Types of Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments are a safe and effective way to relieve pain, improve range of motion, and enhance overall physical function. These adjustments involve the application of gentle force to the joints of the spine or other areas of the body, which can help to restore normal function and reduce pain.
There are several different types of chiropractic adjustments, each of which can be used to address a specific condition or injury. Here, we will explore some of the most common types of chiropractic adjustments and the conditions they are commonly used to treat.
1. Diversified Technique
How does it work?
The diversified technique is the most commonly used chiropractic technique and involves the application of a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust to the affected joint. This technique is used to restore normal motion to the joint, reduce pain, and improve overall function. The chiropractor may also use manual therapy techniques such as stretching or massage to complement the adjustment and promote healing.
What can it treat?
- Low back pain
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Joint pain
- Sports injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Poor posture
2. Gonstead Technique
How does it work?
The Gonstead technique is a precise and specific chiropractic technique that involves a detailed analysis of the spine using X-rays and other diagnostic tools. The chiropractor uses this information to identify the specific areas that need to be adjusted. The adjustments are then made using a hands-on approach, and the chiropractor may use a specialized table to achieve precise and accurate adjustments.
What can it treat?
- Sciatica
- Herniated discs
- Scoliosis
- Joint pain
- Neck pain
- Migraines and tension headaches
- Poor posture
- Misaligned spine
3. Activator Technique
How does it work?
The activator technique is a gentle, low-force chiropractic technique that uses a handheld instrument to apply a precise and controlled adjustment to the spine or other areas of the body. The instrument delivers a quick and gentle impulse to the affected area, which can help to restore normal motion and reduce pain.
What can it treat?
- Migraines
- Chronic pain
- Sciatica
- Joint dysfunction
- Misaligned spine
- Inflammation
4. Thompson Technique
How does it work?
The Thompson technique is a chiropractic technique that uses a specialized table with drop pieces that allow the chiropractor to apply a gentle, low-force adjustment to the spine or other areas of the body. The table drops slightly as the adjustment is made, which helps to reduce the amount of force needed to achieve the desired result.
What can it treat?
- Herniated discs
- Low back pain
- Sciatica
- Poor posture
- Misaligned spine
- Inflammation.
5. Flexion-Distraction Technique
How does it work?
The flexion-distraction technique involves the use of a specialized table that allows the chiropractor to apply a gentle stretching motion to the affected area. The stretching motion helps to decompress the spine and reduce pressure on the affected discs. This can help to relieve pain and improve overall function.
What can it treat?
- Herniated discs
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Scoliosis
How does it work?
Spinal decompression is a non-surgical treatment technique that is often used in chiropractic care to treat a variety of spinal conditions. While spinal decompression is not considered a type of chiropractic adjustment in the traditional sense, it is a technique that is commonly used by chiropractors to help relieve pain and improve spinal function.
Spinal decompression involves the use of a specialized table that applies gentle traction to the spine. This traction helps to stretch and decompress the spine, which can help to relieve pressure on the spinal discs, nerves, and other structures. By decompressing the spine, spinal decompression therapy can help to relieve pain, improve mobility, and promote healing.
What can it treat?
- Herniated, slipped, and bulging discs
- Degenerative disc disease
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
The Accelerate Health Connection
In addition to these common chiropractic techniques, there are many other techniques that can be used to treat a variety of conditions. These may include manual therapy techniques such as massage, stretching, and myofascial release.
If you are considering chiropractic care, it is important to work with a licensed and experienced chiropractor who can provide a comprehensive evaluation and develop a customized treatment plan based on your individual needs and goals.
This is exactly the kind of thoughtful care you will receive at Accelerate Health in Denver, Colorado, where our team of chiropractic practitioners will deliver the adjustments and treatments to get you out of pain and back to your healthy, active lifestyle. Make an appointment today to experience for yourself the relief that these chiropractic adjustments can give, especially when performed by the experts at Accelerate Health.
How to Create an Ergonomic Workstation to Protect Your Neck & Back
If you spend a significant amount of time working at a desk or in front of a computer, it's essential to create an ergonomic desk setup that protects your neck and back from strain and pain. Poor posture and improper ergonomics can cause a range of musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain, neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Here are some tips on how to create an ergonomic workstation to protect your neck and back.
1. Adjust Your Chair Height
The height of your chair is essential for maintaining proper posture and protecting your neck and back. The ideal height for your chair is when your feet are flat on the floor, and your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Your hips should be level with or slightly higher than your knees. Adjust the height of your chair to achieve this position, and if necessary, use a footrest to support your feet.
2. Position Your Keyboard and Mouse
The positioning of your keyboard and mouse can affect your posture and cause strain on your neck and back. Place your keyboard and mouse directly in front of you, and at a height that allows you to type with your wrists straight and your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Avoid reaching forward to use your keyboard or mouse, as this can cause strain on your neck and back.
3. Adjust Your Monitor Height
The height of your monitor is another crucial factor in creating an ergonomic workstation. Position your monitor directly in front of you, and at a height that allows you to look straight ahead without tilting your head up or down. The top of your monitor should be at or slightly below eye level. If necessary, use a monitor stand or a stack of books to raise your monitor to the correct height.
