Back Clinic Injury Care Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Team. There are two approaches to injury care. They are active and passive treatment. While both can help get patients on the road toward recovery, only active treatment has a long-term impact and keeps patients moving.
We focus on treating injuries sustained in auto accidents, personal injuries, work injuries, and sports injuries and provide complete interventional pain management services and therapeutic programs. Everything from bumps and bruises to torn ligaments and back pain.
Passive Injury Care
A doctor or a physical therapist usually gives passive injury care. It includes:
Acupuncture
Applying heat/ice to sore muscles
Pain medication
It’s a good starting point to help reduce pain, but passive injury care isn’t the most effective treatment. While it helps an injured person feel better in the moment, the relief doesn’t last. A patient won’t fully recover from injury unless they actively work to return to their normal life.
Active Injury Care
Active treatment also provided by a physician or physical therapist relies on the injured person’s commitment to work. When patients take ownership of their health, the active injury care process becomes more meaningful and productive. A modified activity plan will help an injured person transition to full function and improve their overall physical and emotional wellness.
Spine, neck, and back
Headaches
Knees, shoulders, and wrists
Torn ligaments
Soft tissue injuries (muscle strains and sprains)
What does active injury care involve?
An active treatment plan keeps the body as strong and flexible as possible through a personalized work/transitional plan, which limits long-term impact and helps injured patients work toward a faster recovery. For example, in injury Medical & Chiropractic clinic’s injury care, a clinician will work with the patient to understand the cause of injury, then create a rehabilitation plan that keeps the patient active and brings them back to proper health in no time.
For answers to any questions, you may have, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900
One of the most recognized running injuries is runner�s knee. However, runner�s knee is not an injury but a result of different injuries. Running can hurt when improper mechanics, inadequate shoes, and cheap over the counter insoles are being used. It can lead to:
Plantar fasciitis
Achilles tendonitis
Medial tibial stress syndrome
Metatarsalgia
Runner�s knee
Runner�s knee is not an actual injury in of itself
It�s a broad description of knee pain caused by other knee injuries, which include:
Iliotibial band syndrome
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)
Chondromalacia patella
This can keep runners sidelined, annually.
Runner�s knee is caused by usually one of two things: poor biomechanics and overuse.
Feet are the foundation of the body and if not taken care of, pain
Feet are 99% normal at birth.
Then life takes over and issues begin to arise.
8% develop foot conditions, then�by age 5 that number jumps to 41% and 80%� at twenty.
By forty pretty much everyone has a foot condition or some type of foot pain from work and activity.
These foot issues then begin to set up problems for the rest of the body, especially the generalized condition of back pain or leg/knee/hip problems.
Being able to foresee and realize a potential problem with the feet can PREVENT other injuries from beginning to present themselves and dodge any issues that can affect health and lifestyle.
Runners who are able to avoid injury are those that land the lightest, much like a cat and sustain the lowest level of impact.
Runners think about landing softly and adjust their stride so they land closer to the midfoot.
However, it’s easier said than done.
Most runners tend to be heel-strikers
Runners with excessive pronation that try to change to a forefoot strike pattern are more prone to inner foot and ankle injuries,
And runners with high arches that try to change to a forefoot strike pattern end up with sprained ankles and metatarsal fractures.
Runners try to treat the pain with stretches or exercises that target the area, but the source of the pain is actually elsewhere and they don’t realize it and are treating the wrong area.
A lot of the time the source of the imbalance comes from the feet.
An overlooked option for reducing knee injury and pain is the use of custom orthotics.
Custom orthotics align and support the foot/ankle in a more normal physiologic position for weight-bearing, which prevents dysfunction and improves the function of the body as a whole.
What they do is:
Make a symmetrical foundation that blocks pronation and supports supination
Give the heels shock absorption
Stops serial stress throughout the body
Enhances re-educating muscle-memory
Custom-made orthotics help reduce the impact of heel strikes when running or walking.
