Exercising After an Injury:

If you have had past injuries or have been sedentary for a while, you may need some additional help when starting an exercise program. Common gym exercises that may be fine for someone in their twenties, may cause discomfort or injury for someone in their forties or beyond.

The first thing you should look for is a trainer who is experienced in working with injuries or has had several post-rehab clients. You will probably have some muscle imbalances that need to be addressed first, to keep from causing an injury or to keep you from hitting a plateau too soon.

After starting an exercise program you will usually see some progress in the first three or four months and then your body adapts to this new stimulus. Then you will need a new stimulus to see additional results. This could include increasing the length of time you exercise, the amount of resistance, or shortening the rest periods.

With those with past injuries or imbalances, if you don't correct these right away, this exercise plateau could occur sooner than normal, if injury doesn't occur first. So finding a trainer who is knowledgeable in posture and corrective exercise is important.

Often times after an injury or being sedentary, the muscles that help stabilize your joints are weak. To not address these important stabilizers would be like putting a souped up engine in a car with worn out tires and shocks - you won't be able to use this additional power and may wreck the car.

So how do you address these important areas? Glad you asked. You first have to make sure that your body is balanced. Your muscles should be balanced front to back, side to side, and top to bottom. You need to work on your posture, making sure that your body is properly aligned with gravity, to make your movements more efficient.

One way to do this is by using whole body vibration platforms, such as the Power Plate. These platforms place you in positions where several muscles and joints are used at the same time, such as standing in a squat position. The vibrations cause your muscles to contract reflexively 25-50 times per second, beyond your conscious control.

This is a lot of stimulation to your nervous system and this can also stimulate and strengthen these important stabilizing muscles, muscles that often are weak and inefficient after injury. For example, one of my clients is looking to lose some weight. She also has past knee problems which need to be addressed.

The vibrations help stimulate her weak knee muscles and turn them back "on", so that they are contracting correctly. Obviously, this contributes to a more stable knee and allows her to exercise in a somewhat controlled manner, as many of these positions occur in a static position.

Meaning she stands on the platform and squats down to a comfortable position and stays there, while the vibrations occur. Initially, these exercises are done without moving.

We have also added in different standing and floor exercises to help strengthen her "core" muscles. By combining these different exercises she can now feel her knee muscles contracting, as well as her glutes (hips), which are vital to providing stability to her pelvis, and thus her low back.

So in addition to increasing her metabolism, burning some fat, she also has greater stability in muscles that were lacking strength, prior. By building this foundation of a balanced body first, we can now build the rest, knowing that we will get further results without hitting a plateau or reinjuring weak muscles.

By the way, this 30ish mother of three and part-time student had tried the traditional healthclub routine with little to show for it. The kicker is, her workouts last only 20 minutes! After about 8 sessions, she has seen results and has greater strength, stability, and endurance.

Don't think that she isn't working hard, though. She is - but we're also working more efficiently. Getting more done in a shorter amount of time.

For more information on these type of workouts, go to Gravity Fx Fitness.com

Move It Or Lose It - Your Mobility!


A recent study has backed up what I have said before - that if you are looking to keep your mobility as you age, you need to move it or lose it. Except for cases of disease or severe injury, we all should be able to stay mobile for life....

if we just work at it!

A study done at the Peninsula College of Medicine in the UK, looked at US and British subjects and their activity patterns in middle life.

The researchers concluded that there was a direct link between the activity level in middle age and the ability to be physically active and maintain mobility, later in life. Many times we see seniors who have poor posture and limited mobility and assume that it's just a normal part of aging.

Not according to this study. Those who maintained reasonable levels of physical activity in middle age were less likely to have trouble walking distances, climbing stairs, maintaining their sense of balance or getting up out of a chair.

The researchers further found that regardless of weight, those who engaged in heavy housework or gardening, played sports or had physically demanding jobs, were more likely to remain mobile later in life.

Sounds familiar, doesn't it? If you have read my articles before, I can seem to sound like a broken record at times, but for most of us, it really is that simple - move it or lose it.

This article was first posted online by Science Daily and I have provided a link on the right side of this blog.

To read more of my articles, you can go to Brian Morgan Fitness.com. For those who may have trouble with normal exercise, you should check out my new studio that uses a Power Plate whole body vibration platform. Click here for Gravity Fx Fitness.

You might want to find a Power Plate near you if this is the case.

