Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center – Race Report, Labor Day Closure & the 1-Page Health News

I think it was Socrates who said, “If you’re a slow mountain biker, and you’re doing an Xterra Triathlon relay, find a fast swimmer and a fast runner, and maybe no on will notice how slow you are.”

 

And this past Sunday I did just that. This year’s Xterra Buffalo Creek relay featured super swimmer Keira Morrell, super runner Kacee Reinisch on the run. And me. On the bike.

 

They were fast, I was slow (but I was almost 7 minutes faster than last year) and let’s just say we didn’t take first place. But we weren’t last either.

 

Happy to have the 20 mile Mountain Bike ride behind me

 

As always, Kacee makes the run look easy.

 
Mental Attitude: Older Adults Sharper in the Morning.
Using functional MRI to monitor brain activity, Canadian researchers have found the minds of older adults to be sharpest in the morning. This findings suggests that the early hours may be the best time for older adults to schedule their most mentally challenging tasks such as doing taxes, taking a driver’s license renewal test, trying a new recipe, or seeing their doctor about a health problem.
Psychology and Aging, August 2014

Health Alert: Emergency Room Closures Affect Surrounding Communities and Patients.
In a first-of-a-kind analysis, researchers have shown that emergency department closures can have a detrimental effect on patient outcomes at nearby hospitals. The researchers found that patients who were admitted to facilities located in the vicinity of an emergency department (ED) that had recently closed experienced a 5% higher risk of dying than patients admitted to hospitals that were not located near a recently closed ED. The risks of dying were even greater for patients with certain conditions such as heart attack (15% higher), stroke (10%) and sepsis (8%). Senior author Dr. Renee Y. Hsia adds, “These results suggest that health systems and policy makers should consider the ripple effect on communities when they regulate ED closures.”
Health Affairs, August 2014

Diet: School Vending-Machine Bans May Not Curb Sugary Drink Consumption.
Experts have found that banning vending machines from schools does not appear to decrease a student’s likelihood of drinking soft drinks during the day if that was the only school food policy change implemented. However, the authors of the study note that a decrease in soda consumption has been observed when schools that ban vending machines also ban the sales of soft drinks in other locations around the school, such as the cafeteria and student store.
PLOS ONE, August 2014

Exercise: Heat Stroke is a Greater Risk for Endurance Runners than a Surprise Heart Condition.
A new study has found that endurance runners are far more likely — ten times more likely, in fact — to die of heat stroke than an unknown heart condition. Senior study author Dr. Sami Viskin explains, “It’s important that clinicians educate runners on the ways to minimize their risk of heat stroke, including allowing 10 to 14 days to adjust to a warm climate, discouraging running if a person is ill or was recently ill, because a pre-existing fever impairs the body’s ability to dissipate additional heat stress, and developing better methods of monitoring body core temperature during physical activity.”
Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 2014

Chiropractic: Loss of Neck Curve = Neck Pain.
A curvature of the neck of about 31-40 degrees is considered clinically normal. By comparing cervical x-rays of 277 individuals, researches observed that those whose neck curve was 20 degrees or less were more likely to experience neck pain. In fact, those with no curve left in their neck were 18 times more likely to have a cervical complaint than those with neck curvature considered clinically normal. Restoring and maintaining this curvature is a common long-term goal of Chiropractic care.
Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, March 2005

 

This weekend, we’ll closed on Friday the 29th (go Buffs!) and Monday September 1. We’ll be back on Tuesday September 2nd. Don’t forget, if you need us, call us 303.300.0424 or reply to this email. Thanks for reading!

 

Dr. Glenn Hyman, Natalie Aceves & Kacee Reinisch

Back to school (pic), Kacee’s Pikes Peak Marathon Race report (pic) AND this week’s 1-Page Health News

Hi Glenn,

 

Well, Cherry Creek Schools started the 2014-2015 school today (Monday), and my kids were happy to get back to their friends. Where did the summer go so quickly???

 

Zach, Andrew, and Jason: ready to learn

 Kacee’s Pikes Peak Marathon Race Report:

 

Kacee on her way to the finish

 

“Race day came and went and I’m still walking…however very tired!

This was my 3rd year doing the Pikes Peak Marathon and I knew I wanted to finish with a PR.  Doubts crept in the week leading up, over the weekend and at the start.  I knew I could finish because I had done the marathon the 2 years prior, but I started thinking about what parts of my training I definitely didn’t pay as much attention to.

The first 10 miles of the race, I was surprised at how good I was feeling.  That feeling soon ended around mile 11.  The air was getting thinner and my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest.  I rested on a few boulders as I (literally) inched my way to the top and took a few deep breaths to get myself somewhat back to a normal breathing pattern.  When I reached the top, the tears came, I took a deep breath, turned around and headed back down.

