Whenever stepping out onto a playing field or gym, there is a risk of suffering sports back injuries. Back pulls, strain and sprain injuries are the most common. Low back pain is one of the most prevalent complaints at all levels of competition. 90% of these acute back injuries will heal on their own, usually in about three months. However, sometimes these injuries can be more severe and require professional medical care. Treatment options for different groups of athletes include nonsurgical motorized spinal decompression.
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Sports Back Injuries
Injury mechanisms vary from sport to sport, but there are recommendations regarding spinal decompression treatment for these injuries and return to play. Chiropractic healthcare specialists understand the sport-specific injury patterns and treatment guidelines for athletes following a back injury. Spinal decompression treatments are beneficial and result in higher rates of return to play depending on the specific sport of the injured athlete. A chiropractor will create a personalized spinal decompression treatment plan for the sport-specific context to meet the athlete’s short and long-term needs.
An estimated 10–15% of athletes will experience low back pain.
All types of sports place increased stress on the lumbar spine through physically demanding and repetitive movements/motions.
The repetitive shifting, bending, twisting, jumping, flexion, extension, and spinal axial loadingmotions contribute to low back pain even though the athletes are in top shape with increased strength and flexibility.
Injury patterns demonstrate the increased stresses that athletes place on the lumbar spine.
Common Spine Sports Injuries
Cervical Neck Injuries
Stingers are a type of neck injury.
A stinger is also known as a burner is an injury that happens when the head or neck gets hit to one side, causing the shoulder to be pulled in the opposite direction.
These injuries manifest as numbness or tingling in the shoulder from stretching or compressing the cervical nerve roots.
Lumbar Lower Back Sprains and Strains
When trying to lift too much weight or using an improper lifting technique when working out with weights.
Fast running, quick stopping, and shifting can cause the low back and hip muscles to get overly pulled/stretched.
Staying low to the ground and springing/jumping up can cause abnormal stretching or tearing of the muscle fibers.
Fractures and Injuries to the Supporting Spinal Structures
In sports that involve repetitive extension movements, spinal stress fractures are relatively common.
Excessive and repeated strain to the spinal column area leads to low back pain and injury.
Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression
Nonsurgical spinal decompression is motorized traction that is used to relieve compression pressure, restore spinal disc height, and relieve back pain.
Spinal decompression works to gently stretch the spine changing the force and position of the spine.
The gel-like cushions between the vertebrae are pulled to open up the spacing taking pressure off nerves and other structures.
This allows bulging or herniated discs to return to their normal position and promotes optimal circulation of blood, water, oxygen, and nutrient-rich fluids into the discs to heal, as well as, injured or diseased spinal nerve roots.
DRX 9000 Decompression
References
Ball, Jacob R et al. “Lumbar Spine Injuries in Sports: Review of the Literature and Current Treatment Recommendations.” Sports medicine – open vol. 5,1 26. 24 Jun. 2019, doi:10.1186/s40798-019-0199-7
Jonasson, Pall et al. “Prevalence of joint-related pain in the extremities and spine in five groups of top athletes.” Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy: official journal of the ESSKA vol. 19,9 (2011): 1540-6. doi:10.1007/s00167-011-1539-4
Lawrence, James P et al. “Back pain in athletes.” The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons vol. 14,13 (2006): 726-35. doi:10.5435/00124635-200612000-00004
Petering, Ryan C, and Charles Webb. “Treatment options for low back pain in athletes.” Sports health vol. 3,6 (2011): 550-5. doi:10.1177/1941738111416446
Sanchez, Anthony R 2nd et al. “Field-side and prehospital management of the spine-injured athlete.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 4,1 (2005): 50-5. doi:10.1097/01.csmr.0000306072.44520.22
Individuals with chronic back and/or leg pain are encouraged to try spinal decompression. Non-surgical spinal decompression is a treatment option therapy that has been proven to be safe, gentle, and successful. This therapy is motorized traction that takes the pressure off the spinal discs and stretches out the spine to its correct position. It is highly effective, comfortable, affordable, and a safe alternative to surgery. At Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic, our spinal decompression team/tables effectively treat:
Neck pain
Chronic back pain
Sciatica
Bulging discs
Herniated discs
Degenerated discs
Whiplash
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Try Spinal Decompression
The vertebral bones protect the spinal cord. Everyday wear-and-tear, improper posture and injury can cause parts of the vertebrae to compress the spinal cord’s nerves, leading to pain, numbness, or tingling. Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is also known as NSSD or SDT/Spinal Decompression Therapy. The goal of the treatment is to restore optimal health to the spine. Pain-causing conditions can be reversed or healed, and discs can be normalized through the decompression process as it encourages spinal repositioning to promote optimal healing.
