Physical exercise

Apr 16 2014

The Chiropractic Question

Chiropractic is an often misunderstood profession. There are so many public misconceptions, that they are just accepted versus explored. At a seminar the other day the instructor asked all the chiropractor’s if they would get an adjustment EVEN if they were pain free, and 100% said yes! The instructor also said, “if the public knew and understood what all the chiropractors in the room knew and understood that they could not handle the crowds in their offices”! So the question is what do chiropractors know that most of the public does not.

Let’s explore!

In its’ simplest, purest form a chiropractic adjustment puts the joints of the body in motion. So what is all the fuss about motion. Well remember the last time you stopped working out and how fast you lost your strength or your cardiovascular endurance or your flexibility? Yes motion is what keeps your body running.

But don’t believe  me, check it out the next time you get adjusted. Try a before and after motion test.

The Neck Test. Move your head and neck through all the possible motions: side to side, rotate to the left and right, and tip your head forward and back. Then after you get adjusted try them all again, you will notice a remarkable change. Way easier and an increase in motion.

The Low Back Test. Same thing, lean forward and back, twist left and right, and lean left and right. Now get your adjustment and try again. Hmmm interesting, the same thing more motion.

The Rib Cage Test. This time just a simple breathing test. Take a big breath before and after an adjustment. You will notice a huge difference. Bring your phone with you and we can video you before and after, and then you can show your family and friends.

So now we know and have experienced the increased motion and breathing. Now that we have established the fact that chiropractic adjustments increase joint motion, let’s explore the benefits. I feel like a simple test is in order. Yes a chiropractic exam if you will. I ask the questions and you respond with what makes sense to you.

The official, yet unofficial chiropractic exam! Part I (yes the teaser portion)

Q: With increased motion are muscles around the joint: longer and more flexible or shorter and tighter?

A: longer and more flexible

Q: Muscles that are longer contract more effectively and efficiently and thus are stronger? True or False

A: True

Q: With more motion soft tissue adhesions that restrict joint motion tend to form more or less?

A: Less

Q:  Inflammatory chemicals trapped in muscles and joints pumps out faster or slower with increased motion?

A: Faster

Fun, isn’t it. Watch for the next blog, which continues the chiropractic exam!

If you have more questions about the benefits of chiropractic care, talk to Dr. Lance Casazza.

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Aug 23 2013

Exercise: How To Work Those Abdominals?

Collage of varius Gray's muscle pictures by Mi...

Back In School?

Remember back in grade school when you did the Presidential fitness testing? First you found the heaviest kid in class to sit on your feet. Then with your knees bent and fingers interlocked behind your head you attempted to do as many “sit-ups” as possible in 60 seconds. Supposedly this was testing abdominal strength. Wrong!

In The Gym

Then we got older, finished school, got a job and joined the gym. A trainer (in great shape) showed you how to do “ab crunches”. So next thing you know you are on your back (again) and doing 100 crunches and not feeling your abs fatigue. Reason: you likely were using all momentum (cheating) as you rapidly went back and forth. The only thing that really happened was strain on your neck! Not good.

Basic Anatomy

How muscles are attached to bone dictate the action or function. The abdominal muscles attach from the rib cage to the pelvis. When they contract they pull the rib cage closer to the pelvis or your pelvis closer to your rib cage, that’s it. The abs DO NOT attach to your femur (thigh bone), so any exercise where the knee comes closer to your chest or chest closer to your knee, the primary muscle working is NOT the abs. In this scenario the abs act as a stabilizing muscle group so you will feel them contract, but the primary muscle working is the iliopsoas (hip flexor group).

Why All The Fuss?

The problem is that in most people the iliopsoas group is stronger than the abs. This causes a hyperlordosis (increased low back curve) allowing low back muscles and ligaments to shorten. So if you strengthen them simultaneously you will never overcome this muscular imbalance.

The Neurology

Okay so the basic neurology is that when low back muscles/hip flexors are shortened they are neurologically overly excited, and since they work opposite of the abs they actually neurologically inhibit (turn-off/weaken) the abs. Not good. To properly strengthen the abs we need to change the neurology of these muscle groups BEFORE we do our ab workout. Read on please.

Maximizing Your Ab Workout

So how do we “turn-off” the low back muscles and “turn-on” our abs? The easiest fastest way would be a chiropractic adjustment as that will inhibit the low back muscles and allow the abs to function at a higher level. But if you are at the gym then try this: Find a bench and lie on your side with your leg hanging over the edge. Now contract your low back muscles for 2-5 seconds. (This will actually help turn the low back muscles off). Now take a big breathe in and out and stretch your low back for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this on the other side. This will help “turn-off” your low back muscles and allow your abs to “turn-on” by about 5-15%!

Proper Ab Technique

Now for the crunch. Most people will struggle with crunches on their back as they will likely strain their neck.

So try this: In a seated position with good posture, slowly contract your abs, bring shoulders straight done towards your belt line. (DO NOT bend at the waist as this causes the hip flexors to contract, we just covered that). Each contraction should last for 2-5 seconds and you should “feel it”! If you do not you are doing something wrong. Try 3 sets of 10 repetitions. This should definitely be a good and safe ab workout. Enjoy!

