The latest research on ice for injury and tissue repair- our new enemy

/in /by

 

We have all grown up with the idea of using ice after we sprain an ankle or injure a muscle to help reduce swelling as well as for post athletic recovery; in fact, we have been doing this for 40 years now. Over time, with advances in both technology and medicine, according to the latest research, ice should only be used for pain and for no longer than 10 minutes. Why? It seems that the application of ice for longer than 10 minutes impedes tissue repair.

What’s happening in the world of science

The acronym, R.I.C.E (Rest Ice Compression Elevation) developed by physician Dr Gabe Mirkin back in the 70’s, is now slowly being replaced by M.E.L.T (Mobilise Elevate Laser Tape).  Scientists, with a growing body of evidence have now realised that some inflammation is actually required to help induce tissue repair and that the use of ice could be counter-productive. In fact, some large Sports Clubs/Teams in the U.S.A are banning the use of ice altogether except for the application in pain management. The theory of ice was to slow the blood flow to reduce inflammation and pain, thereby promoting recovery (so they thought!). So ice has a 40 year reign and appears to be coming to an end. The Chinese could have been right all along. Ice has never been used in Chinese Medicine for any treatment option which follows their old saying and belief that “ice is for dead things”.

Dr Mirkin now recommends that the use of ice should be used to numb pain but only applied once or twice for 10 minute bursts and there is absolutely no reason to apply it later.

Our body uses immunity cells and nutrients to kill germs and in much the same way, it uses inflammatory cells and nutrients to rush to damaged muscles to promote healing. By restricting the blood flow with the application of ice, it will inhibit the essential healing cells and oxygen from arriving at the injured tissue site.

New research from a study at Queensland University of Technology ( QUT) have found that ice baths post strength training reduced long term gains in muscle strength whilst active warm down gained more muscle. Through biopsy, they discovered that ice suppressed the cell-signalling that regulates muscle growth.

“This is the most comprehensive study of its kind and the results suggest individuals, who use strength training to improve athletic performance, recover from injury or maintain their health, should reconsider using cold water immersion as a recovery aid”

So if ice is out, what do we do instead?

In Brazil 2015, scientists concluded that using photobiomodulation (PBM) on Rugby players prior to heavy exercise will increase blood flow by 10% and reduce muscle fatigue by 86%. This could essentially make a difference between a podium and non-podium finish in the elite athlete. A game changer- light therapy actually improving performance!

With over 6000 research papers published on Pubmed on various applications and the biological effects of PBM, it would appear that light therapy could be the future in the healing of any cell. Research is in progress regarding post traumatic brain injury, macular degeneration and stroke recovery. From cartilage to skin, the implications are potentially vast.

It is not a heat therapy, but more like photosynthesis in plants using low intensity lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs). When LLLT is placed over injured, aged or sick cells, the light energy is absorbed exerting a chemical change. This stimulates the damaged cells to increase their energy production which is used to transform the damaged cells into healthy active cells.

The other area of research is the comparison of cryotherapy to photobiomodulation for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Evidence would suggest applying PBM on an overused muscle would be a greater performer than ice.

The end of the ice age or is it?

The latest craze to hit the shores is cold water swimming or cold showers. “The Doctor Who Gave Up Drugs” in their first episode showcased a woman with years long depression cold water swimming and consequently she was then able to reduce her medication significantly. It is said to create a state of euphoria! Endorphins structurally similar to the drug morphine create a euphoric response. These neurotransmitter pathways are known to be involved in the regulation of emotions. There is an abundant amount of research linking these brain areas to depression. The endorphin release amongst individuals is variable so, yes, the effects can vary. You might be familiar with other endorphin releases such as exercise, sex, acupuncture, massage and for some even eating chocolate! Some studies suggest cold water can stimulate healthy brown fat, which is found in the upper neck, shoulders, and chest, and can help burn away calorie-loaded fats called lipids, which pile onto your gut and waistline.  Studies have shown that routine cold water showers do have health benefits.

For more information on methods using meditation, breathing and cold water immersion read here. Thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviour can have a powerful impact on our health.

Confused yet?