The turn around is my favorite part and I very much enjoy the downhill run.  Body wise I was feeling strong again which was a plus as the downhill brings about major falls for some racers.  I saw 3 people go down and one finished with a sprained ankle and dislocated shoulder.   

I finished under my goal time and am ready for next year!  If you’ve ever even entertained the idea of doing the ascent or the full at Pikes Peak, I highly recommend it.  It’s unlike any marathon and it will change you as a person and athlete.”

 

This week’s 1-Page Health News…

 

Diet: Your Child May Be Consuming Too Many Vitamins & Minerals.
The Environmental Working Group believes that fortifying foods with vitamins and minerals is placing children in danger. The report summarizes how millions of American children under eight years of age are getting too much vitamin A, zinc, and niacin from fortified food products and supplements. The problem is the result of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines on voluntary food supplementation (last updated 34 years ago) that do not take current scientific evidence into account. The report recommends that until the FDA makes the Daily Values on food labels reflect up-to-date science and show values for children, parents should limit their child’s intake of fortified food to no more than 20-25% of the adult Daily Value for vitamin A, zinc, and niacin.
Environmental Working Group Report, June 2014

Exercise: Exercise May Benefit Pregnant Women with High Blood Pressure.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, are the most common and dangerous pregnancy complications, occurring in 5-8% of pregnancies. An animal study revealed that placental ischemia-induced hypertension in rats was alleviated by exercise. Researcher Jeff Gilbert explains, “The data from our study raise the possibility that exercise regimens, if started before pregnancy and maintained through most of gestation, may be an important way for women to mitigate the risk of preeclampsia.”
Journal of the American Heart Association, December 2012

Chiropractic: Back Pain Patients Have Less Flexible Hamstrings.
Evaluations of 72 patients with low back pain indicate a possible relationship between mechanical back pain and hamstring tightness. Researchers found that patients with more severe back pain had tighter hamstrings than patients with more mild or moderate pain. They recommend this data be considered when designing both prevention strategies and rehabilitation protocols for low back pain.
Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, June 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Breast Cancer Detection Rate Improves with New Screening Technique.
Adding a 3D imaging technique called tomosynthesis to digital mammography appears to result in both a reduction in the number of patients being called back for additional testing and an increase in breast cancer detection rates. Digital tomosynthesis takes multiple X-ray pictures from different angles. The breast is positioned as it is for a conventional mammogram, but less pressure is applied. Instead of a single image with conventional mammograms, this technique offers a 3D image for a better evaluation of the breast. Dr. Sarah M. Friedewald writes, “The association with fewer unnecessary tests and biopsies, with a simultaneous increase in cancer detection rates, would support the potential benefits of tomosynthesis as a tool for screening. However, assessment for a benefit in clinical outcomes is needed.”
JAMA, June 2014

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center: Kacee, Pikes Peak & the “Brettzle Stretch”

This week Kacee is getting ready to run the full Pikes Peak Marathon this coming Sunday. This sounds like a brutal marathon with 7000 ft over the first 13.1 miles followed by 7000 ft of descending over the next 13.1 miles. Go Kacee!

 

This week’s video shows you how to open up your chest and thoracic spine so you can breathe better. Seems like a good thing to get better at – breathing. Right? Just click on the video below, and you’ll be magically transported to our youtube channel where the video will play.

 

One more thing: we’re back in the office on Fridays starting this week, so if you need to see us, call us @ 303.300.0424

How I spent my Sunday at Ironman Boulder and this week’s 1-Page Health News

by Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center:

My oldest son Andrew and I spent this Sunday volunteering at the Ironman Triathlon. We were a part of my triathlon club, Altitude Multisport Club’s aid station on the bike. Andrew and I were sent down the road to warn athletes on the bike about bumps on the railroad tracks. We had a great time yelling “Bump ahead!” for hours on end. Congratulations to our many patients who did the race!

IMG_0459

Andrew and I out on the course.

And here’s the 1-Page Health News.

Exercise: Cardio & Motor Fitness Skills Improve Academic Performance.
Most would agree that being physically active during childhood offers many benefits to mental and physical health. A new study indicates that cardiorespiratory capacity and motor ability have a strong influence on brain health and academic performance. The study involved 2,038 children and collected data on physical fitness, body composition, and academic performance. The findings suggest that efforts should be made to promote physical activity that encourages children to exercise aerobically and engage in motor tasks that develop physical speed, agility, and coordination.
The Journal of Pediatrics, June 2014

Chiropractic: Farming is Hard on the Body.
Agricultural workers often compromise their musculoskeletal health due to ergonomic risks associated with their jobs. Using a sample of data from the National Health Interview Survey that’s believed to represent the two-million agricultural workers in the United States, researchers estimate that 24% of farm workers experienced back pain and 10.5% experienced neck pain during the previous 90 days.
Journal of Agromedicine, June 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Cocoa Extract Could Prevent Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease is predicted to affect nearly 16 million Americans by 2050. Researchers are hopeful that cocoa extract could be a possible preventative treatment. Lavado, an extract from cocoa, may reduce or block damage to nerve pathways in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, thus reducing symptoms such as cognitive decline. According to the researchers, lavado cocoa extract could pave the way for new treatments, but further studies are needed to better understand how the extract works in the human brain.
Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, June 2014