Decompression Table
The spinal decompression table may consist of a manually operated cable and pulley system or a computerized table segmented by the upper and lower body.
The angle and pressure applied depend on the type of injury and the individual’s needs.
Each procedure is carefully calculated to reposition the spinal discs and disc material to alleviate pain.
How It Works
Spinal decompression is a mechanized version of a chiropractic adjustment. By gently stretching and moving the spine, the vertebrae have proper alignment restored, restoring range of motion, decreasing or eliminating pain, and improving mobility and function.
The individual is strapped to the machine with a harness that helps position the back for optimal decompression.
Depending on the condition and severity, the therapist will choose from a list of decompression programs.
Slowly, the spine is stretched and lengthened, relieving pressure.
The spine’s stretching and repositioning are different from standard physical therapy and manual manipulation treatment.
It is a gradual process to prevent the body from muscle guarding as the natural response to avoid injury.
Treatment Benefits
An examination is required to see if an individual meets the criteria. Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy has been shown to:
Reduce or eliminate pain.
Rehydrate spinal discs.
Reduce disc bulging/herniation.
Improve functional abilities.
Decrease the need for surgery.
DRX9000
References
Apfel, Christian C et al. “Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study.” BMC musculoskeletal disorders vol. 11 155. 8 Jul. 2010, doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-155
Koçak, Fatmanur Aybala et al. “Comparison of the short-term effects of the conventional motorized traction with non-surgical spinal decompression performed with a DRX9000 device on pain, functionality, depression, and quality of life in patients with low back pain associated with lumbar disc herniation: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.” Turkish Journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation vol. 64,1 17-27. 16 Feb. 2017, doi:10.5606/tftrd.2017.154
Macario, Alex, and Joseph V Pergolizzi. “Systematic literature review of spinal decompression via motorized traction for chronic discogenic low back pain.” Pain practice: the Official Journal of World Institute of Pain vol. 6,3 (2006): 171-8. doi:10.1111/j.1533-2500.2006.00082.x
Any vehicle crash, collision, or accident can cause various injuries, with back pain issues as a primary injury or a side effect from other injuries. Usually, injury symptoms begin right after the collision, but in other cases, individuals may not start experiencing symptoms until hours, days, or even weeks later. This is from the adrenaline that rushes throughout the body during the collision/fight or flight response delaying the injury symptoms. There are reports of individuals who walk away from an accident unscathed but require urgent medical treatment a short while later. Chiropractic care can provide manual and spinal motorized decompression benefits.
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Decompression Benefits
Head Injuries
Head injuries occur when drivers and/or passengers hit their heads on the steering wheel, windows, dashboard, metal frame, and sometimes each other.
A head injury is considered a severe condition that can cause concussions, skull fractures, comas, hearing loss, cognitive and memory issues, and vision problems.
A significant head injury can cause extensive and costly medical treatment with the possibility of long-term medical care.
Neck Injuries
Neck injuries are common in vehicle collisions.
The most common is whiplash, with the head and neck-snapping from indirect blunt force, like being rear-ended.
Whiplash can cause significant damage to the ligaments and muscles, like swelling and neck pain, and temporary paralysis of the vocal cords.
Injury patterns of whiplash can differ depending on the speed, force, and overall health of the individual involved.
