Chiropractic

Why Posture Is So Important For Fitness

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Why Posture Is So Important For Exercise & Fitness

Great article from http://www.brit.co on posture and fitness.

If you’ve ever rolled your eyes when your mom told you to “sit up straighter,” listen up! Turns out she was on to something. Good posture is important for more reasons than physical presentation. And for fitness fanatics, it’s actually critical. “Good posture impacts how you walk, jump, and lift,” says Aaptiv trainer Ackeem Emmons. “Proper alignment also eases strain or pain on your spinal cord.”

woman running outside

For runners and gym-goers, the impacts are even more specific. “When you’re running, having good posture allows you to breathe better,” Emmons says. “The more air in your diaphragm, the further you can go. The better your posture, the more fluid your form.” All of this translates to more efficient and successful running. In the gym, proper form and alignment help you isolate certain muscle groups and execute heavy compound movements, he adds.

Beyond the obvious physical gains, your posture can also impact you mentally as well. “Standing tall with proper posture gives the immediate impression of confidence and courage,” says Aaptiv trainer Ceasar F. Barajas. “You’re mentally setting the tone for success when you straighten up a bit.”

If you’re suddenly feeling hyper-aware of your spinal column, don’t worry. According to Aaptiv trainers Jaime McFaden and Benjamin Green, you can work every day to gradually correct limp posture. “Sit up straight and gently pull your shoulders back and down, stretching the neck. Press both feet firmly into the ground and lift your chest,” McFaden says.

“I’m on a bike anywhere from three to six days per week, hunched over with a rounded back,” explains Green. “Throughout the day, if I catch myself not standing up straight, I open up my shoulders.” If it helps, imagine a string attached to the top of your head, pulling you up, he adds.

For those looking for a more intense posture intervention, our Aaptiv trainers shared five exercises and poses that will help open up your chest, align your spine, and gradually correct poor posture. Keep reading for more moves and be sure to check out all of Aaptiv’s yoga and stretching classes in-app to support (pun intended) your good posture journey.

woman planking

1. Planks — Aaptiv Trainer Kelly Chase: Lie on your stomach with your legs straight behind you. Bring your arms forward and rest your weight on your forearms. Your elbows should be directly below your shoulders. Your arms can rest straight and flat with your palms facing the ground or you can bring your hands together to form a triangular shape. Engage your core and keep your body as straight as possible, careful not to create any dip or arch in your lower back. Hold for 30 seconds. As you become stronger, you can increase your hold time.

Woman Using Exercise Band

2. Band Scapular Retraction Rows — Aaptiv Trainer Candice Cunningham: You’ll need a resistance band for this exercise. Sit upright on the floor with both feet extended in front of you. Keeping your legs straight together, wrap the band around the bottoms of your feet, holding the ends in your hands. Focus on holding your back completely straight as you gradually pull the ends of the band into your chest in a row-style movement. Your elbows should bend out to the sides at chest height. Straighten your arms and repeat.

Complete 10 reps.

woman doing superman exercise

3. Supermans — Aaptiv Trainer Benjamin Green: Lie straight and face down on your mat. Extend your arms in front of you with your biceps next to your ears. Exhale and simultaneously, raise your legs, arms, and chest off the mat, creating a U-shape in your body. Squeeze your lower back and hold for two deep breaths. Inhale and lower your limbs back to the mat.

Complete 10 reps.

woman doing bird dog exercise

4. Bird Dogs — Aaptiv trainer Ackeem Emmons: Start on your hands and knees with your palms directly below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Put your weight on your left knee and left hand as you slowly lift your right leg and straighten it behind you, keeping it in line with your flat back. Lift your right arm and extend it forward in line with your back. Reach with your fingers, careful to maintain a straight line through your body from fingertips to toes. Flex your right foot so your toes are pointed toward the ground and hold for five deep breaths. Repeat on the other side.

