The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the musculoskeletal system. It is surrounded by ligaments and a group of muscles (and their tendon attachments) referred to as the rotator cuff. These muscles and tendons join your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade and, in addition, help to lock the ball of your upper arm solidly in its shoulder socket. It is this elegant arrangement that permits the significant range of motion of your shoulder joint. And, unfortunately, it is one of the most commonly dislocated joints in the body. Shoulder dislocations can happen to young and old alike. In fact, an article published in the March 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) suggests that the majority of choulder dislocations occur during sports activities and young males are at a higher risk. No surprise there. But, what is surprising, however, is that the study also reveals a high rate of shoulder dislocation in elderly women.
The shoulder joint can dislocate forward, backward or downward. The most common shoulder dislocation happens when the shoulder slips forward (anterior instability). The arm bone is moved forward and down and out of its joint. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, numbness, weakness, and bruising. A dislocation can tear ligaments or tendons in the shoulder or even damage nearby nerves. To treat the dislocation, a doctor will manipulate the arm bone (the humerus) and replace it in the shoulder socket. This stops the severe pain and allows for the injured tissues to heal.
Remember, whether you are young or an aging baby boomer, it’s important to keep your musculoskeletal system moving smoothly. Always do limbering exercises before playing a sport or working in the garden. And, never play or work into pain. If you experience shoulder pain, see a healthcare professional.
For more on this study, go to medicalnewstoday.com
As a chiropractor I see the benefits of exercise in my patients everyday, not only physically, but also in the enhancement of their mental and emotional health. Exercise is good for every human body — mentally, emotionally, and physically — whether an individual is feeling “tip top” or not. In fact, a new study shows that exercise can reduce stress levels in people who are experiencing a variety of health challenges.
The study, which appeared in the Feb. 22 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, involved the analysis of the results of 40 randomized clinical trials involving nearly 3,000 patients with a variety of medical conditions. They found that, on average, patients who exercised regularly reported a 20 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to those who did not exercise.
“Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that physical activities such as walking or weight lifting may turn out to be the best medicine that physicians can prescribe to help their patients feel less anxious,” said lead author Matthew Herring, a doctoral student in the department of kinesiology, part of the UGA College of Education.
Herring pointed out that while the role of exercise in alleviating symptoms of depression has been well studied, the impact of regular exercise on anxiety symptoms has received less attention. The number of people living with chronic medical conditions is likely to increase as the population ages, he added, underscoring the need for a low-cost, effective treatment.
One way to read more on this study is to go to medicalnewstoday.com
As a chiropractor I treat many people who suffer from arthritis, and I also help individuals who have sustained sports injuries. With the former, I use chiropractic adjustments and with the latter, in conjunction with the adjustments, I often use kinesio taping. Now, it appears that athletic tape can also be beneficial in treating patients with arthritis. Read on…
Researchers in Australia have found that athletic tape can be used to improve pain from patellofemoral osteoarthritis, a form of osteoarthritis found around or behind the kneecap.
This was a small study, to be sure, involving only 28 people, 14 with and 14 without patellofemoral arthritis. Yet the findings may provide another therapy option for people with this knee pain. This finding may also benefit people with chronic patellofemoral pain, which is relatively common in runners and can oftentimes be related to a misalignment in the knee joint.
The researchers from the University of Melbourne enlisted the 28 participants, all adults with an average age of 57. The researchers took MRI scans of the participants knees and discovered that the arthritis sufferers had a higher incidence of misalignment of the knee joint, including an inclination for the kneecap to be positioned toward the outside of the leg.
Using athletic tape to wrap the patient’s knees, the researchers were able to improve that misalignment. This contributed to improvement in reported pain during a squatting exercise.
According to lead researcher, Dr. Kay M. Crossley;
“Our results confirm that patellar taping is an excellent technique which can be recommended for people with (patellofemoral arthritis).”