When it comes to a local soft-tissue injury, the focus shifts to its local blood flow and therefore the body’s ability to deliver the necessary white blood cells to heal.  Ice will impede this local blood flow and therefore inhibit tissue repair by obstructing the natural inflammation that your body has been doing since Adam and Eve. Scientists have also recently discovered that non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) will weaken the strength of tissue repair. Low level laser will expedite this repair. So, for euphoria and a general state of wellbeing, have a cold water shower but when you are trying to repair an injury, evidence suggests using laser. You are better off doing nothing than applying ice if a laser is not available. Remember, science offers the best answers. Ice is for dead things!

Dr Catherine MacInnes has been using PBM for sports injury and performance for over 7 years now and since opening Renude Laser in 2015, has been on top of the game for tattoo removal by developing and using a patent pending protocol for PBM before and after tattoo removal to decrease pain and enhance the process of tissue repair.

Gait Speed Can Determine Longevity-Latest Study

/in /by

Many of you may have had an elderly family member who has suffered as a result of a bad fall. This might come as a shock but it has been reported that falls have cost NSW $500 million in 2006/2007. I do not have any more recent data. This apparently applies to direct and indirect costs, indirect being time off work and loss of function. In a more recent report, The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that it costs approximately $65 billion worldwide in direct costs. In the WHO report, they name an Active Ageing Cycle and a Fall Cycle. In the active ageing cycling it says that as people get older, falls do not have to be more likely. This is a really important point. The Fall Cycle  is highlighting that once a fall has occurred, the person is scared of moving, mobilises less, deteriorates more, becoming less active, and therefore more likely to fall, it becoming a vicious cycle.

Unfortunately organic diseases such as Parkinson’s, developmental disorders with children such as sensory processing disorder, and even migraine sufferers can have a greater susceptibility to falls. It is known through research that higher level athletes have better balance than the general public. Fall risk factors can be a result of biological, environmental and behavioural means. Research has shown that lack of exercise, low Vitamin D levels (not in all cases), and some medications contribute to the increase likelihood of a fall.

According to recent research “Specifically, individuals with slower gait speeds are at a higher risk of disability, cognitive impairment, institutionalisation, falls and mortality. A meta-analysis has found that older individuals in the lowest quartile of gait speed had a threefold increased risk of mortality when compared with individuals in the highest quartile.”

“Gait speed, also often termed walking speed, has been shown to be associated with survival among older adults in individual epidemiological cohort studies 6–12 and has been shown to reflect health and functional status. Gait speed has been recommended as a potentially useful clinical indicator of well-being among the older adults.” Read here for the https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3080184

In essence, gait speed could be considered a simple and accessible summary indicator of vitality.

There are some tests that can be performed to help determine the reason for a fall, or slow gait, including balance tests.

Balance is defined as the ability to maintain the body’s centre of gravity over its base of support with minimal sway or maximum steadiness. The ability to maintain balance is based on a complex interaction between sensory, vestibular (please see below for a definition) and visual functions and coordination of movements with muscle activity. As previously mentioned, balance does not have to decline as one gets older and when gait speed is reduced, balance is one of the important aspects of body function to check.

Balance measuring systems will need to include visual, proprioceptive (feedback) and vestibular systems (brain based balance centres).

One of the best non- computerised test static tests to measure the separate components of balance is called the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Imbalance. With the person standing the test involves: eyes open (visual, vestibular, proprioceptive), eyes closed (loss of visual input so rely on vestibular and proprioceptive), standing on a foam pad with eyes open (vestibular system tested and makes proprioception no longer valid) and foam pad eyes closed (testing the vestibular system in isolation).

Dynamic tests include multiple organ systems not excluding the cardiac and the vestibular system. Walking speed is one of them, again so trying to determine the cause of the change of the gait speed is clinically significant and therefore greatly helpful in recovery! The Star excursion test is another dynamic test to assess the ankle or hip stability, two definitely important requirements for balance and stability. It essentially measures the difference between either leg on a postero-medial step back often using duck tape on the floor as a measurement comparison.

 It is important to note that computerised system checks do offer a greater level of testing and would certainly be recommended for many cases.

Some other helpful medical tests to determine why a fall has taken place would be

1. Visual acuity

2. Vitamin D levels – Cochrane review h

3. Medication review

4. Bone density

Please speak to your GP about these.

If you require more information on co-ordination, or balance problems, please contact us so we can help refer you to the appropriate people.

For more information regarding your elderly loved ones, My Aged Care is an informative site.