Back Injuries
Back injuries can range in severity from sprains to significant damage involving the nerves and/or the spinal cord.
If the damage is severe, it can lead to loss of sensation in the body, loss of limb control, or permanent paralysis.
Disc herniation/s can lead to disability, muscle weakness, tingling and numbness in the limbs, and radiating body pain.
Chest and Torso Injuries
Vehicle collision forces can result in severe chest injuries that include broken ribs.
Broken ribs might not sound dangerous by themselves; they can puncture the lungs leading to other injuries and internal bleeding.
The legs, feet, arms, and hands are frequently injured, broken, and sometimes dislocated.
Motorcyclists are also at a higher risk for significant injury that includes:
Multiple fractures, internal injury, head injuries, and severe ligament damage.
Pedestrians struck by a vehicle have an increased risk for a combination of all injuries at once.
Non-Surgical Decompression Benefits
Chiropractors are trained to identify and treat injuries from vehicle collisions.
Non-surgical spinal decompression gently stretches the spine using a motorized traction device to help reposition the spine and remove the pressure.
As the pressure is taken off, the spinal discs regain their natural height, relieving the pressure on the nerves and other spinal structures.
Optimal healing is promoted by an improved circulation of nutrients, water, and oxygen to the injury site.
Decompression helps to strengthen the muscles in the affected area.
It provides positive spinal structural changes.
Improves nervous system function.
Non-surgical decompression is a tool for correcting injuries and relieving pain, allowing optimal health for the individual.
DOC Decompression Table
References
Apfel, Christian C et al. “Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study.” BMC musculoskeletal disorders vol. 11 155. 8 Jul. 2010, doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-155
Koçak, Fatmanur Aybala et al. “Comparison of the short-term effects of the conventional motorized traction with non-surgical spinal decompression performed with a DRX9000 device on pain, functionality, depression, and quality of life in patients with low back pain associated with lumbar disc herniation: A single-blind randomized controlled trial.” Turkish Journal of physical medicine and rehabilitation vol. 64,1 17-27. 16 Feb. 2017, doi:10.5606/tftrd.2017.154
Macario, Alex, and Joseph V Pergolizzi. “Systematic literature review of spinal decompression via motorized traction for chronic discogenic low back pain.” Pain practice: the Official Journal of World Institute of Pain vol. 6,3 (2006): 171-8. doi:10.1111/j.1533-2500.2006.00082.x
Restaurant work takes a toll on the body with the repetitive moving, bending, twisting, reaching, prepping, cutting, serving, and washing. This is especially true of the shoulders, arms, and hands. When individuals avoid treating their aches and pains, this can lead to chronic pain conditions that can cause severe and permanent damage to the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic can alleviate the tingling and pain by removing the compression, re-stretching/lengthening, and strengthening the muscles and nerves to perform at optimal levels.
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Restaurant Work
The arms and hands are designed to accomplish various tasks. When functioning normally, tasks can be performed flawlessly. Repetitive/Overuse or trauma can cause nerve compression, stiffness, and pain, decreasing function and affecting daily routines.
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common disorders that affect the arm and hands.
The carpal tunnel is a space where a nerve and several tendons pass. If the nerve becomes compressed, it can cause numbness, tingling in the fingers, pain, and muscle weakness, making it difficult to grip objects.
Discomfort and pain start gradually in one or both hands.
It can cause tightness and pain in the shoulder, forearm, wrist, and hand.
It can also cause numbness in the palm and fingers.
Avoid scheduling multiple consecutive long shifts for jobs that require repetitive hand motions.
Body Composition
Sticking To A Meal Plan
Identify personal motivation to stick to a meal plan other than improving body composition. To keep motivation high, individuals need to identify other reasons behind goals. This could be:
Saving money from the food budget.
Spending time with loved ones preparing a healthy recipe.
Setting an example to family and friends.
It can be whatever motivates you.
Reassess and tweak the meal plan as needed.
