Dr. William Davis, author of the NY Times Bestseller, Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight and Find Your Path Back to Health, explains why the wheat of today is not the wheat of yesterday and why it has become so destructive to health. It ain’t wheat! 20 min VIDEO part 1

Wheat Unhealthy Whole Grain part 2: VIDEO

other good reads and video’s: 

Interesting 3 min video on the Gut-Brain-Immune System connection  and a Lab that can do more sophisticated testing:  Cyrex Labs

Gluten-Top 12 Reasons Gluten Should Be ELIMINATED From Your Diet-Poliquin

Avoid Genetically Modified Food-Doctors and Animals Alike Tell Us

Gluten: What You Don’t Know Might Kill You-Mark Hyman M.D.

Posted by:  Kevin G. Parker, D.C.

Do you know what insulin resistance is? How about insulin sensitivity? Do you know how these words relate to the development of diabetes? Both are terms that are used regularly in the media and by public health professionals, but do you find yourself confused about what insulin health actually is?

What is Insulin?

Insulin is a hormone that is secreted by the pancreas—an organ that sits behind the stomach—after you eat carbohydrates. When you eat carbs and they are absorbed into the bloodstream, they elevate your blood sugar (also called blood glucose), which the pancreas detects. The pancreas secretes insulin in order to help the body process the blood glucose.
In a healthy body, the insulin binds with receptors on your cells. When a cell has insulin attached to it via the receptor, the cell activates other receptors (that act like messengers) to absorb the glucose from the blood stream into the cell to be used for energy.

Mikus, C., Oberlin, D., Libla, J., Taylor, A., Booth, F., Thyfault, J. Lowering Physical Activity Impairs Glycemic Control in Healthy Volunteers. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. June 2011. Published Ahead of Print.

Thyfault J., Booth, F., Lack of Regular Physical Exercise or too Much Inactivity. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. July 2011. 14(4), 374-378.

Von Hurst, P., Stonehouse, W., Coad, J. Vitamin D supplementation reduces insulin resistance in South Asian women living in New Zealand who are insulin resistant and vitamin D deficient – a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. British Journal of Nutrition. 2009. 4(103), 549 – 555.

Pittas, A., Lau, J., Hu, F., Dawson-Hughes, B. The role of vitamin D and calcium in type 2 diabetes. A systematic review and meta-analysis.  Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2007. 92, 2017-2029.

Is Coconut Oil REALLY Healthy?

5 min video: VIDEO

Coconut oil for Alzheimer’s and Memory Loss-Dr. Newport

10 min video:  VIDEO

Posted by Kevin G. Parker, D.C.

Before we start the article below…here is another good article:  Cholesterol Lie-Heart Surgeon Admits Huge Mistake!By Dwight Lundell, MD

We have all been led to believe that cholesterol is bad and that lowering it is good. Because of extensive pharmaceutical marketing to both doctors and patients we think that using statin drugs is proven to work to lower the risk of heart attacks and death.

But on what scientific evidence is this based, what does that evidence really show?

Roger Williams once said something that is very applicable to how we commonly view the benefits of statins. “There are liars, damn liars, and statisticians.”

We see prominent ads on television and in medical journals — things like 36% reduction in risk of having a heart attack. But we don’t look at the fine print. What does that REALLY mean and how does it affect decisions about who should really be using these drugs.

Before I explain that, here are some thought provoking findings to ponder.

• If you lower bad cholesterol (LDL) but have a low HDL (good cholesterol) there is no benefit to statins. (i)
• If you lower bad cholesterol (LDL) but don’t reduce inflammation (marked by a test called C-reactive protein), there is no benefit to statins. (ii)
• If you are a healthy woman with high cholesterol, there is no proof that taking statins reduces your risk of heart attack or death. (iii)
• If you are a man or a woman over 69 years old with high cholesterol, there is no proof that taking statins reduces your risk of heart attack or death. (iv)
• Aggressive cholesterol treatment with two medications (Zocor and Zetia) lowered cholesterol much more than one drug alone, but led to more plaque build up in the arties and no fewer heart attacks. (v)
• 75% of people who have heart attacks have normal cholesterol
• Older patients with lower cholesterol have higher risks of death than those with higher cholesterol. (vi)
• Countries with higher average cholesterol than Americans such as the Swiss or Spanish have less heart disease.
• Recent evidence shows that it is likely statins’ ability to lower inflammation it what accounts for the benefits of statins, not their ability to lower cholesterol.

