Bone Broth Benefits: Bone broth is made by simmering the bones and connective tissue from just about any animal, including chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish, lamb, bison, buffalo, and venison. It is a highly nutritious stock commonly used in soups, sauces, and gravies and recently as a health drink.Research has shown bone broth benefits, including increased immune system function and helping build up the body’s systems to overcome disorders like allergies, asthma, and arthritis. And the broth form allows the body to easily absorb minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur.
Bone Broth Benefits
Bone broth dates back to prehistoric times when inedible animal parts like bones, hooves, and knuckles were turned into broth. It is important to understand that most store-bought stocks and broths are not made of bone or animals. Companies, instead, use lab-produced meat flavors. Homemade bone broth is made by simmering bones, water, and vinegar for 10 -12 hours, extracting the collagen from the bones into the liquid. This creates a rich form of stock. Bones are often roasted before making the broth.
Simple Recipe
Making bone broth is very simple, and there are many recipes online. A large pot, water, bones, and vinegar are all that is necessary to get started, here’s an easy recipe:
Ingredients
One gallon (4 liters) of water.
2 tbsp (30 mL) apple cider vinegar.
Adding vinegar is important because it extracts valuable nutrients out of the bones and into the water.
2–4 pounds (around 1–2 kg) of animal bones.
Salt and pepper, to taste.
Vegetables, herbs, or spices can be added to create and enhance flavor.
Garlic, onion, celery, carrot, parsley, and thyme can be added in step one.
Directions
Place all ingredients in a large pot or slow cooker.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 12–24 hours.
The longer it cooks, the better it tastes and provides more nutrition.
Let the broth cool.
Strain into a large container and discard the bones.
Because of the long cooking, large amounts of collagen are extracted, making the bone broth gelatinous at room temperature.
Benefits
Digestion
Bone broth is a rich source of glutamine, an amino acid that improves digestion and gut health.
It can be particularly beneficial for people with digestive conditions such as leaky gut syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease.
Gelatin can also bind to water in the digestive tract, which helps foods move through the gut more easily.
Bone broth can benefit individuals with the following:
Leaky gut
Irritable bowel syndrome – IBS.
Inflammatory bowel disease/IBD like ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
Low Glycemic Index
Homemade vegetarian or meat-based broths are very low glycemic, with no added sugar, low in calories, and a great way to hydrate the body.
It can be a healthy snack between meals without an insulin spike that can lead to post-meal energy crashes.
Collagen Improves Hair, Skin, and Nail Health
Bone broth contains collagen. Collagen is a protein in structural and connective tissues that includes skin, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The fibrous structure contributes to strength, shape, and elasticity and can fortify hair, skin, and nails.
Bone broth can be beneficial for pregnant women, as it can help preserve skin elasticity during pregnancy while the skin stretches and grows.
Anti-Inflammation
The amino acids glycine and arginine have anti-inflammatory effects.
Arginine may be especially beneficial for fighting chronic inflammation.
Protects Bones and Joints
Bone broth contains calcium for maintaining strong bones and preventing bone loss as the body ages.
Collagen also protects joints from age-related deterioration.
It can help individuals with bone and joint conditions like osteoarthritis.
Bones
Instead of throwing leftover bones from meals in the garbage, save them. They can be collected in a bag and stored in the freezer until ready to roast and cook. Individuals who don’t buy and eat whole chickens and bone-in meat can ask for them at the local butcher or farmers market. The meat department at most grocery stores will often have them. They’re inexpensive, and a butcher may even offer them for free. It is recommended to find pastured chicken or grass-fed beef bones as these are the healthiest and provide maximum health benefits.
Storage
Making broth in large batches is recommended, as it can only be stored safely in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To help the broth last longer, it can be frozen in small containers and heated up for individual servings as needed.
