Yes!

Let’s use this scenario to explain more:

A 45-year-old runner walks into a chiropractic office with pain in her hip. She’s been diagnosed with bursitis and tendinitis and wants to manage her pain.

She recently began running longer distances, and due to changes at work, she spends more time sitting. The two factors have exacerbated injuries to the tissues in her hip.

This is a textbook example of inflammation – the body’s natural way of protecting itself. Chiropractors manage inflammation the same way they manage pain – by looking for the cause and identifying ways to manage symptoms.

Chiropractic treatment for inflammation can include increasing flexibility and strength, adjusting form, and increasing the body’s resilience to workday stressors. For example, in the case of the 45-year-old runner, our recommendation was to reduce the distance she was running every day, as well as her sitting time at work. We manually treated the injured muscles in her hip and introduced hip strengthening exercises. After four weeks, her pain had decreased, and she was back on track to her fitness goals.

“This type of inflammation has a mechanical source,” explains Sarah, “You can use ice, creams and medications, but that doesn’t change the mechanical load on the body. You can’t easily change a mechanical problem with a chemical solution. Increasing her hip strength to smoothly absorb each step meant safer loading on those tendons, less damage and less inflammation.”

Manual chiropractic treatments for inflammation

Chiropractors start by looking for swelling, redness, heat, pain, and sometimes loss of function (such as difficulty walking) in these cases. Treatment options they could recommend could include one or more of the following:

• Low intensity ultrasound, which can have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect on joints.
• TENS (transcuatenous electrical nerve stimulation), which involves applying a low strength electrical current to a particular area to relieve acute and chronic pain such as osteoarthritis.
• Spinal manipulation, which can reduce inflammation in the joints of the spine that may cause back pain.

If the inflammation comes from an underlying condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis, a chiropractor will write a referral to a family doctor, a rheumatologist or other specialist. While chiropractors are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of these conditions, it is outside their scope of practice to diagnose them. However, once diagnosed, a chiropractor can help manage pain or disability that may result from such inflammatory conditions.

Do you have concerns about inflammation? Contact us for more information.

…. Why understanding the importance of golf biomechanics is key!

The golf swing is a multi-segmented and intricate skill. It requires accurate body awareness and well-coordinated muscular movements. Thankfully the vast array of diagnostic tools such as 3 Dimensional Motion Analysis, Force Plate testing, and Movement assessments strategies now allow for a very precise analysis of the modern day golf swing.

Golf Biomechanics – What is it? 

In essence, golf biomechanics is the analysis of human motion using the principles of physics and physiology.

Whenever a person performs any physical task such as lifting a cup or running, muscles within the body create tension and force across the joints to generate the correct movement. Biomechanics allow us to measure these movements to understand patterns and stress of the joints.

For a golfer wishing to improve their performance, a deeper understanding of golf biomechanics allows for increased performance while decreasing the chance of a possible injury.

Phases / biomechanical movements of the Golf Swing

Biomechanical studies have created a progressive model of the golf swing. To understand the connection between the golf swing, the kinetic chain, anatomy, and the interaction of these three elements we will look at each phase of the golf swing from a biomechanical perspective.

1. Set-up / “address” position

A balanced set up position will provide the correct starting position for the swing.

Recruitment of muscle fibres is low at the set-up stage. The muscles of the body are supporting the body in a specific position and preparing to swing the club. Here however, certain levels of joint mobility, muscular flexibility, and stability are required to hold the correct set-up position. Typically, improper positioning of the body in the set-up stage golf can directly lead to re-routing of the club, poor sequencing, and the development of compensations (and injuries!) in the golf swing. The cause for an improper address position usually comes from poor mobility in specific joints or a lack of stability in certain body parts.

2. Backswing

The backswing starts when the body begins to move the club. At this point the body begins using energy that will be transitioned at the top of the backswing towards the ball and it is the beginning of torque development in the body that will be transitioned into the clubhead at impact. Rotation of the knees, hips, spine, and shoulders continues during the backswing. The important point to remember here is that the entire rotation of these body parts arises around an imaginary axis of the body. The body during this portion of the swing is ´creating´ energy to be released during the downswing phase of the golf swing.

The biomechanical analysis of the backswing suggests that this is the stage of the swing at which speed development begins. Rotation in the lower body, trunk, and shoulders is reliant on joint range of motion, muscular extensibility, stretch reflex, and strength in the lower body, hips, core, and upper back. If your rotation is poor / range of motion suffering, your ability to implement the backswing and develop torque will be weakened.

3. Transition / end of the backswing

This is where the body finishes its backward movement and begins the forward movement.

Again, the transition phase requires a level of joint mobility and stability. Compensations or inefficient movement patterns can arise when a player has limitations in their thoracic spine or hip mobility. Equally a player who cannot stabilize their hips/pelvis will be unable to hold the correct postural position needed to start the downswing phase.

