Chiropractic care is the key to optimum perfomance

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and fitness pioneer Jack Lalanne are huge advocates for chiropractic care. Actually, Aaron Rodgers' father is a chiropractor in Chico, California and Jack Lalanne was a Doctor of Chiropractic himself.

Aaron Rodgers is not the only NFL player or athlete who believes in the benefit of chiropractic care. New Orleans Saints 2006 first round pick, Reggie Bush, has been receiving regular chiropractic care since playing football in high school and his collegiate years. "I look at Chiropractic care as important to keeping me healthy and at the top of my game." 2010 Hall Of Fame inductee Jerry Rice, who is a spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public of the many benefits associated with chiropractic care. "I did a lot of things to stay in the game, but regular visits to my chiropractor made all of the difference", Jerry Rice says. Some of the elite athletes, Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Emmitt Smith, Tom Brady, and Michael Jordan just to name a few, have all benefited from chiropractic care to help them to stay on top of their game. All 32 teams in the NFL have either one or several chiropractors on staff. The need for chiropractic care in the NFL has been driven by the players' desire for optimum performance, and not just for treating injuries.

The good news is that you don't have to be a professional athlete to receive chiropractic care, but you do have to want to make an investment in your health and want to create a healthier lifestyle. It doesn't matter if you have extreme pain or no pain at all, chiropractic allows you to live life to the fullest.

Dr. David P. Chen
Chiropractor in Laurel, MD 20708

Short-Term Effects of Cervical Kinesio Taping on Pain and Cervical Range of Motion in Patients With Acute Whiplash Injury: A Randomized Clinical Trial

The purpose of this study was to compare the short-term effects of a Kinesio Taping application to the cervical spine versus placebo tape application on both neck pain and cervical range of motion in patients with acute whiplash-associated disorders (WADs).

Forty-one patients (21 females) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: the experimental group received Kinesio Taping to the cervical spine (applied with tension) and the placebo group received a sham Kinesio Taping application (applied without tension). Both neck pain and cervical range-of-motion data were collected at baseline, immediately after the Kinesio Tape application, and at a 24-hour follow-up by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the patients.

The results indicated that patients receiving Kinesio Taping experienced a greater decrease in pain immediately postapplication and at the 24-hour follow-up. Patients in the experimental group obtained a greater improvement in range of motion than those in the control group.

Original article published in J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009;39(7):515-521

Dr. David Chen
Chiropractor in Laurel, MD
Laurel Regional Chiropractic
http://www.laurelregionalchiropractic.com/

Athletes Enhance Physical Performance With Chiropractic Care

What do Barry Bonds, Tiger Woods, Andy Roddick, and Lance Armstrong have in common? They are incredibly accomplished athletes that have used chiropractic care as a key ingredient to their success.

The fact is that more professional athletes are under chiropractic care than ever before. Even more revealing is the increased use of regular chiropractic care for the entire professional teams. In fact, Chiropractic Economics reported that over 95% of teams in the NFL use chiropractors as a regular part of player care.

Some professional athletes pay personal chiropractors to give treatment before, during, or after a game. Barry Bonds, one of the best all time baseball players, has a personal chiropractor who travels to games. Barry Bonds has incorporated chiropractic into his lifestyle. He reportedly said, “I think it should be mandatory to see a chiropractor and massage therapist.”

Professional athletes get three main benefits with chiropractic care: to prevent injury, manage injury, and to enhance physical performance.

A research study conducted by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, published in the Journal of Chiropractic research and Clinical Investigation in 1991, indicated chiropractic care might improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a two week period. The report also concluded that subluxation-free athletes react faster, coordinate better, execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete. Another study in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research in 1997 revealed that chiropractic care increases an athlete’s capillary count. This means increased blood flow and more oxygen to the body.

It is strongly recommended that both professional and amateur athletes look into chiropractic and to see how it can help them perform to their potential.