Functional Nutrition
References
Koutroubakis, I E et al. “Serum laminin and collagen IV in inflammatory bowel disease.” Journal of clinical pathology vol. 56,11 (2003): 817-20. doi:10.1136/jcp.56.11.817
Mar-Solís, Laura M et al. “Analysis of the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Bone Broth in a Murine Model of Ulcerative Colitis.” Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) vol. 57,11 1138. 20 Oct. 2021, doi:10.3390/medicina57111138
McCance, R A et al. “Bone, and vegetable broth.” Archives of disease in childhood vol. 9,52 (1934): 251-8. doi:10.1136/adc.9.52.251
Peterson, Orion J et al. “Neuroprotective Effect of Enriched Chicken Bone Broth as a Dietary Supplement in a Model of Migraine Mediated by Early Life Stress.” Journal of medicinal food vol. 23,12 (2020): 1259-1265. doi:10.1089/jmf.2019.0312
Everyone worldwide knows that feet are important. The feet allow many individuals to run, walk, or jog for long periods without feeling pain for a moderate amount of time. To that point, the various muscles and tendons surrounding the foot provide full body flexion, extension, and stability. Even though it is very easy to get in the recommended amount of steps into being healthy, around 75% of individuals will have foot pain that can impact their ability to walk. One of the most common foot pains is plantar fasciitis, which can become a painful foot condition if it is not treated as soon as possible. Today’s article looks at plantar fasciitis, its symptoms, how trigger points correlate, and treatments for it. We refer patients to certified providers incorporating techniques and therapies for individuals dealing with plantar fasciitis. By locating where the trigger points are coming from, many pain specialists can develop a treatment plan to reduce the effects that plantar fasciitis is causing on the feet. We encourage and appreciate each patient by referring them to associated medical providers based on their diagnosis when it is appropriate. We understand that education is a terrific way when asking our providers intricated questions at the patient’s request and understanding. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., only utilizes this information as an educational service. Disclaimer
What Is Plantar Fasciitis?
Have you been dealing with constant heel pain? Do you feel pain shooting up your leg when you step or walk? Or do you feel a stabbing ache in your heel? Many of these pain issue people are dealing with correlate with plantar fasciitis. Studies reveal that plantar fasciitis results from degenerative irritation on the plantar fascia and its ligaments. This causes the muscle ligaments to become inflamed, swollen, and weak, which then causes the bottom of the foot or heel to hurt when a person is walking or standing. To that point, when there is a repetitive strain on the feet, it causes microtears in the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia in the foot plays an important role as it comprises three segments that support the medial arch and shock absorption when stepping down. As one of the most common causes of heel pain, the residual pain from plantar fasciitis tends to be a sharp, stabbing sensation. Plantar fasciitis is more prominent in middle-aged people. Still, anyone at any age can develop plantar fasciitis, especially if they have labor jobs requiring them to be constantly on their feet.
Symptoms Of Plantar Fasciitis
Since around 2 million Americans could potentially develop plantar fasciitis, it is important to know that when a person has been on their feet constantly, there will be inflammation along the tissues in the feet. Many individuals with a busy lifestyle that requires them to be on their feet frequently would often ignore the pain or discomfort. Some of the symptoms that plantar fasciitis causes include the following:
Pain on the bottom of the heel
Pain in the arch
Pain that is usually worse when waking up
Pain that increases over months
Swelling on the bottom of the heel
However, when the pain becomes overbearing, many people would often think they have sore feet or low back pain from being overly tired from work, under constant stress, or over-exerting their bodies. When this happens, many would think the pain would go away in a few days after resting for a short period.
Trigger Points Associated With Plantar Fasciitis
Now many individuals would often think that plantar fasciitis just only affects the heels, however, it can affect any part of the structure of the foot since all the surrounding muscle tissues are at risk of inflammation. When people start to ignore the pain and discomfort that plantar fasciitis is causing on the feet, it can overlap and develop trigger points in other areas of the body:
Ankles
Knees
Hips
Lower back
Studies reveal that trigger points or myofascial pain syndrome are hard, discrete, small nodules that are along the taut musculoskeletal band that causes numerous issues like inflammation, hypersensitivity, and pain to the affected muscle groups in the body. According to “Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction” written by Dr. Travell, M.D., it mentions that when the deep intrinsic muscles that work with the plantar fascia are affected by trigger points, would cause symptoms of numbness and the feeling of swelling in the foot. This causes many people to have limited mobility and have intense pain when walking, which can negatively impact their lifestyle.
An Overview Of Plantar Fasciitis- Video
Have you been dealing with aching feet? Do you feel a sharp, radiating pain in your feet? Or do you have difficulty walking? Many often think they are dealing with sore feet or other issues causing them pain. Around 75% of Americans often have foot pain affecting their ability to walk, and one of them is plantar fasciitis. The video above explains plantar fasciitis and how it can affect the feet. When the plantar fascia tendons become overused, it causes micro-tears in the muscle ligaments. When added compressive force starts to push against the heel boner, it can lead to a pathological state whereby the plantar fascia degenerates and creates dysfunction and pain. When this happens, it can lead to other conditions like trigger point pain along the muscle fibers in the foot. The pain and tenderness caused by trigger points in the plantar muscles may mask as plantar fasciitis. To that point, when plantar fasciitis becomes an issue and causes the individual to be in immense pain, it can become problematic. As luck would have it, treatments are available to reduce the pain from plantar fasciitis.