The tape must be applied correctly to achieve the benefit, and not to worsen the condition. The researchers indicated that a physical therapist would be the most appropriate to wrap the knee, but that with instruction and practice, the patient would be able to successfully tape their own knee.
Using tape may not be the best solution for everyone with patellofemoral pain. Many people may require other forms of therapy or a combination with taping. Dr. Crossley stated that she and her colleagues are currently conducting a clinical trial which is studying the outcomes of knee taping with other treatments.
The results of the taping study were published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.
I found this article disturbing and you may, too. It sounds like it's time for all of us to become "pro-active" so that more and more people who really need it can "get active." We need to let our state and government officials know what is important to us. Nature belongs to all of us. It's good for the body, mind, and spirit. Read on…
Obesity, Health Concerns Rise As Parks And Recreation Programs Decline
One way to help address the epidemic of obesity in the United States is improved access to pleasant hiking trails and an ambitious parks and recreation program, a recent study suggests, but programs such as this are increasingly being reduced in many states due to budget shortfalls.
The analysis, done by researchers in Oregon, found that some of the health issues that plague overweight and obese people can be aided by a stronger commitment to recreational opportunities. Cutting such programs to save money may be counterproductive to community health, scientists said.
"Research is now showing there's a close correlation between public health and recreational opportunities, both close to home and in state parks," said Randy Rosenberger, an associate professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University. "And it's not just about losing weight. It's been found that active obese individuals have lower morbidity and mortality than normal weight individuals who are sedentary."(Read more…)
Headaches can be thought of as internal alarm bells, ringing only when something is going on inside of the body. Most of us live a life so full of external distractions that our own physical problems get easily over looked.
Headaches that are Warning: “There is Something up Ahead” -
Nearly 70% of women between 20-35 years of age start to develop a “menstrual migraine”. At first this migraine is easily categorized with normal migraines, but then begins to stand out because of its consistency.
The menstrual migraine will usually show up every month, 2 days before menstruation. As with other premenstrual symptoms, having advanced knowledge of what to expect can make the occurrence less painful by being prepared.
Your Body’s Natural Volcanic System -
A common phrase that children hear from their mothers is, “You must be sleepy.” It’s amusing to watch as the child tries to first deny the accusation and then question what brought on such a declaration.
Unfortunately, when a person reaches adulthood there’s no one around to tell you when you should sleep and when you should relax. Suddenly, the responsibility of knowing what’s best is all yours.
When a body is pushed hard daily and given little to no opportunity of relaxation, something begins to happen. One of those things that happens is a head pain that feels painfully tight around the circumference of the head. The very sight of light can become discomforting, as well as noises both soft and loud.
This is a signal your body has sent with almost volcanic violence. To avoid repeated episodes that can develop to more severe levels, seek a chiropractic doctor.
Talking to a chiropractor about your tension headache is not the same as just going to visit a masseuse, because these doctors will do a thorough examination to find all the root causes of your headache.
The treatment you may receive will definitely be therapeutic, but it will have the added benefit of being preventive as well. The number one goal of these facilities is to not just get rid of pain, but help you continue living a pain free life.
The Weight of Headache Pain -
A scary thing about weight gain is that there doesn’t seem to be any real internal trigger that extra pounds are being added on. Usually it’s not until after all the external evidence is before one that they notice their weight gain.
Studies are starting to reveal that overweight people begin having headaches more often and more severely than those that are of a healthy weight. It’s still unclear as to how the body is triggering this effect, but it is evident in recent researches.
Even when headaches seem to be a part of your life’s package, it’s good to make sure that they’re not coming on for other serious reasons.
Waiting until you reach your breaking point before you get the rest you need is as dangerous as drunk driving. So taking a moment out of your day to visit a local doctor’s office, or chiropractic health practice shouldn’t be delayed, especially since most of us don’t just want the pain to go away, we want it to stay away.
Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.
Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes.
“While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney.
According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists.
“What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.”
While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.”
Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.”
Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.”
In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.
