The skeletal and muscular systems are closely intertwined, with almost every bone in the body having at least one skeletal muscle attachment. Problems can arise when muscles are too tense, causing strain and pulling the bones out of alignment, or too loose, not providing enough tension to keep them in position. Soft tissue work can help to correct these imbalances by restoring the proper tension in the muscle fibers and relieving pain and excess stress on the bones and joints. Maintaining the balance in tension between muscle and bone in the spine is especially important in order to control the movement and flexibility of the spinal column. Tight or overstretched muscles can prolong spinal problems and increase treatment time if they are not properly treated. Heat, electrical stimulation, Graston and massage are several ways to perform soft tissue work on a patient.
Massage is a very effective tool to use on soft tissues. The massage stimulates peripheral receptors that help to relax muscles and dilate the blood vessels around the manipulated area. This eases tension and helps to promote blood flow leading to increased oxygen levels and improved tissue mobility. Massages can be very beneficial prior to receiving an adjustment. The reduced muscle tension prevents the joints from being pulled back out of alignment after being readjusted. Having the proper amount of tension in the muscles helps the chiropractor preform a more effective adjustment as well. Chiropractors can perform the soft tissue work themselves prior to or after the adjustment, or they may recommend that you receive a professional massage either pre or post treatment. A massage either before or after chiropractic treatment may be recommended according to the patients symptoms. If the patient has spastic and tight muscles around the joint that is going to be adjusted, it is more beneficial to receive soft tissue work prior to the chiropractic visit. Tight muscles near the joint that are to be adjusted may interfere with the adjustment process. Though rare, muscle tightness can cause pain during an adjustment. Having a massage prior to seeing a chiropractor can prevent pain and help increase mobility. A massage after an adjustment can help patients who require frequent chiropractic care. Once the joints are placed in proper position, soft tissue work can reduce muscle tension and prevent tight muscles from pulling the joints out of place. A massage after an adjustment can potentially increase the amount of time that the joint remains in alignment. Resources: Body in Balance: http://www.bodyinbalance.com.au/the-benefits-of-combining-massage-therapy-with-chiropractic-care/ Logan University: http://www.logan.edu/mm/files/lrc/senior-research/2010-apr-22.pdf Yeg Fitness: http://yegfitness.ca/get-massage-chiropractic-adjustment/ Tim Bryan St. Lawrence University '15 Mirror Lake Chiropractic Intern
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Chiropractic and physical therapy treatments are two well established options geared towards rehabilitation and maintenance of pain and injury through spine and joint manipulation or mobilization. Generally, chiropractors diagnose, treat or prevent mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, mainly along the spinal column. Their goal is to restore the function and stability of the spine by realigning the vertebrae via spinal manipulation. Spinal manipulations involve a passive, high velocity, low amplitude thrusts are applied to different regions of the spine. Joints can also be manipulated in this fashion. Doing so releases tension in the spine and relaxes the muscles surrounding afflicted areas. Manipulations can also relieve pressure along the nervous system, allowing for more efficient communication between the brain and the body.
Physical therapists are generally known to evaluate, diagnose and treat a patient in order to develop, maintain and restore maximum joint function and movement. They often provide treatment when movement and function are compromised by age, injury or disease. Physical therapists mainly focus on treatments that help to develop strength, range of motion, flexibility, balance, posture, coordination and mobility. Physical therapists often rely on mobilization treatments in which small amplitude high velocity passive movements are applied to joints to achieve this goal. Pain relief and recovery via physical therapy may not occur as quickly as a chiropractic adjustment. This is because physical therapy focuses on gradual recovery and long term maintenance of the results. Chiropractic care, however, tends to be more of a short term option for pain relief, often requiring followup visits to maintain the results of the treatment. Though they may perform one more than the other, chiropractors and physical therapists are not limited to either treatment, as both types of medical professionals are known to perform manipulations and mobilization on their patients. Both chiropractic and physical therapy care have proven to be effective when used on their own. However, the combination of treatments can enhance patient recovery when both modes of treatment are properly integrated. A scoliosis patient, for example, can benefit greatly from an integrated treatment. Upon the scoliosis patient visiting a chiropractor, a spine manipulation would be performed, realigning the spine and loosening the muscles. The chiropractor may also provide exercises to the patient in order to strengthen these muscles to help keep the spine in alignment. A physical therapist would then show the patient how to properly perform the exercises while also helping them improve their mobility, strengthen and tone their muscles and reduce inflammation in the afflicted area. Receiving a spinal manipulation prior to