4. Use a Document Holder
The height of your monitor is another crucial factor in creating an ergonomic workstation. Position your monitor directly in front of you, and at a height that allows you to look straight ahead without tilting your head up or down. The top of your monitor should be at or slightly below eye level. If necessary, use a monitor stand or a stack of books to raise your monitor to the correct height.
5. Take Frequent Breaks
No matter how ergonomic your workstation is, sitting in the same position for an extended period can cause strain and pain. Take frequent breaks to stretch, stand up, and move around. Aim to take a break every 30 minutes to an hour, and use that time to stretch your neck, shoulders, and back.
6. Use a Lumbar Support Pillow
When sitting for extended periods, it's common for people to slouch or lean forward, which can cause strain on the lower back muscles and lead to discomfort and pain. A lumbar support pillow is designed to provide additional support to the natural curve of the lower back, helping to maintain a healthy and comfortable posture while sitting. By placing the pillow against the lower back, it helps to keep the spine in alignment and reduces the stress on the lower back muscles.
7. Keep Your Desk Clean and Organized
A cluttered desk can make it difficult to find the right position for your equipment, leading to awkward postures and strain on your muscles and joints. On the other hand, a clean desk can allow you to position your computer, keyboard, and other equipment at the optimal height and distance from your body. This can reduce strain on your neck, shoulders, and back, and help you maintain a natural and comfortable posture while working.
8. Use a Headset
Holding a phone handset between your ear and shoulder can cause tension and pain in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. This can lead to discomfort and strain over time, especially if you spend a lot of time on the phone. By using a headset, you can avoid awkward head and neck positions and maintain a more natural posture while on the phone, reducing the risk of developing neck and shoulder pain or discomfort.
9. Consider a Standing Desk
If you're looking for a more active way to work, consider using a standing desk. This type of desk allows you to stand while working, which can help improve your posture and reduce strain on your neck and back. Standing encourages you to maintain a more natural and upright posture, which can reduce the strain on your neck, shoulders, and back that can occur from sitting for long periods.
10. Invest in a Good Chair
Finally, invest in a good quality chair that provides adequate support to your neck and back. Look for a chair that is adjustable and has a comfortable seat and backrest. A good chair can make all the difference in creating an ergonomic workstation that protects your neck and back.
Creating an ergonomic workstation is essential for protecting your neck and back from strain and pain. Following these tips to create an ergonomic desk setup can make a big difference in maintaining and improving your health and lifestyle– and so can the chiropractors and other healthcare professionals at Accelerate Health, in Denver, Colorado. If your back or neck is giving you grief, give us a call and see how we can get you back to your active, healthy lifestyle.
New Year, Healthier You
Many of us know what we need to do to live a healthier lifestyle, but don’t know where to start. Others of us are so overwhelmed by all of the “to dos” on our health habits checklist that it’s difficult to stay on track. The rest of us have no idea what we’re doing, we just know we want to be healthier. No matter where you land on the spectrum of your health journey, just know that change is possible and you have everything you need to start living the life you want. As someone who is also on a journey to optimal health, I’ve created this blog post filled with a few tips and ideas that I’ve found helpful, in hopes that it will help others, too.
1. Keep It Simple
Meals, workouts, goals, recovery days, routines- keep it all simple! While social media tends to make healthy lifestyles look luxurious, just remember you don’t need extravagant recipes, expensive memberships or health coaches, or top-of-the-line clothes and equipment to be healthier. Small habit changes may not seem like a big deal, but if you do them consistently, big changes will happen! Here are a few easy ideas to incorporate:
- Make extra servings with your dinners, so you’ll have lunch at work the next day (this one also helps your wallet).
- Swap out your French fries for broccoli occasionally when you’re eating out.
- Ensure you keep a water bottle at work to hydrate throughout the day.
- People in jobs with repetitive motion, such as typing or assembly.
- People in strenuous labor roles.
- Individuals in the service industry.
- Headache sufferers.
2. Create Measurable Goals
Goals are important to help you identify exactly what you want to accomplish. However, a goal without a timeline or quantity to assess is just a dream! We need to measure goals to give direction, add greater clarity, and gauge progress. For example:
Goal: To lift more weights this year.
Measurable Goal: To lift weights 3-4 times a week for 3 consecutive months.
With the measurable goal, I now have a plan for how often I want to lift weights and I’ve given myself a reasonable amount of time for progress. After three months, I’ll do a self check-in: did I meet my goal? If I did reach my goal, awesome! Time to progress with another goal. If I didn’t, why not? I’ll either modify my original goal to fit my needs or change my actions to try to reach the same goal and check-in again in three months.
4. Know Your Why
I believe the most important aspect of changing your habits is knowing your why. Now that you have your goals in mind, give them purpose! Why is reaching this healthier goal important to you? We’ll use the same goal example as above:
Measurable Goal: To lift weights 3-4 times a week for 3 consecutive months.
