Archive for September, 2010

I am proud to announce that Graston Technique is now available at Ducat Chiropractic & Wellness Center.  This remarkable procedure
allows us to detect and treat areas of “scar tissue” or adhesions in muscles, tendons and ligaments that can reduce our range of motion and cause pain.  In the healing process, our body attempts to repair those areas by creating “scar tissue,” much like the scar that forms on the skin when you have scraped or banged your knee.

In time, we can have a build up of this fibrous scar tissue, particularly in the muscles, tendons and ligaments that get a lot of use. This can lead to pain and dysfunction because this replacement tissue lacks the strength and flexibility of healthy tissue (in some areas it may even mat down and entrap a nerve).

The Graston Technique® allows us to better detect and treat these areas because it uses a stainless steel instrument that glides along a patient’s muscle, tendons or ligaments, with the right amount of pressure to detect just where the scar tissue or restrictions are located.

When these knots or bands of scar tissue are encountered, both the clinician and the patient sense a restriction, almost like a speed bump or a granular feeling. The instrument can then be used to “break up” this restriction or adhesion. Stretching exercises are used to promote re-alignment of the fibers into the normal pattern of healthy tissue.

Although this technique is utilized by several professional sports teams including the St. Louis Cardinals, San Fransisco 49′ers and the New York Knicks, only a handful of chiropractic and physical therapy clinics in the Chicago area have been trained in this technique and have the Graston instruments available.  If you or a friend has chronic or reoccuring pain, please call us to schedule a complementary 15 minute consultation to see if Graston Technique would be a good treatment option for you.

Around this time of year, flu and cold viruses seem to come out of hiding and strike us when we are least expecting it.  Although you can’t avoid viruses — we come in contact with millions of bacteria and viral particles every day — you can strengthen your own defenses to stay healthy this fall.

1.  Get sleep.  The average adult needs 7.5-9 hrs of sleep every night to keep their immune system strong and to stay a healthy weight.  Skimp on sleep and you will be at higher risk for flu and cold bugs.

2.  Stay active.  Exercise boosts your immune system naturally.  Make sure that you get 30 min of cardiovascular exercise 4-6 times per week (walking, biking, swimming, running) and 30 min of strength training exercise 2 times per week.  Wipe down the equipment at the gym to avoid accidental infection while working out!

3.  Eat right.  Try to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.  The vitamins and nutrients in these foods will give your body the tools that it needs to fight infection.

4.  Get adjusted.  Studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments increase your immune system function by stimulating lymphatic flow (the circulatory system that moves your immune system cells around your body).  Adjustments are also great for opening up sinuses and decreasing congestion if you do have a cold or flu.  Acupuncture is also effective at decreasing sinus congestion!

If you have other questions about staying healthy this fall, feel free to ask me at your next visit or drop me an email at drerin@ducatchiropractic.com.  We’re here to help!

An article in this Sunday’s Chicago Tribune gave 10 tips to reduce your risk of landing in a nursing home.  According to a recent study, small lifestyle changes can reap big rewards.  Replacing animal fats with vegetable oils, for example, can cut the risk of heart attack in almost half.  And four other lifestyle changes — stopping smoking, becoming more active, reducing blood pressure and controlling diabetes — greatly reduce the chances of a woman landing in a nursing home.

Nothing in this article is groundbreaking — we all know the changes that we need to make.  The key is actually doing it.  As we enter the fall season, many of my patients put off starting good habits until the first of the year.  Why not start something today?  It doesn’t have to be a big change — just a step in the right direction. 

If you need help getting active because of pain or limitations, please let us know!  We’re experts at helping patients start an exercise program safely and effectively without aggravating old injuries or issues.  If you need help with your diet or other lifestyle changes, we can also point you in the right direction or help you with a referral!