Sports Chiropractic for Plantar Fasciitis

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Admin

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot and heel pain. It can be the result of a number of factors and range in severity from mild to excruciating. The worst pain is often first thing in the morning or following physical activity, so it can be a strong demotivator for athletes and strip the pleasure out of training. For some, it can take weeks or even months to heal, with others dealing with the painful condition for years.

This, however, doesn’t have to be the case and is usually only so when attempts to treat plantar fasciitis are aimed at alleviating symptoms instead of identifying the underlying factors causing foot pain in the first place.

Rest, ice, and a change in footwear all have their benefits but only offer temporary relief. That’s because inflammation, the most commonly believed cause of plantar fasciitis, is really only an issue during initial onset, and shoes and other orthotics are eventually taken off.

To truly heal the plantar fascia, it is important to determine body mechanic dysfunction that may have led to the condition, and correct it by working to improve mobility through the facia and ankle, increase strength and blood flow in the area, and optimize rest and recovery. It is vital that rehab not be restricted to just the ankle.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that runs from the heel bone to the toes. It is a continuation of the calf muscle, and it helps to form the arch of the foot and support the ankle. Like other body parts, the plantar fascia is designed to function a certain way, under certain conditions. When the load placed on this connective band is greater than its capacity, the result is plantar fasciitis.

A patient’s body weight in combination with their regular and repeated activities — and sometimes the surfaces on which they’re performed — determines the band’s maximum load. Things like running on pavement or compacted trails, high-impact aerobics, or other activities that involve repeated jumping or bouncing, can all lead to plantar fasciitis. But many people do these things for years and never develop the condition. That’s why abnormalities in the arch of the foot due to excess weight or improper body mechanics must also be considered.

The strength and resilience of the fascia determine its ability, or capacity, to successfully withstand the load placed on it. The overall capacity of the foot fascia can also be affected by daily activities, one’s general overall health, and lifestyle habits including age, weight, current medications, blood flow, and quality of sleep.

That’s why just assessing the foot or buying expensive shoes is not going to do the trick long term.

Sports chiropractic takes a whole-body approach to relieving pain, making it uniquely suited to identify balance or dysfunction up the kinetic chain that has resulted in a plantar fasciitis diagnosis.

Through postural assessments, range- and ease-of-motion evaluations, and muscle testing, sports chiropractic offers a thorough analysis of the mechanics and functionality of the hip and knee, as well as the ankle, to fully reveal how everything works together, or doesn’t, for overall foot function and mobility.

With a thorough understanding of a patient’s mobility and functionality, sports chiropractic can offer a number of helpful modalities for complete healing of plantar fasciitis without medications, injections, or surgeries.

Obviously, immediate pain relief is a primary concern, and therapies like trigger point massage, soft tissue work, sports taping, and stretching rehab, among many others, make patients more comfortable while beginning the task of rebuilding body mechanics, increasing blood flow, and restoring mobility.

If you have, or suspect you have, plantar fasciitis and have not tried sports chiropractic for relief and rehabilitation, call Dynamic Sports Medicine today.

Professional Athletes & Chiropractic Care

Posted on October 13, 2021 by Admin

It’s not uncommon for professional athletes to have trainers, physical therapists, and even orthopedists on speed dial. After all, sports-related injuries or pain during play can seriously hamper training efforts, if not sideline the athlete altogether.

But increasingly, pros are turning to certified sports chiropractors as their first resource for pain relief and rehab because of their more proactive and less invasive sports medicine approach.

In fact, sports chiropractic is known to be so effective that most major NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB franchises have a team chiropractor on staff, and many world-class golfers, tennis players, and swimmers regularly seek chiropractic care. New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady has been quoted as saying chiropractic care not only makes him feel better but keeps him “one step ahead of the game.”

While orthopedists and other conventional practitioners are necessary for certain circumstances, such as when surgery is required, after that surgery, or when it’s not needed, traditional rehab protocol often involves a lot of resting and waiting for the pain to subside, outsourcing rehab to a physical therapist, and/or prescribing potentially addictive pain meds and injections.

