4 Benefits Plantar Fasciitis Sufferers Gain By Using Chiropractic

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One of the most difficult medical conditions to spell is also one of the most common. Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. A person is afflicted with this medical condition when the tissue tears in the long ligament that runs along the bottom of the foot, called the plantar fascia ligament. The resulting symptoms include pain and inflammation that can be acute and often ongoing.

It’s estimated that 2 million Americans suffer from plantar fasciitis. However, many different factors cause the condition.

A foot trauma from an injury such as a fall can bring about the condition. Other causes are wearing ill-fitting or non-supporting footwear, prolonged standing, and arthritis. Once afflicted with plantar fasciitis, the sufferer often changes their gait to avoid foot pain, bringing on secondary issues such as misalignment and joint stress.

While there are several modes of treatment options, chiropractic care offers multiple unique benefits to those who suffer from plantar fasciitis. Here are four specific ways chiropractic care effectively treats plantar fasciitis.

Chiropractic adjustments can reduce stress in the plantar fascia

When the ligament is stressed, it can cause tiny tears that brings on plantar fasciitis. Sufferers who don’t take measures to repair this damage often experience ongoing pain and inflammation. A chiropractor, over a series of visits, is able to adjust the foot and heel so the ligament starts to relax, which in return, promotes healing and diminishes the instances of dealing with the condition again down the road.

Chiropractic care helps minimize secondary bodily injury due to compensation

As mentioned above, individuals dealing with the pain of plantar fasciitis frequently adapt their gait to avoid painful steps, causing stress and weight to fall on other parts of the feet, ankles, and joints. This may eventually cause issues with strained muscles and sore joints.

Chiropractic treatment not only deals with the symptoms, but treats the root of the problem. Patients who commit to chiropractic care see the plantar fasciitis decrease in severity. In addition, the chiropractor helps re-train them to walk and stand correctly, taking care of the secondary issues.

Additional at home exercises promote healing

Patients can help their situations in addition to visiting their chiropractor by taking advantage of regular home therapy exercises. Part of chiropractic care for plantar fasciitis includes a regular recommendation of exercises that stretches and heals the plantar fascia as well as secondary affected areas. For maximum results, patients need to make sure they perform the exercises correctly and diligently stick to the rehabilitation plan.

Chiropractic works well in conjunction with other treatments

Chiropractic treatment for plantar fasciitis complements other treatments. Chiropractic visits paired with massage, physical therapy, and more invasive treatment such as injections to offer pain management, increased mobility, and faster healing. Talk with your chiropractor to see what other treatments may complement your current care.

The not so great news is plantar fasciitis’s typical recovery time is several months. The great news is that committing to a combination of chiropractic visits and therapy exercises heals 9 out of 10 cases.

Plantar fasciitis is a common issue that millions of people face, but it doesn’t have to control your activity level or hinder your lifestyle. Consult a chiropractor and work together to lay out a plan of chiropractic adjustments, at-home rehab, and possibly other complementary forms of treatments. It may take time, but plantar fasciitis sufferers can eventually reach a point where they are pain free and their mobility is unhindered!

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.

How Chiropractic Care Helps Rehab Ankle Injuries

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An ankle can be injured as glamorously as falling off a $400 platform stiletto heel, stepping off a Parisian curb, or as mundanely as tripping over a toy truck, or falling over a rock on your way to the mailbox. No matter the cause, ankle injuries are painful and problematic, and cause recurring problems if left untreated.

The poor ankle sure has it rough. It supports a person’s entire body weight, twists and turns many times a day, and maintains proper balance. This heavy responsibility takes its toll. Emergency rooms treat approximately one million patients ever year for ankle injuries.

Ankles are technically "the joint where the foot joins the leg."  In reality, there are more moving parts involved than that simplified definition allows. Multiple bones and two separate joints actually converge in the ankle area, which increases the chance of an ankle injury.

More than one injury commonly affects the ankle:

Sprains

When you roll your ankle outward, the movement damages the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. This is a common sports injury and, unfortunately, once you have sprained your ankle it’s more likely to recur. Up to half of the people who suffer from a sprained ankle will sprain it again.

Strains

There are two tendons in the ankle that are commonly strained, usually overstretching from overuse or trauma.

Fractures

This injury happens when one or more of the three bones in the ankle is injured. While less common than a sprain or strain, a fractured ankle may also involve damaged ligaments and require surgery.

Many instances of ankle injuries are avoidable. Be sure to wear proper shoes when exercising or participating in sports, avoid uneven walking surfaces, and keep stairways and floors in your home clear of clutter

And, ladies, avoid the really high heels. We know, we know, they are just so cute! 🙂

Even with ankle-protecting precautions, you still may end up on your rump in the grass nursing your swollen ankle. What should you do if you injure your ankle? There are several forms of treatment for an ankle injury depending on its severity.

Rest and ice: For mild injuries, stay off your ankle and use ice packs to reduce the swelling. Rest allows the injured area to heal faster.