So for whom do the statin drugs work for anyway? They work for people who have already had heart attacks to prevent more heart attacks or death. And they work slightly for middle-aged men who have many risk factors for heart disease like high blood pressure, obesity, or diabetes ^[2].

So why did the 2004 National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines expand the previous guidelines to recommend that more people take statins (from 13 million to 40 million) and that people who don’t have heart disease should take them to prevent heart disease. Could it have been that 8 of the 9 experts on the panel who developed these guidelines had financial ties to the drug industry? Thirty-four other non-industry affiliated experts sent a petition to protest the recommendations to the National Institutes of Health saying the evidence was weak. It was like having a fox guard the chicken coop.

People with the lowest cholesterol as they age are in fact at highest risk of death. Under certain circumstances, higher cholesterol can actually help increase life span.

It’s all in the spin. The spin of the statistics and numbers. And it’s easy to get confused. Let me try to clear things up.

When you look under the hood of the research data you find that the touted “36% reduction” means a reduction of the number of people getting heart attacks or death from 3% to 2% (or about 30-40%).

And that data also shows that treatment only really works if you have heart disease already. In those who DON’T have documented heart disease, there is no benefit.

In those at high risk for heart disease about 50 people would need to be treated for 5 years to reduce one cardiovascular event. Just to put that in perspective: If a drug works, it has a very low NTT (number needed to treat). For example, if you have a urine infection and take an antibiotic, you will get near a 100% benefit. The number needed to treat is “1″. So if you have an NTT of 50 like statins do for preventing heart disease in 75% of the people who take them, it is basically a crap shoot.

Yet at a cost of over $28 billion a year, 75% of all statin prescriptions are for exactly this type of unproven primary prevention. Simply applying the science over 10 years would save over $200 billion. This is just one example of reimbursed but unproven care. We need not only prevent disease but also prevent the wrong type of care.

If these medications were without side effects, then you may be able to justify the risk – but they cause muscle damage, sexual dysfunction, liver and nerve damage and other problems in 10-15% of patients who take them. Certainly not a free ride.

So if lowering cholesterol is not the great panacea that we thought, how do we treat heart disease, and how do we get the right kind of cholesterol – high HDL, low LDL and low triglycerides and have cholesterol particles that are large, light and fluffy rather than small, dense and hard, which is the type that actually causes heart disease and plaque build up.

We know what causes the damaging small cholesterol particles. And it isn’t fat in the diet. It is sugar. Sugar in any form or refined carbohydrates (white food) drives the good cholesterol down, cause triglycerides to go up, creates small damaging cholesterol particles, and causes metabolic syndrome or pre-diabetes. That is the true cause of most heart attacks, NOT LDL cholesterol.

One of the reasons we don’t hear about this is because there is no good drug to raise HDL. Statin drugs lower LDL — and billions are spent advertising them, even though they are the wrong treatment.

If you’re like most of the patients I see in my practice, you’re convinced that cholesterol is the evil that causes heart disease. You may hope that if you monitor your cholesterol levels and avoid the foods that are purported to raise cholesterol, you’ll be safe from America’s number-one killer.

We are all terrified of cholesterol because for years well-meaning doctors, echoed by the media, have emphasized what they long believed is the intimate link between cholesterol and death by heart disease. If only it were so simple!

The truth is much more complex.

Cholesterol is only one factor of many — and not even the most important — that contribute to your risk of getting heart disease.

First of all, let’s take a look at what cholesterol actually is. It’s a fatty substance produced by the liver that is used to help perform thousands of bodily functions. The body uses it to help build your cell membranes, the covering of your nerve sheaths, and much of your brain. It’s a key building block for our hormone production, and without it you would not be able to maintain adequate levels of testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and cortisol.

So if you think cholesterol is the enemy, think again. Without cholesterol, you would die.

