Do you have neck stiffness?

The most common form of joint disease of the neck is Cervical Joint Degeneration (CJD).  CJD is the loss of cartilage over time which includes reactive changes at the joint margins and bone.  The symptoms begin as morning stiffness that is relieved by rest, a decreased range of motion and pain that develops slowly or with use. You may even have numbness or tingling in your fingers or weakness in your arms.



If you have those symptoms does it mean you have CJD?

Not necessarily, however symptoms and an examination of your spine may lead me to order an x-ray to confirm the diagnosis.

How did you get CJD?

CJD usually occurs earlier in men after some sort of trauma or repetitive stress due to poor posture and dehydration.

What can you do to treat CJD?

I will evaluate the severity of your diagnosis, and if the degeneration has not progressed too much, I will treat your symptoms with conservative care including joint manipulation, teaching and treatment for pain management.  This includes:

• Rest
• Heat
• Electrical modalities
• Traction to unload the joints
• Myofascial Release Techniques such as Graston or ART

I will also work with you to prevent worsening of the condition, including decreasing or removing the causal factors. If your symptoms worsen despite aggressive conservative care, I may refer you for a surgical consult.

I want you to HURT LESS and PLAY MORE, and this is one condition you should not just live with… let’s work together to manage it.

Source:   Snider, Robert K, MD.  Essentials of Musculoskeletal care 1999

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Laurie call us at (512) 258-4425 or visit our website to learn more.

Tibia Stress Fracture?

A stress fracture of the lower leg is difficult to diagnose due to the vague discomfort and pain over the muscles of the lower leg [shin splints].  A stress fracture develops when the muscles of your lower leg are overworked and cause the bones top layer called the periosteum to become irritated.

How does the fracture occur?
1.Chronic shin splints can lead to a fracture
2.Over or underpronation in your foot can lead to overworking your lower leg muscles
3.Overuse – increase or change in training
4.Running on hard surfaces, hills, jumping
5.A history of osteoporosis



How do I diagnose this?
1.I perform an examination
2.I will send you for an X-ray after 10-14 days, and treat it as a fracture if I suspect it to be a fracture even if the x-ray is negative
3.If necessary I will send you for a bone scan can to detect hot spots

How do I treat it? I will prescribe:
1.Rest for 4-6 weeks
2.Physical therapy Including use of some of the equipment in my office such as the PEMF, IF
3.Increase Vitamin C, Calcium, Vitamin D [consult your primary care doctor]
4.Water exercises or cycling [non-impact]
5.I will look at why did you developed this. Discuss possible causes such as  Orthotics/shoes/ and I will treat the root cause.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Laurie call us at (512) 258-4425 or visit our website to learn more. 

A Pain in the Foot!

Plantar Fasciitis… not something you get from the shower at the gym but what is it?

Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot called the plantar fascia. It creates the arch of the foot by connecting the heel bone to the toes.

How do I diagnose it?

There are several key symptoms including pain for several days which can become chronic if left untreated, a lack of trauma but sometimes new shoes can cause it to start. Also, the patient often has increased pain when they first stand up and walk or run, which then seems to improve as activity continues. The pain then again worsens at the end of the day. Some patients experience a tired achy feeling, foot cramps and these are often worse at the end of the day. From my own experience and what my patients tell me, the symptoms are better with rest and avoidance of the activity.

How do I treat it?

For acute cases, I encourage my patients to rest, use ice and NSAIDS if there is any swelling. I will use the Ultrasound machine to provide deep tissue ultrasound which decreases the inflammation as well. I will perform soft tissue massage, Myofascial release [Active Release technique], Graston Technique, adjustments [posterior calcaneus, taus, inferior navicular, pelvis and lumbar]and then encourage use of a  TP kit or foam roll lower extremity and or a donut pad/soft pad under heel, silicone pads can be helpful. I will not just treat the foot itself but all the connective tissue such as the calf muscle, hamstrings and Achilles tendons since they connect and become the plantar fascia and when tight are often the root cause of Plantar Fasciitis.

For more chronic cases, ice and heat will not help much but I will use ultrasound, work the calf muscles, strengthen the inverter [tibialis anterior & posterior] & intrinsic muscles of the foot with exercises, perform deep soft tissue work, and recommend Bromelain instead of NSAIDS for inflammation. I will possibly recommend that the patient consider orthotics, posterior night splints and will insist on a daily routine of rolling with TP kit, ball or foam roller. I will most often encourage my patients to avoid steroid injections as they may lead to neurosis, weakening of the connective tissue and/or scar tissue buildup and fat pad damage.