Exercise: Bicycling Leads to Good Feelings.
Compared with all modes of transportation, people who ride their bicycles are the happiest, followed by automobile passengers and drivers.
Transportation, May 2014

Chiropractic: Heavy Physical Work and Low Back Pain.
Among Brazil’s urban cleaning workers (drivers, trash collectors, maintenance workers, etc.), musculoskeletal pain — and low back pain in particular — is a major public health issue. Researchers interviewed 657 workers and found that 37% have experienced back pain lasting more than one week during the previous year, and of that group, 62.8% experienced back pain within the last seven days. Workers who described bending over and twisting as part of their job functions were much more likely to experience pain in one or more anatomical regions, as were workers who frequently worked overtime. Of note, workers who performed more dynamic and fewer repetitive movements on the job were less likely to experience back pain.
Brazilian Journal of Epidemiology, March 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Elevated Blood Pressure Number Determines Risks.
New research points to the type of heart risk individuals face based on which number of their blood pressure reading is high. Researchers found that an elevated systolic blood pressure (top number) was associated with an increased risk of bleeding strokes and stable angina while those with a higher diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) were more likely to be diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Lead investigator Dr. Eleni Rapsomaniki writes, “Our estimates provide vital new information that can be used to improve patient counseling and decision-making for people with hypertension, which are currently based mainly on the risks of heart attack and stroke, and will help to focus guidelines and doctors to the cardiovascular conditions that might be more common, and in which screening and treatments are more likely to have an effect.”
The Lancet, May 2014

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center 30 seconds on Thursday video

Check out How to Fire up those glutes in Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center’s 30 Seconds on Thursday Video.

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center: Heavy Physical Work and Low Back Pain.

Among Brazil’s urban cleaning workers (drivers, trash collectors, maintenance workers, etc.), musculoskeletal pain — and low back pain in particular — is a major public health issue. Researchers interviewed 657 workers and found that 37% have experienced back pain lasting more than one week during the previous year, and of that group, 62.8% experienced back pain within the last seven days. Workers who described bending over and twisting as part of their job functions were much more likely to experience pain in one or more anatomical regions, as were workers who frequently worked overtime. Of note, workers who performed more dynamic and fewer repetitive movements on the job were less likely to experience back pain.
Brazilian Journal of Epidemiology, March 2014

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center: More Pain-Free Days!

Chiropractic: More Pain-Free Days!
A randomized trial involving 400 chronic low back pain patients found patients who received a course of twelve spinal manipulation treatments experienced 22.9 more pain-free days and 19.8 more disability-free days over the next year compared with patients who received no treatment.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, June 2014

Denver Chiropractor Dr. Glenn Hyman: Back Pain and Neck Pain are a Major Cause of Missed Work.

An evaluation of data concerning over 8,000 Spanish workers reveals a correlation between chronic neck and back pain, and missing one or more days of work for health-related issues. Individuals who reported having frequent neck and back pain were 44% more likely to be absent from work for more than 30 days out of the year.
Spine, May 2014

Video: Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center- Foam rolling for the legs

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center shows you the basics for foam rolling the legs. Combined with regular Active Release Techniques work and chiropractic care, you can run injury-free.

A back pain question from a triathlete

Question from a real patient:

Dr. Hyman,

My name is (deleted) and I’m a member of the (deleted) Triathlon Club. I noticed you are a sponsor and are very familiar with the athletic world who has worked with all types of athletes. I’m in my fourth year of racing Tri, which is remarkable due to a back injury in 2001 that resulted in a bulging disc. In 2006 I had a skiing accident that resulted in an avulsion facture of the L5 vertebrae. I was all healed up and good until a week ago when for some reason, a drive to Breckenridge aggravated my back. This resulted in crawling around for a couple of days. My back is very stiff and the pain is now tolerable. I want to consult your services in hopes of a speedy recovery to get back to training. Can you help me and how?

Answer:

A patient with this type of injury history is susceptible to aggravations of back pain. These may be severe and these may be minor. Since this patient had no pain radiating into his legs, and no other neurological symptoms, I was comfortable working with him. In this case, a simple move in the wrong direction led to a fairly significant muscle spasm. It’s likely that this person’s existing herniated disc received excessive pressure as a result of his posture in the car. This led to a painful guarding response that stopped him from skiing and doing further damage to his low back. After 2 – 3 weeks of treatment and some reasonable range of motion exercises, this patient should be able to return to full activity. His triathlon training should be normal, but core strength is definitely going to be a priority.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only. Don’t use it to diagnose yourself. See a qualified licensed health care practitioner.