Football, Chiropractors and Safety
August 19, 2010
Photo Credit: RonAlmog
The second week of NFL pre-season football is this weekend, which means college, high school and youth football is just around the corner. Do you have kids, husbands, brothers, dads or friends that like to play? There are a few things you should know.
First of all, chiropractic care is a huge part of football. All NFL teams offer players chiropractic services to help manage and prevent injuries. Running Back Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints – last year’s Superbowl champions – has been receiving regular chiropractic care since he was in high school.
“I look at chiropractic care as important to keeping me healthy and at the top of my game,” said Bush, the former Heisman Trophy winner and two-time National Champion while playing for the USC.
He’s not alone. 2010 NFL Hall Of Fame inductee Jerry Rice, and former Wide Receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, credits his regular chiropractic visits for his performance. “I did a lot of things to stay in the game, but regular visits to my chiropractor made all the difference,” Rice claimed.
Regular visits to a chiropractor can help football players (and really all athletes) of any age. If you or someone you know plays on a team or scrimmages with friends on the weekends, here are five tips to keep in mind throughout the season:
- Keep your head up during contact (serious injury typically occurs when tackling with the head down).
- Avoid initiating contact with the head during blocking and tackling (do not to use the helmet as a point of primary contact).
- Stay attentive during tackling and blocking drills.
- Protect your neck.
- If you are injured or feel dizzy, disoriented, nauseated or have a headache, tell your coach, trainer or chiropractor.
“Am I Going to Feel Better After You Adjust Me?”
August 10, 2010
The answer is “Maybe.”.
Why maybe? The answer depends on MANY factors including how long the subluxation been there, what your current level of discomfort is, and what lifestyle factors are involved that are contributing to the problem.
Research shows that the length of time you have had neck pain is directly proportional to how long that neck pain will take to resolve. If you continue to sit at your computer for 10 hours per day and don’t take recommended breaks, it will last longer.
The adjustment works with your body to unblock proper nervous system function so your body returns to a normal state of function. The adjustment does not work like a drug. The process of correction, healing and stabilization takes more time than the covering of symptoms with some chemistry.
Roughly 80% of our practice members feel better after their first adjustment. About 10% feel no change after one adjustment- this is perfectly normal as most people wait weeks to years before seeking care for their bodies and it takes time to repair these patterns. The remaining 10% of practice members may feel some soreness, this is nothing more that muscle soreness as if you exercised the muscles around your spine. This too is a normal reaction that goes away within the first few adjustments.
“Procrastination is the thief of health”- B.J. Palmer, Developer of Chiropractic
What are YOU procrastinating about? What can you do TODAY that will change the quality of your health?
If you are procrastinating calling us, do it now-before something else becomes more important- and there isn’t anything more important than your health!
I’m Healthy – Why See a Chiropractor?
July 29, 2010
A lot of people think they don’t need to see a chiropractor unless they already have pain in their back and/or neck, but the truth is that going to a chiropractor can help detect conditions that may exist before you feel them – much like a dentist detects a cavity before you feel it.
The condition we look for, subluxation, degrades body function over time with very few symptoms. It’s hard to detect and correct without professional training, which is why everyone – even chiropractors – need regular exams and adjustments.
So who is chiropractic care for? Although most people think it’s for those with a back problem, stress related problem or other health problem, it is also good for anyone looking to progress their health, happiness and improve their productivity. Positive side effects include better energy, better elimination, better digestion, more energy and better sleep.
Want more information about how chiropractic care might help you? Call us at 408-979-9999.
The Tools We Use: The Wobble Chair & Repetitive Cervical Traction
July 15, 2010
When clients come in for an adjustment, we have them warm up and stretch their muscles, ligaments, and disc with two handy tools – the Wobble Chair and the Repetitive Cervical Traction.
How do these tools help?
The Wobble Chair:
The Wobble Chair is a patented, specially-designed seat that rotates 360°, flexes 40° side to side and flexes 35° front to back on a universal type joint. These movements facilitate lumbar disc mobility, re-hydration, nutrition delivery and waste elimination.
Benefits of the Wobble Chair:
- Strengthens your lumbar discs.
- Strengthens your ligaments and tendons.
- Facilitates nutrition of your discs and elimination of waste products.
- Increases motion in your lumbar spine.
- Increases proprioception from the lumbar spine to brain (helps them talk to each other better, thereby reducing risk of injury).
Repetitive Cervical Traction:
The patented Repetitive Cervical Traction provides similar movement to the neck as the Wobble Chair does the back.
Benefits of the Repetitive Cervical Traction:
- Helps with cartilage growth.
- Decreases healing time.
- Restores perfect disc function.
- Improves cervical and lumbar curves.
- Rehydrates thin discs.
- Reduces discomfort in the neck, arm, mid and low back.
To learn more about these tools, ask us at your next adjustment, or call us at 408-979-9999.
How We Do It: Tracking Down Subluxation
June 24, 2010
Ever wonder how we know where to focus efforts to decrease subluxation? Beyond the specialized training, our office has a very handy tool that makes the job even more accurate: The Insight Subluxation Station (certified by a branch of NASA). This state-of-the-art technology detects the source of problem areas so we can alleviate pain effectively.
With our Space-Certified Insight Subluxation Station, we’re able to establish a reliable, scientifically valid, quantitative, multidimensional representation of a patient’s condition – something never before possible. This insight enables us to:
- Analyze a patient’s condition more accurately.
- Communicate findings more effectively.
- Track the effectiveness of treatment more precisely.
As one of the few offices in the Bay Area utilizing this technology, we see the value in taking advantage of available technology to serve Silicon Valley as effectively as possible.
