Health and Wellness Guru

Health and Wellness Guru: Spinal Decompression

2011-10-03T11:49:00.000-07:00

Health and Wellness Guru: Spinal Decompression

Spinal Decompression

2011-09-25T19:34:00.001-07:00

Non surgical spinal decompression is a great alternative for the treatment of herniated, bulging and degenerative discs. For patients that are suffering from sciatic pain or are possibly facing surgery, this is a non invasive procedure that facilitates the body's natural healing process of the disc.

Anyone that has had a disc injury knows that it isn't easy to heal up from. The process is long and the pain can be excruciating. Also if not rehabbed correctly, this leaves one prone to a life of intermittent bouts of spine pain.

One key factor to the healing process is how much blood flow the disc receives. Blood delivers essential nutrients to the tissues that make up our bodies. It helps us repair injured tissues and also helps us to get rid of injured cellular debris as well. Unfortunately the intervertebral discs do not get a lot of blood flow which hinders the speed at which our bodies can recuperate from an injury (ie: herniated or bulging disc). In fact the discs rely upon spinal movement to facilitate a type of pumping mechanism to help drive nutrients in and out.

Here is the catch 22: when you injure your spine, the last thing you want to do is move. Muscles stiffen up and pain, achiness and swelling all start settle in for the long hall.

Non surgical spinal decompression helps with the repair of injured vertebral discs by passively inducing spinal motion. It allows the spine to move without causing severe pain to the injured tissue. The results of this treatment can be a decrease in patient pain intensity and frequency.

For more information on this procedure please contact our office for a complimentary consultation. 775-882-3555 office or visit our website at chiropracticcarsoncity.com

Arthritis and Cold Laser

2011-05-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

So I know it has been a while since I posted something to my blog, so here goes.

Arthritis: Cold Laser a New Treatment Option
What is arthritis?
Painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints.

Are there different types of arthritis?
Yes there are several different types of arthritis. All are inflammatory conditions of the joints; the difference between them is what causes the inflammation.

Osteoarthritis (OA): This is the most common arthritis and typically shows up in knees, hips, backs, fingers etc. It is usually due to trauma or repetitive wear and tear on the joints. When you hear someone say they can feel a storm coming because their joints start to ache, this is typically attributed to osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): This type of arthritis is due to an auto immune disease. The person’s own bodily defenses attack the joint surfaces causing inflammation and pain. This type of arthritis can be mild to severe and usually manifests itself in the hands and feet although all joints may be affected.

Gouty arthritis (Gout): This arthritic condition is due to the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joint. People that are affected by gout usually have flare ups due to certain foods that are ingested. When the body can’t break down the urate, this material accumulates in the joints and causes painful inflammation. The most common joints affected are the big toe and knee.

There are other types of arthritis, but those listed above are the most prevalent.
What can I do for the treatment of arthritis? This varies depending on the patient. Some choose to manage their pain with drugs. Using over the counter medications such as Advil, Tylenol etc. or even stronger drugs that require a prescription. Some use moist heat treatments such as hot tubs and saunas. Some turn to topicals like Icy Hot, Bengay or Flex All 454. Although these may help alleviate the pain of arthritis they don’t address the real problem which is getting rid of the inflammation that is causing the pain in the first place. It is like being in a ship at sea with a hole in the bottom. Would you rather spend your time bailing water with a bucket or would you rather repair the hole?
How can I stop bailing water and start repairing my damaged joints?

1) Cold laser treatments
2) Change in diet
3) Specific exercises

Call our office today to schedule your cold laser visits.

775-882-3555

or visit our website: www.chiropracticcarsoncity.com

Aloha

Check out this guest post I did for my friend Luke Wold.

2010-11-01T13:08:00.001-07:00

I wrote up a recent article talking about the importance of Chiropractic care and it's ability to improve athletic performance. If you haven't checked out Wold Fitness, now is the time to browse his site. It is packed with tons of great info and a lot of videos demonstrating genius ways to maximize your workouts.

Check out this link on Back Pain best practices

2010-09-10T10:02:00.001-07:00

This was a recent news article talking about the best practices for back pain. Chiropractic is a great choice when it comes to your health care needs.

Call my office and tell the front desk that you saw the Consumer Report news article and that you want to set up a no cost consultation with Dr. Russell 775-882-3555.

2010-09-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

Check out this link showing the benfits of Chiropractic and professional athletes.

