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Cheerleading Conditioning Chiropractic Clinic

Cheerleading Conditioning Chiropractic Clinic

Cheerleading and the physically intensive gymnastics and acrobatics put participants’ body’s/musculoskeletal systems at an increased risk of injury. A wrong move or falling at the wrong angle can cause permanent damage. Cheerleaders must follow a balanced diet and maintain physical fitness, strength, endurance, and flexibility to be successful cheerleaders. Cheerleading conditioning builds the musculature and spinal strength to decrease the risk and prevent injury.

Cheerleading Conditioning Chiropractor

Cheerleading Conditioning

Cheerleaders must have a solid musculoskeletal system to ensure their safety and the safety of their squads. Workouts include cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises.

Warming Up

  • Before any workout, the muscles need to be warmed up.
  • Spend five minutes jumping rope, running in place, jogging on a treadmill, or doing any mild activity to raise the heart rate.
  • After the muscles are warmed up, stretch all major muscle groups.

Cardio

Strength Training

Performing partner lifts, pyramids, and basket tosses calls for strong muscles.

  • Focus on the shoulders, arms, back, core, and legs.
  • Strength training workouts can be done with exercise equipment or body weight.
  • Bodyweight workouts include pushups, situps, partner leg lifts, squats, and lunges.
  • Perform 10 to 12 repetitions each, working up to 75 – 100 reps.

Flexibility

  • Cheerleading conditioning focuses on the hamstrings, quads, glutes, abdominals, chest, shoulders, back, and pectorals.
  • Yoga, Pilates, or regular stretching at home will increase flexibility.
  • Incorporate stretches that focus on the major muscle groups.
  • Stretch at the end of the workout.

Balance Training

Balance is essential.

  • This is where yoga can improve balance.
  • Try tree pose by standing on the right foot, and the left leg bent on the right knee.
  • The left thigh should be parallel to the ground.
  • Raise arms overhead and make a V motion keeping the abdominal muscles pulled in tight.
  • Balance for up to one minute.
  • Switch to the other foot.
  • Once balance is mastered on the ground, try balancing on a cushion to add instability.
  • Repeat three to five times on each foot.

Common Injuries

Common injuries include:

  • Hand and finger injuries.
  • Ligament sprains in the knees and ankles.
  • Muscle strains in the hip, low back, and legs.

Overuse injuries

  • Cheerleading is becoming a year-round sport.
  • Starting with tryouts during spring.
  • Teams may hold or go to organized summer cheerleading camps to learn new skills, improve skill sets, and create routines for competition.
  • Continuous training and competitions increase the chance of overuse injuries.
  • The wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles can be injured by repetitive stress.

More severe injuries are:

  • The repetitive tumbling places significant pressure on the spine and can cause stress fractures.
  • Dislocation of the shoulder or elbow.

Injury Causes

  • Lack of arm and shoulder, foot, and ankle strength.
  • Little to no core and abdominal strength.
  • Flexibility problems.
  • Improper conditioning.
  • Unhealthy diet.
  • Performing skills that are advanced for the cheerleader’s current level.

Chiropractic Enhancement

Chiropractic care can treat injuries and strengthen the body’s musculoskeletal system to prevent injuries. Chiropractic’s goal is optimal body performance by redistributing blood circulation, nerve energy flow, correct muscle positioning, and skeletal alignment. Many cheerleading teams are incorporating chiropractic. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic also specializes in sports medicine rehabilitation, strength training, nutrition, and health coaching.


Cheerleading Strength Training Workout


References

Boden, Barry P, and Christopher G Jarvis. “Spinal injuries in sports.” Neurologic clinics vol. 26,1 (2008): 63-78; viii. doi:10.1016/j.ncl.2007.12.005

Miners, Andrew L. “Chiropractic treatment and the enhancement of sport performance: a narrative literature review.” The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association vol. 54,4 (2010): 210-21.

