A new study found that diabetes was associated with a 51% increased risk of dementia but exercise was associated with a dose-dependent decrease.
Exercise 3‐5 days/week was associated with a 37% lower dementia risk and >5 days/week was linked to a 59% lower risk of dementia (compared to on exercise).
This was an observational study which means causation cannot be established. However, meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have found the benefits of regular exercise on cognitive function. The dose-dependent effect on lower dementia risk also strengthens the data.
Upper Cross Syndrome describes a type of common muscle imbalance.
This occurs when the neck flexors and the middle back become weak while the pectoral muscles and the muscles at the base of the skull become tight. This produces a familiar pain pattern at the base of the neck and the shoulders, as well as joint dysfunction at the base of the skull and shoulders.
Upper Cross Syndrome can lead to neck pain.
The main physical causes of this condition are:
Desk job
Too much sitting
Driving long hours
Poor posture
Working out incorrectly
How many hours a day do you sit in front? Photo by subham saha
However, with the proper education, you can protect yourself from many of these causes. The primary sufferers of this condition, especially chronic cases, often have poor posture while sitting at a desk for most of the day. A co-morbid factor is a sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity. This poor sitting posture leads to a re-enforcement of the Upper Crossed Syndrome, and it is crucial that you arrange your workstation to facilitate a proper posture as best as possible.
The best way to combat this problem is, of course, to prevent it before it starts.
If possible, minimize sitting for long periods of time and take frequent work breaks to take short walks around the office to reset your posture.
There are methods of rehabilitative exercise that can be taught to you to reverse any damage already done and prevent a progression of this condition, as well as instill healthy habits for you to employ for the rest of your life.
What You Can Do About It
If you are currently experiencing neck pain that you may believe is related to Upper Cross Syndrome, this condition can be conservatively managed relatively quickly. Make an appointment today and get on the road to recovery.
Does adding hip exercises to quadriceps exercises result in superior outcomes in pain, function and quality of life for people with knee osteoarthritis? The short answer is YES.
Anyone with Osteoarthritis in their knees knows how it can limit their life. For one example walking could become difficult and painful.
A study from the British journal of sports medicine has found strengthening the hips muscle can help with knee osteoarthritis.
Walking improved after the addition of hip strengthening to quadriceps strengthening in people with knee Osteoarthritis. The addition of resistance hip exercises to quadriceps resulted in greater improvements in patient-reported pain and function
simple but effective hip exercise
Key points
Land-based exercise reduces pain and improves function in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) over the short to medium term.
People with KOA have weakness in hip abduction is (7%–24% weaker than control patients).
Hip abduction strength is positively related to function in people with KOA.
Hip strengthening is beneficial compared with non-exercise interventions in people with KOA.
Hislop AC, Collins NJ, Tucker K, Deasy M, Semciw AI. Does adding hip exercises to quadriceps exercises result in superior outcomes in pain, function and quality of life for people with knee osteoarthritis? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2020 Mar 1;54(5):263-71. Link
“Obesity is associated with a higher risk of tendinopathy, tendon tear and rupture, and complications after tendon surgery than non-obesity.”
Medial epicondylitis: odds ratio (OR) 1.9
Achilles tendinopathy: OR 3.81
Patellar tendinopathy: OR 1.10
Plantar fasciitis: OR 2.97
Rotator cuff tendinopathy: OR 1.25
Rotator cuff tear: OR 2.35
Rotator cuff rupture leading to tendon surgery OR 3.13 – 3.51
Photo by Joenomias–2512814
Macchi M, Spezia M, Elli S, Schiaffini G, Chisari E. Obesity Increases the Risk of Tendinopathy, Tendon Tear and Rupture, and Postoperative Complications: A Systematic Review of Clinical Studies. A Publication of The Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®| CORR®. 2020 Apr 14. Link
Having good running form is another way to prevent running injuries. There are many nuances to running form. We’ll discuss the big three. They are Cadence, Posture and Foot placement.
Cadence (Stride Length)
The amateur runner may not put much thought into their running beyond putting one foot in front of the other, however, if you are finding yourself with consistent pain in your shins or recurring lower leg injuries the way you run may be playing a role. New research has demonstrated that when you take a longer stride as you run, the ground reaction force on your legs will be increased. This increased force can lead to more injuries and micro traumas that can lead to chronic injuries and discomfort.
