Stretching

Hamlet's Fitness

Get the Most Out of Stretching

If your body has structural limitations, particularly involving the joints of the spine and pelvis, then you can run into difficulties when trying to stretch. Your spinal joints and sacroiliac joints (the big joints of the pelvis) need to be freely movable in order to get the most out of stretching and in order to avoid potential problems. Restricted mobility of these important joints will often cause tight muscles, and tight muscles can cause muscle pain and muscle injuries.

Your chiropractor is an expert in detecting the presence of these mechanical problems and in correcting the underlying causes. Regular chiropractic care helps keep your body flexible and functioning at its peak, helping you get the most out of all your exercise and fitness activities.

"To stretch or not to stretch." That wasn't exactly Hamlet's question. The Prince of Denmark had matters of state to consider, especially the most effective method to avenge the murder of his father. Getting ready for his next fencing lesson had taken low priority.

But for the rest of us who aren't Nordic princes, matters of fitness are in fact akin to matters of state, namely the state of our bodies. Your fitness choices are critically important to your health and well-being. Also, your overall approach to fitness activities matters a great deal, such as how you get ready to do the exercise things you're going to do.

The question of stretching has been debated for many years, going back to the early days of popularized forms of strength training in the 1960s.1,2,3 "To stretch or not to stretch" really was and continues to be the question. Proponents of stretching actively and vigorously defend their position. Those who believe that stretching has no value, or may even be harmful, are equally assertive. There is evidence in the scientific literature to support both sides. A person who wishes to derive the greatest benefit from her time spent exercising is, like Hamlet, in quite a quandary.

But there's no need to vacillate and mimic Hamlet's notorious exploration of doubt and indecision. The way forward, as always, is to do what works for you. For example, if you are naturally flexible there might not be a need for stretching. People who can just flop over and put their hands on the floor from a standing position already have one benefit that stretching provides. Their hamstrings and lower back muscles are already pretty loose. A contrasting example is the person with naturally tight muscles. Many such people would actually strain a back muscle or a hamstring if they tried to bend over and touch the floor without any preparation.

In the world of fitness, what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. If you're a person who would benefit from stretching, you need to stretch. But not everybody will benefit. For some, time spent stretching is time wasted. You find out by stretching before a few exercise sessions. If your muscles feel "long" and limber and your joints feel freely moveable, then stretching is probably a good thing to do. If your muscles and joints don't feel any different from the way they usually do, in other words, you were already pretty loose to begin with and stretching didn't add any noticeable benefit, then you're probably a person who doesn't need to stretch.

If you're stretching, the next question becomes whether to stretch before or after exercise. Again, there are proponents of each approach and some authorities suggest that stretching both before and after is the way to go. Explore the various possibilities and determine the most effective method for you. Most imphttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifortantly, get regular vigorous exercise and have fun doing it.

1Gartley RM, Prosser JL: Stretching to prevent musculoskeletal injuries. An approach to workplace wellness. AAOHN 59(6):247-252, 2011

2Stojanovic MD, Ostojic SM: Stretching and injury prevention in football: current perspectives. Res Sports Med 19(2):73-91, 2011

3Samukawa M, et al: The effects of dynamic stretching on plantar flexor muscle-tendon tissue properties. Man Ther August 2, 2011 (Epub ahead of print)

Chiropractic Wellness

The main difference between wellness care and standard medical care is that wellness care seeks to turn on the natural healing ability. Wellness care does not add something to the system, instead it removes anything that might interfere with normal function. Wellness care trusts that the body would know what to do if nothing were interfering with it. Standard medical care, on the other hand, seeks to treat a symptom by adding something from the outside – a medication, a surgery or procedure.
Inside Out vs. Outside In

If a patient has high blood pressure, a standard medical approach would be to choose a drug that lowers blood pressure, and ask the patient to take the drug. This may serve to lower the blood pressure, but ignores the underlying cause that is making the blood pressure high, and runs the risk of side effects complicating the person’s recovery. Whether it’s a nutritional issue, faulty control by the nerve system or a manifestation of stress, the medication could decrease the blood pressure, leaving the problem causing the symptom of high blood pressure unaddressed.
The Wellness Approach

Wellness is a state of optimal conditions for normal function… and then some. The wellness approach is to look for underlying causes of any disturbance or disruption (which may or may not be causing symptoms at the time) and make whatever interventions and lifestyle adjustments would optimize the conditions for normal function. That environment encourages natural healing, and minimizes the need for invasive treatment, which should be administered only when absolutely necessary. When the body is working properly, it tends to heal effectively, no matter what the condition. When the body heals well and maintains itself well, then there is another level of health that goes beyond “asymptomatic” or “pain-free” which reveals an open-ended opportunity for vitality, vibrant health, and an enhanced experience of life.This is true for mental and emotional health as well as physical health. While some people may suffer psychological disorders, creating an atmosphere of mental and emotional wellness will address all but the most serious problems. For more information go to http://drsteve.ws

Why choose a chiropractor?

