Back Clinic Mobility & Flexibility: The human body retains a natural level to ensure all its structures are functioning properly. The bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and other tissues work together to allow a range of movement and maintaining proper fitness and balanced nutrition can help keep the body functioning properly. Great mobility means executing functional movements with no restrictions in the range of motion (ROM).
Remember that flexibility is a mobility component, but extreme flexibility really is not required to perform functional movements. A flexible person can have core strength, balance, or coordination but cannot perform the same functional movements as a person with great mobility. According to Dr. Alex Jimenez’s compilation of articles on mobility and flexibility, individuals who don’t stretch their body often can experience shortened or stiffened muscles, decreasing their ability to move effectively.
5 benefits of�walking in order to achieve better health is not new. Doctors and fitness experts have been touting its benefits for decades. When you walk, you engage more than 200 muscles � this includes your pelvis and spine. This makes it an exceptional complement to chiropractic treatment. However, if you aren�t convinced, these five compelling reasons that chiropractic patients should walk are sure to win you over.
5 Benefits Of Walking
Helps With Weight Loss & Weight Management
When you are carrying around excess weight it can lead to back pain and impaired mobility. Fat around your middle, especially in the stomach area, throws your body off balance. There is extra weight in front and it pulls that portion of your body forward, causing a swayback effect.
The pain in the lower back that is caused by this pressure can be excruciating. Over the long term this can cause damage to your spine and cause misalignment. While girdles or slings may help, the permanent remedy is to lose the weight. Walking is an excellent, low impact exercise that helps you lose weight, stay active, and stay healthy.
Improves Mobility & Flexibility
As we age we become less flexible and we don�t have the mobility of youth. As you walk, your circulation increases and that helps improve flexibility and mobility.
Add a little light stretching to the mix, along with regular chiropractic treatments and you will have a much better range of motion. Your posture will improve and you will reduce your chance of injury during physical activity. All this greatly enhances your spinal health making walking a great complement to chiropractic care.
Relieves Back Pain
Back pain is one of the top reasons that Americans miss work and worldwide it is the number one cause of disability. It is also expensive. Each year, Americans spend upwards of $50 billion trying to escape back pain.
Walking is recommended by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) to help ease back pain. It is a very good, low impact exercise that helps you manage your weight and stay active � excess weight can cause your back to hurt. Walking helps relieve back pain, but it can help to prevent it as well. Even walking for just 30 minutes a day 3 to 5 times a week is beneficial.
Rehydrates Spinal Discs
There are small, fluid filled disks that lie between each vertebrae, acting as a cushion. As you move about during the day, gravity and certain movements cause your spinal disks to compress, squeezing the water out of them. This can lead to back pain and mobility issues.
The increased circulation from walking helps to force water into this area and the disks absorb that water and are rehydrated. This allows them to continue doing what they are supposed to � act as shock absorbers for your spine. It also helps if you drink plenty of water and stay hydrated throughout the day.
Improves Circulation
Good circulation is integral to spinal health as well as a properly functioning central nervous system. When you walk it increases your circulation allowing your blood to carry vital nutrients to your spine, organs, and your entire body. The soft tissues are enriched and nourished as toxins are flushed out.
Another benefit of this increased circulation is a decrease in blood pressure. It brings your body into balance so your muscles, ligaments, and joints are nourished. This, in turn, helps to make your chiropractic treatments more productive and beneficial.
5 benefits of walking is beneficial for whole body wellness. It can help you reduce your risk of many serious health conditions including diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure. It is also great for giving you a mental health boost and make you less prone to osteoporosis. So commit to walking just 30 minutes a day, 3 to 5 days a week. You will be astounded at the difference it will make.
Injury Medical Clinic: Elderly & Geriatric Fitness
IT Iliotibial band syndrome is a very common injury among runners. If it is diagnosed early and treatment commences immediately the chances of it becoming a chronic condition are reduced. It responds very well to chiropractic since it involves the pelvis and related muscles. When pelvic mechanics are not functioning properly the muscle don�t work efficiently which hinders flexibility and mobility. This can lead to tight muscles which may inhibit motion and cause pain. Chiropractic adjustments have been proven to help with the condition.