Shock absorption is a must when there is
Instability
Chronic degeneration
Inflammatory arthritis
Orthotics that are designed specifically to cushion the impact load from running can reduce pain triggers throughout the body.
Avoiding knee injuries
When orthotic care is indicated, custom-made functional orthotics can help reduce pain.
Look for orthotics that support the running gait and
Absorb shock at heel-strike
Support mid-stance
Provide propulsion at toe-off
Excessive Foot Pronation can Affect *FOOT POSTURE & MOBILITY* | El Paso, TX (2019)
The following video discusses how excessive foot pronation can ultimately have an effect on foot posture and mobility. Several things can impact foot posture and mobility, such as excessive foot pronation. Excessive foot pronation is most widespread among the overall populace, therefore, it’s regarded as one of the most frequent factors for abnormal foot posture and mobility, which can lead to a variety of health issues like overuse injuries. Excessive foot pronation and supination can ultimately impact general health and wellness.
What’s Afoot
Misalignment can be caused by many common runners� experiences including running on the same type of surface every day, running on a slanted surface such as a beach or replacing running shoes too infrequently. As a runner, you can work to vary your running surfaces and keep a better watch on your shoes, but your chiropractor will let you know if your body is in need of more balance.
NCBI Resources
If you are an active amateur or a competitive runner, using the services of a chiropractor can make a vast change in your overall health, reduce your pain from injuries and improve your alignment for a more effective run. Runners may not even realize that the tension they feel is the beginning of pain caused by being out of balance until it is adjusted. Chiropractic adjustments are often part and parcel of a runner�s training program to strengthen and improve performance. They can also help�recover from pregnancy�and postpartum bodily changes.
If you are suffering from Achilles tendonitis, you are definitely not alone. Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are the two most common causes of pain in the heel. Athletes and active individuals, in particular, find themselves developing pain in the heel from Achilles tendonitis, but it is possible to develop the condition even if you are not an athlete.
Fortunately, chiropractic and associated therapies can do a lot to relieve your heel pain. With a combination of chiropractic care and Active Release therapy, you can get back on your feet and back to doing what you love as soon as possible.
Heel Pain Connected to the Achilles Tendon
Most people know how to point out the Achilles tendon. It is the large, thick tendon that travels up from the base of the heel and into the calf muscle. In fact, it connects the calf muscle and heel. It allows your body to transfer power from the calf muscle to the feet so that you can walk, run and jump. The Achilles tendon is strong and durable, but it is possible to overwork it and cause enough repetitive strain to develop tendonitis in the tendon.
Pain Causes in the Achilles Tendon
There are several stages to the process of developing pain in the Achilles tendon. These include:
Micro-tears
Heavy use of the tendon can lead to small tears. The micro-tears that develop in the Achilles tendon are known as tendinosis. They may not be noticeable at first and you may not feel much pain or any pain at all. However, over time and with increased tearing, the condition can become chronic.
Tendonitis
When you start to feel pain in your Achilles tendon that keeps occurring or lasts for a few days, you are likely experiencing tendonitis. The pain and inflammation of tendonitis need to be treated to avoid developing a chronic condition.
Tendinosis
If the pain becomes chronic�meaning it never or rarely goes away�then you have developed tendinosis. Instead of being inflamed, tendinosis is characterized by a lack of inflammation and the development of scar tissue. The scar tissue makes the tendon stiff and is usually quite painful. The stiffness of the tendon makes it more prone to tearing.
Rupture
If the tendinosis is not treated properly the tendon can eventually tear. A torn tendon is referred to as a rupture and usually requires surgery.
Symptoms
Pain and stiffness around the lower leg, right above the back of the heel
Begins as a mild ache and worsens throughout the day
Jumping,� running, stair climbing, and sprinting can spark intense pain
Tenderness or stiffness especially in the morning, but improves with movement/activity
Achilles Tendonitis Treatment
When you start to feel constant pain in your Achilles tendon it is time to go see your chiropractor. It is important to start treatment as soon as possible to avoid developing more advanced issues like tendinosis or even a ruptured tendon.