Dr. David P. Chen
Chiropractor at Laurel Regional Chiropractic
Laurel, Maryland

4 WAYS TO SHED BELLY FAT

1. Exercise- You can't exercise to spot reduce, but it will help you shed excess pounds -- and often, the fat your body sheds first comes from your belly. Abdominal crunches can help tone muscles to make your stomach look flatter, but to truly get rid of fat, you have to burn it off through aerobic activity.

2. Be a mindful eater- Researchers are currently investigating whether really paying attention to what you eat can help redistribute body fat from your waist to your hips. Plenty of studies, though, have shown that mindful eating can help with weight loss efforts.

3. Get adequate amounts of sleep- Too little sleep (less than six hours) or too much (more than eight hours) results in an excess production of the stress hormone cortisol. This hormone promotes the storage of fat in the belly.

4. Reduce stress- Penciling in 15 minutes a day for relaxation can also lower your cortisol levels, helping you shed belly fat. Deep breathing, a stroll outdoors under the blossoming trees, or a bubble bath can help you leave the world behind.


Dr. John Rosa
Chiropractor
Rockville, MD

A Comparison Between Chiropractic Management and Pain Clinic Management for Chronic Low-back Pain in a National Health Service Outpatient Clinic

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes in perception of pain and disability for a group of patients suffering with chronic low-back pain (CLBP) when managed in a hospital by either a regional pain clinic or a chiropractor. DESIGN: The study was a pragmatic, randomized, controlled trial.

SETTING: The trial was performed at a National Health Service (NHS) hospital outpatient clinic (pain clinic) in the United Kingdom.

SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS: Patients with CLBP (i.e., symptom duration of >12 weeks) referred to a regional pain clinic (outpatient hospital clinic) were assessed and randomized to either chiropractic or pain-clinic management for a period of 8 weeks. The study was pragmatic, allowing for normal treatment protocols to be used. Treatment was administered in an NHS hospital setting.

OUTCOME MEASURES: The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Numerical Rating Scale were used to assess changes in perceived disability and pain. Mean values at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 were calculated. The mean differences between week 0 and week 8 were compared across the two treatment groups using Student's t-tests. Ninety-five percent (95%) confidence intervals (CIs) for the differences between groups were calculated.

RESULTS: Randomization placed 12 patients in the pain clinic and 18 in the chiropractic group, of which 11 and 16, respectively, completed the trial. At 8 weeks, the mean improvement in RMDQ was 5.5 points greater for the chiropractic group (decrease in disability by 5.9) than for the pain-clinic group (0.36) (95% CI 2.0 points to 9.0 points; p = 0.004). Reduction in mean pain intensity at week 8 was 1.8 points greater for the chiropractic group than for the pain-clinic group (p = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that chiropractic management administered in an NHS setting may be effective for reducing levels of disability and perceived pain during the period of treatment for a subpopulation of patients with chronic low-back pain.

Original article published by: Wilkey A, Gregory M, Byfield D, McCarthy PW. J Altern Complement Med. Jun 2008; 14(5): 465-473.

Dr. David P. Chen
Chiropractor at Laurel Regional Chiropractic
Laurel, Maryland

Chiropractic Care May Reduce Surgeries, X-rays. Back Pain Treatment Less Costly With Chiropractic Care.

Chiropractic care cuts health care costs, a new study shows. The study comes from American Specialty Health Plans Inc. of San Diego. The company provides employers with health insurance coverage for complementary medicine, including chiropractic care and acupuncture.
The company compared four years of back pain claims from two groups: 700,000 health plan members with chiropractic care coverage and 1 million members with the same health plan without chiropractic care coverage. It's the largest study yet of how chiropractic care affects the cost of health care.


Costs Down, Patient Satisfaction Up With Chiropractic Care
Compared with doctor-only health plans, the study found that:

• Chiropractic care cut the cost of treating back pain by 28%.
• Chiropractic care reduced hospitalizations among back pain patients by 41%.
• Chiropractic care reduced back surgeries by 32%.
• Chiropractic care reduced the cost of medical imaging, such as X-rays or MRIs, by 37%.
  