Mueller, Frederick O. “Cheerleading injuries and safety.” Journal of athletic training vol. 44,6 (2009): 565-6. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-44.6.565

Pang, Yanbin, et al. “Premature exhaustion of mesenchymal stromal cells from myelodysplastic syndrome patients.” American journal of translational research vol. 9,7 3462-3468. 15 Jul. 2017

Wan, Jing-Jing, et al. “Muscle fatigue: general understanding and treatment.” Experimental & molecular medicine vol. 49,10 e384. 6 Oct. 2017, doi:10.1038/emm.2017.194

The Impact of Fatigue & Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Impact of Fatigue & Rheumatoid Arthritis

Introduction

Many individuals have dealt with issues affecting their lives in some way or form. People with autoimmune diseases must learn to manage their immune system from constantly attacking their bodies to function normally. The immune system’s primary function in the body is to attack environmental factors that harm the cells, muscles, and organs. When a person has an autoimmune disease, either from their family history or environmental factors, their immune system will begin to attack the body’s normal cells because it thinks it is a foreign invader to the body. Some common autoimmune disorders that most people have include lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Most of these common autoimmune disorders correlate to common symptoms that add to other issues that affect the body. Today’s article looks at rheumatoid arthritis, its symptoms, how it relates to fatigue, and how there are available treatments to manage rheumatoid arthritis as well as fatigue. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal therapies to help those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and fatigue. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

 

Have you been feeling stiffness and inflammation around your joints? have you experienced gut issues affecting your life? Or do problems of insomnia or fatigue seem to affect your quality of life? Many of these symptoms are associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and swelling in the joints. The video above explains how to manage rheumatoid arthritis and its associated symptoms. Fatigue is one of the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis as the inflammatory cytokines could be a co-morbidity in altering brain function that can lead to an overlap of pain and fatigue in the body, as studies reveal. While there hasn’t been a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, various treatment approaches can help people manage the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

 

The Symptoms

 

Some of the most commonly rheumatoid arthritis symptoms do to the body include pain, swelling and inflammation of the joints, joint deformity, and stiffness. Unlike wear and tear damage from different types of common inflammatory issues, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may come and go that can range from mild, moderate, or even severe. When this happens, rheumatoid arthritis may be the result of making it difficult to perform simple tasks and cause joint alterations. Research shows that rheumatoid arthritis associated with inflammation can damage different body parts like the gut. Gastrointestinal problems like leaky gut, IBS, or SIBO could trigger flare-ups in individuals who have rheumatoid arthritis. This is known as somato-visceral pain, where the muscles affect the vital organs, causing problems for the body. 

 

How Does Fatigue Correlate To RA?

Individuals that have rheumatoid arthritis do suffer from various symptoms that are associated with inflammatory issues. When inflammation begins to affect the body, it can overlap the profiles of fatigue and poorer quality of life in the individual. So how does fatigue correlate to rheumatoid arthritis? Studies reveal that fatigue is considered one of the acute symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis that imposes a burden on individuals, thus being associated with reducing their health and wellness. Fatigue has many dimensions that do impact many individuals. Some people will explain to their primary physicians that they are constantly tired, overworked, and repeatedly stressed from everyday life or disorders affecting their bodies. For rheumatoid arthritis individuals, studies reveal that high inflammatory factors associated with fatigue may cause them to feel exhausted. This is related to individuals who have insomnia from other conditions.


Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis-Video

Have you been feeling stiffness and inflammation around your joints? have you experienced gut issues affecting your life? Or do problems of insomnia or fatigue seem to affect your quality of life? Many of these symptoms are associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and swelling in the joints. The video above explains how to manage rheumatoid arthritis and its associated symptoms. Fatigue is one of the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis as the inflammatory cytokines could be a co-morbidity in altering brain function that can lead to an overlap of pain and fatigue in the body, as studies reveal. While there hasn’t been a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, various treatment approaches can help people manage the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.


