Showing posts from January, 2024
For individuals who have decided to start exercising for fitness and health, walking is a great place to start. Can planning a walking exercise schedule help individuals maintain a fitness routine and improve endurance and speed quicker? Walking Exercise Planning Schedule While any amount of walking benefits health, individuals can increase the benefits by walking more per week or by increasing the pace. Brisk walking for 30 minutes per day, totaling 150 minutes per week, is recommended by health experts to decrease risks for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other conditions. ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022 ) Individuals with ongoing health conditions should talk to their doctor before starting any new exercise program. Beginners are encouraged to focus on using proper walking posture and technique to steadily improve strength and endurance. The increased duration or intensity can help if weight loss is a goal. Improving diet is also necessary for the best resu
For individuals with arthritis, can incorporating acupuncture with other therapies help manage pain and other symptoms? Acupuncture For Arthritis Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years and is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that utilizes needles inserted into various parts of the body to relieve pain and inflammation. The practice is based on the concept of life energy that flows throughout the body along pathways called meridians. When the energy flow becomes disrupted, blocked, or injured, pain or illness can present. ( Arthritis Foundation. N.D .) Further research is needed to determine how the acupuncture therapeutic mechanisms work and the overall effectiveness. However, there is emerging evidence suggesting that acupuncture can provide symptom relief for individuals with joint pain, especially those with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. ( Pei-Chi Chou, Heng-Yi Chu. 2018 ) Benefits The actual method that reduces the pain and inflammation is still uncle
During a fall individuals tend to automatically outstretch their hands to help break a fall, which can slam onto the ground causing a falling onto an outstretched hand or FOOSH injury. Should individuals get checked by a healthcare provider if they believe there is no injury? FOOSH Injuries Falling down usually results in minor injuries. A FOOSH injury occurs when falling and trying to break the fall by reaching out with the hand/s. This can result in an upper extremity injury like a sprain or a fracture. But sometimes, falling on one's hands can lead to serious injuries and/or create future musculoskeletal issues. Individuals who have fallen or suffered a FOOSH injury should consult their healthcare provider and then a physical therapist or chiropractor to safely develop a treatment plan to rehabilitate, strengthen, and expedite recovery. After The Injury For individuals who have fallen down and landed on their hand, wrist, or arm, here are a few things to ensure the proper care
Individuals who participate in physical and sports activities could suffer an Achilles tendon tear. Can understanding the symptoms and risks help in treatment and return the individual back to their sports activity sooner? Achilles Tendon This is a common injury that occurs when the tendon attaching the calf muscle to the heel gets torn. About the Tendon The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body. In sports and physical activities, intense explosive movements like running, sprinting, quickly shifting positions, and jumping are exerted on the Achilles. Males are more likely to tear their Achilles and sustain a tendon rupture. ( G. Thevendran et al., 2013 ) The injury often occurs without any contact or collision but rather the running, starting, stopping, and pulling actions placed on the feet. Certain antibiotics and cortisone shots can increase the likelihood of Achilles tear injuries. A specific antibiotic, fluoroquinolones , has been shown to increase the risk of Achill
Individuals that engage in heavy exercise can develop heat cramps from overexertion. Can knowing the causes and symptoms help prevent future episodes from happening? Heat Cramps Heat cramps can develop during exercise from overexertion or prolonged exposure to high temperatures. The muscle cramps, spasms, and pain can range from mild to severe. Muscle Cramps and Dehydration Heat cramps often develop because of dehydration and electrolyte loss. ( Robert Gauer, Bryce K. Meyers 2019 ) Symptoms include: Cramping Spasms Pain in the abdomen, arms, or legs. ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2022 ) Electrolytes like sodium, calcium, and magnesium are important for properly functioning muscles, including the heart. The primary role of sweating is to regulate the body's temperature. ( MedlinePlus. 2015 ) Sweat is mostly water, electrolytes, and sodium. Excessive sweating from physical activity and exertion or a hot environment can cause electrolyte imbalances that lead to cramp
General Disclaimer
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*
