How to use a lacrosse ball for self therapy

This may not be good for business but yes some of the best therapies only cost a buck.  Example is the lacrosse ball - great for throwing around to the dog but also great for busting out deep tissue muscle knots.  Check out this short video on how to use the lacrosse ball for self therapy.  Even better...stop by our office to pick one up for free!!  Just 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference in reducing pain and improving mobility.

Is Ice Right? Let's kick the ice bucket.

Just about everyone knows the acronym RICE (Rest Ice Compress Elevate).  This protocol has been used for many years to treat acute injuries.  Well now it is time to look at the physiology and realize we were wrong.  Recently an interview from Dr. Kelly Starrett (mobilitywod.com) and Gary Reinl made me look differently at using ice.  Don’t get me wrong if your goal is to numb an area, ice is great.  As Mr. Reinl points out, “Yes, making something numb is good if the short-term goal is pain control and the prevention of the body’s normal cellular and vascular response to injury.” 
In his recent article titled “People, We’ve Got to Stop Icing.  We Were Wrong, Sooo Wrong” Dr. Starrett quotes Dr. Nick DiNubile, Editor in Chief of The Physician and Sports Medicine Journal “Seriously, do you honestly believe that your body’s natural inflammatory response is a mistake?”  Our bodies are extremely intelligent, they know what they are doing.  Inflammation in response to an acute injury is not a mistake. Inflammation provides the tools necessary to remodel an injured area and rebuild the tissue as strong and functional as possible.  When inflammation is hindered pain may diminish but we shut down our natural healing process causing the area to heal with a thick nonfunctional tissue commonly called “scar tissue”. 
Scar tissue is similar to a scar on the skin but it is on a muscle or tendon.  Scar tissue is thick, adhesive and does not stretch well.  Scar tissue can adhere to nearby nerves causing peripheral neuropathies (pinched nerves).  It can limit your range of motion making you feel stiff and increasing your risk of future injury due to lack of tissue flexibility.  Once scar tissue has settled in it can be a tough challenge to reverse.  There are advanced non-surgical therapies such as Active Release Technique (A.R.T.), Graston Technique and Shock Wave Therapy which break up scar tissue by triggering the healing response in an effort to reverse the scar tissue that has formed. 
Well what does the research and literature say?
“When ice is applied to a body part for a prolonged period, nearby lymphatic vessels begin to dramatically increase their permeability (lymphatic vessels are ‘dead-end’ tubes which ordinarily help carry excess tissue fluids back into the cardiovascular system). As lymphatic permeability is enhanced, large amounts of fluid begin to pour from the lymphatics ‘in the wrong direction’ (into the injured area), increasing the amount of local swelling and pressure and potentially contributing to greater pain.” The use of Cryotherapy in Sports Injuries,’ Sports Medicine, Vol. 3. pp. 398-414, 1986
“Is Ice Right? Does Cryotherapy Improve Outcome for Acute Soft Tissue Injury?” JEM, 2008; Feb. 25; 65–68. 
Conclusion: There is insufficient evidence to suggest that cryotherapy improves clinical outcome in the management of soft tissue injuries.
According to Dr. Starrett the new acronym should be MCE:
    •    M - Movement
Our lymphatic system relies on muscle contraction to push the swelling into our cardiovascular system. If movement is not advised Electronic Muscle Stimulation (EMS) can push out swelling without you having to move the area.  Prolonged rest leads to muscle atrophy and scar tissue formation.
    •    C- Compression
Compressing the injured site improves circulation and clears congestion.  Compression reduces swelling, helps with pain control and facilitates the healing process.  Be careful not to compress to tight.
    •    E – Elevation
Elevation uses gravity to drain swelling out of the area.  Elevation and compression are the two parts of the acronym RICE still advised.
Just to be clear, I am not saying that ice has no purpose.  Ice is great if your goal is to numb an area and get rid of pain.  For example, if I ruptured a muscle, dislocated a shoulder or fractured a rib ice would help minimize my pain.  However, if the pain is livable think MCE before RICE because ice stops inflammation which leads to poor healing.  The problem is not inflammation, it is the pain of swelling that we need to minimize. 

Active Rest - "Can I Play?"

Where do you sit on your Sits?