Nutritional needs or dietary preferences change.
Meal planning should be a dynamic process.
Don’t get disappointed if not going as planned.
Refocus by making changes as needed.
References
Gentzler, Marc D, and Janan A Smither. “Using practical ergonomic evaluations in the restaurant industry to enhance safety and comfort: a case study.” Work (Reading, Mass.) vol. 41 Suppl 1 (2012): 5529-31. doi:10.3233/WOR-2012-0872-5529
Laperrière, Ève et al. “Work activity in foodservice: The significance of customer relations, tipping practices and gender for preventing musculoskeletal disorders.” Applied ergonomics vol. 58 (2017): 89-101. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2016.05.013
Masear, V R et al. “An industrial cause of carpal tunnel syndrome.” The Journal of hand surgery vol. 11,2 (1986): 222-7. doi:10.1016/s0363-5023(86)80055-7
Stress health recognizes how stress affects the body, thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Stress that’s left untreated can contribute to various health problems. These include:
Chiropractic serves as a powerful intervention for anxiety-related symptoms.
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Stress Health Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Balance
Chiropractic benefits cardiovascular health as it directly affects the nervous and other body systems that include the spinal system, the bones, joints, and muscular system, affecting the function of the cardiovascular system. Chiropractic regulates these system’s functions allowing for a moderate heart rate and blood pressure. Balanced blood pressure and heart rate can help minimize stress and anxiety, making it much easier to stay relaxed and focused. Individuals report experiencing decreased blood pressure and lower heart rate with long-term chiropractic treatment.
Mental Clarity
Cerebrospinal fluid/CSF is necessary for detoxifying the brain and helping to protect the brain. CSF transports oxygen and nutrients to the brain, helping to increase brain function efficiency. Chiropractic has been shown to increase the amount of cerebrospinal fluid delivered to the brain. This is because the spine is aligned correctly, allowing for a smooth flow of blood and nerve energy from the brain through the spine to the rest of the body. This provides:
Chiropractic can help increase energy levels in different ways for different individuals.
For some, this works by eliminating headaches, migraines, and other nerve dysfunction/s.
For others, this happens by decreasing or eliminating pain symptoms.
These conditions can contribute to lowered energy levels. Constant stress can change the body’s chemistry, leading to increased stress hormones like cortisol. Over time, these hormone releases can decrease energy, causing interference with the body/brain’s natural rejuvenating processes that reduce stress. With chiropractic, the therapeutic effects help correct body chemistry and improve energy levels.
Body Composition
Increase Immune Function
Lymphatic fluid has a vital role in stress health and the function of the immune system. Lymphatic fluid helps separate and release:
Toxins
Viruses
Fungus
Bacteria from the body.
When lymphatic fluid flows smoothly and is not impeded or trapped in tissues, joints, or muscles, the immune system operates at a high level. Chiropractic helps drive lymphatic fluid out of the tissues, joints, and muscles of the body, facilitating optimal immune function.
References
Dragoş, Dorin, and Maria Daniela Tănăsescu. “The effect of stress on the defense systems.” Journal of medicine and life vol. 3,1 (2010): 10-8.
Meier, Jacqueline Katharina et al. “Stress Alters the Neural Context for Building New Memories.” Journal of cognitive neuroscience vol. 32,12 (2020): 2226-2240. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_01613
Pickar, Joel G. “Neurophysiological effects of spinal manipulation.” The spine journal: official journal of the North American Spine Society vol. 2,5 (2002): 357-71. doi:10.1016/s1529-9430(02)00400-x
As the body gets older, slouching, little to no physical activity, and regular stretching cause muscle fatigue, weakness, tension, leading to poor posture complications. The complications include:
Posture can be improved along with overall spinal health and a better quality of life through chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic will improve posture through adjustments, postural exercise training and stretching, education on ergonomics, and nutrition to strengthen the body.
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Complications Poor Posture
Symptoms
Symptoms vary as they depend on the severity of the case and condition.