The report appears in the Oct. 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Patients often say they are satisfied with the chiropractic care they receive, says Scott Boden, MD, director of the Emory Orthopedic and Spine Center in Atlanta. "A disease like back pain can have a lot of variability in the ways medical professionals approach patient care," Boden says. "The best thing is to have an organized, integrated approach that uses state-of-the-art and cost-effective care. Many -- if not most -- primary care providers have little training in how to manage musculoskeletal disorders. That leads to some of the costs. If you were to match a chiropractic network against trained physicians instead of general medical practitioners, you might get different results."

Chiropractic Care Entering Mainstream

This may be the first study to offer concrete evidence that chiropractic care saves money. But businesses already are getting the message, says George DeVries, president and CEO of American Specialty Health. "Since 1987, we have thousands if not tens of thousands of employer groups that offer chiropractic coverage as a supplemental insurance rider," DeVries tells WebMD. "These range from mom-and-pop groceries to top-10 businesses. The reason they continue to offer these plans is patient satisfaction and low cost." Boden says his institution is opening a new facility that will offer patients integrated medical care that will include chiropractic care. "We have everything under one roof. The finishing piece is going to be a complementary medicine center that will include chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, and probably nutrition," he says. "The bottom line is that conservative management of back care is effectively performed by doctors of chiropractic," he says. "In cases where medical intervention is needed, chiropractors are schooled to make the appropriate referrals. It is a cost-effective option for back pain."

Original article written by Daniel J. DeNoon. WebMD Health News. Oct. 12, 2004.

Dr. David P. Chen

Chiropractor

Laurel, Maryland

A study of side airbag effectiveness in reducing chest injury in car to car side impacts using a FE model

Hayashi S, Yasuki T, Yamamae Y, Takahira Y: A study of side airbag effectiveness in reducing chest injury in car to car side impacts using a FE model. International IRCOBI Research
Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact, Madrid, Spain, September 20-22, 2006, 397-400.

The effect of side airbag in reducing chest injury in car-to-car side impacts was studied using a human FE model (THUMS). A simulation was conducted assuming that a car was struck
by another car at 50 km/h impact speed. Injuries were predicted for both front and rear seat occupants, and compared between cases with and without side airbags. Rib fractures were
observed in the inferior thorax regardless of seating position without side air bags. With side air bags, on the other hand, the number of rib fractures was reduced because of smaller local deformation.

Yet another study showing that side airbags reduce injuries. In my office in Greenbelt, MD we see a fair amount of patients that have been in side impact collisions. Unfortunately, not all of the vehicles involved contain side airbags. It's certainly good to see more and more vehicles with side airbags STANDARD.

-Dr. Louis S. Crivelli II

Chiropractor

Greenbelt, MD

Ultrasound evidence of altered lumbar connective tissue structure in human subjects with chronic low back pain

The lumbar fascia is an often overlooked source of lower back pain. I agree with the author's conclusions that poor movement patterns and chronic inflammation can lead to abnormal fascial structure. As a chiropractor in Greenbelt, I pay special attention to spinal movement patterns as well as fascial tone. With nutrition, I also help each and every patient to decrease the chronic inflammation that seems to be all too common these days.

Background

Although the connective tissues forming the fascial planes of the back have been hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic LBP, there have been no previous studies quantitatively evaluating connective tissue structure in this condition. The goal of this study was to perform an ultrasound-based comparison of perimuscular connective tissue structure in the lumbar region in a group of human subjects with chronic or recurrent low back pain (LBP) for more than 12 months, compared with a group of subjects without LBP.

Methods

In each of 107 human subjects (60 with LBP and 47 without LBP), parasagittal ultrasound images were acquired bilaterally centered on a point 2 cm lateral to the midpoint of the L2-3 interspinous ligament. The outcome measures based on these images were subcutaneous and perimuscular connective tissue thickness and echogenicity measured by ultrasound.

