Articles & Info

High school, college and professional athletes are increasingly turning to chiropractic care to help them relieve pain and stay fit. Many athletes in the Columbus area seek chiropractic care on their own initiative. However, there is a growing trend for schools and professional teams to either have a direct relationship with a chiropractic physician or have one on their medical staff. Being a former high school and college athlete, I have a tremendous respect for the trainers, physical therapists and orthopedists that I have seen and worked with over the years. I also have an understanding of how chiropractic care, together with traditional medical care, has helped athletes, including myself. Does this mean that a chiropractor can help and prevent all injuries? Absolutely not! However, chiropractic care definitely has a place in the medical care of an athlete. Many athletes began looking into chiropractic care in the mid-eighties. Quarterback, Joe […]

There are several types of scoliosis, the most common being “idiopathic scoliosis,” so called because of its unknown origin. Scoliosis is a lateral curve most commonly seen in the mid back region, but will affect the entire vertebral column. According to the journal Spine, “Idiopathic scoliosis is the most common bone abnormality, seen in 4% to 6% of the world’s population.” Scoliosis is 4 to 9 times more common in females than males and is most prevalent between the ages of 3 to 16 years of age. Females 10 to 12 years old are the most common to display the physical symptoms. Scoliosis, if left untreated will lead not only to a crooked spine, but can cause degenerative arthritis, cardio-pulmonary complications, and many serious joint dysfunctions. Treatment of scoliosis is dependent upon the degree of lateral curvature in the spine. A 10° curve or less is considered medically normal and […]

General Use of Heat Value: Heat application helps relax tight muscles, and increases blood flow and nutrition to the area, which can help speed healing once the initial inflammation has subsided. It also helps the muscles and tendons respond better to being stretched and exercised. This treatment should feel like a gentle warmth, never hot or burning. Home Application: If you use heat application at home, a treatment time of 20 minutes (no longer) is recommended. Leave the heat off for an hour or so between treatments. NEVER use any kind of heat on a new (within 3 days) injury. Although the heat will probably feel good at the time, it actually slows the healing process and may cause increased aching and pain a few hours after treatment. For the first 2 to 3 days after an injury, ice is a better choice. Moist Hot Packs Value: Moist hot packs […]

The use of cold in therapy, or cryotherapy, is often applied to a new injury or a recently re-injured old injury to decrease pain, muscle spasm, and swelling. Ice slows blood flow to the injured area and minimizes damage done by interrupted circulation. Ice is the safest and most effective way of treating sprains, strains, muscle spasm, and bruises. Health care practitioners frequently prescribe ice for a wide range of muscle and joint complaints. What You Will Feel: When ice is properly applied, the following sensations will occur during a normal treatment: Cold Increasing discomfort or an aching feeling A painful or burning sensation Numbness or significant pain reduction The first time you apply ice, it can be very uncomfortable, but each treatment will get easier and easier as you get used to the ice application. Home Application: The easiest, safest, and most effective way of applying ice at home […]

What should I use for my pain, heat or ice? This is one of the more common questions I hear from patients with acute or chronic pain. Here is some of the latest research and methods on using heat and ice from the Journal of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine. Ice or cold therapy is used immediately and up to 72 hours following a new injury. Cold therapy causes a decrease in blood circulation to the injured area reducing the amount of swelling. It also decreases muscle spasms and is used during sporting events to stop muscle cramping in the athlete. Ice is the safest way to treat sprains, strains, and bruises and should be applied immediately after the injury. Cold therapy also decreases cell metabolism, and helps prevent cell death to an injured area, resulting in faster healing time. Ice is very safe but not recommended on patients with Raynaud’s […]

Ultrasound is the application of sound waves above human hearing to tissue to increase healing in an area. Ultrasound that is applied to an injured area provides a “micromassage”, or a vibration at the cellular level. This treatment decreases pain, increases flexibility, and speeds the healing process. Ultrasound may also cause mild heating to occur in the area, depending on how it is applied. Like exercise, each treatment of ultrasound builds on the previous session, so more than one treatment is necessary to gain the effects; usually 5 to 8 treatments are used at the minimum. Your treatment will last from 1 to 8 minutes, and you will need to be treated either daily or every other day. On occasion more extensive ultrasound treatments may be recommended, up to 4 to 6 weeks. What you will feel: When properly applied, ultrasound will cause almost no sensation at all, although a […]

Electric muscle stimulation is used for two main reasons; either to decrease pain, or to cause a muscle to contract. When electric stimulation is used to decrease pain, the effect of the current is to encourage the body’s natural pain-controlling mechanisms by either blocking a pain nerve’s signal or by releasing opiates (endorphins, similar to those in “runner’s high”.) If your clinician thinks it is appropriate for your condition, a muscle contraction may be caused by the electric muscle stimulation. This can range from a mild twitching sensation to a strong contraction. The treatment you will be receiving may feel unusual at first, but should never feel painful or very uncomfortable. Many patients describe the sensation as tingling, like when your foot falls asleep. Your clinician will ask if the treatment is tolerable; if you are not comfortable, let them know immediately.