Although it is not officially summer, the past few weeks sure feels like it. Especially for those with joint discomfort and pain. As the body ages, individuals may notice their joints have some mobility/flexibility issues in the summer heat. Again, the heat and humidity are the culprits. The hotter it is, the more the body is susceptible to inflammation and swelling. The more prone an individual’s body is to swelling, the more pain can present. Barometric pressure can also have some form of impact on joint health. The pressure changes can cause the joints to become more sensitive. When the pressure changes, individuals often speak of their joints feeling tighter combined with stiffness, leading to a cycle of swelling and pain.
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Joint Anatomy
Whether it’s the hip, knee, elbow, or hand, all of the body’s joints have fluid in them. It is a gel-like substance known as synovial fluid. This is what lubricates the joints and keeps them functioning smoothly. However, the temperature and humidity levels can change the thickness of the fluid in the joints. This means that the synovial fluid can become inflamed with the weather changes. This is a symptom when the joints begin to feel like they cannot move and/or are becoming stiff. Joint inflammation can become more common and chronic as the body gets older.
Weather and the joints
The summer heat and humidity can affect the joint because:
The tendons, ligaments, and muscles expand in this type of weather
The heat can restrict individuals from moving around. Non-use stiffens the joints
Joints that have worn down cartilage could have exposed nerves that are reacting to the temperature changes
Humidity causes the body to lose water by sweating. This can reduce the fluid around the joints leading to stiffness, immobility, and pain.
However, not everyone has joint problems in the summer heat. Many have joint issues when it’s cold, damp, or raining. Other’s are at their best in cool, dry weather. It depends on an individual’s body and how their joints react when the temperature changes.
Maintaining joint health for the summer heat
When joint discomfort or pain presents in the summer, there are a few easy ways to gain relief.
Properly Hydrate the Body
Water and sports drinks maintain the fluid levels in the body, specifically, it keeps the joints moving. One way to hydrate the body can be achieved by eating healthy fruits and vegetables. Water-rich fruits and vegetables include:
Watermelon
Oranges
Strawberries
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Spinach
Celery
Over-The-Counter pain ointments and creams
Arthritis and anti-inflammatory creams/ointments can ease joint pain by allowing more blood circulation in the affected areas.
Dressing for the heat
Wear loose, natural fiber, breathable clothing that allows the body to move freely while maintaining a cool temperature.
Relax in the air conditioning
Get into the air conditioning. The cool air can help reduce joint inflammation.
Get in the Water
Swimming or just wading through doing some light exercise in the water cools the body’s core. In addition, the buoyancy of the water relieves pressure on the joints.
Body Composition Testing
Body Water
The body is made up of as much as 2/3’s water. Even though much of the body is made up of water, the percentage of body composition changes based on functional needs. Essential functions of water include:
Water is the building block to almost every cell in the body
It regulates the body’s temperature through sweating and respiration
Carbohydrates and proteins for energy are transported via the water in the blood
Water assists in the removal of metabolic waste through urination
It is part of the shock-absorbing system that protects the brain and spinal cord
Water is part of the saliva and fluid that lubricates the joints
The amount of water in the body depends on various factors. This includes:
Age
Gender
Physical activity
It is referred to as Total Body Water or TBW.
TBW is constantly changing with gains and losses of fluid in healthy adults. The body can detect irregularities and compensate for losses and/or gains to make sure that the systems are balanced.
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. In addition, we provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Morton, Darren, and Robin Callister. “Exercise-related transient abdominal pain (ETAP).” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 45,1 (2015): 23-35. doi:10.1007/s40279-014-0245-z
Peeler, Jason et al. “Managing Knee Osteoarthritis: The Effects of Body Weight Supported Physical Activity on Joint Pain, Function, and Thigh Muscle Strength.” Clinical journal of sports medicine: official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine vol. 25,6 (2015): 518-23. doi:10.1097/JSM.0000000000000173
Quick, D C. “Joint pain and weather. A critical review of the literature.” Minnesota medicine vol. 80,3 (1997): 25-9.
Timmermans, Erik J et al. “The Influence of Weather Conditions on Joint Pain in Older People with Osteoarthritis: Results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis.” The Journal of rheumatology vol. 42,10 (2015): 1885-92. doi:10.3899/jrheum.141594
A proper diagnosis goes a long way. Treatment and recovery can happen relatively quickly or broken up into parts, phases, and sessions, as part of a treatment and rehabilitation plan. This depends on the individual, their age, underlying conditions, and the severity of their injury/s. It is not uncommon to have a treatment schedule that could be weeks/months long. This can be tough on individuals with limited abilities and/or a slow progressive rehab to get back to normal. It is arduous, but to achieve optimal healing and health, it is expected.
Chiropractic medicine is no different. It’s non-invasive compared to surgery but not as immediate as medication/s. This places it in between. Recovery timelines can vary significantly based on the nature of the condition, the patient, their injury/s, and everything attached. Most chiropractic treatment and adjustment plans are scheduled according to the individual’s injury and/or condition. Every case is different, meaning that treatment could be a couple of sessions for an individual with mild sciatica to a few weeks or months for more severe injuries/conditions. Most want to know why chiropractors execute these plans over weeks and months.
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The Body Needs To Get Used To The Adjustments
One reason for an extended adjustment schedule is to prevent adjustment shock. Adjustment shock often presents through soreness and tenderness, and there could be a feeling of soreness when sitting or standing or difficulty when trying to move with a normal range of motion. This happens when trying to heal the body too much and too fast. Trying to perform massive chiropractic adjustments without preparing the body could worsen and/or create further injury/s.