Treatments For Plantar Fasciitis
When treating plantar fasciitis, many available treatments can reduce the inflammatory effects in the heel and prevent trigger points from coming back. One of the available treatments is chiropractic care. Chiropractic care is an alternative treatment option to prevent, diagnose, and treat numerous injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems through spinal manipulation and adjustments. A chiropractor can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient’s strength, mobility, and flexibility. Regarding plantar fasciitis, chiropractic care can work with other treatments, including physical therapy, massage, and even injections, to manage the pain and treat the condition. Even though plantar fasciitis takes several months to heal, chiropractic care can involve a precise technique that involves adjustments to the feet, ankles, and spinal alignment. This provides several benefits, which include the following:
Reduces Stress in the Plantar Fascia
Promotes Healing
Provides Effective Pain Management
Reduces the Risk of Further Injury
Conclusion
As many individuals worldwide are on their feet constantly, foot pain can hinder one’s ability to move. One of the most common foot pain is plantar fasciitis which can correlate with trigger points along the various muscles of the foot. Plantar fasciitis results from degenerative irritation on the plantar fascia and its ligaments, which causes sharp, stabbing pain on the heel. When this happens, it can cause the heel to be inflamed, swollen, and weak. To that point, it causes instability and pain when walking. However, plantar fasciitis can be treated when it is caught early through various treatments like chiropractic care. Chiropractic care can reduce the stress in the plantar fascia and help reduce the risk of further injuries. Combined with other therapies, many people can function normally and regain their walking ability without pain.
References
Buchanan, Benjamin K, and Donald Kushner. “Plantar Fasciitis – StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 30 May 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK431073/.
Petrofsky, Jerrold, et al. “Local Heating of Trigger Points Reduces Neck and Plantar Fascia Pain.” Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31594202/.
Shah, Jay P, et al. “Myofascial Trigger Points Then and Now: A Historical and Scientific Perspective.” PM & R : the Journal of Injury, Function, and Rehabilitation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4508225/.
Travell, J. G., et al. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual: Vol. 2:the Lower Extremities. Williams & Wilkins, 1999.
Agility is the ability to accelerate, decelerate, stabilize, and quickly change directions with proper form and posture. Everyone, athletes and non-athletes, use agility every day. This can be maneuvering around objects during a jog, shifting movements or positions when walking through a crowd, reaching toward the highest shelf, or carrying things upstairs. These controlled reactions require a balance of coordination, speed, stamina, and strength. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic can provide agility enhancement through adjustments, massage, and decompression to relax the body, strengthen the muscles, and improve circulation and nerve function.
Agility Enhancement
Individuals need skill and control to react to a stimulus or movement. Agility requires muscular coordination, efficiency, and cohesiveness between the upper and lower body. Agility and reaction time are two components of neuromusculoskeletal health that work together. Agility enhancement can improve cognitive ability, power production, and physical performance. Agility enhancement improves overall physical skills, including:
Balance
Stability
Coordination
Body Control
Cognition
Recovery time
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic improves agility neurologically through improved circulation and energy flow in the nervous system.
Injury Treatment and Prevention
Agility enhancement can help with injury prevention, as agility training increases control, balance, and flexibility. It teaches the correct body placement while moving to protect the knees, shoulders, and lower back. It also helps to strengthen the muscles and improve the resiliency of the connective tissue allowing them to shorten and lengthen rapidly. This helps prevent injuries and relieves pain and stiffness associated with muscle overuse.
Stiffness often occurs from the overuse of muscles.
Stiffness reduces flexibility, increasing the risk of injury and affecting movement and physical capabilities.
Stiffness can even occur from changes in everyday routines.
Chiropractic prevents the muscles from tensing up, reducing stiffness and increasing your range of motion.
Chiropractic helps strengthen the musculoskeletal system, which makes it easier to maintain normal balance.
Chiropractic can strengthen the muscles by making the muscle fibers more excitable, contributing to quicker reaction time.
We create rehabilitation and strength and conditioning treatment plans that are individualized for each individual. This program entails the following:
Posture, mobility, and performance education for improved movement.
Health and nutritional recommendations.
Our treatment programs are designed to improve each individual’s whole body health and decrease the risk of injury.