Visit a doctor: If you experience severe pain, swelling, and are unable to put weight on your ankle, see a doctor, as some ankle injuries grow worse without treatment. Injuries may require a brace, cast, or even surgery.

See a chiropractor: Patients frequently see strongly positive results in ankle injuries from a series of chiropractic treatments. Chiropractors understand the way the ankle is built, and use chiropractic adjustments to reduce pain and inflammation and promote faster healing.

Exercise rehab: Once you are healed, it’s vital to build up the ankle’s strength to avoid re-injury. Your chiropractor can lay out an exercise routine that you can employ into your regular workouts that will improve your balance and increase mobility. Performing these moves helps dramatically decrease dealing with this again down the road.

Ankle injuries are common and, whether or not you maintain an active lifestyle, you may end up suffering from one. By visiting a chiropractor on the front end, you can better plan a course of treatment that will heal your ankle quickly, reduce the pain effectively, and minimize the chance of a recurrence.

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.

How Chiropractic Helps Relieve Sacroiliac Joint Pain

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How can a body part you have probably never heard of hurt so BAD? This is a common question we hear from individuals suffering from sacroiliac joint pain.

The joint is formed by the sacrum and the ilium where they meet on either side of the lower back, with the purpose of connecting the spine to the pelvis. This small joint is one of the most durable parts of the human body, and it is responsible for a big job.

The unassuming little sacroiliac joint withstands the pressure of the upper body’s weight pushing down on it, as well as pressure from the pelvis. It’s basically the cushion between the torso and the legs. As such, it handles force from pretty much every angle.

While immensely strong and durable, this joint is not indestructible. Sacroiliac joint pain usually crops up as lower back pain, or pain in the legs or buttocks.

Weakness in these areas may also be present. The typical culprits in causing the sacroiliac joint to exhibit pain are traumatic injuries to the lower back, but more frequently develops over a longer period of time.

Sacroiliac joint pain is often misdiagnosed as soft tissue issues instead of the joint itself. Doctors may rule out other medical conditions before settling on a diagnosis that includes a sacroiliac joint problem.

If you have suffered an injury, a degenerative disease, or otherwise damaged the sacroiliac joint, there are treatments available to help manage pain, promote healing, and lessen the chances of recurrence. Here are a four helpful guidelines to assist in effectively handling sacroiliac joint pain.

First, rest and ice the area. Avoid exaggerated movements of your lower back in order to relieve some of the body’s pressure on the sacroiliac joint. Also apply ice wrapped in a towel periodically to soothe the area and minimize the pain.

A second way to handle sacroiliac pain is with therapeutic massage. Tightness around the joint is a common cause of discomfort and pain. Professional massage serves to loosen and relax the lower back, buttocks, and leg areas, offering relief from pain.

Third, consider chiropractic and seeing a chiropractor. Chiropractic treatment, known as adjustments, not only provides great options for pain relief but also helps promote the healing process of this joint.

A chiropractor is specifically trained to guide you through several phases of care. They don’t focus just on pain relief but are primarily interested in helping you fix the problem.

They’re also very well trained in rehabilitation of the spine. This approach will help loosen the muscles surrounding the joint as well as strengthen them. This will decrease the risk of pain returning down the road.

Finally, in very rare cases, doctors will choose to apply an injection to the area to alleviate pain and inflamed tissue. Obviously, the injection won’t fix the problem but may give the patient relief temporarily. Surgery is rarely a viable option.

If you show symptoms of sacroiliac pain, it’s important to see a Doctor of Chiropractic so he or she can perform tests to correctly diagnose your condition. It could very well be another type of lower back problem. So quit suffering and give us a call!

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.

What Chiropractic Patients Ought To Know About Orthotics

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It’s good to have options.

Individuals who suffer from a recurring medical condition, as well as those who experience an injury of one form or another, maintain the same overall goals; manage the pain, find a successful treatment option, and heal as quickly as possible. Fortunately, chiropractic care helps promote healing and strengthen the body by working on it in its entirety.

Experienced chiropractors understand there are some other treatments in addition to chiropractic care that help aid pain management, increase mobility, and decrease healing time. Depending on the condition, individuals may experience a wide array of benefits from blending these treatments into their chiropractic treatment.

One such treatment is orthotics. If life were a sandbox, chiropractic care and orthotics would be the best of friends. Orthotics treat muscle and skeletal conditions, as does chiropractic treatment. Some of the key benefits of utilizing orthotics as treatment include:

Greater support

Orthotics created to "brace" the body part that is not at full performance strength allows it to heal faster.

Success in keeping certain areas immobile

Sometimes a person’s injury requires little or no movement, and orthotics serve this scenario well.

Decreasing weight bearing on the particular body part

Feet, for example, bear a great deal of the body’s weight, making them one of the more difficult parts of the body to achieve healing. Orthotics provide the weight bearing assistance needed to give the body time to repair and heal itself.

