Archive for category Back Pain

Foam Rolling Using Proper Technique – How to Get Rid of Back and Knee Pain

Posted by admin in Back Pain on September 21, 2011

The body needs foam rolling, just as much as you need to workout. As much as you are actively living your life, is as much as you should maintaining your muscles to do so.

As always from me, Easy button logic; Rolling releases tension in the body that causes your muscles to get unaligned, stay out of light, and causes pain and even injury because of this. Furthermore, it increases blood flow, via creating more oxygen to that locked up area (backs, legs and calfs for example) which prohibits movement and flexibility. Foam rolling does not make your more flexible, that is what stretching is for. What foam rolling does is deal with tension, which cannot be stretched out and must be ‘pressed’ out so to speak. Painful? Yes. Effective? Hell yes!

Where did this come from?

Mostly this has been associated with running and the Iliotibial Band (IT Band) which runs along the outside of the quad. The IT band is a band of fascia that inserts in the outside of the hips, runs down the leg and inserts into the outer part of the knee. This IT Band is tight on everyone person. However, when you are active it gets tighter and causes either knee or hip pain, most commonly the knee. Tension knots form along the band cause itself to become tighter, pulling on the knee cap. The knee is being pulled out so the LCL or inner knee starts to cause mysterious pain. Foam rolling takes care of this. However a doctor would love to cut you open instead. I have have saved many knee surgeries with teaching my clients how to roll. I require all my clients to have foam rollers. With all that said, cardio being the main reason anyone can generate a tight IT Band, weight light especially squats can cause this.

So, you may ask what should I foam roll? Everything! From the base of you neck to the Achilles tendon and everything in between. Never rolling over a joint however. More specifically, Cervical spine (upper back), Thoracic or T-Spine (mid back), Lats (between armpit area and rib cage), Lumbar spine (low back), glutes, hips, groin, inner thighs (adductors), TFL (out hip muscles), hamstrings (back of legs), quadriceps (thigh), Iliotibial band ( IT band ) calves, and solius (second/outer calf muscle along side of shin) to name the most important areas to roll. Pectorals, are also a major muscle group I have my male clients roll.

I am creating a series of videos of detailed proper foam rolling technique, which I will post in more about. Foam rolling is a heavy subject so rest assured I will be talking more about it.

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Why Sciatica in Pregnancy Is So Common and What Women Can Do About It

Posted by admin in Back Pain on September 21, 2011

Pregnancy offers a host of problems for women, many of which are new and something that they have never experienced before. Lots of these problems are particularly unpleasant. However, one of the worst ailments is sciatica in pregnancy. Sciatica in pregnancy is very, very common especially during the late 2nd and 3rd trimester. Sadly, it can be very difficult to treat because many of the traditional medications are strictly off-limits late in pregnancy.

The reasons for sciatica in pregnancy are many. Obviously, the growing uterus puts a lot of pressure on the spinal column and surrounding organs, which are almost guaranteed to strike a nerve. As the baby grows, the sciatic nerve, which runs across the lower back and hips is sure to be compressed at one point or another.

Key Reasons Sciatica in Pregnancy is So Common

Hormones also play a part in sciatic nerve problems during pregnancy. Pregnant women are carrying around a ton of extra fluid, and hormonal fluctuations can cause swelling all over the body, even with the nerves. This swelling puts pressure on the nerves and actually causes the sciatic nerve to get compressed. Drinking plenty of water is one way to help keep water retention and swelling at a minimum.

Another reason sciatica is so common during pregnancy is because certain hormones which are designed to prepare the tendons, ligaments, and muscles for childbirth also loosen the muscles of the abdominal wall and back. This can cause the spinal column to become misaligned and can lead to sciatica issues during pregnancy. There really is not a cure all for this, and the best defense is staying in shape and exercising throughout pregnancy.

Late in pregnancy, as the baby moves into ahead down position, the sciatic nerve is almost always pressed upon by the baby’s head. The result can be pain, weakness, aching pain on one (or both) sides of the body that radiate as far as the toes. The best solution to this is to try and sleep with pillows under your belly and between your knees to help alleviate the pressure of the baby on your sciatic nerve. You may also find that a belly belt is helpful and helps to lessen the strain on your back.

Since pregnant woman cannot take medications, it may be wise to stay in close contact with a chiropractor during pregnancy. Not only can this help with the sciatica, but it can also help with the other discomforts of pregnancy. Additionally, doctors recommend sleeping on a firm mattress (on your side) and getting out of bed very slowly. A soft mattress will not be supportive and can actually make your sciatica symptoms worse.

The good news is that once the baby is delivered, your sciatic nerve will settle happily back into place. It may take a few weeks post delivery to get rid of sciatica completely, but it is rare that sciatic caused from pregnancy becomes chronic once the baby is born.

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