Etter Chiropractic of Olathe

Shoulder pain and Chiropractic.

JocoChiro — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:10:12 +0000

The shoulder is a complex joint composed of three smaller joints. The joint between the collar bone (clavicle) and sternum is the only real bony joint that connects the arm to the ribs and spine. This joint is often the source of cracking and popping sounds but usually isn’t highly problematic. The second joint is the A-C joint which is the joint between the clavicle and shoulder blade. The a-c joint is often dislocated in sports such as football when a player falls on the point of the shoulder. The main joint of the shoulder is the joint between the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade.
The shoulder joint itself is held in place by the muscles of the rotator cuff and the main movers of the shoulder especially the deltoids and pectorals.
The rotator cuff is comprised of four fairly small muscles. The action of the rotator cuff muscles is to protect the shoulder and control the movements of the arm.
The most commonly injured muscle of the rotator cuff is the supraspinatus muscle. The supraspinatus tendon lies along the front top part of the shoulder and acts to position the shoulder. Injury to the supraspinatus usually causes an inability to start a side raising motion of the shoulder. Complete tears usually require surgery but tendonitis of the supraspinatus can usually be treated successfully with myofascial release and Chiropractic. The biceps tendon is a common cause of shoulder pain as well. It usually causes pain the the front part of the shoulder. The biceps tendon often responds very well to myofascial treatment. Biceps tendon problems are often associated with sports that require throwing motions but may also be in older people and caused by such things as vacuuming and arm positions while working on a computer.

Shoulder pain and Chiropractic Treatment Part 1

JocoChiro — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:39:53 +0000

The shoulder joint is designed for maximum mobility. As a result the muscles and tendons of the shoudler are often overly stressed. Shoulder pain is a common finding in sports such as weight lifting, swimming and throwing sports. Overhead work is also a common irritating factor in the shoulder. Some of the most common causes of shoulder pain are: 1. Instability often caused by injury. The labrum (glenoid labrum) is a stabilizing structure that is often injured and can add to instability. 2. Impingement of the rotator cuff underneath the clavicle which is associated with overhead work or swimming and is also known as bursitis. 3. Tendinitis of the biceps tendon which is associated with throwing type motions. This type of pain is felt at the front of the shoulder. 4. A-C joint separations (often called a separated shoulder). These injuries often produce pain when the arm is raised fully over the head. 5. Adhesive capsulitis. Capsulitis is more often seem in older people and limits all motions of the shoulder and is painful. Pain in the shoulder may also be referred by other parts of the body including the neck and gall bladder. For most conditions that do not involve a fracture, dislocation or tendon rupture it is recommended to have conservative treatment (including Chiropractic Care) for up to 6 months.

Mid back pain and Chiropractic

JocoChiro — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:53:06 +0000

Pain in the thoracic spine or mid back is a very common problem. The thoracic spine is made up of 12 vertebrae and 12 sets of ribs. Disc herniation is much less common in the thoracic spine due to smaller discs and the bracing effects of the ribs. It is rare. Pain in the mid back is more often due to postural imbalances and may take years to develop. The pain is usually of low grade nature and does not radiate into the arms. Compression fractures can occurr usually in the lower part of the mid back due to an axial force such as jumping from a height and landing on the feet. Typically this produces acute pain.
In adults a seated position at work and long hours on a computer are causative factors.
The current recommendations for persons suffering from pain in the mid back is to try a two week trial of Chiropractic treatments at a frequency of three to five times per week. If no results are obtained from the first two weeks a second two week trial is recommended. Rowing type exercises are usually beneficial as well as stretching of the pectoral muscles in a corner or doorway.

Neck pain and Chiropractic Part 3

JocoChiro — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:42:28 +0000

Neck pain may be casued by the joints in the neck called the facet joints. Sometimes the pain may be associated with a sudden turn of the neck or an injury such as a car accident. Often the pain is something that is just there when waking up. The pain may often go down the outer side of the arm and even into the hand. Irritation of the muscles of the neck and the joints themselves can refer pain down the arm and usually relates to the joints in the lower part of the neck. Chiropractic adjustments to the neck are the treatment of choice for this type of neck pain. Myofascial release techniques are also very helpful as problems with the muscles of the neck can be the cause of pain down the arm.

Neck pain and Chiropractic Part 2

JocoChiro — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 14:52:27 +0000

Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition that often results in pain in the arm. Numbness in the arm is also often present. In thoracic outlet the lower part of the brachial plexus is often impinged. The brachial plexus is the nerve network that runs from the lower part of the neck and spine into the arm. There are several areas that can impinge the brachial plexus and cause thoracic outlet. One is the upper ribs. Chiropractic adjustments are often effective in these cases of upper rib problems. Second it the scalene muscles. There muscles are on the side of the neck and attach to the upper ribs. They act to pull the head sideways. Myofascial release techniques are usually effective in dealing with scalene tightness. The joints of the neck itself may also impinge on the brachial plexus. Chiropractic adjustments to the neck are often effective treatment. Exercises should focus on extension of the neck and can be done on either a gym ball or neck extension machine at a gym.

Chiropractic and neck pain

JocoChiro — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:32:40 +0000

The neck serves the purpose of positioning the head in space to give maximum visibility of our environment. The neck also serves the purpose of proprioception or telling our body where it is in space. The high mobility of the neck also predisposes it to injury. The modern work environment is also stressful on the muscles of the neck. The more the head is held in a forward position the more demands are placed on the muscles of the neck. Neck problems are also associated with headaches, facial pain and ear pain. Pain in the arm may also be caused by irritation of the nerves of the neck. Locking or problems with the joints of the neck can often produce pain and even numbness or tingling. Chiropractic treatments are often very effective in neck pain cases causes by locking of the joints. One study showed that problems with the joints (the facet joints) in the neck accounted for the majority of complaints of neck pain.
Disc herniation is a common concern in neck pain. Most evidence suggests that the disc dries out by age 40 and very little liquid material is available in the disc to herniate. The discs of the neck become more ligamentous by age 40 and herniation is theoretically not possible after age 40.