For example, correcting severe lordosis requires repositioning the spine’s curvature through properly planned out adjustment sessions. If a chiropractor tries to adjust/align the spine into place over a few days, this would be extremely uncomfortable and more than likely painful for the individual. Plus, there is a lack of musculoskeletal support from the rest of the body that is needed to make sure that the adjustments/changes take hold and are maintained. A chiropractor wants to avoid these issues to focus on getting the individual back to proper health.
Preparing The Body With A Solid Foundation
Chiropractic manipulations and adjustments need time to settle in, ensuring that they take hold and not shift back to the incorrect position. Spinal problems are not solved overnight. This means that the causes of misalignment will remain for a period as the treatment/adjustment process begins. A spaced-out schedule ensures that the adjustments are made accordingly to strengthen the spine through the process. This enables adjustments and the body to develop the necessary support system and prevent any negative re-shifting. As time goes on, the adjustments achieve total realignment, restoring the positive curvature that can be maintained.
Schedule Benefits
Finally, the step-by-step nature of a chiropractic adjustment schedule enables the treatment team to check the status of an adjustment plan. If radiological imaging shows changes, setbacks, or new issues arise, the treatment plan and schedule can be changed and adapted accordingly.
Body Composition Testing
Too Much Alcohol Can Slow Recovery From Tissue Injuries
Alcohol is often associated with celebrations, anniversaries, etc. But drinking too much can damage the immune system. Too much alcohol contributes to organ damage, specifically the liver. However, it is known to slow down recovery from tissue injuries, as well. Moderate drinking is defined as drinking up to 1 drink a day for women and up to 2 a day. Exceeding the recommended intake disrupts the immune pathways and impairs the body’s ability to fight off infections. Alcohol-related immune system damage has been associated with the development of certain types of cancer, including head and neck cancers among alcohol users. Before thinking that this is a problem that only affects chronic alcohol users, acute binge drinking can also severely impair the body’s immune system.
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Holt, Kelly, et al. “The effects of a single session of chiropractic care on strength, cortical drive, and spinal excitability in stroke patients.” Scientific Reports vol. 9,1 2673. 25 Feb. 2019, doi:10.1038/s41598-019-39577-5
Iben, Axén, et al. “Chiropractic maintenance care – what’s new? A systematic review of the literature.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 27 63. 21 Nov. 2019, doi:10.1186/s12998-019-0283-6
Mior, Silvano et al. “Chiropractic services in the active-duty military setting: a scoping review.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 27 45. 15 Jul. 2019, doi:10.1186/s12998-019-0259-6
Pasala, Sumana et al. “Impact of Alcohol Abuse on the Adaptive Immune System.” Alcohol research: current reviews vol. 37,2 (2015): 185-97.
Muscle cramps are sudden and involuntary contractions of one or more of the body’s muscles. They often occur at night or at any moment stopped by a sudden Charley horse. These cramps can cause severe pain, making it impossible to move and use the affected muscle/s. They are usually brought on from:
Muscle cramps are common and can happen to anyone, but often occur to:
Indoor/outdoor physical work employees
Pregnant women
The elderly
Infants
Individuals that are overweight
Athletes
Cramping Up
Muscle cramps can be a symptom of a variety of medical issues. It is typically dehydration and muscle strain from overworking/exercising the muscles, but it can also be a sign of medical conditions like:
Poor circulation
Mineral depletion low levels of magnesium, calcium, potassium, and choline
Nerve disorders are rare cases, but a pinched nerve or spinal cord injury can cause nerve compression that can lead to cramping
Tight muscles, this comes from inactivity and not stretching the body causes the muscles to contract involuntarily
Hypothyroidism, a thyroid gland that is less active than normal can cause cramps
Liver disease
Muscle cramps can make daily activities difficult if not impossible to perform. They often happen at night affecting proper sleep. This can lead to:
Pain hangover
Grogginess
Fogginess
Cautious body behavior – as an individual wants to avoid pain and more cramping they begin to watch how they:
Step
Reach
Bend
Move
So as not to cause discomfort, pain, and further cramping, they develop awkward body positions that create more health problems from improper body posture.
Muscle cramps can happen to any muscle of the body. However, they present most often in the:
This is usually sudden, sharp pain. Individuals can also feel or see a lump of muscle tissue under the skin.
When to see a professional
They usually go away on their own not requiring medical care. However, seek medical attention if the cramps:
Are causing severe discomfort and pain
Severe swelling, redness, or changes in skin tone
Muscle weakness is present
They are occurring frequently
They do not improve with self-care
There is no connection with an obvious cause, like intense physical activity/exercise
Mineral Depletion
Choline is a nutrient that just as important but not as well known as B vitamins. Choline has a fundamental role in muscle physiology and low levels could be a cause/contributor of muscle cramping. Choline is well-known for its function as part of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This is a chemical messenger that transmits signals between nerve cells and muscles. Acetylcholine is the physiological link that tells the muscles to contract. This is where medications can interfere with the messaging system.
Most believe that muscle cramps are caused by magnesium deficiency. This is true, but magnesium is not the only nutrient that could present with muscle issues. Choline regulates intracellular calcium and muscle contraction. This is what helps bind calcium proteins to muscle receptors. Choline keeps minerals like calcium available to the muscles so they can use it instantly when they need to contract. For individuals with skeletal muscle issues, which can be muscle cramping, general soreness, or another type of issue, testing for choline status could be the key.