N.B: “The vestibular system, in most mammals, is the sensory system that provides the leading contribution to the sense of balance and spatial orientation for the purpose of coordinating movement with balance.” (Wikipedia). There are vestibular receptors in the inner ear, the connections between them and other areas in the central nervous system.

“Together with the cochlea, a part of the auditory system, it constitutes the labyrinth of the inner ear, situated in the vestibulum in the inner ear. As our movements consist of rotations and translations, the vestibular system comprises two components: the semicircular canal system, which indicates rotational movements; and the otoliths, which indicate linear translations. The vestibular system sends signals primarily to the neural structures that control our eye movements, and to the muscles that keep us upright. The projections to the former provide the anatomical basis of the vestibular – ocular reflex, which is required for clear vision; and the projections to the muscles that control our posture are necessary to keep us upright.” Taken from SPD Australia.SPD Australia supports and advocates for people with a sensory processing disorder.

Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of one’s own parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement. It is sometimes described as the “sixth sense”. In humans, it is provided by proprioceptors in skeletal striated muscles (muscle spindles) and tendons (Golgi tendon organ) and the fibrous membrane in joint capsules. It is distinguished from exteroception, by which one perceives the outside world, and interoception, by which one perceives pain, hunger, etc., and the movement of internal organs. The brain integrates information from proprioception and from the vestibular system into its overall sense of body position, movement, and acceleration.

Chronic pain relief sports injuries and sports performance

/in /by
balanceballsweb
Your body has 206 bones 639 muscles 900 ligaments all connected with over 94km of nerves  …so it’s not surprising that your body needs a helping hand to keep it balanced.

Trigenics Myoneural Medicine is a neurological treatment system which resets the way the brain communicates with the body to instantly relieve pain, accelerate healing and strengthen muscles. It has great implications in the sports world for healing and performance and can also help many chronic pain sufferers. Nerve-senses are manipulated and stimulated to change the way they send signals up to the brain. The brain then, in turn, changes the way in which it sends down its motor or movement signal to the body. This creates the effect of immediately improving joint and muscle function to significantly decrease pain and increase strength and movement. Trigenics is often performed manually without medications or machines.  It involves simultaneously applying 3 treatment techniques at the same time for an effect which is much greater than if only one was used. The summative synergistic effect on the nervous system enables rapid and dramatic results otherwise not attainable. Trigenics is remarkably effective in providing reprieve from neuromuscular skeletal conditions, chronic pain syndromes, all forms of tendonitis, sprain/strain injuries and muscle spasm. It is also used to improve myoneural function in patients with neurological conditions such as stroke, Cerebral palsy and trigeminal neuralgia. It is safe and non forceful and can be used effectively on a broad range of patients including infants and seniors.

Please visit www.trigencis.net for more information.

Morning Stiffness

/in /by

Wondering why you feel stiffness in your spine in the morning? Lets look at the anatomy of the spine to find our answer. The disc is a structure located between two block-like bones called vertebrae. The centre of the disc has the consistency of toothpaste and the outer layer is made up of criss- crossed fibres, like the layer of a radial tyre. The majority of a disc is made up of water (80%). These features enable the disc to deform and act as a shock absorber. At night, when our discs are free from gravity’s pressure, they soak up nutrients and water from the blood. Therefore, in the morning, the spine will be more mechanically stiff due to the swelling of the discs over night. Your muscles in the back also have an effect on morning stiffness. At resting position, the muscles shorten and inhibit movement to protect the musculoskeletal tissues after prolonged inactivity. Disc swelling and muscle shortening over night both increase pressure in the spine. This is why people with a disc injury feel more pain in the morning. Therefore, if have pain or stiffness in the morning, gentle lumbar (low back) movements before rising will expel some fluid from the disc, including inflammatory material, reducing discal pressure. These movements in conjunction with chiropractic care will soon make morning stiffness a thing of the past.

Chiropractic and ageing

/in /by

How many times have you heard a person past the age of forty experiencing health problems say, “Oh that pain is just my arthritis”. Many people feel that due to the fact that they re growing older, nothing can be done for their health problems. This is not true!

