CAN DISTRACTION THERAPY HELP MY PAIN?

Though each patient is different and no doctor can guarantee success, the clinical results of this type of therapy have been effective in over 75% of patients treated. The common cause of many back conditions includes damaged discs and poor spinal muscle control. Our treatment program addresses both of these core problems. Distraction therapy creates a controlled unloading of the vertebra to decrease disc pressure thus increasing blood and nutrient exchange. This exchange of fluids is something the damaged disc desperately needs to help it heal from the inside out. Muscle strength, control and endurance can all be improved with other facets of Distraction Therapy that include specific controlled exercises.

How long will my treatment program be?

It depends on the complexity and extent of the rehabilitation needed, however we typically treat 3 times a week for 1 month, transitioning from passive to active treatments as you respond. The treatment is administered over a reasonable time frame and your response is continually evaluated. Further treatments may be necessary or a reduced frequency may be recommended at this time. The rehabilitative phase may include additional Distraction Therapy treatments, with spinal adjustments to enhance the results. Most patients are released from treatments after 8 weeks.

FALL HEALTH

The fall season brings to my office more athletes, hunters and those who work outside complaining of muscular aches, pains, strains and sprains. Why do our muscles ache, spasm, strain and tear? The primary reason in my opinion is a lack of proper conditioning and flexibility. If your muscles are overloaded and pushed to their perceived limit they will spasm to protect them from tearing. This is an oversimplification but a sound one. If your muscles are well hydrated, flexible and balanced they well be better able to carry out all the contracting when running, jumping, quick starting and stopping and even relaxing that they must do every day. The purpose of this article is to explain what you can do to prevent tears, spasms, and strains and if you are past prevention and into an injury I will explain what I can do to help you.

For the athlete and/or anyone engaged in a job that requires strong muscular exertions you need to make a habit out of heating/warming up then stretching your muscles every day.. If you brush your teeth twice/day make the time to spend 10 minutes twice a day warming up your muscles and doing a full body stretching regiment. Compliment your stretching by exercising your muscles with resistance in a controlled manner (weight training) so that when you are forced to contract your muscles in uncontrolled situations such as quick starts and stops in sports such as football and basketball or maintaining your balance or lifting drywall at a work site, your muscles have the conditioning not to spasm and the flexibility not to tear.

The following is brief outline of what my prevention recommendations entail.

1. Warm your muscles. It would be preferable to use exercise as the warm-up ( walking, treadmill, bike for 10 min and or a few light sets with resistance with respect to the muscle group you intend to exert. If exercise is not an option use moist heat on the muscles you expect to exert.

2. Stretch the muscle and hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds rest and repeat. Each muscle should be stretched at least three times. Remember not to bounce the stretch. Proper technique is important. If you need specific stretches please feel free to come by the office and we well provide you with examples of stretches.

3. Use resistance to train your muscle to be able to withstand exertions. In my experience most muscular strains and tears and spasms occur when the muscle must decelerate ( slow down to a stop before being exerted aging). Deceleration cause the muscle fibers to contract more than when they accelerate. Two ways to train the deceleration fibers of the muscle is eccentric training (pushing/contracting the muscle against an immovable object) and two incorporating “negatives” into your resistance programs. Negatives is fighting the relaxation phase of the muscle contraction ( i.e.; if you were to do a leg extension, the positive part of the movement is upward movement and the negative part is the downward movement, 2 seconds for the positive and 5 seconds to resist the negative). I would recommend that you do some type of eccentric and negative workout for each muscle group at least once a month.

4. Diet. Drink plenty of water to keep your muscles well hydrated. Consume foods rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION

The following can help improve your performance and reduce your risks for injury. As different sports place different demands on your body it is important for you to ask questions and tailor your nutrition, stretching and workouts to your specific sport.

Nutrition

Nutrition is probably the most important aspect in your athletic performance. The old adage "You are what you eat", is true. Without proper nutrition muscles can cramp, endurance suffers and the body will slowly break down. The key is prevention - - eating properly and maintaining hydration. Within our diets we need the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, protein, fat and carbohydrates that are obtained by food. For those that are not competitive athletes I recommend a high fiber moderate protein diet comprising of vegetables, fruit, grains, and lean sources of protein. However, for athletes, especially endurance athletes I recommend carbohydrate loading before high intensity activity and a quick high glycemic food source within 20 minutes of a high intensity activity, especially under tournament conditions.

Muscles usually store small amounts of glycogen, (energy source within a muscle to help with continuous contractions and relaxations) which is not a problem but when you start exercising at high intensity, such as running or swimming and this is continued for 60 to 90 minutes, your muscles run out of glycogen. As a result, stamina and performance diminish.

What To Do? - - Carbohydrate Loading

CARB - LOADING

● Taper the amount of exercise before a high endurance activity
● Eat significantly more carbohydrates leading up to the activity and practices
● Choose high glycemic foods, e.g., grains, potatoes, rice, fruits
● No refined sugars or refined flour foods – they burn up quickly

THE 20 MINUTE WINDOW – Eating within the 20 – minute window following intense activity will quickly replace glycogen stores and prepare you for another game in a few hours or the next day. Choices could be a bagel with honey and peanut butter or a granola bar. This will help prevent that dragging feeling.

H2O

Drinking water is key. I suggest 40-60 oz/day at the minimum for the average person. For the competitive athlete who is constantly perspiring, fluid must be replaced continuously. I suggest room temperature water during competition as this helps to prevent cramping. I do believe sports drinks during high intensity sports events, especially in high temperatures, are fine as they contain water and electrolytes which are lost during these sporting events.