Purpose: Tone my body, prepare for softball season and hiking, boost confidence for summer, and improve my cardiovascular health
Change can be difficult, especially when it comes to lifestyle and health, so give yourself space to have setbacks, make mistakes, and maybe not reach your goals how you intended. Health is a never-ending, ebbing and flowing journey; is there ever really a destination? From my experience, each health goal I’ve achieved has created a path for new health goals to be developed and conquered. No matter what happens during your journey, remember the changes you’re making will give you the quality of life you want and deserve. YOU GOT THIS!
Call us today to learn more about how Accelerate Health can help you return to your daily life without constant pain. We look forward to helping you heal!
What is Active Release Technique?
Are you interested in a non-invasive treatment for your soft tissue or nerve pain? Many patients come to Accelerate Health seeking innovative ways to help their bodies heal from injury, overuse or a variety of other conditions. We offer several treatment options for improving their health and alleviating pain, including the non-narcotic, non-surgical active release technique. Active release technique, abbreviated as ART, is a leading treatment option for relief from pain caused by injury and overuse.
Developed in the early 1980s by Dr. Michael Leahy, ART was a new approach to soft tissue treatment that was designed to be more effective than existing treatments. Leahy wanted to help patients restore their bodies more quickly and ensure that their treatment plan actually supported the best possible outcomes. Today, more than 20,000 practitioners offer this method to their patients.
How Does Active Release Technique Work?
ART works by targeting specific areas in the body’s soft tissues with careful manipulation to treat injuries. The process begins with an examination by your practitioner to isolate the problem area. Once the treatment area has been defined, your provider will begin utilizing the protocols of ART to treat the affected area.
These protocols include a focus on the importance of touch. ART providers are trained to recognize individual muscle groups by hand, as well as how to use gentle movement and precise manipulation to treat the area. Dr. Leahy found that direct touch yielded more successful results and improved healing times. ART chiropractors are professionals who must be certified for the treatment of your specific injury or issue. They must complete a seminar every 12 months and pass a hands-on test to receive their certification.
1. Who Can Benefit from ART?
ART is a gentle, non-invasive method that can help many people experiencing pain in their tendons or muscles, as well as pain caused by issues with your nerves.
It is particularly useful for treating:
- Athletes experiencing pain caused by overuse or injury.
- Patients with chronic pain.
- Patients seeking non-narcotic pain management.
- People in jobs with repetitive motion, such as typing or assembly.
- People in strenuous labor roles.
- Individuals in the service industry.
- Headache sufferers.
2. What Type of Conditions Can Active Release Technique Help?
ART can provide relief in a variety of conditions. Treatment is not limited to athletes, as you saw in the previous section. People of all ages and abilities may experience an overuse injury, sore muscles or nerve pain at some point in their lives.
ART is used to treat many types of pain or injury, including:
- Muscle pain
- Back pain
- Headache
- Neck pain
- Overuse injuries
- Tendons
- Ligaments
- Fascia
- Shoulder pain
- Sciatic issues
- Tendonitis
- Strains
- Sprains
- And other pain inducing conditions.
3. How Do I Know if I Can Benefit from ART?
The easiest way to find out if the benefits of ART will work for you is to schedule a consultation with a certified provider. At Accelerate Health, our providers use a comprehensive assessment to determine if your particular pain or injury will improve with treatment. Many patients can experience improved outcomes and achieve their goals for healing and pain relief.
4. How is ART Different?
The power of ART lies in the specificity of the treatment. Pressure and manipulation create relief for the patient at the source of their pain as applied to the affected area. The intention is to promote healing faster and relieve pain more quickly without invasive methods. For example, Many patients seek out ART because they wish to treat their issues without painful, costly methods that may not achieve the desired results. Other patients wish to find alternatives to pharmaceutical treatment.
In addition, not only is ART non-invasive and more comprehensive, but it's also a gentle treatment. The process is painless, minus the occasional discomfort that may come with certain movements. You can inform your provider if you feel pain or if you are not comfortable with certain movements. They will work to accommodate you.
Find Relief. Improve Your Healing.
ART has been a proven treatment method for nearly three decades. For patients who wish to treat their injuries with non-invasive methods, or reduce their reliance on prescription and OTC painkillers, ART may be able to provide relief. Accelerate Health practices ART and provides multiple treatment options that help patients live lives free from pain.
Call us today to learn more about how ART can help you return to your daily life without constant pain. We look forward to helping you heal!
What's the Difference Between a Sprain and a Strain?
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a sprain and a strain? While the names of these two injuries are nearly identical, each impacts the body in a different way. Let’s take a closer look at how sprains and strains differ, their impact on an injured patient, and options for treatment.
Strain vs. Sprain
A sprain involves injury to the ligaments holding the joint together, commonly occurring at the ankle, knee, wrist, and thumb joints. A strain involves injury to the muscle or tendons attaching the muscle to the bone, sometimes called a “pulled muscle.” Strains usually occur in your low back and hamstring but can also occur in your ankles, legs, elbows, and hands. Both sprains and strains are usually related to an acute injury with common symptoms including pain or tenderness, swelling, redness or bruising, and limited range of motion.