Results

There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass index (BMI) or activity levels between LBP and No-LBP groups. Perimuscular thickness and echogenicity were not correlated with age but were positively correlated with BMI. The LBP group had ~25% greater perimuscular thickness and echogenicity compared with the No-LBP group (ANCOVA adjusted for BMI, p<0.01>

Conclusion

This is the first report of abnormal connective tissue structure in the lumbar region in a group of subjects with chronic or recurrent LBP. This finding was not attributable to differences in age, sex, BMI or activity level between groups. Possible causes include genetic factors, abnormal movement patterns and chronic inflammation.

Dr. Louis S. Crivelli II

Chiropractor

Greenbelt, MD

Letter to the Editor from an Interactive Newspaper Group

Published Saturday, November 28, 2009
Back surgery isn't only answer
Thank you for the articles on Shasta County's high rate of hysterectomies and spinal surgeries. These articles are a reminder of the importance of being an informed consumer when considering what form of treatment works best for you. And while for some surgery may be the best answer, oftentimes alternative forms of treatment, such as chiropractic care, are the better option in terms of cost and results.
Spinal surgery is expensive, risky and often ineffective. As referenced in the article, patients who turn to spinal surgery to alleviate chronic back pain often see no difference after the surgery. Alternatively, studies conducted by independent researchers and published in respected medical journals affirm what users and practitioners of chiropractic care have long known - that chiropractic care is often the most effective and least expensive treatment for back and neck problems.
In 2004, an informal survey of chiropractic patients in California's workers' compensation system found that one-third of those who responded said that chiropractic treatments enabled them to avoid surgery recommended by a medical doctor at a savings of more than $80,000 per surgery including drugs and rehabilitation.
While surgery may sometimes be needed to alleviate chronic back pain, too often it is the "go to" treatment option. The result is these patients spend thousands of dollars on a treatment that doesn't always provide relief to their pain. It is critical that anyone with back pain research the different treatment options themselves to determine if surgery is a necessity, or if a more cost-effective, less-intrusive treatment such as chiropractic care might be the answer.
Dave Paris, D.C.
Redding


Dr. Aekta Erry

Chiropractor
Temple Hills, MD

Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal Decompression Therapy is a safe, effective, revolutional non-surgical treatment for a variety of low back and neck conditions. This therapy's primary benefit works by restoring proper function to an injured disc. It is done by producing a controlled, mechanical traction on the spine using our Triton DTS Decompression Table. During the pull phase, injured discs are gently stretched apart, producing a suction force inside the disc. This draws disc bulges and herniations back into the center of the disc along with oxygen, water, nutrients, and other healing substances. The end result is a strong, healthy, properly functioning disc in a high percentage of patients.
Comfort is Our Top Priority
We want patient visits to be enjoyable and successful! Treatments are short in duration and administered while the patient is fully clothed. Most patients undergoing this treatment report improvements and a reduction in their pain after only a few sessions. DTS Therapy gently stretches the spine, relieving pressure from the discs, joints and muscular tissues.
Patient comfort and safety are of primary importance during DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy. There are several positioning options, so you will be able to rehabilitate the discs and spine while remaining comfortable. During DTS Therapy, you'll experience several cycles of stretch and relaxation, which gently graduate to a peak over a period of several minutes.
Therapy sessions typically last less than 20 minutes and most patients feel pain relief with as few as 6-10 treatments. It is important to remember, however, that pain reduction does not necessarily mean that your discs and spine are healed, so it is critical that patients stick with the treatment protocol prescribed by their practitioners in order to achieve the full value of DTS Therapy.
DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy is a pain-free alternative that has shown a very high rate of success at reducing or even eliminating back and neck pain.. Our office is dedicated to offering the latest, state-of-the-art therapies for lower back pain, sciatica pain relief, pinched nerve, neck pain relief, and bulging or degenerative disc diseases. We believe DTS Spinal Decompression Therapy is one of the most advanced, non-surgical and pain-free alternative.
Spinal Decompression Therapy is an Effective Treatment for:
Herniated Disc
Degenerative Disc
Facet Syndrome
Sciatica
Post-Surgical Patients
Spinal Stenosis
For more information, please visit www.dtstherapy.com or consult with one of our health care professionals!


Dr. Aekta Erry

Chiropractor in Temple Hill, MD