  
Many people have heard of the sits bones which are the bony projections of the pelvis that we sit on.  Properly named the ischial tuberosity this area serves as the attachment site of the hamstrings and many other soft tissue structures.  Alot can be learned about your posture by the way that you sit on your sits bones.  First, make sure that you can locate these bones (you should be sitting on them!).  Hopefully you have found them.  Now, where do you sit on them?  Do you sit on the front/anterior aspect?  Do you sit on the the back/posterior aspect?  How about favoring one side over the other?  Do you sit more on the left or the right or maybe symmetrically?  Let's break down what happens when you sit on each aspect.

First of all why is this important?  Since most humans average at least 4 hours of sitting per day this is a posture you are in for most of your day.  Wolff's law states that your bones develop according to the demands placed on them so the way that you position yourself becomes the actual structure of your skeleton.

Sitting on the anterior aspect - This seating alignment causes an anterior shift in your pelvis and an increase of the lower back curvature (lordosis).  This way of sitting is most often the best and helps to maintain normal anatomic structure.  This will help people with disc injuries and a lumbar support will help you to hold this posture while seated.  Try to sit on the front of these bones and see how it changes your posture from head to toe.  This even helps your neck to be more upright and your mid back less forward preventing neck pain, mid back pain and possible headaches.

Sitting on the posterior aspect - This is what I call the tired posture.  After many hours of sitting it can be tiresome to sit upright on the anterior sits bones.  Sitting on the posterior sits bones is what I believe causes many of today's chronic back pain, neck pain and headaches.  It flattens out the lower back curve and rounds the mid back which leads to forward head posture and tightening of the trapezius and suboccipital muscles.  A good lumbar support can help you to avoid this posture.

Sitting on the left or right ischial tuberosity -  You may notice that you shift your weight to one of the sits bones more than the other.  This can be a good indicator that your pelvis is out of alignment and you may need a chiropractic adjustment.  Even if you have no symptoms of lower back pain this imbalance should be addressed so that you do not become a lower back pain sufferer.  This position can lead to a shearing stress on the intervertebral discs as well as place excessive loading on the pain sensitive facet joints of the spine.  Not to mention lead to muscle imbalances which will translate up and down your entire body influencing the position of many joints. 

Alot can be learned about our sits bones and the way that we sit on them.  Use them as a good indicator of how to fix your posture and decrease your chances of pain.  Check this video our for a good visual...

The Importance of a Functional Movement Analysis

Pain is inconvenient and enables us from doing what we love to do but it has a value and serves as a warning sign that something is wrong within our body.  Most people use pain as the only indicator of when something needs to be evaluated by a specialist.  Waiting for pain to happen is not the best indicator because it is often the last symptom to show up and the first to leave when something has gone wrong.  The intent of this article is to make you aware that a movement analysis by a trained professional can identify problems within the musculoskeletal system before symptoms of pain occur. 

Professional athletic teams have been using functional movement testing to discover if their athletes have any biomechanical imbalances or potential for injury even in the absence of pain.  Because pain is subjective (different to each person) it cannot be measured very accurately and is not the best indicator that something is wrong.  A thorough movement examination is objective and can be measured which makes it one of the best ways to predict and prevent injuries.  The goal of a good movement examination is to discover asymmetrical movement patterns and the lack of a tissues ability to stretch (tissue extensibility).    

With the knowledge of an athlete’s movement imbalances the athletic training staff will develop a fitness program and a therapeutic plan with the goal of improving that athlete’s weaknesses.  By acknowledging weaknesses and working to improve them you can reduce the risk of injury and enhance your athletic performance in any sport.  Non athletes can also benefit from a movement examination and a specific fitness and therapeutic plan because it will preserve the musculoskeletal system and slow the process of degeneration.  Not knowing your movement imbalances and setting up a training program is like going into a battle without any plan of how you are going to succeed. 

Most non traumatic athletic injuries are due to the repetitive overuse and strain of synergistic muscles asked to perform a task they cannot tolerate for prolonged periods of time. 