Skeletal muscle comprises two types of muscle fiber. They are static or slow-twitch muscles and phasic or fast-twitch muscles. Static muscle fibers are found in the deeper muscle layers. Static fibers burn energy slowly and keep working without tiring. They help the body maintain posture without effort and contribute to balance by sensing the body’s position and transmitting the information to the brain. Phasic muscle fibers are used for movement and activity but can quickly run out of energy. Poor posture causes muscle fatigue because the phasic fibers are used rather than the static fibers to maintain the body’s proper position.
Muscle Strength and Length
Over time, the body constantly needs support from the phasic muscle fibers. This causes the deeper supporting muscles to waste away because they are not being used. Weak, unused muscles begin to tighten, causing a shortening of muscle length that can compact the spine’s bones and cause back complications.
Nervous System Feedback
The deeper layers of muscle sense the body’s position in space and relay this information to the brain. The brain does not receive complete transmission if the phasic muscle fibers take over this function. The brain assumes that the body needs to be propped up/corrected to counteract the poor posture effects, triggering further muscle contraction, adding to the fatigue and pain.
Listening To The Body
The objective is to form a habit of regularly listening to what the body is saying. Make minor adjustments while standing and sitting throughout the day/night. Often what happens is individuals become so immersed in their work, school tasks that they ignore any physical discomfort and push through and forget to change positions/move around to get the muscles moving and the blood pumping. If there is muscle tension or fatigue, don’t just work through the pain; move into another healthy position.
Posture Improvement
Suggestions include:
Try to avoid sitting in soft chairs.
Switch to ergonomic chairs for any activity that requires sitting for long periods.
Use a lumbar roll to support the lower back when sitting in regular chairs or driving.
Remember to reverse the curve; an example could be if leaning over a desk/workstation, stretch the back in the other direction.
As the body ages, it loses muscle mass, known as sarcopenia. Between the ages of 30 and 80, both men and women can lose 30-50 percent of their muscle strength. Decreasing strength can make it a challenge to lead an active lifestyle or have energy levels to complete the daily errands. Individuals can be reluctant to improve fitness levels through resistance workouts believing there is nothing left after years of inactivity. This is not true as anybody can strength train. With the right mindset, and health coaching team, goals can be set to:
Improve body composition
Improve energy levels
Maintain an active lifestyle
References
Creze, Maud et al. “Posture-related stiffness mapping of paraspinal muscles.” Journal of anatomy vol. 234,6 (2019): 787-799. doi:10.1111/joa.12978
Deliagina, Tatiana G et al. “Physiological and circuit mechanisms of postural control.” Current opinion in neurobiology vol. 22,4 (2012): 646-52. doi:10.1016/j.conb.2012.03.002
Korakakis, Vasileios et al. “Physiotherapist perceptions of optimal sitting and standing posture.” Musculoskeletal Science & practice vol. 39 (2019): 24-31. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2018.11.004
Pollock, A S et al. “What is balance?.” Clinical rehabilitation vol. 14,4 (2000): 402-6. doi:10.1191/0269215500cr342oa
Waters, Thomas R, and Robert B Dick. “Evidence of health risks associated with prolonged standing at work and intervention effectiveness.” Rehabilitation nursing: the official journal of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses vol. 40,3 (2015): 148-65. doi:10.1002/rnj.166
Spondylitis Anti-Inflammation Diet: Individuals who have a chronic back pain condition can be recommended to have two or more vertebrae fused to correct the problem/s and alleviate the pain. However, a form of inflammatory spinal arthritis can cause the vertebrae to fuse by themselves, known as ankylosing spondylitis. One recommended way to bring pain relief is by eating an anti-inflammatory diet. Studies have shown that a low-inflammatory diet can help improve spondylitis symptoms.
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Spondylitis Anti-Inflammation Diet
Ankylosing spondylitis is a progressive inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine; however, individual symptoms vary. Symptoms include stiffness and pain in the neck, hips, low back, and fatigue. There is no definite pattern meaning:
Symptoms can improve.
