Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Pain in the outer side of the knee or hip can be caused by friction against the knee / leg / hip by a thick band of connective tissue alongside the thigh called the Iliotibial Band (ITB).

This is common in runners, weight lifters, and activities at the gym, etc., that involve repetitive bending of the knee with resistance. The ITB becomes excessively tight with repetitive use, which exacerbates the friction.

I address this by adjusting the hip, the knee, and releasing tension in the ITB with the Activator instrument. It is important for the patient to stretch before and after workouts, if running to stay on level surfaces, and to wear supportive shoes.

A distorted pelvis can contribute to this condition, so it is important for the patient to check in with me periodically for pelvic balancing.

Groin Pain

Patients presenting with pain in their groin have a particular kind of pelvic distortion involving the joint in the front of the pelvic girdle, called the pubic symphysis.

It is a movable joint which has a disc, like the discs in our spine. 

In most people, this joint is stable unless complex, usually severe, pelvic distortion occurs, or  if a mother who has carried a baby and given birth. In these instances, the pubic symphysis often becomes misaligned, and 99% of the time, a consequence is groin pain. 

As an Advanced Proficiency Activator Chiropractor, my job is to determine the nature of this misalignment, and correct it gently & precisely with the Activator instrument. The adjustment brings immediate relief. 

Protection From Blue Light

The blue light from computer screens, TVs, & cell phones causes eye fatigue, and is often a source of headaches and sleep disturbances.

The best solution I have found for this is BPA-free plastic glasses from Northland Outpost whose orange lenses block 95% of blue light. These are comfortable worn alone, and they also fit easily over my corrective lenses for watching TV.

These glasses, available on Amazon,

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Light-Blocking-Glasses-Insomnia/dp/B076GTTQLJ/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=northland+outpost+blue+light+blocking+glasses&qid=1612016903&sr=8-5

are very lightweight and reasonably priced. Since I’ve been using them my eye fatigue, especially from computer use, is significantly reduced.

Ouch! At The Elbow

You’re chopping vegetables, making a salad, brushing your hair, stacking kindling for the fireplace, hammering a nail---any of a multitude of actions that involve bending your hand backwards at your wrist---and you notice pain at your elbow.

What’s going on?

The muscles that bend your band backward at your wrist connect to the bone in your elbow. The tendon that attaches these muscles, called the “wrist extensors,” at the elbow can become irritated & inflammed, often due to overuse.

The result is that every time you activate your wrist extensor muscles when using your hand, there is a pull on the inflammed tendon at your elbow, and it hurts. 

What’s the solution? 

This situation can be very persistent of not treated. My protocol includes precise, gentle adjustments of the forearm and wrist with the Activator instrument, protection of the irritated tendon by use of a compressing band, anti-inflammatories including ice and topical arnica, and soft tissue therapy to the involved muscles.

New Medicare Deductible

We have cycled into a new “year” with Medicare, and there is a new annual deductible that must be met before reimbursement will kick in.

The 2020 deductible, $198, has increased to $203 for 2021. 

Compared to typical private health insurance deductibles, Medicare continues to be fair and reasonable, in my opinion, and Medicare continues to cover Chiropractic care for the spine.