With Cadence think quick feet. A faster stride will reduce the amount of time you spend on the ground and decreased ground-reaction force. This reduces the impact on your body gets hitting the ground.
If you think that this may be affecting your ability to run pain-free, try taking some shorter runs and actively think about taking shorter steps while running. Your legs will have to move faster to maintain the same pace as before. It will take some time to retrain your brain to alter your running pattern, but with some regular training, you should be able to make the transition.
Photo by sasint–3639875 See how long her stride is? If the foot is landing far in front of you, your cadence is most likely low.
Posture
Good posture will help you run with less pain and prevent injuries. Basically good posture will create good running posture. Your head should be over your ribcage and your rib cage should be over you pelvis and pelvis over your feet. This posture will let you run using less energy. If your posture is good it will be easier to fill your lungs with air. Next is to engage your core and build midline stabilization.
Foot Placement
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. This is a very stable position. Now stand with one foot in front (heel to toe). That’s harder right? Standing this way or running this way takes a lot of balance and energy. We’ll call this cross over gait. When we run we should land with our foot under our knee and our knee under our hip. This will support your center of mass better. Think leaning tower of Pisa, the top is not over the bottom making it unstable.
Photo by John-Silver–3202135 The base would be the foot and the hip would be the top.
Take a look at this runner. His foot is on the midline of the body. The leg is not stacked The hip is not stacked over knee or foot. Can you see the pelvis dropping on the left side as well?
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio Can you see the cross over gait? The foot is midline, the hip once again is not stacked over the knee and foot. Look at her stomach muscles. Can you see the twisting? Here’s an example of the core not being engage and lack of midline stabilization.
If you are new to running or experienced and need help we are here! Please call the office to set up an appointment.
Running has become one of the most common forms of physical activity in today’s society. It can be a community building activity, a personal challenge and most importantly a great work out. It is a sport that everyone can participate in; all you need is a good pair of shoes and a little motivation. That being said running can be extremely hard on your body, especially when you are just starting. We are finding that injuries among runners are very common. From shin splints to rolled ankles, no one is immune from getting hurt; however, here are some tips to keep you healthy and on pace.
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU
Do not do too much, too fast
When runners are just starting and begin to make progress, they tend to push their limits. Although this is a great way to challenge yourself, it is important that you understand your body has a threshold that when exceeded results in injury. Your mileage should be tracked on both a daily and weekly basis. If you have never done much long-distance running, then your weekly mileage should begin quite low. It is important that as you improve your mileage increases gradually. A consensus among the running community is the rule of 10%. Do not increase your mileage by any more than 10% on a week to week basis. For many runners and new runners specifically, 10% may even be too much of a jump. This is why when preparing for a distance race, whether it is a 10k, half marathon or a marathon it is recommended you start as early as possible. Could you train and complete a half marathon in 6 weeks? Maybe, but the toll it could take on your body and the injury risk you are exposing yourself to are likely not worth it. A recent study showed that runners who only increased their mileage by 3% a week had a much higher rate of success in their upcoming races than runners who ramped up their mileage quicker.
So how do you know where to start? First, start with walking. If you can walk an hour a day with out any injury you may start running. As a new runner, start with short runs and accumulate miles over the week. It is important to understand how far you have been running, so I recommend using an app on your phone such as “Map My Run” to help track each run. Personally I have a Garmin GPS watch , that links to Garmin connect. Garmin connect is an app. Most GPS watches can be linked to an app.
Photo by Mateusz Dach
Do not run through significant pain
As runners, we all understand some discomfort is a part of the sport. Your legs and feet will likely be sore after a long run; however, if you begin to notice significant pain or discomfort while running consider taking a break. Breaks are one of the hardest things to convince a runner of doing, but it could save you from more severe injury. Aside from the odd rolled ankle, very few running injuries are acute and traumatic. Far more commonly runners ignore the pain and “tough it out” when they begin to feel discomfort.
