Kate has used a wide range of techniques including massage and stretches. As a result my muscles are much looser, my joints move much more freely and my range of motion and feeling of general well being has much improved. There has also been the added benefits of increased speed of recovery from injury enabling me to get back on the pitch quicker, pain relief from injury and improved warm up. Thanks Kate!
“Simon’s treatment of my shoulder injury was spot on and I saw quick results – he played a pivotal role in enabling me to regain my title- “UK Endurance Lifting Champion 2013”. I didn’t think I’d be able to compete to a high level again, but thankfully Simon proved me wrong.”
“I’m a professional Personal Trainer and I need to be working to 100% fitness as my clients include internationally ranked tennis players. Effective and timely treatments when I need them keep my shoulder on top form, and prevent recurrence of my injury.”
Lots of you have been asking us for more information about anti-inflammatory diets recently. We’re very interested in nutrition and believe that following an anti-inflammatory diet can bring great health benefits. So, for all those of you who would like more information here is a good starting point provided by Danny Adams:
This diet is ideal for both Athletes and the general public but be aware that some of these recommendations may not apply to people with certain diseases and it is worth mentioning any concerns or diet changes you’d like to make with your consultant.
The majority of the population eats a diet with completely the wrong balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals along with an unhealthy balance of pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory foods. A pro-inflammatory food is one that contains Omega-6 fatty acids, an anti-inflammatory food is one that contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Pro to Anti- inflammatory food ratio should be 1:1, the ratio of the average United States diet is 25:1 (as an Englishman, may I state how similar our diets are to the US with studies showing recently that we have the most obese population of women in Europe and the second most obese population of men second only to Malta which is basically a mini England as it has so many ex-pats from our country. In my opinion our ratios should therefore be considered similar).
An unequal ratio of pro to anti-inflammatory foods can lead to slower recovery and healing rates and is linked with the increased chance of onset of a host of diseases, from Depression to various types of Arthritis.
Maintaining your current diet may be exacerbating a condition or injury that you currently have. (E.g an ongoing shoulder problem, back pain, menstrual irregularities, chronic disease)
By changing your diet now you may feel a difference within one or two weeks. Now that I have covered the benefits of changing your diet, I will explain what is recommended:
Eliminating grains and unhealthy snacks: including bread (E.g Whole wheat bread pro- to anti-inflammatory ratio is 27:1!!) and Crisps (ratio 60:1).
Increase fruit and veg: Broccoli (ratio 1:3), Kale (ratio 1:1.3), Fish (ratio 1:1 to 1:7)
Increase Anti-oxidants/phytonutrients to battle inevitable free radicals as a result of our systemic processes: adding supplements of Vitamin C, E, lipolic acid and Coenzyme Q10 to a diet rich in fruit and veg.
Increase Potassium intake: Achieved with increased fruit and veg and decreased grains as already mentioned.
Consider taking daily supplements that are lacking in the modern diet: recommended are; Multivitamins, Magnesium (1000mg/day), omega-3/fish oil (1000mg/day), if older than 25 yrs take Coenzyme Q10 (100mg/day for 6 years has been found safe).
Try to achieve a Carbohydrate: Protein: Fat ratio of 40:20:40
Recommended fluids are water, red wine (small amount and disease dependent, i.e may exacerbate gout) and decaf green tea
Meats and protein recommended are those that are grass and not grain fed, including the chickens that lay the eggs! (the packaging must state grass fed as otherwise the product is highly like to be grain fed)
Recommended cooking oils are Organic extra virgin olive oil, butter, and coconut oil.
Recommended desserts include fruit with half or heavy cream (berries and cherries for example)
Eliminate foods containing refined sugars (sweets etc) to avoid diabetes and hyperinsulinemia (syndrome X).
Try to eat organic and stop smoking if you are a smoker.
If you have suffered an injury from a sport then proteolytic enzymes are recommended: Bromelain daily 200-2000mg taken immediately after injury for no longer than a week.
My Experience:
This all sounds like a lot of work and a bit extreme, I tried it on myself for a couple of weeks to see how I felt and to see were potential hurdles occurred. I did notice a mild increase in energy (mainly because I realised just how tired I was when I stopped the diet after two weeks). My main hurdle was breakfast, as no grains means no bread or cereal (English staple breakfast). I ended up eating a large amount of eggs which did become rather sickly as I began to dislike the texture. I stopped after 2 weeks as I lost quite a bit of weight (not bad, but not intended). I am about to start again, the plan this time is that for breakfast I will be varying the way I cook my eggs and to pre-prepare or buy canned fruit and fruit salad for a change at breakfast time. I will also increase my portions of fruit and veg to avoid losing weight, I’ll let you know how I get on!