In fact, people with the lowest cholesterol as they age are at highest risk of death. Under certain circumstances, higher cholesterol can actually help to increase life span.

In reality, the biggest source of abnormal cholesterol is not fat at all — it’s sugar. The sugar you consume converts to fat in your body. And the worst culprit of all is high fructose corn syrup.

To help clear the confusion, I will review many of the cholesterol myths our culture labors under and explain what the real factors are that lead to cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol Myths

One of the biggest cholesterol myths out there has to do with dietary fat. Although most of us have been taught that a high-fat diet causes cholesterol problems, this isn’t entirely true. Here’s why: The type of fat that you eat is more important than the amount of fat. Trans fats or hydrogenated fats and saturated fats promote abnormal cholesterol, whereas omega-3 fats and monounsaturated fats actually improve the type and quantity of the cholesterol your body produces.

In reality, the biggest source of abnormal cholesterol is not fat at all — it’s sugar. The sugar you consume converts to fat in your body. And the worst culprit of all is high fructose corn syrup.

Consumption of high fructose corn syrup, which is present in sodas, many juices, and most processed foods, is the primary nutritional cause of most of the cholesterol issues we doctors see in our patients.

So the real concern isn’t the amount of cholesterol you have, but the type of fats and sugar and refined carbohydrates in your diet that lead to abnormal cholesterol production.

Of course, many health-conscious people today know that total cholesterol is not as critical as the following:

• Your levels of HDL “good” cholesterol vs. LDL “bad” cholesterol
• Your triglyceride levels
• Your ratio of triglycerides to HDL
• Your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL

Many are also aware that there are different sizes of cholesterol particles. There are small and large particles of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. The most dangerous are the small, dense particles that act like BB pellets, easily penetrating your arteries. Large, fluffy cholesterol particles are practically harmless–even if your total cholesterol is high. They function like beach balls and bounce off the arteries, causing no harm.

Another concern is whether or not your cholesterol is rancid. If so, the risk of arterial plaque is real.

Rancid or oxidized cholesterol results from oxidative stress and free radicals, which trigger a vicious cycle of inflammation and fat or plaque deposition under the artery walls. That is the real danger: When small dense LDL particles are oxidized they become dangerous and start the build up of plaque or cholesterol deposits in your arteries.

Now that we’ve explored when and how cholesterol becomes more problematic, let’s take a look at other factors that play a more significant role in cardiovascular disease.

Prime Contributors to Cardiovascular Disease

First of all, cardiovascular illness results when key bodily functions go awry, causing inflammation ^[3], (vii) imbalances in blood sugar and insulin and oxidative stress.

To control these key biological functions and keep them in balance, you need to look at your overall health as well as your genetic predispositions, as these underlie the types of diseases you’re most likely to develop. It is the interaction of your genes, lifestyle, and environment that ultimately determines your risks — and the outcome of your life.

This is the science of nutrigenomics, or how food acts as information to stall or totally prevent some predisposed disease risks by turning on the right gene messages with our diet and lifestyle choices. That means some of the factors that unbalance bodily health are under your control, or could be.

These include diet, nutritional status ^[4], stress levels ^[5], and activity levels. Key tests can reveal problems with a person’s blood sugar and insulin, inflammation level, level of folic acid, clotting factors, hormones, and other bodily systems that affect your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Particularly important are the causes if inflammation, which are many, and need to be assessed. Inflammation can arise from poor diet (too much sugar and trans and saturated fats), a sedentary lifestyle, stress, autoimmune disease ^[6], food allergies ^[7], hidden infections such as gum disease, and even toxins such as mercury. All of these causal factors need to be considered anytime there is inflammation.

Combined together, all of these factors determine your risk of heart disease. And I recommend that people undergo a comprehensive medical evaluation to see what their risk really is.

Zeroing in on Key Factors for Heart Disease

There’s no doubt about it, inflammation is key contributor to heart disease. A major study done at Harvard found that people with high levels of a marker called C-reactive protein (CRP) had higher risks of heart disease than people with high cholesterol. Normal cholesterol levels were NOT protective to those with high CRP. The risks were greatest for those with high levels of both CRP and cholesterol.

