Sports Spine Specialist Chiropractic Team: Athletes strive to achieve their body’s maximum performance by participating in numerous training regimens consisting of strenuous exercises and physical activity and ensuring they meet all of their body’s nutritional requirements. Through proper fitness and nutrition, many individuals can condition themselves to excel in their specific sport. Our training programs are designed for athletes that look to gain a competitive edge in their sport.
We provide sport-specific services to help increase an athlete’s performance through mobility, strength, and endurance. Occasionally, however, the excess workouts can lead many to suffer injuries or develop underlying conditions. Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chronicle of articles for athletes displays in detail the many forms of complications affecting these professionals while focusing on the possible solutions and treatments to follow to achieve overall well-being.
Creating an all-encompassing workout � one that gets your�heart rate up�while strengthening every major muscle group � takes some fancy fit work. But it�s something Steve Uria, founder of�Switch Playground�in New York City (original location: South Africa), does with gusto. If you�ve never been to the playground, imagine recess for adults but with more structure and sculpting�goals.
Each class at Switch includes 20 stations, with two exercises per station. You�ll work every body part � big and small � and because you only do each exercise for 30 seconds (two minutes total per station), you�ll break a serious sweat to boot. (The party vibe with a live DJ and neon lights will help you turn up the intensity, too.)
�Circuit workouts promote a functional training environment to condition the whole body,� Uria explains. �You�re maximizing benefit in minimal time, and creating a cardiovascular experience within a strength training arena.� In other words, you simultaneously pump�up the volume on�fat burning�and muscle building.
Of course, we couldn�t leave Uria�s fun and games at the playground, so we had him design a sequence you could do right at home. All you need is a set of dumbbells, a�kettlebell�and med ball, and a killer workout playlist (like�this one). Crank the volume, and you�re ready to blast through these circuits.
4 Mini Circuit Workouts, 1 Killer Total-Body Routine
Get ready for one mini�circuit�for every section of the body, plus a total-body scorcher. Each circuit features just three moves � but packs plenty of targeted�body benefits. Do 12 to 15 reps of each move and two to three rounds of each circuit before moving on to the next. If you still have some drive by that final exercise, push it into high gear and repeat everything from the top, Uria says. Sweaty, sculpted and oh-so-energized� here you come!
Fire up some of the biggest muscles in the body: your quads, hamstrings, and even more so, your�glutes. Hello, booty burn.
1. Side Step Squat How to:�With a dumbbell in each hand and your arms down by your sides, stand with feet hip-width apart�(a). Step out to the left side, push your hips back and drop your butt down to sit into a�squat�(b). Stand up straight, then step your feet back to the starting position�(c). Next, step out to the right side and sit into a squat�(d). Stand up, return to the starting position, and continue alternating.
2. Back Lunge with Knee Raise How to:�Start standing with feet hip-width apart�(a). Step your left foot back into a low lunge, both knees bent at 90 degrees and your left knee hovering just off the floor. At the same time, bring your arms straight up at a 45-degree angle�(b). Step forward, bringing your left knee up toward your chest, as you bring your arms back down to your sides�(c). Repeat, then switch sides.
3. Glute Cross Overs How to:�Start on all fours with your shoulders over wrists and your knees in line with hips�(a). Bring your right knee in toward your chest, then shoot it straight out behind you, raising it straight up toward the ceiling�(b). Then move your right leg over your left leg, and tap the floor lightly with your right foot, just outside of your left foot�(c). Shoot it back up to the ceiling and repeat, then switch sides.
You�ll work your entire upper body � shoulders, chest, back, triceps and biceps � with this muscle-burning trifecta. Remember to keep your�shoulders�rolled down and away from your ears for each exercise.
1. Lateral Dumbbell Raise into Curl Press How to:�Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms down in front of you�(a). Raise your arms straight out to the sides to shoulder height, palms facing down�(b). Bring your arms back down to your sides and then, circle your hands inward and upward for a bicep curl�(c). When the dumbbells reach shoulder height, swiftly switch your palms to face front. Then push your hands straight up for an overhead press�(d). Bring your arms back down, flipping your palms to face you at chest height and return to the starting position�(e). Repeat.
2. Push-Up Rotation How to:�Start in a high�plank position�with your hands holding dumbbells, shoulders over wrists and your body in a straight line from shoulders to ankles�(a). Perform a�push-up�(b). Then, pull the weight in your left hand straight up to your chest, as you pivot on your feet. Straighten your arm to a T as you hit your side plank�(c). Return back to the high plank and repeat on the other side�(d). Continue alternating, with a push-up between each rotation.
