Healing the Hand: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition of the wrist and hand. The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel of tissues that protects your median nerve. The median nerve provides feeling and movement in your thumb, index, middle and ring fingers. Sometimes people develop a median nerve entrapment where the other tissues in the tunnel, such as ligaments and tendons, get swollen. This pinching of the nerve from swelling and adhesions can cause pain or numbness in your hand.

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Repetitive hand movements can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It is most common in people whose jobs or hobbies require pinching or gripping with a bent wrist. Sometimes it results from an injury to the wrist or a disease such as diabetes, thyroid disease or rheumatoid arthritis. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is also common during the last few months of pregnancy as the body tissues swell.

How can Dr. Laurie help?

Dr. Laurie has had great success with patients with mild, moderate and even some severe symptoms. Not all patients have avoided surgery but 90% have been able to regain motor function and relieve their pain and numbness through treatment. Dr. Laurie uses her Active Release Technique ® and Graston Technique ® to release the tissues and adhesions that are compressing the median nerve. She uses a Frequency Specific Micro-current machine to depolarize the nerve and sometimes the Pulse Electromagnetic Frequency machine that will send an electrical stimulus to the area to increase blood flow and allow the body to repair itself. Most patients see some relief in symptoms right away but several treatments may be necessary to keep the symptoms from recurring. Dr. Laurie’s philosophy is to teach her patients to avoid the behaviors that caused the injury when possible and she uses her training as an Exercise Physiologist to provide patients with home exercises to prevent injury recurrence.

If you or someone you know suffers from Carpal Tunnel syndrome make an appointment to start healing and relieving your symptoms. Also for some home exercises and to read more visit:

http://www.eatonhand.com/hw/ctexercise.htm and http://www.righthealth.com/topic/carpal_tunnel_exercises#ixzz1OyLN8Api

*Images courtesy of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand

To learn more about Dr. Laurie, please visit http://www.austinfamilyandsportschiropractic.com/.

Help Dr. Laurie Become One of Austin's Fittest- Again!

It’s time for the 6^th Annual Austin’s 10 Fittest Contest! Dr. Laurie was honored to be nominated and chosen last year as one of Austin's Top 10 Fittest and would appreciate your vote again this year. The winners will be featured in Austin Fit's August 2011 issue- but voting ends Friday, June 24th!

Involved in sports since childhood and the owner of Austin Family & Sports Chiropractic, Dr. Laurie is immersed in the Austin athletic community – she is a spin instructor at Lifetime Fitness, an ACA cyclist, swims with the T3 Triathlon Team and is a regular runner with Gilbert’s Gazelles. She also volunteers FREE ART and Chiropractic services at Jack and Adam’s Bicycles and provides free injury treatment to Gilbert’s Gazelle runners on Saturdays. Having a lifelong passion for sports and fitness has led Dr. Laurie to an equal passion in the treatment of soft-tissue injuries of her patients. Submit your vote for Dr. Laurie HERE by Friday, June 24th.

“ I want to inspire my patients to get fit and stay fit because --at any age and even with a busy career -- it can be done. Before moving to Austin I worked at Canyon Ranch in Tucson AZ as an Exercise Physiologist/Fitness Instructor and taught many famous people how to stay fit. Now I help prevent and treat injuries for athletes and weekend warriors that are working at their fitness goals. Many of my patients look to me for guidance – and I love motivating people to hurt less and play more.”

- Dr. Laurie Buob

FAKTR and Pain Relief

Dr. Laurie is a certified FAKTR provider. It sounds intriguing, but what does that mean?

FAKTR (pronounced FACTOR) stands for Functional and Kinetic Treatment with Rehab. This means that Dr. Laurie can incorporate function and treatment of the kinetic chain during rehabilitation. Or, to make it simpler, she will treat an injury in the position of provocation (pain, loss of range of motion, feeling of tightness within the fascia/soft tissues) and during motion.

