Insufficient Lumbo-Pelvic Stabilization

 

     Our pelvis is the bio-mechanical foundation for our whole body. Everything depends on and relates to the pelvis.

     If the pelvis becomes distorted and consequently unlevel, it becomes an unstable foundation for the body above, and negatively affects the extremities below.

     A technical term for this kind of abnormal disturbance is “Insufficient Lumbo-Pelvic Stabilization.” This is a diagnosis I see frequently in patients in my office.

     Left uncorrected, this will continue to cause problems---discomfort, secondary disturbances elsewhere above and / or below, abnormal gait, and fatigue. Chiropractic adjustments elsewhere will not hold unless the pelvis is balanced and corrected.

     In my practice, I always pay particular attention to the pelvis, no matter what the patient’s symptoms or complaints. I consider this critically important to my patients’ healing. 

Pronation---A Troublemaker in the Foot

     When the inside of your foot drops inward toward the floor when you’re standing, it’s called “pronation.”  It is often seen in combination with fallen arches, or “flat feet.”

     If you stand behind someone who “pronates,” or has pronation in their feet, it is easy to see how the inside of the foot falls in and down. You may also notice an inward curving of the Achilles tendon in the back of the ankle on the involved foot (feet).

     Pronation can cause foot pain and fatigue, but it also negatively affects the knees, and can reverberate upward to cause abnormal stresses in the hips and pelvis.

     Watch the legs of someone who pronates as they stand facing you, and have them lift and hold the inside of their feet out of pronation. Now focus on their knees and have them relax their feet back into their usual pronation.  

     See what happened? The dropping back into pronation caused a rotation of the knees. This shows how much stress pronation causes on the knees. These abnormal stresses cause wear and tear that can lead to osteoarthritis.

     Pronation should be corrected by proper orthotics, and they don’t necessarily have to be custom. My treatment plan includes precise adjustments of lower extremity, hip, and pelvic joints with Activator Chiropractic, orthotics, and exercises to strengthen the muscles that support the ankle and foot. 

Sugar "Awakens" Cancer Cells

     It has been known for a long time that cancer tumor cells break down sugars much more quickly than healthy tissues, a process known as the “Warburg Effect.”  However, it has not been understood whether this was a symptom, or a cause, of cancer.

     Research publicized in October, 2017 shows how this stimulates tumor growth. The research, done in the Netherlands, reveals “evidence for a positive correlation between sugar and cancer.”

     According to the lead researcher on the study, “Our research reveals how the hyperactive sugar consumption of cancerous cells leads to a vicious cycle of continued stimulation of cancer development and growth.”

     To learn more, go to  http://www.vib.be/en/news/Pages/Scientists-reveal-the-relationship-between-sugar-and-cancer.aspx 

Frozen Shoulder

The condition of “frozen shoulder” is technically called adhesive capsulitis. There is pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion in the involved shoulder. A common origin is inflammation, which can be caused by injury, overuse, or it can be related to chronic diseases such as diabetes.

It is sometimes related to a stroke, or after surgery, either of which can cause lack of use and progressive loss of range of motion.

My treatment plan includes evaluating and adjusting the joints of the shoulder complex, the neck, and thoracic spine, with accompanying anti-inflammatory home care. The patient does contrast therapy of alternating ice and heat, gentle range-of-motion exercises and stretches, and applies topical arnica for inflammation at home.

The Seymour Marine Discovery Center

                       "Jingle Shells" 

                     Arts and Crafts Festival 

is Sunday, Dec. 10 at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, 12:00 - 5:30 pm.You can shop for gifts made by local artisans, enjoy the aquarium, kids' activities, hot cider, and music. Discounted admission all day.  Go to  https://seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/  for more information.

The Cranial Rhythms

    The bones in our head have very subtle rhythmical motions, called the "cranial rhythms." 

    These motions are not synchronized with either our heartbeat or our breathing. They are related to the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid that bathes our brain and our spinal cord. 

     Aberrances, or abnormalities, in these rhythms can be associated with headaches, vertigo, or sometimes just a general feeling of "being out of sorts." 