References: Hyde, T.E, Gegenbach, M.S (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. 2nd ed. London: Jones and Bartlett. 1067-1092.
Hip and Knee pain can be frustrating, using orthopaedic tests and movement analysis our Chiropractors can diagnose the cause of injury and improve your function, dramatically decreasing future injury susceptibility.
The Ilio Tibial Band (ITB) is the longest tendon in the body, it originates from the anterior iliac crest outer lip, anterior border of the ilium and the outer surface of anterior superior iliac spine. As well as from the Gluteus Maximus and Tensor Fascia Lata muscles. (In normal words that is an area of the upper outer edge of the pelvis, the muscles originating from the very front upper outer region of the pelvis and part of your bum muscle). Previously thought of as just a connective piece of tissue, recent research has found that tendons and fascia do in fact often contain smooth muscle fibers. ‘Smooth’ muscle fibers are the type more often found in the gut, ‘striated’ fibers are found in the muscles of movement attached to the joints. It aids in leg abduction (leg raising directly out to the side) and force distribution through the leg, it is also an important player in producing fascial tension that supports the Thoraco Pelvic Canister and therefore the lower back.
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ITBS basically is due to repetitive rubbing of the band on the outer part of the knee (lateral femoral condyle), this leads to thickening of the band over time and eventually irritation that takes a number of months to resolve if not managed correctly. Self management of the lower limbs and building good movement patterns when not in pain are key to preventing this injury from coming back.
ITB Syndrome can be self managed in a variety of ways- a foam roller, tennis ball and an Ice pack are your key utensils to getting over this condition. Many rehab ‘specialists’ will recommend simply using a foam roller on the ITB to stretch it out (youtube it to see). However, there is so much more you can do to help this problem. It requires a lot of time and effort but the results will come a lot faster than simply ice and ITB foam rolling. A home treatment plan is not within the scope of this post and causes will differ from one person to another so a bio-mechanical assessment by a movement specialist is what we would recommend getting and a second opinion is always something worth considering. Just remember, the whole lower limb has to function correctly, not just one area. It is all related – foot, knee and hip, though it is the connecting musculature and fascia that are the cause of the problem with some areas more related to the ITB than others.
Sports Chiropractors at this clinic are movement specialists with further qualifications in sports science. We are constantly reading the latest books and research to enable us to get your body functioning better (not just the latest rehabilitation fad!). If you are suffering from ITBS or repeatedly suffer, then contact us for more info and advice.
Chronic Neck pain affects 1.5 out of 9 billion people worldwide, Chiropractors are known as the spinal specialists and have exceptional knowledge and skills that can help ease your neck pain so that you can function correctly
In this post I will be explaining what occurs and what is felt with a stinger injury and I will also give some advice on what to expect with regards to recovery.
“Stingers”, also known as “Burners”, occur when a persons neck is taken too far to one side too quickly whilst at the same time the shoulder is depressed downwards too far and too quickly also. The usual mechanism is as a result of a tackle during Rugby or American Football, the resulting pain is described as stinging or burning sensation. The reasons for these symptoms are because the nerves exiting the neck that innervate the arm (via the “brachial plexus”) are stretched during the tackle and therefore injured.
The type of pain that is felt is regarded as a sharp shooting neurological type pain with regions of stinging and burning locally and often distally down the arm. The pain location can vary, though the most commonly affected area is that which is innervated by the C5 nerve as this is the nerve where most of the over stretching is likely to occur as the shoulder is depressed too far downwards. As you can see in the picture below, the C5 nerve root is the highest exiting nerve that innervates the arm from the neck region.
Look at the yellow nerves exiting the spine in to the arm in this picture, C5 is the highest level.
The regions of skin innervated by C5, C6, C7, C8 and T1 are shown here in this picture, when suffering from a Rugby stinger you may feel discomfort along one or more of these regions with C5 being the most likely.
The muscles that you may find weak as a result of a stinger playing Rugby are most likely to be those innervated by C5 and then decreasing in likelihood C6, C7, C8, T1.
As you can see the main muscles innervated by C5 and C6 are those surrounding the shoulder girdle, therefore expect dysfunction to occur in this region. The rate of healing for a nerve is very slow so make sure you are patient and perform rehab sensibly. I would recommend seeing a specialist (e.g chiropractor) for advice and guidance throughout this process as too little or too much rehab or treatment at the wrong time could decrease your recovery rate and prolong your return to action.
Winter is gone, spring is here!, the time for new life, flowers blooming, the smell of fresh-cut grass and for those unlucky few… time for back pain, unless you listen close!