Body stabilization

If a part of the body is not functioning adequately, the entire body may be unstable. This is an unsafe situation that can actually cause other injuries. Orthotics are tools that stabilize the body by providing extra support.

Body alignment correction

A variety of injuries and other health conditions cause misalignment of the spine. Certain orthotics assist the body in achieving alignment over the course of time, especially when combined with chiropractic adjustments.

Used in the course of chiropractic treatment, orthotics provide a valuable factor in the person’s recovery. Marrying the regimens of chiropractic care and orthotics supercharge the healing and recovery time.

Here’s how:

Helps eliminate painful symptoms. With chiropractic visits working on the body as a whole, and orthotics offering support and stabilization, patients often show a decrease in painful symptoms faster than employing one or the other.

Increases the chance of returning to normal activity. Utilizing orthotics gives the area that is underperforming stabilization and support. This allows a person to more likely return to work and other daily activities faster than chiropractic treatment alone.

Minimizes reliance on medication. A chronically painful medical issue is quite difficult to manage without medication. Long-term use of certain medications can create health and addiction issues, leaving a person with one more problem to handle. The combination of chiropractic care and orthotics empowers many individuals to lessen their dependence on drugs.

Maximizes quality of life. While being treated by a chiropractor, a patient’s body may take weeks or longer to stabilize before it completely heals. When orthotics are coupled with chiropractic care, these same people are able to achieve a greater feeling of stability, and consequently, independence. This effect is perhaps the most significant benefit of employing the two practices, as quality of life is immeasurable.

No matter the injury or condition, an experienced chiropractor can determine the best regimen for each individual patient’s needs. By consulting with chiropractors who also utilize orthotics in their practices, most health issues can be tackled more effectively which, in return, provides even greater results.

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.

How Chiropractic Benefits Football Players

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There is no doubt that football is a rough sport. At times it can be downright brutal, especially on the body. The sport sees a myriad of injuries, some serious, including head and neck, ankle, knee, and spinal. Chiropractic care is quickly becoming a popular, viable method of not only treating injuries, but also for managing injury related pain and even injury prevention. There are several significant benefits that football players can glean from chiropractic care.

A survey exploring the prevalence of chiropractic care in the National Football League (NFL) showed that of the team trainers surveyed, 77 percent responded that they have referred players to a chiropractor for treat or evaluation. At that time, in 2002, 31 percent of the NFL teams have a team chiropractor on staff. Now all 32 of the NFL teams utilize chiropractic care for their players and staff.

College teams are also finding that chiropractic care can help their players. Virginia Tech has a chiropractor who routinely treats the players, helping them with injury recovery and physical health. The doctor has an office in the sports complex and the trainers are able to schedule appointments for the athletes.

The benefits of chiropractic care for football players are significant.

Improved Mobility

Chiropractic manipulative treatment (CMT), aka the chiropractic adjustment, is one of the primary chiropractic therapies in sports medicine. It helps to increase flexibility and minimize or eliminate pain in movement. CMT is often used by football players as an injury prevention measure. It has also been shown to improve athletic performance.

Solid Body Maintenance

The brutality of football leads to frequent injuries. However, soreness and stiffness are even more commonplace. Many players use chiropractic care to ease the general pain that comes from overexertion and rough play. They may not be injured, per se, but are experiencing the normal pain that comes with the territory when one is an athlete. Chiropractic care keeps the body working as it should at optimal athletic performance.

Pain Relief

Chiropractic care has long been recognized as an effective pain management tool and now athletes are discovering the benefits of chiropractic therapy as well. It has been shown to relieve headaches, particularly those stemming from head and neck injuries. It also relieves shoulder pain and pain from ankle and knee injuries such as sprains.

Injury Prevention

There is a direct correlation between athletes who regularly use chiropractic care and a decline in sports related injuries. Those who use the treatment experience better flexibility and mobility which has been linked to injury prevention. Additionally, chiropractic care helps to increase strength and by making the body stronger it is more resistant to injury.

Increase Strength and Endurance

Chiropractic care has been linked with increased muscular strength. While it is often thought of as a way to relieve pain, it has been shown to effectively promote strength in the muscles after only a few sessions. This can help players avoid injury by combining the increase in strength with increased mobility. This also works to promote endurance and stamina.

Sports Hernia Relief

A significant amount of athletes experience groin pain due to injury. Athletic pubalgia is one of the most common causes of injury related groin pain. Also known as sports hernia, athletic pubalgia can cause significant pain. Chiropractic care has been shown to relieve the discomfort within 8 weeks when combined with rehabilitative exercises.

Chiropractic care plays a very important role in injury prevention, whole body care, and pain relief for athletes in one of the roughest sports in the world. These benefits can also be translated to other sports where injury is a frequent occurrence.

This article is copyrighted by Blogging Chiros LLC for its Doctor of Chiropractic members and may not be copied or duplicated in any manner including printed or electronic media, regardless of whether for a fee or gratis without the prior written permission of Blogging Chiros, LLC.