Resting and waiting is hard to do for athletes with a goal (or on a payroll,) especially when experience has shown them that returning to activity means returning to pain, and prescription medications can leave players groggy and lethargic. Neither is ideal for staying in training mode.

Studies show that chiropractic care for athletes is actually better — and faster — at reducing pain and restoring mobility, flexibility, and range of motion than other more traditional treatments. That’s because chiropractors focus not just on the painful joint or limb, but on the body as a whole.

Sports chiropractors begin with a thorough evaluation of an athlete’s posture, skeletal alignment, and when, where, and how a movement causes pain to effectively assess which, of a number of specialized therapies, might be beneficial. These include myofascial release, dry needling, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, and spinal and limb adjustments, among others, to break up scar tissue, release muscle tension and restore body balance for pain-free activity.

These techniques often allow athletes to continue training/playing during therapy. The clinical interventions of sports chiropractic care can speed healing and lessen the likelihood of re-injury, whether following surgery or in lieu of.

But sports chiropractic care is not just for treating athletes who are hurt. It is an excellent way for them to proactively work to prevent injuries in the first place, as well as significantly boost their athletic performance.

Chiropractors address issues related to postural imbalances, skeletal misalignments, and strength deficiencies to increase strength, speed, balance, and flexibility. Many also report better hand-eye coordination after alignment. Through hands-on manipulation of the spine and joints, in tandem with other drug-free, non-surgical interventions, chiropractors enhance the functionality of all bodily systems with noticeable results.

Every athlete can benefit from the natural, non-invasive therapies that sports chiropractic care offers. If you want to train like the pros and take your game to the next level, let us show you how sports chiropractic care can reduce your pain and keep you injury-free.

Sports Chiropractic for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Admin

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common problem resulting from compression of the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel, a passageway comprised of ligaments, tendon, and bones that leads from the hand to the wrist. This path provides sensation and strength to the thumb and first three fingers.

When the nerve becomes compressed due to irritation, inflammation, or damage, it can cause numbness, tingling, pain, and/or weakness in the hand, particularly with motions involving the thumb. The discomfort experienced varies based on the severity of the condition and can affect grip strength, the ability to grasp an object, and the ability to form a fist.

Carpal tunnel is most often seen in athletes like cyclists, pitchers, gymnasts, and those in grip-dependent sports like golf or tennis, who put continual stress on the ligaments in the wrist. It can also be caused by injury to the hand or wrist, water retention, and certain health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, pregnancy, and alcoholism.

Whatever the cause, pain from carpal tunnel syndrome can be severe enough to dramatically affect your ability to stay involved in your sport.

The key to avoiding long-term damage, surgery, and the possibility of having to abandon certain athletic pursuits is having your carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosed quickly, treated appropriately, and followed up with preventive measures to limit future pain or recurrence.

How Dynamic Sports Medicine Can Help

Sports chiropractic is not only able to properly diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome but to evaluate an athlete’s technique, equipment, lifestyle, and other factors that make him or her more prone to the condition. As with some other sports injuries, identifying specific causes leading to undue stress on wrists, such as poorly padded handlebars or improperly fitted racquets or clubs, allows sports chiropractors to make recommendations to help with the issue.

In addition, as specialists in nerve entrapment syndromes, chiropractors can provide gentle but effective manipulation of the wrist, hand and even the elbow to relieve pressure on the median nerve, as well as determine if misalignment elsewhere in the spine could be contributing to nerve compression in the wrist.

Often we prescribe massage therapy or other of our effective modalities designed to reduce inflammation, pain, and numbness through the relaxation of constricted fascial tissues that contribute to compression.

Specialized exercises designed to reduce pressure on the median nerve and strengthen surrounding muscle tissues can help relieve symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and assist in rehabilitation.

Recovery time varies based on the severity of the pain and the length of time the nerve has been trapped, but even in cases requiring surgery, sports chiropractic can speed recovery time and offer more complete healing of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Contact Dynamic Sports Medicine today if you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and start on the sports road to recovery.

What is Fascia and Myofascial Release?

