Health Tips

The Neck

Benefits

Humans are most comfortable with their eyes level with and on the horizon. When babies are lying on their tummies, they do not leave their foreheads on the ground to stare at the floor! Instead, each will upright the head in order to take in the world around him or her; this is precisely how the spinal curve of the neck begins to develop. Of course, infants will not be able to achieve full head uprighting at first, as this in itself is a 'skill' to develop. But even from a young age, the baby will look from side to side. Once a baby masters the ability to support the head, he or she easily will progress to a more difficult movement pattern - requiring head control - such as crawling or walking.

Milestones

Many parents feel pressure from outside sources to rush their child through stages of development. They hear stories of how a friend’s kid walked at only 10 months old and wonder if their own baby is behind because they are not reaching the same milestones as quickly.

Becoming a Runner

Toe functionality can be a powerful insight into how the body is stabilizing itself through different tasks such as: walking, long distance running, sprinting, and even weight lifting. Imagine yourself getting up on a nice cool morning and deciding to go for a run. You put on your new sneakers you bought at the local running store. This local store did a fanstatic job identifying your foot structure (supinator, pronator, neutral), gave you the jist of trends in heel-toe drops, and helped pick the right running shoe for you.

Whole Body Influence

The big toe is often a forgotten and neglected component of the human body. Proper range of motion in the big toe is vital to creating stability as running speeds increase. Ideally, the big toe needs to dorsiflex (i.e. the toe bends toward the face) at least 45 degrees. However, as speeds increase from walking to running, 65 or more degrees of dorsiflexion is ideal. Lack of big toe range of motion can cause problems local to the foot such as plantar fasciitis,¹ and is even noted with over head athletes such as baseball pitchers and cricket bowlers.²

Core Hype

Over the past few years, the "core" has become a hot phrase in the fitness industry much the way the avocado has in the nutritional world. Catchy phrases such as 'core strength,' 'functional core,' or 'abdominal bracing' have all been thrown around haphazardly, with an inordinate number of core exercises to match.

If you look back at your last meal, do you know where your food came from? If the answer is 'no', you are not alone and Mikel Bowyer with ICT Food Circle wants to help the Wichita community change this status quo!

This past weekend I was fortunate to attend a seminar hosted by another chiropractor in the Wichita area. The education was focused on better treating athletes, and weightlifters in particular, based on a technique named Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (for more information, stay turned for an upcoming blog OR come in and visit us so we can show you firsthand). The class consisted of chiropractors, personal trainers and strength coaches; it was great to see professionals from varying disciplines being able to work together.

Happy Friday Wichita!

Waiter Walks: A missing shoulder "Pre-hab" exercise

The waiter walk is a wonderful exercise to add to your upper body workout regiment, but I rarely see it utilized within the health & wellness community or at local gyms. As a strength coach, physical therapist, chiropractor, average gym goer, or anything-in-between, this exercise is a must add, especially if you are training for any overhead tasks.

Headache Prevelance

Headaches are a common experience for many individuals. 50% of people will experience headaches in any given year, while 90% of individuals will report having a headache sometime within their life. Unless you are the lucky 10%, headaches can be a debilitating and often preventable experience through lifestyle and postural modifications. One common type, that I see here in our clinic at ICT Muscle & Joint Clinic, is suboccipital tension headaches.

"Caffenating an Entrepreneurial Nation"*

In their own words, "1 Million Cups is a free, weekly national program designed to educate, engage, and connect entrepreneurs. Developed by the Kauffman Foundation, 1MC is based on the notion that entrepreneurs discover solutions and network over a million cups of coffee."*

Lacing for Performance

When looking at your shoes, have you ever wondered what the purpose of the nearest eyelet to your ankle is? Many individuals, using this eyelet, state they feel added support. In order to get the maximum amount of support, utilizing this eyelet, there is a specific lacing pattern called the “high 7-eyelet lacing pattern.” According to Hagen and Hennig (1), this pattern for tying your shoes, with a moderate amount of tension, significantly reduces pressure underneath the heel and outer forefoot, as well as reducing the loading rate and the velocity of pronation associated with walking and running. Depending on the running mechanics and strain experienced with walking or running, this technique may reduce the risk of related injuries. Below is a picture series to help guide you through lacing with the high 7-eyelet.

Lately, I have overheard several individuals at the gym discussing their troubles with deep squatting: ranging from anterior hip pain, to knees caving in. Yes, I was eavesdropping, but kept my two cents to myself and decided to share it in this blog instead! There are 3 things I have found to hinder one’s deep squat potential: improper breathing strategies, not spending enough time in the “hole,” and lack of bodyweight exercises with the hips flexed greater than 90 degrees.

Have you ever been told you have a short leg? Has a family member or friend ever mentioned having a short leg? Chances are, the answer is yes. What does this really mean? Is there truly a “short leg”, commonly referred as a LLD or leg length discrepancy? What is considered a significant difference?

While on the Whole 30, we were not allowed to eat dairy products, grains (not even pseudo-ones), legumes, alcohol, or added sugar. The first time Keith & I visited the grocery store came as a bit of a shocker. It seems EVERYTHING has some form of sugar added to it, especially: milk, yogurt, bbq sauce, salad dressings, and all things “fat-free”. However, subsequent trips have gotten much easier by staying on the perimeter of the store; do not even tempt yourself with the products in the middle aisles. Confession: we should buy stock in the chicken they sell at Costco; that, along with eggs, onions, garlic, & herbs are pantry must-haves!

30 Whole Days of eating food, doesn’t sound too difficult does it? Well, Keith and I decided to take on this challenge last month. Up to this point, we had made an effort to eat well (most days) and keep up with the latest in food education. Through that research, we came across this diet,“The Whole30 Program,” mentioned by many different authors whom we greatly respect. 

With many New Years’ resolutions geared toward improving one’s overall health, many individuals will turn toward a classic fitness activity, running. Achieving higher levels of health and fitness can be fun, while also providing a sense of achievement for all ages and skill levels. However, pain and dysfunction may occur due to several factors including: poor mechanics, deconditioning, and foot structure.

We are proud, honored, and excited to announce ICT Muscle & Joint Clinic will officially be open Monday, February 1st 2016! 

ABOUT US

Our mission is to empower our patients and community by maximizing their quality of life through: education, corrective exercises, nutritional advice, and soft tissue therapies. We take an active, hands-on approach focusing on the treatment and elimination of the root cause of your pain and/or physical limitations. We specialize in musculoskeletal and sports-related injuries including all forms of: back, foot, knee, hip, shoulder, and neck pain.