Another predisposing factor to heart disease is insulin resistance ^[8] or metabolic syndrome, which leads to an imbalance in the blood sugar and high levels of insulin. This may affect as many as half of Americans over age 65. Many younger people also have this condition, which is sometimes called pre-diabetes.

Although modern medicine sometimes loses sight of the interconnectedness of all our bodily systems, blood sugar imbalances like these impact your cholesterol levels too. If you have any of these conditions, they will cause your good cholesterol to go down, while your triglycerides rise, which further increases inflammation and oxidative stress. All of these fluctuations contribute to blood thickening, clotting, and other malfunctions — leading to cardiovascular disease.

What’s more, elevated levels of a substance called homocysteine (which is related to your body’s levels of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12) appears to correlate to cardiovascular illness. Although this is still somewhat controversial, I often see this inter-relationship in my practice. While genes may play a part, tests done as part of a comprehensive evaluation of cardiac risk can easily ascertain this factor. Where problematic levels occur, they can be easily addressed by adequate folic acid intake, along with vitamins B6 and B12.

Testing for Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Heart disease is not only about cholesterol. It is important to look at many factors that contribute to your overall risk. And it seems that insulin and blood sugar imbalances, and inflammation are proving to be more of a risk that cholesterol.

If you want to test your overall risk, you can consider asking your doctor to perform the following tests:

1. Total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Your total cholesterol should be under 200. Your triglycerides should be under 100. Your HDL should be over 60. Your LDL should be ideally under 80. Your ratio of total cholesterol to HDL should be less than 3.0. Your ratio of triglycerides to HDL should be no greater than 4, which can indicate insulin resistance if elevated.
2. NMR Lipid Profile. This looks at your cholesterol under an MRI scan to assess the size of the particles, which can determine your cardiovascular risk. This is a very important test that can further differentiate the risk of your cholesterol and can be an important factor to track as your system improves and your cholesterol transforms from being small dense and dangerous to light and fluffy and innocuous. It is done by a company called Liposcience and is also available through LabCorp.
3. Glucose Insulin Tolerance Test. Measurements of fasting and 1 and 2 hour levels of glucose AND insulin helps identify pre-diabetes and excessively high levels of insulin, and even diabetes. Most doctors just check blood sugar and NOT insulin, which is the first thing to go up. By the time your blood sugar goes up, the train has left the station.
4. Hemaglobin A1c. This measures your average blood sugar level over the last 6 weeks. Anything over 5.5 is high.
5. Cardio C-reactive protein. This is a marker of inflammation in the body that is essential to understand in the context of overall risk. Your C-reactive protein level should be less than 1.
6. Homocysteine. Your homocysteine measures your folate status and should be between 6 and 8.
7. Lipid peroxides or TBARS test, which looks at the amount of oxidized or rancid fat. This should be within normal limits of the test and indicates whether or not you have oxidized cholesterol.
8. Fibrinogen, which is another test looking at clotting in the blood. It should be less than 300.
9. Lipoprotein (a), which is another factor that can promote the risk of heart disease, often in men. It should be less than 30.
10. Genes or SNPs may also be useful in terms of assessing your situation. A number of key genes regulate cholesterol and metabolism, including Apo E genes and the cholesterol ester transfer protein gene. The MTHFR gene, which regulates homocysteine is also important and may be part of an overall workup.
11. Get a high-speed CT or (EBT) scan of the heart if you are concerned that you have cardiovascular disease. This may be helpful to assess overall plaque burden and calcium score. A score higher than 100 is a concern, and a score higher than 400 indicates severe risk of cardiovascular disease.

References

(i) Barter P, Gotto AM, LaRosa JC, Maroni J, Szarek M, Grundy SM, Kastelein JJ, Bittner V, Fruchart JC; Treating to New Targets Investigators. HDL cholesterol, very low levels of LDL cholesterol, and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2007 Sep 27;357(13):1301-10.

