What is Plantar Fasciitis?
A common injury causing pain in the heel which can radiate into and across the bottom of the foot.
What causes Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia and arch ligaments run under the foot. With improper posture, stresses are placed on these ligaments. Continual stress placed on ligaments and tissues creates a hypoxic (no oxygen) environment. This type of environment attracks calcium and over time will produce heel spurs and pain.
Treatment may consist of:
Short term:
Apply ice or cold therapy to relieve pain.
Stretching exercises.
Wearing a Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint.
Taping the foot for support.
Deep tissue massage to stretch the fascia.
Long term:
Postural changes that your Chiropractor can help you with. The only real way to rid yourself of this problem is to resolve what caused it.
Side note - If you stand in one place and feel an even distribution of pressure between the ball and heel of your foot, you will likely not have a bout with plantar fasciitis. Should you feel most of your pressure on the ball of your foot, look out! If the pressure is found mostly on the heel you would be more prone to shin splints, which I will cover in the near future.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Back Pain in Children
Risk factors that can cause children to experience the devestating effects of back pain.
Age - the incidence of back pain increases with age. A significant increase in back pain incidence occurred at the age of 12 years and over. In all age groups above 11 years, more than 50% of the subjects had experienced back pain at some time in their life.
Gender - Females ewre more likely to experience back pain than males. Females was noted at 58.1% while males were 43.2%.
Watching TV - Of those children who watched 1-2 hours of TV, 59.3% experienced back pain. When the viewing time was increased to more than 2 hours, the incidence of back pain increased to 68.8%.
Other risk factors include but are not limited to: sports, previous back injuries, sitting at school and carrying back packs. Even some uncommon but serious reasons for back pain would include infections, tumors, traumas or even inherited disorders.
Age - the incidence of back pain increases with age. A significant increase in back pain incidence occurred at the age of 12 years and over. In all age groups above 11 years, more than 50% of the subjects had experienced back pain at some time in their life.
Gender - Females ewre more likely to experience back pain than males. Females was noted at 58.1% while males were 43.2%.
Watching TV - Of those children who watched 1-2 hours of TV, 59.3% experienced back pain. When the viewing time was increased to more than 2 hours, the incidence of back pain increased to 68.8%.
Other risk factors include but are not limited to: sports, previous back injuries, sitting at school and carrying back packs. Even some uncommon but serious reasons for back pain would include infections, tumors, traumas or even inherited disorders.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Anxiety
Humans appear to be hard-wired for modest levels of anxiety as a fear-arousal warning mechanism. Anxiety may be characterized as uneasiness, fear, worry, and apprehension. Anxiety is a common psychological state in which the basic message is "get away from this situation". The state is usually accompanied by numerous physiologic components including surges of the hormone adrenaline, increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure, and increased blood flow to the major muscle groups as the body prepares for "fight or flight".
These are all normal responses to environmental threats. The overall process is orchestrated by the amygdala and hippocampus, two regions of the brain's limbic system which process memory, emotional response, and spatial navigation. But for many people, if anxiety states become frequent and prolonged by various developmental circumstances in childhood and their teenage years, they may begin to respond to perceived rather than real threats. The anxiety state may persist and even become the default condition for the individual.
Those with chronic anxiety may experience chronic back pain,1,2 chronic muscular tension, fibromyalgia,3 headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. Chronic anxiety may cause a person to anticipate the worst, to have ongoing feelings of dread, to be constantly irritable and tense, and to experience panic attacks. Eventually the person may become worn out from the constant drain on their inner resources and a likely outcome is depression. The person simply cannot take any more stress.
Chronic anxiety has a specific impact on the musculoskeletal system. Persistently elevated levels of adrenaline create ongoing tension in the postural muscles of the lower back and the weight-bearing, antigravity gluteal muscles, pelvic musculature, and hamstrings. The long-term results may include chronic lower back pain, inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and lumbar disc disease. Of course, any of these health problems create more anxiety for the person, establishing a vicious circle of anxiety, pain, more anxiety, and more pain.
Solutions for chronic anxiety usually require multidisciplinary holsitic approaches. Nutrition, for example, is a key factor in restoring a person's homeostatic mechanisms. Significantly reducing one's intake of simple carbohydrates - soda, muffins, cookies, cake, fast food, and even juice - will often have a substantial impact. Making sure to have five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day will also provide great benefit.