How Do Strains and Sprains Impact Our Daily Life?
Both sprains and strains can occur at any age and through a variety of activities, including both work and sports. In fact, sprains and strains are in the top five most common athletic injuries, as well as one of the most common workplace injuries.
In workplace injuries, the most commonly affected area is the back — people not stretching adequately or lifting properly when completing a physical task and suddenly find themselves in agonizing pain. Strains can also occur when a person performs repetitive tasks that overwork the muscles or tendons. Injuries can also occur if a person slips or falls, spraining the ligaments on impact or straining the muscle due to overextension.
In athletic or exercise injuries, sprains and strains are more likely to occur due to overuse, exhaustion, or impact. Overuse is the most common, due to the amount of time athletes spend in training and on the field. Exhaustion can lead to improper form or muscle weakness, which can also contribute to sprains and strains. In contact sports like football, sprains, and strains can occur during player collisions, or if a limb goes one way and the player goes the other.
Both injuries can bench you, either from performing your daily duties on the job or interfering with your training. Neither one of those options is appealing to most people, which makes healing effectively (and quickly) important. These seemingly small injuries can also slow you down at home, preventing you from doing the things you enjoy, like a morning run, playing with the kids, walking the dog, or even just cooking a simple dinner. To help prevent sprains and strains, stretch your body before any physical activity and do additional strengthening exercises to keep your muscles in good shape.
Treating Sprains and Strains: What is Active Release Technique?
If you think you have a strain or sprain there are some easy at-home steps you can take to help the immediate injury before seeing a doctor. Rest and avoid activities that cause pain. You can ice the area, and compress the area with an elastic wrap to help reduce swelling and elevate the injured body part.
In addition to rest, there are other methods you can use to help accelerate your healing and manage pain. Active release technique (ART) is a patented technique that treats many small tissues in the body, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia. Many conditions that ART treats are due to overuse which can result in loss of normal function, pain, and weakness. Overuse of muscles and other soft tissues can result in tears, spasms, pulls, or hypoxia to the injured area which causes scar tissue to form. This makes it difficult for healthy tissues to move normally, causes muscle weakness, and puts extra tension on tendons.
ART is noninvasive and beneficial for people who have tried other unsuccessful treatments. It utilizes targeted manipulations and tension while the patient performs specific movements. This helps to break up the scar tissue and promote healing. Some common conditions that benefit from active release technique include:
- Lower back pain
- Chronic neck pain
- Tension headaches
- Carpal tunnel Sciatic nerve pain
- Plantar fasciitis
- Tennis elbow
- And more!
Treat Sprains and Strains with Accelerate Health
If you have recently suffered a sprain or strain, you don’t have to wait around for the pain to stop. Accelerate Health provides sprain and strain patients with a variety of treatment options, including ART. We can help you manage your pain, promote healing and break up scar tissue that hinders your progress. Call our offices today to discuss your options for treatment and set up a consultation.
3 Common Winter Injuries and How to Avoid Them
If there is one thing we know after years of serving patients in Colorado, it is that colder weather always creates an uptick in common winter injuries. Winter brings snow, ice, and frigid temperatures, all of which present ample opportunity for accidents to happen. At Accelerate Health, we know that no one wants to spend the winter stuck on the couch healing from a severe injury. To help you get to spring both pain- and injury-free, we are sharing a few of the most common ways to hurt yourself in the winter and tips for avoiding them.
1. Snow Shoveling Injuries
Snow shoveling injuries occur often in the wintertime. A recent statistic shared by Children’s Hospital noted that there are nearly 11,500 injuries caused by shoveling snow that require a visit to the emergency room each year. That number does not even consider the number of snow-shoveling injuries that do not result in a hospital visit or are handled by healing at home. At a glance, snow shoveling appears like a simple task. You simply push the shovel around to clear the snow, right? Unfortunately, that level of confidence is usually the first mistake. It takes a lot of exertion to clear a heavy Rocky Mountain snow from the driveway and sidewalk! The chore is associated with:
- An increased risk of heart attack for adults over 45
- Straining your back, neck and shoulders
- Falling
- Bruising
- Breaking bones
- Scrapes and cuts
- Sprains
- Tears
- Fractures
How to Prevent a Snow Shoveling Injury
Consult your doctor if you are an older adult. Snow shoveling is strenuous. Make sure your body is up to the task before you venture out this winter.
Take it easy. Go slow and move the snow in shifts. The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure gives residences an entire day to remove snow. If you are a business owner, your need to clear space will be more urgent. Enlist help. If you can only clear a small portion, select an area that will allow each passerby to walk safely in front of your business.
Stretch. It is not silly to stretch before shoveling snow. Some studies have compared the chore to running on a treadmill. If you’re going to put your body through its paces, warm it up first to prevent strains, sprains and tears.
Wear proper shoes. Falls are incredibly common while shoveling. Wear hiker spikes or shoes with heavy tread to give you traction.