Your chiropractor will recommend several different types of treatment, including:
Active Release Therapy (ART)
ART is extremely effective for breaking up scar tissue and improving issues with soft tissues. Treatment can do a lot to improve the health of your tendon and the surrounding tissues to avoid further complications. It will also do a lot to help relieve the pain you are experiencing.
Chiropractic
Many times, the issues with your Achilles tendon are the result of misalignment in other parts of your body. When your joints are misaligned it tends to put extra stress on your feet and Achilles tendons. To minimize the stress on your joints, your chiropractor will adjust your spine and other joints to ensure proper alignment.
Get Help for Your Achilles Tendonitis
If you are experiencing heel pain, please get in touch with our chiropractic team. We can help to alleviate your pain and help you avoid experiencing further problems with your Achilles tendon.
Reduce *PLANTAR FASCIITIS PAIN* with Custom Foot Orthotics | El Paso, TX (2019)
Foot pronation is the natural movement which occurs during foot landing while walking or running. Foot pronation also occurs while standing, and in this instance, it is the amount in which the foot rolls inward toward the arch. Foot pronation is normal, however, excessive foot pronation can cause a variety of health issues, including bad posture. The following video describes the 5 red flags of excessive foot pronation, which can ultimately affect a person’s overall health and wellness. Dr. Alex Jimenez can help diagnose and treat excessive foot pronation. Patients recommend Dr. Alex Jimenez and his staff as the non-surgical choice for excessive foot pronation health issues.
Orthotics
If you are considering custom orthotics, a health care professional such as Doctor Jimenez and Injury Medical Chiropractic Clinic can perform a foot scan to show you what imbalances in the feet can lead to. The foot scan will show how the orthotics can help. Following the foot scan, a report will provide the caregiver a�Pronation/Stability Index, Foot Assessment, and Body Assessment.
What’s Afoot
Foot pain can commonly occur from various injuries. In the United States alone, about 2 million acute ankle sprains occur every year, one of the most prevalent causes of ankle pain. Chiropractic care is a popular alternative treatment option which can help treat a variety of health issues, including foot and ankle pain.
NCBI Resources
Tendonitis often recurs in many people. This is due, at least in part to improper or incomplete healing. Many people will resume normal activities as soon as the pain subsides when they should continue caring for the injury so that it can heal completely. This leads to inflammation of the area again as the original injury is aggravated, but it can also lead to re-injury in that same area. Chiropractic care can help tendonitis heal completely and help prevent re-injury to the area.
Golfer�s elbow is a condition that affects far more than those that golf regularly. According to Dynamic Chiropractic, golfer�s elbow can affect violinists, construction workers, tennis players, bikers and more. It’s more an expression similar to tennis elbow.
Anyone who overuses the elbow can find themselves with pain inside the forearm and elbow, pain that is unlikely to go away without treatment.
While medication and surgery can be options for treatment, chiropractic provides a non-invasive, effective way to relieve golfer�s elbow without the side-effects that come with surgery and medications.
What is it?
The joint and muscles on the inside of your elbow are activated during so many activities�pretty much every time you squeeze, grip or throw something, you use them. Even when you are doing less athletic activities like texting or typing at a keyboard, you are activating the muscles, tendons, and ligaments surrounding your elbow. It is not surprising that they can be overused, especially during work activities or leisure activities that you love so much you play all the time.
Golfer�s elbow is considered an overuse injury�an injury caused by using one or more parts of the body so much that they cannot recover quickly enough. Inflammation becomes constant, scar tissue can develop and pain becomes a regular problem.
How Chiropractic Helps Golfer�s Elbow
Chiropractic care is ideal for the treatment of golfer�s elbow. For some sufferers, coming to the chiropractor is the first and obvious choice. For others, going to the doctor is the first place they start.
