The quadriceps muscle consists of four muscles in front of the thigh that connects to the knee right below the knee cap. These muscles straighten the knee for walking, running, and jumping. They also help bend the knee for squatting. They move the leg forward when running and fire/transmit electrical impulses when the foot hits the ground to absorb shock. When jumping, the muscles provide stability coming down as well as when standing on one leg. Quadriceps Strain Thigh strains are common in sports. Most players are sidelined because of this injury when compared to strains in the hamstrings or groin. Factors that can increase the risk of injury include: Exhaustion Muscle weakness The strength of the quadriceps to the hamstrings is uneven, causing one set to get overused. Consistent sprinting and/or kicking Previous strain and/or injury The quadriceps is made up of four muscles. One is the rectus femoris, which gets injured the most. It's the only muscle that crosses two joints
Teenagers just like adults can experience back pain from accidents, sports injuries, a sedentary lifestyle, part-time jobs, chores, etc. However, sitting too long in school along with heavy backpacks can also contribute to compromised spinal health. Poor spinal health in adolescence can lead to chronic pain in adulthood. Chiropractic professionals can help these young individuals address and prevent spinal issues/injuries to maintain a healthy spine. Teenagers Spine Issues If discomfort or pain presents many just push through, as they and their spines are young. There are common spinal dysfunctions that teens and parents should be aware of, these include: Disc injuries Teenagers can put a serious strain on the spine from various forms of physical activity, jumping, dancing, and playing. This pressure gets transmitted through the spine. During a teenager's development, this can result in permanent disc damage. Scoliosis A spinal deformity or exaggerated curvature of the spine is
A non-invasive method of treating scoliosis. Yoga Has Been Shown To Help Reverse Scoliosis. Scoliosis is the lateral curvature of the spine. The spine bends inward toward the front of the body at the neck region and lower back region. This curve is known as lordosis and bows outward in the middle-back region. This is known as kyphosis. If the spine curves to the side, this could indicate curvature that could be scoliosis. It can be painful and often can affect an individual's appearance once the measurement goes beyond 25 - 30 degrees. One shoulder is usually higher than the other, and clothing cannot fit properly. If the curve goes beyond 60 degrees, it can affect breathing and cardiac function. Idiopathic Causes Unknown This condition can consist of various components, especially with more intense curves. The ribs can shift backward on the side where the curve bulges. Most cases consist of adolescent idiopathic (without a known cause) scoliosis. Because the cause is unknown, th
Scoliosis in adolescents and teens can be corrected with proper bracing, adjustments and lead a normal life. For adult scoliosis correcting the problem is more difficult. Fortunately, cases of adult scoliosis are rare. Scoliosis cases that follow from childhood into adulthood require a comprehensive diagnosis to determine severity. Thoracolumbar scoliosis adult-onset scoliosis requires an understanding of the catalysts to develop an effective treatment plan. Chiropractors use a full range of diagnostic tools to measure the severity of adult scoliosis. Diagnosis Adult scoliosis is the presentation of abnormal curvature of the spine. It can happen in the thoracic, lumbar spine, or both. This can have varying degrees of severity. Severe adult scoliosis can be apparent through visual assessment and examination. Cases that are not as obvious require utilizing diagnostic tools. These include: Imaging X-rays will show any asymmetry that is associated with scoliosis. This asymmetry can be pr
Bursitis types: This is a condition that affects the bursae, which are the small, fluid-filled sacs that provide cushion for the: Muscles Tendons Bones near joints The bursae make it easier for tissues to slide over each other. The body has around one hundred and sixty bursae. However, only a few become clinically affected. These include the: Wrist Elbow Shoulder Hips Knees The base of the big toe and heel The condition typically presents near joints constantly being used repetitively, like a job, sports, house/yard chores, etc. What happens is one or more of the bursae sacs become inflamed, resulting in pain. Causes Inflamed or irritated bursae typically cause it from overuse or intense/vigorous activity. It can also be caused by bacterial infection. Arthritis and gout can also cause bursitis. Another cause is age. As tendons age, they can tear easily, lose their elasticity, and can't take too much stress. Intense physical activities can lead to bursitis. These include: Garde
Surgery options when back pain is becoming chronic or so severe that an individual cannot function normally and negatively affects their life. Pretty much everyone experiences back pain at some point. This is often from: Lifting heavy/non-heavy objects incorrectly Improper posture Twisting in an awkward way Overreaching Muscle spasms Physical activity the body is not used to doing Most cases of backaches and pain go away by themselves or with conservative treatment. But sometimes, surgery is necessary. When Surgery Is Necessary Acute back pain can last for days or weeks and can often resolve with physical therapy, chiropractic, and self-care. Back pain that continues for 12 weeks or longer is considered chronic. Around twenty percent of individuals who experience acute low back pain after a year begin developing chronic back pain. Doctors try to treat most back pain cases with non-surgical approaches. They usually begin with physical therapy/chiropractic. If that doesn't work, th
Pregnancy is an exciting time in a woman’s life. A healthy pregnancy is the objective, and therefore, essential to maintain a healthy diet and stay physically active. However, it can be easy to forget about the strain that pregnancy places on the body and push through the aches and pain with everything going on. Specifically the spine and pelvis. During pregnancy, the body goes through various changes to accommodate the growing baby. When pregnant, a hormone known as relaxin is released. This relaxes the joints for labor and delivery. Sometimes the ligaments can become too loose that they become structurally unstable. This causes pain. Other factors that can lead to spine misalignment and pain: 25 - 30 lbs of added weight and pressure on the spine, pelvis, legs, feet. Weakened abdominal muscles. Lower back curvature becomes more prominent. Pregnant women going through discomfort/pain can benefit from chiropractic pregnancy adjustments. These maintain spinal alignment while keeping t
Individuals and doctors have praised the anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving properties of drinking tea. Inflammation is the body’s natural immune response when injury and infection present. This is good. However, it’s meant to be a temporary response that deactivates when there is no longer any danger. When the body is exposed to various irritants like industrial chemicals, inflammatory foods like sugar, refined carbohydrates, and autoimmune disorders can cause the immune system to go into overdrive. Chronic inflammation can develop, circulating powerful hormones and chemicals through the body, causing damage to the cells. One consequence of chronic inflammation is back pain. Besides standard backaches, some chronic conditions are directly tied to inflammation. These include forms of arthritis: Ankylosing spondylitis Rheumatoid arthritis Transverse myelitis Multiple sclerosis These conditions involve inflammation of the central nervous system. Drinking tea can help with back pain
Losing weight can be one of the hardest things to do. It is also one of the best things anyone can do to get rid of back pain and optimize overall health. Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight impacts the whole body, especially the spine. It is prevalent for individuals who are overweight to experience back pain. This comes from the added weight that the feet, legs, pelvis, and spine have to support. For many, once the weight comes off, the back pain reduces significantly and/or disappears completely. For those embarking on a weight loss journey, our: Chiropractic team Physical therapists Health coach Nutritionist Can provide resources to plan, encourage, and assist in reaching health goals. Overweight, Obesity and Back Pain Spine pain is one of the top reasons individuals see a doctor. The need to lose weight is based on body mass index/BMI. BMI can be an indicator that an individual's weight might not be in a healthy range. BMI ranges: Normal weight - Body Mass Index of
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The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to contact us.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
