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By James Adams 0 Comments Sporting , , , ,

Getting Older: Coming To Grips With My Age

Getting Older Requires New Postures

I’m considered an older athlete. Two years ago I suffered a temporarily disabling lower back injury the result of cumulative micro trauma and one bad lift while moving furniture. Normally I would take this in stride; rest, get chiropractic care, rehab, etc. The problem was that I had big plans for the upcoming several months. I was preregistered to race 3 triathlons, one of which was a focus race, Ironman 70.3, St. George, Utah.

Once I was able to move and get off the floor I resumed my training. I was able to get through the first race, but my back pain was with me, although it was manageable. The odd thing was that I was most uncomfortable on my bike. This was distressing because the bike is my strongest portion of a swim, bike and run event.

I continued to train and continued to be uncomfortable on my bicycle. Less than 10 days before my focus race my back finally said, “ Enough! I’m done!”.

Following this last straw episode I sought professional guidance from my good friend and former professional cyclist, Derin Stockton.  We looked at my position and I explained my issues. We came up with a compromise of what would be ideal and what I could tolerate. Although this was a great step in the right direction, I would still suffer from intermittent lower back cramping with high exertion.

Then about a month ago a friend of mine asked me some advise regarding his triathlon bike. He wound up leaving it with me and I took it for a few rides. All I did was change pedals and did not make one other adjustment. From the first pedal stroke I felt more comfortable. As I got more confident I pushed it harder and harder trying to reproduce the backache I would get on my road bike with similar exertion. To my happy surprise the backache never came.

This bit of serendipity enlightened me.

I had been living in a fantasy world. I had raced bikes at the amateur level for 10 years until I was 38. In those races I would be “in the drops” 90% of the time, going around in circles averaging 28 MPH. Since retiring from racing, I never ride in the drops, nor do I ride 28 MPH average. I am no longer in my twenties or thirties. My body has changed. I can still pile on the self-abuse but my mechanics have changed. My new position is much more upright. I ride much closer to my bars and my saddle height has dropped.

I used to laugh to myself when we would pass “older” riders that looked like they were positioned like the “Wicked Witch of the West” posture while riding. Now I can relate. The important point is that they are still out riding.

Lastly, I am now the happy new owner of my friend’s triathlon bike.

The Wicked Witch of the West
An Older Style Of Riding
By Maria Adams 0 Comments Health Care , ,

My Chiropractor Is Out of The Office!

One of the most difficult situations people get into is having severe back or neck pain come on suddenly, and not have their chiropractor available to help immediately.

In the case of a muscle and ligament sprain which is usually caused by an old back injury or poor posture and can appear after gardening, cleaning the house, or driving long distances, the symptoms are back aches and deep muscle spasms.

Immediate home treatment is to lie down on an ice pack or frozen peas for 5-10 minutes. This will relieve some of the nerve pain and swelling. Try to elevate your legs with pillows so your back is comfortable, and the floor is better than a soft bed or couch for support. If you can get ibuprofen or acetaminophen ( Advil or Tylenol) and lots of water, the spasm may subside enough for you to walk again.

This treatment also goes for joint sprain, which is characterized by a sudden injury followed by sharp pain and stiffness. Try not to sit for extended times as this aggravates the muscle spasm. Make a call to schedule your chiropractic visit as soon as your doctor gets back.

A slipped disc (disc syndrome) usually is caused by general wear and tear, and triggered by an unguarded bending and lifting injury. The symptoms are severe leg or arm pain, and sometimes, but not always, low back or neck pain and stiffness. It may be difficult to walk or sit for pain in the upright position.

In this case, ice packs will give the most relief in the long term. Use ice on the area, lie down and relax as much as possible. Let friends or family help with chores. If ibuprofen, acetaminophen or naprosyn (Naproxen) doesn’t help, consider seeing your doctor and ask if he recommends muscle relaxants. When your chiropractor comes back, you will be prepared for a series of adjustments to give the disc space to come back into it’s normal positioning, freeing the muscle spasm and swelling.

A stiff neck is a joint sprain and muscle pull that appears out of nowhere, usually when either lifting your head and turning while sleeping or turning your head with weak neck muscles not ready for the motion. Symptoms are the inability to move the head in any way without severe sharp pain. It feels stuck in one position, and when moved sometimes has a deep shooting pain that goes into the shoulder and upper back.

In this case you can apply a heating pad or warm towel to loosen the muscle and restore circulation to the “locked up” area. If heat makes it worse, lie on ice packs or frozen peas to stop the swelling. It can go away in a couple days on its own, but can go away faster if it is adjusted as soon as your chiropractor gets back. Try gentle massage and light stretching when you are able to relieve the tension.

Although it is inconvenient to have your chiropractor out of the office, other health practitioners are a great back up.

For medical questions regarding prescriptions, see your primary physician, or urgent care doctor. For relief of muscle spasm in the case of a sprained back or neck, massage therapy is highly recommended. In case of a possibility of a slipped disc, an x-ray of the area is helpful to see the extent of the herniation and compression of the disc. Get the x-ray or MRI prescription from your regular doctor or an orthopedic specialist. Check your insurance plan for a list of doctors if you have insurance. Accupuncture is a safe method of treatment for a slipped disc as well. See if you can get in with an accupuncturist right away.

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!

By Maria Adams 0 Comments Healthy Recipes ,

Recipes for Energy Bars and Turmeric Paste

RECIPES FOR HEALTH

Often, our patients ask for advice for natural anti-inflammatories or simple energy bars to make at home. Here are recipes that we use often.

Maria Adams’ Energy Bars

3 cups raw nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds)

3/4 cup dried unsweetened coconut flakes

16 deglet noor dates or 12 medjool dates (pitted)

1/8 cup golden roasted whole flax seeds

1 cup almond butter or peanut butter

1/2 cup Organic oats

1-2 Tbsp. honey

In a large food processor put the nuts and process until fine. Add coconut and dates. Process until fine. Add flax seeds and rolled oats. Pulse well. Now add the nut butter of choice and pulse until it is thickened. Add a little more peanut or almond butter or honey if the mix is too loose and grainy. It should look like sticky dough. Press into a baking pan or other rectangular container to store in the refrigerator for an hour. Cut into bars. Wrap bars in cellophane and store in refrigerator.

 

Natural Anti-inflammatory- Turmeric Paste

1 cup water

1/2 cup turmeric powder ( in spices section of store)

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 1/2 teaspoon fine black pepper

Put the water and turmeric powder in a small saucepan. Heat on medium and stir until thickened about 5-8 min. Take off the heat and add the coconut oil and pepper. Place in a clean glass jar and store in the refrigerator.

Take 1 tsp in water 3-4 times a day for maximum anti-inflammatory benefits! Honestly, you won’t taste the pepper. The coconut oil and pepper make it easy for your body to absorb.