Once they find that prescription medications are not alleviating the problem, they may be presented with the idea of surgery. Most people are hesitant to go through surgery if they do not have to, which is understandable. They reach out to a chiropractor because they are looking for an alternative that will help them heal without the pain and uncertainty that surgery brings.
At the chiropractor, you will find non-invasive, drug-free treatments that work to return your range of motion, reduce inflammation and break up the scar tissue in the soft tissues surrounding your elbow joint.
Chiropractic Treatment
Once you visit a chiropractor you will be given a careful, thorough physical examination to determine the nature of your problem and its cause. With golfer�s elbow, the problem is fairly obvious, so your chiropractor will focus on understanding exactly what your golfer�s elbow consists of�including your level of pain, your range of motion and the effects it is having on your day-to-day movement.
Some of the ways chiropractic can treat golfer�s elbow include:
Break Scar Tissue Up
Scar tissue keeps your muscles from operating correctly and causes pain. Chiropractors have methods for breaking up scar tissue to return normal muscle function, including active release.
Returns Mobility
Joint manipulation from your chiropractor is designed to make your joints move properly. The chiropractor will gently move your elbow back and forth to realign it and to ensure that it goes as far as it should go, and no further.
Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is what causes much of the pain you are experiencing in your elbow. Joint adjustments and breaking up scar tissue are excellent ways to reduce inflammation. As the inflammation reduces the body can heal more easily and the pain will lessen.
We Can Get You the Help You Need
As you know, golfer�s elbow can be painful and make it difficult to do the things you need to do. Let us help you get some relief. Please contact our office today to schedule an appointment with our chiropractic team.
An ankle sprain is always inconvenient, and often painful. But not all ankle sprains are equal in their severity. When diagnosing an ankle sprain, your doctor or chiropractor will classify the injury in one of three ways�first degree, second degree, and third degree. Knowing what each classification means can help you understand the nature of your injury and how careful you need to be with it. For you and your chiropractor, the classification of the ankle sprain degrees will help to direct the best treatment options.
Ankle Sprain Degrees and What They Mean
A sprain is an injury involving the stretching and/or tearing of your ligaments. With the ankle, it is possible to suffer an injury to either side of the joint, the interior or the exterior. You may have an inversion sprain or an eversion sprain. Whichever type you suffer from, it will fall into one of three categories:
Grades of ankle sprains
First Degree
A first-degree sprain is one where the ligaments have not torn, only stretched further than normal. Symptoms of a first-degree sprain include discomfort when jumping, jogging or sometimes walking. Pain is usually mild and swelling is minimal. The joint may be a little stiff and slightly less stable than normal.
Second Degree
A second-degree sprain is the most common type of sprain people seek medical care for. The ligament is partially torn, which can lead to several uncomfortable symptoms. The sprain will make walking difficult, be moderately painful and make it hard to use the ankle. The injury will result in noticeable swelling and often bruising.
Third Degree
A third-degree sprain is the most severe and involves a full tear of the ligament. Pain is often severe and swelling is significant. The torn ligament makes the joint unstable, so it is not only painful but also very hard to use.
How Chiropractic Can Help
Whether you are walking, running, jumping or just standing, the ankle plays a vital role in how you move and use your body. That is why it can be so frustrating when you find yourself with an ankle injury. Fortunately, ankle sprains do heal with enough rest and the right treatment.
Your chiropractor can help you recover from an ankle injury, both reducing pain and speeding up recovery time. There is research to support the use of chiropractic for ankle sprains.�One study showed that patients with ankle sprains experienced less pain when chiropractic was added to their treatment program. Chiropractic also focuses on improving mobility and range of motion, which can be quite beneficial when trying to recover from a sprain and get back to your normal life.