With any sort of sport, injuries are not uncommon. The smart thing to do is to determine what injury is apt to occur in a particular sport and then to do whatever it takes to avoid it. Unfortunately, sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Consequently, it’s advantageous to be physically fit to make injury less probable, or less traumatic. The most important thing that you can do is to be certain that you have a suitable fitness level before beginning to play a sport, such as golf. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, making sure your joints are mobile and your muscles are limber, warming and stretching your body prior to activity, using proper form and good postures during activity, and giving yourself sufficient cool down and relaxation time, you just might keep your body safe from injury.
It isn’t only amateur golfers who experience injuries. It has been approximated that close to a third of pro golfers playing at any given time are playing with injury. The good news is that general good health and fitness can reduce how many injuries you may experience and may actually preclude them completely.
Good body strength in the muscle regions most employed while playing golf is vital. However, it’s prudent to determine that your spine is in proper alignment and that it has good mobility before you set out to build muscle strength. A proficient golf swing relies on your spine’s capacity to efficiently rotate adequately. Back injuries are the most common sort of injuries sustained by golfers. Your Sacramento chiropractor will establish that your spine is in appropriate alignment and that there is good movement of the vertebrae. Chiropractic treatment can make a big difference in helping you to prevent back injury.
It’s time to strengthen once you’re “straightened.” A safe, injury-free day on the green is dependent upon your being prepared for your golf game. Golf stretching and flexibility exercises will warm up your muscles and make straining them less likely. Flexibility in all parts of the body can be escalated relatively fast as the result of full body range of motion (ROM) exercises. In addition, elastic band conditioning can provide functional golf range of motion advantages and can increase needed strength in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Because elastic band training supplies the dynamic resistance that general weight lifting does not, sports professionals, like your chiropractor, are making them a part of their golf conditioning programs.
Quite a few golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow” along with back injuries. Despite the fact that golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are nearly the same injuries, there is a minor difference between them. Whereas the outside of the upper arm is disturbed in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow impinges the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be a reaction to a single extreme action, such as (in golf) thrusting down on the mat at the driving range or striking a hard fairway surface. Although, it most often is produced by repetitive stress from smaller shocks. In addition, it can come upon those who suddenly begin to play too much golf. As a case in point, if players that ordinarily play golf once or twice a month choose to enter into a tournament, they are potentially at risk for incurring the injury.
Golf makes exclusive requests of the body. Fatigue can be a problem because the game usually lasts longer than the majority of other sports. Whenever the body is fatigued, poor posture and decreased coordination often follow. Together, these two components can cause a number of injuries. In addition, as a result of the continuous swinging of the golf clubs, the shoulder muscles are prone to injury. Just as great care should be taken to make certain that your muscles are stretched and warmed up prior to starting your golf game, be sure to rest your body suitable between games.
An unexpected injury occasionally associated with golf is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But, this injury can be the result of a large number of games of golf played over a number of months repetitively since it is a problem that occurs due to repetitive stress Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a serious injury creating incapacitation and sometimes necessitating surgery. However, chiropractic treatment and, frequently the use of a brace will relieve the problem if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, detects it at an early stage.
Injuries are assumed to be inevitable part of life for a good majority golfers. But, a healthy, mobile spine, good preparation, specific exercise and muscle conditioning, attaining and maintaining a a suitable fitness level, and prudent rest and recuperation after your game is over, can help to make injuries far less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Yong Kim is a Sacramento chiropractor with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org
Do you have cravings for sweets that you see as treats? Do you think indulging in a pint of ice cream is your reward for making it through the day? Are you looking for something sweet to overcome that 3pm slump? For some, sugar is just as addicting as caffeine, tobacco or alcohol and it keeps us from losing the pounds we long to shed.
The United States is the largest consumer of sweeteners and one of the largest global sugar importers. We started in 1689 when the first sugar refinery was built in New York City. Colonists soon began to sweeten their breakfast porridge with refined sugar, and within 10 years, individual consumption had reached 4 pounds a year. The average American now consumes more than 100 pounds of sugar and sweeteners per year. The USDA recommends we get no more than 10 teaspoons per day, yet most Americans eat about 30 teaspoons per day—that’s three times the liberal recommended daily value.