Improve Balance And Agility
References
Ali, Kamran, et al. “Comparison of Complex Versus Contrast Training on Steroid Hormones and Sports Performance in Male Soccer Players.” Journal of chiropractic medicine vol. 18,2 (2019): 131-138. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2018.12.001
Järvinen, Tero A H, et al. “Muscle injuries: optimizing recovery.” Best practice & research. Clinical rheumatology vol. 21,2 (2007): 317-31. doi:10.1016/j.berh.2006.12.004
Lennemann, Lynette M et al. “The influence of agility training on physiological and cognitive performance.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 27,12 (2013): 3300-9. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31828ddf06
Miners, Andrew L. “Chiropractic treatment and the enhancement of sports performance: a narrative literature review.” The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association vol. 54,4 (2010): 210-21.
The various muscles and tendons surrounding the foot play an important role as they provide stability to the lower parts of the body and allow the individual to move and flex their feet. These various muscles and tendons help support the ankles and allow leg movement. Many people will be on their feet constantly as the world moves and sometimes have to deal with various issues affecting their walking ability. As the body naturally ages, many people will shuffle their feet around, which causes strain on the foot muscles and can affect the calves and legs over time. To that point, it can lead to foot pain and other conditions that can affect the individual. Other issues that can affect the feet and their muscles could be incorrect footwear, how they are standing, or how they walk. When this happens, conditions like plantar fasciitis and trigger point pain can affect the feet differently. Today’s article focuses on the superficial intrinsic foot muscles, how trigger points and plantar fasciitis correlate with foot pain, and how to strengthen the foot muscles. We refer patients to certified providers incorporating techniques and therapies in the lower body extremities of trigger points affecting the feet. This helps many people with trigger point pain symptoms associated with plantar fasciitis along the intrinsic foot muscles. We encourage and appreciate each patient by referring them to associated medical providers based on their diagnosis when it is appropriate. We understand that education is a terrific way to ask our providers intricated questions at the patient’s request and understanding. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., only utilizes this information as an educational service. Disclaimer
The Superficial Intrinsic Foot Muscles
As stated earlier, the foot has various muscles and tendons that allow stability to the ankles and allow movement when a person is walking. The foot has two muscle groups: the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles. Today, we will look at the intrinsic foot muscles and their importance to the foot. Studies reveal that the intrinsic foot muscles are highly important as they are contained to the foot and contribute to supporting the medial longitudinal arch. The intrinsic foot muscles are superficial and help keep the toes straight while providing flexion and extension when in motion. The foot has about 29 muscles, including 10 surrounding the foot and ankle, while the other 19 are intrinsic and provide the roles for gait and posture. The 19 intrinsic muscles have the following:
Abductor Hallucis
Quadratus Plantae
Flexor Hallucis Brevis
Flexor Digitorum Brevis
Abductor Digiti Minimi
Flexor Digiti Minimi
The Interossei Muscles
The Lumbricals
These muscles allow individuals to walk, run, or jog without pain. However, when the intrinsic muscles become impaired, studies reveal that intrinsic foot muscle function could be linked to various foot conditions that affect a person’s walking ability.
How Does Foot Pain Correlate With Plantar Fasciitis & Trigger Points?
Studies reveal that foot pain can cause an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience. Many factors can affect how a person walks, leading to various issues affecting the mobility of the lower extremities. When multiple problems affect a person’s walking, the intrinsic muscle and other muscles surrounding the ankle and foot could become strained and overlap with other foot conditions. Coexisting muscle impairments could affect the alignment, motion, load distribution, and muscle performance that involves the legs when foot pain affects the intrinsic foot muscles. When these impairments cause foot pain, it can correlate with trigger points and conditions like plantar fasciitis, affecting a person’s walking ability. But how does foot pain connect with plantar fasciitis and trigger points?
According to Dr. Travell, M.D.’s book “Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction,” when tension starts to overload the foot, the intrinsic muscles develop tiny nodules in the muscle fibers and reduce the muscle strength of the medial arch. To that point, it can collapse and cause the foot to create inflammation associated with repetitive actions that cause plantar fasciitis in the feet. When this happens, it can affect a person’s ability to walk, run, and stand and affect the lower extremities’ mobility. If not treated right away, it can cause muscle and joint pain in the hips, legs, knees, and lower back.
An Overview Of The Intrinsic Foot Muscles-Video
Have you been dealing with issues on your feet? Do you find it difficult to step down or walk? Or have you been rubbing your feet constantly to reduce the soreness in your feet? Many of these issues correlate with trigger points affecting the intrinsic foot muscles that could cause foot issues like plantar fasciitis. The foot has various muscles, like the intrinsic muscles, that allow gait and stability to the body. Multiple factors affecting the intrinsic foot muscles can lead to instability, muscle strain, tendon stress, and muscle and joint pain. This can affect how a person moves throughout the day and their quality of life. The video above explains where each muscle is, which ones are extrinsic and intrinsic, and how each muscle helps with foot function. When various issues begin to affect the foot and cause mobility issues, multiple techniques are available to help strengthen the foot muscles and prevent future problems from affecting the feet.