Complete 10 reps on each side.

woman doing yoga

5. Tadasana (Mountain Pose) — Aaptiv trainer Ceasar Barajas: You can perform this pose standing or sitting (at your desk perhaps?). Take a deep breath in and roll your shoulders up towards your ears. Exhale and roll them back down. Continue consciously breathing deeply and engage your core. Imagine someone poured cold water down your back to further engage your core and move deeper in the stretch.

Perform this move as often as you need.

Chondromalacia Patellae; sounds dramatic, usually isn’t.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

The term “Chondromalacia Patellae” (CMP) describes painful damage to the cartilage behind your kneecap. CMP may begin at any age and is commonly found in teenagers. The likelihood of developing CMP increases with age, and the condition is more common in females. You are more likely to develop CMP if you are overweight or have had a prior knee injury.
One of the most common causes of CMP is an imbalance between the muscles that help to guide your kneecap and its “V-shaped” groove at the end of your thigh bone. Repeatedly flexing and extending a misaligned kneecap leads to pain, swelling, and eventually cartilage damage. Misalignment of the kneecap (patella) is often secondary to problems in your hip and foot, especially weakness of your gluteal muscles or flat feet.

CMP causes a dull pain behind your kneecap that is aggravated by prolonged walking, running, squatting, jumping, kneeling, stair climbing, or arising from a seated position. The pain is often worse when walking down hill or down stairs. Popping, grinding, or giving way may occur from long-standing misalignments.

Conservative care, like the type provided in this office, is generally successful at relieving your symptoms. It is important for you to minimize activities that provoke your pain, especially running, jumping, and activities that stress you into a “knock-knee” position. Do not allow your knees to cross in front of your toes when squatting. Some athletes may need to modify their activity to include swimming or bicycling instead of running. Performing your home exercises is one of the most important things that you can do to help recover. The use of home ice or ice massage applied around your kneecap for 10-15 minutes, several times per day, may be helpful.

I’ve got a sharp burning pain in my foot, what could it be? 

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Morton’s neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of one of the nerves in your foot. The problem most commonly occurs between your third and fourth toes, but can occur elsewhere. Morton’s neuroma is a nuisance for 10% of the adult population, with females being affected 5 times more often.

The irritation is thought to be brought on by activities that require repeated or forceful back-bending of your toes, like dancing, walking, squatting, and running- particularly running on your forefoot, or on hard surfaces. Wearing high heels or shoes that are too tight can provoke your symptoms.

You may experience brief, intermittent episodes of sharp burning pain that are followed by a persistent dull ache begins near the ball of your foot and radiates into the toes. You may feel as though you are “walking on a marble.” Occasionally, numbness, tingling, or cramping may accompany your pain. You may find relief by removing your shoe and/ or gently massaging your foot. Be sure to tell us if your symptoms affect your entire foot, if you notice any weakness, or have pain that starts in your back and travels into your thigh and leg.

You should avoid wearing high-heeled narrow or unpadded shoes. If you are a “forefoot” runner, you may consider transitioning to a mid-foot strike. Your treatment will likely consist of wearing a specially designed felt pad to help take stress off of the irritated nerve. Most patients report relief by modifying their shoes and undergoing conservative therapies, like the ones provided in our office.

Trigger points in the temporalis muscle

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The temporalis muscle is located in the temple area of the skull. It originates on the temporal lines on the parietal bone of the skull, and inserts on the coronoid process of the mandible. It’s main action is to close the jaw. The posterior and middle fibres bilaterally retrude the mandible. Acting individually, this muscle will deviate the mandible to the same side. Trigger points in this muscle refer into the teeth causing hypersensitivity, and into and above the eye and temple, causing headaches.

I’ve got ITB Syndrome Doc! Now What?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Your iliotibial band is a fibrous band of tissue running from the crest of your hip, down to your knee. A muscle near the crest of your hip called the tensor fascia lata, attaches to this band to help control movements of your leg. Your iliotibial band passes over the point of your hip and over another bony bump on the outside of your knee called the lateral epicondyle. When the band is too tight, it can become painfully inflamed as it repeatedly rubs over the top of either of these bony projections. Irritation at the bony bump near the knee is called iliotibial band friction syndrome.