     Every treatment in my office includes balancing the patient’s cranial rhythms as part of a full-body balancing.

Wearing Your Shoulders for Earrings?

       
Are you "trying to wear your shoulders for earrings?"

     Sounds like a joke, doesn’t it? But there’s a very real anatomical basis for saying this, and it can cause a lot of trouble in the upper back and neck. 

     If you carry your shoulders in a “perpetual shrug,” holding chronic upward tension, and pain runs from your shoulderblades all the way up your neck, maybe also involving a headache, you may be doing this. 

     Particular muscles, called the levator scapulae, attach to the upper part of the shoulderblade, and to the vertebrae in your neck. If these muscles are on chronic contraction in a “perpetual shrug,” they become exhausted and painful. 

     This can be relieved by precise Activator Chiropractic adjustments of the underlying bones and joints, re-setting the tension in the muscles with the Activator instrument, and stretches and exercises at home. 

     In my office, I include ergonomic counseling to correct stressful postures that may be aggravating the problem.  

Medicare = EXCELLENT Insurance!

     The current Medicare deductible is just $183 per year.  Where else can you get health insurance with such a low deductible?

     And, yes, Medicare covers care of your spine by your Chiropractor. 

     Be sure to inform your Chiropractor as soon as you are covered under Medicare.

Leave the Leaves!

     One of the best things you can do to support pollinators---bees, butterflies, beetles, & moths---is to let fallen leaves stay on the ground! Fallen leaves become food & shelter to insects that overwinter in our landscapes, protecting them from predators and the cold.

     Although Monarch butterflies migrate, most butterflies and moths spend the winter in the landscape as an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, or adult, & all these stages use leaf litter for winter cover. Fallen leaves may become the first food of caterpillars in the spring.

     Some bees burrow into the soil to hibernate for winter; a layer of leaves helps protect them.

     Fallen leaves are free mulch. They suppress weeds and retain moisture, and the decaying organic matter enriches the soil. 

     Go to  https://xerces.org/2017/10/06/leave-the-leaves/  to learn more.

Scoliosis---Early Intervention is Critical

     Schools offer scoliosis screening for good reason; the earlier it is detected and addressed, the better chance that conservative care can be effective. 

     My treatment plan, preferably begun early, includes chiropractic balancing of the entire frame, special exercises, and ergonomic counseling. 

     This approach has successfully stopped advancement of the curvature for several girls in their early teens.

The Brachial Plexus

     Nerves from the neck that go down the arm are called the “brachial plexus,” literally meaning “arm (brachial) network of nerves (plexus).” 

     Picture the wires inside an electrical box outside your house---multiple wires coming in, maybe different colors, bundled together in clusters of wires, going somewhere inside your home. A rough analogy, but your brachial plexus is somewhat similar. 

     Nerves exit the spine in the neck, join into “bundles,” and travel down the arm and into the hand.

Severe Pain, But There's No Fracture

     A not uncommon cause of severe pain in the ribs, when X-ray rules out fracture, can be strain of the tiny muscles between the ribs, the intercostal muscles. Some kind of trauma is usually involved, such as a fall, an auto accident, overexertion, etc. 

     These little muscles help with the movements of our chest when we breathe, so if they are injured, every breath can be painful. 

     Healing can be slow, but can be assisted by careful assessment of the rib cage for misalignments that put stress on the injured area.  

Pregnancy and Postpartum

A hormone called “relaxin” is generated in a woman’s body when she is pregnant. It has a loosening effect on her joints, partly to prepare the pelvic joints for passage of the baby through the birth canal, but it affects all the joints in her body. Because of this, her joints become more vulnerable to misalignments or distortions.

It is especially beneficial for expectant moms to come in for periodic full-body balancing. My Activator Chiropractic method is gentle, comfortable, precise, and especially suited for women in pregnancy.

After the birth, relaxin slowly dissipates, but for a while the mother’s joints remain susceptible. So continuing to get checked and balanced, while the body returns to pre-pregnancy status, is a good idea.