We see it on all types of athletes nowadays. They are wearing tape that looks like it’s for an injury. It is for injuries, but it can also be used as a preventative measure to avoid injuries. It is known as Kinesiology, Kinesio, KT, and elastic tape. It reduces swelling, increases mobility, and expedites recovery. It can be beneficial with back soreness/pain.
Tape
When it comes to Kinesio tape for back pain, medical professionals reported the tape is most effective when incorporated with other pain treatments. A study found that taping various areas of the body safely relieved knee pain and reduced the need for pharmacological treatment for knee osteoarthritis. It is applied to the body to support a joint, improve circulation, or provide proprioception feedback to the brain. The tape can help increase awareness of a specific painful area, reminding the individual to maintain proper posture and not move in a way that causes pain. Online videos can teach how to tape a particular area of the body. Examples include:
Each joint and muscle requires various tapings or different patterns and directions. Applying the tape to body areas that an individual can reach and access, like the knee and ankle, can be simple. But it can be a challenge to apply it to the shoulder or back. This is when a physical therapist, chiropractor, medical clinician, partner, family member, or friend can help with the application. Kinesiology tape is designed to adhere for an average of three to four days, even when bathing.
Benefits
Kinesio taping for low back pain with help should be done in a shortened muscle position, meaning the person helping should apply the tape while the person experiencing back pain stands up straight. The taping can be two stripes going up and down, or it can be done with strips fanning out towards the buttocks. This gives support to the spine/back muscles and decreases pain.
Recovery and Prevention
Recovery from a spine condition or injury prevention, kinesiology tape can be used without any risk. It can help reduce pain, improve circulation, and provide muscle support. For a minor sprain or strain, the tape could help on its own. But for an individual experiencing severe back pain, it is recommended to seek professional medical care along with a stretching and strengthening regimen. The tape is recommended to be used as part of a complete treatment plan.
Body Composition
Five-Day Training Plan
The idea of training five times a week can be pretty intimidating. This is not about pushing yourself to your breaking point Monday through Friday. The objective of working out this frequently is about exercising normally, not like a professional athlete. That’s why many individuals divide up the areas they work out each day. Particular attention is given to one muscle group or system, letting the others rest and recover. This workout strategy is called a split and is favored by the bodybuilding community. Five-day splits are utilized to target different major muscle group/s every day. A standard training plan includes:
This is just one of the many programs that trainers, athletes, and fitness individuals have developed. Some individuals replace shoulders day with cardio; some do abs every day; it depends on what fitness goal the individual is going for.
References
Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. (April 2016) “Kinesio taping for chronic low back pain: A systematic review” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27634093/
Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease. (August 2019) “The effectiveness of Kinesio Taping® for pain management in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial” https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1759720X19869135
What are the potential benefits for back pain?: Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. (June 2015) “Low Back Pain in Athletes” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4592766/
Chiropractic athletics is a natural treatment focused on athletes and sports injuries. It is a non-surgical, non-drug option that can help individual athletes prevent injury/s from happening, maintain optimal athletic performance, and relives sports musculoskeletal injuries.Athletes of all types can benefit from chiropractic athletics.
Sports leagues and professional athletes including Major League Baseball and the National Football League have full-time chiropractors on their teams. Athletes from all over the world utilize chiropractic medicine. With the advancement in sports technology, intense training and superb athleticism come injuries that can turn into game-ending conditions. Because of this, there is a wide variety of treatment needs and is where chiropractic athletics comes in.
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Commonly athletes are referred to chiropractors for neck, lower back, and extremity conditions. Chiropractic athletics help them get them back into play after an injury faster, with added flexibility and agility. And for those without injuries chiropractic helps athletes prevent injuries by increasing strength and power to help perform at peak level.
Chiropractic sports doctors are highly trained with the tools and skills that will optimize the performance of an athlete's musculoskeletal and nervous system. This training is what allows these athletic chiropractors to provide sports therapy/s that is focused on maintaining agility, flexibility, strength, and quick rehabilitation after an injury. Why chiropractic athletics should be essential?
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Chiropractic Athletic Importance
Regular chiropractic improves range of motion. Athletes place intense pressure on their bodies when training, weight-lifting, and playing. This can shift the spine out of alignment affecting movement, along with the rest of the body, generating a high probability of injury.