This can result in a cumulative injury cycle. What is that you might ask? It means if you continue to stress an injury by running, you will continue to make it worse and it can become a much more significant issue. Sometimes all it takes is an extra day off when symptoms are minor to allow your body to recover. This is important because if you have an injury, it is very common for your body to adapt by altering your gait (running pattern).
This may lead you to be less efficient, develop bad habits or in a worst-case scenario cause an injury elsewhere in your body. Remember, everything is connected, so if you are running with a limp the biomechanical stresses will be placed on a different part of your body. Give your body a chance to recover and if you think that an injury is nagging have a medical professional look at it. It is much more beneficial to have an injury taken care with a couple of sessions of treatment rather than letting it persist and having to deal with it when it is much more serious, and your recovery time is extended.
Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU
Call the office if you’re having pain. Do not tough it out! It could only get worse. We work with a lot of athletes and help them return to activity. Athletes looking to prevent injuries or perform better see us.
Move in every aspect of your life, at home and work
Set the alarm every hour to perform some movement. 3-5 minutes in length.
Place a Lacrosse Ball under your legs, top of legs, between shoulder blades while at the desk.
Light dumbbells at your desk for fitness snacking throughout the day.
Park at the farthest spot away to get more walking throughout the day.
Walking meetings are a great way to get movement and productivity.
Seated Exercise throughout the day three times per work day minimum.
Seated Cat and Cows
Seated Twists
Neck Ranges of Motion
Shoulder Rolls
Find an accountability buddy.
Strategically plan your traveling to take your workouts with you.
More people are working from home now more than ever. If you are experiencing pain since this big change please give our office a call. We are here and ready to help!
Neck pain and Headaches are a very common issue in our
society, and understanding the causes and prevention of them will go a long way
to leading a healthy and pain free life. In this educational summary, we
discuss some of the most common conditions we see in our office. Below we will
discuss the following neck-related pain conditions.
Upper Crossed Syndrome
Headaches
Neck Sprain/Strain
Disc Pain
Cervical Radiculopathy
TMJ Dysfunction
Potential causes of
Cervical Discogenic Pain Syndrome
Direct trauma – falls, motor vehicle accident, whiplash, sports injury
Overuse, fatigue, repetitive microtrauma – over hours, days, months of the same position
Postural – can be either an intrinsic postural problem (e.g. loss of cervical curvature) or an extrinsic postural problem (e.g. prolonged stressful position, protruded head posture).
Sudden unguarded movement.
Degenerative disc disease.
Photo by cody berg This workstation is not set up correctly
Symptoms of Cervical Discogenic Pain Syndrome
The symptoms will vary
depending on whether the condition is caused by a herniated disc or by a
degenerative disc. With a herniated disc, some people will not experience pain
in the neck but will have radiating pain, tingling, and numbness down the arm or
around the shoulder blade due to pressure put on the nerve root. Discogenic
pain due to an injury can result in immediate pain or pain shortly after the
injury. Headaches (usually cervicogenic)
can also result from cervical disc pain.
Treatment of Cervical
Discogenic Pain Syndrome
Treatment for cervical discogenic pain will depend on the clinical
presentation. Conservative treatment can successfully manage many cervical disc
herniations. Initial treatment will focus on controlling pain and inflammation.
Once pain and inflammation have
decreased, early rehabilitation will help prevent chronic pain and disability. This will consist of osseous manipulation, soft
tissue therapy, activity as tolerated, and pain-free
range of motion exercises. Late rehabilitation will be administered as the condition improves and will include
stabilization exercises, patient education, and postural training. Education in
proper training, biomechanics, and a home exercise program will help strengthen
the spine and decreases the likelihood of future injury. If you fail to respond
to conservative treatment, or in cases of severe pain, diagnostic imaging
(x-ray, MRI) will be warranted, and an
orthopedic consult may be necessary.
Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical Radiculopathy is a
dysfunction of the cervical nerve roots resulting in various neurologic
findings. The cervical spine consists of seven cervical vertebrae and eight
cervical nerve roots. Cervical radiculopathy can result in pain, numbness, or
weakness and though the problem occurs at the nerve root of the cervical spine,
these symptoms will often radiate to parts of the body controlled by that
nerve. The seventh (C7) and sixth (C6) cervical nerve roots are most commonly
affected.