visiting a physical therapist for back pain or injury can help prevent muscle guarding, the tensing of the muscles near an afflicted area. This is especially important as muscle guarding can prolong recovery time and lead to the recruitment of other muscles during exercise, which can lead to a possibly detrimental muscle imbalance over time. References Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/article/chiropractors-and-physical-therapists-combining-forces Spinesport: http://www.spinesport.org/physical-therapist-chiropractor-physician-whats-difference/ Physio-pedia: http://www.physio-pedia.com/Manual_Therapy Tim Bryan St. Lawrence University '15 Mirror Lake Chiropractic Intern 7/15/2015 0 Comments Overtraining in AthletesTraining is typically described as the additive effects of work and rest periods. The body improves greatly during the resting stage, when the inflammation caused by the stress of training recedes and new muscle mass is created. Without proper rest after exercise, overtraining can easily occur and cause psychological, physiological and hormonal changes to the body. Overtraining can effect athletes of all ages and adversely impact their performance, physical and mental health, and even the desire to compete. Becoming burnt out, a loss of desire to perform, is a common response to overtraining. Continued overtraining can have long lasting effects that are detrimental to performance. Overtraining Syndrome is a disorder characterized by prolonged overtraining that occurs in three stages in athletes. The first stage, Functional Overtraining, usually involves subtle problems that are not noticeable to the athlete.This stage is typically characterized by a minor plateau or regression in the performance of the athlete. During functional overtraining, an imbalance between the aerobic and anaerobic systems occurs. During prolonged exercise, the athlete should be using the aerobic, fat burning system that normally occurs during low intensity, long lasting exercise. However, with Overtraining Syndrome, they are relying more on the sugar burning, anaerobic system which is usually present during high intensity, short term exercise. This leads to an underutilized aerobic system and an over reliance on the anaerobic system. The second stage, Sympathetic Overtraining, occurs when the imbalance between aerobic and anaerobic exercise is increased due to continued overtraining. In response, the bodies sympathetic nervous system becomes overactive leading to an increased resting heart rate and hormone disfunction, causing cortisol levels in the body to rise to abnormal levels. The increased cortisol has a negative effect on performance by decreasing awareness and adversely effecting hand-eye coordination. The final stage of overtraining, Parasympathetic Overtraining, occurs when the sympathetic nervous system becomes exhausted, resulting in low hormone levels, an abnormally low resting heart rate and a prolonged heart rate recovery following competition. It is common in this stage for athletes to burn out and lose the drive to compete. Recovery from overtraining is dictated by diet and exercise modifications. Athletes should begin with decreasing overall training time by fifty to seventy percent and they should stop all anaerobic activity. Additionally, the athlete should begin to work on their aerobic training prevent an imbalance from occurring in the future. The athlete should also change their diets, consuming smaller, more frequent meals to help to control blood sugar and cortisol levels. Stimulants such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate should also be avoided. For those suffering Overtraining Syndrome, recovery times vary according to the stage the athlete is in. If an athlete is suffering from Functional or Sympathetic Overtraining, recovery can occur within several weeks provided the athlete makes the suggested changes their diet and exercise plan. If an athlete is Parasympathetically Overtrained, it may take six months or greater in order to return to effective competition performance levels. In this stage, athlete has relied on their anaerobic system for so long that it takes a long time to build up their aerobic base. Overtraining can occur constantly in youth athletes due to the athlete not knowing their limits and coaches and parents pushing the athlete too hard. The athlete must listen to the warning signs that their body provides. Dehydration, cramps, soreness and fatigue are indications that an athlete of any level should stop and treat their symptoms before they damage their bodies. For youth athletes, it is best to rest after the season is over and ensure that their is an actual offseason between sports. Jumping immediately into the next season does not give the body enough time to recover. Early sport specialization can cause a youth athlete to overtrain by only performing sport-specific exercises and neglecting training their entire body. It is important for coaches and parents to ensure that the athletes are not overworked and to spot the symptoms of overtraining. References: ChildrensColorado:http://orthopedics.childrenscolorado.org/new-and-featured-articles/for-parents/overtraining-and-burnout-in-young-athletes Dr. Maffetone: http://philmaffetone.com/the-overtraining-syndrome/ Rice University: http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/overtraining.html Tim Bryan St. Lawrence University '15 Mirror Lake Chiropractic Intern Kinesiology tape was developed in the 1970’s by Dr. Kenzo Kase, a chiropractor who wanted to maximize the effectiveness of his treatments between patient treatments. He designed the tape to have almost identical thickness and elasticity of the upper layer of the skin, allowing it to move with your body without slipping. The tape