Your in pain. You have been taking those prescribed drugs, and the pain persists. Drugs do not address the cause of many aches and pain. They cover the symptoms. Chiropractors detect and eliminate the cause of many of these issues. Irritation to the nerves that run through joints, due to a slight malposition of the joint (called a subluxation). Get results - get a chiropractor. When your body's achey and your head really hurts, choose chiropractic first. Dr. Steve Edelson, Tampa, Fl. 33629 (813) 831-8321 http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com & http://drsteve.ws

Automobile Accidents Tampa

If you have been involved in an automobile accident accident, you might be wondering what to do next. The choice is made easier if you know that you were hurt. Some people don't know and do not experience any pain for even a month later. The reason is because it can take a while for scar tissue to form. Scar tissue forms because real injuries occur from automobile accidents. Tissue and ligaments can and often do get ripped or damaged.
When bones break as a result it is of course clear, but a proper assessment of your injuries is not always so easy to make. I would like to suggest to you that you seek the professional care of a licensed doctor of chiropractic. A chiropractor can do a thorough examination, including x-rays, and then provide you with the very best care for this type of injury. Chiropractors do not seek to cover up your pain with medications. They seek to eliminate your pain at the source. When injured in an automobile accident, joints often shift out of place, which creates irritation to the nerve roots.
The nerve root is most likely the cause of your pain when joints are subluxated. Subluxation is the word chiropractors use to describe a joint that is out of alignment, causing irritation to nerves. This situation also causes inflamtion and muscle spasms that can perpetuate the pain syndrome. A chiropractor can find and correct the misaligned joints with gentle, fine tune adjustments. This restores the normal function to joints and allows for optimal healing of any damaged tissue, such as torn ligaments and tissue.
Without proper correction of the misaligned joint, the tissue will still heal to a degree, but not as well as it could if things were put back into place. It makes sense - doesn't it? If you have been involved in an auto accident, call a chiropractor. If you have been involved in an auto accident and live in the Tampa or St. Petersburg area, please feel free to give me a call. I am Dr. Steve Edelson. My contact information is listed just to the left of this video. My telephone number is (813) 831- 8321.


Dr. Steve Edelson talks about what to do if injured in an automobile accident. (813) 831-8321. http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com

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Preventative Health Care

If you bring your car in for regular maintenance, ie. oil changes, tune ups, and tire rotations, then you know the value of preventative maintenance. If you don't do it, your car will break down and it will cost you a lot more than the cost of the maintenance. The same applies to preventative health care maintenance and the health of your body. Chiropractic is one of the very best ways to ensure good health. By going to a chiropractor for prevention, you ensure that there will be no irritation to your nerves which allows for optimal health, and it ensures that your joints are functioning optimally which will help you avoid arthritis. Chiropractic helps people of all ages from newborns to the elderly and works equally well for pregnant mothers, body builders, business people, and marathon runners. Chiropractic is one of the best ways to recover from automobile accident injuries. It is natural, safe, and affordable (and even covered by most insurance plans). If you live in Tampa and would like more information call (813) 831-8321 or visit our web sites http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com or http://drsteve.ws

Chiropractic and low back pain

Low back pain and chiropractic. Let's say you have already made the choice to come to a chiropractor and have received your first adjustment. So why do you need another? Sometimes you won't need another adjustment. Some people get better with only one adjustment. Most people require four or five visits to the chiropractor for their problem. Usually the issue is when a joint gets shifted out of position. This creates irritation to the surrounding nerves and muscles and can cause inflammation. The muscles go into spasm and lock the joint into this new position to protect it from shifting into an even worse position. Unfortunately the muscles will not let the joint go back into the original healthy position due to muscle memory. The joint must be retrained by have it adjusted - put back into place by a chiropractor. The retraining process is to adjust the joint over a series of visits/days, as many times as is required to accomplish the goal of restoring the joint to its original healthy position where it will move properly without irritating the nerves and muscles. With every adjustment, the joint gets better and closer to a state of health. Usually the patient feels better a visit or two prior to finishing the work required and sometimes makes the mistake of discontinuing care before the joint is fully recovered. The result is that the pain often returns and the frustration of starting over can be disappointing. Some even come to the wrong conclusion that chiropractic did not help them after all. So remember - just because you feel better, have your chiropractor check to make sure you are as good as you can be before discontinuing care. I even recommend that you continue to see the chiropractor on a once per month basis for preventative maintenance. For more information call Dr. Steve Edelson at (813) 831-8321 in south Tampa or visit http://drsteve.ws and http://tampa.chiropractor-edelson.com