Symptoms can worsen or flare up.
Symptoms can stop for a period of time.
Women are affected more often than men with no known cause. There is no cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but treatments and self-care can slow down the disease’s progression and help manage symptoms.
Diet and Inflammation
Diet is not the root cause of inflammatory disease, but eating inflammation-causing foods can worsen symptoms. Reducing inflammation can help alleviate pain.
Eliminating foods that cause or increase inflammation is recommended to help the body become stronger and manage symptoms.
Functional medicine practitioners can help guide individuals on maximizing healthy nutrition and using it to reduce pain and symptoms.
If an individual has a genetic predisposition, their diet can be crucial to calm down the symptoms and help turn the autoimmune disease around.
A spondylitis anti-inflammation diet should be rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids. Evidence shows that a diet low in starches can lead to less ankylosing spondylitis activity. Low-starch can also help limit the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacteria that feeds on starch and is a known trigger for the onset and development of ankylosing spondylitis.
Foods To Eat
Leafy greens
These include spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens containing magnesiumand polyphenols that reduce inflammation.
These can be raw or cooked with garlic and olive oil added to maximize benefits.
Cruciferous vegetables
These contain sulforaphane, anantioxidantthat includes broccoli cauliflower and can be eaten raw or cooked, roasted with olive oil, sauteed, and stir-fried.
Allium Vegetables
These contain sulfuric compounds and quercetin,a flavonoidthat helps reduce inflammation.
These include red and yellow onions, leeks, garlic, and shallots.
They can be eaten raw or cooked in salads, stir-frys, and sandwiches.
Berries
These contain anthocyanin,an antioxidant flavonoid, and other antioxidants and polyphenols that help with inflammation.
These include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and can be eaten raw, in smoothies, in salads, with oatmeal, or mixed in unsweetened yogurt.
Fruits
Certain fruits contain quercetin and polyphenols to help with inflammation.
These include apples, cherries, oranges.
Healthy oils
Contain oleocanthalwhich acts similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and contains various antioxidants.
These include olive oil for low heat cooking and avocado oil for high heat cooking to replace butter and margarine.
It can be served in dressings and drizzled on foods.
Examples include walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, chia seeds, and ground flaxseeds.
These can be served as snacks, salads, mixed in side dishes, topping, or added to unsweetened yogurt or oatmeal.
Fatty fish
Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation.
Examples include salmon, cod, rainbow trout, mackerel, and sardines.
These can be baked, sauteed, grilled, mixed into salads, and stir fry.
Avoid These Foods
When making lifestyle adjustments for a spondylitis anti-inflammation diet, focus on reducing or removing processed foods and saturated fats. These include:
Sugars from all sources like soda, sugary drinks, shakes, candy, and desserts.
Trans fats, like those in fried foods like chips and fries.
Individuals may not be symptomatic with certain foods, but that doesn’t mean the foods should be consumed. Gluten, dairy, and eggs can cause potential problems as they compromise the gut and the immune system. These can set back the individual’s healing or remission.
Body Composition
What Happens To The Body When Eating Fruit
Fruit is made up of simple sugar called fructose, providing the body with a carbohydrate energy source. The natural sugar the body gets from a piece of fruit is not the same as processed fructose added to processed products like fructose corn syrup. Processed products are typically filled with empty calories and very little nutrition. When the body has fruit, the liver processes fructose before getting absorbed through the small intestine. Research shows that exposing the gut to more fiber-rich foods like fruit helps the gut achieve an anti-obese condition by increasing the good bacteria and reducing the obese bacteria. Essential nutrients from fruit include:
Folate
Vitamin C
Vitamin B1
The USDA recommends making half of each meal/plate be fruit and vegetables.
