Dr. Z's Blog

Why do you keep hurting your back?

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:50:35 +0100

Low back pain can often times be a a recurring theme in our patients lives. We teach active care here at South West Health and more specifically advise our patients how to keep their spines strong to avoid repeat trips back to our office for acute low back pain. The following study reinforces what we have been teaching...

Baseball Pitching Performance Costa Mesa

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:57:27 +0100

Performance and fatigue in baseball pitchers using the IntelliSkin TM compression shirt Location:The Andrews Research and Education Institute Investigators:Elizabeth Russell, PhD Biomechanics Research Associate James R. Andrews, MD05 Medical Director Sanjay Menon, MD, Orthopedic Fellow Paul Novakovich, MD, Orthopedic Fellow Kevin Witte, MD Orthopedic Fellow Backgr...

Which bed is best for your back?

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:45:23 +0100

I am often asked, what is the best bed or what bed do you recommend? At South West Health, we believe that inner spring beds are a thing of the past and are built as disposable items. We recommend three different types of beds . The first is the Latex bed and these come in two varieties, organic and man made. The manufactures use different thicknesses and layers of latex as well. Make sure to ask if the bed is solid latex or not. The beds come in varying firmness and usually carry a 20 ye...

Better posture today

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:57:30 +0100

South West Health has partnered with Intelliskin, a local Newport Beach based company to help improve the posture of our patients and our athletes. The shirt is designed to simulate a kinesio tape procedure that we do in the office for postural correction. The shoulders are pulled back . . . . ...

Baseball vs. Golf The Power Generation Process

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 14:22:56 +0100

Baseball vs. Golf Power Generation Process This is an examination of golf and baseball swings and the similarities in how the body creates the power generation process (kinetic link). Believe it or not, golf and baseball swings are biomechanically comparable. Hitters in baseball and golfers use similar muscles and coordination patterns to develop swing power. These similarities provide insight into efficient power generation for the golf swing. I will illustrate the mechanical corre...

Prevent Injury and Improve Runners Time

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 03:20:50 +0100

Proper running biomechanics involves synchronous movements of all of the components of the kinetic link. The foot serves as the dynamic link between the ground and the remainder of this chain. The foot’s many functions include adaptation to uneven terrain, proprioception for proper position and balance, and leverage for propulsion. During the gait cycle, foot motion facilitates, and can be affected by, compensatory movement of the other bones and joints in the lower extremity. Improper ali...

South West Health Chiropractic -Free services

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:53:52 +0100

South West Health Chiropractic announces: SWH- The Game. This is a chance to test your health knowledge and win free services from our team of wellness experts. You could win prizes such as one hour massages, one hour yoga classes or one hour personal training sessions. Check out our home page at www.southwesthealth.us to enter. The game is ending soon, so don't miss out. Forward to your friends!...

Chiropractor (Is yours a good one?)

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 21:05:18 +0100

5 Keys to finding a good chiropractor How would you go about finding a good chiropractor in your area and what do you look for? I get this question in my office all the time from patients that live out of the area and in other states. I thought I would list the top five things to look for in choosing a chiropractor....

Standard Process Shake recipe

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 19:50:05 +0100

3D Golfer analysis in costa mesa

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 22:22:55 +0100

Costa Mesa's own South West Health to bring Zenolink to the west coast. If you play golf and have not been able to improve, this could be the missing link. Using 3D imaging, Zenolink is able to capture the golfer or any athlete in their natural motion....

Cortisol: The key to losing your gut

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 03:20:39 +0100

Alright guys, this article is for you. So you feel like you are working out regularly, eating right and getting plenty of rest, yet you are not able to get rid of that fat around your waist. A hormone imbalance may be the culprit. The common denominator in most situations is stress. There is a stress hormone called Cortisol that when elevated can cause increase fat distribution around your waist. Testosterone levels also tend to fall as we age. These two things are a lethal combination for guys w...

Balance correction exercises

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:27:23 +0100

Balance is often taken for granted, yet one of the leading causes of injuries in our senior population is falls. Poor balance is often a contributing factor among injuries involving falls. Falls are the leading cause of accidental deaths among people over the age of 75 and the second leading cause for those aged 45 to 75, according to the National Safety Council. Although the consequences of falling are well known, the relationship between aging and falling is still a mystery....

Exercises to look good in jeans

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:58:23 +0100

Exercises to strengthen your butt muscles will help you look good in your jeans. This blog post is for those of you that read,"look good in jeans" and are wondering what exercises can I do to accomplish this? We need to start with an assessment first to see what level of strength you currently have in your hip muscles. I would like you to take the following self tests to help determine where you need to start with your glute strengthening....

Golf Fitness Training

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 04:24:26 +0100

Coordination testing is a critical element in helping a golfer improve. This is accomplished here with the help of state of the art 3D technology called Zenolink. This technology allows us to capture your golf swing and convert you into an avatar in the computer. The avatar is analyzed by Chris Welch, the founder of Zenolink who is a biomechanical engineer.. The analysis helps us create protocols called Progressive Skills Training or P.S.T. These &nb...

Sleep to support your spine

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:21:33 +0100

As a chiropractor, patients often ask me, what is the best position to sleep in? The answer is simple, sleep in a position that allows your spine to rest in its natural position. The natural position of the spine can be different for some people, especially those that suffer from scoliosis. For most people, your spine has natural curves in it when viewed from the side and appears straight when viewed from behind. The curves of the spine need to be supported properly when sleeping. Lets...

