A "Winged" Scapula

  A common cause of discomfort and restriction in the upper back and shoulder is an outwardly rotated, or “winged” scapula.

When this occurs, symptoms can present around or underneath the shoulder blade itself, or in the involved shoulder and arm. Muscles may be in reactive contraction; the range of motion of the shoulder and arm is often restricted.

I reposition the scapula to its normal orientation, using the Activator instrument. It is also necessary to adjust the humerus, the upper bone in the arm which articulates with the scapula, as well as the radius or ulna in the forearm, and some of the bones in the wrist, because the “winging” of the scapula reverberates all the way into the shoulder and down the arm.

Ouch! Pain in the Toes

  Recurring pain in a toe or toes, which may feel like a cramp, can be related to an aberrant gait cycle. When a patient presents with this complaint, I watch them walk. 

Commonly, during toe-off, when the weight-bearing foot is rolling forward as the heel of the opposite foot takes the body’s weight, the toes on the “rolling” foot are "pushing." This not only assists in balance, but helps propel the walker forward.

If this action of the toes is unnecessarily strong, toe pain, either from stress on the joints or overly-contracted muscles, can be the result. This is common with vigorous walkers or “power” walkers.

Shoes that are too stiff can also be part of the problem. The walker must work harder during the gait cycle to overcome a stiff shoe. 

When a patient has this toe pain, I adjust the lower extremities, with careful attention to the feet and toes. then advise about proper walking shoes. I show the patient how to moderate their gait to help this condition resolve.

Lateral Ankle Pain

  Pain on the outside (lateral side) of the ankle can be due to a misaligned lower fibula. 

The lower end of the fibula, the smaller bone in the lower leg, forms the “bump” on the outside of the ankle. It is attached to the lower end of the larger bone, the tibia, by ligaments. Even a mild sprain of these ligaments can bring on pain.

Aside from a ligamentous sprain, however, the lower fibula may become stressed, or misaligned, in multiple directions, which results in pain, An inferior misalignment is quite common, as is a posterior misalignment. 

I correct these misalignments with the Activator instrument, precisely and comfortably for the patient, bringing relief.

Tension Headache

  Possibly the most common type of headache, tension headache, manifests as dull, aching pain and feelings of tension, tightness, and / or pressure in the head.

The sufferer may also have tender spots on their scalp and in the muscles of their neck, upper back, and shoulders.

With patients presenting in my office with this type of headache, I frequently find hypertonicity (abnormal tightness) or spasms in the suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull, in the muscles of the jaw, and in the muscles of the neck, upper back, and shoulders.

Sound familiar?

My treatment includes adjustments with the Activator to correct misalignments in the neck and upper body, and I use the Activator to relieve the hypertonicity in affected muscles.

Since these headaches are often posture - related, I counsel the patient about stressful postures which may be causing them, teach patients how to avoid these tension-producing postures, and give the patients stretches for the involved muscles.   

The Power of Purple

  Which fruits and vegetables pack the most powerful nutrition punch? The answer = the most intensely colorful ones, especially if they are purple, red, or reddish-brown. 

These colored foods are richer in phytonutrients called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants. They make blueberries blue and strawberries red.

Anthocyanins “show great promise in fighting cancer, lowering blood pressure, slowing age-related memory loss,” etc.

What foods can we begin to add more of in our diets? 

Think purple!---purple onions, purple cabbage, purple potatoes, purple carrots, purple broccoli, purple cauliflower, purple peas & beans, artichokes, and asparagus come to mind.

To learn more, see Jo Robinson’s 2013 book, Eating on the Wild Side:  The MIssing Link to Optimum Health