Strengthening The Foot Muscles
Regarding trigger point pain affecting the intrinsic foot muscles, various techniques can reduce the pain-like symptoms of trigger points and prevent foot issues like plantar fasciitis from re-occurring. Studies reveal that light, non-weight-bearing exercises like cycling and swimming can minimize muscle overload on the foot. Other ways to strengthen the intrinsic foot muscles are by stretching the toe flexors to help improve stability and prevent hypermobility in the foot. Different techniques to reduce trigger points in the foot’s muscle fibers include using a cylindrical or spherical object and rolling under the arches to massage and loosen stiff muscles. Many of these techniques could help restore foot functionality and stability while reducing future issues like plantar fasciitis in the feet. To that point, people should be allowed to walk pain-free again.
Conclusion
The foot has 29 muscles, including ten extrinsic muscles surrounding the foot and ankle and 29 intrinsic muscles on the foot. The intrinsic muscles are highly important for foot functionality as they are superficial and contribute to supporting the medial longitudinal arch. The intrinsic foot muscles also help keep the toes straight and allow flexion and extension when in motion. These muscles also help a person walk and stabilize the ankle. When various factors affect a person’s walking ability, it can lead to muscle strain and tendon stress to the foot, developing trigger points in the intrinsic muscle fibers and causing pain. This could cause foot conditions like plantar fasciitis and other co-existing muscle impairments that can affect the lower extremities’ mobility while causing muscle and joint pain in the hips, legs, knees, and lower back. Luckily, available techniques can help massage, stretch, and strengthen the intrinsic foot muscles while reducing trigger points and preventing their associated symptoms from recurring. To that point, these techniques can allow many individuals to walk without feeling pain.
References
Card, Ryan K, and Bruno Bordoni. “Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Foot Muscles.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 27 Feb. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539705/.
Gooding, Thomas M, et al. “Intrinsic Foot Muscle Activation during Specific Exercises: A T2 Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.” Journal of Athletic Training, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5094843/.
Hawke, Fiona, and Joshua Burns. “Understanding the Nature and Mechanism of Foot Pain.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14 Jan. 2009, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2631512/.
Hayter, Matt. “Why Do We Need the Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot? [Guide 2022].” Dynamic Podiatry, 2022, https://foothealthguy.com/hammer-toes-causes-and-treatment/
Lim, Ang Tee, et al. “Management of Plantar Fasciitis in the Outpatient Setting.” Singapore Medical Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4853481/.
Soysa, Achini, et al. “Importance and Challenges of Measuring Intrinsic Foot Muscle Strength.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 26 Nov. 2012, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3544647/.
Travell, J. G., et al. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual: Vol. 2:the Lower Extremities. Williams & Wilkins, 1999.
There is a multitude of reasons why back muscles tighten and stiffen up. Muscles pull the bones and joints. Overuse and/or injuries can pull the bones, joints, and tendons out of place, thus causing the muscles to stay in a flexed or stretched position, the inability for the muscles to relax and return to their normal position, resulting in symptoms of discomfort, stiffness, and pain. Individuals can have reoccurring bouts of tight muscles, eventually becoming chronic. Chronic muscle tension can pull the spine out of alignment even if there is no specific injury. The Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Wellness Team can relieve tight back muscle tension and restore positioning, mobility, and function.
Muscles are the Key
Muscles make the body move and greatly impact the skeletal and nervous systems. When a muscle is overstretched or pulled, there is not just injury to the muscles but the potential for injury to the bones and tendons in the area. This, in turn, can pinch nerves and cause problems with the nervous system, especially in pain signal transmissions.
Symptoms
Symptoms will depend on the cause and severity. The most common include:
Constant or chronic muscle achiness, soreness, stiffness, and tightness.
Even after stretching or flexing, there is a dull aching or pain.
More serious symptoms may include:
Electrical or burning sensations
Sharp or stabbing pain.
Weakness in the legs or arms
Tingling or numbness in the legs, arms, or chest.
Chest discomfort symptoms.
Causes
Aging
The older a person is, the more likely they will experience back discomfort symptoms. Back issues most likely occur in 30- to 50-year-olds.
The aging process naturally wears the body.
Thinning bones
Muscle mass reduction
Fluid loss between joints in the spine.
All these can cause back issues and problems.
