Tag

Soft Tissue Mobilization

Low Back Pain and Hamstring Flexibility

written by patient

Many people suffer from low back pain. What many people don’t realize is that pain can often be linked to a lack of flexibility in the hamstrings.

North Haven Chiropractor

Let’s talk about some anatomy first. The hamstrings are located in the back of the thigh and connect the lower pelvis to the lower leg. They help in leg extension and bending of the knee. The upper part of the pelvis is then connected to the spine and many different muscles. The ones we will focus on right now are called the erector spinae. These muscles run alongside the spine and help with posture, core stabilization, and spinal movement. If the hamstrings become tight then they can begin to limit motion in the pelvis. Consequently, if the pelvis has limited movement this can cause the muscles of the low back to become tight, which can lead to low back pain. Many times people will present with this condition. This is why it is important to work on proper flexibility in your hamstrings. Increasing hamstring flexibility will help increase the motion of your pelvis, which will in turn take tension off of your low back helping to decrease your back pain.

December 19, 2012 0 comment

General

Decreasing post-workout muscle soreness

written by patient

When we work out, our muscles work together, to move the weights and our body by contracting and relaxing in a very coordinated way. On a microscopic level each muscle is made up of individual muscle fibers. As we work harder or lift/move heavier things more and more muscle fibers are recruited to help us complete our goal. The muscles get to a point where they cannot take on the load and will actually begin to microscopically tear, this is the soreness. Now don’t get nervous this is not a tear on the level that will keep you from working out and that will lead to surgery. The tearing is then accompanied by inflammation, which is the body’s natural reaction to any injury and will lead to some stiffness. This entire process is actually the body’s way of building new muscle. As the muscle fibers begin to heal, stronger and bigger fibers are created to replace it. As a consequence though, you will get some soreness and stiffness for a couple of days after your workout.

Here are a couple of the many easy remedies that may help to decrease your soreness and stiffness to help you get through that next workout.

October 26, 2012 0 comment

General

More Than Back Doc’s…

written by APM

What conditions do you think a chiropractor treats?

Back pain? Neck pain? Headaches?…..Can’t think of anything else?

If not you are probably in the majority of the population. Most people don’t think of going to the chiropractor for:

October 22, 2011 0 comment

General

Still Dealing With That Nagging Injury?

written by APM

Beyond “hands only”

Interest in instruments to extend the “reach” of chiropractors, massage therapists, and others got a boost in the ’80s when David Graston suffered a debilitating sports injury. Graston’s disappointment with the rehabilitation methods of the day caused him to create several stainless steel instruments with various shapes and angled surfaces. These instruments were designed to augment hands-only approaches to healing. Doctors of chiropractic have always worked their fingers into injured soft tissue to increase blood flow and break up restrictions. But fingers alone cannot detect restrictions at deeper levels, nor can they match the ability of the right instruments to treat the full range of restrictions. Today, several companies produce handheld devices used to perform what’s known as instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (IASTM).

October 15, 2011 0 comment