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You’re Stretching All Wrong

Stretching, the component of physical fitness that we all tend to brush under the rug… We all know its super important but believe it or not, most people out there are doing it wrong! How hard can it be? Just take a joint complex / muscle to its end range and hold it right?

For years you have been taught to stretch and yes, it is good for you! Stretching your body will improve flexibility of the joints and muscles, improve circulation, improve your posture, improve your recovery from any musculoskeletal damage, relax muscles and spasms, increase endurance and metabolism, increase balance and coordination, increase the power and elasticity of the muscles, enable the body to perform with less energy, and reduce stress / anxiety. Stretching is so good for you that it is important that you have good technique; you are doing it correctly, and doing it at the right time.

There are many different types of stretching but the most common reason people get it wrong is because they are not doing the correct type of stretch at the correct time. Most people stretch their body as a static stretch, meaning they have a stretch and hold type of technique. A great example would be a sit and reach to stretch the hamstring.  While this technique is known for the benefits I stated before, it is not the best stretch you should do before a workout or an activity.

So what is the best stretch prior to activity? You may have heard it before, but its called a dynamic stretch and it should be done prior to an activity. Dynamic stretching is a way of “priming” the body for functional movements that you will be doing. For example, leg swings, high knee walks, spider-man crawls, hip rolling / circumduction’s, arm circles, arm swings, jumping jax are all example of dynamic warm up exercises. Dynamic exercises and stretching (also known as a dynamic warm-up) is designed  is more of a movement based system used to prime the nervous system  and increase the body temperature so that muscles are ready for activity.

Bottom Line: Using both traditional and static stretches together can help you become a lot more durable and less injury prone. Make sure to utilize dynamic stretching prior to exercises and static or traditional stretching after to aid in muscle recovery.

 

 

Do you need more examples of static and dynamic stretches? If so, let me know what you would like to see and I will make a video for them!

Sports Injuries and How to Find a Good Doctor to Treat You?

Did you get hurt playing sports or was it just an old injury coming back? How many times have you googled a “sports doctor” looking to find treatment? If you spent time searching, you likely know what’s hot, what’s not, and are likely looking into treatment options and specific techniques and skills used by the doctor who claim they treat sports injuries!

What are sports injuries and how they occur?

If you think sports injuries are injuries sustained by just playing sports alone, you are wrong. Many of us have these injuries and they are actually typically are repetitive strain injuries. This is essentially when a person does an activity or movement over and over again to a point where the tendon, muscle, ligament has either become inflamed and/or sustained some sort of microdamage. In addition to this, posture affects the function of our body and poor posture can increase the intensity of our microtrauma, resulting in an injury.

Injuries within sports are mostly repetitive in nature, however, they can also be traumatic where a sprinter sprains “rolls” their ankle, a football player takes a big hit, a cyclist falls off the bike and lands on there wrist, elbow, or shoulder. You get the point by now, so what can you do to avoid these injuries and treat them?

Prevention is key

Cross Training – I don’t know of any single better way to keep yourself active and fit while reducing the risk of injury. Cross training is essentially playing a sport or doing another activity other than the activity you do frequently. So for someone to be a boxer, you may want to play touch football or basketball. Cross training gives you the opportunity to heal certain areas of the body by avoiding repetitive use or overuse injuries.

Active Rest – Again, staying active is essential but resting is important too! Take a walk, do some yoga, or even a light jog. Active rest means that you are staying active but doing a lower level activity to allow the body to heal.

Supplementation – There are very few athletes out there who don’t take some sort of supplement to aid in there recovery or training! I recommend you look into high quality supplements.  They are not regulated by the FDA so with vitamins, you pay for what you get!

Posture and Soft Tissue – Keeping a good symmetrical alignment is important to keep a well balanced body and treating the soft tissue is not only is helpful in this regard, but think of all the muscle damage and lactic acid that builds up as a result of training. Having someone work on your muscles can keep you healthy both in the short and long term.

So What to look for when finding a Qualified Practitioner?