Some of the most common chiropractic treatments for ankle sprains include:
Adjustments
Adjustments can be made to more than just the spine. The bones, ligaments, and tendons in the ankle are designed to work in a certain way. A sprain can knock the ankle out of alignment, something that most traditional doctors and rehabs do not consider. An ankle adjustment will work to put things back into their proper places.
Strengthen Exercises
There are a variety of useful exercises that your chiropractor can take you through to improve strength and mobility in the ankle. Things like a wobble board, where you stabilize yourself on a wobbly platform and drawing on a board with a market held in your toes can be surprisingly effective at strengthening your ankle.
Call Us Today
Please contact us today to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor for your sprained ankle. Let us help you get stronger and heal faster!
As a business owner at El Paso, Texas, Louie Martinez depends upon his general health to have the ability to execute his daily physical activities. And thanks to Dr. Alex Jimenez, a chiropractor in El Paso, Texas, Louie has found pain relief for a variety of wellness issues.
Louie describes how Dr. Jimenez has revived his wellness. Louie Martinez is thankful for the chiropractic care Dr. Jimenez has provided for him, and he highly recommends him as the non-surgical choice for many different health issues, including back pain and sports injuries.
El Paso Back Clinic
We are blessed to present to you El Paso�s Premier Wellness & Injury Care Clinic.
As El Paso�s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center, we passionately are focused on treating patients after frustrating injuries and chronic pain syndromes. We focus on improving your ability through flexibility, mobility and agility programs tailored for all age groups and disabilities.
We want you to live a life filled with more energy, positive attitude, better sleep, less pain, proper body weight and educated on how to maintain this way of life.
I assure you, I will only accept the best for you�
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Hiking�with the family and you twist your ankle. It hurts, but you make it back without much problem. You notice you have some swelling and soreness, so you head home for some R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation).
You pass it off, saying, �Oh, it�s just a sprain.� But when your doctor checks you out the next day, he tells you that it is �strained.� Sprain vs. strain, what�s the difference?
While many people use the two terms interchangeably, they are not the same. There are some distinct differences although many of the symptoms are almost identical. In short, when a ligament is injured, it is called a sprain. When a muscle or tendon is injured, it is called a strain.
What Exactly are Sprains & Strains?
Ligaments are tough bands of tissue that connect two bones as they sit in a joint. For example, the tibia and fibula come together to fit in the ankle joint. Tendons join those two bones together to keep the ankle stable. A joint sprain occurs when these ligaments are torn or overstretched. The ankle is the most commonly sprained joint.
Tendons are cords of tissue made up of a dense network of fibers. They connect the muscle to the bone. A joint strain occurs when the tendons or muscles tear or overstretch. The lower back and hamstrings are the most common areas for muscle strain.
Both injuries are very similar, so it stands to reason that the symptoms of the injuries are also almost identical. This is why they are so commonly confused.
Symptoms of Sprains & Strains
The symptoms for each condition is very similar, but there are some differences.
Symptoms of Sprains include:
Pain around the area that is affected
Bruising in the affected area
Swelling in the immediate area but can expand to encompass more area
Limited range of motion
Decreased flexibility
Symptoms of Strains include:
Pain at the site of the joint that is affected
Muscle spasm
Swelling in the immediate area but can expand to encompass more area
Limited range of motion
Decreased flexibility
As you can see, the symptoms of sprains and strains are very close. The primary differences though are that bruising may occur with a sprain while a strain may elicit muscle spasms in the muscle that is affected.
What Causes Sprains and Strains?
Experiencing a sprain or strain every once in a while is not out of the ordinary. We put our bodies through a lot in a day. However, certain activities can make you more susceptible to movements that can lead to these injuries. They include:
Exercise or athletic activities, especially those that are high impact
Walking
Repetitive motion for a long period of time
Overexertion
Jogging or running
Slipping or falling
Standing or sitting in an unnatural or awkward position
Walking or running on unstable surfaces, like rocks or ice
Lifting objects that are too heavy
The most common areas for these injuries include:
Back
Ankle
Wrist
Knee
Thumb
How to Avoid Sprains and Strains
Sometimes injuries just happen and there�s nothing you can do about it. However, in most cases, you can take proactive steps to minimize your risks. These are some of the most common risk factors:
Being in poor physical condition
Using proper form when exercising
Failing to warm up before activities like exercising
Not using the right equipment for your workout or sporting activity.