Many professional athletes utilize Chiropractic as part of their regimen to perform better. (Which translates into millions of dollars in contracts!)

Here is a list of a few of them:

NFL Teams: Check out your favorite team and see who is their team Doc! http://www.profootballchiros.com/about_us/Chiropractor_Roster_by_Team.htm

Tiger Woods: Yes, even Tiger needs to get adjusted. It won't solve all of his problems, but it will definately help his golf game.

Lance Armstrong: Dr. Jeffery Spencer DC is, as described by Lance Armstrong in his book Every Second Counts, “part doctor, part guru, part medicine man.... While he fixed us physically he also fixed us mentally … we believed Jeff could fix anything...”

College Athletes: In 2006, a study analyzing Division I NCAA college athletes at inter-college sporting events in Hawaii found that chiropractic usage within the last 12 months was reported by 39% of respondents.

I hope this has motivated you to check out the benefits of Chiropractic and to want to take care of your health in the same manner these professionals do.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Russell

Kettle Bell Expert

2010-07-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last decade focused on discovering the secrets of transforming physiques that "master trainers" use to get incredible results with their clients.

A big stumbling block that many people have when they start training is BACK PAIN.

Great people come to see me for training, but car accidents, bad chairs, and other factors have put their back in so much pain that they can hardly walk, let alone exercise.

That's how I came to work with Dr. Russell - the man is a genius when it comes to getting my clients pain-free and ready to train.

A few months ago Brian was in my gym and I put him through a quick workout with a kettlebell (a kettlebell is a cool cannonball with a handle that is a hidden training secret of Hollywood Stars, Special Forces Units, and Elite Athletes)

He instantly realized the amazing potential for the kettlebell as a back rehabilitation tool.

If you want to strengthen your back - here are five reasons that kettlebells are right for you:

Kettlebell Chiropractic Secret Number One: Kettlebells Stretch The Hip Flexors

The hip flexors are a group of muscles at the top of your thigh that come up to your hips.

When these muscles get shortened, they pull the pelvis out of alignment putting a lot of stress on your lower back.

You can do simple stretches at home to loosen your hip flexors (we do these before every one of my bootcamp workouts):

Kettlebells are the perfect exercise tool to loosen your tight hip flexors because:

You extend your hips

You're on your feet (exercise machines make back pain worse)

You move in NATURAL ways

Kettlebell Chiropractic Secret Number Two: Reduce The Odds Of Arthritis

When your bones break down, it's because you don't move enough to convince your body that it needs to keep calcium in your bones.

Without a reason (exercise), your body will start reabsorbing the calcium in your bones for other uses.

Kettlebell exercise will also keep the cartilage of your joints healthier.

If you don't exercise, guess what happens? "...the collagen network loses its cohesion and the cartilage deteriorates.

For healthy bones and joints, use kettlebells.

Kettlebell Chiropractic Secret Number Three: Strong Core

Running, biking, and weight machines all have one big problem when it comes to fixing back pain - you never strengthen the muscles of your core.

Kettlebells, on the other hard, teach you how to "brace" your body. When you brace your core, you AUTOMATICALLY protect your back.

Forget all the nonsense about "sucking in your stomach" on crunches and other exercises.

Visualize your stomach as a SHIELD that wraps around your middle and protects your sides and back.

Kettlebell Chiropractic Secret Number Four: Tight Butt

If you spend any part of your day sitting down, you probably have a dysfunction in your butt muscles (the technical term is "gluteal amnesia")

When your butt muscles don't work right, your LOW BACK has to take on all the work that your glutes are supposed to be doing.

And the strong muscles in your butt are much better suited to lifting than the small muscles of your low back.

Kettlebell training is the best way to get the high, tight butt that protects your back (and looks darn good in jeans!)

Kettlebell Chiropractic Secret Number Five: Low Back Endurance

Want to know something interesting? Research has shown that it doesn't matter how STRONG your back is when it comes to preventing injuries.

Far more important than strength is ENDURANCE.

There is no better way to improve low back endurance and all around fitness than a high repetition set of kettlebell swings.

Luke's Take Home Message For You

Once your chiropractic program with Dr. Russell has you able to exercise, you need to do it right to transform your body and keep your back healthy.

And one of the best tools you can use is the kettlebell.

About Luke Wold

Luke Wold is a personal trainer and bootcamp instructor in Carson City NV.

