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Look Who Else Uses Chiropractic: Olympic Athletes

Look Who Else Uses Chiropractic: Olympic Athletes

olympics-collage-200-300Chiropractic care has become such an indispensable tool for athletes to keep performing at their best and to reduce the time that it takes to heal from injuries that 28 Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) were employed in the Olympic polyclinic during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. This was in addition to 27 other team DCs who traveled with their nations’ teams, not to mention individual athletes’ chiropractors. Some of the greatest athletes of all time attribute a large part of their success to the chiropractic care they receive.

Dan O’Brien, after winning three consecutive world titles in the decathlon, went on to win a gold medal in decathlon at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He said, “If I could put a percentage value on it, I think I compete eight to ten percent better from regular chiropractic care. I think that is how much of a benefit it is – if not more. If it wasn’t for chiropractic, I wouldn’t have won the gold medal.” He continued, “Every track and field athlete that I have ever met has seen a chiropractor at one time or another. In track and field, it is absolutely essential. Chiropractic care is one of the things I think that no one has denied or refuted.” O’Brien added, “You obviously can’t compete at your fullest if you’re not in alignment.  And your body can’t heal if your back is not in alignment.  It was the holistic idea that I liked about chiropractic and that is what track and field is about.”

During an interview in the August 2012 issue of Details magazine, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, who has received the most (22) Olympic medals of all time, noted that he receives Graston technique treatments to keep him in top form. Phelps said, “My trainer, Keenan [Robinson], uses Graston tools, these little metal crowbars. He carves them into my shoulder blades, my back, my knee, my hamstrings-wherever I’m really tight-to loosen things up. It’s pretty intense.”

Elite cyclist Bradley Wiggins has won the most medals of any British Olympic athlete and is the first British winner of the Tour de France. He has nothing but praise for his chiropractor, Matt Rabin. Some months before the 2012 Olympic Games, Wiggins said, “I first started working with Matt at the end of 2008 following my success at the 2008 Beijing summer Olympics. After years of struggling with minor niggles that I had learned to live with, and having never really found the answer to my problems despite having sought numerous treatment options with no great success, I went to see Matt.”

Wiggins continued, “From my first session with him I had great results that were not short lived. That followed up with regular sessions I saw improvements that I had never seen before and that reflected in the way my body held up on a day to day basis which eventually saw me achieve 4th place in the 2009 Tour de France under his supervision.” He added, “Matt will undoubtedly remain an integral part of my medical support in the forthcoming seasons and lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.”

If the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, used chiropractic to keep him a step in front of his competitors at the 2012 Olympic Games, perhaps you should too.

How to Maintain and Improve Your Memory

How to Maintain and Improve Your Memory

senior man with american flag isolatedNo matter how old you are, you’ve probably already had what is commonly referred to as “a senior moment”. It’s not the least bit unusual to occasionally misplace your car keys or walk into a room and forget what you went there for.

While this sort of thing is not necessarily a sign of declining memory, some types of cognitive ability do seem to decline naturally as we age. Experts have examined how the brain’s functions change as we age and have found that practicing certain behaviors can help you maintain and improve your memory as you get older.

Similar to exercising your body on a regular basis to keep it in shape, exercising your mind appears to help maintain cognitive ability. A study conducted by Dr. Joe Verghese and published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the more cognitively stimulating leisure activities that were performed by older adults, the less their risk of dementia. Those who played board games, read, played a musical instrument or danced, for instance, were 63% less likely to develop dementia than those who did not. Other studies have found that the more time people spend learning something, the lower their risk of dementia. Those who know two or more languages develop Alzheimer’s over four years later on average than those who know only one language.

Following are some activities that may help to maintain your cognitive ability:

* Join a book club
* Do crossword puzzles
* Learn a new language
* Play new board games
* Play chess or bridge
* Take an online course
* Go to lectures in your community
* Learn how to play a musical instrument
* Learn how to dance

Studies have shown that what you eat and how much you exercise also have a lot to do with your risk of Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia. One study found that walking 30 minutes a day for six months significantly improves cognitive ability. And people who do weight training in addition to aerobic exercise benefit more greatly than those who only perform one type of exercise.