How to Save your Back from Injury:

Last time I talked about how situps were bad for your spine and can possibly lead to a back injury. I wanted to follow up with some more information from the Stuart McGill spine stability seminar.

Dr. McGill is a noted spine researcher who measures various forces on the back to see what causes injuries. He also knows how to apply this knowledge first hand.

Following up on how situps are not the best thing for the spine, side crunches and situp variations aren't any better and may be even worse.

Let's look at some of the infomercials and the message they try to portray.

In an effort to show you with scientific proof that their ab device is effective, you will sometimes see some college professor talk about how they measured the muscle activity, and how well their device works the abs.

Well, some of them may work the obliques, the side muscles pretty well, but they never bother to measure the pressure on the spine in these positions. Dr. McGill says that these side crunches are absolutely terrible on your back.

This is another reason to dislike many of these items, besides the fact that they strongly infer that if you just use their machine you will get six pack abs. They never say anything about the fact that you can't spot reduce.

Meaning, no matter how many crunches you do, you won't burn the fat away from your stomach. But since that's what you want they try to sell it to you.

Another obvious back saver - don't bend over and twist simultaneously - bad for your back, but you probably knew that already.

Back again with the posture, Dr. McGill brought up it's importance in prevention and correction of low back pain. He demonstrated this by having people stand while placing their hands on their back muscles.

Then he had us lean forward a little bit and you could feel the muscles working. Lean back into good posture and the muscles stopped working. The point is that with poor posture, your back muscles are constantly working when they don't have to be.

Being stuck in the "on" position all the time will cause your muscles to fatigue and possibly lead to some painful muscles, over time.

And lastly, after sitting for a long time, don't put a lot of pressure on the spine right away. For example, and shipping and receiving clerk who spends some time sitting and then gets up to unload a truck, may put his back at risk.

After being seated a while, take your time before lifting anything heavy, as your ligaments may have relaxed somewhat while seated.

Is Excess Muscle Tension Causing Your Pain?

Can having too much tension in your muscles cause pain? Most definitely!

I recently received a massage from a colleague. One of the benefits of teaching/working in a massage therapy school, is access to massage.

Because I know that if I just lie there and totally relax and enter a deeply relaxed state, that makes it so much easier for the massage therapist.

So many times, we have so much stress in our lives, that our muscles become tense, frequently causing pain. More than once, I have worked on someone in a clinical setting where they wanted me to "use more pressure" thinking thats what their body needed.

Being a large person, giving enough pressure isn't the issue. But almost always, these people have held too much tension in their muscles, due to excess stress in their lives and lack of proper movement.

Sometimes, they have had past injuries and some scar tissue has formed. This can add some chronic tension to their muscles, but still, they should be able to move and stretch their muscles enough to keep this scar tissue from causing so much pain.

My point is, we all need to move our bodies enough that they don't become stiff and painful, especially if you have had past injuries such as low back pain.

Joint mobility movements are one way to provide movement for your joints. Taking classes such as Tai Chi or Nia can also help. Moving your joints through their intended motions on a regular basis, is needed.

So you may need to see a massage therapist to help with past injuries or excess stress. Deep tissue massage can help quite a bit, but if you are that person who always requires
maximum pressure or pain, maybe you need to think about moving your muscles and joints more often to help relieve pressure.

Since many people can't get massage therapy as often as needed, I have some helpful tips for self-massage on my website. Click here for info on self massage and pain relief.

Can Omega 3 Fatty Acids Prevent Disease?

A recent study looked at the influence of Omega 3 fatty acids on Parkinson's disease. This study suggested that these essential fats can provide some protection against this disease.

Omega 3's are usually consumed in fish oil supplements, but is this the best way to get them. What about other sources?

Omega threes are an important part of healthy brain tissue and are very lacking in the typical Western diet. One source states that you should have a ratio of 3 to 1 Omega 6 to Omega 3.

For many of us, that ratio is more like 10 or 20 to 1. Maybe we should get back to grass fed beef and forget all the hormones that are used to fatten the cattle.

In any case, if you would like to read my recent article on how Omega 3's can help with stiff, inflamed joints, click here.

For those who have problems with posture and back pain, a few weeks ago I wrote about a new device called the True Back. I ordered one and have tried it a few times before giving it to my parents to use.

My initial response is that I like it and believe that it may help many who have back pain, get some relief. Its not going to fix your low back pain, but it can help manage it.