Treatments For RA & Fatigue

 

Even though there hasn’t been a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, there are ways to manage the associated symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Eating anti-inflammatory riched foods could potentially dampen the effect of inflammation on the joints. One way while exercising can help loosen up stiff joints and bring back muscle strength, thus restoring joint motion. Treatments like chiropractic care can also provide pain relief and management for individuals dealing with rheumatoid arthritis. Chiropractic care comprises passive and active treatment modalities for rheumatoid arthritis and fatigue. Chiropractors utilize spinal adjustments and manual manipulation to reduce misalignment or subluxation of the spine. Chiropractic care may also help with many symptoms like fatigue associated with rheumatoid arthritis without invasive treatments or medication. Chiropractic care could potentially improve the function of the bones, joints, and even the nervous system in the body.

 

Conclusion

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes joint stiffness and swelling. The causes of this autoimmune disease are unknown. Still, factors like stress, gut issues, and obesity are associated with symptoms like fatigue, leaky gut, muscle stiffness, and poorer quality of life could potentially be involved with rheumatoid arthritis. Treatments like eating anti-inflammatory foods, exercising, and chiropractic care could help manage inflammatory issues triggering rheumatoid arthritis and potentially reduce the effects of fatigue from the body, thus slowing down the progression and bringing back a person’s quality of life.

 

References

Chauhan, Krati, et al. “Rheumatoid Arthritis – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 30 Apr. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441999/.

Korte, S Mechiel, and Rainer H Straub. “Fatigue in Inflammatory Rheumatic Disorders: Pathophysiological Mechanisms.” Rheumatology (Oxford, England), Oxford University Press, 1 Nov. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6827268/.

Pope, Janet E. “Management of Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis.” RMD Open, BMJ Publishing Group, May 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7299512/.

Santos, Eduardo J F, et al. “The Impact of Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Challenges of Its Assessment.” Rheumatology (Oxford, England), Oxford University Press, 1 Nov. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6827262/.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. “Rheumatoid Arthritis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 May 2021, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353648.

Disclaimer

Athletic Referred Pain Care

Athletic Referred Pain Care

Referred pain is the interpretation of feeling pain in a different location than the actual cause. For example, a pinched nerve in the spine/back causes pain not to show up not where it is pinching but further down in the buttock, leg, calf, or foot. Similarly, a pinched nerve in the neck could translate to shoulder or elbow pain. Referred pain is often caused by the muscles overcompensating weaker ones, like feeling pain outside the knee, with the actual injury stemming from hip joint dysfunction caused by weakened lateral hip muscles. The athletic referred pain could have been brought on by an acute sports injury, an overuse injury from the repetitive motion/s.

Athletic Referred Pain

Athletic Referred Pain

Somatic referred pain originates from the muscles, skin, and other soft tissues and is not to be confused with visceral pain, which refers to the internal organs/viscera. However, the pain presents in regions supplied by the same nerve roots. Damaged or injured body structures can cause referred pain. This includes the muscles, nerves, ligaments, and bones.

Common Sites

Individuals can experience referred pain almost anywhere. Athletic referred pain commonly occurs in these areas:

  • The neck and shoulder where pain can be felt in the elbow, arm, and hand or cause headaches.
  • The back where pain can be felt in the hips, buttocks, and thighs.
  • The hip/s area, where pain can be felt in and around the low back and abdominal regions.
  • The groin, where pain can be felt in and around the abdominal region.

Problems with the vertebral discs, nerve root compression, muscle spasms, osteoarthritic changes, spinal fracture, or tumor/s can affect the body’s ability to transport sensory information, which can cause strange sensations and weakness of muscle tissues, and sometimes problems with coordination and movement. Part of an accurate diagnosis is knowing the patterns of referred pain in all the muscles and internal organs.

Pain Activation

Many nerve endings come together and share the same nerve cell group in the spinal cord. When signals travel through the spinal cord to the brain, some signals follow the same path as the pain signals from a different body part. Pain awareness is felt in a deeper center of the brain known as the thalamus, but the sensory cortex determines the perception of where the pain is coming from and the location of the pain. The intensity and sensation of the athletic referred somatic pain vary for different structures and depend on the inflammation level. For example:

  • Nerve pain tends to be sharp or shooting.
  • Muscle pain tends to be a deep dull aching or a burning sensation.
  • However, muscles can give a sensation of tingling where referred pain is presenting, but tingling is more commonly associated with a nerve injury.