Unhealthy posture
Constant pressure on the spine can lead to general back discomfort symptoms. Practicing unhealthy posture can generate this pressure. The muscles and ligaments must work harder to keep the body balanced because the muscles are out of position, and the other muscles can’t perform their job properly. Overworking and overuse lead to tight back muscles, aches, and pain.
Muscle sprain or strain
Sprains are the tearing or stretching of ligaments. Strains are the tearing or stretching of muscles and tendons. Lifting heavy objects without proper form can easily cause a back sprain or strain. Sprains and strains can also occur after an awkward, sudden, or jerking movement.
Herniated disc
A herniated, slipped, or ruptured disc puts pressure on a nerve/s. This can stress the surrounding muscles causing tension to build up.
Fall or other injuries
Tight back muscles can result from the following:
A fall
Vehicle accident
Force Trauma
Sports accident
Weight gain
Added weight stresses and pulls the body down. This causes unhealthy posture and muscle tension.
Chiropractic Functional Wellness
Usually, tight muscles can be relieved with a hot bath or cold therapy. Reoccurring bouts of, or chronically tense back muscles, are signals that something is wrong and should not be ignored. Chiropractic care can release and relax tight back muscles and get them back into a natural state by re-aligning the spine through tissue manipulation, decompression, massage, and adjustments. The various treatment methods will relieve the discomfort, pain, tension, and realign the spinal column, and strengthen the body. When spinal components are put back into their proper place, the surrounding muscles no longer need to provide a counter-balance to the misalignment and begin to relax. Chiropractors can also recommend ways to improve posture and strengthen muscles to incur less wear and tear.
Chiropractic Back Therapy
References
Furlan, Andrea D et al. “Complementary and alternative therapies for back pain II.” Evidence report/technology assessment,194 (2010): 1-764.
Geneen, Louise J et al. “Physical activity and exercise for chronic pain in adults: an overview of Cochrane Reviews.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 4,4 CD011279. 24 Apr. 2017, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011279.pub3
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Back pain: Symptoms. mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/back-pain/basics/symptoms/con-20020797
Miake-Lye, Isomi M et al. “Massage for Pain: An Evidence Map.” Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) vol. 25,5 (2019): 475-502. doi:10.1089/acm.2018.0282
Nahian, Ahmed, et al. “Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment: Facial Muscle Energy, Direct MFR, and BLT Procedure – for TMJ Dysfunction.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 12 September 2022.
Rahman Shiri, Jaro Karppinen, Päivi Leino-Arjas, Svetlana Solovieva, Eira Viikari-Juntura, The Association Between Obesity and Low Back Pain: A Meta-Analysis, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 171, Issue 2, 15 January 2010, Pages 135–154, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwp356
Regarding different destinations, our feet allow the legs and the lower body to move forward and stabilize the upper extremities from putting so much weight on the body itself. The lower portion of the body contains the hips, pelvis, legs, and feet. Within each section of the lower body, various muscles surround the joints and skeletal features of the lower half. For the hips, multiple muscles and tendons help support hip mobility and pelvic function. The legs work with the thigh as numerous muscles and tendons help the legs have more power to move. The lower portion of the legs works with the knee to allow extension and flexion to move as well. And finally, the ankles and feet work with various muscles to enable movement to the toes. The different muscles in the toes help stabilize the foot from causing issues to the ankles. However, when multiple injuries or factors begin to affect the muscles in the toes, it can lead to myofascial pain syndrome or trigger points to affect not only the toes but the entire portion of the legs and travel up to the hips.
Today’s article looks at the flexor muscles of the toes, how calf pain is associated with trigger points affecting the toes, and how different treatments and stretches can alleviate trigger points along the toe flexor muscles. We refer patients to certified providers that incorporate various techniques and therapies in the lower body extremities pertaining to trigger points affecting the legs, calves, and feet. This helps many people with pain symptoms along the flexor toe muscles, causing pain when doing everyday actions like stepping or walking. We encourage and appreciate each patient by referring them to associated medical providers based on their diagnosis when it is appropriate. We understand that education is a terrific way when asking our providers intricated questions at the patient’s request and understanding. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., only utilizes this information as an educational service. Disclaimer
The Flexor Muscles Of The Toes
Have you been dealing with stability issues that are affecting the way you are standing? How about coping with unquestionable calf or foot pain? Do you feel aches in your big toe? Many of these issues affecting the feet are correlated with the flexor muscles in the toes. The flexor muscles are the flexor digitorum longus and the flexor hallucis longus. These muscles are located in the calf region of the lower leg and travel downwards to the ankle, forming the tendons for the feet and toes. Research studies reveal that the flexor digitorum longus muscle is a thin muscle located in the tibia’s deep posterior muscles and provides operational support to the four different sections of the toes and allows flexion. While other research studies reveal that the flexor hallucis longus muscle is a deep posterior muscle located in the fibula and provides flexion to the great toe while serving to plantarflex and inversion to the foot.