(ii) Ridker PM, Danielson E, Fonseca FA, Genest J, Gotto AM Jr, Kastelein JJ, Koenig W, Libby P, Lorenzatti AJ, MacFadyen JG, Nordestgaard BG, Shepherd J, Willerson JT, Glynn RJ; JUPITER Study Group. Rosuvastatin to prevent vascular events in men and women with elevated C-reactive protein. N Engl J Med. 2008 Nov 20;359(21):2195-207.

(iii) Abramson J, Wright JM. Are lipid-lowering guidelines evidence-based? Lancet. 2007 Jan 20;369(9557):168-9

(iv) IBID

(v) Brown BG, Taylor AJ Does ENHANCE Diminish Confidence in Lowering LDL or in Ezetimibe? Engl J Med 358:1504, April 3, 2008 Editorial

(vi) Schatz IJ, Masaki K, Yano K, Chen R, Rodriguez BL, Curb JD. Cholesterol and all-cause mortality in elderly people from the Honolulu Heart Program: a cohort study. Lancet. 2001 Aug 4;358(9279):351-5.

(vii) Hansson GK Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Artery Disease N Engl J Med 352:1685, April 21, 2005

Posted by:  Kevin G. Parker, D.C.

Management of neck pain in Royal Australian Air Force fast jet aircrew.

-Netto K, Hampson G, Oppermann B, Carstairs G, Aisbett B.

School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia.

Key Points:       1.  Ninety-five percent of the respondents experienced flight-related neck pain.

2.  Many respondents reported that currently provided on-base treatment and ancillary services such as chiropractic therapy are the most effective in alleviating symptoms.

Abstract

To examine the type and effectiveness of various strategies used by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fast jet (FJ) aircrew in self-referral and management of flight-related neck pain, a 6-section, 18-question survey tool was distributed to 86 eligible RAAF aircrew.

Selective results from the sections evaluating aircrew demographics, incidence of flight-related neck pain, and the self-referral strategies of aircrew to manage these injuries are presented here.

Eighty-two RAAF FJ aircrew responded to the survey.

Ninety-five percent of the respondents experienced flight-related neck pain.

The most commonly sought treatment modalities were on-base medical and physiotherapy services.

Many respondents reported that currently provided on-base treatment and ancillary services such as chiropractic therapy are the most effective in alleviating symptoms.

Further investigation into the effectiveness and safety of these ancillary therapies needs to be performed to allow appropriate consideration of their place in the management of neck pain in FJ aircrew.

Other good articles:

Neck pain-Journal of Pain 1993

Cervical spine manipulation-Clinical Neurophysiology 2007

Neck pain-Journal of the American Board of Family Practice 2004

Manipulation in Improving Motion and Joint Health ~Review of Medical literature

Chiropractic Manipulation and Rehabilitation Irvine Calif.

Chiropractic Care Cost effective

If you are suffering from: Sports Injuries, Sprains, Strains, Car accident,  Herniated Disc, Disc Bulge, Degenerative Disc Disease, Neck pain, Headaches, Low back pain, of just want to feel better and have better life performance– please call our office in Irvine, California- at 949.857.1888 or visit our website at ADJUST2IT to learn more about Functional Fitness Chiropractic, Sports massage, Myofascial Release, Corrective Exercise, Non Surgical Spinal Decompression, Class IV laser,  and Functional Nutrition.

Pavel Tsatsouline (Kettle Bells) and his colleagues continue to improve upon the Plank.

Here’s the current RKC plank methodology – do this right and 10 seconds is all you need.

You tube video (roughly 2 min)

Other good articles:

Core Stabilization-Abdominal Hollowing vs. Bracing

Kettlebells-Journal Strength and Conditioning Res-Jan 2012-McGill

Russian Kettlebell Swings for Injury Rehab

Kill the sit-up crunch-Dr. Stuart McGill

No Sit-ups Stuart McGill PhD

If you are suffering from: Sports Injuries, Sprains, Strains, Car accident,  Herniated Disc, Disc Bulge, Degenerative Disc Disease, Neck pain, Headaches, Low back pain, of just want to feel better and have better life performance– please call our office in Irvine, California- at 949.857.1888 or visit our website at ADJUST2IT to learn more about Functional Fitness Chiropractic, Sports massage, Myofascial Release, Corrective Exercise, Non Surgical Spinal Decompression, Class IV laser,  and Functional Nutrition.