3. Bent Over Fly to Row to Tricep Kickback How to:�Start with your feet hip-width apart with a slight bend in the knees. Hinge forward at the hips about 45 degrees. Maintain a flat back�(a). Holding two dumbbells down by your sides, palms facing each other, lift your arms out to the sides (slight bend in the elbows) and squeeze your shoulder blades together to complete a fly�(b). Bring your arms back down to your sides, then pull the weight toward your chest and bend your elbows.�Keeping your elbows elevated, straighten your arms behind you to complete the tricep kickback. You should raise the weights above your hips�(c). Return to the start and repeat.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Chiropractic and Athletic Performance
Many athletes who are injured performing their specific sport or physical activity, frequently seek treatment from chiropractors. Chiropractic care focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of injuries and conditions affecting the musculoskeletal and nervous system. While chiropractic is a safe and effective form of conservative care for a variety of ailments, chiropractic can also be utilized to enhance athletic performance.
Looking healthy and being physically fit can get anyone’s attention and for those being a part of a summertime social event, such as a wedding, being the center of attention is enough motivation to maintain overall wellness.
During this wedding season, engaging in the proper form of exercise and performing a variety of physical activities can help tone up some of the most difficult areas of the body. For women looking to increase or maintain the physical condition of their buttocks, Nike trainer and Chisel Club founder Lauren Williams demonstrates the top five exercises for sculpting your booty.
1.Step ups with knee drive: From standing, step onto a bench on your right foot, bringing your left knee into your chest. Step down and repeat on opposite side.
2.Single-leg squat to bench: Sit down on a step with your right leg extended in front of your body. From sitting, lift up to stand on your left leg, then lower back down keeping your right leg extended the whole time. Repeat on opposite side, with your left leg extended out in front of you. Stand up onto your right leg, lower back down.
3.Circle side lunges with dumbbell: Stand tall with legs in a wide straddle stance. Hold dumbbells in front of your chest, with elbows at at 90-degree angle. Hold the weights here as you sink into a side lunge on the right leg, staying low as you move through a squat and shift into a side lunge on the left side. Stand up, return to center, and repeat the circle in the other direction.
4.Split stance single-legdeadlift: From standing, place your right leg a few inches behind your left leg and raise your heel so your weight is on the ball of your right foot. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, lower the upper body toward the floor with the arms extending down, so the dumbbells almost touch the ground. Raise the upper body back up to stand and repeat movement with the left leg back and the right leg forward.
5.All-four rainbow leg raises: From all fours, raise your left leg off the ground and extend it out behind you. Tap the left toes to the ground on the right side of your body, then tap the toes on the ground on the left side of your body, as if you�re drawing a semicircle with your leg. Repeat movement on the right leg.
Maintaining as well as improving your body’s overall health and wellness doesn’t just enhance your physical look, you can also benefit from an improved physical conditioning. Before attempting any of the above exercises, however, be sure to consult a healthcare professional and make sure these are proper for you.
If you have an injury or condition which may be aggravated as a result of these injuries, your medical specialist can recommend a different variety to these exercises to avoid further complications.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Chiropractic and Athletic Performance
Many athletes who are injured performing their specific sport or physical activity, frequently seek treatment from chiropractors. Chiropractic care focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of injuries and conditions affecting the musculoskeletal and nervous system. While chiropractic is a safe and effective form of conservative care for a variety of ailments, chiropractic can also be utilized to enhance athletic performance.
Socializing with Relatives and friends may help you stay mentally sharp as you age,
A new report co-sponsored by AARP finds
“It’s not uncommon for our social networks to shrink in size as we get older,” said Marilyn Albert, professor of neurology and director of cognitive neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
“This report provides many helpful suggestions about the things we can do to improve the quality of our relationships with family and friends, which may be beneficial in maintaining our mental abilities,” Albert said in an AARP news release.
The report also discusses the social benefits of having pets, how age-friendly communities boost social ties, how close relationships benefit both physical and mental health, and how social media (including Facebook and Skype) helps older adults maintain social connections.
The report is from the AARP and the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH). Albert is chair of the GCBH.
In related news, a new AARP survey found that nearly four in 10 adults aged 40 and older said they lack social connections. Those people also reported worse brain health.
Sarah Lock is AARP senior vice president for policy and GCBH executive director. She said, “We know that loneliness and social isolation can increase physical health risks for older people.”
So, Lock added, “The GCBH’s consensus that people who are socially engaged have a lower risk for cognitive [mental] decline shows us just how important social connections are to brain health.”
The AARP said older adults can boost their social ties by making new social connections, including with younger people. Other suggestions include joining a club or taking a class; visiting, calling or emailing regularly with relatives, friends, and neighbors; and volunteering or visiting a lonely neighbor or friend.