Humans love sweet things. Even before we started refining sugar, we sought out foods with sweet tastes. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that occurs naturally in foods such as grains, beans, vegetables and fruit. When unprocessed, sugar contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and proteins. When brown rice or other whole grains are cooked, chewed and digested, the natural carbohydrates break down uniformly into separate glucose molecules. These molecules enter the bloodstream, where they are burned smoothly and evenly, allowing your body to absorb all the good stuff. Read more…
Let’s face it, there’s just no getting around the fact that as we age our body doesn’t feel or respond the same way as it did when we were younger. It just doesn’t seem fair that our body seems to become less “cooperative,” while our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive.” We’re stiff when we get out of bed; certain activities during the day make us sore at night; and, if we’re not truly careful, even a movement as simple as turning too quickly or reaching down to pick up a dropped object, can send our back or some other muscle group into spasm. Fortunately, there is help available that is not only beneficial in slowing down the aging process of the body, but can aid us in avoiding some of those problems completely.
Take arthritis for instance. Most of us would agree that, barring pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine doesn’t attend to this age-related affliction. Why? It is because most medical professionals treat the symptoms of arthritis. Chiropractic management, on the other hand, not only relieves the pain of arthritis, naturally, without drugs, but it addresses the origin of the affliction and eliminates it. For over one hundred years, chiropractors, like your San Jose Chiropractor, have been helping individuals suffering from back pain and other problems produced by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Arthritic changes happen as your body ages because, over time, degeneration of various joints takes place as the result of repetitive stresses, as well as years of incorrect gait, improper posture, and insufficient movement. Chiropractic treatment reestablishes motion in your joints and decreases pain, and it readjusts any vertebral misalignment that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition, did you know that misaligned vertebra, along with causing arthritic changes in the spine and escalating pain, can also reduce your resistance and immunity? It’s an authoritative fact, and this may be one of the reasons why it may seem that as you age you develop more health issues and that it often takes longer for you to feel better again. Studies have shown that older individuals who are under chiropractic care stay healthier. In fact, you could say that, as you get older, chiropractic adjustments are good for what ails you!
When it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractors are experts whether it’s the small, growing frame of an infant or the full-grown body of a mature adult. Your chiropractor is well aware of the body’s aging process and has exceptional observational and diagnostic skills that assist in finding spinal misalignments and joint problems. In fact, a chiropractic examination can often reveal some age-related conditions before they’ve begun to create noticeable pain. In addition, your San Jose Chiropractor can assess your posture and observe your gait to ascertain if there are any faulty patterns that might cause more arthritic changes in the future.
So, if you have been feeling your age lately, but you’d like to feel a whole lot better, see your San Jose Chiropractor today!
Dr. David Hoewisch is a chiropractor in San Jose with over 25 years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1221 Lafayette St., Santa Clara, CA, 95050. Dr. Hoewisch has traveled around the world and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. He is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and learned sign language at an early age. He treats many deaf patients in his clinic. For more information go to his website at http://www.mysanjosechiropractor.com
Researchers in the US studying people with chronic diseases found that physical activity may reduce depression and fatigue by increasing self-efficacy, or the belief that one can master physical goals and attain a sense of accomplishment from applying oneself.
These were the findings of a study by lead author Dr Edward McAuley, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and colleagues, and appears in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.
A person’s self-efficacy is the belief they can attain a certain goal: an example of my self-efficacy would be that I believe I can climb several flights of stairs or jog around the block without stopping.
While there is lots of evidence that physical activity influences well-being, the reason why is less well understood. Read more…
Headaches can be thought of as internal alarm bells, ringing only when something is going on inside of the body. Most of us live a life so full of external distractions that our own physical problems get easily over looked.