Athletes have to deal with soreness, stiffness, and pain from their basic training regiment. An injury can easily compound the soreness into something more severe. Spinal alignment problems can cause the range of motion to be hindered and limited, inhibiting overall ability. Chiropractic athletics undoes the damage. Once a chiropractic regiment is in place injury prevention kicks in, all the while keeping the athlete moving pain-free. �
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Pain Reduction
Anyone especially the strongest athletes can have an episode of back pain, specifically in the low back. A chiropractor promotes proper alignment and movement of the delicate spine. Chiropractors can recommend treatments both professional and self-care that will reduce all types of back pain short and long-term. Research confirms that a manual spine manipulation is an effective form of pain relief.
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Less Need for Pain Meds
Too often aches and pain are treated with pain meds, cortisone shots, and other drugs that provide short-term relief. Chiropractic is drug-free. This means athletes are not subject to side effects or dependencies that unfortunately arise from prescription med use.
Because of the increasing dependency on opioids, the American College of Physicians has updated their guidelines when it comes to low back pain, a very common reason for opioid prescriptions. Now, those with low back pain are encouraged to utilize various complementary and alternative medicine techniques that include chiropractic spinal manipulation before having to use prescription medication.
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Non-invasive
Chiropractic is non-surgical and can provide relief from injuries throughout the body. It can even serve as an alternative to surgery/s that would keep athletes on the sidelines because of a long recovery period. Treatments include:
All of these can be used to treat athletic injury.
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Athletic Benefits
Whether a neighborhood sports league or advanced competitive league athletes need chiropractic specialists for injury treatment to get them back to play. Kids are now traveling at a younger age meaning more practices and tournaments. Kids are also committing to only one sport early on. This is known as specializing. A study by The American Journal of Sports Medicine found that athletes that specialize too early are subject to continued injury/s. �
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Chiropractic decreases recovery time
Normal wear and tear happens to all of us but can wear down faster especially in an extremely healthy athlete�s body.
A baseball pitcher uses a consistent repetitive throwing motion.
A volleyball player jumps, constantly hitting and blocking.
A skateboarder falls repeatedly, sometimes over one-hundred times trying to land a trick.
At some point and quite often an athlete experiences muscle fatigue and soreness. Practices and games have only a few days between them. Younger athletes and their growing bodies need a lot more than rest to keep them in shape. After practice or a game, a chiropractor can do some soft tissue massage or instrument-assisted soft tissue techniques to make the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints flexible, relaxed, with decreased lactic acid, and improved blood circulation.
Physical therapy and the equipment used like ultrasound or cold laser therapy can be used to help with areas that are highly inflamed. This along with adjustments can improve joint mobility. Chiropractic athletics also helps with proper rehydration and customized dietary plans to assist with recovery and maintaining top-level performance. �
Lacrosse players experience knee injuries and muscle strains
Chiropractic adjusting of joint segments, no longer moving, can enhance mechanical motion. Soft tissue techniques improve muscle tone and blood flow to injured areas and decrease tissue buildup around the injured areas. Chiropractic along with the aforementioned treatment options can significantly reduce inflammation and pain.
All of these treatment options can be enhanced with Kinesio Taping. It can add support and various taping techniques can assist in blood circulation to the injured area. A sports chiropractor has a complete understanding of sports injury repair and knows the proper guidelines for safely returning the athlete to their sport. �
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Health and Wellness
Athletes have to focus on body awareness, health, diet, and optimal function. But they also need to be injury prepared through preventive awareness. Think of it as defensive driving. A chiropractor can assist an athlete with:
Proper training strategies that can become life-long habits
Body mechanic evaluation
Gait analysis
Continually keeping an athlete�s body in top form, allows them to train more efficiently and effectively.
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A Vital Role
With athletes training year-round and specializing earlier, chiropractic assistance can keep an athlete at a top level of body function. Chiropractic combined with certified athletic trainers can help with muscle development, ligament, and tendon stability. These specialists play a vital role in obtaining and maintaining whole-body wellness.
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Consider Chiropractic
Chiropractic athletics includes a whole health assessment to ensure there are no underlying issues that could be contributing to an injury, or that could cause future problems. Athletes, consider seeing a chiropractor regularly for those that want to maintain physical strength and range of motion, or if they want to recover from an injury without taking prescription meds and surgery. Sports performance will improve when the body is in alignment and pain-free!
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Functional Fitness Fellas
Dr. Alex Jimenez�s Blog Post Disclaimer
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
Spinal meningitis does not just affect the brain. Most think of meningitis as a brain disease, but it can also affect the spine. We will discuss learning how to recognize it and find the right treatment to fix it within the spinal cord. Spinal meningitis can be a potentially deadly infection of the meninges. This is the protective tissue that covers the brain and spinal cord.
