and the top doctors and scientists working for our public health: 

"We should immediately be more aggressive about mask-wearing and social distancing because of the new virus variants. We should vaccinate people as rapidly as possible — which will require approving other COVID vaccines when the data justifies it. People who have received both of their vaccine shots, and have waited until they take effect, will be able to do things that unvaccinated people cannot — like having meals together and hugging their grandchildren. But until the pandemic is defeated, all Americans should wear masks in public, help unvaccinated people stay safe and contribute to a shared national project of saving every possible life." - David Leonhardt

We will beat this thing together! As always, we welcome every opportunity to support your sports medicine and physical therapy needs. If we can support your fitness and wellness goals, please call us at 202-244-8222 or email us at info@quistmd.com.

Cheers,

Dr. Jeffrey Haggquist

Introducing new Hyperice products at QuistMD!

We are happy to announce that we now offer Hyperice products for purchase! You may have noticed that the Hypervolt Percussion Massage Device has become nationally famous in the last few years. Hyperice specializes in percussion therapy, heat, ice, and vibration massage tools to promote healing and recovery. We utilize them regularly in our work with patients, and you can use them at home too! We have a variety of products that you can try out and purchase during your visit with us. We’ve featured some of the most popular products below, but have more! Please call us at 202-244-8222 or ask during your next visit to learn more.

An Intro Guide to Telehealth with QuistMD

At QuistMD, we pride ourselves on providing high quality, individualized care, and we are taking many steps to keep our patients safe when they come to our office. We are also offering telehealth appointments as another way to evaluate new concerns and follow up on existing conditions. That said, for many people, telehealth is a new experience. Here’s what you can expect! 

• Continued one-on-one care with our providers

• Easy link access to our secure and HIPAA compliant telehealth platform to connect for your visit

• Thorough case review by our providers prior to your visit

• Continued email contact for pre-visit updates you wish to share

• Case dependent pre-visit correspondence on equipment, tools, and demonstrations that will assist us in tailoring your home care. 

• Promotion of movement demonstration and self-initiated home exercise

You can make the most of your telehealth visit by having a few items available, such as: 

• Foam roller, Hypervolt massage device, lacrosse/ tennis/ massage ball

• Theraband and a place to loop it around (door jam or banister)

• Dumbbells, kettlebells, or something weighted to hold onto (Cans, milk jugs, bag that you can add weight to)

• Yoga ball/ physioball 

• Flat surface to exercise on- floor, bed, yoga mat, or gym mat

Additional activities or issues you would like examined? With telehealth, we can provide: 

• Treadmill running assessment

• Stationary bicycle set up for proper use

• Workstation ergonomics/posture

• Gait Assessment

• Lifting mechanics

• Gardening mechanics

Lastly, it can be helpful to have various props such as a table or chair to support your camera or computer so you can be seen in different positions, including:

• Laying down on a flat surface

• Standing with your full body in the picture

• Any postures or activities that you would like examined

For more tips on setting up for a successful video call, see our previous blog post Zoom Tips (Learned the Hard Way). 

Whether you come in person or participate in telehealth, thank you for allowing us to do what we do best: caring for you. We are excited to work with you and help you meet your fitness and wellness goals! Call us at 202-244-8222 to set up your next in-person or virtual visit.