Now the flexor muscles work together to allow stability to the foot when a person is walking. Additional studies have shown that the flexor muscles are active as many people push off from the heel to allow movement to the toes and feet when stepping on the ground. This action enables the flexor muscles to contract and exerts much energy to allow the feet to move. However, when the body begins to age naturally, or various issues affect the lower body extremities, it can lead to multiple problems affecting a person’s mobility.
Calf Pain Associated With Trigger Points Affecting The Toes
As the body ages naturally, a person’s mobility will eventually begin to decline as they shuffle in their steps instead of picking up their feet to move. Studies reveal that when older adults start to age naturally, they tend to have a decreased foot posture that enables them to have a more pronated foot than a supinated foot. When this happens, it can reduce mobility in their legs while also causing stress to the flexor muscles and have a high occurrence in lower extremity injuries like patellofemoral pain or tendon dysfunction. Stress in the flexor muscles can lead to the potential development of trigger points along the flexor muscles, which can correlate to calf pain. Dr. Janet Travell, M.D.’s book, “Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction,” mentioned that trigger points along the toe flexor muscles could potentially cause impaired mobility and strain to the foot. Since the flexor muscles are located in the calves, many individuals that incorporate running, jogging, or walking as part of their daily lives can be affected. To that point, if a person is walking on uneven ground, it can cause the foot to be hyper-pronated and lead to calf pain. At the same time, trigger points in the flexor muscles can cause symptoms of muscle spasms and cramps which can become overlapping risk profiles for ankle and foot pain.
Treating Trigger Points Along The Flexor Muscles- Video
Have you been dealing with unexplainable muscle spasms in your calves? Do you feel unstable when walking for a long time? Or do you notice you shuffle instead of picking up your feet? Many of these issues are correlated with trigger points affecting the flexor muscles of the toes that are causing pain to the calves and feet. When it comes to trigger points along the flexor muscles of the toes, studies show that it can develop a “trigger toe” where the flexor hallucis muscle that is providing flexion to the great toe, is in pain which leads to foot issues like plantar fasciitis or ankle pain. Fortunately, all is still possible as there are different stretches and treatments to reduce trigger points associated with the toe flexor muscles. The video above explains where the flexor muscles are located in the calve region of the leg and demonstrates how to stretch the flexor muscle to prevent trigger points from returning.
Different Stretches & Treatments For Toe Flexor Muscles
When relieving foot and calf pain associated with trigger points affecting the flexor muscles, there are different stretches and treatments to reduce pain-like symptoms associated with trigger points. Studies reveal that incorporating various muscle-strengthening exercises that target the calves could improve postural balance on the feet. Or find the right footwear to prevent trigger points from appearing in the future. Other stretches like toe grasping and flexing the foot allow many pain specialists to locate where the trigger points affect the flexor muscles and develop a treatment plan to reduce the effects of trigger points along the toe flexor muscles. Some of the treatments include chiropractic care. Now, doesn’t chiropractic care only incorporate spinal adjustments on the back? Yes, it does, but it can also alleviate other issues. As stated earlier, the feet provide stability to the lower body extremities. When problems affect a person’s balance can cause limited mobility to the hips, affect the legs and feet over time, and develop trigger points along the way. With chiropractic care, chiropractors can restore hip mobility through mechanical and manual manipulation of the spine and can help loosen the stiff joints and muscles that are causing pain. Chiropractors can pinpoint where the trigger points are located and find ways to reduce the pain in the affected muscle.
Conclusion
The flexor muscles of the toes, the flexor digitorum longus, and the flexor hallucis longus allow stability and flexion to the toes. The flexor muscles are located in the calve region and enable the individual to walk without complications. When issues or injuries start to affect the feet, they could develop into overlapping issues that affect the flexor muscles and causes symptoms of instability in a person’s balance. If not treated right away, it could develop trigger points in the calf region and cause pain to the flexor muscles. Trigger points in the flexor muscles can cause stress on the flexor muscles, which then leads to foot issues like patellofemoral pain or tendon dysfunction. To that point cause impaired mobility and muscle strain on the foot. Luckily there are treatments and various stretches to reduce trigger points from developing further and improve stability in the body. To that point, allow the individual to walk without any foot pain.
References
Fowles, J V, and N M Newman. “A Case of ‘Trigger Toe.’” Canadian Journal of Surgery. Journal Canadien De Chirurgie, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 1984, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6744145/.