What Is The Iliotibial Band?
The Iliotibial Band, or fasciae latae, is the outer casing of muscle that extends along the outer thigh, from the top of the hip to the outside of the knee. IT Iliotibial band syndrome occurs when that casing becomes thickened. It is flexed or tight when you stand; it is what keeps your let straight, allowing the larger thigh muscle to rest.
There are two primary muscles that are involved in iliotibial band syndrome, the buttock muscle, or gluteus maximus, and the tensor fasciae latae muscles. Sometimes Iliotibial Band Syndrome is referred to Tensor Fasciae Latae Syndrome and the two terms can be used interchangeably.
IT Iliotibial Band Syndrome Defined
As the iliotibial band thickens it pulls in the area where it connects to the knee. This results in knee pain due to the application of too much pressure on the bursa. The bursa then becomes swollen, inflamed, and painful. During activity, such as running on an incline, the glutes are heavily involved.
The other end of the iliotibial band is inserted at the glutes so as the band tightens from this activity, it can trigger iliotibial band syndrome pain. Repeated activity further aggravates it, as does running on tight indoor tracks or uneven roads as well as having collapsed arches or running it inferior or worn out running shoes.
Symptoms Of Iliotibial Band Syndrome
There are several symptoms that can be used to diagnose iliotibial band syndrome. Lateral knee pain (pain on the outside of the knee) is a primary symptom and often used as a key diagnostic tool. Few conditions involve lateral knee pain. Other symptoms include:
Pain that worsens after running, particularly after running on an incline, climbing stairs, or climbing hills
There may not be any pain until you do something that aggravates it like climbing a hill.
The pain may not begin until you are mid-way through a run.
The pain can be intense and debilitating.
It can accompany a snapping hip, which occurs when the muscles that cross the outer hip may click or snap while running or walking.
The pain may be present along the lateral thigh without incorporating the knee, but it is only in very rare instances that it is concentrated on the gluteal or hip muscles.
Iliotibial band syndrome is often attributed to over training. This can mean suddenly increasing hill repeats or doubling your mileage.
Treatments For IT Iliotibial Band Syndrome
If your iliotibial band syndrome is caused by a problem with pelvic function, relieving the pain from the condition can be difficult. Stretching is not likely to bring relief � and if it does it won�t last long. If the pain from iliotibial band syndrome lasts for more than two weeks even if you are only stretching, your regular exercise routine, and ice and you don�t see much improvement, a chiropractor can help.
Even if the pain is located in the knee, the problem could originate in the pelvis. A chiropractor can assess your condition, check to see that your pelvis is functioning properly. If it isn�t, spinal adjustments and other chiropractic treatments can bring the body back into alignment and make the pelvis more functional.
Chiropractic Clinic Extra: Sport Injury Treatments
Crossfit Rehabilitation:Daniel Alvarado, owner of Push-as-RX Fitness, discusses how he carries out his CrossFit personal injury rehabilitation and athletic training program as a part of Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chiropractic rehabilitation plan. Daniel Alvarado ensures that his rehabilitation procedures complements well with Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chiropractic treatment in order to help patients return to their original state of well-being. Both Daniel Alvarado and Dr. Alex Jimenez work hard to maintain a strong dynamic between their collaborative services.
Crossfit Rehabilitation & Chiropractic Care
Crossfit Rehabilitation is a big part of Physical therapy (PT), also referred to as physiotherapy, as one of the allied health professions. By utilizing mechanical force and motions (bio-mechanics or kinesiology), manual therapy, exercise therapy, and electrotherapy, remediates impairments and promotes mobility and purpose. Physical therapy is used to enhance a patient’s quality of life through examination, diagnosis, prognosis and physical intervention. It’s performed by physical therapists (called physiotherapists in many countries).