Making sure a doctor of Chiropractic is qualified to treat your injuries is important! Too many individuals market themselves as a sports Chiropractor or that treat sports injuries when in fact they do not! Look for specific certifications or credentials such as the following;

ART – Active Release Technique

Graston Technique

Kinesiology or Kinesiology taping

CSCS – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

CCSP – Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician/Practitioner

DACBSP – Diplomate of American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians

ACRB – American Chiropractic Rehabilitation Board

NKT – Neurokinetic Therapy

FMS – Function Movement Screening

These are some of the primary credentials you should look for when you see a doctor of Chiropractic for sports injuries. The CCSP, DACBSP, ACRB are really the ones who have done a series of classes and had to pass a board examination (and DACBSP had to do a bit more!) in order to become a sports Chiropractor. When all said and done, these are NOT weekend courses and these credentials supersede the others.

Do you have a sports injury or have trouble finding a qualified professional to treat them?  Let us know, we have a whole network of doctors around the country!

 

What is Chiropractic

Hey there,

Finally got my youtube blog up so if there is any information you want to see, just leave a comment or email me!  Until then, enjoy the footage!

5 Green Tips For a Healthier Life

Living a healthier life may require some changes but it does not always have to cost a fee.  Healthy living typically accompanies healthy habits so here are a few ways you clean live a healthier, cleaner, and greener life!

Take off your shoes

This simple cost effective technique can help reduce chemical irritants in the house as well as help keep it clean.  Using shoes and sneakers allow us to walk all over. Places like parks, malls, streets, sidewalks, etc.  While getting outside can be used for exercise, these areas are often contaminated with fertilizers, antifreeze from cars, oils, gasoline, dog poop, and potentially a host of other chemical irritants that may stick to the bottom of your feet.  Taking off your shoes before entering the home will help prevent the spread of environmental contaminants around your house and help you lead a cleaner and greener life.

Cleaning

 We all know the benefits of having good hygiene and keeping clean and  cleaning the household with natural and/or more pure products will promote a healthier lifestyle.  Using soap and water on countertops as apposed to a chemical spray is a great alternative. Do you really want a chemical spray residue to be in contact with the same countertop you prepare your food on?   Using citrus fruits such as limes and lemons are also great all purpose cleaners. Deodorizers such as essential oils and baking soda can be a great way to eliminate or enhance the aroma within your home.

Air Purifier/Filter/Window:

Having a clean air-duct or air filter can greatly improve the air quality that circulates within the home.  Most people wait too long or forget to change there filters on a frequent basis.  All that dust, fungus and irritants can be circulating in the home in small amounts or even large.  Make a regular habit of changing and/or cleaning air filter systems. Keeping a window open more often (even in the winter) can help with clean fresh airflow in the house as well.

Food Storage

 Proper cleanliness and storage of your food is essential to maintaining a clean food environment.  States and government require restaurants to uphold a standard of care for your food, and therefore, you should too.  Defrosting your food by thawing it in a fridge over the course of a day or two is much healthier than placing some frozen meat on the counter and leaving it there for 8 hours to defrost.  This will cut down on potential bacterial contamination and even illnesses like food poisoning.

Food Washing

 Washing or rinsing your food is a good habit to get into. In todays modern world there are many people who handle your food before you even get to it.  From the farm to the shelves, your food may touch a variety of peoples hands before you get to it.  Washing your food can be a great way to avoid pesticides and other irritants that would otherwise go directly into your body!  Wash up!

Shoulder Pain – Is it Frozen?

Finding it difficult to reach in your back pocket for your wallet due to shoulder tightness and pain?  How about reaching overhead? If so, you may be experiencing a condition called adhesive capsulitis, otherwise known as frozen shoulder.
This common condition is often found in diabetics and those with cardiovascular diseases but it can happen to you. Most people mistake this as a torn shoulder or rotator cuff injury when in fact it is not!

What is it?

Adhesive capsulitis is typically a reversible condition that most individuals give up on.  Yes, you heard it right, it is reversible!  It is when the shoulder is begins to demonstrates a gross loss in range of motion.   Pain and loss of motion is initiated by inflammation, which is followed by laying down of scar tissue.  The shoulder region typically exhibits gradual loss of motion and those affected by this condition tend to state that they have “inability to put their wallet in their back pocket.”