If you are a runner, I would recommend making stretching and rolling a top priority and try adding yoga and Pilates to your routine. Yoga provides all around stretching and strengthening. It helps our core by involving movements that are not always linear and follow one plane of movement (sagittal), but instead encourages multi-planar strengthening (frontal, sagittal, transverse) which we use in real life movement and which allows us to hurt less and play more.

Please visit our website to learn more about us and our services!

Why Am I Not Getting Better?

How many visits and how frequently should I see my Chiropractor?  These are great questions. I like to take one visit at a time and see if what I am doing is helping my patients. There is no recipe for all injuries and all patients.

Your first visit includes an exam, a review of your condition, age, lifestyle, attitude and an evaluation of other such relevant factors.   Each of these factors plays a role in your treatment plan.  You can choose to be aggressive and come twice a week or treat it less aggressively and come once a week.  Sometimes if the visits are too far apart the body does not have enough treatment to change the dynamics of the injury.  Sometimes the visits are too frequent and the body does not have time to repair and rebuild your dysfunctional tissue. Every injury and body’s response is unique.

Other times there are other factors that impede your recovery. Activity, lack of activity or pharmacological treatment might affect recovery positively or negatively. Each visit I re-evaluate so that I can determine what is working or not working for you and the specific injury you have. 

Missed VisitsThis speaks for itself.  If you do not make time to get better, your progress is impeded and so is the evaluation process.  I know time and money play a role in your ability to get treated.  But, in order to fully recover, you have to make time to yourself!

Be patientBasic Science regarding tissue repairing and rebuilding says it takes 4-6 weeks.  It is a process that takes time.   This time varies and is different from person to person.  Other factors are how acute or chronic the injury is. Have you had this issue for greater than 3 months?   If so, the injury is now chronic and may require a more aggressive approach and more time to repair.  But, like I tell all my patients, “You heal yourself!.” I am just the catalyst.
Home careWhat are doing after treatment?  Are you doing something that can slow down the process?  For example: Activities that cause you pain should be avoided. Also, you should incorporate a home exercise program to help with your progress.
What kind of lifestyle changes have you make to help yourself? Be honest with yourself

1. Drink water
2. Rest
3. Nutrition
4. Yoga 1-2 times a week
5. Foam rolling or TP Kit 1-3 times a day
6. Stretch after activity
7. Stress reduction or coping mechanism
Referral
If after 3-5 visits there is no change in your condition, I will refer you for diagnostic tests and/or many refer you to another specialist depending on the results. Like you, I am concerned with decreasing your pain and improving your function. 
If I am not meeting your expectations, let me know so I can respond appropriately and help you get the results you deserve!

Visit our website to learn more about our services. 

The Importance of Hip Strength and Motion

Did you know that a great deal of strength comes from your hips?  A dysfunction in hip strength can cause problems with your knees. back, neck, shoulders, legs, feet, etc.Your hip joint along with the labrum, capsule, tendons, ligaments and muscles help you walk and run. When there is an injury, you are unable to move without pain or dysfunction.


Also important is the fact that a decrease in hip motion (due to restrictions in either the hip capsule or the hip muscles) will often cause excessive force to be directed into the lower back and knees. This lack of force dissipation results in your body making compensations from your lower back into your knee, neck and shoulders and can cause a series of chronic injuries.  Does this sound like anything you have experienced?


Another major problem that occurs in conjunction with hip restriction is osteoarthritis. Restrictions in your hip prevent proper dissipation of force. Ideally this energy is stored and released with normal leg motion. However if, due to restrictions, the head of your femur (leg bone) is jamming directly into your pelvis (socket joint), you will see excessive wear and tear of the hip joint. This eventually can lead to a frayed labrum or a tear in the labrum which will cause osteoarthritis, and eventually hip replacement.


Basically if your hips are restricted, your body will compensate for this lack of motion by creating excessive motion in other parts of your body. Stress in your low back and knee (due to lack of hip motion) causes compensations all the way back up to your shoulders and your neck.

Schedule a visit to Austin Family and Sports Chiropractic if you are experiencing any of the symptoms described above.  Our experienced staff can treat the root cause of your pain and can show you exercises for building strength.  We want you to hurt less and play more!  www.austinfamilyandsportschiropractic.com