The main activities we find that cause back pain at this time of year are Gardening, Spring cleaning and DIY. You know the usual chores, “the garden is overgrown and needs a good looking after”, “the gutters are full up with leaves left from last autumn”, “the attic, shed and garage all need a good sort out”. Classic situations that can lead to back pain, in this post I am going to give you some really helpful tips to help you prevent injury.
Tip 1.- Be sensible and know your limits! I am sorry to sound like a nag but this is definitely one for those of you that have suffered from previous episodes of back pain or have had previous operations that may limit your ability. Start any job by first thinking ‘is it really worth causing all that pain and potential loss of earnings for the sake of doing something a much fitter, possibly more experienced and capable person could do?’. Remember, assess the job that needs doing and make a sensible decision about it, it is your body, look after it, ask yourself, ‘is it capable?’ and ‘is it really worth the risk?’
Tip 2.- Co-Contraction. Sounds funny doesn’t it?, don’t worry, its sooo simple! and sooo effective! Co-contraction is simply tucking in or contracting the lower part of you belly by just 10-20%, your belly button should tuck in a little when you do this. Holding this contraction will cause a belt of support around your waist and spine, its like those belts weight lifters use but its built-in!, great hey?. Hold this whenever you are attempting to bend over or pick up anything (i.e lifting boxes, mowing the lawn, using the vacuum cleaner, climbing a ladder, pretty much all the time if you can!). It is great, the best part is, that if you keep doing this for 2 weeks constantly it becomes automatic. So what I tell my patients is “co-contract, co-contract, co-contract!!”, the more you think about using it now, the less you will have to in the future.
Tip 3.- Bend from your hips, not from your back! I know, I know, someone has told you something similar already but its time to mop up the nonsense and explain exactly how and why everyone needs to do this. If you need to lean forward (i.e mowing grass or working at a workbench) or bend down (picking up a box or some leaves) then use your hips and knees to lean forward or get lower and keep your back as straight as possible, remember to co-contract!! 
. You have been blessed with hips and knees, so use them!, your back is not designed to lift loads while flexed, your hips and knees are. Another way you can get lower is opening up your stance so your legs are further apart and then bend from your hips. Also, try keeping your head up once you have a good grip as this helps you keep your back straight. Look at you body, have you ever wondered why your bum is so big? (sorry to those offended 
), it is designed to keep your top half upright and help you and your hips in lifting weight. Bending from the hips will take off a huge amount of strain from your back which will lead to an increase in back support and decrease the risk of getting back pain.
One last piece of advice, your spine is weakest when it is flexed and rotated, so please, remember not to bend and twist your back this spring! enjoy the sun everybody.
I hope this has helped you understand a bit more about your body and Chiropractic, If you have any questions on this topic send me an e-mail at danny@longlevenschiro.com To view more of my blogs visit www.chirobeans.wordpress.com
If you live in Gloucester or surrounding areas and are interested my Chiropractic services and what I can do to help you, then book an appointment to see Danny at the Longlevens Chiropractic and Sports Injury Clinic on 01452 309372
Its amazing… amazing how many times I have asked patients during our first meeting and consultation if they have iced their injury before coming in to see me. The answer 90% of the time is, “I haven’t” or “I have been using heat but not ice”. In mine and a lot of others opinions, Icing is by far and away the best thing you can do to get yourself back on the road to recovery as fast as possible in the early stages of a muscle or joint injury. Here in this post I explain why…
Probably your whole life you have been told if you have burned or bruised yourself that “you need to put ice or ice cold water on it to stop the swelling”. Well the same rule applies for your muscles and skeleton, this includes your spine by the way!, they all respond to ice in the same way as if you bruise your arm. Let’s take back pain for example, a similar thing is occurring with an episode of back pain that occurs with a bruise. Something in your back has been damaged as a result of weakness or poor function and the body is reacting by trying to protect itself using inflammation. The same as if you had bumped and subsequently bruised yourself.
Inflammation has 5 components; pain, heat, redness, swelling and loss of function. All five are reduced as a result of icing. Ok, now think about what I have just told you and consider this: If you just bruised your arm, would you put heat on it to try to make it better while it is still sore and hurting? (oh dear god, please say no…) Remember the 5 components of inflammation??, that’s right, heat was one of them!, therefore you would be encouraging inflammation if you used it, not good. This again also applies to your back, if your back is in pain it is usually due to inflammation, so don’t use heat!. The only time I recommend the use of heat is during a warm up before performing strenuous exercise and certainly not for someone in pain. Once a person is out of pain and functioning correctly I only encourage heat in the form of giving your muscles a good rub to make them more pliable if you know they are noticeably tight.