Whiplash and Chiropractic

JocoChiro — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:27:53 +0000

Whiplash is a nearly 100 year old term used to primarily describe the effects of automobile accident injuries. Whiplash may result in headaches, neck pain, blurred vision, tinnitus, dizziness, paresthesia, numbness and back pain. The effects of unresolved whiplash may very long lasting as well. One study showed that up to 40% of persons suffering a whiplash still have symptoms two years after the event. Post traumatic headaches are another symptom associated with whiplash and are also known to be long lasting in some cases.
The first studies of whiplash were done in the 1950s. These studies used both human volenteers and crash dummies. The studies found that the head and neck can be subjected to up to 2.5 times as much force as the vehicle in a rear end collision. One of the key findings of the study was that awareness of impending impact allowed the subjects to brace for the crash and as a result the forces on the head and neck were much less than if the person was unaware. The person in the vehicle that is struck from behind has a much greater risk of injury due to being unaware of the crash. The driver of the striking vehicle is injured much less often because they have ample time to brace for impact.
Other key findings of early research were that low speed impacts are able to cause injury to the neck and back even in the absense of damage to the vehicle. Smaller cars experience more acceleration when stuck by larger cars as well. A Yaris struck from behind by a Hummer has greater acceleration than the reverse. Additionally, todays smaller cars have smaller crush zones to absorb impact and allow more forces to be translated into acceleration. Being stuck from behind on ice is also a factor that can increase injury due to the slick surface increasing acceleration of the struck vehicle. One study showed 5 mph to be the threshold for injury in rear end collisions.
The seat belts in modern cars are designed to reduce severe injuries and are very effective in that role. In minor impacts however the seatbelts tend to accentuate the force applied to the head and neck. Additionally, in side impacts the lap belts tend to increase injuries to the lower back due to the anchoring effect on the pelvis. Lower back pain is found in about half of whiplashes and is much more common in side impact scenarios. Lap belts have been shown to be safe to wear during pregnancy as well.
Children often are more injured by seatbelts than adults due to positioning of the shoulder restraint.
The headrest is an important safety feature that needs to be properly positioned to have maximum benefit. The center of the headrest should be centered behind the ear. Also, the headrest should be no more than 2 inches behind the back on the head.

Cluster Headaches and Chiropractic

JocoChiro — Mon, 17 May 2010 15:24:02 +0000

Cluster headaches most commonly effect middle aged men. They are incredibly painful and are usually felt behind the eyes. Cluster headaches may last days or weeks and then abruptly end. The headaches last about 30 minutes on average and are often the most painful feeling the person has ever felt.
The cause of cluster headaches is thought to be neurovascular. They are often triggered by such things as alcohol and some foods. Cluster headaches tend to decrease in severity as the person ages but are extremely stressful and dehabilitating. Medically, cluster headaches are treated with electrical stimulation of the brain. While there is no clear indication that Chiropractic treatments are successful in treating cluster headaches it is recommended that a trial of Chiropractic treatments be undertaken during the headaches.

Cervicogenic headaches and Chiropractic treatment

JocoChiro — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:03:01 +0000

A cervicogenic headache is a headache that is causes primarily by joint and muscle inbalances in the neck. Cervical is the medical term for neck. A cervicogenic headache is often a daily headache with no type of other neurologic signs (such as an aura). There is often reduced range of motion of the neck and neck pain. This type of headaches are caused by referral of pain from the muscles and joints of the neck. The primary area of restricted movement in the cervicogenic headache is the upper two bones in the neck (called the atlas and axis or C1 and C2). Head movements also may worsen the headaches. Chiropractic manipulation of the neck is recommended as the primary treatment approach to cervicogenic headaches.

Ankle sprains/Sports injuries and Chiropractic

JocoChiro — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:54:18 +0000

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries in sports. It has been estimated that ankle sprains account for 25% of time lost for injury in athletics.
Most ankle sprains occur when the foot is forcefully turned inwards (called an inversion sprain). In an inversion sprain the ligaments on the outside of the ankle are the most effected. The talofibular ligament is one of the most commonly injured ligaments. The talofibular ligament is found below the bump on the outside of the ankle (which is called the lateral malleolus). Other ligaments that may be injured are the calcaneo-fibular ligament and posterior talofibular ligament which both are located below the bump on the side of the ankle. Once injured the ligaments tend to become more lax which makes future sprains more likely.
The standard approach to ankle injury is a combination of ice, elevation and compression. Ice should begin as soon as possible after the injury. More serious injuries may require crutches and a very careful return to weight bearing activity. For less serious sprains weight bearing may begin much sooner and often a wrap or air cast is helpful. Range of motion exercise in non weight bearing positions can also begin almost immediately. Strengthening activities on a balance board may also begin early on for less serious sprains (as soon as permitted by the pain level).
Taping has been shown to be beneficial to sprain prone ankles as well. One study found significant benefits to taping in up to 40 minutes of strenous activity. Taping also allowed faster gains in strength and proprioception during the recovery phase. Myofascial release techniques to the talofibular ligament are also effective in management of ankle sprains. The muscles in the side of the calf (peroneus) are often strained during and inversion sprain. Often the pain may radiate as far as the knee. Myofascial techniques are very effective in dealing with peroneus strain. Chiropractic mobilization of the joints of the foot is often helpful once the initial acute pain allows for movement in the joints.
Probably the most important factor in the long term management of ankle sprains is a regular program of proprioceptive exercise and aerobic conditioning.