And for many, that would be a welcome sight. It works by providing a mild traction effect, while stretching your spine, taking pressure off it.

In some cases, this can be due to poor posture and lack of mobility in the thoracic spine. Remember, correcting your posture and getting adequate movement, is very important to your health.

New Device for Back Pain:

I recently came across something new to help with low back pain. This device helps to stretch your spine, removing unnecessary stress.

As you probably know from my articles, I'm big on the importance of good posture, especially when it comes to preventing low back pain.

Poor posture, particularly from prolonged sitting, can wreak havoc on your spine. Your back becomes stiff and your spinal curves get thrown out of whack.

Proper stretching and strengthening of the back and hips and pelvis are necessary for long-term success.

But painful flare-ups can make exercise nearly impossible!

A new device called the True Back helps stretch the spine and takes pressure off the discs. Many back pain sufferers swear by this device.

Knowing a little about posture and back pain, I believe that this device can help many people with back pain. Enough to order one for my father.

A non-exerciser, my dad has spent most of his adult life sitting at a desk, and the result is stiffness and loss of mobility.

Move it or lose it!

Maybe this device can help make his spine more flexible. Until I see what it will do in person, I am not formally recommending this product, but if this sounds interesting, stay tuned as I will provide my opinion.

You still need to work on your mobility and strength for a healthy back.

For a simple home version to help remove pressure from your spine, click here.

WATER OR COKE?


I borrowed this article from UK personal trainer Dax Moy, who got the info from his friend Nicky Seghal. I believe strongly in drinking plenty of water for your health and thought you might find this interesting.

Those with back and/or joint problems might find point number six particularly interesting.

Just do the comparisons...


WATER

1. 75% of the UK population are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half world population.)

2. In 37% of all the UK population, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%less likely to develop bladder cancer. Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?

COKE

1. In many states (in the USA) the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about four days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous Material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

Still want a coke?

Addicted to Running:

Are you one of those who are addicted to running? If so, you may be at an increased risk for an overuse injury.

About four months back, I wrote about a local jogger with a distinct running style. I had noticed that this person started wearing an ankle wrap while out for his jogs. His running style
had changed and it was clear that he was limping somewhat.

While his unique running style likely contributed to his injury, it was interesting that he couldn't give up his runs, even if they were causing pain.

I believe that many joggers are addicted to running and will try to run no matter what, even if it causes pain. My personal belief is that you should do some cross-training
to reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

Ride a bike, lift some weights, or try some swimming. Give your joints a break from the constant pounding of the pavement.

As the temperatures have cooled somewhat, my bike riding has been put aside. I still enjoy driving by the mighty Mississippi on my way home, even if I will not be using the bikepath that runs beside it.

Many times that addicted jogger is out for a run and I notice that his style has been altered to avoid any more injury. I'm curious if some therapist advised him to change his running style
or he did that on his own.

Bottom line, if you are one of those who is addicted to running, at least be sure to do some flexibility work and get some massage work done. If you can't get to a therapist often enough,
try some of the self massage techniques on my website.

I also posted some new articles on my website - using water therapy to overcome injuries, the Burdenko Method, and politically incorrect fat loss.

Does Walking with Dumbbells Burn More Calories?

Should you hold dumbbells in your hands while walking to increase your fat loss? Or is it better to save the weights for your strength training session? Let's take a look.

Recently, I saw someone out walking with light hand weights. The assumption is that you will burn more calories and get some upper body work in at the same time.

However, this won't cause you to burn significantly more calories. More likely, it will increase your risk of an overuse injury for your elbow or shoulder.

If you want to do more work while walking, walk faster. Or try walking up and down hills for increased resistance. Adding weights to either your hands or ankles is not advised. A light weight vest around your torso would work much better.

Bottom line, if fat loss is your goal, you need to spend time doing strength or resistance training to increase your lean muscle tissue.

This helps increase your metabolism, burning more calories. Two or three pound dumbbells won't get the job done - while walking or in your strength training.

Don't be afraid of using real weights, light dumbbells for "toning" isn't the way to go. I saw a special on aging a year ago and the 101 years young woman was doing strength training with dumbbells that looked about 6-8 pounds a piece.

If she isn't using the pink dumbbells, why should you?!

For ultimate fat loss, doing some interval training is the way to go. By alternating between periods of intense and lighter exercise, you burn more calories and keep your metabolism elevated for longer periods after you are done exercising. You also get more done in a shorter period of time.

