The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the musculoskeletal system. It is surrounded by ligaments and a group of muscles (and their tendon attachments) referred to as the rotator cuff. These muscles and tendons join your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade and, in addition, help to lock the ball of your upper arm solidly in its shoulder socket. It is this elegant arrangement that permits the significant range of motion of your shoulder joint. And, unfortunately, it is one of the most commonly dislocated joints in the body. Shoulder dislocations can happen to young and old alike. In fact, an article published in the March 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) suggests that the majority of choulder dislocations occur during sports activities and young males are at a higher risk. No surprise there. But, what is surprising, however, is that the study also reveals a high rate of shoulder dislocation in elderly women.

The shoulder joint can dislocate forward, backward or downward. The most common shoulder dislocation happens when the shoulder slips forward (anterior instability). The arm bone is moved forward and down and out of its joint. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, numbness, weakness, and bruising. A dislocation can tear ligaments or tendons in the shoulder or even damage nearby nerves. To treat the dislocation, a doctor will manipulate the arm bone (the humerus) and replace it in the shoulder socket. This stops the severe pain and allows for the injured tissues to heal.

Remember, whether you are young or an aging baby boomer, it’s important to keep your musculoskeletal system moving smoothly. Always do limbering exercises before playing a sport or working in the garden. And, never play or work into pain. If you experience shoulder pain, see a healthcare professional.

For more on this study, go to medicalnewstoday.com

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

As a chiropractor I see the benefits of exercise in my patients everyday, not only physically, but also in the enhancement of their mental and emotional health. Exercise is good for every human body — mentally, emotionally, and physically — whether an individual is feeling “tip top” or not. In fact, a new study shows that exercise can reduce stress levels in people who are experiencing a variety of health challenges.

The study, which appeared in the Feb. 22 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, involved the analysis of the results of 40 randomized clinical trials involving nearly 3,000 patients with a variety of medical conditions. They found that, on average, patients who exercised regularly reported a 20 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to those who did not exercise.

“Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that physical activities such as walking or weight lifting may turn out to be the best medicine that physicians can prescribe to help their patients feel less anxious,” said lead author Matthew Herring, a doctoral student in the department of kinesiology, part of the UGA College of Education.

Herring pointed out that while the role of exercise in alleviating symptoms of depression has been well studied, the impact of regular exercise on anxiety symptoms has received less attention. The number of people living with chronic medical conditions is likely to increase as the population ages, he added, underscoring the need for a low-cost, effective treatment.

One way to read more on this study is to go to medicalnewstoday.com

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

As a chiropractor I treat many people who suffer from arthritis, and I also help individuals who have sustained sports injuries. With the former, I use chiropractic adjustments and with the latter, in conjunction with the adjustments, I often use kinesio taping. Now, it appears that athletic tape can also be beneficial in treating patients with arthritis. Read on…

Athletic Tape May Relieve Certain Arthritis Pain

via Current Arthritis News and Research

 

Athletic Tape

Researchers in Australia have found that athletic tape can be used to improve pain from patellofemoral osteoarthritis, a form of osteoarthritis found around or behind the kneecap.

 

This was a small study, to be sure, involving only 28 people, 14 with and 14 without patellofemoral arthritis. Yet the findings may provide another therapy option for people with this knee pain. This finding may also benefit people with chronic patellofemoral pain, which is relatively common in runners and can oftentimes be related to a misalignment in the knee joint.

The researchers from the University of Melbourne enlisted the 28 participants, all adults with an average age of 57. The researchers took MRI scans of the participants knees and discovered that the arthritis sufferers had a higher incidence of misalignment of the knee joint, including an inclination for the kneecap to be positioned toward the outside of the leg.

Using athletic tape to wrap the patient’s knees, the researchers were able to improve that misalignment. This contributed to improvement in reported pain during a squatting exercise.

According to lead researcher, Dr. Kay M. Crossley;

“Our results confirm that patellar taping is an excellent technique which can be recommended for people with (patellofemoral arthritis).”

The tape must be applied correctly to achieve the benefit, and not to worsen the condition. The researchers indicated that a physical therapist would be the most appropriate to wrap the knee, but that with instruction and practice, the patient would be able to successfully tape their own knee.

Using tape may not be the best solution for everyone with patellofemoral pain. Many people may require other forms of therapy or a combination with taping. Dr. Crossley stated that she and her colleagues are currently conducting a clinical trial which is studying the outcomes of knee taping with other treatments.

