Posts Tagged ‘Physical Therapy New Fairfield CT’
Welcome to Chiropractic Life and Wellness Center's Physical Therapy New Fairfield CT Archive. Here you can learn more about Chiropractic Life and Wellness Center, Chiropractic, and Dr. Brandon Chorney, today's choice for Chiropractors in New Fairfield, CT. Read Dr. Brandon Chorney's Chiropractic Physical Therapy New Fairfield CT for the health of it.
We look forward to serving you! Call - 203-746-6543.
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Aug 2, 2016 | Health Articles
Although the summer weather may still be here - school days are upon us. Are now bored children have magically been reactivated to feeling that they did not have a full summer as the weight of their backpacks is upon them. Those once excited kids strain over bent shoulders with overly heavy school bags containing...
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | May 3, 2016 | Health Articles
The rotator cuff is the most important group of muscles giving the shoulder support and stability. This structural support allows the shoulder joint to move and turn through a wide range of motions and allows us to perform an amazing variety of tasks with our arms. Due to this mobility, rotator cuff injuries are very common. This mobility is at the expense of shoulder stability. A small injury can happen in one of the tendons/muscles but this can very easily progress to other muscle areas becoming irritated due to compensation patterns.
What starts off as a simple problem can often lead to a more complex issue where the original injury site is not so obvious and can make many routine activities difficult and painful.
The Rotator Cuff
The rotator cuff muscle group lies all around the shoulder blade…in front, either side and on top. These muscle fibers then all lead up to the arm bone where they become tendons and attach onto the top part of the arm.
Individually the muscles are the supraspinatus, which is responsible for the movement of the arm to move away from the body at the shoulder; the infraspinatus and teres minor, which externally rotate the arm and the subscapularis, which internally rotates the bone in the upper arm. Their function is to stabilize the shoulder joint on moving but of course to also move the arm bone itself.
Injuries to the Rotator Cuff
Rotator cuff syndrome is a broad term used to describe injuries and damage to the rotator cuff. There is a spectrum of injuries that can occur. Common injuries include partial tears in the muscles and tendons, which can result from acute injury or wear and tear over the long term. Many times repetitive motion that puts stress on the rotator cuff is the chief culprit for the injury.
Very common symptoms of a rotator cuff injury may include the inability to lift the arm at the shoulder out to the side, pain on putting a coat on or pain when sleeping on that side at night. Some people also may experience pain radiating down the arm towards the elbow or even down into their hands.
Like most musculoskeletal conditions, the most common mechanisms of a rotator cuff injuries are separated into ‘repetitive micro-trauma’ and ‘traumatic injuries‘. There are always exceptions to the rule, but the following is generally true for both types of injuries.
- Repetitive Micro-trauma: In repetitive use injuries to the rotator cuff, repeated activities cause damage to the rotator cuff tendons. Over time, the tendons wear faster that the body can repair them and a micro-tear can develop within the tendons. Patients with repetitive use injuries to the rotator cuff often have complaints of shoulder pain prior to developing a complete rotator cuff tear.
- Traumatic Injuries: Traumatic injuries to the rotator cuff are seen after events such as throwing, golf and falling onto an outstretched arm. The traumatic event can cause a rotator cuff tear by injuring the rotator cuff tendons. This mechanism is much less common than repetitive use injuries. If you have had a rotator cuff tendonitis before, you are more likely to have a tear of the tendon due to scar tissue formation, which renders the tendon inherently weaker than normal.
A rotator cuff tear is seen both in the young and old, but a complete tear is much more common if you are older. This is the case due to the fact that as you age, the muscle and tendon tissue of the rotator cuff loses some elasticity. With the loss of elasticity it leads the way to the inherent poor blood supply to the mid part of the tendon; therefore, healing is slow and degenerative changes are often found.
In younger people, there is usually either a traumatic injury such as a fall, or the person is putting the tendon under significant load, as seen in athletes.
The Best Treatment for a Rotator Cuff Injuries
In order to effectively treat rotator cuff syndrome, it is important to address the underlying causes of it.
Because the rotator cuff is comprised of four different muscles, rotator cuff syndrome can describe one of the several different problems. Pain may be the result of overuse or injury of one or more of the muscles in the rotator cuff; therefore, developing a treatment plan individualized to the particular cause of the pain is crucial. A medical specialist, such as a chiropractor, will result in the highest quality of care as the cause will be more individually identified, and more easily resolved.
Rehabilitative care and rest are the recommended course of action for effectively reducing the incidence of pain and restoring full function to the arms and shoulders. As with many other repetitive movement injuries, massage therapy in conjunction with chiropractic care can provide not only pain relief but the highest restoration of range of movement.
Massage therapy and chiropractic care work hand-in-hand expertly in this capacity. The massage therapy softens the inflamed tissues allowing the patient to regain improved circulation and some aspect of comfortable motion. Chiropractic care will address the underlying condition. This is completed by safe gentle chiropractic adjustments of the shoulder and associated areas which will help to re-train the soft tissue to return to its appropriate origin, furthering the restoration of full range of motion and eliminating the inflammation.