Spinal Manipulation, Medication, or Home Exercise With Advice for Acute and Subacute Neck Pain

A Randomized Trial- Gert Bronfort, DC, PhD;  Roni Evans, DC, MS;  A V. Anderson, DC, MD;  Kenneth H. Svendsen, MS; Yiscah Bracha, MS; and  Richard H. Grimm, MD, MPH, PhD

From Northwestern Health Sciences University, Pain Management and Rehabilitation Center, and Berman Center for Outcomes and Clinical Research at the Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Conclusion:  For participants with acute and subacute neck pain, Spinal Manipulation Therapy(SMT) was more effective than medication in both the short and long term. However, a few instructional sessions of HEA resulted in similar outcomes at most time points.

Side note:   New York Times Health Section: 1-3-2012:  For Neck Pain, Chiropractic and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs

Abstract

Background: Mechanical neck pain is a common condition that affects an estimated 70% of persons at some point in their lives. Little research exists to guide the choice of therapy for acute and subacute neck pain.

Objective: To determine the relative efficacy of spinal manipulation therapy (SMT), medication, and home exercise with advice (HEA) for acute and subacute neck pain in both the short and long term.

Design: Randomized, controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00029770)

Setting: 1 university research center and 1 pain management clinic in Minnesota.

Participants: 272 persons aged 18 to 65 years who had nonspecific neck pain for 2 to 12 weeks.

Intervention: 12 weeks of SMT, medication, or HEA.

Measurements: The primary outcome was participant-rated pain, measured at 2, 4, 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks after randomization. Secondary measures were self-reported disability, global improvement, medication use, satisfaction, general health status (Short Form-36 Health Survey physical and mental health scales), and adverse events. Blinded evaluation of neck motion was performed at 4 and 12 weeks.

Results: For pain, SMT had a statistically significant advantage over medication after 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks (P ≤ 0.010), and HEA was superior to medication at 26 weeks (P = 0.02). No important differences in pain were found between SMT and HEA at any time point. Results for most of the secondary outcomes were similar to those of the primary outcome.

Limitations: Participants and providers could not be blinded. No specific criteria for defining clinically important group differences were prespecified or available from the literature.

Primary Funding Source: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Other good articles:

Chiropractic Care Cost effective

Exercise and Chiropractic-Part of the Anti-aging Puzzle

Chiropractic Doctors-5 Things You’re Not Supposed To Know About Them

Manipulation in Improving Motion and Joint Health ~Review of Medical literature

If you are suffering from: Sports Injuries, Sprains, Strains, Car accident,  Herniated Disc, Disc Bulge, Degenerative Disc Disease, Neck pain, Headaches, Low back pain, of just want to feel better and have better life performance– please call our office in Irvine, California- at 949.857.1888 or visit our website at ADJUST2IT to learn more about Functional Fitness Chiropractic, Sports massage, Myofascial Release, Corrective Exercise, Non Surgical Spinal Decompression, Class IV laser,  and Functional Nutrition.

Bolding and added links in the article are from me.

Dynamic Chiropractic – January 1, 2012, Vol. 30, Issue 01

Effective rehabilitation protocols require a strategic and comprehensive approach integrating soft-tissue techniques, fascial manipulation, joint manipulation, and functional movement patterning.

Restoring optimal range of motion and reducing pain by transitioning the patient from passive to active care should be the primary goal.

Decreasing the time they spend in the passive phase of care and teaching painless, functional, active rehab of the kinetic chain will help improve compliance.

Using therapeutic modalities to significantly increase recovery times and heal chemically damaged cells while strengthening surrounding tissue can decrease passive therapy and accelerate the natural regeneration process of injured areas.

Laser therapy can be the modality you have been searching for to enhance clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Understanding the therapeutic mechanisms of action involved with laser therapy and treatment protocols is essential.

Successful use of any modality in clinical practice ultimately depends on the expertise and skill of the practitioner.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the physiological benefits of laser therapy and how it can be integrated into rehabilitation programs.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first low-level class III laser (LLLT) in 2002 and the first class IV therapy laser in 2003.