For those interested in the technical side of things, the fascia is a layer of fibrous connective tissue that surrounds muscles, blood vessels and nerves, binding those structures together in the same way as plastic wrap can be used to hold the contents of sandwiches together.₁ FAKTR is used to evaluate and treat soft tissue and fascial conditions and can be used to treat numerous conditions including:

• Shoulder pain
• Calf pain
• Back pain
• Foot pain
• Headaches and other pains and injuries

Although it can be used to treat almost any injury, FAKTR is not effective on all conditions. You can trust that if FAKTR isn't the right treatment for you, Dr. Laurie will find a way to get you back out and playing again!

₁ Wikipedia

Sprouts and Skin Cancer Protection

As summer approaches you might find yourself craving the sun and hoping to get your "tan on!" Let's face it...it is hard not to get sun if you are active in beautiful Austin, Texas. With that in mind, I wanted to pass along a few

interesting tips for protecting your skin from UV radiation. Turns out you can actually keep you skin looking young and beautiful using compounds found in broccoli sprouts!

"UV radiation (UVR) is a complete carcinogen that elicits a constellation of pathological events, including direct DNA damage, generation of reactive oxidants that peroxidize lipids and damage other cellular components, initiation of inflammation (sun burn), and suppression of the immune response."

Research conducted at John Hopkins used a topical application of 3-day old broccoli sprout extracts on the skin of mice and humans.

The results showed:
1.An increase in the Phase 2 enzyme activity of the body’s natural defense system
2.Protection against the UV radiation induced inflammation and redness in mice
3.Reduced susceptibility to redness from UV radiation in humans.

In the human subjects, the mean reduction in skin redness (sunburn) across six doses of UV radiation was 37.7%. Broccoli sprouts provided long-lasting protection against a carcinogen (UV radiation) in humans.

I am not suggesting that you rub sprouts all over yourself before going out to play… but that adding sprouts to your diet is a something to think about. Sprouts can be added to salads, soups, wraps, sandwiches and vegetable dips. I get mine at Whole Foods.

Also, you may be interested in learning more about other types of sprouts and their antioxidative and anti-carcinogenic properties. I suggest checking out http://www.sprouts-as-medicine.com/ for the background, and SproutPeople.org for a fun collection of recipes (they even have dessert!).

For further information see the research paper “Sulforaphane mobilises cellular defenses that protect skin against damage by UV radiation.” by P Talalay et al from John Hopkins University.

At-Home Injury Care and Prevention

At-home care is a fantastic option for athletes. However, it is important to know which treatments to use so that you alleviate the pain rather than aggravate the issue. Here are the guidelines I use for successful at-home care:

Ice: Use ice if you notice swelling, or if your pain is a 6 or greater on a scale of 1-10 for a new injury.

Ice constricts blood vessels to reduce swelling, treat muscle spasms and slow nerve transmission of painful symptoms. If you receive treatment to repair damaged tissue that ends up causing you pain, ask your doctor if they recommend ice.

Apply an ice pack for 15-20 minutes every hour.

Heat: Use heat if you have chronic joint and muscle stiffness.

Heat is the opposite of ice: rather than constrict blood vessels, heat helps increase blood flow and aids flexibility. Sore joints and muscles can show temporary improvement with the application of moist heat or a hot bath. It should help your muscles relax which could also help you sleep better and allow the body to repair itself.

How to do it: Heat a bag filled with beans or a sock with rice in the microwave. When you are catching up on CSI, Glee or the Longhorns apply the heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

TP kits or a foam roller: Use these aids daily- twice a day if you are an athlete. If you don’t have a TP kit, a tennis ball and foam roller will work.

How to do it: The idea is to put pressure on tight areas to get the body to send blood there. Before a workout roll the muscle groups that you will use the most. If going for a run, try the gluteals, low back, hamstrings and quadriceps, IT band, calves and even the arches in your feet.

Stretching: Exercising contracts various muscle groups. Without it, the primary muscles used become tight and the opposing muscles become stretched and weak. This imbalance can cause injury.