As we age, it is true that the youthful ‘give’ and elasticity in the supporting structures of the spine begin to leave us and, as time goes by, we are likely to experience more and more health problems related to our spine and nerves. But, something can be done. Obviously, it is best to locate these problems as early in life as possible, obtain chiropractic care, and thus prevent many problems in later years. Many people who did not have the opportunity for adequate chiropractic care in youth may now find their problems to be of a chronic nature. Even if this is the case, we don’t have to “just learn to live with it”. Many problems such as arthritis, constipation, headaches, arm and leg pain, fatigue, sleep problems and loss of appetite respond well to chiropractic care. Because they feel better and get results, millions of older people go to the chiropractor regularly for gentle, safe, chiropractic adjustment.

Millions of chiropractic patients will attest to the fact that chiropractic care helps you feel better and live longer.

Gluteus medius – the butt of all problems

/in /by

The gluteal muscles are the power house of the human body. The muscle group is comprised of gluteus maximus, medius and minimus, controlling the major movements of the hip. Each muscle has a vital function:

  • Hip Extension: Vital for gait (walking)
  • Pelvic stability
  • Controlled movement of the hip
  • Power for propulsion
  • Stability and alignment of the pelvis during single-leg movement

What if the role of the Gluteus Medius (GM)?

GM serves to maintain pelvic alignment during single-leg activities such as jumping, kicking and running. When you consider that over 50% of the gait cycle is spent on one leg, which can be increased by over a further 30% during running, it is easy to appreciate the importance of this muscle in a healthy, functioning body.

A weak GM can result in what is called the ‘Trendelenburg Sign’or hip sag. This hip sag sounds relatively innocent, however repeated misalignment of the pelvis during gait can lead to other problems in the spine, knee and ankle. This not only increases risk of overuse injuries, incorrect tracking of the knee cap, poor transmission of impact forces and decreases the body’s ability to generate power during general and sporting activity.

How can chiropractic help?

  • Chiropractic treatment ensures that the entire body is in alignment allowing the pelvis to maintain optimal positioning, thus giving the glut muscles the best possible chance to fire properly.
  • If incorrect pelvic alignment is present, muscles such as the ITB and TFL tend to act as cable pulls. These muscles then take over as the primary lateral pelvic stabiliser, causing the GM to switch off. Patients with an inactive GM will begin to experience pain and dysfunction in the lower chain, including the lower back, hip, knee and ankle.
  • Changes in pelvic alignment alters the force vectors in the lower body. Here patients will often experience hamstring and hip flexor over activity, leading to changes in gait, posture and often low grade tears or injuries within these tissues. These changes in vectors cause joints throughout the body to overload, as well as increasing the chance of injury.
  • Chiropractors work closely with the spine to ensure optimum nerve firing and neurological function. By doing so, we can ensure that all nerve pathways from the brain and spinal cord are flowing uninterrupted, thus reducing the chances of muscular atrophy and inhibition.
  • Adjustments to the sacroiliac joint (part of the pelvis) provides a strong proprioceptive input which lets the body know where all of its joints and muscles are in space. This encourages joint centration and appropriate muscle tone. NB: When a patient has a repeated muscle problems, there will almost always be a joint alignment issue as well as a disconnect between the brain and muscle regarding the nerve supply, the so called “switching off” of the muscle. Trigenics Myoneural Medicine is an easy procedure we use to get the brain talking to the muscle again so recovery is far quicker. Many Olympians will use this form of treatment to enhance performance before an event, as simple minor changes in biomechanics can be the difference between a podium and non-podium finish.

How can I strengthen and switch on my gluts?

  • Single leg exercises with a practitioner prescribed gym program
  • Wall hip drops
  • Bridges on a yoga ball
  • Theraband clams
  • Crab steps
  • Resisted and Bulgarian lunges
  • Pilates, pilates and more clinical pilates

For more information and an assessment contact the staff at Longueville Road Chiropractic Centre for an appointment.

Laser Therapy is the New Frontier in Sports Performance and Reduced Recovery Time

/in /by

Increase Performance, Decrease Recovery Time, Reduce Pain –  Laser Therapy is the New Frontier in Sports Performance

For the last three years, Longueville Road Chiropractic Centre (LRCC) has been paving the way for sporting performance, recovery and pain modulation. Currently at the forefront of leading research, Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) has proven its effectiveness and power in enhancing performance and minimising tissue damage with results published in over 4000 articles in well-respected journals internationally, and one new paper daily is admitted to PubMed.

So what is LLLT?