2. Slips and Falls
Slips and falls are also common winter injuries, particularly during ice storms or after snow has melted and refrozen throughout the day. Other falls might be caused by slipping on icy steps, and falling from a ladder or roof while performing winter maintenance. A fall caused by slipping on ice is almost always harder than a simple stumble on a dry sidewalk. This is because the acceleration our bodies gain during a slip can increase the force with which we hit the ground. It can cause your body to become airborne and also reduces your reaction time, making it more difficult to protect yourself. Common injuries from slips and falls include:
- Broken bone
- Strains and fractures in the wrists, hands and forearms
- Head injuries
- Concussion
- Neck and back pain
- Bruising
- Scrapes
- Cuts
How to Prevent Winter Slips and Falls
Wear proper footwear. You want traction when navigating icy conditions, otherwise you are just like a car with bald tires.
Learn how to fall. The older you get, the more important it is that you learn how to protect your body in a fall. For example, many people who fall instinctively stiffen their arms and brace themselves with their hands instead of shifting into a protective stance. The hand, wrist, and forearm injuries we see at Accelerate Health can be pretty severe.
Watch your step. Anyone navigating LoDo after a snowstorm knows that ice can creep up in the most inconvenient places. Walk slowly and keep an eye on the ground. Ice tends to build up in shady areas or low spots, so walk on the sunny side of the street and pick your footing in snow, areas near downspouts, bridges and gutters.
3. Car Accidents
While Colorado has some of the safest winter drivers in the country, accidents still happen. Winter weather often compounds the severity of an accident for the same reasons a winter fall is more severe: increased acceleration and impact. Unfortunately, snow, ice and poor visibility also increase the chances your vehicle will be struck by another car during or after the first accident. Injury risks include:
- Concussion
- TBI
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Back injury
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Cuts and bruises
How to Decrease the Chances of a Winter Car Accident
Stay home. Unless you absolutely need to drive somewhere, it is best to stay off the road during a winter storm.
Drive slowly. Make it easier for yourself to stop and maneuver the roads by taking it down a notch. An accident will make you far later than slow driving.
Maintain brakes and tires.
Give space. Give yourself room to stop, slide, or whatever else your car may need to do.
Wear a seatbelt.
Have you recently experienced one of these common winter injuries? Do you have an older injury that is causing you pain and diminishing your quality of life? Give Accelerate Health a call to discuss your options. We are the chiropractor Denver, CO, trusts for pain management, physical therapy and chiropractic treatment, and we would love to help you.
Laser Therapy Treatment for Scars and Muscle Tension
Have you been considering laser therapy treatment for scars, injuries, chronic pain or acne scarring? Laser therapies have grown in popularity in recent years, as more doctors, clinics and treatment centers recognize the benefits to their patients. Even before laser therapy began to trend as a reliable treatment, it was a steady ally in the mission to help patients heal faster and reduce their pain.
Laser therapy is a broader term to describe a variety of procedures that use light to treat an injury or other issue in a given area. The intensity of a laser will vary, and so will its uses. A high intensity beam of focused light might be used in surgical procedures, while a lower intensity laser (like those used for treatment at Accelerate Health) is used for non-invasive, painless treatment of scars or injuries. Let’s take a look at the difference between the two.
Low Level Laser Therapy
Low Level Laser Therapy, referred to as LLLT, photobiomodulation or “cold laser therapy,” is a painless, non-invasive treatment that can reduce the appearance of scars and scar tissue. The process was discovered and developed in the late 1960s by scientist Endre Mester in Hungary. Mester was actually trying to use the LLLT to cure tumors in rats. After experimenting with LLLT, the treated tumors remained unaffected. While those results were certainly disappointing, there was, quite literally, a bright side. Rats treated with LLLT showed faster improvement in regrowth of fur and their wounds healed better than untreated rats. A new advance in treating scar tissue had been discovered.
Cold laser therapy uses a laser light to help boost the natural reparative actions of the cells in your skin, fascia and muscles. Laser light powers up adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that operates like a trucking company that transports energy across the highways of your body to deliver it to the areas where you need it most. When that light is directed at scar tissue, the reparative function of your body kicks into gear, regenerating and repairing cells or even killing off the cells in the area so that new, healthy cells can take up the job. Patients at Accelerated Health have reported no pain during the non-invasive procedure, as well as improvement in areas of treatment.
LLLT can help patients with:
- Scar tissue such as C-section scars, injury scars, some burns and surgical scars
- Pigment issues such as vitiligo
- Acne
- Psoriasis
- UV damage
- Pain management
- Inflammation
Class IV Laser Therapy for Injury Treatment, Paint Management and Muscle Tension
Like its Class 3 counterpart, LLLT, Class IV laser therapy provides improved healing and pain management benefits. Class IV lasers are stronger than those used in LLLT; however, they are beneficial in various therapies because their increase in energy does not create the heat generated in stronger laser technology. While it is classified as a “warm” laser, Class IV laser treatment is safe and painless.