How to do it: Stretch when done with your workout and while you are still warm. Never stretch cold! Spend 20 minutes working the muscles you use the most, holding each stretch for 1-2 minutes. If you need some stretching tips that are specific to the exercise you do, please write me Dr. Laurie at lauriebuob@gmail.com or call us at 512.258.4425.

Taking care of ourselves takes time but it will save you from the frustration that comes with injury. Roll your tired muscles while watching the morning news or your favorite shows. You can also try yoga and reap the benefits of strengthened muscles, increased balance and even improved performance in your favorite sports.

Remember Hurt Less, Play More,

Dr. Laurie

Do you have Upper Crossed Syndrome?

If you or someone you know looks like this, you or they may have Upper Crossed Syndrome, also known as “student or corporate syndrome”. Upper Crossed Syndrome develops from bad posture, poor ergonomics and repetitive forward motion tendencies like sitting in front of a computer for long periods of time. It can also occur in individuals who lift weights and focus on the chest muscles neglecting the back muscles.

The most common trait for someone with Upper Crossed Syndrome is tightness between the shoulder and the neck. The shoulder muscles, pectorals become tight and their rhomboids and serratus anterior muscles become weak. Their shoulder blades may also start to stick out and not lay flat. Even when the individual is no longer hunching over a desk, their head falls forward. Since the average head weighs about 10lbs, this further stretches weak muscles and tightens the shortened muscles.

There was a reason why as children we were told to put our shoulders back and stand up straight!

Although the condition develops over years, it can be reversed. The work that I do in the office with ART and Graston techniques helps to stretch the tight muscles and repair the muscle tissue that has been stressed.

The Perfect Posture Plan from Men's Health magazine is a great start for those with Upper Cross Syndrome. Perform the shoulder exercise routine below 3 days a week for 4 weeks. Do two sets of 12 repetitions of each shoulder exercise. Continue to incorporate these moves into your workouts even after you've completed the program. Remember to use light weight so that you have correct form. And don't forget: changing your posture is essential as well!

The next time you sit at your desk, look at your positioning. A great website to help you adjust your work station is the US Department of Labor's Guide. This will help you while at work or school. But standing posture is also as important. Try to think of the Superman pose:

Stick out your chest. Draw your shoulders back and down and stand tall. Although it might seem difficult at first, you will feel like a superhero in time!

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Dr. Laurie at 512.258.4428.

Piriformis syndrome

Piriformis Syndrome is a common injury that we treat at Austin Family and Sports Chiropractic. It is defined as Sciatic neuritis due to piriformis contracture or spasm leading to mechanical and/or chemical irritation to the nociceptors resulting in pain and numbness in the distribution of the sciatic nerve.

Etiology

1. Predisposing factors
   
2. 1. Anomalous sciatic nerve
   
3. 2. Tight External rotators

3. Neurologic injury to L5 and S1

Injury

1. Trauma to the gluteals --> fibrosis & adhesions


2. Prolonged sitting [wallet]

Neurological insult to L5-S1

1. Radiculitis --> atrophy of the piriformis


2. Facet syndrome --> reflex spasm of the piriformis

Overuse and/or biomechanical fault

1. Fatigue or strain of piriformis muscle


2. Leg length asymmetry

Signs and Symptoms:

What you may observe

1. Foot flare, esp unilaterally on the involved side[due to piriformis tightness]
   
2. Overpronation
   
3. Palpation
   
4. Palpation of Piriformis recreates symptoms
   
5. May have low back pain

Range of Motion

1. Decreased active & passive internal rotation of hip which may reproduce symptoms


2. Decreased active & passive adduction - may reproduce symptoms


3. Tight hamstrings


4. Weak lateral hip rotators

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Laurie at Austin Family and Sports Chriopractic, call us today at 512-258-4425. Visit our website at http://www.austinfamilyandsportschiropractic.com/.