CrossFit originated as a plan for military forces, police and fire departments, as well as other such organizations to keep their members in the very best shape in their lives. CrossFit has taken the country by storm encouraging anyone from grandparents to specialized elite military personnel to join this growing fitness movement, today.
CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program made to generate wide-ranging responses out of anyone who engages consistently in this training. That is not a specialized program but one designed to optimize physical performance in every one of the ten fitness realms.
The CrossFit program is intended to increase physical performance of athletes in all physical performance jobs. Qualified CrossFit athletes perform at the maximal amount in multiple, physical challenges that are varied, and randomized.
This is actually the kind of strength and fitness called upon in the line of work such as police, fire fighters, as well as the military. CrossFit has been demonstrated time and time again to be successful in these venues.
Nevertheless, you don�t need to be a top athlete to engage and gain from CrossFit. In fact, everyone from highly conditioned athletes to senior citizens have began CrossFit and benefited from the plans profoundly. The load as well as intensity of the workouts predicated on amount of physical fitness although the difference isn�t in the program.
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Sports Performance is everything! Regardless of whether you�re a pro football player or a weekend warrior, your level of performance in your chosen athletic activity is what takes you to competitive heights.
There are certain things that every athlete knows will make them stronger, faster, more flexible, and have more stamina. Chiropractic care is becoming increasingly popular as a way for the sportsman in all of us to have that competitive edge.
You may know that chiropractic is great for people with back pain or even headaches, but you may be wondering how it can help an athlete. Solid research, along with a proven track record show that chiropractic helps sports performance in several key areas.
Sports Performance & Chiropractic
Increased Flexibility
Flexibility is important for nearly every sport and chiropractic care helps to increase flexibility throughout the body. As the spine is aligned, the body is better able to perform as it should and flexibility is a big part of that.
Better Mobility
When a person has better flexibility they are able to move around better. Chiropractic loosens the joints and spine, releasing energy to flow through the body. Blood flow is increased which means that nutrients and oxygen are carries much more efficiently to the vital organs and brain. This whole body wellness encourages better mobility.
More Resistant To Injury
Because chiropractic keeps the body flexible, there is a much lower risk of injury. Tight muscles can lead to injuries, sometimes serious injury. When the body well aligned and flexible the chances of a pulled or torn muscle or torn ligament are greatly decreased.
Helps Relieve Sports Hernias
Groin pain is a component of around 20 percent of all sports injuries. The thing is, it is often not due to sudden movements that result in injury like a torn muscle. Most of the time is it due to a condition called athletic pubalgia, or sports hernia.
Sports like hockey and football are full contact sports and injuries are not uncommon. However, even milder sports like horseback riding or cycling can also result in injuries or pain from over exertion. One study showed how chiropractic helped relieve the pain of shoulder instability in hockey players.
Chiropractic aligns the spine and body while increasing blood flow, but endorphins are also released through the treatment. This helps the body combat pain in a natural, less invasive way without the use of medications.
Increases Strength
While chiropractic care is typically regarded as a method for relieving pain and alleviating skeletal and muscular issues, it has also been found to improve physical strength. A study on judo athletes who received just three chiropractic care sessions showed that their grip strength improved by 16 percent.
Helps Sports Related Injuries Heal Faster
Chiropractic care has long been a standard practice for aiding in the healing of many sports related injuries including tennis elbow, hamstring pulls, rotator cuff injuries, back strains, and neck pain. While it does help prevent these injuries, in the event that they do occur, chiropractic care helps the athlete recover faster and get back in the game quicker.
So whether you enjoy the occasional game of touch football with the guys or you are a college basketball star, chances are you too can benefit from chiropractic care. Each of these benefits are exceptional in their own right and athletes rely on their chiropractor to keep them in the game, but all these little benefits add up to one significant plus: it improves sports performance. If you want to be stronger, faster, and more agile, the research shows that chiropractic care can certainly help.