For more info about additional techniques and tools we use, feel free to call our office at (408) 979-9999.
How Today’s Pain Becomes Tomorrow’s….
June 7, 2010
Is it possible that pain can be your friend? That may sound a little crazy because pain obviously hurts. No one likes this uncomfortable feeling yet upon further examination, you will realize that pain can be your best friend, indicating that something is not right in your body and that you should do something about it before it becomes tomorrow’s deterioration, arthritis, ulcer, heart attack or cancer.
We have been trained to mask pain and keep on going. Over the counter sales of pain killing medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) and many others run in the billions of dollars. Unfortunately, these temporary symptom relieving pills can make you feel better in the moment while setting the stage for more serious long term health problems down the road, especially if they keep you from addressing the cause of your pain.
Next time you or a loved one experiences pain, don’t just cover it up. Get to the cause with a chiropractic check up. Better yet, be proactive. Check your balance before you “feel” like you need it. Ask our staff for a simple self test to see if you and your loved ones can benefit from a chiropractic check up.
Courtesy of The 100 Year Lifestyle
Why go to a Chiropractor?
May 19, 2010
In this tough economy, money is tight for a lot of individuals and families. We hear a lot of people say things like, “I just don’t have the money to see a chiropractor right now” and “I eat right, exercise daily and am overall healthy, so the chiropractor isn’t really for me.” Chiropractic care is important for everyone, though. Here are three reasons why:
- Subluxation – the condition that we look for – is like a cavity in your teeth. It may be there for some time before you feel anything.
- Every adjustment allows the body’s function to be more coordinated and more balanced. It also allows the body to function more efficiently. Less energy is required to perform any given action, giving you more energy overall!
- We all have heard the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” During these economic times this principle applies more than ever! A recent study with more than 70,000 patients across 7 years compared those with alternative practitioners (i.e. chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists) with those that had M.D.s as their Primary Care Physician. Clinical and cost utilization in the group with alternative practitioners demonstrated:
- Decreases of 60.2% in-hospital admissions.
- 59.0% less hospital days.
- 62.0% less outpatient surgeries and procedures.
- 85% less pharmaceutical costs.
A chiropractor can be a valuable asset in keeping your body energized and medical costs low. For more information about how we can help, give our office a call at 408.979.9999.
4 Things You NEED to Know Before You Have An Accident
April 22, 2010
Accidents happen and they can really be a pain, both physically and mentally. Here are some ways to prevent the sting before one happens to you!
1. Have Medical Payments on your auto policy. Adding the Medical Payments clause on your policy is very affordable and will cover your bills regardless of who is at fault.
2. Get checked out immediately! Even minor fender benders (speeds of 5 m.p.h. or less!) can cause injuries. The faster you get checked out by a chiropractor, the sooner you will be able to get back to your life! If insurance is covering your care, they look at how long it took you to seek out help as an indicator of how injured you are.
3. Have a journal to write any changes in your body and mental state. Mental changes like fogginess, memory challenges, and mood changes can all be signs of a head trauma. It’s important to document this as it is happening so you can have an accurate picture.
4. Develop a relationship with a mechanic/auto body shop that you trust so you can sleep easily and not worry. We have used Sturken Auto Body and Repair in the past and endorse their work. They have proven to be reliable, and easy to work with!
So What Exactly Is Subluxation?
April 13, 2010
Subluxation is specifically what chiropractors are highly trained to treat. It simply means that there’s a misalignment of the spinal bones, and that results in your nerves getting choked or irritated. When nerves are unbalanced, your body can malfunction.
How do you know if you have a misalignment of your spine? It can be impossible to detect on your own. Like the early stages of tooth decay, heart disease, or cancer, subluxations can be present before warning signs appear.
Unfortunately, you can’t tell if you have a subluxation by how you feel – you need to get checked regularly by a chiropractor. Even we have our own spines looked at on a regular basis!
What causes subluxation? Misalignment of the spinal bones can actually happen at birth when your head and neck are strained and twisted. As you grow and age, other factors that can cause subluxation include poor sleeping habits, bad posture, strenuous exercise, sports injuries, stress, tension & anxiety, chemical exposure (i.e. drugs and medications), injuries at work, automobile accidents, and stumbles and falls.
Wondering if your spine is misaligned? Call us for an appointment today!
Back to the Basics: What is Chiropractic Care?
April 9, 2010
It’s hard to find someone that doesn’t know what a chiropractor does, but as we all come from different backgrounds and experiences, I thought it would be fun to take a step back and define chiropractic care.
If you pulled out a dictionary and looked up the word “chiropractic,” you’d find something along the lines of:
A therapeutic system based primarily upon the interactions of the spine and nervous system, the method of treatment usually being to adjust the segments of the spinal column.
When it comes down to it, that is what chiropractic care focuses on – interactions and adjustments of the spine and nervous system. It doesn’t end there, though. In our experience, chiropractic adjustments are only a piece of relieving pain and increasing quality of life. What you eat and how you use your body play an important role, too.
The whole body approach we take to chiropractic care incorporates regular adjustments, solid nutrition and consistent exercise. We’ve found that many patients come in for a specific problem (such as back pain, neck pain or headaches) and stay for additional care after experiencing the positive side effects: better energy, elimination, digestion and sleep, in addition to more energy overall.
Chiropractic care is an important element for everyone to maintain a healthy quality of life. We’ve seen it help adults, children – even infants – first-hand, and benefits are becoming more and more commonplace. Here are just a few articles that stress the importance of chiropractic care:
New York Chiropractic Yankees
Chiropractic Care Could Make Labor Easier
Signals From Nervous System Influence Immune System, Study Shows