It can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi that are transmitted from person to person by sneezing, talking, and sharing food.Viruses and pathogens that cause other infections, like the mumps and measles, can also cause meningitis. The lining around the brain and the spine are connected, which means that infection can travel from one area to another, or remain in the brain or the spine.
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The Meninges
Meninges are the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. They are made up of three layers:
Dura mater is the thick and tough outer layer
Arachnoid mater is the middle layer made up of strands of connective tissue
Pia mater is the inner layer of cells
Spinal meningitis can develop when a virus, bacteria, or pathogen invade the meninges layers. This causes the immune system to react trying to remove the invading bacteria etc, which causes inflammation. These organisms usually take up residence in the nose and throat and never cause problems. Most individuals that come into contact with these viruses never get sick.
The reason for this is because the body produces fighting antibodies before the pathogens can invade the meninges. Others, possibly from age or underlying conditions, where they are not able to produce enough or any antibodies, makes them vulnerable to the illness. When the brain and spine's tissue/s get infected with any one of these pathogens, the tissue swells, which constricts proper blood flow to the brain.
Types of Spinal Meningitis
The most common types of spinal meningitis in the United States include:
Viral meningitis
Viral meningitis is caused by enteroviruses, which are common viruses that enter the body through the mouth and travel to the brain and tissues where multiplication ensues. There are other viruses that can also cause meningitis. These include:
Viruses that cause mumps
Herpesviruses - like Epstein-Barr, measles, influenza, West Nile
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus from rodents
Any of these viruses can spread to the meninges, causing spinal meningitis to develop. This is a less severe type than bacterial meningitis.
Bacterial meningitis
This is the type where dangerous bacteria invade the meninges. Individuals are at higher risk as this type can be fatal if not treated. Common types of bacterial meningitis include:
Haemophilus influenzae - can cause severe infection/s of the lining of the brain, spinal cord, and the blood.
Pneumococcal meningitis - is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumonia and is the most common form of bacterial meningitis.
Meningococcal meningitis - also known as meningococcal disease, is a less common type. This type is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitides. Around 2,600 people in the U.S. are affected yearly.
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Symptoms
Viral or bacterial spinal meningitis can cause a range of symptoms, including:
Neck and back stiffness
Muscle weakness
Headache
Drowsiness
Fatigue
Fever
Double vision
Sensitivity to light
Nausea
Vomiting
Hearing difficulty
Confusion
Seizures
Rash
Symptoms are often far more pronounced with the bacterial form. This is because it�s associated with more inflammation, compared to the viral type.
Complications
Depending on the type whether viral or bacterial the results can be serious, leading to:
Permanent brain damage
Permanent organ damage
Stroke
Loss of hearing
Loss of limbs
Death
Anyone who experiences symptoms of meningitis should see a doctor immediately for diagnosis and treatment options.
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Risk for Spinal Meningitis
Getting spinal meningitis depends on various factors like:
Age
Immune system status
If the individual lives in a group environment
Children younger than five
Individuals with weakened immune systems from taking medication/s for other conditions
Recent organ/bone marrow transplants
Babies younger than 1-month-old along with weakened immune systems are more likely to experience severe illness
These are factors that could increase the risk of viral meningitis. Fortunately, most cases are not serious and in children's cases, most recover in one to two weeks. Meningitis can also occur very rarely after spine surgery where the lining around the dura is torn with an infection happening at the same time.
Diagnosis
Detecting spinal meningitis a doctor will utilize:
Blood tests
Imaging tests
Spinal tap to test the cerebrospinal fluid which surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
The fluid is collected and sent to a lab, where it is analyzed for bacteria or viruses.
Treatment
Antiviral medication can help with certain types of viral meningitis with other meds for treating meningitis symptoms. Doctors recommend bed rest, proper fluids, and medication for fever relief and headache relief. This is for viral meningitis.
Antibiotic medications can treat bacterial spinal meningitis. It is commonly treated with intravenous antibiotics in a hospital setting. Unfortunately, around ten percent of children with bacterial meningitis die from it yearly. Even with immediate antibiotic treatment a child's body can become overwhelmed by the bacteria/organism. The Meningococcus bacteria can create a toxin that invades the blood. This can be fatal for a child or adolescent within hours. This is why it�s highly recommended to prevent bacterial meningitis than to treat it once it's active.
Contagious
Proper hygiene like hand washing, not sharing food, beverages, utensils, or body care products like lip salve/balm can help stop the spread of bacterial and viral meningitis.