87 Year-old Wonder Woman:

An 87 year old great-grandmother competes in bodybuilding competitions! I just received a fitness magazine with a short article and an amazing story.

This senior citizen start doing strength training at the age of 72. Apparently, she went to the grocery store looking for some kitty litter.

When she had trouble getting the 50 pound bag home, she decided to do something about it. So she started strength training to feel younger. Well, apparently it worked!!

She has been featured on Oprah and The View and enjoys talking about the health benefits of exercise. I've said before how important strength training is for elevating your metabolism.

Being able to do everyday tasks without straining or risking injury, is also an important benefit of doing strength or resistance training. For women, maintaining bone mass is also very important.

The take home message? If you want to slow down the aging process, don't wait until your senior years to get started. Work on your health while in your 40's and 50's.

Brian Morgan, CSCS

Dancing and Increased Mobility:

I recently saw a brief interview with actress Jane Seymour, who is on Dancing with the Stars, the celebrity reality show. She mentioned her ballerina training while in her teens and spoke of a knee injury that ended any dance aspirations.

She also mentioned something very interesting about her increased mobility and it's positive effect on her back. She showed the scar from a previous low back injury and said that all the dance training loosened up the muscles of her hips and pelvis.

This resulted in her back feeling better and an improvement in her golf swing. The increased hip mobility decreases stress on her spine. When your hips and pelvis are too tight, more stress gets placed on the back, which tries to make up for this loss of motion.

The take home point? Most people need more mobility in their hips to reduce or prevent back pain. You also need a certain amount of core strength in your abs, low back, and hips.

Enough stability to help support your spine!

If you don't have hours to devote to dance training, joint mobility movements, tai chi, or Nia can help. For the busy person, 10-15 minutes should work, because you still need some strength training for optimal results.

What's Nia? Stay tuned and I will let you know shortly.

Water Therapy and Rehab:

I recently came across a form of water therapy called the Burdenko method. The article talks about how this method and its creator, Russian immigrant Igor Burdenko used a form of water therapy to rehab figure skater Nancy Kerrigan prior to her winning the Silver medal in the '94 Olympics.

You may remember that Kerrigan was assaulted five weeks prior to the Olympics. She credits Burdenko and the water therapy for allowing her to recover quickly. Burdenko uses a combination of water and land therapy for great results.

The Burdenko method has been used with professional athletes, as well as those with severe injuries. When I worked in physical therapy, they had a heated therapy pool that was used with good results, for a variety of injuries.

Many times you think of water exercise for the elderly, but the therapy pool was used by people of all ages, including junior high and high school athletes. It seemed to help speed up the healing process. More than once, I was supervising the exercises of high school football players who were preparing to play each other on Friday night.

In a 12 x 15 foot pool, everyone is pretty close to each other. So while the guys would often exercise in silence, it did seem to help get them healthy, quicker than just traditional land exercise.

In any case, the Burdenko method sounds interesting and I ordered the book to study it further. I may even travel up to Michigan to observe it and get some hands-on info.

I will keep you posted, but water therapy may be something to consider to help increase your mobility and reduce pain, if that is what you need. Maybe water therapy combined with whole body vibration would get better results than either one on their own.

I am starting up my studio soon and will be using whole body vibration along with joint mobility and strength training. Stay tuned.

Mobility and Flexibility Training:

Some of you may be wondering about the different types of flexibility and movement that I talk about. You have probably heard that "bouncing" stretches are dangerous and that you should hold a stretch for 15-30 seconds. Well, lets take a look at the different types of flexibility.

First, none of the movements that I talk about include bouncing. Some of the dynamic stretches might appear to use bouncing, but they actually include specific pauses before switching directions. Stretches that use bounces are called ballistic stretches. These are what most people will tell you is dangerous.

No matter what type of stretches you use, the key is to have control over the stretch or movement. For example, Active Isolated Stretching calls for a one to two second pause at the end of the stretch, before returning to the starting position, under control. This is a form of dynamic stretching.

Joint mobility movements involve you moving your joints through a specific range of motion, while under control. Meaning, you only move at a speed which you can actively control, which causes no pain. So you can move slowly or faster, depending on your needs.