Chiropractic care can frequently provide considerable assistance to those with chronic anxiety. By normalizing activity within the musculoskeletal system and reducing muscular stress and tension, chiropractic care helps eliminate an unnecessary source of biochemical and physiologic stress.
These are all normal responses to environmental threats. The overall process is orchestrated by the amygdala and hippocampus, two regions of the brain's limbic system which process memory, emotional response, and spatial navigation. But for many people, if anxiety states become frequent and prolonged by various developmental circumstances in childhood and their teenage years, they may begin to respond to perceived rather than real threats. The anxiety state may persist and even become the default condition for the individual.
Those with chronic anxiety may experience chronic back pain,1,2 chronic muscular tension, fibromyalgia,3 headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. Chronic anxiety may cause a person to anticipate the worst, to have ongoing feelings of dread, to be constantly irritable and tense, and to experience panic attacks. Eventually the person may become worn out from the constant drain on their inner resources and a likely outcome is depression. The person simply cannot take any more stress.
Chronic anxiety has a specific impact on the musculoskeletal system. Persistently elevated levels of adrenaline create ongoing tension in the postural muscles of the lower back and the weight-bearing, antigravity gluteal muscles, pelvic musculature, and hamstrings. The long-term results may include chronic lower back pain, inflammation of the sciatic nerve, and lumbar disc disease. Of course, any of these health problems create more anxiety for the person, establishing a vicious circle of anxiety, pain, more anxiety, and more pain.
Solutions for chronic anxiety usually require multidisciplinary holsitic approaches. Nutrition, for example, is a key factor in restoring a person's homeostatic mechanisms. Significantly reducing one's intake of simple carbohydrates - soda, muffins, cookies, cake, fast food, and even juice - will often have a substantial impact. Making sure to have five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day will also provide great benefit.
Chiropractic care can frequently provide considerable assistance to those with chronic anxiety. By normalizing activity within the musculoskeletal system and reducing muscular stress and tension, chiropractic care helps eliminate an unnecessary source of biochemical and physiologic stress.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Lifestyle Matters
Chiropractic Care and Lifestyle Enhancement
Chiropractors are wellness experts. Chiropractors teach their patients how to begin safe, effective exercise programs. Chiropractors teach their patients how to create healthy food plans that will enhance their well-being and the well-being of their families. Healthy lifestyles are a key element in the overall chiropractic approach to long-term wellness.
Chiropractors are highly trained in nutritional science and rehabilitative exercise. In addition to your chiropractic hands-on treatment, regular exercise and healthy nutrition will help you return to high levels of wellness and well-being.
The fitness boom was launched in America in the early 1980s by a small group of celebrities, including Jane Fonda, who recognized the importance of exercise for long-term health and well-being.
Although their methods were flawed, their vision was important. Over the past 30 years the notion of fitness as a valuable end in itself has persisted in the public consciousness. But for the most part, people do not take action on their own behalf in this critical area.
In a typical scenario, a person will finally decide to begin a plan to shed the 30 or more pounds of excess weight he or she has been carrying around for too many years to count. In a whirlwind of activity, the person joins a gym, buys a pair of snazzy cross-trainers, stylish new workout shorts, and tank tops, and even purchases 10 grueling sessions with a personal trainer. After this initial burst of enthusiasm, the typical fitness-seeking person will lose interest in 30 days. Health clubs across the globe rake in their profits from new member initiation fees, knowing full well that most new gym members discontinue their efforts within four to six weeks.
But fitness matters. And from an even broader perspective, lifestyle matters. In 2007, heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease (including stroke and hypertension), and pulmonary disease accounted for more than 60% of the 2.4 million deaths in the United States.1 It is now well-recognized that each of these diseases and conditions is specifically a lifestyle disease. With respect to cancer, less than 10% of cases are due to an inherited condition. The rest are a result of lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption. overweight and obesity, and lack of exercise.2
With respect to your long-term health, one key action step is to engage in regular vigorous exercise. If you haven't exercised in many years, daily walks are a good way to begin your life-long exercise program. Start with a modest 10-minute walk and build up over six to eight weeks to a daily 30-minute walk. Once you're walking 30 minutes a day, gradually increase your daily pace. When you've achieved a quick 30-minute daily pace and can maintain your schedule comfortably, you may begin to alternate strength-training workouts with your walks.