The condition usually presents as pain on the outside of your knee that becomes worse with repetitive knee flexion or extension. This condition is the leading cause of lateral knee pain in runners, especially slower “joggers.” The pain usually develops 10-15 minutes into the workout. You may sometimes feel or hear a click during movement. Symptoms generally ease at rest. Running on slick “wintry” surfaces may aggravate the condition. Excessively worn running shoes may be a culprit.

This problem is commonly caused by weakness in your gluteal muscles. When these muscles are weak, the muscle that attaches to your iliotibial band must contract harder to stabilize your hip. Having one leg longer than another is a known aggravating factor.

Runners should minimize downhill running and avoid running on a banked surface like the crown of a road or indoor track, as well as wet or icy surfaces. Runners should reverse directions on a circular track at least each mile. Bicyclists may need to adjust seat height and avoid “toe in” pedal positions. Avoid using stair climbers or performing squats and dead lifts. Sports cream and home ice massage may provide some relief of symptoms.

Osteoarthritis of the Hand

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

The bones in your hand have a slick, protective covering called “cartilage” on the joint surfaces that touch each other. This cartilage serves as a friction reducer and shock absorber, thereby, helping to extend the life of your joints. “Arthritis” means that your cartilage has begun to thin or crack and may eventually wear away –impairing your strength and dexterity. Painful hand arthritis affects

up to 1 in 4 people. This degeneration has a tendency to affect specific joints, especially those of your index and middle fingers and the base of your thumb.

Your chance of developing arthritis increases with age. Hand arthritis is 2 1/2 times more common in women. Arthritis occurs more often in joints that have been previously injured and in patients who perform repetitive movement of the hands- particularly labor and manufacturing jobs. Other risk factors include obesity and the presence of arthritis in your parents. Contrary to popular opinion, knuckle cracking does not increase your risk of arthritis, regardless of duration or frequency.

Symptoms usually begin slowly and progress into longstanding hand pain that comes and goes. Your symptoms are likely aggravated by activity and relieved by rest. Hard, bony enlargements often develop along the joint lines, especially in women. You may notice morning stiffness that subsides fairly quickly. Be sure to tell your doctor if you notice lasting morning stiffness or swelling, as this could be a sign of a different type of arthritis.

The American College of Rheumatology recommends the use of non-drug treatments (like the type provided in this office) for hand osteoarthritis. Patients with thumb osteoarthritis may benefit from a nighttime splint. Topical creams, especially those including “capsaicin” may help relieve symptoms. You may find relief by warming your hands with a hot pack or “paraffin bath” when they feel stiff. Some patients report benefit by taking Glucosamine Sulfate. The mainstay of treatment includes exercises to help improve your mobility and strength.

Runner’s Knee Sucks.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) describes a painful irritation of the cartilage behind your kneecap. Although anyone may be affected, it is often the result of overuse of the knee in sports that require jumping or running so it is sometimes referred to as “Runner’s knee”. PFPS is the most common cause of knee pain in the general population, affecting an estimated 25% of adults.

One of the most common causes of PFPS is an imbalance between the muscles that help to guide your kneecap in its V-shaped groove at the end of your thigh bone. Repeatedly flexing and extending a misaligned kneecap leads to pain, swelling and eventually arthritis. Misalignment of the kneecap (patella) is often secondary to problems in the hip and foot, especially weakness of your gluteal muscles or flat feet.

PFPS produces a dull pain behind the kneecap that is aggravated by prolonged walking, running, squatting, jumping, stair climbing or arising from a seated position. The pain is often worse when walking downhill or down stairs. Longstanding misalignment can cause damage to the cartilage, which results in popping, grinding or giving way.

Conservative care, like the type provided in this office, is generally successful at relieving your symptoms. Initially, it is important for you to minimize activities that provoke your pain, especially running, jumping and activities that stress you into a “knock-kneed” position. Don’t allow your knees to cross in front of your toes when squatting. Some athletes may need to modify their activity to include swimming or bicycling instead of running.