Macfarlane, Tatiana V et al. “Relationship between diet and ankylosing spondylitis: A systematic review.” European journal of rheumatology vol. 5,1 (2018): 45-52. doi:10.5152/eurjrheum.2017.16103
Nielsen, Forrest H. “Magnesium deficiency and increased inflammation: current perspectives.” Journal of inflammation research vol. 11 25-34. January 18 2018, doi:10.2147/JIR.S136742
Rashid T, Wilson C, Ebringer A. The Link between Ankylosing Spondylitis, Crohn’s Disease, Klebsiella, and Starch Consumption. Clin Dev Immunol. 2013;2013:872632. doi: 10.1155/2013/872632.
Sharma, Satya P et al. “Paradoxical Effects of Fruit on Obesity.” Nutrients vol. 8,10 633. 14 Oct. 2016, doi:10.3390/nu8100633
van Buul, Vincent J et al. “Misconceptions about fructose-containing sugars and their role in the obesity epidemic.” Nutrition research reviews vol. 27,1 (2014): 119-30. doi:10.1017/S0954422414000067
As individual bodies age, the nerves and muscles begin to degenerate, especially in the lower spinal region. This can cause sciatic pain and muscle weakness. Elderly sciatica is very common as the nerves and muscles have gone through a lot. Bending, lifting, carrying, reaching, twisting, and natural wearing and tearing make the sciatic nerve and surrounding muscles prone to injury. For overweight seniors, the risk of developing sciatica is higher.
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Elderly Sciatica
The main reason for elderly sciatica is that as the body ages, the discs/cartilage between the vertebrae/bones in the spine dry out, losing their cushioning ability, which can lead to the bones shifting out of place more easily, rubbing against each other, and compressing nerves. On average, the body loses about 1 centimeter in height every ten years after 40.
Risk Factors
Diabetes
Diabetes affects the entire body.
Not keeping blood sugar in check can cause widespread symptoms that affect the nerves and organs.
Individuals with diabetes have an increased risk of developing sciatica and other nerve-damaging disorders.
Genetics
If spinal conditions are part of family medical history, there is an increased risk of developing sciatica.
With chiropractic, elderly individuals can attain better quality sleep, improved mood, and increased energy levels.
A chiropractic physical therapy team can develop a specialized/customized treatment plan for preventive and palliative care.
Body Composition
Sarcopenia
Sarcopenia affects the elderly population’s mortality, cognitive function, and quality of life. As the elderly population is living longer, preservation of lean mass becomes an integral part of maintaining an individual’s independence. Loss of muscle in the arms and legs is linked to decreased mobility, increased risk of falls, and prolonged hospital stays. Falls and fractures often result in a cycle of muscle deterioration. InBody can help track body composition changes and help to minimize muscle wasting and risk of impaired mobility.
References
Aggarwal, Sameer, and Nityanand. “Calcium and vitamin D in postmenopausal women.” Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism vol. 17,Suppl 3 (2013): S618-20. doi:10.4103/2230-8210.123549
Dougherty, Paul E et al. “The role of chiropractic care in older adults.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 20,1 3. 21 Feb. 2012, doi:10.1186/2045-709X-20-3
Ferreira, Manuela L, and Andrew McLachlan. “The Challenges of Treating Sciatica Pain in Older Adults.” Drugs & aging vol. 33,11 (2016): 779-785. doi:10.1007/s40266-016-0404-z
Kherad, Mehrsa et al. “Risk factors for low back pain and sciatica in elderly men-the MrOS Sweden study.” Age and aging vol. 46,1 (2017): 64-71. doi:10.1093/ageing/afw152
Anybody can become dehydrated if they don’t take care of themselves and drink plenty of water. Being dehydrated happens when there is insufficient water in the body or increased water loss through sweating, vomiting, and/or diarrhea, along with certain medications, can increase urination and dehydration. Older adults have an increased risk of dehydrating because their body’s fluid reserves decrease, and their body’s ability to signal that they are thirsty does not work as effectively, especially those with memory problems.
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Dehydrated Symptoms
Signs of dehydration include:
Muscle cramps.
Dry mouth
Dry cough.
Tiredness/fatigue.
Flushed red skin.