If muscles are not able to lengthen properly than synergistic muscles will strongly assist the desired movement.  This assistance is known as synergistic dominance or compensating movement patterns.  Movement compensations increase the risk of injury to synergistic muscles because they become overused and strained.  Movement compensations decrease athletic performance as well as place athletes at a higher risk of injury.  Functional movement testing identifies movement compensations so a plan can be developed to correct them and avoid musculoskeletal injuries.  If you have a functional movement analysis and implement the information into your fitness and therapy plan you can improve your athletic performance and avoid injuries before they happen.  It is important to find a therapist in your area who specializes in functional movement analysis and effective musculoskeletal therapies.  With their help you can avoid injuries and move as effortless and efficient as possible.

Dr. Todd Rodman, DC CSCS

How To Get Rid of Body Stiffness – “The Fuzz”

Can we truly blame all of our body stiffness on getting old?  It is true that as we age our growth hormone levels decline which slows healing time however there are ways to preserve and slow down our loss of mobility.  The answer is to break up the fuzz!  What is the fuzz?  Watch this video:

If you are still with us and didn’t get grossed out by the cadaver congratulations.  The fuzz that you were looking at is called fascia.  The thicker the fascia becomes the more it creates adhesions to other muscles making us stiff.  These muscular adhesions restrict our muscles ability to slide over each other.  Adhesions are responsible for stiffness and are made worse with time and lack of movement in the area.  At SCNHS we break up muscular adhesions with techniques like Active Release Technique (ART) and Graston Technique.  These techniques help to remodel the soft tissue and lead to great improvement in mobility.  Not only do we treat adhesions in the office, but we show you mobility exercises and stretches to keep the fuzz out of your life!

Non Surgical Sports Medicine

At SCNHS we offer such a wide variety of techniques that we cannot define our therapy only as Chiropractic care. Chiropractic has profound effects on enhancing nervous system function and is great for injuries and injury prevention however it is just one of our “tools in the toolbox” so to speak. In order to help athletes optimize performance, help people overcome a wide variety of injuries and improve overall health we have created our own effective approach that more appropriately should be called “Non Surgical Sports Medicine”. Many therapies that we practice were not taught in Chiropractic College and are not common to most Chiropractors. Here is a list of the therapies and post graduate education that has helped us create our own effective approach to helping people improve their health through our Non Surgical Sports Medicine approach:

Chiropractic Physician

Active Release Technique (ART) Full Body Certified

Active Release Technique (ART) Ironman Provider

Slow Motion Running and Biomechanical Analysis

Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)

Graston Technique (GT)

Certified Kinesiotape Practitioner (CKTP)

Muscle Activation Technique (MAT)

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)

CrossFit level 1 Certified Trainer

Loomis Institute Digestive Health Specialist

Ideal Protein Weight Loss Provider

At SCNHS we are extremely dedicated to continuously improving our knowledge of the most effective non surgical techniques and nutritional programs available. We take great pride in our services and getting the opportunity to help people live healthy lifestyles with less limitations.

Thank you for your continued confidence in our office,

Dr. Todd Rodman, DC CSCS

The Lost Aspect of Exercise Programs: “Recovery”

Dr. Todd Rodman, DC CSCS is a practicing Sports Medicine Chiropractor and CrossFitter located in Boca Raton Florida. He is the Official Team Chiropractor for Florida Atlantic University Athletics and CrossFit Hardcore. He has helped many people improve athletic performance, prevent injuries and overcome injuries through a combination of highly effective manual therapies and nutritional intervention.

The Lost Aspect of Exercise Programs: “Recovery”

One of the most important, yet often overlooked aspects of exercise is proper recovery from training. How many times have you heard, “Why do I need therapy, I’m not hurt”, “I don’t have time to stretch”, “I get my water from soda” or “I only get 5 hours of sleep per night”. These are some of the aspects of recovery that if neglected will hinder performance and lead to injuries. Preparation and training are the most important aspects of a good fitness program but poor recovery can be a detriment to your hard work.

Recovery is the process of returning something to its normal state.

Recovery, in a physical exercise sense, means to repair the body from the muscle tearing that occurs as well as replenish the nutrients that have been depleted. The popularity of intense exercise programs such as CrossFit are growing quickly and for good reason. Intense exercise has proven to have more benefits than moderate exercise and when done safely the benefits definitely out way the risks. One way to ensure that it is done safely is to practice perfect form, develop a strong core, use proper weights and recover as best as possible.