Neck Pain Chiropractic Care
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Dr. Alex Jimenez�s Blog Post Disclaimer
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
For many chiropractic patients, the first experience with chiropractic comes during early adulthood or middle age. Most adults seek out chiropractic care because they are in some sort of pain. If you are one of those that are new to chiropractic, its effectiveness may surprise you. Your next thought might be about how chiropractic could help others in your life�friends, family and more.
Fortunately, sharing chiropractic with your loved ones is easy because it is so well-suited to just about everyone. Whatever the age of the individual, chiropractic can be adapted to provide gentle preventative care and to improve overall health.
Smiling multi-generation family smiling down at the camera
Chiropractic for Children
Sometimes it can seem like children are invincible. They are flexible, heal quickly and tend to bounce back from situations that would floor an adult. But kids need support to be as healthy as possible, especially as they grow up. Chiropractic care is excellent for encouraging healthy growth in infants, toddlers, children, and teens.
Some of the benefits of chiropractic for children include:
Spinal alignment. The small spines of children can become misaligned much like those of adults. Regular chiropractic adjustments help to bring your child�s spine back into proper alignment, which encourages proper functioning of the nervous system, immune system and more.
Healthy movement patterns. It is normal to develop at least a few unhealthy movement patterns as we move from childhood to adulthood. These bad patterns can lead to injuries on down the line. Chiropractic care can help teach children how to move safely, which can yield benefits for a lifetime.
Gentle adjustments designed for young bodies. Chiropractors who work with children learn special techniques to ensure that adjustments heal and not hurt. Immature bodies work in much the same way as older bodies, but a delicate touch is still important for safety.
Chiropractic Care for Older Adults
Older adults can also experience numerous benefits from chiropractic care. The elderly in particular face a number of health challenges that chiropractic can assist with. Some of the benefits of chiropractic care for older adults include:
Pain relief. Chiropractic can do wonders for pain management, all without drugs or surgery. Regular adjustments and other supplemental therapies have been proven to reduce or eliminate pain, something older adults can truly appreciate.
More mobility. Just because you get older does not mean you should have to stop doing the things you love. Chiropractors know how to gently increase your mobility so that you can get back on your feet and enjoy life the way you deserve.
Improved immune response. The nervous system and immune system are linked in many ways. Adjustments help to align the spine and improve nervous system function. An adjustment can also aid in immune system function, which means your body can fight off invaders more effectively.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment with our chiropractic team. We look forward to meeting you!
Benefits of Using Custom *Foot Orthotics* | El Paso, TX (2019)
Foot Orthotics
Experiencing foot pain, there�s no doubt you checked out your foot to make sure it�s not�injured�or hurting from�improper fitting shoes, corns, plantar fasciitis, etc. This may seem counterintuitive, but you may want to check the condition of the�lumbar spine (lower back)?� Most foot problems are caused by issues with the foot itself, but you might be surprised to find that pressure on the sciatic nerve can cause intense foot pain.
What is a Pronated Foot and Can Custom Orthotics Help?
When a foot is pronated, it means the arches have fallen and the foot is flat.
Flat feet are less shock-absorbent and make for a less stable base for the rest of the body. This includes the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Flat Feet can also:
Shift the body out of alignment
Cause pain in the feet, knees, hips, neck, and spine
Lead to injury/s like shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis
Women with flat feet are 50% more likely to have low back pain
Up to 1/3 of people suffer from flat feet
�Pronation Causes
The connective tissue, called the plantar fascia, on the underside of the foot is what maintains the foot�s healthy arch shape.
Walking and standing, injury and health conditions can cause the fascia to stretch out and flatten.
Once the fascia stretches out, there is nothing to bring the spring back.
Treatment
Chiropractic adjusting to ensure proper positioning of bones and joints
Custom orthotics for pronation control, support, and comfort
Chronic Inversion Sprain
Foot Dysfunction can very easily cause a domino effect that extends all the way to the back. The feet are the foundation of the body and when there is a problem with the way they function it can cause the entire body to shift out of alignment. For instance, overpronation of the foot causes a series of internal changes that extend up through the leg. The femur may rotate causing hip pain and inflammation of the sacroiliac joint which leads to back pain. Other misalignments in the body that are caused by foot problems can also lead to chronic lower back pain as well.
NCBI Resources
The best way to keep your spinal joints healthy over the long-term is to make regular visits to your chiropractor while also maintaining a healthy diet and�exercise regimen. Everyone is different, which is why it is important to get customized treatment from your chiropractor.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
