Tag: mobility

Categories
Chiropractor Injury prevention Media Photos Sport

Sports Clinic

sports-injury-chiropractor-hong-kong
Dr. Mike Chivers and Dr. BenjaminBluestein

Learning from Sports Clinic experts

I was fortunate to visit Dr. Mike Chivers, Head Lead Instructor of Functional Anatomy Seminars for Functional Release and Functional Range Assessment.  @drmchivers .

“Dr. Chivers holds an Honours Bachelor of Physical Education from Brock University. He is a graduate of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) where he graduated Cum Laude and with clinical honours and a Doctor of Chiropractic. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences after finishing a two year post-graduate residency program. He has been an Assistant Professor at CMCC in the departments of Clinical Education and Orthopedics. He maintains a private practice and is also a highly sought for injury and performance consulting amongst athletes at the amateur, provincial, national and professional level. He has also written numerous articles and has published papers in peer reviewed scientific journals.” (bio from https://www.functionalanatomyseminars.com/about-us/)

 

Dr. Mike Chivers allowed me to observe and speak to him on how he adapts the Functional Anatomy Seminars Paradigm when making clinical decisions on sports injury.

I was able to observe 6 cases in the time I was in the Sports Clinic. Here are some brief descriptions of the cases below:

Case 1- hip paib, achy but less sore,  running box jumps causing pain into testicle region, cueing for cat cow was done to reduce rib flare and also practice diaphragm breathing for rib mobility.

Case 2- Ankle sprain from sports. FR done on ankle musculature

Case 3- right hip pain when walking

Case4- bilateral elbow, rotation irritation in forearms, lack of supination,  elbow weighted cars and pails to supination given to promote motion

Case 5- left knee shattered, wiring 2x and pinning, 5 procedures, 6 month post total knee replacement, patient reported dry needling after 1 session brought the lowest pain levels down since knee replacement.

Case 6- Right knee pain and irritation in older female, difficulty walking, FR to knee

 

Special thank you Dr. Chivers and Sports Performance Centres for having me.

sports-injury-chiropractor-hong-kong
Dr. Mike Chivers and Dr. BenjaminBluestein
Categories
Chiropractor Hong Kong Media Photos Sport

Crossfit Open 2016 – A summary


Crossfit Open 2016 took place from February 25 to March 28, 2016.

During the Crossfit Open,  a workout was released. each week. I was fortunate to cover and assess sports injuries at my local box, Crossfit 852 3 of the 5 workouts. I was able to snap some quick photos, you can see below.

 

16.1- Most athletes came with complaints of knee and hip pain. Achy, sore patella tendon and quad muscles were normal after seeing a AMRAP consisting of that many lunges. Had 1 or 2 elbow complaints but nothing major.

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes of:
25-ft. overhead walking lunge
8 burpees
25-ft. overhead walking lunge
8 chest-to-bar pull-ups

Men lunge 95 lb.
Women lunge 65 lb.

16.2- Some lower back and hip problems aggravated by flexion.  This may have been due to both the toes to bar causing some flare up of flexion based back pain. Hip pain tended to from the squat cleans.

Beginning on a 4-minute clock, complete as many reps as possible of:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
15 squat cleans, 135 / 85 lb.

If completed before 4 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
13 squat cleans, 185 / 115 lb.

And so on…

16.3- I was not present during 16.3 but the following weeks I did have some clients come to the office with complaints of rotator cuff problems (possible tendon tears and muscle pulls) due to the bar muscle up. Many of this years competitors may have not trained for bar muscle ups and I saw some poor form rather than scaling. 

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 7 minutes of:
10 power snatches
3 bar muscle-ups

Men use 75 lb.
Women use 55 lb.

 

16.4- Probably the hardest of the open. The men had to dead lift for reps which is always very tough. Many of the athletes have lifted 225 lbs previously but not for 55 reps so back pain was the most prominent complaint. The second most was neck pain. Looking up to throw during the wall balls, then having to do hand stand push ups and falling on your head and neck can definitely hurt the neck a bit.

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 13 minutes of:
55 deadlifts
55 wall-ball shots
55-calorie row
55 handstand push-ups

Men deadlift 225 lb. and throw 20-lb. ball to 10-ft. target
Women deadlift 155 lb. and throw 14-lb. ball to 9-ft. target

 

16.5 – Not present. Few injuries were reports, if at all. 

21-18-15-12-9-6-3 reps for time of:
Thrusters
Burpees

Men use 95 lb.
Women use 65 lb.

One thing that has to be mentioned is that Crossfit is a Sport. Like any other Sport, there is a risk of injury.

 

 

Categories
Chiropractor Hong Kong Joint Health Sport

Crossfit & Chiropractic

Crossfit & Chiropractic

I have patients who participate in the sport of Crossfit. Crossfit is “the SPORT of fitness”. Crossfit participants and athletes are incredibly committed, driven and hardworking individuals. Their goals are to improve time, weight and volume lifted. Crossfit athletes push themselves physically everytime. People must realize that Crossfit is a sport, just like basketball or football.

Is Crossfit Safe?