4. Downswing / Double Pendulum

Here torque is generated in the low body, accelerates through the upper body, and then transferred into the club. At this phase of the swing, the bulk of torque is generated by the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and core.

The double pendulum effect: This pendulum consists of an upper and lower pendulum. The shoulders (acting as the fixed pivot), arms and hands (the upper pendulum), and the club shaft and club head (the lower pendulum).

5. Impact

The aim of impact is to hit the ball in the correct direction with the desired amount of force. The club head and ball at impact are in contact for approximately half a millisecond, so any error in timing, body positioning, swing sequence, or positioning of the clubface will quickly affect the impact position, ball flight, speed, and direction!

Low handicap players will reach their maximum club head speed at the impact position. Players with biomechanical inefficiencies / physical limitations will lose speed before impact causing a loss of distance and poor ball flight direction.

The impact position includes the release of the hands with precise timing for the transfer of speed to the club head. Clearly physical limitations, poor mechanics, or improper equipment will have an impact.

6. Follow-through

In essence this is the deceleration of the body after contact with the ball and where the sequence of the swing ends.

This stage requires activation of the subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, and pectoralis major. To allow for the dissipation of energy and slowing down of the body also requires a high level of eccentric and stabilization strength of the muscular system. Poor conditioning of the body and limited flexibility may limit the capability of a golfer to carry out this phase of the golf swing well.

How we can help you!

To improve your game, firstly start to understand the principles of golf biomechanics. Secondly, appreciate the differing structures and movements of your golf swing. I.e. recognizing the optimal shoulder and wrist movements will allow you to have consistency with successful chip shots.

As explained it is easy to see how poor conditioning of the body and limited flexibility will affect your game and that is where we at Elite Performance Therapy can help!

We work with both amateurs and professionals and are here to take you to the next level … and it doesn´t need to take long!

Whether it is assisting you with an effective warm up, build strength in a specific part of the body, improve general flexibility or simply to enjoy golf without pain, we can help 😊

Have you ever felt like your world is spinning? You may have a condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) or better known as Vertigo. Soft therapy is a great source to assist individuals in improving their balance and other symptoms related to Vertigo. Below we want to help you learn more about Vertigo and ways we can help to improve your symptoms 🙂

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is a sensation of feeling off-balance, often caused by inner ear problems. The vestibular system includes parts of the inner ear and brain that process information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If these areas are damaged by disease or injury it can result in the development of vertigo. Vertigo typically occurs when tiny calcium particles clump up in the canals of the inner ear. The inner ear is an important source that sends signals to the brain about body movements related to gravity.

Causes of Vertigo

Vertigo is often caused by an inner ear problem. Some of the most common causes include:

• Meniere’s disease
• Whiplash
• Ear infections
• High doses or long-term use of antibiotics
• Stroke

Symptoms of Vertigo

Vertigo is often triggered by a change in the position of your head. People with vertigo typically describe it as feeling like they are:

• Spinning
• Tilting
• Swaying
• Unbalanced
• Pulled to one direction
• Feeling nauseated
• Vomiting
• Abnormal or jerking eye movements (nystagmus)
• Headache
• Sweating
• Ringing in the ears or hearing loss

Can Soft Therapy Treat and ultimately relieve your Vertigo symptoms?

For those not familiar with soft tissue massage, it is a therapy that involves manual or mechanical application of pressure, movement and vibration on the body. To answer the question above, yes, soft tissue massage therapy can be an effective treatment for vertigo. Many people experience much success through this treatment option when delivered by trained soft tissue massage therapists. In fact, soft tissue massage therapy can not only alleviate the symptoms associated with vertigo, but it can also reduce the pain you may be experiencing due to headaches.

Pressure will be applied to specific points on the body, such as the top of the head and behind the middle of the ears, the back of the neck muscle and even the feet. Our soft tissue massage therapists are trained to know which specific points on the body deliver results.

If you have been suffering from vertigo, you may find great relief from a combination of different treatments, such as soft tissue massage therapy and medical acupuncture (dry needling). Of course, this will depend upon the cause of your particular vertigo. At Elite Performance Therapy, each client is assessed individually, and treatment plans are prepared for each individual condition to deliver comprehensive treatment (if applicable).

Elite Performance Therapy is a leading soft tissue therapy and chiropractic clinic in Fuengirola, Spain. Our therapists are fully accredited and regulated health professionals who are among the best in their field.

Contact us today for more information.

What is Scoliosis?

The term scoliosis comes from the Greek word ‘skolios’ which means “curved”, “crooked” or “twisted”.

The spine has normal curves in an anterior-posterior direction, but a curve in a lateral direction is considered abnormal. A normal spine has a curvature of lordosis in the cervical and lumbar regions, and kyphosis in the thoracic and sacral regions. In a healthy person a straight line can be drawn through the cervicothoracic, dorsolumbar and lumbrosacral junctions.