Diagnosing referred pain injuries can be complex as there are various areas where the pain can show up. The source of damage needs to be identified; otherwise, achieving lasting pain relief will not last. A biomechanical analysis can help to find movement/motion patterns that may be causing pain and help identify the source.

Treatment

Athletic performance and spinal health are interconnected. Chiropractic treatment involves whole-body wellness that involves the spine and nervous system. Routine chiropractic care relieves neck, shoulder, arm, back, leg, and foot conditions/injuries and helps prevent disorders of joints and muscles. It calms the mind, provides pain relief, and educates individuals on being more aware of the body. Chiropractic adjustments improve blood flow and nerve function to increase agility, reaction times, balance, strength, and expedited healing of the body.


DRX9000 Decompression


References

Kapitza, Camilla, et al. “Application and utility of a clinical framework for spinally referred neck-arm pain: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study protocol.” PloS one vol. 15,12 e0244137. 28 Dec. 2020, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0244137

Murray, Greg M. “Guest Editorial: referred pain.” Journal of applied oral science: Revista FOB vol. 17,6 (2009): i. doi:10.1590/s1678-77572009000600001

Weller, Jason L et al. “Myofascial Pain.” Seminars in neurology vol. 38,6 (2018): 640-643. doi:10.1055/s-0038-1673674

Wilke, Jan, et al. “What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review.” Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation vol. 97,3 (2016): 454-61. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2015.07.023

Cyclist Chiropractic Decompression

Cyclist Chiropractic Decompression

Bicycling at any level is excellent healthwise, but the specific physical repetitive motions and postures can wear on a cyclist’s body, causing strains and injury to the:

  • Muscles
  • Ligaments
  • Tendons
  • Nerves
  • Spine

Injuries can be caused by falls, overused muscles, joints, posture, and/or balance problems, whether riding a bicycle for fun, health, or sport. Chiropractic decompression can treat cycling-related injuries and help prevent common injuries by helping cyclists with conditioning and exercises. Chiropractic adjustments, combined with health coaching and nutrition planning, can maximize the body’s overall athletic ability and increase/improve:

Cyclist Injuries Chiropractic Decompression

Common Cyclist Injuries

Competitive cyclists, commuters, and weekend riders all experience common cycling injuries that include:

Back Soreness and Pain

Many cyclists suffer from back pain overuse injuries that are caused by:

  • Incorrect saddle/seat height or an uneven seat/saddle
  • Not bending the knee at the end of a pedal stroke forces the cyclist to rock the pelvis side to side to generate enough power, placing added stress on the low back muscles.
  • Handlebars that are too far forward can cause over-stretching of the spine.
  • Constantly tilting the head can cause neck and shoulder pain.
  • Staying in the same position for an extended period strains the spine.
  • Repetitive hip flexion causes the muscles to become tight and perform less efficiently, straining the rest of the body to make up for the lost support.
  • Hamstrings that become tight can shorten in length, causing the body to pull on the pelvis and the spine.
  • Lack of core strength allows more stress to penetrate the glutes, back, and hips.
  • Riding on bumpy or rough terrain increases body jarring and spinal compression.

Chiropractic Decompression

Chiropractic decompression for cyclists can rehabilitate the body from injuries, alleviate pain, improve blood and nerve circulation and maintain the body’s flexibility. Advanced decompression techniques personalized to the individual realign and release the body from obstructions and toxins in the neural pathways. Nutritional and supplementation recommendations are incorporated to enhance the body’s natural healing abilities, and exercise/stretches to sustain the adjustments.


Spinal Decompress


References

Schultz, Samantha J, and Susan J Gordon. “Recreational cyclists: The relationship between low back pain and training characteristics.” International journal of exercise science vol. 3,3 79-85. 15 Jul. 2010

Silberman, Marc R. “Bicycling injuries.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 12,5 (2013): 337-45. doi:10.1249/JSR.0b013e3182a4bab7

Streisfeld, Gabriel M et al. “Relationship Between Body Positioning, Muscle Activity, and Spinal Kinematics in Cyclists With and Without Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.” Sports health vol. 9,1 (2017): 75-79. doi:10.1177/1941738116676260

Thompson, M J, and F P Rivara. “Bicycle-related injuries.” American family physician vol. 63,10 (2001): 2007-14.