Certain foods feed the brain and have been shown to help improve memory and general brain function. A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants can contribute greatly to maintaining a good memory. Increase your intake of fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and herring, and add an array of colorful vegetables to your plate. Bright red, orange, purple and yellow vegetables are particularly high in antioxidants. Also, studies have found that drinking alcohol in moderation improves the brain’s ability to form and maintain memory, which was not the case for those who either abstained or drank heavily.
Not only can we maintain our cognitive ability as we age, there are ways of improving it as well. The more you use your brain, the more cognitive pathways that are developed and the better your memory becomes. Following are a few tips on how to improve your memory:
* Involve all your senses when learning. The more senses that are involved when learning a new thing, the easier it is to remember. One study found that people who were shown a series of images along with a smell were better able to remember the images, even when the smell was not present.
* Repeat what you want to remember. Speaking information out loud or writing it down helps to cement it in the brain. For example, if you are meeting a new person, repeat their name as you greet them: “So Daniel, how do you know Trish?”
* Repeat things over time. Review information you need to memorize at increasingly longer intervals: first every hour, then every several hours, then every few days. The information will stay in your memory better than if you study it intensively in a short period of time.
* Create mnemonics. Using acronyms to remember information can be helpful. For instance, RICE for acute injuries: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Overview of Mineral Nutrients

Overview of Mineral Nutrients

mineral-nutrients-200-300No one should underestimate the importance of getting adequate minerals in our daily diet. Composed of metals and other inorganic compounds, minerals are just as important as vitamins when it comes to the proper functioning of the human body’s systems. And since the body cannot produce its own minerals, we must get them from the food we eat.

While many common minerals, such as calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium are required in larger amounts, others are only necessary in trace amounts. However, modern farming practices have depleted the soil of some of these important trace minerals, resulting in a greater risk of mineral deficiencies in the overall population. A 1992 study found that the mineral content of soil in the U.S. was 86% lower than it had been a century before.

Minerals are needed in order for our body’s enzymes to work and to facilitate the transport of nutrients across cell membranes. Without minerals, our cells would essentially starve. Minerals are responsible for proper conduction of nerve impulses, for the contraction and relaxation of muscle tissue, and they help regulate tissue growth.

Following is a short overview of some of the most important minerals for our health:

* Calcium supports bone formation, muscles, the heart and the digestive system. A persistent feeling of “pins and needles” may indicate a calcium deficiency. Other symptoms include rashes and muscle cramps. Magnesium is necessary for the proper absorption of calcium.

* Copper helps the intestines in the absorption of iron from food. Copper deficiency sometimes leads to anemia, as low copper intake makes iron absorption far more difficult.

* Iodine is key to the production of thyroid hormones, particularly thyroxine. Seafood and seaweed are the best sources of iodine. In areas where seafood is scarce, governments often add iodine to salt or other foods. Iodine deficiency can cause goiter and mental problems.

* Iron is particularly important to red blood cells, as it allows our blood to transport oxygen. Insufficiency iron in the diet leads to anemia, whereas too much iron can cause serious liver problems.

* Magnesium is used mainly by the bones and teeth. Although it is necessary for calcium absorption, many people do not get enough of this mineral. Low levels of magnesium can cause weakness and muscle cramps, and a severe deficiency can cause cardiac arrhythmia.

* Manganese is used for enzyme production, and is also important for wound healing. Those with low levels of manganese heal very slowly.

* Molybdenum is needed in trace amounts for the development of the nervous system, waste processing by the kidneys, and cellular energy production.

* Phosphorus is a major component of teeth and bones and plays a key role in the body’s system of energy storage. It is also integral to many of the body’s chemical reactions.

* Potassium works with sodium in the regulation of the body’s energy supply. It also supports the nervous and digestive systems. Muscle cramps and high blood pressure are the most common deficiency symptoms.

* Selenium is most important for the health of the thyroid gland, the heart and cartilage. Low levels of selenium can lead to thyroid disease.

* Sodium helps to regulate the body’s energy supply and supports the nervous and digestive systems. Too little sodium can cause headaches, nausea and confusion, whereas too much sodium causes weakness, lethargy and edema.
* Zinc is important for the production of healthy sperm and is necessary for several liver functions. A lack of zinc causes sensory problems as well as hair loss and skin lesions.

Is It Normal for Knees to Pop and Crack?

Is It Normal for Knees to Pop and Crack?

??????????????????????????????????????????????????Many people experience a popping or cracking noise in their knees as they squat down or bend their knees, and this seems to happen with increasing regularity as we age. The medical term for this condition is called crepitus. It is a very normal phenomenon and, so long as it is painless, there is nothing to be overly concerned about. Whether young or old, cracking and popping of the knees is a common occurrence.