Goldmann, Jan-Peter, and Gert-Peter Brüggemann. “The Potential of Human Toe Flexor Muscles to Produce Force.” Journal of Anatomy, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2012, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3406365/.
Kusagawa, Yuki, et al. “Toe Flexor Strength Is Associated with Mobility in Older Adults with Pronated and Supinated Feet but Not with Neutral Feet.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 11 Sept. 2020, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7488436/.
Murdock, Christopher J, et al. “Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Calf Flexor Hallucis Longus Muscle …” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 25 Aug. 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539776/.
Quinlan, Shayan, et al. “The Evidence for Improving Balance by Strengthening the Toe Flexor Muscles: A Systematic Review.” Gait & Posture, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 2020, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32679464/.
Travell, J. G., et al. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual: Vol. 2:the Lower Extremities. Williams & Wilkins, 1999.
Winter is when most children and adults are prone to catching colds, the flu, etc. The excitement of the holiday season can also take a toll on the body’s neuromusculoskeletal system, leaving the individual more susceptible to illness. Digestive issues such as bloating, cramping, and constipation are also common. Certain supplements can help maintain body, gut, and brain holiday health. Here are a few recommended supplements to take during the holidays.
Holiday Health
To help fill in the gaps from the holiday foods and increase energy, holiday health supplements to consider adding include:
Probiotics
Probiotics are healthy bacteria and microbes that populate the gut or microbiome.
They help digest nutrients, support proper digestion and elimination, and manage appetite and mood.
A quality probiotic supplement supports healthy digestion and immune health.
It can help reduce diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating while protecting the immune system against pathogens.
For the most benefits, it is recommended to take a supplement with a high CFU count, diverse probiotic strains, and a delivery method that ensures the probiotics will survive once consumed.
The body produces melatonin naturally, especially at night, since this promotes sleep.
Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, which makes you feel tired or alert at the right times of the day.
Taking melatonin can help decrease jet lag symptoms.
Consider taking melatonin to help promote healthy sleep.
However, it’s usually only recommended for short-term use, so consult your doctor.
Vitamin D
During the winter, when less sunlight is available, low vitamin D levels are very common among adults.
The body naturally makes vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun’s UV light rays; however, most spend nearly all their time indoors once the weather becomes cold.
Vitamin D is responsible for hundreds of reactions related to brain function, hormone production, and immune defenses.
A vitamin D supplement can help maintain healthy levels, which is important for maintaining a strong immune system, cardiovascular and bone health, and mood.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral and electrolyte providing cardiovascular and bone support, improved sleep, healthy muscle and nerve function, and healthy digestion.
A magnesium supplement can help with aches and pains, restlessness, headaches, and constipation.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C intake protects against colds and other illnesses.
It supports healthy immune defenses, healthy nervous system function, antioxidant activity, neuron function, and skin health.
A vitamin C supplement combined with probiotics further helps support healthy gastrointestinal function and absorption.
Chiropractic For Digestive Health
Chiropractic care supports the healthy functioning of the nervous system.
The vagus nerve extends from the brain stem and innervates digestive system organs.
Sympathetic nerves in the thoracic and lumbar regions and the parasympathetic nerves near the sacrum also support digestion.
Decompressing the spine and correcting posture allow room for the muscles to contract, open up the spine to circulate fluids throughout the body, and expand and properly circulate food and waste.
Ernst, Edzard. “Chiropractic treatment for gastrointestinal problems: a systematic review of clinical trials.” Canadian journal of gastroenterology = Journal canadien de gastroenterology vol. 25,1 (2011): 39-40. doi:10.1155/2011/910469
Govender, Mershen et al. “A review of the advancements in probiotic delivery: Conventional vs. non-conventional formulations for intestinal flora supplementation.” AAPS PharmSciTech vol. 15,1 (2014): 29-43. doi:10.1208/s12249-013-0027-1
Leboeuf-Yde, Charlotte, et al. “Self-reported nonmusculoskeletal responses to chiropractic intervention: a multination survey.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 28,5 (2005): 294-302; discussion 365-6. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2005.04.010
Peterson, Caroline. “A case study of chiropractic management of pregnancy-related heartburn with postulated fetal epigenome implications.” Explore (New York, N.Y.) vol. 8,5 (2012): 304-8. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2012.06.001
Qu, Liuxin, et al. “Irritable bowel syndrome treated by traditional Chinese spinal orthopedic manipulation.” Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan vol. 32,4 (2012): 565-70. doi:10.1016/s0254-6272(13)60072-2
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
Bone Broth Benefits
Agility Enhancement
Muscles are the Key