Prevention and Relief
Home self-care for prevention and relief includes:
Heat or ice application to the muscle/s and affected areas
Avoiding caffeine
Drink plenty of water before and during physical activities, indoor/outdoor work, exercise
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
American Osteopathic Association. Muscle Cramp. Accessed 12/10/2019.
Merck Manual. Muscle Cramps. Accessed 12/10/2019.
Miller, Timothy M, and Robert B Layzer. “Muscle cramps.” Muscle & nerve vol. 32,4 (2005): 431-42. doi:10.1002/mus.20341
Vitamin B12 and Shoulder Injuries. Most shoulder injuries involve the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Individuals that perform repetitive arm motions/movements, constantly lift objects as part of their job, and athletes that use their arms repetitively have an increase in developing/experiencing shoulder injuries and problems. Shoulder injuries are commonly caused by physical activities that involve:
Excessive motions
Repetitive motions
Overhead motions
Sports like swimming, tennis, pitching, and weightlifting involve these repetitive arm/shoulder motions that contribute to shoulder injuries.
Injuries can also be brought on from everyday activities like washing/painting walls, hanging curtains/plants, and gardening.
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Shoulder Injury Symptoms
If there is discomfort and/or pain in and around the shoulder here are a few ways to analyze the situation.
Does the shoulder feel like it could pop out or slide out of its socket?
Is there a lack of strength in the shoulder for normal daily activities?
If yes was an answer to any of these questions, individuals should consult an orthopedic surgeon and/or chiropractor for assistance in determining the problem and its severity.
Injury Categories
Individuals often underestimate the extent of an injury and usually just push/play through the discomfort and pain. This is how powerful the brain is as it ignores steady pain, weakness, or limitation of joint motion. Shoulder injuries and problems are grouped in the following categories.
Instability
This is when a shoulder joint moves/shifts or is forced out of its normal position. This is called instability and can result in dislocation of the joints in the shoulder. Individuals will experience pain when raising their arms. It can feel as if the shoulder is slipping out.
Impingement
Impingement is caused by excessive rubbing/friction of the muscles against the top part of the shoulder blade, known as the acromion. Impingement can happen during physical activities that require excessive overhead arm motion. Medical examination and care are recommended for inflammation, as it could eventually lead to a more serious injury.
Injuries
Bursitis
The bursa is the fluid-filled sacs that cushions the joints. These can become swollen and irritated from repetitive motions, falls, or other injuries. Individuals will notice the pain most when moving/rotating the shoulder.
Cartilage tear
The cartilage – the rubbery padding that goes around the rim of the shoulder joint can get damaged from repetitive motions, overextending, falls, or from intense force to the shoulder. With this type of injury individuals feel pain when reaching overhead, weakness, and/or catching, locking, and grinding feelings.
Rotator cuff tear
The rotator cuff consists of a group of muscles and tendons that hold the arm in place and allow for lifting the arm up and overhead. It can get damaged through overuse, falls, and regular wear and tear with age. Pain often presents at night, when lifting objects, and there could be a cracking sound when trying to move or rotate.
Frozen shoulder
This condition limits the joint’s movement. What happens is abnormal bands of tissue called adhesions build up in the joint and restrict movement. The shoulder can freeze up from not using it. This could be because pain or surgery causes an individual to use it less. This is when adhesions begin to build up.
Separation
This injury affects the joint where the collarbone and shoulder blade join. It is known as the acromioclavicular or AC joint. A fall or hard impact can tear the ligaments that hold it together. If the collarbone gets pushed out of place a bump forms/develops on top of the shoulder.
Fracture
A bone can break or crack from a vehicle accident, fall, or takes a hard hit. The most common fractures are to the clavicle – collarbone and the humerus – arm bone closest to the shoulder. This type of injury causes a great deal of pain and bruising. If the collarbone is broken, the shoulder can sag with the inability to lift the arm.
Vitamin B12
Rotator cuff injuries involve dysfunctional and/or damaged connective tissue. This could be from impaired collagen synthesisVitamin B12 helps combat inflammation and plays a significant role in collagen formation. Low vitamin B12 status can be directly linked to pro-inflammatory cytokines. This means that a lack of vitamin B12 increases inflammation.
Researchers followed a group of individuals to determine if their individual vitamin B12 levels correlated with an increased risk of a rotator cuff tear. To begin the study, levels of vitamin B12 were measured along with other nutrients that included:
Vitamin D
Zinc
Calcium
Magnesium
Folate
Homocysteine and blood sugar biomarkers, which are both associated with B12 metabolism were also measured. Homocysteine is a metabolite that builds up in the blood when specific nutrients, like B12, folate, or B6 become deficient. Elevated levels of homocysteine can be harmful and cause damage to blood vessels and brain tissue when not detoxified properly. In the study, the homocysteine levels did not differ between the groups, but vitamin B12 levels were significantly different.
The patients that were included were a healthy group that did not have any rotator cuff injury during the study.
The second group all experienced a rotator cuff tear that required surgery during the study.
With the various nutrients measured, only vitamin B12 and vitamin D showed differences. With the B12 and D being lower in the group that had the shoulder injury.
Specifically, the B12 levels in the healthy group were 627 pg/mL compared to 528 pg/mL in the injured group. This was a 16% decrease.
These subclinical deficiencies are usually missed with traditional serum testing which is why functional nutritional testing is clinically recommended.
Body Compositional Testing
Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
American Society for Surgery of the Hand: Shoulder Pain.
American Academy of Family Physicians: Shoulder Pain.