As the spine cannot purely bend laterally – scoliosis involves both lateral flexion and rotation.

Scoliosis is commonly defined as greater than 10° of lateral deviation of the spine from its central axis.

Surprising scoliosis fact number 1

Because of the risk of progression, and the potential consequences if treatment is not forthcoming, much research in the scoliosis field concentrates on adolescent scoliosis – next in line is juvenile scoliosis. The fact is, only about 2-3% of the population in these groups will develop scoliosis. That’s still a very large number of cases, all with a significant risk of progression, but when you crunch the numbers, its clear that older people are, in fact, the most likely to suffer from scoliosis – the risk is nearly 10 times higher!

Research indicates that approximately 30% of those over 60 suffer from scoliosis – the majority of cases are termed “de-novo” which is a scoliosis that develops due to spinal degeneration and can respond well to treatment.

Surprising scoliosis fact number 2

Scoliosis is sometimes more common in males 

It’s true that 75% of adolescent scoliosis cases are females, and since this gets the lions share of attention in the field, it’s little surprise that most screening campaigns and tools are targeted at young girls. That being said, in some instances scoliosis is actually more common in boys. Specifically, this is the case in cases of infantile scoliosis.

Infantile scoliosis is the least common of all forms of idiopathic scoliosis and comprises only about 1% of all idiopathic scoliosis in children. However, about 60% of patients in this group are boys. Infantile scoliosis can sometimes resolve spontaneously, but presents the highest possible risk for progression, so should be monitored and treated urgently.

Surprising scoliosis fact Number 3

Which is better, bracing, treatment or exercise?

…. Actually, it’s all of them !

When it comes to treatment, it’s usually a case of picking the best approach and sticking with it. As it concerns scoliosis treatment, a multiple studies have confirmed that when bracing, exercise and treatment (soft tissue and manipulation) approaches are combined the results are greater than the sum of the parts.

Curve correction with a dual approach is superior to either approach alone.

Surprising scoliosis fact Number 4

Your GP knows a lot less about scoliosis treatment than you might hope.

This point isn’t about criticising GP’s – they do a fantastic job, but there’s only so much any one person can know, and as it goes, scoliosis is fairly low down the list of major concerns for the general population. The situation is especially difficult in the UK, since the National Health Service (NHS) is not in the business of recommending private companies, and the best bracing technologies on the market today are only available privately. It’s for this reason, that you must seek a specialist scoliosis consultation whenever possible – the braces on offer through the NHS are still mainly “passive” options, which don’t correct scoliosis, just try to stop it progressing.

Surprising scoliosis fact number 5

Active bracing is often the most cost-effective option.

Active scoliosis braces, like ScoliBrace, are advanced medical devices and aren’t cheap – and while no one would claim that the cost of a scoliosis bracing treatment is insignificant, in many cases it can be substantially less financially impactful than many other options.

Lets briefly consider the main treatment methodologies available:

Surgery – Through the NHS in the UK, surgery for scoliosis is of course free. So naturally the issue here isn’t a financial one, but rather the cost of surgery is often in terms of complications after the event – or with the disruption that it can cause to a young persons’ life. The UK Scoliosis Clinic isn’t anti-surgery – on the contrary, we know that spinal surgeons can do fantastic work for patients who have no other option – we do, however, believe that surgery should be the last resort since for many, recovery is long and complicated. While it won’t be the case for everyone, recent meta-analyses of published research have suggested that the complication rate could be as high as 89%.

Exercise – Exercise-based treatment plans are only supported by research  for small curves with a low risk of progression and while exercise might initially seem cheaper than bracing, this is only true if the treatment is appropriate. In young growing spines, the risk of scoliosis progressing in moderate to large curves is high, thus a curve must be constantly straightened via a brace rather than through the intermittent use of scoliosis specific exercise. In cases where a brace has been required and only scoliosis specific exercise used, curves will often progress and surgical correction will be required.

Other forms of bracing – Regular readers will know that Scoliosis braces are not created equal. Passive models, which don’t correct scoliosis but attempt to hold the curve in its current position, do absolutely nothing to “treat” the condition.  Other braces on the market, while still active in nature, unlike Scolibrace are often not adjustable – meaning that their corrective capacity is limited, thus a new brace is frequently required as the curve changes. This means that in many cases, an advanced adjustable brace, like ScoliBrace will be cheaper in the long term.

As we get older, it’s not uncommon to experience increased aches, pains and joint stiffness. Many of us assume this discomfort just goes with the territory – and in fact, when it comes to the spine, some decline in function and flexibility may be expected as the bones and intervertebral disks begin to deteriorate over time. But, there are actions you can do right now to help maintain your spine’s flexibility and comfort well into your golden years.