If you have more questions about exercise or chiropractic just ask: Dr. Lance Casazza.

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Aug 8 2013

Exercise: How Important Is It?

Working Out

Let’s Start With Some Quotes And Studies:

“Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness.”

– Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby

“Failure to exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes in duration each time is the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes each day. What this means is that exercise is no longer just good for you, it is bad for you if you don’t exercise.” Surgeon General, July 11, 1996.

Exercise Is Just Good For You! This is definitely a wow study!

2½ hours of exercise per week, decreases the risk of all disease by 60%! Framington Heart Study

What If You Don’t?

People 70lbs overweight will spend $30,000 extra in their lifetime for health care. Scientific American, 2011

Metabolism… Beginning in your 30’s your metabolism slows by 5% a decade due to muscle loss.

By 65 you can lose half your muscle mass and decrease your metabolic burn by 200-300 calories.

Can I Turn It Around?

It is never too late! People who became more active in their 40’s cut their risk of heart disease by nearly the same amount as those who had maintained a lifetime of activity. University of Heidelberg, 2006

Top 15 Benefits of Exercise

  1. Increases metabolism to burn calories by increasing oxidation (breakdown & use) of fat.
  2. Improves blood sugar control. With inactivity the body becomes more resistant to insulin, increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes.
  3. Improves immune system function.
  4. Protects the body from cancer & increases digestive efficiency decreasing the risk of colon cancer 30-40%.
  5. Increases aerobic capacity.
  6. Develops new blood vessels in the heart & muscles.
  7. Increases hemoglobin level, for better oxygen transport.
  8. Decreases blood pressure, increases HDL cholesterol & decreases risk of blood clots, heart disease & stroke.
  9. Maintains, tones & strengthens muscles & increases muscular endurance. Inactivity causes muscles to atrophy, for women in their 40s & men in their 50s.
  10. Increases bone strength. Lack of activity leads to bone weakness, osteoporosis & bone loss.
  11. Increases thickness of joint cartilage.
  12. Increases blood flow to the skin.
  13. Improves sleep patterns.
  14. Decreases risk of cognitive decline & dementia.
  15. Decreases risk of depression & symptoms of those already depressed.

What Should I Do?

Current recommendations: 30 minutes of exercise 5 days per week.

Remember there are 1,440 minutes in a day and 168 hours in a week, 30 minutes is only 2% of a day!

If you have more questions about exercise or chiropractic just ask: Dr. Lance Casazza.

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Jun 13 2013

Proper Stretching – How and Why to Do It

Tight Muscles. First we need to understand why a muscle is tight.

Muscles can be short and tight for many reasons:

  1. physiologically the muscle is in a partially contracted state from posture or overuse
  2. neurologically the muscle is in an “on” state or excited overly contracted state
  3. adhesions have formed in and around the joint and/or muscle causing restriction
  4. decreased blood flow, which means less oxygen and nutrients (electrolytes) that allow for proper muscular function

There are many stretching techniques. All stretching methods can be effective, but there are a couple tricks that can make your stretching even more beneficial.  Let’s take a look.

Collage of several of Gray's muscle pictures, ...
Collage of several of Gray’s muscle pictures, by Mikael Häggström (User:Mikael Häggström) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Classic Stretching. What we learned in high school was just stretch the tight muscle. This is relatively ineffective because the tight muscle is still attempting to contract or is in a partially contracted state. You will still gain some flexibility but this is the least effective method.

Try This. Sit on the floor and with your feet out in front of you and knees open and extended try and touch your toes. This is your baseline study. Now take a big breathe in (2-5 seconds) and then blow it out and try to touch your toes again. You will likely notice a big difference. Lesson: muscles love oxygen, this is why when you go for a hike you breathe harder as your muscles are simply demanding more oxygen!

Another Trick. Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching (What is that?)

Try This. Sit on the floor and with your feet out in front of you and knees open and extended contract all of your posterior muscles, that is your calves, hamstrings and gluts (butt muscles), effectively your toes will be pointing away, (plantar flexion). Contract these muscles for 5-10 seconds, then relax for 1-2 seconds, while you take a slow deep breath, (2-5 seconds). Now stretch again and try and touch your toes. Again you will likely notice a marked difference.

This technique is called “Contract-Relax-Passive Stretch” and should be used for all stretches.

Here is the protocol for all muscles:

Contract muscle to be stretched for 5-10 seconds.

Relax it for 1-2 seconds, while taking a slow deep breath for 2-5 seconds.

Passively stretch the muscle & hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds or less based on your tolerance/comfort.

Repeat 3-5x or less based on your tolerance/comfort or need.

Allow 30-60 seconds of rest between repetitions.

In the next blog we will discuss bad stretches and what to avoid, until then stay loose!

If you have more questions about stretching just ask: Dr. Lance Casazza.

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Casazza Chiropractic
2716 V Street, Sacramento CA 95818
Office: (916) 447-2200 – Fax (916) 447-7930
Email Dr. Casazza: [email protected]

Hours
Mon. 8-1 and 3-5;
Tues.-Thurs. 8-1  and 3-6;
Fri. 8-1 and 3-5; Sat. 8-12

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