The results of the taping study were published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

 

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

Obesity, Health Concerns Rise As Parks And Recreation Programs Decline

One way to help address the epidemic of obesity in the United States is improved access to pleasant hiking trails and an ambitious parks and recreation program, a recent study suggests, but programs such as this are increasingly being reduced in many states due to budget shortfalls.

The analysis, done by researchers in Oregon, found that some of the health issues that plague overweight and obese people can be aided by a stronger commitment to recreational opportunities. Cutting such programs to save money may be counterproductive to community health, scientists said.

"Research is now showing there's a close correlation between public health and recreational opportunities, both close to home and in state parks," said Randy Rosenberger, an associate professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society at Oregon State University. "And it's not just about losing weight. It's been found that active obese individuals have lower morbidity and mortality than normal weight individuals who are sedentary."(Read more…)

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

Headaches can be thought of as internal alarm bells, ringing only when something is going on inside of the body.  Most of us live a life so full of external distractions that our own physical problems get easily over looked.

Headaches that are Warning: “There is Something up Ahead” -

Nearly 70% of women between 20-35 years of age start to develop a “menstrual migraine”.  At first this migraine is easily categorized with normal migraines, but then begins to stand out because of its consistency.

The menstrual migraine will usually show up every month, 2 days before menstruation.  As with other premenstrual symptoms, having advanced knowledge of what to expect can make the occurrence less painful by being prepared.

Your Body’s Natural Volcanic System -

A common phrase that children hear from their mothers is, “You must be sleepy.”  It’s amusing to watch as the child tries to first deny the accusation and then question what brought on such a declaration.

Unfortunately, when a person reaches adulthood there’s no one around to tell you when you should sleep and when you should relax.  Suddenly, the responsibility of knowing what’s best is all yours.

When a body is pushed hard daily and given little to no opportunity of relaxation, something begins to happen.  One of those things that happens is a head pain that feels painfully tight around the circumference of the head.  The very sight of light can become discomforting, as well as noises both soft and loud.

This is a signal your body has sent with almost volcanic violence.  To avoid repeated episodes that can develop to more severe levels, seek a chiropractic doctor.

Talking to a chiropractor about your tension headache is not the same as just going to visit a masseuse, because these doctors will do a thorough examination to find all the root causes of your headache.

The treatment you may receive will definitely be therapeutic, but it will have the added benefit of being preventive as well.  The number one goal of these facilities is to not just get rid of pain, but help you continue living a pain free life.

The Weight of Headache Pain -

A scary thing about weight gain is that there doesn’t seem to be any real internal trigger that extra pounds are being added on.  Usually it’s not until after all the external evidence is before one that they notice their weight gain.

Studies are starting to reveal that overweight people begin having headaches more often and more severely than those that are of a healthy weight.  It’s still unclear as to how the body is triggering this effect, but it is evident in recent researches.

Even when headaches seem to be a part of your life’s package, it’s good to make sure that they’re not coming on for other serious reasons.

Waiting until you reach your breaking point before you get the rest you need is as dangerous as drunk driving.  So taking a moment out of your day to visit a local doctor’s office, or chiropractic health practice shouldn’t be delayed, especially since most of us don’t just want the pain to go away, we want it to stay away.

Source: HealthSource

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes.

“While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney.

According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists.

“What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.”

While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.”

Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.”

Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.”

In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

Do you have cravings for sweets that you see as treats?  Do you think indulging in a pint of ice cream is your reward for making it through the day?  Are you looking for something sweet to overcome that 3pm slump?  For some, sugar is just as addicting as caffeine, tobacco or alcohol and it keeps us from losing the pounds we long to shed.

The United States is the largest consumer of sweeteners and one of the largest global sugar importers. We started in 1689 when the first sugar refinery was built in New York City.  Colonists soon began to sweeten their breakfast porridge with refined sugar, and within 10 years, individual consumption had reached 4 pounds a year.  The average American now consumes more than 100 pounds of sugar and sweeteners per year.  The USDA recommends we get no more than 10 teaspoons per day, yet most Americans eat about 30 teaspoons per day—that’s three times the liberal recommended daily value.