Here’s what you should know about what happens to your spine as you age, common spinal conditions in older adults, and ways to help prevent back pain and injuries in the future. 

Disk degeneration and narrowing of the spinal canal may occur as part of the natural aging process.

Like any other part of the body, the spine is subject to everyday stresses that eventually wear down its structures over time. Specifically, the disks that act as cushions between the spine’s vertebrae begin to shrink and get worn down as their moisture content declines. As a result, the vertebral bones begin to rub against one another, potentially causing back pain and stiffness.

Meanwhile, the column that protects the spinal cord can narrow over time in a condition known as spinal stenosis, which may be quite painful due to resulting compression of the cord and spinal nerves.

These and other aspects of the aging process may be accelerated if you’ve previously experienced a spinal injury, if you are overweight, if you smoke, or if your daily activities subject your spine to a greater-than-average amount of wear and tear.

Common spinal conditions in older adults may manifest themselves in symptoms such as early morning back pain, leg pain when standing and walking, loss of height and more.

Facet joint osteoarthritis is a kind of spinal arthritis that develops as the cartilage separating the facet joints gradually breaks down over time. Typical symptoms of this condition include low back pain and stiffness that seems worse in the morning and at the end of the day, as well as after extended periods of physical activity. Osteoarthritis may also cause radiating leg pain and weakness known as sciatica.

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that occurs in the lower back, resulting in low back and leg pain that characteristically occurs while standing or walking more than a short distance but dissipates once you sit down or lean forward. Pain associated with this condition can be moderate to severe and may also occur with symptoms of sciatica including tingling and numbness in the buttocks and legs.

Degenerative spondylolisthesis may cause similar symptoms to those associated with lumbar spinal stenosis, and is primarily seen in patients aged 65 and older. It occurs when weakened facet joints, ligaments and bones allow a vertebra to “slip” forward so that it is out of alignment with the vertebra below it. When an older person experiences lower back and/or leg pain that lessens while sitting and worsens when standing upright, plus a loss of flexibility in the lower back and pain while bending backwards, degenerative spondylolisthesis may be the reason.

Compression fractures are another spinal injury that can occur as part of the aging process, especially in those with poor bone strength due to osteoporosis. Such fractures may cause a vertebral bone to partially collapse, losing part of its height. They most often occur in the thoracic and upper lumbar portions of the spine, and are typically accompanied by sudden and severe back pain, spinal deformity, loss of height and an inability to participate in routine physical exercise.

Importantly, back and neck pain that occurs as part of the aging process can and should be treated – particularly if it keeps you from being active and doing the things you enjoy.  Patients who experience pain from the above conditions can typically get substantial relief via nonsurgical medical treatments such as soft tissue therapy, medical acupuncture or fascial release.

Taking the right steps now can help you avoid the above conditions and their associated symptoms in later years.

While not all back pain can be avoided, the time to start protecting yourself against preventable spine problems when you are older is now. This starts with exercising regularly to keep off excess weight and strengthen the core muscles in your back and abdomen. You can do so with specific stretches, as well as safe aerobic activity such as walking, swimming and yoga.

Meanwhile, be mindful of your posture at all times – especially while seated at your desk at work. Make needed adjustments to your chair and computer screen and stretch and warm your muscles before any physical activity. You should also avoid lifting heavy objects by yourself whenever possible, and always use correct bending and lifting techniques. See below for details on these and other methods you can employ to decrease your likelihood of experiencing chronic back pain as you age:

• Strengthen your core muscles via targeted exercises including aerobics, flexion (bending forward) and extension (bending backward) stretches. 
• Avoid putting undue stress on your spine by practicing proper posture and making ergonomic adjustments to your work station.
• Avoid lifting objects that are heavier than 25% of your own body weight.
• Eat a balanced diet that includes anti-inflammatory food sand vitamin D to keep your bones strong.
• If you’re a smoker, get the help you need to stop.
• Is your mattress more than 8 years old ? Consider buying a better, more supported mattress or improving your sleeping position particularly if you have trouble with your back in the morning.
• If you suffer from chronic back pain, give us a call at Elite Performance Therapy to learn the cause and best treatment options while avoiding further injury. Remember that recurring and debilitating back pain is never normal, and can be mitigated with the right assistance.
• If you encounter lots of stress on a daily basis, find ways to relax and loosen your back and neck muscles at the end of each day.
• Remember that depression can play a significant role in back pain and seek help if you need it in the form of counselling and relaxation methods.
• Be practical about your exercise routine, and avoid overdoing it with repetitive movements that can lead to muscle strains and sprains.
• Don’t ignore strains and sprains ! Treat with rest, ice, compression and elevation as soon as possible, and call us if the pain is recurring or lasts more than 2 weeks