There is risk involved in any activity or SPORT. Crossfit is not exempt from this rule. Crossfit takes safety seriously and many gyms/boxes have mandatory “on-ramp” classes before participating in full workouts. Crossfit participants should be supervised by certified/qualified coaches. Anyone considering participating in Crossfit or any athletic sports should understand that there are prerequisites and risks with all movements.

What are the typical Crossfit injuries seen in a Chiropractic office?

Crossfit athletes can push themselves so much that it can lead to overuse muscle and tendon injuries, as well as spinal and extremity joint dyfunctions. Dysfunctions may or may not cause pain but over time may result in a pain and or more serious problems. I always tell and teach patients to listen to their body and not to push too hard if they are experiencing any discomfort.

In my experience, Crossfit participants typically have restricted range of motion and recurrent stiffness in the shoulders and hips. However the most serious complaints I have received in my Chiropractic office is lower back pain.

What about Crossfit makes lower back injuries so common?

Lifting exercises such as the squat and deadlift are done with high volume and weight. If these exercises are done with proper posture and technique they are great for functional core and leg strength. A proper moving spine and hips are required to perform these exercises. If an individual does not have the proper range of motion or ability prior to attempting the squat and deadlift they can become injured. For those with the ability, as athlete becomes tired, their form can be affected and eventually these exercises can cause injury.

Overhead exercises (snatch, thrusters, presses etc. ) are also performed. If a participant doesn’t have the prerequisite movement at the shoulders and mid back, compensations problems in the lower back will result. Take a look at the video below:

Do you look like this when you perform overhead activities? Time to see a Chiropractor that can determine why and how to fix it. Manual therapy and functional movement correction that Chiropractors provide are very effective at not only prevention but recovery as well.

How can Crossfit gyms/boxes and Chiropractors work together?

A Crossfit athlete’s goal is to maximize their body’s full athletic potential. Crossfit athletes are required to maintain their bodies by participating in proper training, nutrition and sleep. A Chiropractor’s goal is to optimize the patients’ body through manual treatment and advice on training, diet and treatment. Crossfit gyms can also help general chiropractic patients become more physically active in their own lives.

Our philosophies and goals go hand-in-hand. Regular treatment from a Chiropractor will allow for the maintenance and overall performance of the body. Regular Crossfit and physical activity can help people become healthier.

Chiropractors can also assess those thinking about joining Crossfit to determine if they have the prerequisite abilities.

What do the Crossfit athletes have to say?

If you don’t believe me, listen to Rich Froning Jr. Rich is the 4 x reigning and defending “Fittest Man on Earth”. He has won the Reebok Crossfit Games continuously since 2011 to 2014. He is an advocate for Chiropractic care and believes Crossfitters can benefit from seeing a Chiropractor. Rich mentions muscle stim as something he utilizes aswell. At the office, we also provide EMS stim as treatment modality for recovery as well.

Do you have questions on how Chiropractic can help you? Contact me.

 

Categories
Chiropractor Hong Kong Joint Health Spine Sport

Secrets to Joint Health

Joint Health exercises
Chiropractor and Joint Health

Joint health is dependent on movement!

The Secret to joint health

The secret to joint health is to first move well, then move often. In order to maintain joint health you need to move your joints: actively and passively. Mobility training should be done on its own and not only as a warm up before activity. 

Body Assessment

Before attempting mobility training, you should have a joint assessment by a health professional like a Chiropractor to determine your level of ability. Your Chiropractor can determine what your knees, hips, shoulders, spine etc. are capable of and if they are functioning correctly.

Categories
Chiropractor Health Hong Kong Joint Health Pain Spine Sport

Feeling stiff? What does it mean?

I’m Stiff…

Joint stiffness is one of the most commonly reported symptoms in my practice. Many patients complain that most stiffness occurs within the neck, back, hips, knees and shoulders. Both athletes and the general public report joint stiffness impacting their lives daily. Feeling stiff is your body’s way to tell you your joints are not functioning optimally.

Something that is under emphasized is the idea of long term joint health. As a Chiropractor, I always emphasize on the importance of preventing stiffness and maintaining articular health throughout life.

Will joint stiffness, regardless of reported pain, impact the way we live?

Thakral et al. 2014 (“A stiff price to pay: does joint stiffness predict disability in an older population?”) studied whether or not reported stiffness to predict disability in an older population (>70 years old). 400 of the adults participated reported morning stiffness, with half of them reporting one area of stiffness and half with multiple areas.
The study showed that 64% of people with multisite stiffness were at greater risk for developing new or worsening mobility AND declined in physical performance.

 Mobility Program

Integrating joint mobility programs to adults at an early age to address any stiffness will help prevent further progression of joint stiffness and improve mobility throughout life.
Before attempting a mobility program, you should first find out if your joints are moving the proper way. Some individuals cannot move themselves on their own or do not know how to. Health professionals such as Chiropractors are specialists at diagnosing and treating the joints of the entire body, not just the spine. Perhaps your body requires more than exercises to maintain your health such as needling, manipulation, mobilization, or taping etc.
Chiropractors are able to assess the integrity of your joints and articulations of the body (spine, knees, ankles, shoulders etc.) and will provide advice on how to decrease joint stiffness, improve mobility and physical performance.
Do you do daily mobility exercises to prevent stiffness? What exercises do you do? Are you truly changing the structures of your body?