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Admin

Myofascial Release

A massage is always nice after a long day or hard workout, but did you know a massage can improve overall body function and protect it from injury? If it’s Myofascial it can! Myofascial release is a highly targeted form of massage aimed not at the muscles in general, but at the body’s fascia, the stretchy, web-like film that covers and separates every muscle in the body.

Found directly between the skin and muscle, fascia should be flexible and stringy, as well as very strong. Its purpose is to provide structural support to the body and protection to your muscles, while still allowing for free and easy movement.

Over time, however, the deepest fascial layers can become distorted, thick and non-pliable as the result of several factors, such as daily activity — or lack thereof — posture (standing and sitting,) flexibility and repetitive motions. Distortions in the fascia lead to pulled muscles, spasms, pain around the joints, and limited mobility, as well as more severe conditions like frozen shoulder, tennis/golf elbow, plantar fasciitis, knee pain, and tension headaches.

Here’s how: When one part of the body is not working efficiently, another will compensate. If your shoulders ache from being hunched over a desk all day, your lower back may take on some of the load of lifting those weights or grocery bags. Overly tight hamstrings cause the quadriceps muscles to do the work the hamstrings are unable to. When this happens, fascia thickens to protect the improperly utilized muscle from overstretching or injury.

This chronic stress to the fascial fibers causes them to lose some of their natural shape, texture and flexibility, eventually limiting mobility and causing pain during activity.

Constricted fascia is a common side effect of both active and sedentary lifestyles, and can be addressed through a chiropractic evaluation of posture and body alignment, combined with specific stretching exercises and myofascial release.

At Dynamic Sports Medicine, we specialize in the most advanced sports therapy and myofascial release techniques available today, Fascial Distortion Model (FDM), Active Release Technique (ART), Cupping, Dry Needling, and Graston Technique.

Our more physically active patients find it useful in both the treatment and prevention of injuries, while my more sedentary, desk-bound patients can improve their posture and circulation for more all-day comfort. Almost all notice an immediate improvement in pain level, flexibility and mobility.

Come see us to learn more about myofascial release and how it can improve your overall body function.

Exercises to Alleviate Pain from Plantar Fasciitis

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Admin

Plantar fasciitis is a disorder of the connective tissue (fascia) that reaches from the heel of the foot to the toes. While its primary job is to support the arch of the foot, it also helps determine a person’s balance and gait. When it becomes overstretched or inflamed it can cause varying degrees of pain in the heel and the bottom of the foot on impact with the ground, particularly when first bearing weight after a period of rest.

Several things can cause the condition, including long-distance running and other exercises that place a lot of stress on the heel area, individual foot mechanics, ill-fitting shoes, obesity, and age. Plantar fasciitis generally comes on gradually, is fairly self diagnosable, and treatable with rest and conservative therapies that don’t further stress or stretch the plantar fascia.

Following are some recommend exercises if you suffer from plantar fasciitis.

Foot Flexion

These gentle movements can be done before ever getting out of bed to help ease top-of-the-morning pain. Lying on your back, slowly flex the foot and toes back toward your face, and hold them in that position for three to five seconds. Repeat multiple times to help loosen up the heel end of the fascial tissues that may have tightened overnight. This can also be done from a chair before getting up after long periods of sitting.

Toe Extensions

From the same prostrate or seated position, try to curl your toes inward toward the balls of your feet as tightly as you can before unrolling them and spreading the toes apart as wide as they’ll go. This stretches the upper part of the band.

Foot Rocks

Upon standing, but before walking, grab onto support and gently rock back and forth from heel to toe to increase blood flow to the area and loosen up constricted tissues. Remember, the condition partly comes from the band being overstretched and not offering necessary support, so the goal is not to go super high onto the tips of the toes, but simply to achieve a gentle rocking motion.

Toe Pick-ups

From a seated position, place pencils, marbles, or other small objects on the floor and attempt to pick them up with your toes and hold them for a few seconds before dropping them again. This is a more active version of the toe extensions discussed above and is good for strengthening the fascial band.

Calf Stretches

Because the plantar fascia connects to the calf at the back of the foot, pain from plantar fasciitis often extends into the calf, and vice versa. Stretching the calf muscle can help relieve pain in both areas. A gentle way to stretch the calf is to stand on a step or curb, and let your heel hang off the back. Make sure that the edge of the step is not placing pressure on the arch of the foot and that you are holding onto something or someone for balance.