Right, now I want you to apply what I have just told you to your day-to-day life. If you had just suffered an episode of back pain, would you now consider it a good idea to have a hot bath?? or a hot shower??, or go in the hot jacuzzi down at you leisure club??. I hope you can see what I am saying here (and no, I am not saying don’t wash, that wouldn’t help any of us!). What I am trying to say is that you may be applying heat to your back pain without realising it, by performing day-to-day activities like those I just mentioned. What I would like you to consider when in an episode of back pain is turning down the temperature. When you have a shower or bath, reduce the temperature a bit (not too much!) and make sure you ice your back straight after for 10-15 minutes or find a cooler alternative to cleaning yourself, like using wash towels.
To conclude, wrap up some ice cubes in a damp cloth or wrap an ice pack in damp paper towels or a cloth and apply to the problem area. Perform 10-15 minutes of icing every 2 hours, five times a day or as close to that as possible. This is the perfect routine to help get yourself through the early stages of injury. I would also recommend seeing your Chiropractor or other manual therapist as there are some instances where the pain may in fact not be coming from the parts of the body you suspect. In which case your Chiropractor or other manual therapist will help you identify the correct place to apply your ice pack whilst also providing treatment, information, advice and guidance to aid the healing process and help prevent it happening again!.
When to use ice: Acute sprains and strains, Acute inflammatory processes: arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis myositis, and neuritis, Acute trauma, Acute and chronic muscle spasm.
When not to use ice: Cold hypersensitivity (test a small non-painful area first if worried), a vasospastic disorder (Vasospastic disorders are conditions in which the vessels of the extremities do not dilate properly.), Systemic complications, Raynaud’s Phenomenon or Certain malignancies (seek advice). Do not apply if you are a weakened individual; Old age, Infancy, Cachexic. Or if you have severe varicose veins, myocardial weakness or high blood pressure.
I hope this has helped you understand a bit more about your body and Chiropractic, If you have any questions on this topic send me an e-mail at danny@longlevenschiro.com
If you live in Gloucester or surrounding areas and are interested my Chiropractic services and what I can do to help you, then book an appointment to see Danny at the Longlevens Chiropractic and Sports Injury Clinic on 01452 309372
http://chirobeans.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/why-is-icing-my-back-so-important/
It’s never too late to change your warm up routine, just because the team is being told to do something, you don’t have to!, it’s your body!. Now you have read this post you should be able to make an informed decision as to whether what you are being told to do is correct. Take ownership of your body and make sure you are well aware of your it’s needs so that you give yourself the best opportunity to perform well and without the risk of injury.
I would also like to suggest, for all you parents with young stars in the making, that you take the time to make sure your children are being told to warm up properly. Mistakes made during the growing years can adversely affect their performance and injury susceptibility in future years at a time when they should be reaching their peak. There is nothing worse than having a career in sport fail due to something that could have been avoided if small changes such as these had been made earlier.
Who ever said that football was just a game eh?…
References: Dawson B., Sim A., Wallman K., Guelfi K., Young W.. (2009). Effects of static stretching in warm-up on repeated sprint performance. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 12 (supplement 1), S60. Silveira G., Sayers M., Waddington G.. (2010). Effect of static and dynamic stretching on hamstring flexibility in the warm-up. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 12 (supplement 2), e10-e11. Taylor, K.L., Sheppard, J.M., Lee, H., Plummer, N.. (2009). Negative effect of static stretching restored when combined with a sport specific warm-up component. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.12 (6), 657-661.
I hope this information has helped you understand a little more about your body, If you have any questions on this topic send me an e-mail at danny@longlevenschiro.com
To read more of Danny’s Blogs visit www.chirobeans.wordpress.com
The first visit is an important one. This visit is the opportunity for the Chiropractor to discover everything important about your injury. It is also the time when the Chiropractor will make a detailed examination of the problem area and then sit down with you to discuss the findings and recommend the best course of action. This is known as a ‘Report of Findings’. The Report of Findings will clearly outline to you what your injury is called (diagnosis), how you got it and how the Chiropractor can help. Treatment involves a number of different techniques. If suitable, the primary technique used is joint manipulation, which involves gentle specific adjustments of the joints, done by hand, to mobilise restricted or stiffened areas of the body that are not working properly. Treatment is also supported by various types of soft tissue work and other physical modalities, all carefully selected to suit the particular injury. All courses of treatment are individually constructed to get you back on your feet as quick as is possible. Every course of treatment is supported by self-help instruction programs to follow at home or at work which aids your recovery and ultimately prevents recurrence of the initial…