Intense exercise increases the demands on the musculoskeletal system which leads to the breakdown and repair of muscle fibers forcing them to heal back stronger. This repair process is accelerated by good nutrition, lifestyle habits and manual hands-on therapy. Professional athletes have been using nutrition and highly effective manual therapies for many years in order to prolong their careers. Most people that are not professional athletes, but train nearly as vigorous, are not aware of how to maximize recovery and properly maintain the musculoskeletal system.

Because intense exercise causes small soft tissue tears, called microtraumas, proper repair and recovery is necessary to prevent excessive breakdown and overuse. Our bodies require specific conditions such as increased oxygen, decreased musculoskeletal loading, proper nutrition and adequate rest in order to repair a microtrauma. Proper rest and recovery periods help maximize gains from high intensity workouts. Without proper recovery microtraumas can progress to a macrotrauma which is a large tear to the soft tissue. Macrotraumas will hinder performance and alter movement patterns which can cause biomechanical compensations, chronic pain, musculoskeletal dysfunction and force you to stop intense exercise.

The Top 10 Recovery Essentials:

1.) Proper rest – You need at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. This helps increase natural growth hormone needed for muscle building and repair.

2.) Drink plenty of water – Follow this equation to stay well hydrated. Divide your body weight by 16. This number equals how many 8oz. glasses of water you should be drinking per day. If you drink caffeine or carbonated beverages or perform intense exercise that day you may need more. Do not wait until you feel thirsty to drink water.

3.) High quality amino acids or protein –This is necessary to give muscle the building blocks to repair themselves.

4.) Liver Support – The liver plays a major role in metabolism and has a wide range of functions including detoxification and protein synthesis. Inadequate liver function can hinder performance and slow down recovery. Hepatics such as Safflower, Barberry, Beet, Milk Thistle and Gentian are herbs that have traditionally been used to strengthen tone and stimulate the secretory functions of the liver.

5.) Meditation – There are many physiological benefits to meditation including decreased muscle tension and increased circulation which both contribute to improved athletic performance.

6.) Abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables - Fruits and vegetables improve cellular metabolism and decrease the free radical damage created by the oxidative stress of exercise. Juice Plus is a great product for those who cannot eat enough fruits and vegetables through your diet. Contact Kirsten Hood, Juice Plus representative, at bocahoods@me.com for more information on Juice Plus.

7.) Enzyme Nutrition – Digestive enzymes help to improve digestion so that you can utilize the nutrients from the food that you eat. Our office offers a complete analysis of what your body specifically digests and doesn’t digest. Then we provide the proper enzyme and herbal formulas to improve digestive and nourish any organs that have been affected.

8.) Electrolyte replenishment - Needed for proper muscle contraction and to prevent cramping.

9.) Self Stretching- A good self stretching or assisted stretching routine after intense activity will help decrease muscle tension. Because of the increased heat that is generated in your muscles during exercise stretching after your workout gives you the best opportunity to increase your flexibility.

10.) Manual therapy by a qualified therapist – Quality manual therapy is necessary for musculoskeletal maintenance and to accelerate the healing of mictotraumas. A monthy maintenance visit will go a long way towards improving performance and preventing overuse injuries. Email me at DrToddRodman@aim.com and I will help find a qualified therapist near you.

Through proper nutrition and recovery people have been avoiding injuries, moving as effortless and efficient as possible and performing at their highest level

Many “self help” therapies have circulated over the past years such as foam rolling, muscle flossing, topical creams, etc. which all have good benefits. However, if these techniques are done incorrectly they can be ineffective and make injuries worse. There are many manual therapies that in the past were only known and used by professional athletes but are now widely available the general population. All high intensity athletes should have a qualified manual therapist familiar with high intensity training for routine musculoskeletal maintenance. The goal of your manual therapist should be to find the exact, specific tissue that is causing a problem and correct it with a hands on non surgical approach. Here is a list of some of the most effective manual therapies available:

· Active Release Technique

· Graston Technique

· Kinesiotaping

· Muscle Activation Technique

· Sports Medicine Chiropractic

Prepare Smart.

Train Hard.

Recover and Repeat.