Remember that these movements are intended to be gentle so as not to further stress the plantar fascia and lengthen healing time. For this reason, deep massage, which is often helpful for other fascial pain, is not a good idea for plantar fasciitis. Mild rubbing or comfortably rolling the foot over a massage ball or muscle roller can help smooth out constrictions and relieve pain, but intense pressure to the area is not advised.

Even though pain is more likely to occur after physical activity than during, temporarily discontinue exercise that places stress on the heel or that further aggravates the injury. Rest, ice, and conservative therapies are best.

If you would like help diagnosing or treating plantar fasciitis, we at Dynamic Sports Medicine are here for you. We can show you which of the above exercises are best for you and the correct way to do them, as well as offer adjustments and other therapies, pain management techniques, and imaging to speed healing and reduce your risk of future injury.

Don’t let foot pain keep you down. Call us today.

The Importance of Strong Ankles

Posted on January 6, 2021 by Admin

Targeted Exercises for Strength & Balance

When trying to reach peak physical fitness and prevent sports-related injuries, an often overlooked area of concern is the ankle.

In fact, unless you’re actually experiencing pain, it’s easy to forget what a huge role the muscles supporting the ankles play in practically all physical activity.

As one of the body’s most major weight-bearing structures, the musculature of the ankle affects the ability to perform activities like running, jumping, and balancing, as well as the likelihood of developing a variety of lower leg injuries, such as ankle sprains and strains, shin splints, Achilles heel tendonitis, and associated discomfort in the calf and foot. Having strong ankles can also reduce the likelihood of painful rolling of the joint from falls, slips, and trips, and improper landings, that, once they occur, are more likely to happen again.

The multiple muscles that cross the ankle work together (or not) to enhance mobility as well as stability, so it’s important to regularly challenge them for strength and balance.

While often the appropriate ankle exercise depends on the athlete’s preferred activity and current pain situation, there are many helpful exercises you can easily add to your routine. Aim to do three sets of 10 reps each, even if you have to work up to that.

Standing Heel Raises
This one is as easy as it sounds. Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart in front of a counter, banister, or other stabilizing surface and slowly raise yourself onto the balls of your feet and back down. This should be a controlled movement to fully lengthen and contract the muscles of the ankles and calves.

Single-Leg Balance
Start by standing on one foot on a hard, stable surface for 30 seconds at a time. If that proves to be too easy, move to a carpeted area or another soft surface to increase the challenge, eventually trying to stand one-footed on a balance board, Bosu ball, or another less stable surface. Additional challenges include tossing and catching a ball in the air while balancing one-footed, or tossing a ball to and from a workout partner while in the same position. It is common to have better balance on one foot than the other. If this is the case with you, work the less stable foot for an additional set.

Squat Jumps
This one adds some intensity but is great for strengthening not only the ankles but the hamstrings, quads, and glutes as well. Standing with your feet hip-width apart, slowly lower to a full squat, and then jump straight up with fully extended legs and pointed toes before landing again in a squat position. This can also be done on a balance board or ball without actually leaving the ground. Just push up with force from a full squat to a standing position while working to maintain balance.

Rehabbing the Ankle
If you already have ankle pain, it’s important to begin with non-weight-bearing exercises that improve range of motion and mobility. These can be done while lying supine on the floor or on a mat.

Ankle Rotations
With the resting leg bent and the foot flat on the floor, extend the working leg toward the ceiling. Slowly rotate the foot/ankle in a clockwise position 10 times, followed by a counter-clockwise rotation the same number of times. Switch legs and repeat.

Dorsiflexion/Plantar flexion
With the legs stretched out in front of you, point the toes with intention, holding the position for two-five seconds before relaxing again.

Follow that by a series of foot flexes, pulling the toes back toward the nose and holding two-five seconds before relaxing.

Ankle Inversion/Eversion
Lying on your back with your legs straight and hip-distance apart, engage the ankles muscles by rotating the ankles/feet inwards toward each other. Hold this inverted position for two-five seconds before relaxing.