For constantly updated, interesting, and entertaining articles about fitness and nutrition visit his blog at:

http://www.WoldFitness.com

Check out these great tips for low back pain..Thanks, Luke!

2010-05-22T17:24:00.000-07:00

In addition to visiting Dr. Russell for treatments, there are a few simple exercises you can do at home to help reduce back pain.

Lower back pain is often started by misaligned hips. When your hips don't line up the way they are supposed to, they cause your low back to take on the strain that should be loaded on strong glute muscles.

So, to help Dr. Russell keep your hips aligned and get rid of back pain, you need to focus on 3 simple things:

Loosen up the muscles that are pulling your pelvis out of place

Activate and strengthen your butt muscles to train them to carry your upper body

Develop lower back endurance

Below are some of the exercises we use in my Carson City Bootcamp that you can easily do at home - they'll help you a lot. And at the bottom of this post is a simple routine that uses all of these exercises to address the CAUSES of low back pain - misalignment and neural deactivation.

Fire Hydrants and Hip Circles

These strengthen your gluteus medius and really loosen your hips up.

If you spend any time at all sitting during the day, you NEED to be doing hip circles to keep your hips loose.

A key with these is to keep your back flat while you move your legs.

Hip Flexor Stretches

Your hip flexors are the muscles that pull your knee up toward your body. When you sit, these muscles are shortened.

Over time, your hip flexors will tilt your pelvis out of alignment. This keeps your nice strong glute muscles from being able to do any work and you wind up with low back pain and a lack of tone in your butt.

The key to this stretch is to actually STRETCH. Too many people just go through the motions. Push into the hip you're stretching - hard.

Glute Bridges

These are one of the best exercises for activating your butt muscles. This wakes up the nerves in your glutes and gets them ready for action - like supporting your back.

An important thing to remember is to press down through your heels... if you press with your toes your quads take over a lot of the work.

Bird Dogs

This is a key exercise for lumbar endurance. Dr. Stuart McGill has shown that for preventing back injuries, endurance is more important than strength.

By keeping your spine in a neutral position, you are training the muscles in your back to support you.

To get the most out of this exercise, point your arm straight out in front of you and have your leg lifted level straight behind you.

Bridging Leg Lifts

This is a combination exercise that works on glute and low-back endurance, while simultaneously loosening your hamstrings.

The biggest thing to remember is to keep your hips as high as you can and stretch back as far as you can while keeping your leg straight.

A Quick And Simple Program To Reduce Back Pain

3 way hip flexor stretch - 20 seconds each position - repeat other side

Piriformis stretch - 30 seconds each side

Glute Bridges - 20 reps with a squeeze at the top

Bird Dogs - 30 seconds each side

Bridging Leg Lifts - 10 each side

There you go, five easy exercises that will help get rid of your back pain! Go for it!

--------

Luke Wold is a personal trainer in Carson City, NV. He offers rapid weight loss fitness training and nutritional programs to anyone who wants to look great quickly.

NCVA Tournament/ Sports Medicine

2010-05-04T11:35:00.000-07:00

For two weekends I was able to work with some great athletes. I evaluated and treated injuries relating to shoulder, knee, hip, back, neck, ankle, thumbs, wrists etc. If you could injure it, they did it. This tournament was huge, it is put on by NCVA and is a National Junior Olympics qualifier for the teams that place high in the tournament. Thousands of volleyball players participated and we saw on average 150 plus injured athletes on a daily basis. Some just required ice and rest, others were sent for x-rays and a possible cast. So for this blog I thought that I might share some insights that are important when practicing in the world of Sports Medicine.

1) Nutrition. While walking around the convention center I couldn't help but notice that a lot of the teams were busy eating between matches. Some teams brought their own food. Fruits, veggies, gallons of water while others went to the snack bar and were gorging themselves on greasy pizza and lemonade drinks that had so much sugar that it could put you into a diabetic coma. I'll let you decide who you think was ready to play and who was sluggish on the court.

2) Taping. Not all tape jobs are created equal. Taping is an art and it takes a lot of practice to get it right, not to mention doing to correctly so as to prevent injury. Many times an athlete would show up in our room and tell us they rolled their ankle. They didn't understand how it could happen because they had their ankle taped for support. Well when the tape came off it was apparent that it was just put on for looks because there was no support whatsoever to the ankle joint. If you have any questions about taping, please have a professional help you or apply it for you so as to avoid serious injury.

3) Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em. Kenny Rogers said it beautifully, but you really do need to know when to hold off and when to call it quits. With 3 days of tournament play and an injury on the 1st match of the tourney you need to know when to let it rest so that you can play the following 2 days and help out your team. For a more serious injury it might be best to sit the whole thing out because a permanent injury might just ruin your chances of performing well for a lifetime.

4) Have Fun. One thing that I did see consistently from all the athletes was that they were having fun. And when your having fun your mentally in tune with your teammates, more alert and better equipped to bring your A game.

I will be having a Sports Injury Prevention Class soon, that will help you stay in the game and performing well by avoiding injury. Stay tuned for dates and times.

If you have any questions about Sports Injuries feel free to call my office 775-882-3555 and ask for Dr. Russell.

Shoulder problems anyone???

2010-04-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

A recent study came out in the Journal of Manipulation and Physiology (Feb 2010, Sharon Wang, PT, PhD, Jim Meadows, PT) that shows how a problem in your neck can affect the muscles in your shoulder. Let me paraphrase the conclusion of the study here: "This study suggest that C5-C6 joint mobilization increases muscle strength of the shoulder external rotators immediately and its effect carries over for 10 minutes."

I find this study particularly interesting to those involved in sports especially volleyball, tennis, baseball etc. where extreme forces are placed upon the rotator cuff muscles and frequent injuries of the shoulder occur.

Adjustments to the mid cervical spine may prove advantageous in the preventing of shoulder injuries due to sports injury or enhanced performance/function of this critical muscle group.

If you are experiencing shoulder pain or would like to elevate your game, give my office a call and set up an appointment today to have your neck and shoulder evaluated.

Dr. Brian K. Russell 775-882-3555

TAX Back

2010-03-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

April 15th is just around the corner and you know what that means. Hopefully you will have your taxes done and sent off to the IRS before this date rolls around. I recently saw a professional accountant as a patient in my office and he reported of suffering from a disease he called "TAX Back". I had no idea what he was talking about and then he started to explain it to me. He said, "You know when your neck starts hurting from leaning over a desk all day and the tension between your shoulder blades makes it feel like you are starting to grow a hump on your back. That's TAX Back."

So if you want to avoid "TAX Back" this season I suggest you give my friends at www.bertrandcpa.com a call. But if you are a glutton for punishment and just love to handle your own taxes then hurry up and file before April 15th and give my office a call to see if we can help you with your "Tax Back".

Rotator Cuff Stuff

2010-01-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

This blog is dedicated to the athlete that has been experiencing shoulder pain.

I have been working with some of the coaches and athletes at the Capital City Volleyball Club and have been seeing a lot of shoulder injuries. So here are some tips on what to do when shoulder aches and pains seem to be getting the best of your game.

1) Get it checked out by a professional!!!!! I can't emphasize this enough. Proper diagnosis will save you pain, money, and frustration. Proper diagnosis can save you from paying for costly MRI's, probable surgery and missed practices.

2)If you are in doubt of whether to heat or ice your shoulder, it is better to err on the side of ice. In most cases inflammation is part of the shoulder problem and a good 15 to 20 minutes of ice several times a day will help you get a handle on it.

3)No pain no gain is not a great philosophy to live by! Don't continue to do exercises, practices, or movement patterns that elicit pain. The problem will not eventually go away if you continue to do the same thing over and over again. In fact you will probably irritate it more and cause further damage.

If you have any further questions I can be contacted at my office at 775-882-3555 and remember that consultations are always welcomed and free of charge.

STRESSED OUT!!!!

2010-01-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

It is the beginning of a new year with a lot to look forward to in 2010. So why are we already soooo stressed out? Well guess what?? Stress is a part of who we are and without it we can't live. So like it or not stress is here to stay. Yeah I said it, stress is something we can't live without.

I once sat through a lecture in an undergraduate class and a professor put up an EKG of a normal heart beat. It consisted of peaks as the line rose and fell and if you closed your eyes you could imagine the lub-dub sound. He pointed to it and said, "that is what stress looks like on a normal beating heart muscle." He then showed us a slide with an EKG that was flat and stated that this is what a heart muscle looks like when there isn't any stress. The heart muscle was lifeless and you could almost hear the blaring sound of the EKG machine in a hospital as the ER doc yells "we've got a flat line!" Got the picture?