SOURCE: AARP, news release, Feb. 14, 2017
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Skipping Across Time Zones More Than Just Tiring For Pro Baseball Players:
The resulting jet lag may actually harm their performance on the field, a new study suggests.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 40,000 Major League Baseball games played over 20 years. The conclusion: jet lag may have a significant impact on players.
The Northwestern University researchers said they found that jet lag slowed the base running of home teams but not away teams. And both home and away pitchers gave up more home runs when jet-lagged.
“Jet lag does impair the performance of Major League Baseball players. The negative effects of jet lag we found are subtle, but they are detectable and significant. And they happen on both offense and defense and for both home and away teams, often in surprising ways,” study leader Ravi Allada, a circadian rhythms expert, said in a university news release.
The researchers also found that the negative effects of jet lag were generally stronger when teams traveled eastward rather than westward.
“This is a strong argument that the effect is due to the circadian clock, not the travel itself,” Allada said.
What that means is that players’ internal 24-hour body clock falls out of sync with the cycle of sunlight, the study authors explained.
The findings suggest — but don’t prove — that team managers should pay close attention to their players’ body clocks. And even consider sending pitchers ahead of the rest of the team for upcoming games, the researchers added.
“If I were a baseball manager and my team was traveling across time zones — either to home or away — I would send my first starting pitcher a day or two ahead, so he could adjust his clock to the local environment,” Allada said.
The study was published Jan. 23 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
So many buzzy new workouts, so little time. But we promise, Orangetheory Fitness deserves a spot near the top of your list of sweat tests this year for its smart system and crazy calorie burn.
While it’s not brand new�Orangetheory is close to celebrating its sixth anniversary with more than 330 studios in 28 states, and more overseas�the company only recently opened in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. And it has quickly become a known name (and color) in even the most competitive fitness-focused metropolises. (According to Google, it was one of the 10 Biggest Workout Trends of 2015.)
The model is smart and simple: Enthusiastic, experienced instructors plus a heart-rate monitored cardio and strength session equals max results in just an hour. Here’s everything a first-timer should know before joining the “orange nation.”
The hour blends the perks of traditional workout classes (think good music and an energetic leader) and the one-on-one benefits of small-group personal training.
The instructors remember every client’s name, make an effort to cheer you on and give you constructive feedback during class, and urge everyone to work within their personal fitness level. This means you won’t be overwhelmed by confusing choreography, annoyed by close quarters, or trampled by the stampede rushing to grab the last medicine ball. Everyone goes to work within their own station, complete with various sets of weights, TRX straps, a step, and more.
Being Early is a Must
You’ll receive a welcome email or text message a day or two before your scheduled class, and the message will instruct you to arrive 30 minutes before the start time. Even if you’re experienced using just about any gym tool and have tried every workout under the sun, that half hour is crucial at Orangetheory.
You need about 10 minutes to introduce yourself at the front desk and fill out paperwork. Then, the trainer will chat with you about the types of workouts you do and your fitness goals (as a top-tier trainer should). Are you an Olympic rower? It doesn’t matter; your instructor will want to check out and assist with your form on the WaterRower and also give you a rundown of class lingo (you’ll hear terms like “base push” and “all out” throughout the hour).
You don’t have to memorize everything; there are television screens around the studio that show both a graphic of the move and number of reps per set while you’re doing strength on the floor and treadmill signs hanging on the mirror to guide your speed choices.
High-intensity interval training focuses on working at an all-out effort for shorter intervals of time in order to shoot your heart rate up, followed by brief periods of active recovery. Studies have continuously shown that HIIT is an extremely efficient way to maximize calorie burn.
Before you start class, a staffer will provide a heart-rate monitor that you strap right beneath your bust, directly on your skin. The goal is to work in your “orange zone”�which is 84-91% of your max heart rate�for 12 to 20 minutes during the class. How do you know where you stand? There’s an overhead screen that displays a chart with everybody’s name, vitals, and progression between the five “zones” (grey, blue, green, orange and red) in real time. This is both good and bad (depending on how much you like a competitive atmosphere): it means if you start slacking off, everyone in class will know it.
The major pro, however: Wearing the monitor makes you much more in tune with just how hard you’re working at any given time, and your results are emailed to you after class so you can see how you did and track improvement over time.
The instructors switch up the routine every time, offering a unique challenge every time you show up. In general, though, you can expect the 55-minute session to involve a combination of treadmill, indoor rowing, and strength training (with weights, body-weight exercises, or possibly TRX moves).
