Just Ease Your Pain... Or Fix The Problem?

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Just Ease Your Pain... Or Fix The Problem?

Pain can be a huge factor when it comes to injuries. Some people may think that they only have an injury when there is pain or the opposite that they are healed when the pain is gone. Sometimes these may be true, but more often than not that isn’t the case.

During any injury regardless if it is your neck, low back, or knee at some point there will be pain. Pain becomes a great modifier to measure progress but it is not the only thing that is important. When we become injured, pain is usually one of the last symptoms to show up and the first to leave. This is part of the reason that you can be doing some activity that you have done 100 times and then all of the sudden you get injured. 

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Back Pain, Opioids & Tiger Woods

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Back Pain, Opioids & Tiger Woods

The topic of back pain and the use of pain killers seems to be the hot topic in the news nowadays. 

Most recently, Tiger Woods was arrested for a DUI which he attributes to 4 different pain killers and Xanax. Despite what feel about Tiger Woods and his personal life, it’s tough to see one of the greatest athletes of all time and what has happened to his body after countless surgeries.  

What may be a dependency on pain killers after unsuccessful surgeries is not uncommon. 

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Are You Taking 23,000 Incorrect Breaths A Day?

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Are You Taking 23,000 Incorrect Breaths A Day?

Do you suffer from chronic neck, shoulder, or low back pain?

If so, have you paid attention to how you breathe? 

As you’re reading this blog, do a simple exercise.  Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach, and take a deep breath in.  If the hand on your chest moved upward and the one on your belly doesn't move at all, you are probably not breathing as efficient as you can.

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Deadlifting Will Destroy Your Back?

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Deadlifting Will Destroy Your Back?

One of my clients recently told me that he will NEVER deadlift again. He said his past chiropractor and physical therapist essentially reamed him out when they found he had deadlifted with his personal trainer. 

Let me just say that our words as health care practitioners can have an incredible impact for our clients. It's therefore our duty to continue to understand and master our craft, instead of just relying on what school thought us years ago. I can probably bet you money that neither of his former chiropractors or physical therapists knew how to properly hinge themselves. 

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Do You Have Knee Pain And Your Foot Turns Out?

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Do You Have Knee Pain And Your Foot Turns Out?

When you squat, it is extremely difficult for you to keep your feet parallel?

When jog or run, does your foot tend to whip outwards every time you push off? 

Knee pain, especially around the kneecap and inside portion of the joint are very common areas of discomfort for many. You may been given a medical diagnosis of patellofemoral pain, meniscal pain, or plain general arthritis. But what does this mean? 

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How Are You Celebrating Your Athletes?

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How Are You Celebrating Your Athletes?

The sun was at its hottest and most intense point in the afternoon sky and showed no signs of letting up soon. My butt was getting numb from sitting on concrete seats after only 40 mins. Welcome to a typical invitational high school track meet in So Cal. Needless to say I was ill prepared for the day's events. No hat, no cushion and no water. Still it didn't seem to really matter. It had been years since I had actually been to a meet and I had forgotten what it was like to be around young athletes and feeling that electricity in the air. 

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Do You Have Hip Pain With Squats?

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Do You Have Hip Pain With Squats?

We often get clients complaining of hip and back pain when squatting in the gym, especially when under significant load. When it gets really flared up, it becomes a constant pain that gets even more irritable in positions such as sitting which involves a great amount of hip flexion. 

When assessing any client either complaining of pain or just wanting a strength and conditioning program, it's important to look at technique as well as address side to side asymmetries.

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Case Study: How This Active Woman Finally Cured Her Back Pain

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Case Study: How This Active Woman Finally Cured Her Back Pain

Our amazing 42 year old client, Erin had been dealing with lower back pain on and off for the past 10 years. She loves to be active but feels like the small of her back and occasional numbness down her leg hold her away from the things she loves. On top of that, it is hard enough to find the time to be active since she is quite busy taking care of her children, ages 9 and 12. 

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Does Your Back Hurt During A Plank?

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Does Your Back Hurt During A Plank?

It has become very common that exercises are a great tool when trying to recover from an injury. There is the exact opposite as well, where exercises have either caused or been a factor in your injury. More often than not injuries are from poor form and or too much weight. 

When we are working with someone that has low back pain a common exercise that may be given is the plank. On occasion people already “know-how to do” a plank and is a part of their normal exercise routine. Form, especially with the plank, is essential to not causing back pain. 

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Is Your Golf Swing Giving You Back Pain?

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Is Your Golf Swing Giving You Back Pain?

Everyone has a sport or activity that is enjoyable or helps to relieve stress. A large number of our clients use golf as that activity.

It can become a huge strain if you are unable to do your activity of choice because of an injury or pain. In some instances the activity or sport is what is causing the problem. Some might say to stop running, playing golf, or playing basketball because it is causing your pain. Instead our goal is to look to see what we can do to make changes so you can continue to play.

When it comes to golf there are many mechanics at play which can contribute to your injury. The most common injury we see is low back pain or upper and middle back pain. Not having a proper golf swing can lead to these injuries.  

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