In the same position, evert your ankles by turning them away from each other, holding the outward turned position for several seconds before relaxing.

While ankle pain is common with many athletes, if you have constant or recurring ankle pain there may be something bigger going on. Improper body alignment, myofascial dysfunction near the ankle muscles, or undiagnosed injuries should be addressed before starting or continuing a targeted exercise program. If you are experiencing ankle pain in spite of regular strengthening and balance work, contact Dynamic Sports Medicine for evaluation.

Nutrition for Athletes: Before & After a Workout

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Admin

Proper nutrition for athletes is necessary when preparing for an endurance event to ensure you have the energy and strength to train effectively, perform on event day, and maintain immunity during the rigor of regular intense athletic pursuits.

Nutrition for athletes must include all of the macronutrients:

Complex carbohydrates — whole-grain bread, oatmeal, sweet potato
Complete proteins — eggs, salmon, chicken, leafy greens
Healthy fats — avocados, oils, nuts, and seeds

Amounts of each will vary depending on individual metabolism and the length and intensity of the day’s training, so it’s important to experiment on what combination works for you. Generally, you should aim for a 60:15:25 carb:protein: fat ratio.

When you eat can be as important to consider as what you eat.

What to Eat Before a Workout

Carbs are easier to digest than proteins and fats, so their ratio should be higher in meals and snacks eaten before a workout. Allow adequate time for digestion to prevent body systems from competing (the body’s focus is on your workout instead of digestion.) Don’t forget that carbs have a tendency to get stored as fat if not utilized properly, so don’t go overboard unless planning a particularly intense session.

What to Eat After a Workout

Your body is most receptive to the replenishment of glycogen reserves in the time period immediately following your workout. Consuming some simple carbs and proteins within the first hour will aid in muscle recovery and prepare your body for your next session. Avoid empty simples like sweets and juices in favor of fiber-rich whole fruits. Adding in a handful of nuts or some other healthy fats helps replenish lost energy.

While it can be tempting to indulge in junk foods after an intense workout, it’s not a good idea to do so regularly. Your body gets more efficient as you get deeper into your training and you’ll begin to burn fewer calories with the same workout over time. Junk foods with their empty calories will neither help you perform nor recover.

What to Eat the Day of an Event or Competition

Everyone is different, so it may take some experimentation to determine how you perform after certain food and supplement combinations. By focusing on sports nutrition early in the training process, you’ll have time to fully understand your body’s needs and responses to foods and better know how you should eat in the days leading up to your endurance event.

Some like to carb load the whole day prior, while others prefer a carb-heavy breakfast and lunch followed by a light dinner. Work to determine your best combination of fiber, fat, and protein to keep you satiated, but not so full that you can’t get a good night’s sleep.

On event day, sports nutritionists generally recommend a light, easy-to-digest breakfast that packs an energy punch. Whole grain toast or a bagel with peanut butter and a banana, for example.

The Big Finish

After the big event, what your body needs for recovery will be determined by the intensity of your experience, the weather, and how effective your training program ending up being. In general, your first goal should be to consume a light snack comprised of carbs and protein aimed at initiating your immediate recovery needs. A recovery drink or shake may do the trick.

Your body will be working to rebound from the exertion of the event and will thank you for saving any heavy meals for several hours after completion.

Food is both fuel and medicine. Nutrient-dense foods and snacks eaten in the right combination and at the right time throughout your training can effectively prepare you for — and help you recover from — your endurance athletic events. Make sports nutrition a priority component of your training.

Certified Sports Chiropractor

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Admin

Eventually, any athlete that trains long enough or hard enough is bound to experience pain or injury. Those who prefer a drug-free and non-surgical approach to sports medicine are increasingly adding regular sports chiropractic care to their training programs to manage pain from a variety of common athletic injuries.

Sports-related injuries generally happen in one of two ways: Overuse or sudden trauma. Golf and tennis elbow, many back and shoulder injuries, and painful joint issues are overuse injuries — the result of repetitive motion over time. Acute injuries, on the other hand, happen all of a sudden through a fall, tackle, or especially quick movement at an odd angle or through constricted muscles or tissues, resulting in misalignment, strain, or other stress on the spine, joints, muscles, ligaments and/or nerves.