Why Ideal Protein Diet Works

WHY WE ARE SUCCESSFUL

Any hypo-caloric diet (low calorie diet) will result in weight loss and most popular programs base their protocols on a "balanced diet". If we take the standard USDA recommendations of approximately 60% of calories derived from "good carbohydrates", 25% from protein and 15% from "healthy fats" and cut the amounts in half (keeping the ratio of macronutrients the same), we will have a "balanced diet" with one-half the calories.....and people will lose weight. But there are a few problems with this seemingly logical approach.

First, if we continue to replenish some of the glycogen stores every day (60% of calories coming from carbohydrates, most of which will be converted to glucose in vivo) our fat-burning will stop until that has been depleted. This will lead to an erratic weight loss. Second, and more importantly, decreasing the minimal daily requirements of protein will lead to muscle loss. As blood glucose drops (from the hypo-caloric intake) the body will burn fat but will also break down muscle via gluconeogenesis as a way to maintain proper glucose homeostasis. As we lose muscle our metabolism slows, also the heart is a muscle and losing some of its mass is not a good thing (remember the Phen-Fen diet?). Now, when these folks have achieved their goal weight, what is the predictable result? They go back to eating "normal size" meals but their metabolism is slower and they regain the weight, often times ending up heavier than when they started the diet.

Our protocol takes a different track - for a relatively short time we will use an "unbalanced diet". We keep the minimum daily protein requirement the same (roughly 1/2 gram of protein per pound of lean body weight) and build the diet around this. Understand, this is not a "HIGH PROTEIN DIET". We give only the minimum and we do this to spare the muscle. Loss of muscle is unacceptable to us during a diet. Next, if we want to lose fat it is logical that we would eliminate most fats from the diet (but giving ample amounts of essential fatty acids). Now we are left with carbohydrates. Because we do not want to replace glycogen stores, we keep these at a bare minimum, approximately 30 grams per day. This forces the body to stay in the "fat-burning mode" 24 hours a day and is therefore called a "ketogenic diet". Our dieters will consume four cups of non-starchy vegetables and 2 green salads daily. This will provide fiber to prevent constipation and they will be given a multi-vitamin, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sea salt to ensure proper electrolyte balance. We only provide what they would normally be getting from food groups that we are temporarily taking away (i.e. dairy, fruits and grains).

This protocol will consistently cause people to lose not just weight but FAT and RESTORE your metabolism so you will be burning calories long after you are off of the diet. This is why Ideal Protein is know as "Your Last Diet". Call today to set up your free consultation 561.313.9117

Achilles Tendon Injuries and Active Release Technique

Here is a great article about Achilles Tendon injuries and how they can be helped with Active Release Technique (ART):

http://www.activerelease.net/articles/art_spotlight15.asp

How to stay focused on your goals

Ok, so its almost 2 weeks out from your New Years Resolution. How have you been doing? Still going to the gym? Staying away from those late night Ben and Jerry’s cravings? I hope so. Don’t give in, it is shown that the more that you resist temptation the stronger your brain synapses become. Just say no! Here are some more tips to help you keep on task in 2012.

The policeman of your brain is the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This is the area associated with focus, judgment and impulse control. It acts as the brains brake and fights back against cravings and temptation. There are many times when emotions can take over and the PFC cannot control them. In a healthy brain, there is good judgment and emotional control by the PFC. Healthy levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine lead to good activity in the PFC. Low levels of dopamine are associated with certain problems that rob us of motivation, such as Parkinson’s disease, some forms of depression and ADD. Addictions occur when the drive circuits hijack the brain and take over control.

When dopamine levels and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are in balance, we can be focused and goal oriented and have control over our cravings; we can walk away from caramel apples, chocolate cake, the bag of chips, French fries, and the myriad of other unhealthy choices. When these chemicals and brain areas are troubled, we often get off track and can do serious damage to ourselves.

For example, having low activity in the PFC from a head injury, poor sleep, persistent drug or alcohol use, or inheriting ADD, makes it more likely you will have impulse-control problems and poor self-supervision. Even though the goal would be to stop drinking, hold off on the cigarettes, or maintain a healthy weight, you do not have the willpower (or the PFC power) to say no on a regular basis.