Crepitus can be caused by many things, and scientists are still not completely certain why it happens. One of the reasons for the popping sound may be that the patella is slightly out of alignment and is rubbing against the front of the femur or the adjacent soft tissue. Another condition called cavitation can cause a popping sound when small bubbles of carbon dioxide, which are normally suspended in the synovial fluid that lubricates the knee joint, form a larger bubble and make a popping sound as the knee is bent or twisted (think bubble wrap). Lax ligaments have been associated with an increase in cavitation. Changes in altitude or barometric pressure can often exacerbate the popping sound, such as on plane flights or when there is a change in the weather.

However, if the cracking or popping noise is accompanied by pain on a regular basis, or the knee catches or locks up, then you may have some cause for concern. Pain, sometimes accompanied by a grinding sensation, may be an indication that there is tissue damage to the articulating surfaces of the joint, such as tear to the meniscus. The cartilage behind the kneecap can fray, leading to the pain and popping sound of patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is generally caused by an overuse and misalignment of the hips, knees and ankles.

Swelling and/or stiffness may be indications of early arthritis, bursitis, gout or tendinitis. To be sure you do not damage the joint further, which may require surgery to correct, it is wise to consult with your physician or chiropractor to stop any further damage before it starts.

Your chiropractor can help to realign any joints that are misaligned, which may be contributing to the problem, in addition to suggesting specific stretching and strengthening exercises that you can do at home to support the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the knee. Weak quadriceps is one of the foremost causes of knee pain, so exercises to strengthen this area may be a good idea. If you need to be seen, you can call our office at 406-652-3553.

Is It Normal for Knees to Pop and Crack?

Is It Normal for Knees to Pop and Crack?

??????????????????????????????????????????????????Many people experience a popping or cracking noise in their knees as they squat down or bend their knees, and this seems to happen with increasing regularity as we age. The medical term for this condition is called crepitus. It is a very normal phenomenon and, so long as it is painless, there is nothing to be overly concerned about. Whether young or old, cracking and popping of the knees is a common occurrence.

Crepitus can be caused by many things, and scientists are still not completely certain why it happens. One of the reasons for the popping sound may be that the patella is slightly out of alignment and is rubbing against the front of the femur or the adjacent soft tissue. Another condition called cavitation can cause a popping sound when small bubbles of carbon dioxide, which are normally suspended in the synovial fluid that lubricates the knee joint, form a larger bubble and make a popping sound as the knee is bent or twisted (think bubble wrap). Lax ligaments have been associated with an increase in cavitation. Changes in altitude or barometric pressure can often exacerbate the popping sound, such as on plane flights or when there is a change in the weather.

However, if the cracking or popping noise is accompanied by pain on a regular basis, or the knee catches or locks up, then you may have some cause for concern. Pain, sometimes accompanied by a grinding sensation, may be an indication that there is tissue damage to the articulating surfaces of the joint, such as tear to the meniscus. The cartilage behind the kneecap can fray, leading to the pain and popping sound of patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is generally caused by an overuse and misalignment of the hips, knees and ankles.

Swelling and/or stiffness may be indications of early arthritis, bursitis, gout or tendinitis. To be sure you do not damage the joint further, which may require surgery to correct, it is wise to consult with your physician or chiropractor to stop any further damage before it starts.

Your chiropractor can help to realign any joints that are misaligned, which may be contributing to the problem, in addition to suggesting specific stretching and strengthening exercises that you can do at home to support the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the knee. Weak quadriceps is one of the foremost causes of knee pain, so exercises to strengthen this area may be a good idea. If you need to be seen, you can call our office at 406-652-3553.

Look Who Else Uses Chiropractic: Professional Tennis Players

Look Who Else Uses Chiropractic: Professional Tennis Players

tennis-collage-200-300There are about 800 professional tennis players in the U.S. who regularly play in competitions sanctioned by the US Tennis Association (USTA). Dr. David E. Stude, a chiropractor and professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota, estimates that up to 65 percent of them suffer at least one tennis-related injury. Although tennis elbow gets the most press among tennis-related injuries, chiropractors assert that they actually see more injuries to the lower extremities, as these are the areas that absorb the force created by the arm swinging the racket. Tightness in the shoulder blades of professional tennis players can lead to muscle pain and headaches, which chiropractic care can help to relieve.