Watch pitchers in the bullpen as they get ready. Many will pick up a weighted object and swing it forward or back to loosen up their shoulder. Track athletes will do bouncing stretches right before they run sprints. So highly trained athletes can use momentum in their warmup to help them prepare for the explosive movements to follow.

Pitchers don't just start throwing 90 miles per hour with no warmup. They start throwing fairly easy and then gradually throw faster, until they are ready to pitch. But throwing 90 miles per hour or faster is pretty "ballistic" wouldn't you say?!

To prepare for this they gradually move faster and faster through their motions. After all, it wouldn't make sense to prepare for this explosive movement by standing still, would it!

That's what static stretching is, holding a stretch for 15-30 seconds without movement. Save it for after your exercise or for the rehab room.

At the same time, if you are in your 50's or 60's and haven't exercised in a long time, your movements will have to be slower. This is where joint mobility movements come into play. You move your joints slowly, under control, without causing pain. This increases the ability of your joints to move freely and easily, making your movements more efficient.

If you are pretty stiff and haven't moved a whole lot recently, you will need some help from a knowledgeable professional to help get you going. This may be in the form of a chiropractor, physical therapist, personal trainer, or massage therapist.

Someone to help unlock the stiffness in your joints and muscles. Then you can use joint mobility movements to increase your mobility. Stay tuned as we discuss this in more detail.

Oh yes, the "Tiger Tail" massage tool got a thumbs up from my test subject.

New Device for Self-Massage:

I recently came across a new device for self-massage that you might find interesting. It's called "Tiger Tail" and is similar to "the Stick" which I have talked about on my website. It was recently shipped from the Perform Better company, which focuses on sports and exercise equipment.

Even though I think the Stick is a great product, I owe it to my clients to see if there is something better, since this is a little cheaper than the Stick. The Tiger Tail works fine and may be a little better than the Stick in some ways.

Both of these products have handles with rollers that massage your muscles, the movement is similar to a rolling pin as you roll the devices back and forth over your muscles, at the desired speed and pressure.

The Tiger Tail I purchased is slightly shorter than the Stick, which makes it easier to fit into a workout bag and take with you. You can then use it prior to exercise to help loosen up the muscles, making them easier to stretch. The shorter length of 18 inches still allows full coverage on larger muscles.

Since it is a little cheaper and currently on sale at www.performbetter.com, it is something to think about. Obviously, if you have had past injuries or are currently suffering from some injury, consult with your doctor first.

Another massage tool I frequently use is a tennis ball. In certain large muscles, this can be a great massage tool to pinpoint areas of excess tension. It also works well with the feet.

For example, you can place it under your foot while seated and roll it under the bottom of your foot. This will help keep the connective tissues in your feet more flexible. This can also be done while standing. Roll it under your foot for 30-60 seconds.

To see what the Stick looks like and how it is used, go to my website article on self massage for prevention. Tiger Tail is a one piece roller with a firm pressure, a little more pressure than the Stick, which has individual rollers to conform to the shape of your muscles.

I've asked someone to try out the Tiger Tail and give me their opinion, so check back to hear what someone else thinks about this self massage device.

Chiropractic, Massage and Physical Therapy part II:

So you know that I believe in chiropractic, having seen and felt its positive results. I also believe that most people need some form of treatment for their muscles, in the form of specific massage. I also believe in physical therapy.

Obviously, you aren't going to go to a chiropractor after knee replacement or ACL surgery, you go to a physical therapist. When dealing with non-surgical problems, such as low back pain, I believe in a combination of treatment.

Meaning, you need to treat the bones, muscles, and nervous system. I have seen more than a few people with back pain, where someone got better results by combining chiropractic with skillful massage therapy and stretching, than they did in physical therapy. People that I worked with personally and those who worked with associates of mine.

However, these people still needed specific exercises to help correct these problems and keep them from coming back. Skilled soft tissue work, whether it be deep tissue massage, NMT (neuromuscular therapy), ART (active release) or Myofascial Release is usually needed to release unnecessary tension in the muscles.

Of course, physical therapists practice some form of these treatments. I think in some cases, they don't have the time necessary to do as much as is needed, sometimes. In situations where only modalities such as ultrasound and electrical stimulation are used, and little or no hands on work, is where you see the poor results.

A chiropractor I used to work with, who was also a massage therapist, had a patient who was going to physical therapy for a work related injury. They only did ultrasound treatments and little else, and he got little relief. Combining massage therapy with chiropractic got much better results.