lifts the skin away from swollen tissue, creating a vacuum in the sub-dermal layer of skin that increases circulation and neural communication by relieving pressure on veins, lymphatic system and nerves. The increased circulation aids in the bodies natural healing process helping to shorten the duration of injury. Kinesiology tape also provides benefits on a sensorineural level. When the dermis is pulled away from the swollen tissue, it lessens the pressure on nerves, allowing for normal communication to happen between the area of injury. This can often lead to an increased level of proprioception, the bodies ability to sense the position, location, orientation and movement of the injured area. For athletes, this is especially important as it may help them to perform at higher levels. Kinesiology tape remained relatively unknown prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics when it exploded onto the scene with the help of United States women's volleyball player Kerri Walsh, who used the tape extensively while recovering from a rotator cuff injury. Using kinesiology tape can aid in rehabilitation, maintaining joint and muscle alignment, pain relief and athletic performance. The benefits tape is not limited to athletes, as it can also be used to alleviate pain and swelling on the job site or even during pregnancy. The tape is applied differently according to the injury. For muscles that are injured or overused, the tape applied without tension. The tape begins at the tendons that hold the muscle to bone and is extended toward the origin of the muscle. If there is a chronically injured or weakened muscle, the tape is applied with light tension. The tape begins at the origin of the muscle and extends toward the tendon. By altering the tension and location of the taping, kinesiology tape can treat many conditions effectively. The key to the versatility of kinesiology tape is in its design. The tape is waterproof, meaning that the adhesive used to anchor it to the skin will not deteriorate while sweating or even in a pool or shower. Kinesiology tape is designed to stay anchored for up to five days and comes off without leaving any residue from the adhesive. The tape is also latex and drug free, offering a healthy option for pain relief. It is made 100% cotton, making the tape hypoallergenic and breathable. Mirror Lake Chiropractic carries SpiderTech brand kinesiology tape. SpiderTech offers a variety of products that are pre-cut to fit a certain injury or body part and it also comes in rolls that are then cut and applied. SpiderTechs' website, spidertech.com, offers videos detailing the proper application of their products. References: Physioworks: http://physioworks.com.au/Injuries-Conditions/Treatments/Kinesiology_Taping How Stuff Works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/kinesiology-tape.htm SpiderTech: http://spidertech.com Tim Bryan St. Lawrence University '15 Mirror Lake Chiropractic Intern Chiropractic and acupuncture treatments can work together synergistically to treat a variety of symptoms and conditions. While the two treatments differ in their modalities, they both are non-invasive, drug free, non-surgical treatments designed to heal the body. Chiropractors help to fix the mechanisms of injury through adjustments and manipulations while acupuncturists help to promote the bodies natural healing processes. Both treatments are considered safe and healthy by researchers and health care professionals.
Acupuncture treatments focus on the regulation of the vital flow of qi, or energy, in the body by the precise insertion of thin metallic needles into the skin. One of the tenants of Chinese Medicine is that energy flows through your body in pathways called meridians. These pathways can become blocked, restricting the flow of qi which can result in an imbalance in the body. It is the insertion of these needles that break up and prevent the blocking of qi. Despite the uncomfortable image of having needles placed into you, the needles, when applied correctly, cause no pain. Rather, the sensation of the needle application is often described as a slight pinch or pressure. Acupuncture treatment can be used to correct this imbalance, and also for pain management, strengthening the immune system, improve respiratory health, relieve insomnia and reduce stress levels. Patients can benefit greatly from receiving treatment from an acupuncturist prior to visiting a chiropractor. Acupuncture treatments help to promote the release of endorphins and bodies natural healing mechanisms, reducing pain levels, inflammation and increases the blood flow to afflicted areas. This can help chiropractors conduct both spinal and joint readjustments and manipulation more easily, as the muscles around the afflicted areas are loose and not guarding injuries. In turn, chiropractors can help with a different method of the regulation of flow in the body. The spine is the main conduit for electrical impulse flow, sending signals from the brain throughout the body and sending bodily feedback back to the brain. Misaligned vertebrae, muscle tension or spinal injury can lead to improper function of the body due to blocked nerve impulses. Chiropractors perform readjustments and manipulations in order to restore and regulate this function. Combined, acupuncture and chiropractic treatment are a powerful holistic medicine duo that can treat patients healthily and safely. References: DrDuongLive: http://drduonglive.com/benefits-of-combining-chiropractic-care-and-acupuncture/ GuideDoc: http://guidedoc.com/chiropractic-treatments-vs-acupuncture-pros-cons Tim Bryan St. Lawrence University '15 Mirror Lake Chiropractic Intern |
AuthorMalorie Gardner, D.C. Archives
October 2016
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