Performing your home exercises consistently is one of the most important things that you can do to help realign the patella, relieve pain and prevent recurrence. The use of home ice or ice massage applied around your kneecap for 10-15 minutes, several times per day may be helpful.

What is knee tendonitis?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Tendons are strong bands of fibrous tissue that connect your muscles to your bones. Your “patellar tendon” connects your kneecap (patella) to your shin bone (tibia). “Patellar tendonopathy” results from repetitive straining and micro-tearing of this connection, resulting in pain and inflammation. The condition is referred to as “jumper’s knee,” since damage is thought to often result from repetitive jumping.

The condition should probably be called “landing knee,” since forces on the patellar tendon are twice as great during landing as compared to those created during take off.

Patellar tendinopathy is common, affecting almost 20% of all athletes with a rate as high as 50% in sports that require repetitive forceful jumping, like basketball and volleyball. The condition may affect one or both knees and may be slightly more common in males.

Weakness in the quadriceps muscle of your thigh can allow excessive bending of your knee when you land following a jump. This places your patellar tendon at a greater risk for injury. Having strong quadriceps muscles protects your knee from excessive flexion and injury.

Symptoms of patellar tendinopathy include pain or swelling just below your kneecap. This may begin without an identifiable injury and may come and go for months or years. Symptoms are usually aggravated by activity, but most athletes have been able to continue playing through the pain. Pain often increases during activities that require strong quadriceps contraction, like jumping, squatting, arising from a seated position, stair climbing, or running. Walking down stairs or running down hill seems to be more bothersome than going up.

Some athletes may have unconsciously learned to protect their knee by developing unnatural jumping mechanics. This could include landing with a more rigid knee, or allowing too much hip flexion. You may need to become more conscious of landing with the right amount of knee flexion with your foot in a neutral position and avoiding excessive hip flexion. Your doctor would be able to answer any questions you have about good jumping mechanics.

Patellar tendon straps, like a Cho-pat, can help reduce stress on your patellar tendon and relieve pain. Three fourths of the people who use patellar tendon straps for patellar tendinitis report improvement.

Patellar tendinopathy is treatable. Patients who follow a well-planned strengthening program show similar outcomes to those who have undergone surgery for the problem. Initially, you may need to decrease your training intensity to help protect your knee. You should stay away from activities that produce more than mild pain. You should avoid complete rest, as this could actually increase your risk of recurrence. Using ice packs or ice massage for 10-15 minutes at a time, especially following activity, may help to reduce inflammation.

Do you wake up with numb fingers?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

The term “thoracic outlet” describes an area at the base of your neck, just above your collarbone. Some important nerves and vessels pass through this outlet on their way into your arm. Compression of these tissues causes a condition called “thoracic outlet syndrome” which results in pain, numbness or tingling in your arm.

Several different factors can cause Thoracic Outlet Syndrome,

commonly referred to as TOS. Sometimes TOS is caused from tightness in the muscles of your neck and chest, other times the space between your first rib and collarbone is too small. People who have an extra rib (cervical rib) and people who have recently suffered a neck injury may have a greater chance of having this problem.

The condition is aggravated by poor posture and by occupations that promote “slouching,” i.e., computer users, assembly line workers, supermarket checkers and students. Swimmers, volleyball players, tennis players, baseball pitchers and occupations requiring prolonged overhead activity. i.e., electricians and painters are also prime candidates for TOS.

Symptoms of TOS include arm pain, numbness, tingling and possible weakness. Neck, arm and hand pain may begin slowly and are often aggravated by elevation of the arms or excessive head movement. Loss of grip strength is possible.

Conservative treatment, like the kind we provide, has been shown to be effective at treating TOS. Through our careful exam we have identified your specific sites of compression and will use some of the following treatment to help:

You should avoid carrying heavy loads, especially on your shoulder i.e., carpet rolls. Briefcases, laptop cases or heavy shoulder bags should be lightened. Bra straps may need additional padding or consideration of replacement with a sports bra.