Knee Injuries, Surgeries, and Vitamin D Status. The knee joint is one of the largest and complex joints. It connects the thigh bone to the shinbone, which has a very important role in:
Supporting the body’s weight
Facilitating movement
Allowing the ability to bend the knee
Because of the complexity of the knee joint, it is highly susceptible to injuries. The most common injuries include tears in the:
Ligaments
Tendons
Cartilage
The kneecap itself can be fractured and/or dislocated.
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Tears
Meniscal Tears
The meniscus is the cartilage between the knee joint that absorbs the impact/shock when running, playing sports, yard work, hiking, bicycling, etc. It cushions the joint and maintains stability.
Meniscus tears are common in sports that have a lot of jumping, starting/stopping quickly, changing direction suddenly, like volleyball, basketball, tennis, soccer, football. This is when the meniscus tears. Surgery can be required, depending on the severity/extent of the injury and tear.
Tendon Tears
The patellar tendon works with the knee muscles in the front of the thigh to straighten the leg. Tears in the patellar tendon are common among middle-aged individuals and those that participate in running or jumping sports.
A complete tear is considered a disabling injury that requires surgery for full functional recovery.
Fortunately, most tears are partial and require rest and chiropractic/physical therapy to heal.
Dislocation
Knee dislocations happen when the knee bones shift out of position. This can happen after a fall, car crash, or high-speed impact. It can also be caused by twisting the knee while the foot stays planted. Dislocations require relocation. However, sometimes a dislocated kneecap corrects itself and returns to the proper position. Other cases can require a mild sedative to allow a doctor to relocate the knee. Dislocations generally take around six weeks to fully heal.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament – ACL Injury
The anterior cruciate ligament or ACL is knee tissue that joins the upper and lower leg bones and maintains the knees’ stability. The ACL can be torn if the lower leg over-extends forward or if the leg gets twisted. ACL injuries are common knee injuries and account for around 40% of sports-related injuries. These injuries can range from a small tear in the ligament to a severe injury where the ligament tears completely or gets separated from the bone. Treatment depends on the severity of the injury. Depending on various factors including the severity of the tear, surgery could be required.
Knee Surgery
For most cases, surgery is done using arthroscopytechnology. This procedure uses small incisions to insert a camera and surgical instruments into the joint. Usually, two or three incisions are needed with recovery time being quicker than large incision surgery where the whole knee is opened. Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery is preferred by sports medicine experts. With this procedure:
There is no need to cut the tendons or muscles
Bleeding is reduced
Small incisions decrease scarring
Recovery time is shorter
However, sometimes a large incision is required for complex surgical techniques. Common knee surgery procedures include:
Arthroscopy Surgery
This method allows the ability to see inside the knee joint. The procedure is often recommended for:
Diagnosis
Minor repairs to ligaments and/or tendons
Cartilage or bone that needs to be removed
Total Knee Replacement
A full knee replacement is known as arthroplasty. When the joint is damaged beyond repair from injury or disease, an implant is placed in the knee joint restoring function. A small amount of cartilage and bone from the shinbone and thigh bone gets removed for perfect placement of the new knee joint.
Revision Knee Replacement
Most knee replacements last around 15 – 20 years. For individuals that have knee replacement early, then a new operation for new implants could be required. Here, the surgeon removes the original prosthesis and replaces it with a new one.
Partial Knee Replacement
Some knee injuries do not require complete replacement. Here, only the worn-out portion of the joint is replaced. As an example, the cartilage that has been lost in an area of the knee can be repaired with a partial replacement.
Vitamin D Status
A study on athletes that underwent ACL surgery looked at their vitamin d status and how it affected their recovery.
The research concluded that vitamin D status had no effect on surgery outcomes.
However, those with the lowest vitamin D status had three times the failure rate than those with higher vitamin D
The average age of the individuals was around twenty-four and were healthy athletes.
Each of the patients in this study had their vitamin levels measured before the operation and were grouped based on their vitamin D status:
Group 1 vitamin D below 20 ng/mL – considered deficient
Group 2 vitamin D between 20-30 ng/mL – considered low but in a technical range
Group 3 vitamin D above 30 ng/mL – considered sufficient, but not optimal
All were followed for two years with their surgery recovery being measured with two systems.
The Lysholm score, which is a 100 point scoring system that looks at an individual’s knee functions that include:
Mechanical locking
Instability
Pain
Swelling
Stair climbing
Squatting
The WOMAC score is a scoring system that measures:
After 2 years, the Lysholm score and the WOMAC scores were similar.
However, there was a difference in the graft failure rate which was about 6% in group 1 with the lowest vitamin D and around 2% in groups 2 and 3. This shows that the lowest vitamin D status has three times the failure rate compared with those that had increased vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is a known anti-inflammatory with metabolic functions that are documented. Therefore, vitamin D does improve surgical success and recovery in healthy athletes.
Body Composition
Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
Brambilla, Lorenzo, et al. “Outcome of total hip and total knee arthroplasty and vitamin D homeostasis.” British medical bulletin vol. 135,1 (2020): 50-61. doi:10.1093/bmb/ldaa018
European Journal of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, January 2021
Zhang, Hao et al. “Vitamin D Status and Patient Outcomes after Knee or Hip Surgery: A Meta-Analysis.” Annals of nutrition & metabolism vol. 73,2 (2018): 121-130. doi:10.1159/000490670
There are different types of muscle from a biological perspective, however, there is no such thing as lean muscle. Lean suggests the absence of body fat. But the fact is that all muscle is lean muscle. It is important to build muscle mass as the body ages, however, it is more important to build lean body mass. Here is the difference.