LLLT is the application of low power laser beams, at three varying wavelengths, to enhance cellular function. This use of multiple wavelengths optimises absorption by saturating tissue levels and penetrating deeper.  This absorption of light wave triggers a series of physiological changes, modulating cellular metabolism, stimulating immunity, reducing inflammation, accelerating tissue healing and dampening pain perception.

LLLT is currently used by a number of leading researching institutions, space exploration programs and high performance sports teams including, Chicago Bulls, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Kings. Research is presently under way with the Argentina Rugby Team.

How does it work?

The absorbed energy emitted by the light wavelengths stimulates a series of metabolic events that enhance the body’s natural process at a cellular level. This increases blood flow and thus oxygen and nutrient supply to tissue, reduces inflammation and pain, as well as stimulate tissue regeneration at a faster rate. By stimulating tissue granulation, fibroblast and collagen production, tissue regeneration and healing of injured tissue occurs more efficiently.

However, not only does this reduce recovery time, LLLT has been shown to enhance performance and muscle recovery as well as prevent injury. The increased release of ATP, the body’s primary energy supply, allows the athlete to work at a higher intensity for longer periods. As such the laser can be used throughout any stage of training; Preparation, Performance or Recovery.

How LLLT can help assist in Performance & Recovery

Preparation

Your training is intense, and happens over an extended period of time. Your body has to get stronger, faster, more agile as you peak for competition. Use laser before training to relieve any muscle-skeletal pain, reduce future muscle fatigue. The LLLT also has a protective effect on the muscles, minimizing oxidative damage and protecting against fatigue, as supported by the literature.

Performance

As an athlete you know how much a split second counts. Studies have shown improved performance by 20% (over placebo) during the activity and a noted increase in performance by 10-15% after 48 hours. Another study found that 80% of all pitchers were able to improve total pitch count (p<0.023) by 16% with one active laser session that lasted less than 5 minutes!

Recovery

You require your body to bounce back for the next session, often which is in as little as 24 hours, or in the case of cross fit less then an hour. Your next competition could be in less than an hour, or it could be a week or month away. LLLT provides powerful relief for acute issues such as spasms, strains and sprains, as well as more chronic repetitive stress.  The laser will speed up the recovery, reduce muscle fatigue and gain the strength and stamina to get to the next training session quicker, with studies showing 300% faster recovery (than a placebo).

Pain

Unfortunately pain is more often then not a component of any intense training program. LLLT provides natural relief by dampening substance P, the chemical controlling pain perception within us.

Low Level Laser Therapy = Legal Performance Enhancement.

LLLT effective in the treatment of:

Musculoskeletal pain (acute & chronic)                      Neuropathic pain

Migraine & headache                                                  Sports injury

Fatigue & Fibromyalgia                                              Wound healing

Depression, & Anxiety                                               Tennis & Golfers elbow

Achilles tendonitis                                                      Carpal tunnel

Fasciitis

And promising in the treatment of..

Tinnitus                                                                       Cardiovascular diseases

Diabetes                                                                      Degenerative conditions

Allergic diseases                                                         Inflammatory bowel diseases

 

 

 

 

Ice is out and cold Laser is in.

/in /by

If you’re like most experienced sports injury practitioners, you’ve been recommending Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE) for acute injuries since the seventies.

Today we see our sports heroes on TV in the change rooms after the game packed with ice or elite athletes telling us how their gruelling training programs include regular ice baths.

Rest put to Rest

But increasingly the tide has been turning against the gold standard of acute injuries. Professor Gordon Waddell put the boot into Rest many years ago when he called for bed rest to be put to rest, in his book The Back Pain Revolution (Churchill Livingstone 1990). He said, “It should come as no surprise that there was never any scientific evidence to support the dogma of bed rest for back pain.”

Now, the father of RICE, Dr Gabe Mirkin, sports medicine guru who coined the term RICE back in 1978 in his best-selling Sports medicine book believes rest and ice therapy delays recovery from injuries.

Ice out in the Cold

He points out in a recent post (drmirkin.com) that a systematic review of 22 RCT’s (Am J Sports Med 2004) found very little evidence that ice and compression over compression alone, had any significant effect on outcomes although ice plus exercise marginally helped to heal ankle sprains.

They concluded that “the strength of the evidence supporting the use of cryotherapy in managing an acute soft tissue injury is generally poor.” And the results of their study showed that “…the benefits are currently restricted to pain relief.”