The increased energy in Class IV lasers allows their ATP-stimulating benefits to penetrate deeper tissues. The Class IV laser can help fractures heal more quickly, help with arthritis pain, reduce scarring (c-sections, post-surgical) and help soft tissues injuries heal more quickly, among other things. This form of therapy is so beneficial that many professional, college and Olympic athletic teams carry them as part of their injury and pain management regimens.
Class IV laser therapy can help patients with:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Post-natal pain
- Post-natal scar tissue
- Scar tissue
- Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Soft tissue damage
- Fibromyalgia
- Sciatica
- Joint pain
- Athletic injuries
- Car accident injuries
- Pain relief
Who Can Benefit from Laser Therapy Treatment?
Are you curious about whether or not your specific case would benefit from low level laser therapy or Class IV laser therapy treatments? Accelerate Health has helped a variety of patients improve with the use of laser therapy treatment. Our patients commonly seek out the following treatments:
- Post-natal: Back pain, C-section scar tissue, neck pain, muscle tension
- Athletic: Sports injuries, bone damage, tendon damage, sore muscles, muscle tension, joint pain, scar tissue
- Workplace Injury: Sore back, joint injury, neck pain, wrist pain, carpal tunnel, knee pain
- Aging: Osteoarthritis, diabetic neuropathy, knee pain, joint pain, back pain, scar tissue
- Injury or Surgery: Scarring, pain relief, muscle damage, surgical recovery
- Car Accident: Neck pain, back pain, scarring, bone damage, whiplash
Accelerate Health: Class 4 and Cold Laser Therapy Denver Residents Trust
If you are interested in learning more about how Class 4/cold laser therapy could benefit your specific health conditions, call today to schedule an appointment with Accelerate Health. We have been providing integrative pain management in Colorado since 2005. We're committed to providing the innovative therapies, including treatments like shockwave therapy, Denver residents need to support them in living lives free from pain. We can help you, too!
Best Treatments for Headaches from Auto Accidents
Have you walked away from a car accident feeling “fine,” but then struggled for days, weeks, or even months after with debilitating headaches?
You’re not alone.
In fact, headaches are one of the most common symptoms people suffer from after a motor vehicle accident. Luckily, there’s more you can do for your post-accident headache than take handfuls of painkillers or rub in smelly skin creams. Let’s talk about what causes these headaches, what treatments exist, and how the practitioners at Accelerate Health can help you get feeling better…faster.
What Causes Headaches After a Car Accident?
At the base of your skull are four muscles called the suboccipitals. These muscles are primarily in charge of your posture and moving your head and are especially prone to injury in a car accident.
The violent forward and backward motion that happens during a collision puts a great deal of strain on these muscles as you struggle to keep your head upright. The muscles become so tight, in fact, that they’ll form what we call trigger points—little knots or bumps in the muscle fibers that cause spasms.
Suboccipital Muscles and Headaches
In addition, the suboccipital nerve passes through the suboccipital muscles, and will get irritated when the suboccipitals go into spasm. This creates pain that starts on the back of your head and moves forward in a band to right behind your eyes. Sound familiar? It’s called a tension headache. The pain is deep, intense, and often hard to describe.
Up to 90% of people who experience whiplash develop tension headaches, and 30-50% of them continue to suffer from these headaches for more than six months. You deserve to live a pain-free life! If you’re suffering from tension headaches caused by an auto accident 6 days or 6 months ago, Accelerate Health can help.
What can treat tension headaches?
There are several treatments that can be used to treat headaches, including:
Spinal manipulation:
A practitioner performs a controlled thrust to your spine to restore joint function and help reduce inflammation and pain.
Soft tissue manipulation:
A practitioner manipulates your muscles, skin, tissues, etc with their hands or an instrument to improve circulation, reduce swelling or pain, and release tension.
Class IV laser:
Using a special light-therapy device, a practitioner delivers a special kind of light to your problem areas that help to reduce muscle spasms, decrease pain, and promote healing. It is non-surgical, non-invasive, and painless.
Cupping:
A trained practitioner uses special silicone cups to create a vacuum over the injured area with special silicone cups. The suction promotes blood flow to help with pain and inflammation.
Graston:
A trained practitioner in the Graston Technique manipulates the muscle and connective tissue with specialized tools to increase blood flow, reduce scar tissue, and increase mobility.
Therapeutic exercise:
A practitioner will teach you quick and easy exercises to do at home to help reduce the tension in the muscles at the base of your skull and alleviate pain.
Functional dry needling:
A practitioner inserts thin, monofilament needles into trigger points around the injury to reduce pain and increase range of motion.
It’s important to remember that there is often no one special silver bullet to alleviate your pain. That’s why you should always work with a practitioner who is trained in many different modalities and can combine them to help you achieve optimal health.
How Accelerate Health Can Help
While your practitioner here at Accelerate Health here in Denver will use a variety of techniques in your custom-built treatment plan, one of our most effective therapies is dry needling. Let’s take a deeper look at what it is.
Trigger Points
Remember those trigger points (knots) hanging out in your suboccipital muscles, sending pain across the nerves in your head? Dry needling targets those trigger points, helping to heal them and stop the cycle of spasms and pain.