Virtanen, Kaisa. “Cyclist injuries.” Duodecim; laaketieteellinen aikakauskirja vol. 132,15 (2016): 1352-6.

Health Consequences From Poor Posture

Health Consequences From Poor Posture

Posture is the positioning of the body. There are two types of posture. Dynamic posture is how individuals position themselves when moving, like walking, running, or bending to lift an object. And static posture is how individuals position themselves when not in motion, like standing, sitting, or sleeping. Minimal stress is applied to the muscles and joints when practicing healthy posture. High-stress work and school combined with unhealthy body positions can cause health consequences to the spine, extremities, and musculoskeletal imbalances.

Health Consequences From Poor Posture

Health Consequences

Poor postures do not always present with spine or extremity pain right away. This is because individuals will feel discomfort and have the strength and mobility to correct unhealthy/awkward positions and minimize stress. However, eventually, the pain will begin to present as the muscles and joints can only take so much that the ability to correct poor positioning does not matter as there is a developing injury taking place, causing inflammation, letting the body know there is something not right. This often leads to chronic stress and the unnecessary wearing down of the joints to compensate for the unhealthy positions.

Early Signs

Early signs of postural problems can include:

  • Inability to sit or stand for a long time.
  • Stiffness when rising from a chair.
  • Feeling of added physical exhaustion.

Leaving the condition untreated often leads to:

  • Muscle imbalances.
  • Loss of normal flexibility.
  • Discomfort and pain present for no apparent reason.

Unhealthy Posture Symptoms

Symptoms can include:

  • Slouching
  • Rounded shoulders.
  • Potbelly.
  • Bent knees when standing or walking.
  • Muscle fatigue.
  • Aches and pains.
  • Back pain.
  • Headache.

Postural Structure

Poor posture interferes and disrupts several of the body’s posture structures. These include:

  • Nervous system feedback.
  • Muscle strength and length.
  • The static slow-twitch muscle fibers help maintain posture without exerting too much energy and contribute to balance by sensing the body’s position.
  • Static muscle fibers burn energy slowly and can work for a long time without tiring.
  • The fast-twitch or phasic muscle fibers are used for movement and activity. These fibers quickly use up their energy.

Because the phasic fibers have to work overtime instead of the static fibers to maintain the body’s position, muscle fatigue, weakness, and pain begin to set in.

Health

Health consequences can include:

  • Misaligned musculoskeletal system.
  • The advanced wearing of the spine making it fragile and prone to injury.
  • Chronic pain.
  • Decreased flexibility.
  • Joint mobility is affected.
  • Balance issues.
  • Increased risk of falling.
  • Difficulty digesting food.
  • Difficulty breathing.

Chiropractic and Physical Therapy

Chiropractors and physical therapists specialize in evaluating and treating musculoskeletal dysfunctions and disorders, identifying and screening for postural dysfunction. Chiropractic adjustments can be highly effective combined with other treatment modalities like massaging the soft tissues to improve circulation, reduce swelling inflammation, and promote healing. Spinal decompression therapy can help stretch and realign the spine to relieve back and/or leg pain. A customized exercise program will stretch and strengthen the body to maintain a healthy posture. Health coaching combined with dietary management can help with pain and inflammation and strengthen muscles and bones.


DRX9000 Spinal Decompression


References

American Chiropractic Association. Maintaining good posture. acatoday.org/content/posture-power-how-to-correct-your-body-alignment. Accessed Jan. 28, 2019.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Spine basics. orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases–conditions/spine-basics/. Accessed Jan. 30, 2019.

Bauer BA. Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. In: Mayo Clinic Guide to Integrative Medicine. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017.

Muscolino JE. Posture and the gait cycle. In: Kinesiology: The Skeletal System and Muscle Function. 3rd ed. Elsevier; 2017.

Wang G. Powered traction devices for intervertebral decompression: Health technology assessment update. Washington Department of Labor and Industries, June 14, 2004.