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Lean Body Mass
Lean Body Mass is the total weight of an individual’s body minus all the weight from the fat mass.
Lean Body Mass (LBM) = Total Weight – Fat Mass
Lean Body Mass includes the weight of the:
Skin
Body Water
Bones
Organs
Muscle Mass
Because Lean Body Mass consists of various components, any change in the weight of these areas is recorded as changes in lean body mass. However, the weight of the body’s organs will not change. Bone density does decrease with time and age, but will not significantly affect the weight of lean body mass. With lean body mass, 2 areas of focus include:
Body water
Muscle mass
Lean Muscle
Sometimes, individuals use the term lean muscle referring to the shape of the muscles. However, both types of muscle are lean and fat-free.
The difference between muscle mass and lean muscle
The strict definition of muscle mass is the weight of the muscles of the body. When individuals say they are gaining muscle mass, they typically mean that the muscles look and feel bigger.
Lean muscle masson the other hand is a term often used when someone is referring to the weight of the muscles, not factoring in the amount of fat that could be present within a muscle.
Combining Lean Gains
Increases in Skeletal Muscle Mass are also an increase in Lean Body Mass. What tends to happen is individuals combine them as lean mass gains or lean gains. However, an increase in Lean Body Mass does not always increase muscle.
This is because body water makes up a significant portion of an individual’s Lean Body Mass. For example, a body composition analysis of a 174-pound male.
98.1 Total Body Water + 35.5 Dry Lean Mass = 133.6 Lean Body Mass
Water makes up more than 55% of total body weight
This is normal for healthy adult males
Lean Body Mass consists of three components, two of which are water.
Everything else grouped together makes up the individual’s Dry Lean Mass.
This includes bone minerals, protein content, etc.
Muscle gains contribute to Lean Body Mass gains, but so does water. The difference is that water levels can fluctuate throughout the day depending on:
Hydration levels
Diet
Physical activity
The muscle tissue itself contains a significant amount of water. Muscle tissue is comprised of up to 79% water. Research has shown that resistance training increases intracellular water in both men and women. This creates an issue when looking at lean gains.
Lean Mass gains can happen quickly, and the increases are mostly body water
Measuring Lean Body Mass and Muscle Mass
What not to do
Don’t try to use a scale to calculate changes in Skeletal Muscle Mass. A popular method used is to estimate muscle gain from the number on the scale and applying fitness websites/magazine tips. The problem with this technique is that estimating progress has many factors that can influence an increase in body weight. These include:
It is the difference between total body weight and body fat weight. However, these calculations are more for helping physicians determine the appropriate amount of prescription medication/s or if an individual will be undergoing anesthesia and not a computation of overall body composition.
Paying Attention to Weight Loss
Paying attention to weight loss is an inaccurate reflection of lean body mass, muscle mass, or lean mass.
Weight loss, or gain, does not reflect overall health and body composition.
Resistance training/weightlifting workouts combined with added protein will generate a muscle mass percentage increase
Skeletal Muscle Mass is connected with Lean Body Mass
Everyone’s body composition is different, making the proportion of an individual’s skeletal muscle mass to Lean Body Mass unique.
Lean Mass or Lean body mass is the safest term to use to describe gains.
Which Is More Important?
When it comes to tracking muscle gain or fat loss, it all comes down to what tools are being used to measure progress.
If working with just a weight scale, an individual will only know their weight increases or decreases.
This is difficult to see the difference in weight gain from water, muscle, or body fat.
For individuals that want accurate measuring of their muscle gain and assessing their health, then body composition analysis is the key.
Body Composition Difference
Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
Galán-Rioja, Miguel Ángel et al. “Effects of Body Weight vs. Lean Body Mass on Wingate Anaerobic Test Performance in Endurance Athletes.” International journal of sports medicine vol. 41,8 (2020): 545-551. doi:10.1055/a-1114-6206
Köstek, Osman et al. “Changes in skeletal muscle area and lean body mass during pazopanib vs sunitinib therapy for metastatic renal cancer.” Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology vol. 83,4 (2019): 735-742. doi:10.1007/s00280-019-03779-5
Ribeiro, Alex S et al. “Resistance training promotes an increase in intracellular hydration in men and women.” European journal of sports science vol. 14,6 (2014): 578-85. doi:10.1080/17461391.2014.880192
Ten Haaf, Dominique S M et al. “Protein supplementation improves lean body mass in physically active older adults: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.” Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle vol. 10,2 (2019): 298-310. doi:10.1002/jcsm.12394
Tennis is an intense sport that requires strength, agility, flexibility, stamina, endurance, and conditioning. And it’s a great way to stay in shape. However, with all of this intensity is the risk of injuries. Although they are lower compared to other sports injuries, injuries are more cumulative/repetitive based and wear and tear over time type. Tennis injuries can be painful and impair daily life. They can be treated and prevented with chiropractic medicine and strength training. Chiropractic can help the body heal quicker, and address underlying issues that led to the injury. This will help to worsen and prevent re-injury. The most common tennis injuries include…
Contents
Wrist Tendonitis
This is an injury that can happen to beginner players that don’t have a great deal of arm/wrist strength, use a racquet that is too heavy, and begin developing an improper form to compensate. But it can also be caused by repetitive/overusing the wrist instead of the whole arm. Symptoms are chronic stiffness and pain in the area surrounding the wrist joint. Chiropractic sports massage, physical rehabilitation, and learning proper form will help alleviate the pain and prevent worsening or developing new injuries.
Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is a condition that is caused by inflammation of the outside muscles in the forearm and tendons. This is usually an overuse injury from all the swinging and hitting, but using the improper technique could also be a cause. Chiropractic adjustments are highly recommended instead of steroid injections and other anti-inflammatories. The adjustments and massage relieve the discomfort and pain by naturally relaxing, stretching, and strengthening the muscles and tendons.
Shoulder Rotator Cuff Tendonitis
The rotator cuff belongs to a group of tendons and muscles that surround the shoulder joint. This allows the shoulder to perform 360-degree arm circles and is what stabilizes the shoulders. Tendonitis happens when the tendons inside the rotator cuff become inflamed. The inflammation causes pain with movement, especially overhead motions decreasing the range of motion in the shoulder. This injury is often caused by serving and hitting overheads with an improper technique. Chiropractic adjusting, heat and ice therapy, and electro-muscular stimulation loosen and stretch the muscles/tendons back to their proper form.
Knee Sprains and Strains
The knee goes through a lot in sports. And tennis is no exception, much like basketball and volleyball with all the jumping, pounding, shifting, twisting,losing balance, or extending beyond the normal range of motion causes injuries that result in:
Pain
Swelling
Bruising
Loss of the ability to move
Chiropractic will help relieve that pain and relax the damaged muscles. It also speeds the healing process by addressing the underlying issues.
Ankle Sprain
An ankle sprain also known as a twisted ankle happens when the ligaments attached to the joint become over-stretched or partially tear. These sprains happen from the:
Quick start and stop movements
Changing direction rapidly
Quick sprints all around the court
Causing the ankle to roll and/or twist.
A chiropractor will realign the ankle and provide physical therapy massage to allow the ligaments to heal properly and faster. Chiropractic treatment will allow the player to return to play quicker and prevent reinjury that if not treated correctly can become chronic. Having the proper personalized treatment plan will ensure the body heals correctly, prevent misalignments, loss of functionality, and/or range of motion.
PUSH Fitness
Aerobic Training
Aerobic exercise is a cornerstone for weight loss. Having the heart rate elevated for a continuous amount of time is the key. This is how calories are burned. Research has found that individuals involved in aerobic training lose more weight overall, including more fat mass than resistance training alone. When combined, aerobic and resistance training individuals gain more fat-free mass, including lean muscle. Aerobics causes the cardiorespiratory system to adapt. Maintaining heart function and health and keeps the body’s energy metabolism system running at optimal levels. Aerobic exercise for fitness and weight loss is a key element of maintaining the body’s health.
Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
Dines, Joshua S et al. “Tennis injuries: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment.” The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons vol. 23,3 (2015): 181-9. doi:10.5435/JAAOS-D-13-00148
Minghelli, Beatriz, and Jéssica Cadete. “Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in tennis players: risk factors.” The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness vol. 59,12 (2019): 2045-2052. doi:10.23736/S0022-4707.19.09842-6
Stuelcken, Max et al. “Wrist Injuries in Tennis Players: A Narrative Review.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 47,5 (2017): 857-868. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0630-x
Willis, Leslie H et al. “Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults.” Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md.: 1985) vol. 113,12 (2012): 1831-7. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011
With the number of individuals/vehicles on the road today, automobile accidents are frequent and even minor ones can cause damage. The most obvious is the destruction of the vehicle during and after the collision. But these crashes and accidents also cause serious damage to the body that is not immediately visible or felt. Almost every accident and crash results in injuries to one or more of the individuals involved. Vehicle collisions both great and small involve force being applied as two or more vehicles collide. The direction and amount of force can cause damage to the body from twisting, bending, slamming, and jolting in ways the body was not meant to do. There is a 1 in 5 chance of being involved in an automobile accident that causes bodily injury.
The most frequent injuries include:
Contents
Frequent Soft Tissue Injuries
Bruising/Contusions
Even a minor automobile accident can cause bruising. A collision can jerk/jolt the body from the seat belt, while it is doing its job of keeping the individual from flying out the window, it can leave bruises for days afterward. Bruises are rarely serious injuries that require medical attention and usually heal within a week or two.
Whiplash
The physical force from an accident can cause the head to move at speeds that it should not move at. Pain or discomfort in the neck and back after a collision can indicate a sustained whiplash strain to the muscles and ligaments. These strains can be painful and take weeks for a full recovery and if left untreated could result in chronic pain.
Neck and Spinal injuries
The intense force that the body endures from a collision can cause serious damage to the body that is not immediately apparent or present with inflammation/pain letting the individual know that something is not right. Herniations or ruptures of the discs in the spine can occur. This can lead to serious injuries that cause intense pain and limit mobility and flexibility. If pain continues after several days, or there is a history of neck/back injury/s and/or condition/s, consult with an accident chiropractic specialist or spine specialist to see if there is an injury to the spine or surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Chiropractic treatment and physical therapy are important to return the body to optimal health. Surgery could be an option if there is sustained serious neck or spinal injury.
Frequent Head Injuries
Concussions
During a collision, hitting the head on the steering wheel, window, or roof is frequent and can cause a concussion. Individuals can experience problems with memory, like not remembering what happened before the collision, or feeling like brain function is not as quick. Treatment for any kind of head injury is crucial. Treatment will help alleviate headaches and help restore the brain to a healthy state.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
These injuries can cause life-altering effects. A traumatic brain injury can change:
The way the brain functions
Handles information
Processes emotions
Recovery from a brain injury is possible but can take time, depending on the type and severity of the damage.