Fitness is not only a critical lifestyle enhancer, it is also a state of mind. People who are fit want to stay fit. A person who becomes fit usually discovers that he has begun to choose healthy food rather than junk. Frosted doughnuts, candy bars, and twisted ropes of raspberry-flavored sugar lose their allure and appeal. Organic trail mix, organic apples, and protein smoothies become preferred snacks. Persons who take on a fitness lifestyle find themselves losing weight, naturally and easily. No stress-inducing diets. No drastic weight loss. The pounds just fall away because the person is exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.3
Now-fit people never want to put that weight back on again. The healthy lifestyle becomes the preferred lifestyle.
1Xu J, et al: Deaths. Final data for 2007. Natl Vital Stat Rep 58(19), May 20, 2010
2Kirkegaard H, et al: Association of adherence to lifestyle recommendations and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective Danish cohort study. Brit Med J October 26, 2010 (Epub ahead of print)
3Brietzke SA: A personalized approach to metabolic aspects of obesity. Mt Sinai J Med 77(5):499-510, 2010
Chiropractors are wellness experts. Chiropractors teach their patients how to begin safe, effective exercise programs. Chiropractors teach their patients how to create healthy food plans that will enhance their well-being and the well-being of their families. Healthy lifestyles are a key element in the overall chiropractic approach to long-term wellness.
Chiropractors are highly trained in nutritional science and rehabilitative exercise. In addition to your chiropractic hands-on treatment, regular exercise and healthy nutrition will help you return to high levels of wellness and well-being.
The fitness boom was launched in America in the early 1980s by a small group of celebrities, including Jane Fonda, who recognized the importance of exercise for long-term health and well-being.
Although their methods were flawed, their vision was important. Over the past 30 years the notion of fitness as a valuable end in itself has persisted in the public consciousness. But for the most part, people do not take action on their own behalf in this critical area.
In a typical scenario, a person will finally decide to begin a plan to shed the 30 or more pounds of excess weight he or she has been carrying around for too many years to count. In a whirlwind of activity, the person joins a gym, buys a pair of snazzy cross-trainers, stylish new workout shorts, and tank tops, and even purchases 10 grueling sessions with a personal trainer. After this initial burst of enthusiasm, the typical fitness-seeking person will lose interest in 30 days. Health clubs across the globe rake in their profits from new member initiation fees, knowing full well that most new gym members discontinue their efforts within four to six weeks.
But fitness matters. And from an even broader perspective, lifestyle matters. In 2007, heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease (including stroke and hypertension), and pulmonary disease accounted for more than 60% of the 2.4 million deaths in the United States.1 It is now well-recognized that each of these diseases and conditions is specifically a lifestyle disease. With respect to cancer, less than 10% of cases are due to an inherited condition. The rest are a result of lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption. overweight and obesity, and lack of exercise.2
With respect to your long-term health, one key action step is to engage in regular vigorous exercise. If you haven't exercised in many years, daily walks are a good way to begin your life-long exercise program. Start with a modest 10-minute walk and build up over six to eight weeks to a daily 30-minute walk. Once you're walking 30 minutes a day, gradually increase your daily pace. When you've achieved a quick 30-minute daily pace and can maintain your schedule comfortably, you may begin to alternate strength-training workouts with your walks.
Fitness is not only a critical lifestyle enhancer, it is also a state of mind. People who are fit want to stay fit. A person who becomes fit usually discovers that he has begun to choose healthy food rather than junk. Frosted doughnuts, candy bars, and twisted ropes of raspberry-flavored sugar lose their allure and appeal. Organic trail mix, organic apples, and protein smoothies become preferred snacks. Persons who take on a fitness lifestyle find themselves losing weight, naturally and easily. No stress-inducing diets. No drastic weight loss. The pounds just fall away because the person is exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.3
Now-fit people never want to put that weight back on again. The healthy lifestyle becomes the preferred lifestyle.
1Xu J, et al: Deaths. Final data for 2007. Natl Vital Stat Rep 58(19), May 20, 2010
2Kirkegaard H, et al: Association of adherence to lifestyle recommendations and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective Danish cohort study. Brit Med J October 26, 2010 (Epub ahead of print)
3Brietzke SA: A personalized approach to metabolic aspects of obesity. Mt Sinai J Med 77(5):499-510, 2010
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