Here are some tips to regaining control and balancing your brain systems

1. Boost your prefrontal cortex (PFC)

To gain control over willpower and cravings, it is critical to strengthen your PFC. To do so:

Treat any PFC problems that may exist, such as ADD, toxic exposure, or brain trauma.

Get good sleep – at least seven hours, more is better – to maintain adequate PFC bloodflow.

Maintain a healthy blood sugar level by eating frequent smaller meals. A 2007 article by Matthew Gailliot and Roy Baumeister, the authors outline the crucial nature of blood sugar levels and self-control. They write that self-control failures are more likely to occur when blood sugar is low. Low blood sugar levels can make you feel hungry, irritable, or anxious – all which make you more likely to make poor choices. Many everyday behaviors can cause dips in blood sugar levels, including drinking alcohol, skipping meals, and consuming sugary snacks or beverages, which causes an initial spike in blood sugar and a crash about 30 minutes later. Keeping glucose levels even throughout the day increased self-control.

Several studies have examined the relationship between glucose and smoking cessation, in the majority of these studies it has been found that healthy glucose levels can increase the likelihood of successfully quitting smoking. Coping with stress requires self-control because it requires that people make concerted effort to control their attention, thoughts, and emotions. People with healthy blood sugar levels are therefore also able to manage stress more effectively than others. Maintaining your blood sugar levels with complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fat will significantly cut down on your cravings.

Exercise - Exercise helps to boost your blood flow to the brain which increases PFC activity.

Practice meditation – numerous studies have found that this activity increases blood flow to the PFC.

Create focused, written goals - The PFC is involved in planning and forethought. It needs clear direction. Dr. Daniel G. Amen, MD has his patients do an exercise called the One Page Miracle (OPM) because it makes such a dramatic difference in the lives of those who practice it.

One Page Miracle (OPM)

Here are the steps: On a piece of paper, write down the specific goals you have for your life, including your health, relationships, work, and money. Your OPM includes more than just your physical goals because your relationships, career, and financial situation – and the stress they can cause – all affect your body and your willpower.

Take your time with this exercise. Keep the paper with you so you can jot down ideas and goals as they come to you. After you complete your initial draft, place it somewhere where you can be sure to see it every day, such as on the refrigerator, on your bathroom, near or on your desk at work. This way, on a daily basis, you'll be focusing on what's important to you. When you're focused on what you want, it makes it much easier to match your behavior to make it happen.

Ask yourself everyday, is my behavior today getting me what I want? Your mind is powerful and it makes happen what it sees. Focus and meditate on what you want. You will find that your willpower goes up dramatically.

Here's an example:

Tamaras one page miracle - What do I want for my life?

Relationships – to be connected to those I love

Spouse/significant other: to maintain a close, kind, caring, loving partnership with my husband. I want him to know how much I care about him.

Family: to be a firm, kind, positive, predictable presence in my children's lives. I want to help them develop into happy, responsible people. To continue to keep close contact with my parents, to provide support and love.

Friends: to take time to maintain and nurture my relationships with my siblings.

Work – to be my best at work, while maintaining a balanced life. Specifically, for my work activities to focus on taking care of my current projects, doing activities targeted at obtaining new clients, and giving back to the community by doing some charity work each month. I will focus on my goals at work and not get distracted by things not directly related to my goals.

Money – to be responsible and thoughtful and help our resources grow.

Short term: to be thoughtful of how our money is spent, to ensure it is directly related to our families and my needs and goals

Long term: to save 10% of everything I earn. I pay myself and my family before other things I'll put this money away each month in a pension plan for retirement.

Health – to be healthiest person I can be

Weight: to lose 30 pounds so my body mass index will be in the normal range

Fitness: exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week and start taking martial arts lessons.

Nutrition: to eat breakfast every day so I don't get really hungry until lunchtime. To prepare a sack lunch at least three days a week so not tempted to go to fast food restaurants across from work. To eliminate diet sodas and reduce the amount of sugar I eat. To take a multivitamin and fish oil every day.

Physical health: to lower my blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Emotional health: to meditate for 10 minutes every day to help me calm stress

To help ensure success with your goals practice these tips to strengthen your prefrontal cortex (PFC). This is your year to succeed in all aspects of your life!

Dr. Todd Rodman, DC