The truth about inflammation

With powerful TV ads by pharmaceutical companies cleverly portraying inflammation as the bad guy, we need to remind our patients that inflammation is good. Not too much and not too little but healing needs inflammation. Passive recovery may lead to an excessive inflammatory response (too much) which can delay recovery leading to excessive fibrotic scar tissue. As this excessive scar tissue matures over the following weeks and months, the devastating capsular contracture effects take place, setting up the next injury.

Cryotherapy or anything that reduces the inflammatory cascade significantly (too little) such as cortisone and NSAIDs can delay healing, also with long term consequences.

The inflammatory cascade is where inflammatory cells rush to the injured tissue to start the healing process—a natural response beginning instantly after an injury.

It starts with the migration of leukocytes to the site of injury. Within two hours and over the next twenty-four, neutrophils— which make up nearly 80% of the white blood cells and form the essential front of our innate immune system—begin their work.

Macrophages (Greek for big eaters) arrive the next day and set up camp for the next two weeks. Both neutrophils and macrophages contribute to tissue degradation through the release of reactive oxygen species and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).

Ice Keeps Healing Cells from Entering Injured Tissue

The message from Dr Mirkin now is that “Applying ice to injured tissue causes blood vessels near the injury to constrict and shut off the blood flow that brings in the healing cells of inflammation (Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc, published online Feb 23, 2014).”

The blood vessels did not open again for many hours after the ice was applied. This decreased blood flow can cause the tissue to die and can even cause permanent nerve damage.

Mirkin says that if you have to apply ice, “You could apply the ice for up to 10 minutes, remove it for 20 minutes, and repeat the 10-minute application once or twice. There is no reason to apply ice more than six hours after you have injured yourself.”

Lasers trump Ice & NSAIDs.

At the same time, cryotherapy is being questioned, cold laser or low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is seen as the next breakthrough in acute injury care. Almeida et al (Lasers Medical Science, March 2014) discovered that LLLT is more powerful than cryotherapy and NSAIDs.

Surprisingly, the researchers concluded, “… in the present study, two of the widely used treatments in the acute phase (Ice and NSAIDs) after muscle trauma do not show significant effects compared to the nontreated injured group.”

NSAIDs risk Ligament Damage

It’s no secret that Non-Steroidal Antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been the treatment of choice for ligament injuries for many years. They deliver short term gains by (excessively) blocking the inflammatory cascade but can lead to poor soft tissue healing and eventual osteoarthritis.

In a study by Slatyer (Am J Sports Med 1997) found Australian military recruits with acute ankle sprains were given Piroxicam (Feldene). While the recruits were able to resume training more rapidly, over the longterm, those in the piroxicam-treated group experienced an increase in ankle instability, as evidenced by a positive anterior drawer sign.

M.E.L.T Injuries Away

Today, our patients need new solutions particularly those devotees of ice and NSAIDs. A holistic approach to the healing of ligaments for long term strength and flexibility is Movement, Elevation, Laser and Taping (MELT).

M is for Movement/Mobilisation

Hauser et al point out in their excellent review article, Ligament Injury and Healing (Open Rehab Journal 2013) a study by Kerkhoff et al, on ankle ligament injuries in 2,184 adults. They concluded that functional treatment involving the motion of the affected joint was a statistically significant strategy for healing the injured ligament, compared with immobilizing the joint.

Patients who treated their ligament injuries with motion were able to return to work quicker and resume sports activity sooner than those who were immobilized, and had less objective instability, as shown by stress X-ray.

E is for Elevation

Elevation is a natural way of decreasing the swelling of an acute injury. The rate-limiting factor or bottleneck in lymphatic drainage are the lymph nodes.

L is for Laser/Lymphatics

Low-Level Laser Therapy particularly applied with a super pulsed cold laser such as the ACTIV™ to lymph nodes proximal to the injured tissue can dilate and improve motoricity of lymphatic drainage. Piller et al (Laser Therapy 1995) discovered lymphoedema patients had 17-40% less oedema with a super pulsed laser.

Secondly, apply the ACTIV™ cold laser to the injured tissue for 3-5 minutes for stronger, more uniform and more flexible repair tissue (figure 1). LLLT has been shown to increase ATP synthesis triggering an immunological chain reaction resulting in macrophage and fibroblast activation.