What affects the healing process?

The duration (how long) in which the patient has had the condition, temperature of environment, rehabilitation, types of treatment all have an effect on how fast the healing process occurs.  Patients who have diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cardiovascular disorders, and post trauma to the region are typically at a greater risk for this condition.

The Problem?

Most individuals begin to slowly lose range of motion within the shoulder, which then is followed by pain. Due to the fact that happens slowly, most people don’t seek treatment until its too late and are already suffering from pain and a significant loss of shoulder motion.

But What About Physical Therapy?

Physical therapy is fantastic for a frozen shoulder!  I show all my patient’s exercises and I do recommend them to seek therapy to strengthen there shoulder and promote mobility.  Patients who seek physical therapy need to have muscle work to the capsule of the shoulder joint.  Not addressing the “frozen” capsule can and will eventually leads to stagnation and a plateau in your care.

The Road to Recovery

Since this is usually a long-standing injury and mostly chronic in nature, most patients find that heat helps them.  However long you have had this condition for, there is typically a longer than usual healing time that can frustrate many.  Having seen this injury many times, typical treatment times can range from about 3 months to 9 months.  Of course this depends on many factors but having the individual engage in vigorous therapy, being willing to endure some flare-ups, as well as some stagnation, it is a journey of care.  Most people can recover very well if they follow care and stick to it!

Treatments 

Many each year seek surgery to alleviate the scar tissue and restore motion.  This typically does not work as the surgery itself produces scar tissue and does not actually free up the capsule. To date, I have not seen a successful surgical treatment that is comparable to conservative care.  Additionally, the cost of surgery is higher and requires some time off of use.

In terms of sports medicine and Chiropractic treatment, this is not a nice relaxing massage!  Rather, it is a series of extensive mobilizations, adjustments, stretching, rehabilitation and soft tissue procedures that are geared to restoring the shoulder to full range of motion while breaking down the scar tissue.

Ice or Heat – What to Use for Injuries?

Using heat packs or ice for injuries is nothing new, however, it is likely that you still don’t know which one to use! “Should I use heat or ice” is one of the most common questions I get in the office, so lets try and straighten things out a bit.

So which is it?

The problem with hot / cold therapy is that there is no certainty that one or the other will work and yes, everyone responds differently.  I recall treating 2 similar neck injuries, both female, both the same activity, and both similar size and build, but one lady stated that ice helps, the other stating the opposite.  So, yes people do have a preference and each individual is sensitive to different forms of therapy however, there are some general guidelines that should be followed.

When Should You Use Ice? 

Typical uses for ice are within the first 72 hours following an injury! This timeframe is known as the acute phase of healing and ice should be used to help reduce swelling, pain and inflammation.  It is possible for the acute phase to last longer than 3 days and can be up to 5 days.  Never apply heat to an acute injury as it will increase inflammation! 

How Long Should You Ice?

Ice and heat times should be adjusted based on the joint or area of the body affected.  For example, the butt (glut max) is a very large muscle and may need 15-20 minutes while a small finger or wrist may only need 10-12 minutes.  A good average is about 12-15 minutes and you should ice with a damp cloth and never skin on skin as this increases the chance of frost burn.

What Else? 

Icing is great but you need to add at least one more element, compression and elevation to make it more effective.  Inflammation is essentially the collection of fluid and blood following an injury. Compression helps to reduce the amount of fluid going into the joint and therefore slows the rate of inflammation.  Elevation (above the heart) does a similar thing in that it allows fluid to drain back to the heart where it re-absorbed. This prevents pooling of fluid to the joint and reduces pain.

Sub-Acute Phase

The sub-acute phase occurs about 5-21 days after an injury.  This is when you can start to introduce heat to the area, but you may not want to place heat here exclusively.  This is where you can use contrast bath therapy.  This method is where you alternate hot and cold to help increase blood circulation and to reduce inflammation at the same time.

How To Contrast Bath?

1.     Start with ice therapy first to flush out some inflammation for 5 minutes

2.     Heat for about 3 minutes

3.     Cold for 1 minute

4.     Heat for 3 minutes

5.     Cold for 1 minute

6.     Heat for 3 minutes

If this is your first time doing this or the first time applying the contrast bath to your injury I would do only one cycle to at first.  It is possible for you to do this for about 20-30 minutes or about 2 cycles.

