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How Chiropractic Care Has Helped Me: Introducing Jeff Gordon

How Chiropractic Care Has Helped Me: Introducing Jeff Gordon

jeff-gordon-200-300To any NASCAR fan, Jeff Gordon is a household name. His list of accomplishments on the track is impressive by almost any measure:

  • After winning 3 races, Gordon joined Hendrick Motorsports in 1993 as part of the Sprint Cup Series in NASCAR.
  • In 1998, Gordon was named to NASCAR’s “50 Greatest Drivers” list.
  • In 2008, ESPN’s Terry Blount put him at #10 in a list of 25 all-time greats, and Fox Sports ranked him as #5 on its list of all-time best NASCAR drivers.
  • In 2009, Gordon became the first-ever NASCAR driver to achieve career winnings of $100 million.

After winning the Daytona 500 three times (1997, 1999 and 2005), and the Sprint Cup Series four times (1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001), Gordon had become a universally-recognized superstar in the sport. But things changed in 2008.

From 2008 to 2009, Jeff Gordon suffered from chronic back pain. An MRI performed half way through the 2009 season revealed what looked like an arthritic condition. He went through rigorous treatments that included physical therapy, stretching exercises and chiropractic treatments. Gordon noted that “there have been times, especially last year, but even this year, when I’ve been thinking about my back when I should be thinking about the car.”

All race car drivers experience tremendous G-forces on the track. This can wear on the health of the spine and create problems if not regularly treated. The pain experienced by drivers can be quite distracting and could shorten their careers if the distraction becomes too great to allow safe driving. NASCAR has a strictly-enforced drug policy that prohibits the use of pain medications that might otherwise alleviate some of the discomfort.

That’s what makes chiropractic such a perfect fit. Its therapies are non-invasive and drug-free. New York-area chiropractor, Dr. David Levine, DC, has discovered techniques that are particularly effective for the injuries suffered by athletes.

“The technique,” said Dr. Levine, “basically involves examining the patient and searching for muscle spasm, areas of pain and tenderness, restriction of motion, and inflammation. Once the treatment is completed, usually within 30 minutes, the patient will often begin to quickly notice relief.”

Jeff Gordon isn’t the only star athlete Dr. Levine has helped. His website contains testimonials from the NY Jets’ former All-Pro Linebacker Lance Mehl and numerous other NFL and NBA players. Dr. Levine’s specialized pain management chiropractic techniques currently have a 90% success rate helping athletes and injured soldiers overcome their debilitating pain.

What Are “Flat Feet”?

What Are “Flat Feet”?

feet-crossed-in-grass-200-300Flat feet (sometimes referred to as “fallen arches”) are not difficult to spot. It is a condition where there is either no arch or a very low arch to one or both feet. Whereas the inside of the foot is lifted off the ground in people with normal arches, someone with flat feet will have their entire foot flat on the ground. This can sometimes lead to over-pronation, in which the foot rolls over towards the inside. You can often see the effects of over-pronation if you look at your shoes from the back. The insides of the heels will show greater wear than the outsides.

Flat feet are somewhat common, with approximately 20% of the population having them. They can occur at any age, and are sometimes due to a congenital problem. In adults, it is often caused by a lack of physical activity or can be a result of obesity. If the foot is subjected to repetitive micro-trauma, such as when walking or running on hard surfaces on a regular basis, this can cause damage to the posterior tibial tendon (PTT). This tendon is responsible for keeping the arch in position. Other conditions that can weaken this tendon are pregnancy, arthritis and trauma or foot fractures.
Some people experience no pain from having flat feet. However, flat feet can cause misalignment elsewhere, leading to other musculoskeletal problems. These problems may include plantar fasciitis (pain in the heel), Achilles tendonitis, knee pain, shin pain, low back pain, bunions, corns and calluses. The feet may also tire easily.

Many young children have what is called “flexible flat feet,” meaning that their feet are flat when standing, but if they rise up on their toes, the arch appears. These children will usually develop an arch as they grow into adulthood.

If flat feet cause no pain and there is no evidence of other problems being created, there is nothing to worry about. If this is not the case, there are a few treatment options. First, although it may be a good idea to get special orthotics for your shoes for support, it is equally important for your feet to get exercise. If your feet are constantly supported by orthotics, the muscles supporting the arch will atrophy even further. When you are at home, try to go shoeless as often as possible. And if you are lucky enough to live near a beach, walking on sand is one of the best workouts there are to strengthen your feet. Avoid high-impact sports that may put a strain on your feet, and if you are a woman, do not wear high heels.
Your chiropractor can perform adjustments to realign bones that may have become misaligned due to your flat feet. Misaligned bones can contribute to the problem and may cause secondary pain in areas such as the knees, hips and lower back. In addition, your chiropractor can provide you with exercises to stretch and strengthen the relevant muscles, in addition to suggesting appropriate orthotics, if necessary.

