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.

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center: The Mysteries of Low Back Pain!

Most people don’t realize how complicated the low back region is when it comes to investigating the cause of low back pain (LBP)? There can be findings on an x-ray, MRI, or CT scan such as degenerative disk disease, arthritis, even bulging and/or herniated disks that have NOTHING to do with why the back hurts. Similarly, there are often other abnormal findings present in many of us who have NO low back pain whatsoever! Because of this seemingly paradoxical situation, we as clinicians must be careful not to over-diagnose based on the presence of these “abnormal findings” AND on the same hand, be careful not to under-diagnose them as well. Many of you know it can be quite tricky.

Looking further into this interesting paradox, one study reported findings that support this point. Investigators examined 67 asymptomatic individuals who had NO prior history of low back pain and evaluated them using magnetic resonant imaging (MRI). They found 21 of the 67 (31%) had an identifiable disk and/or spinal canal abnormality (which is where the spinal cord and nerves run). Seven years later, this same group of non-suffering individuals was once again contacted to see if they had developed any back problems within that time frame. The goal of the study was to determine if one could “predict” who might develop low back pain based on certain abnormal imaging findings in non-suffering subjects. A questionnaire was sent to each of these individuals, of which 50 completed and returned the questionnaire. A repeat MRI scan was performed on 31 of these subjects, and two neurologists and one orthopedic spine surgeon interpreted the MRI studies using a blinded approach (without having knowledge about the subject’s symptoms or lack thereof). Each level was assessed for abnormalities including disk bulging/herniation and degeneration. Those who had initial abnormal findings were defined as “progressed” (worsened) if an increased severity of the original finding was evident or if additional or new spinal levels had become involved over the seven-year time span.

Of the 50 who returned the questionnaire, 29 (58%) had NO low back pain, while 21 had developed LBP. In the original group that had the MRI repeated seven years later, new MRI findings included the following: twelve remained “normal,” five had herniated disks, three had developed spinal stenosis, and one had “moderate” disk degeneration. Regarding radiating leg pain, four of the eight had abnormal findings originally, two of the eight had spinal stenosis, one had a disk protrusion, and one an “extruded” (“ruptured”) disk. In general, repeat MRI scans revealed a greater frequency of disk herniation, bulging, degeneration, and spinal stenosis compared to the original scans. Those with the longest duration of LBP did NOT have the greatest degree of abnormalities on the original scans. They concluded that the original MRI findings were NOT PREDICTIVE of future development of LBP.

They summarized, “…clinical correlation is essential to determine the importance of abnormalities on MR images.” These findings correlate well with other studies, such as 50% or more of all asymptomatic people HAVE bulging disks and approximately 30% of us have herniated disks – WITHOUT PAIN. To be of diagnostic (clinical) value, the person MUST have signs and symptoms that agree with the imaging test, which is used to CONFIRM the diagnosis. Bottom line, If you have LBP, come see us, as we will evaluate and treat YOU, NOT your x-rays (or MRI) findings!

If you, a friend, or family member requires care for back pain, we would be honored to help. Simply call us at 303.300.0424, or use the “Make An Appointment” link on our website at denverback.com

Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center: Posture and Headaches

 

 Headaches (HA) play a significant role in a person’s quality of life and are one of the most common complaints that chiropractors see. This comes as no surprise, as one survey reported 16.6% of adults (18 years and older) suffered from migraines or other severe headaches during the last three months of 2011. Another study reported that head pain was the fifth LEADING CAUSE of emergency department (ED) visits in the United States and accounted for 1.2% of all outpatient visits. These statistics are even worse for females (18-44 years old), where the three month occurrence rate was 26.1% and the third leading cause for ED visits! Because of the significant potential side effects of medications, many headache sufferers turn to non-medication treatment approaches, of which chiropractic is one of the most commonly utilized forms of “complementary and alternative approaches” in the management of tension-type headaches. So, why are headaches so common? Let’s talk about posture!

 

Posture plays a KEY ROLE in the onset and persistence of cervicogenic headaches. If there is such a thing as “perfect posture,” it might “look” something like this: viewing a person from the front (starting at the feet), the feet would flair slightly outwards symmetrically, the medial longitudinal (inside) arch of the feet would allow enough space for an index finger to creep under to the first joint (and NOT flat like so many), the ankles would line up with the shin bones (and NOT roll inwards), the knees would slightly “knock” inwards and hips would line up squarely with the pelvis. The shoulders would be level, the arms would hang freely and not be pronated (rolled) inwards, and head would be level (not tilted). From the side view, the knees would not be hyperextended nor flexed, the shoulders would not be forward (protracted) and MOST IMPORTANT (at least for headaches), the head would NOT be forward and be able to have a perpendicular line drawn from the floor through the shoulder, as this line should pass through the outer opening of the ear. As the head “translates” or shifts forwards, for every inch of “anterior head translation” (AHT), it essentially gains 10 pounds in weight, which the upper back and neck muscles have to counter balance!

 

A leading University of California medical author, Dr. Rene Calliet, MD, wrote that this altered posture can add up to 30 pounds of abnormal weight to the neck and can “…pull the entire spine out of alignment.” It can also reduce the lung’s vital capacity by 30%, which can contribute to all sorts of breathing-impaired health problems! Think of carrying a 30-pound watermelon around your neck all day – the muscle pain from fatigue would be tremendous! If this is left uncorrected, chronic neck pain and headaches from pinching off the top three nerves in the neck is likely. The combination of AHT and shoulder protraction may also lead to the development of an upper thoracic “hump” and potentially into a “Dowager Hump” if the Midback vertebrae become compressed (wedged). An increased rate of mortality of 1.44 is reportedly associated with this faulty posture!

 

Between chiropractic adjustments, Active Release Techniques Soft Tissue Treatments, posture retraining exercises, other postural corrective care, and strength exercise training, we WILL help you correct your faulty posture so that neck pain and headaches STOP and don’t progress into a chronic, permanent condition.

 

If you, a friend, or family member requires care for headaches, we would be honored to help. Simply call us at 303.300.0424, or use the Appointment Request function on our website at denverback.com