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

Body Stretching Fundamentals

Body Stretching Fundamentals

 Stretching Fundamentals: Stretching benefits the body by keeping the muscles flexible, strong, healthy, and able to maintain optimal physical performance. As with any other discipline stretching correctly requires using the proper form, correct technique, and practicing regularly. The angles need to be accurate; the body has to move at the right speed and maintain correct posture. The focus should be moving the joint as little as possible as the muscle/s stretch and elongate.

Body Stretching Fundamentals

Stretching Fundamentals

Stretching should become a daily activity that turns into a healthy habit. The muscles need frequent maintenance from daily/nightly bending, twisting, reaching, carrying, and lifting work. This is especially true for individuals dealing with constant soreness, aches, pains, and problems with tight, tense, and stressed-out muscles. When the body is stressed, heart rate increases, and individuals tend to tighten up. Stretching benefits include:

  • Stress relief.
  • Increased muscle blood flow.
  • Increased body flexibility.
  • Helps joints move through their full range of motion.
  • Improves performance in physical activities.
  • Decreases soreness, aches, and pains.
  • Injury prevention.
  • Improves posture.
  • Improves sleep.
  • Preps the body for exercise and activities.
  • Improves mental health.

Human nature is to take the path of least resistance, which makes the body feel flexible and comfortable. This is a common reason individuals consider stretching unnecessary or too painful to engage in. However, stretching fundamentals need to be maintained as stretching carelessly or poorly can negatively affect other muscles and joints and worsen injuries/conditions. 

Guidelines

To stretch safely, it is recommended to do a proper warm-up, stretch slowly, working the right muscles and joints. The guidelines make stretching safer, more effective, and increase body awareness.

Warm-Up

  • Warming the muscles increases blood flow.
  • Warming up muscles before physical activity/workout is crucial for preventing injuries and maximizing effectiveness.
  • Stretching cold muscles activates a reflex that prevents overstretching, resulting in shortening and tightening of the muscles.
  • A healthy warm-up should consist of light cardio and dynamic stretches for the major muscle groups.
  • Dynamic stretching involves moving into and out of positions through a full range of motion rather than holding a stretch for a prolonged period.
  • Dynamic stretches are recommended to be held for 2-3 seconds for 4-6 repetitions.

Take It Slow

  • Stretching out too fast can make the body think that the muscle is about to get torn or injured.
  • To protect the muscle, it contracts, preventing it from reaching the full stretch.
  • This is why the correct technique needs to be observed.
  • A couple of degrees in the wrong direction can mean the difference between a healthy stretch and pulling a joint capsule causing injury.

Body Composition


Muscle Recovery

When engaged in physical activity, exercise, or working, microscopic tears are happening to muscle cells. Because of the body’s stress and fatigue, hormone and enzyme levels fluctuate, and inflammation increases. This helps in fat loss, increases metabolism, increases strength and muscle growth. However, these benefits only happen with proper recovery. Different types of recovery include:

Immediate Recovery

  • These are the quick moments’ in-between physical movements.
  • For example, the time between each stride when jogging.

Short-Term Recovery

  • This is the time between activities or sets of exercises.
  • For example, the rest periods between doing a heavy job or sprint intervals.

Training Recovery

  • This is the time between when one workout or job ends, and the next begins.

There is no one size fits all, as everyone’s body is different; it is recommended to consult with a trainer or fitness expert and experiment with what feels right.

  • For some individuals, 24 hours is enough.
  • For others, it can take 48 or 72 hours to feel fully recovered.
  • Other factors that affect recovery are:
  • Age
  • Fitness level
  • Work/exercise intensity
  • Diet
  • Sleep
References

Behm, David G, and Anis Chaouachi. “A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance.” European Journal of applied physiology vol. 111,11 (2011): 2633-51. doi:10.1007/s00421-011-1879-2

Freitas, S R et al. “Stretching Effects: High-intensity & Moderate-duration vs. Low-intensity & Long-duration.” International journal of sports medicine vol. 37,3 (2016): 239-44. doi:10.1055/s-0035-1548946