In younger patients,
cervical radiculopathy is usually the result of a disc herniation or an acute
injury causing foraminal impingement of the exiting nerve. In the older
population, cervical radiculopathy is usually due to foraminal narrowing from
osteophyte formation, decreased disc height, or degenerative changes. In
elderly patients with osteophyte formation, repetitive neck movements may
result in a more insidious injury. Cervical radiculopathy due to sports
injuries can result from several mechanisms. Typical these injuries occur from
forced extension, lateral bending, or a rotation mechanism, which closes the
foramen and results in the exiting nerve root being
injured.
Risk Factors for Cervical
Radiculopathy
Heavy manual labor requiring lifting more than 25 pounds (especially repetitive activity)
The condition may follow a neck injury or be of insidious onset, and there may be a history of multiple episodes of previous neck pain or arthritis of the cervical spine. The pain may range from deep aching to severe burning neck pain. Usually, the pain will be referred to the shoulder blade, which might be described as shoulder pain. If the radiculopathy progresses, radicular arm pain (“sharp, shooting, electrical”) or sensory changes (“numbness, tingling, loss of sensation”) may develop down the arm and into the hand. Arm symptoms will depend on which nerve root is involved. Occasionally, a motor weakness may develop of the shoulder or arm. Certain neck positions which cause increased foraminal narrowing may increase the pain. The symptoms may be relieved by lifting the arm over the head which decreases the tension at the nerve root.
Treatment of Cervical
Radiculopathy
Initial treatment will
focus on reducing pain and inflammation and prevention of further neurological
loss. The focus will also be on centralizing (reducing) any radicular symptoms
by decreasing nerve root compression and pressure within the herniated discs. This will consist of manual traction and pain-free active non-resisted ranges of motion
while avoiding positions that increase neck and
arm symptoms. A cervical pillow at night can be helpful in maintaining the neck
in a neutral position and limiting head positions that cause foraminal
narrowing. Electrotherapy modalities may be used to help reduce any associated
muscle pain and muscle spasms. Once pain and inflammation have decreased, therapy will progress to
restore full range of motion and mobility of the neck and shoulder. This will include muscle stretching,
strengthening and proprioceptive training, and corrective exercises as
tolerated. Cervical manipulation and soft tissue therapy may be administered as tolerated and as long as it
does not cause an increase in symptoms. If you fail to respond to conservative
treatment, or in cases of severe neurological loss, a secondary consultation
with a neurologist or neurosurgeon will be
recommended.
TMJ Dysfunction
“I’ve got TMJ” It’s a pretty common statement which is a bit of a misnomer. Everyone has TMJ. Why? The TMJ is the tempo-mandibular joint(TMJ). We all have it. What people are probably trying to say is that they have TMJ disorder, aka pain and dysfunction of the jaw while opening or closing your mouth.
What happens is the mandible (your jaw) connects to the rest of your head at the temporal bone. It’s a hinge joint that pivots through a cartilage disc called a meniscus in between the two bones of this joint. Unfortunately, it’s a common place for the TMJ to become subluxated or in other words, a little bit dislodged. After that, you can get overuse and degeneration of that joint. One way to tell if you have this disorder is to open your mouth and measure, can you open your mouth the height of 3 fingers for your hand? If not, you might have TMJ disorder.
The
main physical causes of this condition are:
trauma
overuse
from a commonly chewing on one side of
your mouth
keeping
the mouth open for extended periods of time (like at the dentist)
improper
bite
grinding
From a physical standpoint, the best way to prevent TMJ disorder is to wear proper mouthpieces while playing sports, wearing mouth guards while sleeping, making sure to chew food evenly on both sides of your mouth, cutting tough meats and other foods into small pieces and minimizing gum chewing. Having better posture also improve the alignment of the TMJ.
Neck pain and headaches are a very common issue in our society, and understanding the causes and prevention of them will go a long way to leading a healthy and pain free life. In this educational summary, we discuss some of the most common conditions we see in our office. Below we will discuss the following neck-related pain conditions.