Choosing the Right Lumbar Support

Choosing the Right Lumbar Support

red-chairs-200-300Lumbar back support products are designed to help prevent neck and back pain, which can lead to pain in other parts of the body as well. Many of these products are pillows or cushions that offer additional support when you are seated for long periods of time.

The lumbar region of the spine is usually referred to as the lower back. It is the area just above your tailbone and below the thoracic (middle back) region. The lumbar area includes your spine and all the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding your spine. If your ligaments are pulled or torn, you will experience a lumbar sprain or strain, which can lead to muscle spasms and significant pain in your lower back.

What can cause lumbar sprains and strains? Poor posture, poor lifting technique, obesity, and other health-related factors can contribute. In fact, sitting for long periods without lumbar support can itself aggravate lumbar pain. Finally, one of the greatest contributors to back pain is using the wrong type of chair for your body. Surfaces that are too hard or too soft do not encourage proper posture and do not provide adequate support for your back.

Usually all that is required to relieve lower back pain is sufficient rest, but most of us are unable to rest for long enough to overcome lumbar problems. So preventing these problems with a good lumbar support is essential, especially if you spend significant amounts of time sitting down.

The first step to choosing the right lumbar support is to ensure that it fits perfectly in the chair you spend the most time in. An even better option is to choose an ergonomically designed chair that includes a built-in lumbar support, or an individual lumbar support that is specifically designed to be used with your chair. “One size fits all” lumbar support products rarely provide any benefits and should be avoided.

Make sure you test the product in the store before you buy it. If you can, sit with the lumbar support for at least 15 minutes to see if it feels good or aggravates back pain. The best lumbar supports are adjustable, so you can fit it to the chair’s height. Ergonomic chairs with lumbar supports included usually allow you to adjust the height and width of the support. Adjustable separate supports are particularly useful if you use more than one chair throughout the day.
Good health is a combination of many factors including your nutrition, preventative care, appropriate corrective care and the small choices you make every day in the course of living. If you have questions about this article, your general or spinal health, please ask. We are here to help!

How Well Does Chiropractic Care Relieve Back and Neck Pain?

How Well Does Chiropractic Care Relieve Back and Neck Pain?

???????????????????????If you have never considered going to a chiropractor to treat the pain in your neck or back, maybe you should.  There are an increasing number of studies that confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic care in the treatment of back and neck pain, particularly in comparison with pain-relieving drugs.

According to a report published in the September 2011 issue of Consumer Reports, chiropractic treatment outperformed all other methods for treating back pain, including prescription medication.  Of those reporting that a treatment “helped a lot” in the management of their back pain, 65% listed chiropractic (the highest rated treatment) as the most effective, as opposed to 53% for prescription medication.  Other natural therapies were also useful (e.g. deep tissue massage helped 51% of patient a lot, yoga/pilates–49%, acupuncture–41%), but none approached the effectiveness of chiropractic care.  Similar results were found for the treatment of neck pain (chiropractic–64%, prescription medication–49%).  Results were based on the Consumer Reports National Research Center’s 2010 Annual Questionnaire, analyzed by researchers from the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database.

In a study performed by researchers at Minnesota’s Northwestern Health Sciences University, chiropractic care was more effective for treating neck pain than medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or narcotic pain relievers.  The study, published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, followed over 270 people with neck pain for about three months.  These people were divided into three different treatment groups.  The first group received chiropractic care, the second group was prescribed exercises to do at home and the third group was prescribed painkillers or muscle relaxers.  Approximately 57% of the chiropractic group reported experiencing a reduction in pain of at least 75%, compared with 33% of those in the medication group.

Author of the study, Dr. Gert Bronfort, a research professor at the university, said that of the positive changes that had resulted from chiropractic treatment, “These changes were diminished over time, but they were still present.  Even a year later, there were differences between the spinal manipulation and medication groups.”

Another downside that the medication group experienced was that it was necessary to keep taking the painkillers.  Dr. Bronfort said, “The people in the medication group kept on using a higher amount of medication more frequently throughout the follow-up period, up to a year later.”  One of the great benefits of chiropractic care is that it treats the source of the problem, leading to long-term pain relief, in comparison with painkillers that just mask the symptoms.
Research has found that the most benefit in the relief of neck and back pain comes from a combination of chiropractic care and exercises you do at home.  Your chiropractor can suggest effective exercises that you can do at home in between adjustments that will work synergistically with your chiropractic care so that you can experience long-term relief from your back and neck pain.