Swollen feet.
High heart rate but low blood pressure.
Dizziness, weakness, light-headedness.
Headache, delirium, confusion.
Loss of appetite with a sugar craving.
Heat intolerance or chills.
Constipation.
Dark-colored urine. Urine should be a pale clear color.
Dehydration Levels
Dehydration is categorized as:
Mild
The body needs more fluids to be taken in.
Drink water
Drinks containing electrolytes are recommended if experiencing significant sweating or fluid losses from vomiting and diarrhea.
The body should feel better after five or ten minutes.
Bhave, Gautam, and Eric G Neilson. “Volume depletion versus dehydration: how understanding the difference can guide therapy.” American journal of kidney diseases: the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation vol. 58,2 (2011): 302-9. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2011.02.395
Kenefick, Robert W, and Michael N Sawka. “Hydration at the worksite.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition vol. 26,5 Suppl (2007): 597S-603S. doi:10.1080/07315724.2007.10719665
Thomas, David R et al. “Understanding clinical dehydration and its treatment.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association vol. 9,5 (2008): 292-301. doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2008.03.006
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – DOMS is when muscle pain or stiffness develops a day or two after playing sports, weight lifting, exercise, or work that involves concentrated physical activity like lifting and carrying objects. DOMS is considered a normal response to extended exertion and is part of the adaptation process that the recovering muscles experience as they undergo hypertrophy or an increase in muscle size. It is common in individuals who have just started exercising, increased the duration or intensity of their workouts, or just beginning a physically demanding job.
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DOMS
When muscle contracts as it lengthens is known as eccentric muscle contractions, which is most associated with DOMS. It is related to increased stress in muscle fibers as they are exerted excessively. This also happens when engaging in movements the muscles are not used to, like a new exercise or helping a friend move heavy boxes, furniture, etc. Examples include:
Individuals will not feel DOMS during the workout or physical activity. Delayed symptoms include:
Swelling in the affected muscles.
Muscles feel tender to the touch.
Muscle fatigue.
Reduced range of motion and movement.
Pain and stiffness when moving.
Decreased muscle strength.
Treatment Options
Time and waiting for the muscles to repair themselves is the natural healing process, but steps can be taken to ease the soreness, stiffness, and pain. This includes:
It is different for everybody; personal experience will determine which works best for the individual.
Active Recovery
Active recovery is a technique that uses low-impact aerobic exercise right after a workout to increase blood flow to the muscles.
The increased blood supply can help relieve the inflammation.
RICE
This technique is used for acute injuries but can be applied to delayed onset muscle soreness. It stands for:
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
Chiropractic
A chiropractic massage is for healing sore muscles, tendons, ligaments after an intense game, workout, etc. Chiropractic increases the blood and nerve circulation around the muscles delivering added oxygen and nutrients. This type of massage helps loosen the muscles/connecting tissues allowing the body to recover and heal quicker.
Body Composition
When Muscles Are Not Rested
Not taking time to recover because of overtraining/working can have consequences on the body. Inflammation that is not given the time to heal can lead to:
Injuries.
Weakened immune system.
Muscle mass loss.
Mental health issues.
The body’s immune system cannot function at total capacity during intense physical stress. This causes difficulty when trying to fight off germs and viruses. Studies have found preventing inflammation and injury requires prioritizing rest. Constantly being on the go and under intense physical stress can take a toll not only on the body but the brain as well. This can lead to irritability, frustration, anger, which leads to other health problems generating a vicious cycle.
References
Cheung, Karoline et al. “Delayed onset muscle soreness: treatment strategies and performance factors.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 33,2 (2003): 145-64. doi:10.2165/00007256-200333020-00005
Guo, Jianmin et al. “Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Frontiers in physiology vol. 8 747. 27 Sep. 2017, doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00747
Reinke, Simon et al. “The influence of recovery and training phases on body composition, peripheral vascular function and immune system of professional soccer players.” PloS one vol. 4,3 (2009): e4910. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004910
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