Certified sports chiropractors work to keep you balanced and aligned throughout your training so you can train more effectively and be ready to go on game or race day. They specialize in identifying postural imbalances and skeletal misalignments, as well as strength, balance and flexibility deficiencies, and then address them early utilizing a variety of non-invasive clinical interventions designed for injury prevention and faster recovery times than conventional methods. These can include:

Hands-on adjustments to the spine and extremities to correct the damage done during workouts and to relieve associated pain.
Myofascial massage to free up constricted fascia and allow for a greater range of motion.
Dry needling, cupping, and acupuncture to relax affected muscles and release deep muscle tension allowing for more effective hands-on manipulation.
Electrical stimulation to release surface tension of the muscle and aid in muscle recovery.
A host of handheld devices designed to assist in targeted adjustments to the back and lower extremities, soft tissue manipulation, and other patient rehabs.
Specific stretching exercises designed to increase strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the area surrounding the pain or injury.
Chiropractic care for athletes is about more than diagnosing an injury and referring you to a physical therapist for cookie cutter rehab. It is a hands-on approach to total body alignment with any needed corrective therapy done in the office.

Studies show that using a sports chiropractor is not only better at reducing healing time for existing pain in athletes than other more traditional approaches, it is also a valuable tool for preventing injuries and boosting athletic performance. Yes, it can actually make you a better athlete! That’s because sports chiropractic care isn’t just for treating injured athletes, it is for achieving optimal total body functionality.

Like athletic training methods, sports medicine is constantly evolving. See why more professional and amateur athletes alike are relying on regular sports chiropractic care. Call Dynamic Sports Medicine for a consultation.

Sports Nutrition: Endurance Training

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Admin

What to Eat When Training for an Endurance Event

Whether it’s your first attempt or your 50th, preparing your body for a major athletic event such as a marathon, century bike rally or triathlon goes well beyond “eating healthy.” It requires a complementary combination of exercise and sports nutrition designed to fuel your body through vigorous training sessions and aid in muscle recovery afterwards.

While most dedicated athletes eat fairly well, as a rule, they often have different fitness goals. Some want to lose weight as they train while others just need to change their body composition and work on endurance, so nutrition for athletes should be individualized to both body type and desired outcomes.

Proper sports nutrition requires the right ratio of carbs, protein, and fat for adequate dietary support to ensure your body will perform at optimal levels during training sessions and, ultimately, on the big day/s. Because everyone is different, it may take some experimentation to determine how you perform in training after various food and supplement combinations, so focusing on sports nutrition early in the training process will allow you to fully understand how your body adapts to certain foods and plan accordingly for event day.

Individual goals lead to variations in sports training diets, but there are some general guidelines that can assist you in preparing your body to compete.

Carbohydrates serve as your main source of fuel as well as the body’s means for replenishing and maintaining glycogen stores. While simple carbs can be useful for providing fast energy right before a workout or other high-activity period, complex carbs are better before endurance activities or a particularly intense training session, and should comprise at least 60% of total calories. Whole grains and foods are always better than their processed or enriched counterparts.

Protein, needed for muscle growth and repair, should make up approximately 15% of your daily calories. Without it, instead of building and maintaining muscle, the body will break it down to use as fuel. Eggs, oats, nuts, and seeds, along with lean meats and fish are all good sources of protein.

The consumption of healthy fats is known to increase endurance. While you should aim to keep consumption of fats to 25-30%, the inclusion of plenty of positive fats such as avocados, oils, nuts, and seeds, will allow you to train for longer periods.

Supplements, sports drinks, bars, and gels have their place in sports nutrition, but should not be considered replacements for real, whole foods. They are best used during actual prolonged training periods and on the day of the event for immediate replacement of sugars and fluids lost during exercise.

Eating a well-balanced diet comprised of nutrient-dense meals and snacks throughout training is the best way to ensure you have more effective workouts and perform at your best on event day.

The attention you pay to sports nutrition while training for an endurance event is just as important as the intensity and duration of your workouts.