Using hot and cold therapy during the sub-acute phase can be helpful with regard to use (athletic events, walking, rehabilitation).  For example, if you sprained an ankle and you are attempting to rehabilitate it, you may want to start out with a few minutes of heat prior to activity to get the joint nice and loose. After you have stressed the area and doing the appropriate exercises, you would want to ice the area to reduce possible inflammation.

Heat Therapy/Thermotherapy

Heat is used typically in chronic injuries that have been present from 21 days and longer (can last for years).  If you are still having pain and problems after about 7-10 days you should seek medical attention as this problem will likely not go away without some intervention.  Heat allows muscles to relax, reduces spasms, tension and increases circulation to the joint.

How long do you heat for?

You should heat an area with warm moist heat for about 10-15 minutes depending on body size. Never skin on skin so that you avoid being burned.

Never Do This With Heat!

NEVER lay on the heat source!  This not only increases chances of injury and burns but also compresses the blood vessels.  Remember, heat therapy helps to dilate (expand) blood vessels to help increase circulation but laying on the heat source compresses tissues and blood vessels and is the exact opposite of what you are trying to do.

Conclusion

Everyone is different and everyone responds to different therapies but knowing what phase of care/ healing you are in can help you make the best decision with modalities such as ice or heat.

Was this useful? What other common questions do you have? Comment below!

Castor Oil For Aches and Pains?

If you are in pain, there is always a reason, and it’s very important to figure out the exact cause of the problem in the first place.  This quick post does not address the cause of your pain but can likely help reduce some discomfort you may be having.

Most are familiar with castor oil for cooking but what they don’t know may save them!  Aches and pains are something I come across on a daily basis so how can you treat your injury out of the office?

Answer… Castor Oil! (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Castor Oil has anti-inflammatory properties that can help heal your injury.  The use of castor oil for  Bursitis, tendonitis, and other inflamed joints happens to work extremely well and to be honest, it’s kind of shocking that more people do not know about this.

While castor oil is known to use for constipation, has antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, and has been used for many other things,  it has been used to treat acne, dermatitis, and other skin disorders. There is some evidence that Castor Oil helps with lymphatic drainage and circulation, which may be the reason why it is so effective in helping painful joints

How to use castor oil for joint aches, pains, and inflammation?

1.     Place castor oil on the inflamed joint and massage it into the area for about 3 minutes.

2.     Take a piece of flannel and saturate the flannel with more castor oil.

3.     Wrap flannel around the affected joints.

4.     Apply clear plastic wrap around the joint so that it compresses the joint.

5.     Apply heat to the area for about 15-20 minutes.  Larger joints 20 min, but smaller joints about 10 – 15 min.

6.     Clean off the castor oil after use.

7.     Repeat this at least once a day for 3-5 days.

The heat drives the castor oil through the skin, through the subcutaneous fat, and into the muscles which can help them heal.  Keep in mind that castor oil can stain and is kind of messy so do this outside, or in an area where it’s easy to clean.  I swear it’s worth your effort and will cost you less than $15 for many uses!

The bottom line is that castor oil can be a new way to add to your holistic and alternative lifestyle.  It is extremely affordable and provides many benefits so that you can live a healthy life naturally.

Purchase Castor Oil Here (Affiliate Link)

If you are looking for some pain relief please contact us!  We also do initial consults and telehealth visits for patients.

https://sandiegospineandsport.com/discovery-visit/

See you there!

Dr. Josh

Health & Medical Disclaimer: Please note this video is for educational purposes and is not meant to help treat or diagnose your condition. We recommend you seek professional advice, guidance, and instruction before completing any physical activity.

DISCLOSURE: We often review or link to products & services we regularly use and think you might find helpful. Wherever possible we use referral or affiliate links, which means if you click one of the links in this video or description and make a purchase we may receive a small commission or other compensation. We’re big fans of Amazon, and many of our links to products/gear are links to those products on Amazon. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and related sites.

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