Frequent Mental and Emotional Injuries
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
When the body goes through extreme stress like an automobile accident there is the potential to develop emotional and mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Symptoms can include:
Avoiding or responding fearfully to certain sounds or images that are associated with auto accidents
Sleeping problems brought on by anxiety and/or nightmares
Treatment is vital and psychologists and therapists can help individuals express their feelings, and educate individuals on techniques to deal with stresses, anxieties, and fears to get them to a healthy life.
Internal Injuries
Broken Bones
The impact of a collision can cause the body to hit various areas of the vehicle, stressing the musculoskeletal system that it can’t take. This can occur in a variety of ways, with the torso, arms, or legs getting pinned by a part of the vehicle causing fracture/s. Also, depending on the speed of the collision, the seatbelt could stop the body suddenly causing a fracture of the ribs. Broken bones are frequent in auto accidents/crashes, however, some fractures could require surgery and hardware to reset the bones to allow proper healing. Depending on the type of break, individuals could require a month or more of rest. Chiropractic care and physical therapy could help expedite recovery.
Internal Bleeding
The body’s organs are delicate and fragile. The impact forces from an auto accident can cause all kinds of damage, causing them to bleed. These are serious injuries and are quite common in high-speed collisions.
Auto Accident Doctors & Chiropractic Treatment
Body Positivity
Body positivity is about every individual having a psychological representation of their body or body image. This includes:
How an individual thinks about their body shape
Size
Emotions attached to their perception
Fitness and fashion industries used to promote what the perfect body should look like and those with a body image that did not fit these criteria could develop a sense of inferiority. In response to this, body positivity has become a rapidly growing movement on social media. The movement’s objective is to challenge society to focus on an individual’s overall health, and not their body. It encourages acceptance of all body types, no matter the size or shape. The movement has a companion known as the Healthy at Every Size or HAES movement that focuses on health indicators other than weight. It encourages the focus on developing healthy habits that lead to improved health. HAES involves three components:
Intuitive eating
Encourages body acceptance
Promotes physical activity through movement and health instead of a structured exercise regimen
These movements offer realistic and encouraging ways to recognize and achieve optimal health. They accept body and health at every stage of an individual’s fitness and health journey.
Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
Duncan, G J, and R Meals. “One hundred years of automobile-induced orthopedic injuries.” Orthopedics vol. 18,2 (1995): 165-70.
Hamilton JB. Seat-belt injuries. Br Med J. 1968 Nov 23;4(5629):485-6. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5629.485. PMID: 5697665; PMCID: PMC1912721.
Sims, J K et al. “Automobile accident occupant injuries.” JACEP vol. 5,10 (1976): 796-808. doi:10.1016/s0361-1124(76)80313-9
Individuals typically don’t think about their spine as they go through their everyday lives, bending, reaching, twisting, lifting, etc. However, it is through all of these movements/motions that spinal misalignments can occur causing discomfort, pain, and health problems. This happens gradually, with individuals learning how to live with the misalignment, accepting it as a normal part of life. Spinal misalignments, known as subluxations, are common but can be resolved through chiropractic treatment.
Contents
Spinal Misalignment
The spine needs to stay strong, stable, and able to support the musculoskeletal system to keep the body upright and protect the central nervous system. When the spine is properly aligned the body stays strong and mobile. When the spine is misaligned, it can cause dysfunction of the central nervous system. Chiropractic is highly effective and a non-invasive way to improve the body’s health. An individual will want to know if their spine is out of alignment to know what to do and what to avoid when back pain presents. Symptoms that the spine is out of alignment includes:
Headaches, Back, and/or Joint Pain
Headaches, joint pain, and backaches can be misalignment symptoms and are the most common. Many individuals learn to live with chronic headaches and migraines but do not realize that chiropractic treatment can help to reduce, or in a case like this, can eliminate them. Back pain, especially low back pain is another symptom of misalignment. However, there can be a variety of causes, like a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, a chiropractor will alleviate the pain without medication or surgery. A chiropractor will find the root cause and correct any misalignments.
The Heels of Shoes Wear Out Unevenly
This is a symptom that can come from cheap shoes, but often it is from a misaligned pelvis/pelvic tilt. What happens is the hips are shifted out of their proper position, which causes the feet to land on the ground unevenly.
Stiffness and/or Inability To Turn The Head or Hips
If the neck is stiff or there is difficultness, pain when turning, or you can hear the neck crack when turning, this is a sure symptom of cervical misalignment. The same is true with the hips. A subluxation can also cause muscles to tighten or damage the connective tissues, like the ligaments or tendons. Individuals can get used to feeling this way, but it can lead to losing the full range of motion along with pain, stiffness, and inability to perform certain tasks.
Joint Stiffness, Aches, and Pains
Trying to push through back stiffness, along with aches and pains is not healthy. Improper ergonomics and postures could be caused by spinal misalignment or could worsen a subluxation causing further injury. A chiropractor will:
Educate on proper ergonomics
Show how to improve posture
Perform adjustments
Recommend anti-inflammatory supplements
Perform physical therapeutic massage to eliminate stiffness, alleviate pain, and relieve stress.
Numbness or Tingling in Hands or Feet
This is a sure symptom that of a misaligned spine. Numbness and/or tingling sensations often indicate pinched/compressed nerves. The compression or irritation can result in pain or the aforementioned sensations. A chiropractor will ease the pressure on the nerves, allowing for proper circulation, bringing back the full sensation to the affected area/s.