Maintaining a hazardous environment at home, such as clutter on the floor or things you can trip over or slip on.
Fatigue or overly tired
Failure to avoid hazardous areas like floors that are wet and slippery or sidewalks that are iced over and slick.
If you have a sprain or strain and notice that the swelling has not subsided or if you still have pain after a week or so, you need to follow up with your doctor to make sure you don�t have a more severe injury.
*Sciatica Pain* Treatment Relief | El Paso, TX (2019)
When a patient comes in with complaints of pain in the shoulder and restricted motion in the joint, one possible diagnosis may be acromicioclavicular (AC) joint injury. While it is often an injury that is common among athletes, it can happen to anyone. Fortunately, chiropractic is a very effective treatment. While most people think of chiropractors, the first thing that comes to mind is back pain. Yes, chiropractors do specialize in back/spine issues, but chiropractic care is used to treat a variety of conditions from joint pain to migraines, fitness, and diet.
What is an acromioclavicular joint injury?
There are two bones, the clavicle, and acromion, that make up the AC joint. Four ligaments hold the joint together. When those ligaments are strained to stress, it results in an AC joint injury, often causing at least some joint separation. AC injuries fall into one of two categories: overuse and traumatic.
Overuse injury occurs over a period of time and is caused by excessive stress on the joint that is repeated or consistent. This causes damage to the cartilage and can lead to AC joint arthritis.
Traumatic injury occurs when the damaged ligaments disrupt the joint called a shoulder separation. This is different from a shoulder dislocation which involves the actual ball and socket shoulder joint.
What causes acromioclavicular joint injury?
The cause of an AC joint injury depends on the type of injury.
Overuse AC joint injuries are caused by overuse and are commonly seen in people who perform tasks that involve lifting heavy weight (including military or bench presses) or that perform physical labor that involves often stretching their arms over their heads.
A fall often causes traumatic AC joint injuries. The person may fall and land on their shoulder or fall on their hand then they put it out to brace their fall. It is often seen in cyclists who are involved in crashes, football players when they are tackles or a laborer who falls from a high place, such as a ladder. These injuries are graded from mild to severe, depending on how much the separation there is in the joint.
What are the symptoms of acromioclavicular joint pain?
A patient with AC joint pain may experience the following symptoms:
A bump that sits above the shoulder and is easily visible
A catching sensation or popping sound when the shoulder moves
Pain and swelling in the shoulder
Loss of range of motion of the shoulder
Loss or decrease in shoulder strength
Tenderness and swelling over the AC joint
Pain when lying on the affected side
Discomfort and pain in the shoulder when performing activities that place stress on the AC joint, including:
Carrying heavy objects at the side
Reaching across the body
Lifting objects overhead
What are the treatments for acromioclavicular joint pain?
Mild cases of traumatic AC joint injuries are often treated with physical therapy and chiropractic. Ice, rest, and immobilization can also be used to manage the pain.
Overuse AC joint injuries can also be treated with immobilization and ice as well as physical therapy and chiropractic. More severe cases may require surgery. Doctors may prescribe muscle relaxants, pain medication, or NSAIDs to help manage the pain.
Is chiropractic for acromioclavicular joint pain effective?
Chiropractic has been proven to be very effective for AC joint pain. The chiropractor performs what is called an AC adjustment which involves manipulation of the shoulder.
While it can be a little uncomfortable for the patient, it is one of the best ways to quickly decrease the pain. After the procedure, the chiropractor may recommend icing the area to minimize or prevent swelling and pain. Regular chiropractic care can ensure continued mobility and continued decrease in pain.
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