Soft tissue treatments such as ART and Graston work are often used in conjunction to reduce the incidence and symptoms of inflammation, sending fibrous adhesions that inhibit functional movement back into circulation. Kinesiotape can be advantageous as well by helping correct and maintain proper shoulder positioning throughout the day by stimulating proprioception, increasing your body’s positional awareness.
The most beneficial treatment process delivers the best results when a Chiropractic physician also provides detailed rehabilitative programs targeted to preserve and build muscle strength during the healing process.
On Your Team!
Shoulder injuries do not need to be athletically related and can happen at any age.
So if you are suffering from a rotator cuff injury, call us today to let us help you get back to activities you love most in life.
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Mar 1, 2016 | Health Articles
Healthcare in the US continues to deteriorate. Unfortunately, like a "boiling frog," we are becoming more complacent as the costs for lower coverage insurance rises. These costs not only affect our wallets, but also the loss of time and productivity spent waiting at the doctor's office. Waiting times can often be an hour or more....
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Feb 18, 2016 | Health Articles
Would it not be wonderful to delete our neck pain as easily as clicking on an app? Unfortunately are vision of a solution could be one of a combination of reasons we are suffering with our neck pain. Understanding the Mechanics If you think about the mechanics of your neck, you’ll realize it’s not surprising...
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Feb 11, 2016 | Health Articles
Injuries are an athlete’s worst nightmare. In fact, nothing at the moment can be more upsetting than a knee injury to set you back. These knee injuries are not just career threatening problems, but also could be affecting you in your present daily activities.
Whether you are an athlete, weekend warrior, or daily career veteran every step you take could be agonizing by one of these knee injuries that you have recently sustained or an old injury that may have left you with chronic pain.
When an injury or condition is diagnosed the description often is more frightening than the prognosis. To help you understand, we quickly outlined two very common knee injuries, a lateral meniscus tear and a medial meniscus tear; plus, a solution you may have not considered.
The Meniscus
The meniscus are two semi circular cartilage discs (medial and lateral) which act as shock absorbers in the knee joint. They are commonly injured by excessive twisting motions causing symptoms of pain on the inner surface of the knee joint (for medial tears) or pain on the outside of the knee joint (for lateral tears). The individual may also have difficulty weight bearing with a feeling of the knee locking or giving way.
What Is A Lateral Meniscus Tear?
The lateral meniscus sits on the outside of the upper surface of the tibia (shin bone). It is an essential shock absorber in the knee joint and allows even weight distribution through the joint between the tibia and femur (thigh bone) during weight bearing activities. The lateral meniscus is less commonly injured compared to the medial meniscus as it does not attach to as many structures.
Causes of a Lateral Meniscus Tear
The most common cause of this type of injury is a twisting at the knee which can occur in many sports including football, soccer, gymnastics and skiing. The lateral tear often happens when the foot is fixed on the ground while another exerted force causes excessive twisting such as a blow from a tackle or landing from a jump. Overuse meniscal injuries can also occur as a result of repetitive twisting and weight bearing, leading to degeneration of the cartilage.
What Is A Medial Meniscus Tear?
The medial meniscus sits on the inside of the upper surface of the tibia (shin bone). It is another essential shock absorber in the knee joint and allows even weight distribution through the joint between the tibia and femur (thigh bone) during weight bearing activities. The medial meniscus is attached to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and joint capsule making it more prone to injury than the lateral meniscus due to its reduced mobility.
Causes of a Medial Meniscus Tear
External forces such as a tackle to the outside of the leg are prone to injure the medial meniscus. As it has restricted mobility, it can often become injured as a result of damage to the MCL and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The most common cause of injury is a twisting at the knee which can occur in many sports including rugby, football, tennis and skiing. Overuse meniscal injuries can also occur as a result of excessive twisting and weight bearing, leading to degeneration of the cartilage.
Symptoms of a Lateral or Medial Meniscus Tear
Symptoms of a tear include a sharp pain on the outer surface of the knee for a lateral tear and a sharp pain on the inner surface of the knee for a medial tear. Swelling occurs along with pain when rotating the knee and a sense of weakness or “giving way”. The knee may lock during certain movements and the individual may be unable to bend the knee fully or weight bear on the injured side, depending on the severity of damage.
So What Can I do?
It is important to rest the joint and avoid the movements which aggravate the symptoms. Icing is important to help ease the pain and any swelling that may be present.
In recovery it is important to avoid placing your body in an unbalanced position for a long duration of time. As your body is leaning away from the injury the body will be constantly compensating. This compensation with lead to greater stress on the joints, predisposing to further muscle strains and ongoing distortions to other parts of your body which will cause wear and tear in other areas of the spine, pelvis and opposite knee. Over time this abnormal posture of imbalances and poor alignment becomes the new normal causing more wear and degeneration leading to chronic pain and degenerative conditions.
A Solution Not Yet Used Enough!
If you have had a recent knee injury or are a fallen hero of years gone by who are suffering with knee pain, come and get a check up by an expert in human mechanics. Our expert team not only has solutions to help heal faster and correctly, but has the equipment and game plan to build you stronger to win any game you may choose to play in life.