Most people stretch and hardly pay any attention to it. Throughout the day a person may stretch upon waking or after they�ve been sitting in the same position for a while. They might do some stretches before working out or as part of physical therapy. Stretching often makes us feel better but it might be surprising to discover that it is actually beneficial to optimal body function.
As a person ages their muscles begin to tighten. This is a natural part of the aging process. However, it can cause inhibit range of motion and joint stiffness, making normal day to day activities more difficult. After certain injuries stiffness can set in, causing pain and decreased flexibility.
What many chiropractic patients may be surprised to learn is that stretching is a great complement to chiropractic care. When combined with simple stretches and low impact exercises, chiropractic patients often find that their injuries heal faster, their pain is reduced, and they simply feel better and more energetic. If that isn�t enough to convince you to incorporate stretching into your daily wellness routine, maybe these four compelling benefits will.
STRETCHING
Helps Keep The Spine Aligned
When you stretch the muscles in your chest, shoulders, and lower back it will improve your posture by helping to keep your spine in better alignment. When your muscles are not stretched properly they begin to draw up � and it usually isn�t in a uniform or symmetrical manner.
This means that muscles on one side of your spine may draw up more than the muscles on the other side. This can result in your body being pulled to that side, causing your spine to be pulled that way. Stretching prevents this from happening and when combined with consistent chiropractic care it can ensure good spinal health.
Improves Flexibility & Range Of Motion
Most people know, on some level, that stretching improves flexibility and range of motion. However, many do not act on that knowledge and they often wind up at the doctor�s office complaining of back pain. Stretching will make you more flexible which, in turn, will make you less prone to injury.
Your muscles will be able to work as effectively as possible. It is important that you don�t overdo it though. Some people take terrible risks when they stretch, thinking that if they force their bodies into certain positions or if they �bounce� to get a deeper stretch then they will be more flexible. Actually, the reverse is true. Stretching in an unsafe way such as bouncing or forcing your body far beyond its limits will result in injury including pulled muscles and muscle tearing.
Helps Relieve Stress & Detoxify The Body
When you stretch, two very significant things happen. First, your blood flow increases as blood is rushed to the muscles, your organs, and your brain. Secondly, it moves oxygen through these areas. As a result, toxins that have accumulated in your soft tissues are dispelled.
The simple stretching that relieves tension in muscles, combined with the detoxifying effect will help you feel less stressed. Stretching is a great stress management exercise, one you can do just about anywhere. You don�t need any special equipment and you can even do it right at your desk while you are working. A bonus is that you�ll feel the de-stressing effects instantly.
It relies on the body�s natural ability to heal itself by releasing the tension and easing the stiffness of the muscles in that area. The stiffer those muscles are, the more they will hurt when you try to move. By relaxing them through stretching you will find that you move much easier and with less pain.
Stretching has so many great benefits. Talk to your chiropractor about a customized stretching plan that you can do at home. You�ll love what it does for you. If you don�t have a chiropractor, give us a call at (915)850-0900. We�re here to help!
Truide Torres, office manager, developed facet syndrome from participating in gymnastics at a young age. Due to the additional stress being placed on her spine, Mrs. Torres was forced to reduce her engagement in exercise and physical activities. In order to continue being involved in fitness, Truide Torres found facet syndrome pain treatment with Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C. in El Paso, TX. Mrs. Torres was well-informed and properly treated by Dr. Jimenez for her face syndrome and she was able to participate in her exercise and physical activities once again. Truide Torres recommends Dr. Alex Jimenez and his staff as the non-surgical choice for facet syndrome pain treatment, describing them as a caring, knowledgeable and qualified group of healthcare professionals.
Facet syndrome (also popularly known as facet joint disease, facet osteoarthritis, facet hypertrophy or aspect arthritis) is a syndrome where the facet joints (synovial diarthroses, from C2 to S1) degenerate to the purpose of causing debilitating symptoms. In conjunction with degenerative disk disease, a distinct but related illness, aspect syndrome is thought to be one of the most frequent causes of lower back pain. The signs of facet joint syndrome rely almost entirely about the location of this degenerated joint, the severity of the harm and the amount of pressure that is being put on the surrounding nerve roots. It is essential to note that the amount of pain a person experiences does not correlate well with the amount of degeneration that has occurred within the joint. A lot of men and women experience little or no pain while others, with the specific same amount of damage, experience chronic pain.