Upper Crossed Syndrome
Headaches
Neck Sprain/Strain
Disc Pain
Cervical Radiculopathy
TMJ Dysfunction
Neck Strain/Sprains
Cervical
strains and sprains are some of the most common injuries sustained to the
cervical spine. A cervical strain is when an injury occurs to the muscles of
the cervical spine. A sprain, on the other hand,
is an injury to the ligaments or joints; both,
however, have similar pain and symptom patterns. Patients suffering from
this diagnosis often have pain when attempting to move the head and neck,
especially at end ranges of motion. Another symptom that sufferers’ may
experience is frequent headaches, which may not seem directly evident to the
patient that the source of the headaches may be
caused by their cervical strain or sprain.
The main physical causes of this
condition are:
Automobile
accidents
Whiplash
Contact
sports injuries
Repetitive
overuse injury
Prolonged
poor posture
Obviously
some of the time these injuries are impossible to avoid, such as traumatic
automobile accidents and whiplash injuries. At this point there are no steps
for prevention and your next course of action is to seek treatment, usually
with ice in the days immediately following the injury as well as therapeutic
modalities such as interferential electrical stimulation, Active Release Technique, and massage.
In cases where the injury stems from a problem related to overuse, poor posture or improper exercise, there are steps that can be taken to help avoid these injuries from happening. Proper instruction on ergonomics in the workplace, fixing posture and instilling healthy habits, as well as receiving the proper knowledge in exercising can help build a better foundation for a healthy spine for life.
Neck Disc Pain
Discogenic Pain Syndrome is
a condition that results from soft tissue damage and associated irritation of
the fibers of intervertebral discs. Intervertebral discs are cushions found between each vertebra of the spine that work as shock absorbers to protect the
vertebrae by helping dissipate the forces applied to the spine and to help
facilitate movement. The cervical discs are
found between the vertebrae of the spine in the area we think of like the neck. Intervertebral discs consist
of an outer annulus fibrous, made up of tough, fibrous connective tissue, which
surrounds a gel-like center called the nucleus pulposus. The outer third of the
annulus fibrous is innervated by nerves and contain pain and mechanical
receptors which mediate pain transmission from structural damage to the
intervertebral discs or indirectly through chemically mediated inflammation.
Cervical disc pain can
arise from a variety of reasons, whether by injury or a degenerative condition.
In most cases, the condition can be treated to allow the person to continue
his/hers active lifestyle.
Potential causes of
Cervical Discogenic Pain Syndrome
Direct trauma – falls, motor vehicle accident, whiplash, sports injury
Overuse, fatigue, repetitive microtrauma – over hours, days, months of the same position
Postural – can be either an intrinsic postural problem (e.g. loss of cervical curvature) or an extrinsic postural problem (e.g. prolonged stressful position, protruded head posture).
Sudden unguarded movement.
Degenerative disc disease.
Symptoms of Cervical
Discogenic Pain Syndrome
The symptoms will vary
depending on whether the condition is caused by a herniated disc or by a
degenerative disc. With a herniated disc, some people will not experience pain
in the neck but will have radiating pain, tingling, and numbness down the arm or
around the shoulder blade due to pressure put on the nerve root. Discogenic
pain due to an injury can result in immediate pain or pain shortly after the
injury. Headaches (usually cervicogenic)
can also result from cervical disc pain.
Treatment of Cervical
Discogenic Pain Syndrome
Treatment for cervical discogenic pain will depend on the clinical presentation. Conservative treatment can successfully manage many cervical disc herniations. Initial treatment will focus on controlling pain and inflammation. Once pain and inflammation have decreased, early rehabilitation will help prevent chronic pain and disability. This will consist of osseous manipulation, soft tissue therapy, activity as tolerated, and pain-free range of motion exercises. Late rehabilitation will be administered as the condition improves and will include stabilization exercises, patient education, and postural training. Education in proper training, biomechanics, and a home exercise program will help strengthen the spine and decreases the likelihood of future injury. If you fail to respond to conservative treatment, or in cases of severe pain, diagnostic imaging (x-ray, MRI) will be warranted, and an orthopedic consult may be necessary.
Dr. Steve is always here to help your neck pain and headaches. If you are suffering from either please set up an appointment to start the healing process!
Dr. Steve Sikorsky | Chiropractic Care Elgin, Illinois