T is for Taping (Kinesio)

Apply a good Kinesio tape. Stretching is good and Rocktape™ is made with 180% elasticity and a bias in its weave allowing a stretch in one direction and not the other. This creates a biomechanical ‘lift’ of the skin from the soft tissues underneath, allowing more blood to flow for optimum healing.

a. Passive Recovery                 b. Cryotherapy                        c. Low Level Laser TherapyLaser picture

Figure a. Passive recovery animals presenting areas of muscle necrosis (white arrow), oedema, and inflammatory infiltrate (black arrow). b. Cryotherapy group presented areas of oedema and inflammatory cells (black arrow). c. The LED therapy group did not present muscle fibre necrosis or oedema.

Figure 1. a. Passive recovery animals presenting areas of muscle necrosis (white arrow), oedema, and inflammatory infiltrate (black arrow). b. Cryotherapy group presented areas of oedema and inflammatory cells (black arrow). c. The LED therapy group did not present muscle fibre necrosis or oedema.

The Importance of an Aligned Skeleton For Improved Muscle Power and Reduction In Pain

/in /by

Have you ever had a tight hamstring, or one calf muscle tighter than the other? Why am I sore always in my shoulders if I do a certain exercise? This generally is not to do with overworking in the gym one particular muscle but the alignment of the bones that the muscle attaches to. Think of your muscles as a system of pulleys and cables. Imagine the Leaning Tower of Pisa with those cables holding it up and the different tensile strengths the individual cables hold. They are of course loading differently from each other. This too happens in a human skeleton.

One of the many postural problems in the community is forward head carriage. Unfortunately, loading the spine for long periods of time will progress to spinal degeneration. This includes other postural distortions not just the forward head position. It can be a slightly tilted pelvis, a flat foot, an old knee injury, a slight tilt sideways of the head on the neck, or shoulders too rounded.

Forward head posture leads to long term muscle strain, disc herniations, arthritis and pinched nerves. –Mayo Clinic, November 3, 2000

Loss of the cervical curve (i.e. loss of normal spinal posture), stretches the spinal cord 5-7 centimeters, and causes disease.–Dr. A. Breig, Neuro-surgeon, winner of the Nobel Prize

posturecorrection

For every 2.5 cm of forward head posture, it can increase the weight of the head on the spine by an additional 4.5 kg

17.5 cm of forward head carriage = an extra 18 kilograms that your neck and shoulder muscles carry.

We have often seen forward positioning up to 25cm. That is an extra 45 kg that your body has to carry.

We have used the neck as an example as it is easy to understand, however, this can occur throughout your body structure as previously mentioned. If you have knee pain and have never had a direct trauma to your knee, the problem can actually come from pelvic alignment. Pelvic alignment issues can easily arise from a bad work station or even sitting for long periods. The knee is the middle joint so anything out of alignment above will load the knee more than it should aggravating the bony structures and nerves supplying it.

Interestingly, postural changes or altered movement patterns affects the neurology of muscle function. Any loading change can effectively “switch off” the muscle, making it far more susceptible to injury.

Chiropractors operate like fine tuning a wheel alignment in a car. Obviously it is a lot more complicated than this as we are essentially neurology based, however, it does make a good analogy. With incorrect foot, pelvic,or neck movement for example due to an imbalance, the body will load too much causing over or under active muscle function, leading to injury and eventually wear and tear. Pain unfortunately follows.

 

The Cold Laser Therapy Revolution is Here!

/in /by

Cold Laser is also known as Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) or Photobiomodulation

This is what it does

Boosts oxygen levels, activates natural pain relievers, reduces swelling and inflammation, speeds the healing process.

Who uses LLLT

NASA; over 3000 hospitals; 60 professional sports teams in the US including ice hockey, basketball, soccer, football, baseball teams; French, Canadian, US and Russian National teams use it as do US Air, Army and Navy Bases; the US Veteran Administration; Harvard Medical School; Liverpool and Man United football teams; and all forces in the UK. It was used on the MIR space station. The list keeps growing. It was introduced commercially in the 80s for cosmonauts as it is a safe, light weight, non-invasive, low energy device providing relief and healing for take-off, docking and re-entry trauma.

