"Knock Knees"

Remember when you were a kid and some other kid you knew had knees that “bent in,” or “bumped” each other? 

Sometimes this was somewhat insensitively referred to as “knock knees.”

This condition, professionally called “genu valgum,” can be due to a rotation of the femoral head in the ball-and-socket hip joint, or to pronation of the foot, both of which result in an abnormal “Q angle” relating to the knee.

Foot pronation, or the falling inward of the medial side at the plantar arch, is the most easily correctable. Appropriate orthotics, often over-the-counter if properly fit, will help.

Orthotics should be consistently worn; going barefoot should be avoided.

As an Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor, I precisely evaluate and adjust the bones of the pelvis, hip, knee, foot, and entire involved lower extremities for this condition.

Prepare for Summer Fun

As summer approaches, patients begin to come in with sequelae of warm weather activities, one of which is water skiing.

Having fun water skiing without appropriate preparation of one’s musculature, especially the muscles of the low back, can lead to unpleasant consequences.

Simple strengthening exercises that prepare the muscles for summer activities can prevent a lot of unnecessary discomfort.

Pain That "Caps" the Shoulder

When there is pain in the deltoid area, around the upper area of the arm at the shoulder, or at the insertion point of the deltoid muscle on the outer upper arm, it often is not due to a problem in the shoulder itself.

Rather, the origin of the pain is in the neck.

Misalignments or degenerative changes in the spine in the lower cervical region, at C6 - C7, can cause this pain that presents this way in the upper shoulder.

No-Till Farming

Want a vibrant, healthy garden that produces nutrient-rich vegetables, herbs, fruits, etc. while sequestering carbon by increasing soil organic matter (SOM)?

Disturb the soil as little as possible.

At Singing Frogs Farm north of San Francisco, a “No Till No Kill” system is an example. 

They cover their planting beds with mulch and compost instead of plowing or using herbicides. New plants are inserted directly into the compost; they use a high biodiversity of cash & cover crops which are continuously rotated to break weed, disease and pest cycles.

This system retains more water, requiring less irrigation, & produces high crop yields. 

It has increased SOM by 400% in under six years, sequestering significantly more carbon.

        The Singing Frogs system is applicable to more than 80% of farms around the world---the majority of farms are under 5 acres.  https://regenerationinternational.org/2021/03/08/best-practices-how-regenerative-organic-agriculture-and-land-use-can-reverse-global-warming/

Listen to a podcast by owners of Singing Frogs Farm at https://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-05-27/paul-elizabeth-kaiser-sustainable-farming-2-0/  

"Noisy" Knees

  If you hear a “crunching” or “grinding” noise in your knee when you bend it, this is a sign of an arthritic, or degenerative, condition called Chondromalacia Patella.

For various reasons, the patella, or kneecap, may begin tracking abnormally as it slides up and down in a groove on the front of the femur with bending of the knee, resulting in abnormal “wear & tear” in the articulation.

If not corrected with the proper treatment plan, the condition can advance to painful and debilitating arthritis.

The patella should be adjusted by vectoring the ACTIVATOR instrument appropriately to correct its tracking. I also give the patient exercises to prevent recurrence.

Nerve "Maps"

      Areas of our skin receive sensory innervation from particular spinal nerves. 

      These sensory areas, called “dermatomes,” are predictable from person to person, and can be “mapped” on a model of the human body.

      An a an example, if a patient presents with pain, or with numbness & tingling, in a specific area of the arm or hand, the doctor can identify the involved spinal nerve(s) based on the dermatome map of the upper extremity.

      As an Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor, once the involved nerve(s) is / are identified, I can make precise, gentle adjustments accordingly to relieve nerve impingement & help relieve the patient’s symptoms.

Gardening With Native Plants to Attract Birds

Have you ever considered that garden plants native to your area have advantages for birds and for you as well?

A landscape of drought-tolerant natives will use less water in your garden, can be more resistant to native pests, and natives provide food suited for area birds.

Find out why “yards with non-native plants create ‘food deserts’ for bugs and birds,” find the best plants for your area, and learn how to create your native plant garden at: 

https://www.audubon.org/PLANTSFORBIRDS?emci=c10dc46c-ff2b-eb11-9fb4-00155d43b2cd&emdi=2b6388a5-d02d-eb11-9fb4-00155d43b2cd&ceid=721242