If you are someone who isn't into chiropractic for whatever reason, skilled soft tissue treatments combined with joint mobility movements, posture and corrective exercise will do nicely. Again, working towards prevention with these items is much easier than trying to fix something after it's already broke.

In my opinion, if you don't have good soft tissue quality before trying to start exercising, you might not get all the results you want. If you have knots and excess tension in the muscles, you need to deal with that up front.

Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, or Physical Therapy:

Today we will continue yesterday's discussion about the different types of care for pain relief. Being a personal trainer/massage therapist who has worked in both chiropractic and physical therapy, gives me a unique vantage point to discuss these.

Obviously, these are my opionions and you know what they say - everyone has one. I happen to believe in both chiropractic and physical therapy. Chiropractors focus on subluxations of the spine - based on the idea that a vertebrae out of place interferes with the nerve that flows from the spine.

Nerve flow that is blocked or interfered with in any way means that the body isn't working as efficiently as possible. This blocked nerve flow can also create pain, so they adjust the vertebrae to eliminate this nerve interference. Some chiropractors focus all their efforts on this subluxation, while others add different treatments and modalities to treat the muscles and connective tissues.

Having worked for two highly skilled and busy chiropractors, I can say that the patients that I performed massage, stretching, and corrective exercise with, definitely needed my services, and without these additional treatments, wouldn't have had as much benefit to their overall health.

I believe that there are times that someone only needs an adjustment, I also believe that these people are in the minority. Meaning, most people have excess tension in the muscles surrounding (connecting to) the joints, that needs to be addressed. In my opinion, this is why you have to continually receive these adjustments, is because the muscles aren't being treated.

Nerves can be pinched or interfered with as they flow from the vertebrae, but they can also be interfered with by the muscles and connective tissue. A muscle that is too tight from overuse, poor posture, or injury can press down on the nerves and blood vessels that lie underneath them, causing pain.

So if the nerve is fine where it leaves the vertebrae, but is being interfered with by excess tension in the muscles, you have to treat the muscles that are imbalanced. Various forms of massage and stretching is needed in this case.

In most cases, this is not the relaxation type of massage, but a specific treatment done by someone who understands how all the muscles work together.

You need a balance of tension in the muscles surrounding the joints. Enough stability, combined with the right amount of mobility. If someone spends their week sitting in poor posture and doesn't move their joints enough, all the chiropractic treatments will be of limited value.

In closing, I believe strongly in the need for highly skilled soft tissue treatment with most people who have pain. In many cases, this works well with the chiropractic adjustment, so that the combined effects are stronger than either one on their own. I also believe that corrective exercise is needed in most cases.

Stay tuned, as we will discuss this issue further.

Chiropractic for Scapula Pain:

In today's blog I will address a question from a reader who asked, "do you have a stretch for scapula syndrome. Been to doctors, chiropractors they can't seem to help." Jeff B.

With pain between the shoulderblades, there is often a postural issue and/or an overuse issue (repetitive motion injuries). In either of these situations, chiropractic might help to some degree, but the soft tissues will need to be addressed.

The soft tissues - muscles and connective tissue - that surround the shoulderblade likely have an imbalance of tension. Usually, the muscles between the shoulderblade and spine are overstretched due to poor posture. The shoulders and neck are rounded forward, placing unnecessary stress to the joints.

The muscles that attach to the front of the shoulder are likely tight, which pulls the shoulderblade forward, causing the muscles between the scapula and spine to become overstretched. This can create pain in these muscles.

So ultimately, there is an imbalance in tension between the muscles of the front and back of the body. Just addressing the area that hurts, the scapula, won't solve the problem if this muscular balance isn't corrected. Getting good quality massage for all the muscles that attach to the scapula and shoulder is needed.

Therapeutic stretching will also help, but the muscles between the shoulderblades need to be strengthened in most cases. Rarely, these muscles won't need to be strengthened, but about the only time you will see this is with someone with "military" posture - someone who stands with their chest pushed forward too far - as if standing at attention.

Again, this is rarely seen in our overly seated society. Meaning, most of us spend so much time sitting down that it affects our posture and our ability to stand up straight.

So physical therapy may be needed, or you can find someone who does some deep tissue massage, NMT, ART, or Myofascial Release. Make sure they understand the body's need for balance and that they don't just chase the pain.

Remember, where it hurts isn't necessarily where the problem is, that may be the effects and not the cause. Tight knots in the muscle, such as triggerpoints, can refer pain elsewhere in the body.