We need stress. Good stress. To not only survive but to thrive. Want to have better cardio health, you need to stress that system. Want to have fantastic muscle tone, you need to stress that system. Want to make your wife or girlfriend think your smarter than Einstein, you gotta stress that system. I could go on and on about the ways we need good stress in our lives to help us grow but for now I'll just list a few quick tips to help us out in 2010.

1. Breathe. Breathe with your diaphragm not your chest. To do this, the action will feel like you are using your tummy. Rounding it out and sucking it back in. You will increase your O2 intake and it will take less effort by breathing correctly.

2. Sleep. Get enough sleep. Turn off the TV and don't stay up all night watching infomercials on products that will help you get better sleep. Remember when you were a kid and your parents put you to bed? More than likely they had a routine. Brush your teeth, get a drink, read a story and then lights out. The same rules apply. Find a routine that helps you wind down at the end of the day and you will find that you'll be getting better sleep.

3. Exercise. Get at least 30 minutes of daily exercise. Join a group of friends to help motivate you and keep you on track. My favorite form of exercise is a "Boot Camp" regime. Check out http://www.fitbodybootcamp.com/carson-city-boot-camp.html for more info on this type of exercise.

Use these three tips to help you with your stress levels and I wish all of you a very prosperous and healthy new year.

Disclaimer

2009-12-15T13:57:00.000-08:00

The information contained on this blog is for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose or treat any health care conditions. Any advice or info contained here in is the opinion of the author. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact me via the blog or ask your health care provider about your specific case.

Tis the Season for ..... Auto Accidents

2009-12-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

Deck the halls with Black Ice???? If you were like the rest of America we found ourselves in a record amount of snow this past week. That snow has now begun to melt and freeze into a sheet of ice that is blanketing the whole city. Needless to say PEOPLE BE CAREFUL!!!

I have seen numerous patients this past week who have hurt themselves slipping on ice, shoveling snow or being involved in an automobile accident. So let me give you some advice to help you navigate this slippery season.

I like to call this the rule of threes

3 HOURS; For a very minor sprain/strain 3 hours directly after the incident should be plenty of time to start the healing process by doing the following: Rest, apply Ice, Compress and Elevate if necessary. R.I.C.E.
3 DAYS; For a moderate sprain/strain 3 days should be enough time to decrease the swelling, bruising, pain and discomfort by using the same formula as above. R.I.C.E. Seeking professional help at this point is advised if your signs/symptoms haven't resolved.
3 WEEKS; If you are still hurting after 3 weeks you really need to seek for professional help.

Obviously if you have suffered a head or neck injury, lost consciousness, suffer from neurological signs/symptoms, can see the bone sticking out of your skin, or by just listening to that voice in your head that is saying, "something just isn't right" Then definitely seek the advice of a health care professional. And it is always a good idea to get checked out after an automobile accident whether or not you think you have been injured because chances are you have been you just aren't showing the signs or symptoms yet.

New Years Resolution Time

2009-12-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

It happens year after year after year. We commit to an exercise program with grandiose dreams of looking like the models on the P90X commercials.

"This year I am going to fit back into my jeans that I wore in the 10th grade!" so adamantly exclaims half of America.

While the other half start flexing their biceps all the while grunting, " Welcome to the GUN show."

So why is it that we start out so dedicated and focused on improving our health and natural physiques but fizzle out before we even get started? Let me help you ditch the fizzle by following 4 simple things that can keep you on track.

Write it Down Write down your goal. Use a pen, magic marker, tattoo it on your forearm if necessary but put it in writing.
Ponder it Daily I didn't say READ it, I said PONDER it. Look at your written goal and imagine your self actually attaining it.
Say Your Goal Out Loud Frequently Sure it's a personal thing, but don't be afraid to say it to yourself in front of the mirror, the kids, spouse, co-workers, etc.
Be Positive with Your Goal Don't say to yourself, "I need to lose all this fat!" Instead
say, "I am going to look drop dead gorgeous when I'm skinny!"

Use these tips for the upcoming new year and watch it transform your goals into a beautiful new physique.

Welcome to Carson City

2009-12-12T12:24:00.000-08:00

Maybe this is some sort of therapy for me or maybe it will lead me to publishing a nation wide best seller and give "New Moon" a run for it's money. What ever the case may be I am blogging about a new chapter in my life.

This blog will primarily consist of information on Health, Wellness and occasional rantings.

Feel free to click on any of my articles and happy reading.