How it works

It is not a heat therapy, but more like photosynthesis in plants using low intensity lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs). When LLLT is placed over injured, aged or sick cells, the light energy is absorbed exerting a chemical change. This stimulates the damaged cells to increase their energy production which is used to transform the damaged cells into healthy active cells.

When an injury occurs, the sharp pain usually eases off and you can be left with a constant dull ache. The damaged cells are then replaced with scar tissue. Targeting LLLT on scar tissue ‘softens’ fibrotic nodules of the scar tissue. This restores normal local circulation, allowing nerves to regenerate. Using LLLT over blood vessels has been shown to release more oxygen to damaged tissues. LLLT can stimulate parts of the brain to produce natural pain relievers (endorphins) improving total body blood flow. Applying cold laser to your body’s lymphatic drainage system will help move inflammation out and into the circulation. Not only can LLLT soften already formed scar tissue, it can reduce the formation of scar tissue. It creates growth factor secretion for collagen production.

Professional sports teams in the United States use cold laser as their “go to” treatment. Also, when a small device can increase blood flow by 10%, and decrease muscle fatigue by 87% many athletes are using it to enhance sports performance, and it is drug free!

6000 research papers have already been submitted to PubMed, one of the leading medical research libraries in the world, and approximately 200 a year are added. Many of those research papers are a result of over 48,000 patient treatment cases.

What has it been helping?

Reduction of inflammation and swelling, non-healing wounds e.g diabetic ulcers, traumatic brain injuries, any musculoskeletal pain and injury, neuropathic pain, lymphoedema, orthodontic pain, stimulation of stem cells, sports performance, ulcerations from chemotherapy (oral mucositis), skin rejuvenation, post–operative pain, depression, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, aged macular degeneration, and acne.

Examples of musculoskeletal conditions: REDUCTION of scar tissue in old scars and recent. PREVENTION of scar tissue formation in new injuries and post operatively, REDUCES neck pain in acute and chronic cases (proven more effective than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)), SIGNIFICANT RELIEF and recovery from muscle soreness, SOOTHES knee osteoarthritis, REDUCES swelling from ankle sprain, RELIEF from back and leg pain.

We have been using a super pulsed laser for a few years now, enabling greater depth of penetration. It is also the only laser in the world with TARGET technology and TENS alerting us to the presence of tissue change below the skin, calculating the dose for accurate effective treatment and the reduction of pain. Our Sweep technology prevents tissue adaption.

Treatment time varies according to the condition being treated. It may last 1-2 minutes per point and up to 30 minutes in total. The treatment must be administered directly on the skin for better efficacy. You can feel a soothing warmness or tingling (if TENS is used). Patients generally experience results after 2 to 5 treatments. Super Pulsed light can reach up 10-13 cm deep.

Many injuries prevent a person getting back to therapeutic exercise. LLLT enables you to get back to exercise faster. According to new research, a small dose of laser therapy is superior to cryotherapy (ice) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories without the harmful side effects. MELT (Mobilise Elevate Laser Tape) not RICE (Rest Ice Compression Elevation) is the proven way to treat for faster/better results.

How it can help you?

Decrease inflammation, improve lymphatic drainage, spondylosis, tendonitis, relieve muscle and joint pain, reduce swelling, soften scar tissue and prevent scar formation, improve skin condition, relieve stiffness and improve range of motion, facial rejuvenation, acne, eczema, psoriasis, faster wound healing, relieve muscle spasm, improve microcirculation and immune response, increase blood flow and assist healing, promote relaxation of muscle tissue, venous insufficiency, varicosities and Raynaud’s, relief from fibromyalgia, improve tissue repair, increase sports recovery time, increase sports performance, injury prevention, relief from acute and chronic conditions including arthritis.

YES, IT SEEMS AUSTRALIA HAS BEEN LEFT BEHIND ON THE BENEFITS OF LLLT FOR SOME TIME NOW.

NO HEAT NO HARM JUST HEALING GETTING YOU BACK ON YOUR FEET AND KEEPING YOU THERE LLLT is muscle, heart, cell, eye, nervous system protective.

Join the rest of the world. COME JOIN THE COLD LASER REVOLUTION.

TEL: 94183930 Longueville Road Health Centre or email us reception@lrcc.com.au

For an amazing insight into LLLT and all its wonderful benefits and far reaching applications, watch this incredible presentation to the United Nations Global Health Summit.

Here……