Chandler Chiropractic

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Achilles Tendonosis and Tendonitis

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles in the back of your leg to your heel. The tendon can become inflamed with single activities such as skiing, or with repetitive activities such as running. A sudden increase in running miles, extra jumping, hiking, or walking can also irritate the Achilles. As the Achilles tendon can be subjected to forces of up to 12 times body weight during certain activities, a massive amount of force over a short period of time or even less force over many miles-- can both lead to Achilles tendonosis.

Frozen Shoulder

Adhesive Capsulitis or "frozen shoulder" is a condition of the shoulder joint capsule (the ligaments which surround the shoulder joint) that results in pain, limited mobility, and substantial limitations. As the condition worsens, your range of motion decreases and your shoulder is physically incapable of movement.

Herniated Disks

Herniated disks are common causes of low back pain. They can cause dull aching pain or severe sharp stabbing pain with muscle weakness and loss of feeling. The pain will often radiate from the back down the leg. The severity of symptoms and the time it takes to heal varies depending on the extent of the herniation.

Iliotibial Band (IT Band) Friction Syndrome

Iliotibial Band Syndrome is a common injury amongst runners and tri-athletes. The Iliotibial band is a tough group of fibers that run on the outside of the leg. It begins at the hip and runs down the leg to the knee. The gluteal and tensor fascia lata muscles attach to the top of the IT Band. The band ends on the outside part of the knee, on the tibia. The IT band serves to act as a knee stabilizer during running. Through repetition and overuse, the IT band can become irritated and inflamed. Runners will usually describe a pain on the outside of the knee or lower thigh that gets worse while going up or down stairs, or when getting up from a seated position.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is a repetitive stress injury to the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot. The fascia runs from the heel toward the toes and helps support the body weight. Standing, running, or jumping increases the force and strain on the plantar fascia. Performing these motions causes more injury.

Shoulder Injuries

The shoulder is an incredibly mobile joint that undergoes stress to reach, lift or throw. Shoulder movements occur because of the intricate coordination and function of 10 major muscles groups. These muscles play a complex game of tug-o-war to move and rotate the arm.

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)

Lateral epicondylitis is essentially pain on the outside of the elbow. It is an overuse injury that affects the tendons on the outside of the elbow.

It can be very painful at the elbow and often runs down the forearm. Pain often increases when you extend your wrist; hold onto items, or when you turn your wrist. Your arm may feel weak or easily tire while using your hands. Shaking hands or opening a glass jar are some activities that become very painful.

Chondromalacia Patella or Patellofemoral Pain

Chondromalacia Patella is an irritation of the cartilage underneath the knee cap (patella). It commonly occurs in activities that require continuous movement, such as running or jumping. It is also common in older people, who have "worn out" the cartilage with use. Chondromalacia Patella is also called patellofemoral pain.

Introduction to Medial Epicondylitis (Golfers Elbow)

Medial epicondylitis is commonly referred to as Golfer's Elbow. It affects the tendons on the inside of the elbow, at the medial epicondyle. The muscles originate at the medial epicondyle and run toward the wrist on the inside of the arm. Golfer's elbow is similar to tennis elbow, but is on the inside of the arm instead of the outside.

Morton's Neuroma

Morton's Neuroma is a name given to thickened tissue around a nerve in the foot. The thickened tissue compresses the nerve, causing burning, numbness, or tingling in the toes. Compression of the area or toe extension increases the pain and discomfort. Toe flexion may decrease the pain. Initially, the pain may occur infrequently but increases in intensity and duration with time. Eventually the pain can be excruciating.

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

Osgood-Schlatters is characterized pain, tenderness, and swelling on the tibial tuberosity, or on the shin bone just below the knee cap. The pain may be mild after activity or in some cases can be severe enough to occur during all activity. It occurs in activities that require jumping, running, squatting, or lifting. It is most common in athletic children between ages of 10 to 14.

Patellar Tendinitis

Patellar Tendinitis is a condition commonly called "Jumper's Knee." Jumpers knee describes pain around the patella or knee cap. The tendon connects the quadriceps muscle to patella and then patella to the tibia or shin bone. Contraction of the quadriceps muscle causes the lower leg to extend through the patella tendon. Activities that involve kicking, jumping, or explosion rely on quick and forceful contraction of the quadriceps muscle for power. These forceful activities are common in sports involving jumping, thus the term jumpers knee. However, Patellar Tendonitis can occur in any activity that involves contraction of the quadriceps, including running, biking, skiing, or climbing.

Sesamoiditis

Sesamoids are small bones found throughout the body. Sesamoid bones provide attachments for tendons, and act as fulcrums or pulleys for muscles. Two common sesamoids that can become irritated are on the bottom of the big toe. They can become irritated or fractured, producing pain on the bottom of the big toe. Pain localized to a specific location is the most common symptom of sesamoiditis.

Turf Toe

Turf toe is a sports term for a sprain injury of the big toe. The bottom capsule of the big toe joint is sprained when the toe is pulled into hyperextension (dorsiflexion). This tends to happen with specific trauma that pulls the toe into dorsiflexion, such as getting tackled in football, trips, or falls. Soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse have higher rates of injury.

Arthritis

It may seem counter-intuitive, but moderate exercise is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis. Growing old is a blessing and a curse: a blessing for the wisdom that comes with age, and a curse for the aches and pains that result from years of living. Osteoarthritis or OA is one of over a hundred degenerative joint conditions that affect nearly forty-six million adults in America alone.

Getting Active

Beginning a fitness program opens doors to new adventures, new friendships, and a sense of well-being. When asked about his dancing, the actor, Fred Astaire once said, "I just put my feet in the air and move them around." To have seen Astaire in motion, his dancing seemed as effortless as it was elegant.

Hydration

Learning how to hydrate is an important part of marathon training. If running is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other, why is training for a marathon so complicated? First there's the shoes: the average pair of sneakers won't do. Marathoners need specialty running shoes, with the correct amount of pronation control. Clothing is specialized too: technical fabrics wick moisture from the body to prevent chafing.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Iliotibial band syndrome is a common overuse injury that causes severe knee pain, and can be difficult to cure. Most non-runners have never heard of the iliotibial band: a stabilizing fascia on the outside of the leg that connects at the hip and below the kneecap. It's purpose is to stabilize the leg when the quadriceps, the big muscles on the front of the thigh, fatigue.

Running Through Life

Running is more than a competitive sport: for many it's the key to a healthy lifestyle. The great twentieth century philosopher, Joseph Campbell was a miler in college. Although running began as a competitive sport for Campbell, it became part of his lifestyle. Campbell, believed that physical activity was part of the process of self actualization: the journey we all take as adults to determine who we are, and our role in the world.

When pain is an injury

Occasional aches and pains are part and parcel of marathon training, but when is the pain symptomatic of injury? The fact that I'm a chiropractor doesn't exempt me from the consequences of over-exuberant training. In fact, one could argue that my running foibles inspired me to become what I am today. I remember my first twenty-mile training run, back in my days as a student at the University of Montana. I was training for the Governor's Cup: an annual marathon in Helena.