Body Composition
Fiber Health Benefits
Fiber health benefits include lowering the risk of developing diseases like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and more. It is also beneficial for those who have diabetes to improve insulin sensitivity. Adding more fiber to your diet can enhance weight loss goals. Fruits and vegetables are the highest-fiber foods available.
Fiber and Gut Health
The beneficial bacteria that live in the gut thrive from fruit and vegetable fiber. Because the body does not absorb fiber, the bacteria ferment the fiber. Anti-inflammatory fatty acids are released as a by-product of this process and help to protect the health of the gut. They can also help with appetite regulation.
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
Czaprowski, Dariusz et al. “Non-structural misalignments of body posture in the sagittal plane.” Scoliosis and spinal disorders vol. 13 6. 5 Mar. 2018, doi:10.1186/s13013-018-0151-5
Formica, M et al. “ALIF in the correction of spinal sagittal misalignment. A systematic review of the literature.” The European spine journal: official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society vol. 30,1 (2021): 50-62. doi:10.1007/s00586-020-06598-y
Granacher, Urs et al. “Effects of core instability strength training on trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility, dynamic balance and functional mobility in older adults.” Gerontology vol. 59,2 (2013): 105-13. doi:10.1159/000343152
Here are a few recommended stretches and exercises for relieving herniated disc symptoms. The vertebrae are the small bones that make up the spine. They have cushion discs between each one. These are the intervertebral discs and are the body’s shock absorbers. The discs can be thought of as small balloons that are filled with an elastic gel-type material. There are twenty-three of these cushions.
Functioning as the body’s shock absorbers transferring various forces, weight, and stress from vertebra to vertebra, so that no one is overburdened taking on all the impact the body goes through. But like any machine, the discs can wear down over time, and sustain injury. When this happens the cushioning gel can leak out and press on the nerve roots emerging from the spine. This type of injury is a herniated disc.
Contents
Herniated Disc Treatment
A herniated disc can lose its height because of fluid and water loss.
This loss affects the bone structures bringing them closer together affecting the ligaments that connect each segment. The ligaments become loose and do not provide the same stability. Ligaments cannot be strengthened with exercise making it more important to strengthen the muscles around the spine to make up for this stability loss. Depending on the severity of the injury, the displaced disc can cause pressure to build upon the nerves, resulting in pain and other discomforts. This comes from the loss of the disc’s cushion causing the vertebrae to rub against each other. Stretches and exercises designed for herniated discs can work in conjunction with conservative treatment to relieve the pain and discomfort.
Stretches and Exercises for Pain Relief
Consult a medical spine specialist/chiropractor before beginning a stretch and exercise regimen. This is because the herniation can become worse or additional injury/s can occur without proper instruction. Once the injury and clinical considerations have been addressed, gentle stretches and exercises can help reduce the pain and other symptoms. Strengthening the back and hamstring muscles reduces pressure on the spinal column helping to prevent pain and promotes healing by:
Increasing blood flow to the spine
Building strength to support the spinal muscles
Decreases stress on the spine
Helps relieve the pain
Improves abnormal postures and awkward body positions
Equipment is not necessary but there are few items that can help the process.
A herniated disc in the neck is usually caused by a forward head posture and a swayback or excessive curvature of the spine.
Isometric hold
Sit straight
Relax the shoulders
Place one hand on the forehead
Push head into the hand without moving the head
Hold for 5 to 15 seconds.
Repeat 15 times
Chin tuck
Lie on your back on a flat surface
Place arms at sides
Tuck the chin in and down toward the chest until a stretch is felt
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds
Repeat 15 to 20 times
Lumbar/Low Back Stretches and Exercises
Back flexion stretch
This stretch extends the back muscles to relieve low back pain.
Lie flat on your back
Pull the knees toward the chest and wrap your arms around the knees
Lift head straight up off the floor until there is a stretch across the mid and low back
Hold for 10 seconds
Repeat 5 to 10 times
Piriformis stretch
This stretches the small muscle in the buttocks helping to relieve low back pain and helps with sciatica.
Lie flat on your back on the floor or yoga mat
Bend the knees
Plant feet on the floor
Pick up one leg and rest the ankle on the other leg’s bent knee
Reach one arm through the leg and use both hands to grasp the bent leg
Pull the leg toward the chest until there is a stretch in the buttock
Hold for 30 seconds
Repeat on the other leg
Prone extension stretch
This stretch helps reposition the disc back to its proper position, expediting the healing process. Start slowly and if pain presents, stop immediately.
Lie face down on the floor or yoga mat
Place the forearms on the floor next to the body
The elbows should be at a 45- degree angle
Slowly prop the body up, being sure to keep the hips on the floor
Keep pressing upward until the elbows are at a 90-degree angle
Hold the position for 10-15 seconds
Return to starting position
Repeat the stretch 10 times
Gradually increase the upward position hold time until it can be maintained for 30 seconds
Performing these stretches and exercises or similar types will help with herniated injury recovery and prevent worsening or creating new injuries.
Body Composition
Benefits of yoga
Yoga benefits mental and physical health. Yoga helps improve individual physical health. Specific poses can help:
Improve balance
Flexibility
Build/Tone muscle
Prevent injury
Improve sense of well-being
Yoga stretches the muscles while relieving physical and emotional stress. Practicing yoga regularly can prevent obesity, and reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Yoga can help decrease leptin which is a hormone that helps control appetite. This is important for individuals going through chronic stress who are twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome.
Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, CTG*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in Texas & New Mexico
References
Court C, Mansour E, Bouthors C. Thoracic disc herniation: Surgical treatment, Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research, 104(1)S31-@40, 2018, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877056817303419.
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