Your provider at Accelerate Health will identify the location of trigger points and insert a thin, monofilament needle into the trigger point and send a small current into the muscle. This current will cause the muscle to contract and reset back to its original healthy state. (Kind of like turning your computer off and then on again). Once the muscle is reset, there will be less irritation hitting the nerve, reducing your headaches.
Dry Needling
If it sounds scary, don’t worry. Our Denver auto-accident chiropractors are fully trained and certified in dry needling. In fact, it’s safe, minimally uncomfortable, and proven to be extremely effective.
Please note that dry needling is different than acupuncture. While the tools are similar, dry needling is based on Western medicine and is evidence-based, while acupuncture is based on traditional Eastern medicine.
Relief
Once you begin treatment at one of our Denver facilities, it will be common for your headaches to go away before your neck pain does. Don’t worry--all treatment is a process. Suboccipitals respond very well to treatment, helping headaches to resolve quickly. What a relief!
If you’ve been in an auto accident and are struggling with tension headaches, you don’t have to keep suffering! Using functional dry needling and a combination of therapies to best suit your symptoms, our auto accident chiropractors will help you achieve results as quickly as possible. Contact our office today.
Treating Acute Injuries
We’ve all been there. One moment you’re perfectly fine and then the next….BOOM! Something in your body doesn’t feel right. Maybe you tripped and fell while running, maybe you collided with another player while playing ultimate frisbee, maybe you were at work and twisted around suddenly when someone called your name. Whatever happened, you suffered what is called an acute injury.
What Are Acute Injuries?
An acute injury (often called sports injury) is trauma to your musculoskeletal system. In other words, when you hurt or otherwise damage your bones, muscles, and the soft tissues that hold everything together (ligaments, cartilage, tendons, etc). These usually happen suddenly from actions like falling, twisting, jumping, throwing, and running.
Don’t confuse acute injuries with chronic injuries. Acute injuries happen suddenly, while chronic injuries develop over time as a certain part of the body gathers strain from repetitive overuse.
Here are some common acute injuries:
- Broken bones
- Dislocations
- Shin splints
- Sprains
- Bursitis
- Torn ligaments
- Muscle pulls
What Helps Provide the Best Recovery?
Often, less-serious acute injuries can be treated with the RICE method:
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
These actions work together to reduce swelling and inflammation so you can heal. However, the process can be slow, painful, and frustrating--especially if it's keeping you from returning to work or participating in your favorite sports.
How Can An Accident and Injury Chiropractor Help Acute Injuries?
Here at Accelerate Health, our mission is to get you back to the activities you love faster. That’s why we offer many therapeutic services that can help speed up your recovery and quickly help you reduce swelling, inflammation, bruising, and pain.
Let’s use an example of an ankle sprain. If you fell and twisted your ankle while playing soccer, you’d likely want to get past the painful swelling and bruising as soon as possible, so you could get back out on the field. Here’s what your care would look like if you came into one of our Denver offices.
Diagnosis
After initial evaluation and examination of your ankle, we would give you a diagnosis of an inversion ankle sprain (your ankle was injured by rolling inward) and begin treatment immediately.
Phase 1: Acute
In the acute phase, reducing swelling, inflammation, and pain would be the primary focus.
To help you increase your range of motion, we would begin with light soft tissue mobility work around the damaged ligament to bring in new blood flow and to push inflammatory fluid out of the area. We would start with the Graston Technique, using special stainless steel tools to stretch and rearrange your soft tissue to increase blood flow and promote the healing process.
Next, we would use cold laser therapy. Our class IV cold laser penetrates deep into the tissue and creates a chemical reaction within the cell. As a result the cell is stimulated to create more ATP. Why is this important? ATP is used as energy in the body, so more ATP will increase the amount of energy our body can use to heal. We’ve seen cold laser therapy significantly reduce bruising almost immediately.
Finally, we would perform kinesiotaping around your ankle to reduce pain and swelling. Our doctors love to use RockTape--an advanced kinesiotaping system that stabilizes your injury while still leaving range of motion and space for your blood to flow freely.
This acute phase would last 3-4 visits or roughly 2-3 weeks. We’d also give you exercises to do at home to promote your healing. (One of our favorites is writing the ABCs with your ankle!)
Phase 2: Subacute
Once you are out of the acute phase, you would enter the subacute phase. This phase of care would be focused on function and helping you to fully bear weight on your injured ankle. To do this, we’d draw upon lots of different techniques and tools, customizing your treatment to what your body would benefit most from.
Here’s some of the techniques we might use:
Graston Method: manipulating the muscle and connective tissue with specialized tools to increase bloodflow, reduce scar tissue, and increase mobility
Active Release Technique: a series of muscle movements and releases to increase mobility and reduce pain.
Voodoo Flossing: wrapping and releasing injured areas to promote blood flow and healing
Cupping: creating a vacuum over the injured area with special silicone cups to help with pain, inflammation, and blow flow
Dry Needling: inserting thin, monofilament needles into trigger points around the injury to reduce pain and increase range of motion.