Many professional tennis players make sure a chiropractor is available to them during tournaments to help keep them in top shape throughout a game that can sometimes last for several hours. Some of the top tennis players in the world are regularly treated by a chiropractor, including Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Andy Murray said of his chiropractor, “Jean-Pierre (Bruyere) has been helping my game for years.”

At the 2011 Men’s US Open Tennis Championship, Serbian player Novak Djokovic was battling Rafael Nadal in the final. During the last set, he was experiencing enough lumbar pain to ask for a 10-minute medical time-out, during which he received chiropractic treatment. He walked back onto the court a renewed man, and went on to win the set and the championship.

According to Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam Women’s Tennis champion, “Chiropractic gives me the flexibility I need to keep me in the game.”

Ivan Lendl, a former number-one ranked tennis player and winner of eight Grand Slam singles titles, believes in the power of chiropractic care. He said, “I feel that chiropractic adjustments help to prevent injury…. I try to go twice a week to a chiropractor, sometimes even more during big tournaments. I feel I am much more tuned-up with an adjustment. I support chiropractic very much. I think it is great for sports. I think it’s great for anyone!”

Retired professional tennis player and coach Martina Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles during her career, and believes chiropractic helped her to achieve this. Navratilova said, “A chiropractor was instrumental in putting my body back together. Alternative therapies will play a bigger role in our lives. After all, people like what works.”
More professional tennis players are getting on board with chiropractic each year, following in the footsteps of such greats as Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Tracy Austin and Billie Jean King, all of whom have enjoyed the advantage that chiropractic care brought to their game. It may help to improve your game too!

Chiropractic and Addiction

Chiropractic and Addiction

addiction-200-300It is ironic that chiropractic-a health care methodology that is committed to being drug-free-is being utilized more and more as an effective treatment for the ravages of addiction. Addiction is a major public health problem these days, with the National Institutes for Health (NIH) estimating that 15% of Americans can be classified as “problem drinkers” or alcoholics, and that 1 in 10 Americans are either addicted to or in recovery from the use of illegal drugs. And the problem of drug addiction is far from being limited to illegal drugs; the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that millions of Americans meet abuse or dependence criteria for prescription opioids and painkillers used to treat their chronic pain.  Add to alcohol and drugs other mainstream sources of addiction (smoking and gambling for example), and it becomes quite clear that addiction is a broad problem that negatively affects the lives of those addicted and their families as well as society at large.

Let’s talk for a minute just about substance abuse. Whether the source of the addiction is alcohol, illegal drugs or prescription drugs the reasons people have for taking them in the first place are remarkably consistent, and based on feelings of dis-ease. People are in such pain – physical pain as the result of injury or disease, or emotional pain as the result of psychological trauma or mental illness – that they turn to these addictive substances to dull their ever-present pain and just “get through the day.” And while there are conditions for which powerful opioid painkillers can be legitimately prescribed, the continued use of them can be as debilitating as the illegal drugs, and can wreak havoc on people’s overall physical and mental health.

Chiropractic care is increasingly being shown to be remarkably effective at eliminating the dependency that such individuals have on these addictive substances, and at helping them to live alcohol- and drug-free lives. Chiropractic does this by often eliminating some or all of the chronic pain that caused the person to resort to drugs or alcohol in the first place, easing the levels of physical aches and pains that cause a person to crave prescription medication or seek to self-medicate.

But because chiropractic care is above all holistic and designed to improve all aspects of a person’s life simultaneously, chiropractic treatment can also relieve psychological pain and mental distress, and enable people to re-achieve a sense of well-being. On a physical level, the spinal adjustment received during chiropractic care have been shown to release endorphins and other “feel good” chemicals in the brain, and thus to directly improve the sense of well-being. When the spine is in proper alignment, powerful chemicals known as neurotransmitters are released in their intended order and amount, resulting in positive mental states. One recent study published in the journal Medical Psychiatry found that when a 30-day addiction recovery program was supplemented with frequent chiropractic adjustments, the subjects achieved an unprecedented 100% success rate with the program.
Chiropractic care is safe, effective, and long-lasting, helping people’s bodies to heal in a holistic manner. Having this alternative means that they don’t need to resort to the use of prescription drugs, alcohol or illegal drugs to suppress their pain and feelings of dis-ease. So if you or someone you know and love is struggling with addiction issues of any kind, please look into the benefits that professional chiropractic care could bring to their recovery.

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.