Neck pain costa mesa

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:21:30 +0100

South West Health fights neck pain in Costa Mesa

How many times have you woken up with a stiff neck in the morning and it went away by itself? What about the time you fell asleep on the couch and couldn't move your neck the next morning? Proper support for your neck is the key to avoiding these situations. If this sounds like you, read on. This morning alone we saw three separate cases of that very thing.

Oil your brain

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 23:29:01 +0100

Olive Oil Active May Protect Brain Cells

You may know that I am an Italian, more specifically Sicilian. Our family grew up with the Mediterranean diet. There were several ingredients in our food that were very prominent such as garlic, olive oil, fish etc. The following explains why your diet should include extra virgin olive oil.

Soccer injury solved

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:15:23 +0100

A patients frustration with repetitive calf injuries was traced back to an old ankle injury. This week a patient presented to us complaining of multiple calf tears as well as chronic calf tightness. The patients examination revealed significant loss of dorsiflexion at the right ankle. (pulling your toes back to your shin) The calf was full of knots and scar tissue from the old injuries. Upon further questioning, the patient stated that he badly injured his ankle when he was younger. (34 years ago...

Tender Foot

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:06:27 +0100

Do you wake up in the morning with pain in your feet? Do you limp for the first few steps until your legs stretch out? You may be suffering from a condition called plantar fasciitis. To find out how Dr. Z can help you correctly diagnose and treat this condition, read on. One of the first areas to inspect on the examination is the heel. The center of your heel is where the plantar tendon attaches to the calcaneous.(heel) If there is significant tenderness at this point, it can suggest a ...

Chronic Low Back Pain?

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:36:55 +0100

One of the more common causes of low back pain is SI (sacroiliac joint) dysfunction....

Headaches

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:09:37 +0100

We see so many people in our office that suffer from headaches. In my experience I have found that misaligned ribs can be headache triggers. Watch this video for more information. ...

Tennis Anyone?

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 05:24:32 +0100

Are you tired of not being able to get your first serve in? The problem may not be your tennis skills or lack thereof. It could be your body. I often find that my tennis athletes suffer from anterior glenohumeral migration or shoulder subluxation. In English, this means your shoulder and or posterior ribcage are out of alignment.

Look good in jeans

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:46:02 +0100

When we evaluate our clients, there is one muscle group that is weak on virtually everyone. Everyone from gymnasts to weekend warriors all seem to have this same problem. What is it? Read on....

Exercise and Obesity

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 01:29:58 +0100

The Biggest Loser has well documented that exercise is a critical part of weight loss....

Shoulder pain

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:06:45 +0100

Do you suffer from chronic pain in your upper back? Do you have pain behind your shoulder blade? Does it hurt when you take a deep breath in? Do you have trouble raising your arm over your head? If you answered yes to any of the questions, then you need to have your shoulder evaluated.

Best Pillow for side and back sleepers

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:07:20 +0100

Do you go to bed every night trying to bunch up your pillow under your head to get comfortable? Do you build a fort with several pillows to try and attain proper support? If this sounds like you, then read on.

Got Disc? Have Solution.

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 02:44:24 +0100

If you are suffering from low back pain you should consider a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment for back pain that is experiencing success rates as high as 86%. Spinal Decompression with the Accu-Spina is the only decompression equipment that has clinical research behind it. Harvard neurosurgeons, treated 35,000 patients with this equipment and have the results to prove it. A simple evaluation by one our doctors will tell you if you are a good candidate for IDD Therapy.

Cold Laser and sports injuries

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 23:53:18 +0100

Sports injuries affect almost everyone regardless of whether you are an elite athlete or a weekend warrior. Ankle sprains are injuries that we often see with our vertical athletes like basketball and volleyball players. These injuries also occur in the general population even when moving at slow speeds. For example, steeping off of a curb wrong or stepping in a hole walking your dog are two scenarios where patients have sprained their ankles this week. The level or grade of the injury varies depe...

New treatment for neck pain Costa Mesa

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 00:56:23 +0100

Revolutionary new treatment for neck pain comes to Costa Mesa Do you suffer from chronic neck pain? Have you been told that you have a reversed curve in your neck? Then look no further, the revolutionary Neck Rx Flex may be just the answer you are looking for. Neck Rx Flex Chiropractors have struggled for years to help patients restore their cervical curve. The tools that have been available have been marginally successful, and the devices that the patient is able to utilize at home ...

Getting to the Core

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:40:47 +0100

When you hear the word chiropractor, it usually conjures up some pre-conceived notions and ideas. Back jockey, bone crusher, to name a few. Not all chiropractors practice the same way or use the same techniques or have the same philosophy. At South West Health, our philosophy is to perform an assessment to determine the root cause or core of your particular health issue. Once we have identified the cause, then we put together a plan to bring resolution to the problem quickly and e...

Balance A learned skill

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:10:30 +0100

Balance is an often overlooked skill. People often take this for granted, yet one of the leading causes of injuries in our senior population is falls. Poor balance is often the root cause of many injuries involving falls. Some of the causes of poor balance include prior injuries, (especially those of the ankle, knees and hips) weakness in the core stabilizers, excessive weight in the abdomen, and stroke. In all of these cases balance can be improved. It is a learned skill. In fact studies ha...

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Wed, 26 May 2010 18:02:23 +0100

Case of the week. How an anti-inflammatory diet helped a patient get his life back. We have been seeing this patient for multiple musculoskeletal complaints including back pain, knee pain, wrist pain among others. He is a former nationally ranked athlete who had been unable to compete in his sport that he loved for the last ten years. His doctor told him that he had arthritis and that there was nothing that he could do outside of taking anti-inflammatory medications.