A combination of these techniques is the gold standard of care. At this point we would be addressing the musculature surrounding the injured ligament to help provide better support and stability to the ligament. During this phase you would have new exercises to work on at home to help further increase the stability of your ankle.
Phase 3: Prevention
After you fully heal from your ankle sprain, you would, of course, want to prevent it from happening again. That’s why we work to educate you after your recovery on the best way to protect yourself from further injury.
In addition to teaching you safer ways to move, stretch, and warm up, we also encourage you to keep visiting our office to ensure you stay in tip-top shape.
In conclusion
Acute injuries are never fun, but here at Accelerate Health, we’re committed to helping you recover quickly with proven, non-invasive treatments that will get back to doing what you love. If you’re struggling with an injury--old or new--make an appointment today and get back on the path to health and happiness.
When Do Babies Start to Crawl? What You Need to Know
One of the main jobs of a pediatric chiropractor is to ensure your child’s motor development and function are working as optimally as possible. With this in mind, your child’s chiropractor assesses your child to ensure they are reaching each and every physical milestone. One of the main milestones that some babies might try to avoid is crawling. So, when do babies start to crawl?
6 Month Milestones
Ideally, at around 6 months, your baby will be able to lift themselves onto all fours and rock back and forth in this position. This skill then leads to the baby propelling themselves forward and crawling on hands and knees at around 9 months. However, for some babies, these skills are more difficult to achieve which might lead them to try and avoid crawling and move directly into standing and walking.
The Benefits of Crawling Are Numerous
For starters, crawling is one of the few movements your child will perform that increases the strength of the wrists and shoulders. While your baby is on hands and knees, the weight they are distributing through their shoulders, wrists, and hands is helping to develop shoulder and wrist stability. In the future, you will see strength in these areas help increase grip strength, ability to use utensils, ability to catch and throw a ball, and so on.
Important Skills that Develop from the Crawling Stage
Another important skill that is developed and strengthened during crawling is hand-eye coordination and general body coordination and awareness. This is beneficial when it comes to activities such as running, riding a bike, skipping, and even getting dressed. Because crawling requires both sides of the brain to work together, crawling can be a key player in both mental and physical development. Other benefits of crawling include strengthening the core, low back, and hips as well as improving visual convergence which is the ability to use both eyes together.
Most babies begin crawling between 6 and 10 months old, though every child works on their own unique timetable. You’ll be able to tell they’re getting ready to crawl when you see them:
- Rolling over from back to front
- Grabbing their feet when lying down
- Getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth
- Arching their neck to look around
- Pushing themselves backward
- Pulling back and then springing forward when on all fours
Once you see these behaviors, you can encourage them to continue moving by holding an interesting object just out of reach, showing them a favorite toy that is hidden behind a blanket or a pillow, or even just praising and encouraging them to come to you.
Remember That Babies Learn at Their Own Pace
Don’t be discouraged if they don’t crawl right away. You want them to be excited and motivated about crawling, so if they become frustrated or upset, quickly move on and come back to it another day. Don’t forget that it’s also important to baby-proof your home as they become more mobile. Pay attention to what’s on the floor, what they can reach and put into their mouth, or any falling hazards. You should always supervise your baby as they crawl and move around to make sure they’re out of harm’s way.
If Your Child Skips Crawling and Goes Straight to Walking, Don’t Worry
While some children have issues with coordination if they miss the crawling phase, plenty of children who went straight to walking without crawling grow up to be very active, fully functioning happy kiddos who can run and skip and ride their bikes without issue. But when the benefits of crawling are considered, it makes sense that this phase of development is important and should not be missed when possible.
If by 10 months, your child can pull up to a standing position, “cruise” around the room by grabbing onto the walls or furniture for assistance, or can otherwise move around on their bottom or tummy, their development is considered normal. Otherwise, there might be physical conditions standing in their way such as:
- Torticollis
- Tight hips
- Weakness in the shoulders or core
- Tight trunk or lower back
- Retained newborn reflexes
If that’s the case for your baby, we can help! Our pediatric chiropractors at Accelerate Health are able to address these concerns and assist you and your baby in their ability to crawl before they walk.
Our chiropractors can help treat tension in the low back and hips and stiffness in the mid back and neck. This ensures your baby is free of physical barriers that might be making it difficult for them to crawl. There are also several exercises that we can teach you to work on with your baby to help them feel strong and encourage them to propel themselves into crawling.
Does it Help? You Bet!
Here’s what one of our clients, Leah Brite, said:
“I feel lucky to have found Dr. Perkins at Accelerate Health as she helped get our 10-month-old crawling! At 9 months, he was showing no interest in crawling and would immediately move out of being on all 4s if you put him in that position.
Dr. Perkins did an assessment, gave us a series of stretches and exercises to do with him at home each day, and after a short 3 weeks, he was crawling! I am confident we would not have gotten there anywhere near that timeline without her help. We'd been trying for months to encourage him to start to crawl with no success.”
If you’re concerned about your baby’s ability to crawl, make an appointment today. We’re here to help your young ones move freely without restriction and develop to their fullest potential.