Humans love sweet things. Even before we started refining sugar, we sought out foods with sweet tastes.  Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that occurs naturally in foods such as grains, beans, vegetables and fruit.  When unprocessed, sugar contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and proteins.  When brown rice or other whole grains are cooked, chewed and digested, the natural carbohydrates break down uniformly into separate glucose molecules.  These molecules enter the bloodstream, where they are burned smoothly and evenly, allowing your body to absorb all the good stuff.  Read more…

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

There are numerous reasons for the complaints of Vertigo. An inner ear problem, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, will at times manifest as the result of a sustained head injury or serious cold. Many times this particular vertigo might be the result of the aging process. The root, however, usually is unknown. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is a wordy diagnosis, but it characterizes completely this non- progressive problem that is due to, as its name signifies, a quick change in head posture. The symptoms are typically surprising and varied.

It is beneficial to look at the function of the inner ear in an endeavor grasp what creates this commonly disabling difficulties of this sort of vertigo. The brain senses motion and keeps equilibrium employing the fluid within the inner ear. Also in the inner ear are minute calcium carbonate crystals, known as otoconia. These crystals usually float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the responsive nerve endings in the inner ear, they produce the symptoms of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.

The good news is that chiropractic treatment can eliminate the complaints of BPPV very quickly and effectively using a technique which is called the Epley maneuver. By means of the use of this practice, a chiropractor rotates the head of a BPPV sufferer into a number of different positions, letting gravity move the calcium carbonate crystals into a space of the inner ear that is away from the nerve endings where they will bring about no further vertigo.

Your chiropractor has assisted hundreds of people for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo making use of the Epley Maneuver technique. Quite often, with only one treatment the majority of patients no longer suffer from wooziness. Call your San Diego Chiropractor today!

Technorati Tags: BPPV, chiropractic, Chiropractor, dizziness, epleys, vertigo

These were the findings of a study by lead author Dr Edward McAuley, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and colleagues, and appears in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

A person’s self-efficacy is the belief they can attain a certain goal: an example of my self-efficacy would be that I believe I can climb several flights of stairs or jog around the block without stopping.

While there is lots of evidence that physical activity influences well-being, the reason why is less well understood. Read more…

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous

What is kinesiology and exercise science? The study of movement is kinesiology and the science of exercise is the exploration of specific movements in relation to fitness and health. The kinesthetic aspect of the program relates to motion as it realates to health and mental functioning.

Movement, Mental Processing and Mood

Many studies suggest that activity has a direct effect on mental functioning and mood. A sedentary person is more likely to develop depression, inattention, and the inability to focus. Kinesiology is related to language development and communication skills as well.

The motor theory of language suggests that all language is rooted in neurological motor systems based in movement. Fundamentally, all communication arises out of motion. Mental processes, though appearing to be sedentary are based in activity and motion.

Kinesiology

Kinesiology explores movement in regards to intellect with the combination of motion. The field looks at various populations including the elderly, children, athletes, and people with physical challenges due to disabilities or health disease. The approach explore motion in the following realms:

* Life skills
* Exercise
* Physical fitness
* Dancing
* Playing
* Working
* Engaging in sports

The study of human movement is a field that brings together a number of different elements. When you explore motion, you naturally touch upon the following topics, especially in regards to alternative and complementary medicine.

* Psychology
* Physical fitness
* Biochemistry
* Biology
* Neurology

This topic is applicable to health as well as various treatment modalities, including forms of alternative and complementary medicine. The better that an individual understands the science of human motion, the better able he or she is to adopt health practices that are most effective.

What is Exercise Science?

What is exercise science? Not everyone makes the connection between science and exercise, but the two are deeply connected. Every movement, even the most seemingly simplistic motion involves complicated neurological and physical components that work together to make the motion possible. In addition, each movement has ramifications on the mind, body and spirit.

Exercise science explores everything about movement from nutrition to injury and illness. This field of study helps us understand how the body functions from the fundamental origins of movement, including biological, chemical and nutritional realms.

Kinesiology and Exercise Medicine

Kinesiology and exercise medicine relate to more than fitness and workouts. The fields of study look at the inner workings of motion and exercise as well as their impact on the body in various realms. The comprehensive perspective on motion offers new insight into the importance of activity and health

Each approach looks at the body as a machine that drives the mind and emotions through motion. Thought, emotional processing and motion are each interconnected and those who explore the fundamentals of the connection between the body and the mind may want to consider the motor theory of language, kinesiology and exercise medicine.

Posted via email from chirohealthnews’s posterous