Currently viewing the category: "West Hollywood sports chiropractic office"

Stretches for Chronic Whiplash Neck Pain

By On · Add Comment · In auto accidents, cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD), chiropractor, chronic neck pain, inflammation, rear-end collisions, scalene stretches, West Hollywood sports chiropractic office, whiplash

The most common chronic neck pain condition I see in my West Hollywood sports chiropractic office is related to untreated or incompletely treated whiplash injuries. In cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) automobile accidents, the most common being rear-end collisions (a common occurrence in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills), the head is translated (accelerated) in one direction, usually backward, and then snapped forward (decelerated) in the opposite direction. This can cause small micro-tears of the scalene muscles at the front of the neck, leading to inflammation, spasmodic guarding, and severe pain.

Far too many people fail to get their whiplash neck injuries treated properly following a motor vehicle accident. Either they don’t see a chiropractor at all, or the treating chiropractor (watch out for mills, people) neglects this important area, primarily the scalenes. It is not uncommon for me to see people with 10+ years chronic neck pain from the scar tissue and adhesions built up in this area.

Aside from effective chiropractic care to relieve the chronic neck pain caused by an auto accident, the scalene muscles need also be worked. But you can help your cause at home by doing the stretches outlined in the video below. The scalene muscles attach from the front of the cervical spine to the collar bone, so when tight, they can cause a forward head carriage, impingement on the nerves going into the arms (causing numbness and tingling), and neck pain.

Watch the video below for the best stretches for the scalene muscles to relieve pain from a whiplash neck injury.

Corrective Exercises for Knee Clicking

By On · Add Comment · In degeneration, exercise, knee clicking, knee pain, kneecap, muscular imbalance, patella, quadriceps, tracking disorder, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, West Hollywood sports chiropractic office

Clicking at the knee is a common complaint walking into my West Hollywood sports chiropractic office.  Although a couple sites on the knee are potential origination points, I find that the most common area of occurrence is at the kneecap (patella) itself.  Knee clicking coming from the knee cap is usually painless, but it can eventually lead to breakdown of the cartilage underneath the patella itself, which can be painful.

Despite being painless in the early stages, knee clicking can be disconcerting, so those experiencing it want answers.  I’ve cut the video below to explain clicking knee coming from the patella.  In a nutshell, knee clicking comes from a tracking disorder of the patella on the femur and tibia on bending and straightening the knee.  The disorder is usually due to a muscular imbalance of the quadriceps muscles, specifically the vastus lateralis, which gets strong or overactive, and the vastus medialis, which gets weak or under active.  The vastus lateralis, being the strong one, will thus pull the kneecap toward the outside of the leg on knee extension leading to a…”click.”

The way to fix knee clicking is by strengthening the vastus medialis relative to the vastus lateralis.  Watch the video below to see the best exercise to correct clicking knees due to a tracking disorder or muscular imbalance.  Remember, not fixing your knee clicking problem can lead to future degeneration, pain and disability, so start exercising now to click no more.


Short Foot Exercises for Better Proprioception

By On · Add Comment · In bosu ball, injury, low back pain, movement, musculoskeletal injuries, proprioception, rocker board, short foot exercise, West Hollywood sports chiropractic office

Proprioception is our sense of where we are in space.  It tells us about relative position of body parts, as well as giving us information about our movements.  Proprioception is essential to how we move, how we are supported, and how we function.  To be free from low back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries, and to be in good shape both require a conditioned proprioceptive sensory system.

This system can become deconditioned from a number of interrelated factors: lack of regular, challenging movement, previous or current injury, significant change in weight or strength, drug use and/or abuse, and chronically tight muscles.

The list above should tell you that many people today are deconditioned in their proprioceptive senses.  From increased computer time (which means increased sitting), to changes in activity type (sports, music, art to more media driven activities like video games and computers), to poor diets and lack of movement, even from our advanced medical care that has people recovering from injuries that at one time my have been game-enders, people today need to think about their proprioceptive condition.

In the next few video posts, I will be discussing and demonstrating excellent exercises for stimulating, and thus conditioning, your proprioceptive system.  Although I usually prefer to give low-tech exercises, I really do think having access to some special equipment will be very useful here. The good news is that many gyms have the equipment you will need.  If for any reason that is not an option for you, you can contact my West Hollywood sports chiropractic office to purchase either a rocker board, wobble board or bosu ball.

Watch the video below for the first instruction on proprioceptive training: the short foot exercise.  You will need to master this to go to the next level.  I would practice the short foot exercise for one week before moving on to the next level.  You will see that by mastering this movement, you will have the foundation for keeping your balance no matter what the challenge.  Learn the short foot and have fun–I’ll see you soon for the next level.

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