Saturday, January 30, 2010

Rotator Cuff Stuff

This blog is dedicated to the athlete that has been experiencing shoulder pain.

I have been working with some of the coaches and athletes at the Capital City Volleyball Club and have been seeing a lot of shoulder injuries. So here are some tips on what to do when shoulder aches and pains seem to be getting the best of your game.

1) Get it checked out by a professional!!!!! I can't emphasize this enough. Proper diagnosis will save you pain, money, and frustration. Proper diagnosis can save you from paying for costly MRI's, probable surgery and missed practices.

2)If you are in doubt of whether to heat or ice your shoulder, it is better to err on the side of ice. In most cases inflammation is part of the shoulder problem and a good 15 to 20 minutes of ice several times a day will help you get a handle on it.

3)No pain no gain is not a great philosophy to live by! Don't continue to do exercises, practices, or movement patterns that elicit pain. The problem will not eventually go away if you continue to do the same thing over and over again. In fact you will probably irritate it more and cause further damage.

If you have any further questions I can be contacted at my office at 775-882-3555 and remember that consultations are always welcomed and free of charge.

Friday, January 1, 2010

STRESSED OUT!!!!

It is the beginning of a new year with a lot to look forward to in 2010. So why are we already soooo stressed out? Well guess what?? Stress is a part of who we are and without it we can't live. So like it or not stress is here to stay. Yeah I said it, stress is something we can't live without.

I once sat through a lecture in an undergraduate class and a professor put up an EKG of a normal heart beat. It consisted of peaks as the line rose and fell and if you closed your eyes you could imagine the lub-dub sound. He pointed to it and said, "that is what stress looks like on a normal beating heart muscle." He then showed us a slide with an EKG that was flat and stated that this is what a heart muscle looks like when there isn't any stress. The heart muscle was lifeless and you could almost hear the blaring sound of the EKG machine in a hospital as the ER doc yells "we've got a flat line!" Got the picture?

We need stress. Good stress. To not only survive but to thrive. Want to have better cardio health, you need to stress that system. Want to have fantastic muscle tone, you need to stress that system. Want to make your wife or girlfriend think your smarter than Einstein, you gotta stress that system. I could go on and on about the ways we need good stress in our lives to help us grow but for now I'll just list a few quick tips to help us out in 2010.

1. Breathe. Breathe with your diaphragm not your chest. To do this, the action will feel like you are using your tummy. Rounding it out and sucking it back in. You will increase your O2 intake and it will take less effort by breathing correctly.

2. Sleep. Get enough sleep. Turn off the TV and don't stay up all night watching infomercials on products that will help you get better sleep. Remember when you were a kid and your parents put you to bed? More than likely they had a routine. Brush your teeth, get a drink, read a story and then lights out. The same rules apply. Find a routine that helps you wind down at the end of the day and you will find that you'll be getting better sleep.

3. Exercise. Get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. Join a group of friends to help motivate you and keep you on track. My favorite form of exercise is a "Boot Camp" regime. Check out http://www.fitbodybootcamp.com/carson-city-boot-camp.html for more info on this type of exercise.


Use these three tips to help you with your stress levels and I wish all of you a very prosperous and healthy new year.