For more information, you might want to read my blog article - Don't Chase the Pain or read about the different types of deep tissue massage. Tomorrow I will continue to discuss the role of chiropractic, massage therapy, and physical therapy in dealing with pain.

Omega-3's and Joint Pain:

Can Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation and joint pain? Unless you never read the paper or watch the news, surely you have heard about the benefits of fish oil and Omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements have been selling in good numbers the last few years, in response to the many health benefits attributed to them.

Among the benefits touted are better heart health, improved immune function and brain health, greater energy, and a reduced inflammatory effect on your joints. It seems that our modern diet is sorely lacking in good fats. Some say that grass fed beef is much healthier because of the high amounts of Omega-3's.

Increased fish intake would seem to be the logical answer, as fish, particularly cold water fish such as salmon, have higher amounts of these oils. The only problem is that fish can be contaminated with toxins, such as mercury, which means limiting your fish intake.

Fish oil supplements have become popular for their convenience, but there is some debate about the quality in some cases, as companies look to make more money while taking shortcuts.

Krill oil has started to make some publicity as a better source of DHA and EPA, the healthful ingredients in fish. Krill is a form of small shrimp that make up a large part of whales' diet. Some research has shown that krill includes phospholipids and antioxidants in greater quantity than fish oil.

Something to consider would be using some form of krill oil supplement for increased health. One study suggested that krill oil promotes joint health and mobility. While I definitely believe in joint mobility and movement in general for good health, I also know that what you eat can play a big role in your joints feeling inflamed and your overall energy levels.

I will be looking at different brands to see how well they work and determine how they are processed. You can also do some searching yourself, just remember, not all companies care about quality and some cut corners to make more money.

Self-Massage and Fitness:

Getting high quality massage therapy is a great tool for prevention. I've had the privilege of working with "athletes" of all types, most of whom you have never heard of. I consider everyone an "athlete" because we were all designed for movement and our bodies work best when moved properly.

Massage helps you recover from exercise and can help prevent injury. Many professional athletes in all sports use massage therapy on a regular basis. It's an investment in their own health, as they are their own business.

So why would I be recommending people do self-massage? Simple, most people who are active need quality work done more often than they have time or money for. And self-massage offers a good way to help keep your muscles healthy and functioning properly.

For those of you currently active, a device called The Stick works quite nicely. Whether you play softball, bike ride or jog, it will help in your warmup or as part of recovery. I usually use it as part of my warmup or before a stretching session.

It can help get rid of knots in the muscles called triggerpoints, as well as increasing blood flow to your muscles. When you try to stretch with these "knots" in your muscles, the results won't be what they should. These triggerpoints will usually keep your muscles from stretching properly.

For more info, you can read my article on self-massage.

Strength Training and Fat Loss:

What's the best way? Or is there more than one way to achieve fat loss through strength (resistance) training? Let's take a look.

There is more than one way to strength train for fat loss. First, let me say that if fat loss is your goal, you really need to be doing some type of resistance training. This will build your lean muscle tissue, keeping your metabolism elevated throughout the day, even after you are done exercising.

I've had more than a few people, mostly women, tell me that they didn't want to get too big. I'm here to tell 'ya, it just ain't that easy to build muscle. If it were, you wouldn't have so many athletes using or being accused of using anabolic steroids, growth hormone, and testosterone.

If it was so easy to build muscle, none of these things would matter. But they are being used, so obviously it takes a lot of hard work and occasionally some extra help - whether it's legal or healthy is another story.

Anyway, what equipment works best for fat loss? It's all up to you. You can use weight machines, either at a healthclub or at home, dumbbells, resistance bands, your own bodyweight, or even sandbags. Yes that's right, I said sandbags. The reality is you are working your muscles against some type of resistance, doing more work than your body is used to.

It will adapt by increasing your lean muscle tissue, elevating your metabolism, and burning more fat in the process. Also, you will see inches drop from your body, as muscle tissue is denser than fat.

So there is more than one way to achieve this and fancy equipment isn't necessary, as long as you are willing to work hard. I realize not everyone can do this because of past injury or disease, and that is where whole body vibration platforms, such as a Powerplate come into play.

For another look at using weight machines versus simple equipment that strengthens your body in a standing position, check out my new article. By the way, strength training done in a standing position might be safer for your back.