Hotta, Kazuki et al. “Daily muscle stretching enhances blood flow, endothelial function, capillarity, vascular volume and connectivity in aged skeletal muscle.” The Journal of physiology vol. 596,10 (2018): 1903-1917. doi:10.1113/JP275459

Kataura, Satoshi et al. “Acute Effects of the Different Intensity of Static Stretching on Flexibility and Isometric Muscle Force.” Journal of strength and conditioning research vol. 31,12 (2017): 3403-3410. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000001752

Flexibility and Range of Motion

Flexibility and Range of Motion

Flexibility and range of motion are essential elements for an individual’s overall health, physical fitness, and quality of life. Healthy flexibility helps the body:

  • Maintain a physically active lifestyle.
  • Maintain strength.
  • Improve endurance.
  • Prevent injury.

Flexibility and Range of Motion

Flexibility and Range of Motion

Joint stiffness and pain can make it challenging to engage in everyday activities and maintain mobile, physical, emotional, and internal health. To keep the body flexible and moving, individuals need to use their entire body and range of movement. Becoming sedentary affects the body’s flexibility, leading to slowed/blocked blood circulation, nerve energy signal disruption, and sickness. To improve flexibility and range of motion, it is recommended to include:

  • Stretching the body
  • Regular exercise and physical activity
  • Yoga
  • Healthy diet
  • Healthy weight
  • Proper sleep

For individuals with stiffened muscles and joints, chiropractic medicine can increase the body’s flexibility, improving the range of motion in the joints. Chiropractic optimizes the function of the joints, improving mobility with less pain. When living with arthritis, chiropractic is an excellent therapy to decrease pain and activate the body’s natural healing abilities. Chiropractic adjustments align the spine and improve nervous system function.

Nerve Pressure

Nerve pressure can cause pain or tingling sensations that can become difficult to manage. A shifted misaligned spine can compress nerve endings, causing pain that presents with or without movement. Getting the body in motion and moving around is essential to treat stiffness and joint pain. The objective of chiropractic is to align the spine and body and relieve pressure on the nerves helping the body gain back its flexibility and range of motion. Once the body is adjusted, the nerve endings are no longer irritated, relieving the pain. Chiropractic uses various techniques to deal with areas of compression, including stretching, percussive massage, low-laser therapy, ultrasound, and strengthening exercises.

  • Chiropractic adjustments relieve pain and improve mobility.
  • Strengthening exercises to keep the spine in proper alignment.
  • Exercising keeps the adjustments in place.

A careful assessment of the condition will determine the cause of stiffness and joint immobility. Chiropractic can treat the joints, bones, and muscles to improve flexibility manage muscle spasms and soft tissue tenderness to alleviate symptoms restoring and improving range of motion. Chiropractic adjustments are combined with therapeutically designed stretches and exercises to perform at home, along with an anti-inflammation diet and supplements.


Body Composition


Zinc

Zinc is an essential nutrient that provides overall immune function. It is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation responses. Various bodily chemical reactions require Zinc. Zinc is necessary for muscle protein synthesis and hormone regulation. Zinc deficiency is common in older individuals and has been connected with degenerative diseases that include:

Sources of Zinc include:

  • Nuts
  • Legumes
  • Chicken
  • Red meat
  • Oysters
References

Green, S et al. “Physiotherapy interventions for shoulder pain.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 2003,2 (2003): CD004258. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD004258

Hartvigsen, Jan et al. “What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention.” Lancet (London, England) vol. 391,10137 (2018): 2356-2367. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)30480-X

Kavuncu, Vural, and Deniz Evcik. “Physiotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis.” MedGenMed: Medscape general medicine vol. 6,2 3. 17 May. 2004

Page, Carolyn J et al. “Physiotherapy management of knee osteoarthritis.” International journal of rheumatic diseases vol. 14,2 (2011): 145-51. doi:10.1111/j.1756-185X.2011.01612.x

Wessels, Inga et al. “Zinc as a Gatekeeper of Immune Function.” Nutrients vol. 9,12 1286. 25 Nov. 2017, doi:10.3390/nu9121286