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Chiropractic care is extremely beneficial for many different conditions; some obvious while others are more obscure. Structural issues that affect the knees are often very responsive to chiropractic treatment. In the case of chondromalacia patellae and other knee problems, it has proven to reduce pain and help improve the condition considerably, providing the patient with increased mobility and flexibility.
Chondromalacia Patellae (aka Runner�s Knee)
Approximately 40 percent of injuries that runners experience are knee injuries. These injuries fall under the umbrella term of �runner�s knee.� This includes chondromalacia patellae which may also be referred to as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFMS).
Other runner�s knee injuries include iliotibial band syndrome, and plica syndrome. Chondromalacia patellae is one of the more common forms of runner�s knee, along with PFMS. Rest and ice are typical remedies, but when that doesn�t work or when the pain and mobility difficulties return once the patient returns to normal activities, chiropractic care is often a good treatment option.
Chondromalacia Patella
The knee is a marvelous piece of machinery. It is constructed to take the impact of the body�s weight, bending, and moving. Under the kneecap is a layer of cartilage which acts as a natural shock absorber. Injury, overuse, aging, or other conditions can cause damage to that cartilage.
This condition causes pain and impaired mobility, most commonly when the knees are in use such as walking up or down stairs. The pain may decrease with rest and ice, but sometimes that simply isn�t enough. Traditional treatments include physical therapy, medication for pain, and surgery.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of chondromalacia patellae is pain in the front of the knee. It is often described as a dull ache that is deep in the knee. This pain is often made worse when the patient sits with their knee bent for a long time, when they squat or kneel, or when they walk up and down stairs.
The more the patient uses the knee, the worse it is. However, rest and ice can work fairly quickly to help relieve the pain. If the pain persists even with rest and ice, then more aggressive care is usually advised. While traditionally doctors prescribe medication and even surgery, more patients are gravitating to drug free, less invasive treatments for knee pain. Chiropractic is a viable option.
Causes & Risk Factors
The exact cause of chondromalacia patellae is not known. Doctors have been able to link the condition to several factors. Overuse of the knee places repetitive stress on the joint. This is commonly seen in sports or activities that involve a lot of jumping or running.
Poor muscle control is another common factor. The muscles that surround the knee and hip don�t function properly so that tracking of the kneecap is �off.� Injury is another common factor with chondromalacia patellae. When the kneecap endures a trauma such as fracture or dislocation.
There are several factors that may increase a person�s risk of developing chondromalacia patellae. Age is often noted in young adults and adolescents. Older individuals with knee pain are usually experiencing effects of arthritis.
Gender is another risk factor. Women develop the condition twice as often as men. Doctors theorize that this is due to the skeletal structure of a woman � the pelvis is wider which increases the angle where the bones of the knee joint meet.
Individuals who participate in certain sports, such as those that involve a lot of jumping and running, are at an increased risk of developing the condition. This is particularly true if they suddenly increase their level of training.
Chiropractic Treatment
Successful chiropractic treatments for chondromalacia patellae include nutritional intervention as well as adjustments and stretches. The treatment is designed to stretch shortened hamstrings and adjust the sacroiliac joint.
The point of much of the treatment is to improve tracking of the kneecap and increase motor control. Some practitioners use soft tissue work to help patients with knee pain. The whole body approach that chiropractic care offers not only provides relief from knee pain, but often cures or reduces the condition itself.
If you or a loved one are suffering from knee pain, give us a call. Our Doctor of Chiropractic will do a thorough exam to determine the proper treatment protocol for your condition. You don�t have to live with pain. Again, give us a call. We�re here to help!
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