With folks rowing, running, jumping around on the floor, and screens holding your cue cards all around, it may feel as if there’s a lot going on in the room. But just focus on your movement and form during your first class; the trainer can walk you through your results afterward�then help you set new goals for when you return for round two.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Sports Injuries
A variety of athletes, including running athletes, commonly seek chiropractic care to diagnose and treat numerous sports injuries. Chiropractic focuses on the treatment of injuries and conditions related to the musculoskeletal and nervous system, making it an ideal care option for athletes. Recent research has demonstrated that chiropractic care can additionally help prevent a variety of sports injuries in athletes.
Regular exercise is potent medicine for older adults with heart disease, a new American Heart Association scientific statement says.
Physical activity should be a key part of care for older adults with heart disease who want to reduce their symptoms and build their stamina, said geriatric cardiologist Dr. Daniel Forman. He’s chair of the panel that wrote the new statement.
“Many health-care providers are focused only on the medical management of diseases — such as heart failure, heart attacks, valvular heart disease and strokes — without directly focusing on helping patients maximize their physical function,” Forman said in a heart association news release.
Yet, after a heart attack or other cardiac event, patients need to gain strength. Their independence may require the ability “to lift a grocery bag and to carry it to their car,” said Forman, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
“Emphasizing physical function as a fundamental part of therapy can improve older patients’ quality of life and their ability to carry out activities of daily living,” he added.
And, no one is too old to get moving. “Patients in their 70s, 80s and older can benefit,” Forman said.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a crucial tool for elderly patients, providing exercise counseling and training to promote heart health, and manage stress and depression. But Forman said it’s not prescribed often enough.
“When treating cardiac patients in their 70s, 80s and 90s, health-care providers often stress medications and procedures without considering the importance of getting patients back on their feet, which is exactly what cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to do,” he noted.
Daily walking and tackling more chores at home also can be helpful, Forman said. Resistance training and balance training can help prevent falls. Tai chi and yoga employ strength, balance and aerobic features, he explained.
The statement also outlines ways for heart doctors to assess patients’ levels of physical functioning.
The statement was published March 23 in the journal Circulation.
Heart disease in older Americans is a growing concern because the number of people 65 and older in the United States is expected to double between 2010 and 2050.
Pediatricians have long suggested that fruit juice may prompt weight gain in children, but a new review finds it harmless when consumed in moderation.
“Based on the current evidence, we didn’t find that consuming one serving [of 100 percent fruit juice] a day contributes to weight gain in children,” said study author Dr. Brandon Auerbach. He is acting instructor of medicine at the University of Washington, in Seattle.
To come to that conclusion, the investigators analyzed the results of eight published studies involving over 34,000 children that looked at fruit juice intake and the effect on weight.
Children under the age of 6 who drank a serving a day gained a small amount of weight, but not enough to be clinically significant, the findings showed.
The amount was truly tiny, less than a pound over a year’s time, Auerbach noted. And the review did not prove that fruit juice consumption caused the weight gain.
In addition, children aged 7 to 18 who drank a serving a day saw no clinical effects on weight, the researchers said.
The younger children favored apple juice, while the older ones were more likely to drink orange juice. The study authors explained that orange juice, which has a lower glycemic index, may be linked with less weight gain. Food and drink with a lower glycemic index are linked with lower and slower rises in blood sugar levels.
The researchers stressed that their report specifically focused on 100-percent fruit juice, not fruit-flavored drinks or fruit sodas.
Senior study author, Dr. James Krieger, is executive director of Healthy Food America. He said, “The evidence on weight gain, diabetes [risk] and other health conditions for [drinking] sugar-sweetened beverages — like soda and fruit drinks — is very solid.”
What has been debated, according to Krieger, is whether sugar in 100-percent fruit juice is linked with the same health effects.
For now, Krieger and Auerbach said, they advise parents to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for 100-percent fruit juice consumption: 4 to 6 ounces a day for children aged 6 and younger, and 8 to 12 ounces a day for kids aged 7 to 18.
Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition for Washington University in St. Louis, said that the new findings put the issue in perspective.
“Concerns around childhood obesity have caused many to try to find ‘the food’ that is the cause,” Diekman explained.
“This study did a nice job in assessing the impact of 100-percent fruit juice on weight, a food often blamed for the growing incidence of childhood obesity,” she said.
“As a registered dietitian, this study reinforces the messages I provide my clients: 100-percent fruit juice — not fruit drinks or beverages — can fit into a healthful eating plan. But it is important, as with all foods, to learn portion sizes,” Diekman stressed.
“In addition, I always remind people that whole fruit — whether fresh, frozen or canned — can provide more satiety since we don’t seem to recognize fullness from liquids, while we do from solids,” she said.
The study was published online March 23 in the journal Pediatrics.
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