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Greetings!
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2012 and the January issue of our monthly newsletter. We are looking forward to another year of providing the best chiropractic service in NEPA. We wish you and your family a safe, healthy, and happy new year. Enjoy this month's issue! |
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Warm-Ups Help Prevent High School Sports Injuries
 A recent study in the Journal of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine has shown that warms ups before practice cuts down on knee, ankle, and other injuries in female high school sports. The study reports a 67% drop in non-contact related leg injuries in basketball and soccer when a 20 minute warm up was performed before practice. The warm up consisted of a series of flexibility, agility, and balance drills, mostly designed to prepare the athlete for the workout but also to increase awareness of leg position and movement technique. Non-contact leg injuries (twisting, running, jumping) is a growing problem in sports and female athletes are more susceptible to ligament tears and sprains than their male counterparts. Our clinic has recently certified in the Functional Movement Screen which is quickly becoming the gold standard for predicting injury risk in athletes. Research has shown that an athlete is 4x more likely to have an injury if they do not show symmetrical movement during the FMS screen. Athletes who score lower than 12 (out of a possible 21) are 11x more likely to be injured. For more information on the FMS screen click here. |
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MRI's and Spinal Injections
 A new study from Johns Hopkins University shows that there is little benefit in using an MRI to evaluate a patient's spine before treating their pain with injections. The study, published in the Archives of internal Medicine, has shown that the patient outcomes are no different if spinal injections are given with or without an MRI. It has been shown in other recent studies that although an MRI can provide valuable information, it should not be considered an essential tool for the management of spinal pain as many patients with abnormal MRI's have little to no back pain. As health care costs continue to rise, patients and their doctors need to reconsider the benefit of spinal MRI's and their associated costs. |
Patients often ask us about an effective way to stretch and relieve muscle pain at home. We have found that one of the most effective and inexpensive home therapies is with the use of a foam roller. The typical foam roller is a durable styrofoam roll, usually 6" in diameter and 3 feet long. The roller can be used at home for a variety of self massage, stretching techniques, and posture exercises. Research has proven that using the foam roller will also improve circulation, flexibility, and relieve joint pain. We commonly have our athletes warm up their spines and muscles before competition with the roller and it's also great for relaxing tight muscles after exercise. On your next visit, ask the doctors about using a foam roller for home care. We sell them in the office and can show you our top 10 roller techniques. 