The most significant clinical and therapeutic difference between class III and class IV lasers is the class IV laser’s higher power output may produce a primary biostimulative effect on deeper tissues.

Reaching deep-tissue structures is critical to rehabilitation and recovery.

If you cannot reach the intended target tissue with adequate therapeutic laser dosages, your overall clinical results will diminish.

LLLT excites the kinetic energy within cells by transmitting healing energy known as photons.

The skin absorbs these photons via a photochemical effect, not a photothermal one; therefore, it does not cause heat damage to tissues.

As such, laser can be safely used on patients who have metal joint replacements without the risk of injury.

Laser light does not excite or interact with the molecules in metal or plastic.

Once photons reach the cells of the body, they promote a cascade of cellular activities, including igniting the production of enzymes, stimulating mitochondria, increasing vasodilation and lymphatic drainage, ATP synthesis, and elevating collagen formation substances to prevent the formation of scar tissues.

This is a critical step in reducing long-term, disabling myofascial pain syndromes and joint restrictions.

Photobiomodulation, otherwise known as laser biostimulation, is the medical term for exposure to laser light that enhances tissue growth and healing.

Here is a partial list of the positive effects of photobiomodulation in the body, all of which are crucial components of long-term healing:

•           Increased leukocyte activity (acceleration of tissue repair and decrease of pain)

•           Increased neovascularization (new vessel growth and increased oxygenation)

•           Increased fibroblast production (speeds tissue repair)

•           Increased tensile strength (helps prevent reinjury)

•           Stabilization of cellular membrane of damaged cells

•           Enhancement of ATP production and synthesis

•           Decreased C-reactive protein and neopterin; acceleration of leukocytic activity

•           Enhanced lymphocyte response with reduction of interleukin 1 (IL-1)

•           Increased prostaglandin synthesis

•           Enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels

•           Stimulation of vasodilation with increased angiogenesis (new blood vessels)

Principle factors of success with laser therapy for fascial restrictions and joint rehabilitation include optimal dosage, power, wavelength, and accurate clinical diagnoses.

Maintaining or restoring movement of specific segments is the key to preventing or correcting musculoskeletal pain.

Fundamentally, rehabilitation is about movement – and lots of it.

The foundation of functional movement is proper joint mobility and stability.

Without adequate mobility and stability of joints in the kinetic chain, you end up with dysfunctional movement.

Activities of daily living are then built on dysfunctional movement patterns, resulting in compensation and injury.

Microtrauma results from small amounts of stress imposed on the body over time caused by poor biomechanics; the body compensates with suboptimal joint alignment, muscle coordination, and posture.

Joints begin approximating in an effort to gain stability lost from muscular weakness and compensation.

This process, known as “joint centration,” is an inherent protective mechanism of the body.

If left uncorrected, it may cause osteoarthritis, degeneration and decreased mobility.

As I’ve said previously, the central nervous system (CNS) learns postural movement patterns early in life.

Overactivation of abnormal joint reflexes may alter spinal cord memory, and the brain comes to rely on this faulty information.

Neurogenic muscle activation patterning by combining laser therapy and functional movement rehabilitation can help “reprogram” the CNS to improve function and reverse abnormal patterning.

Laser affects areas prior to active movement patterning to accelerate the metabolic rate of deep-tissue structures.

Laser therapy on muscle attachment sites can increase a cascade of neurological input to the CNS enhancing proprioceptive awareness.

In my experience, most rehabilitation cases require 6-10 laser therapy sessions for maximum benefit, depending on the individual and class of laser used for treatment.

Laser affects joints and surrounding tissue with a therapeutic dose following current research of (4-12 J/cm2) depending on depth of tissue. (Joules is the measurement of photon energy, represented in J/cm2.)

Each therapy program is different depending on the unique circumstances of each movement pattern dysfunction.

There is no baseline laser therapy program for pain syndromes.

The history of each patient determines the laser therapy protocols you implement.

The above dosage range is a benchmark foundation for treatment.

Reassess after the fourth laser therapy session to document progress and the possible need for change in therapy protocols.

Another good article on Laser:  What is High Power Laser Therapy (HPLT)?

Resources

•  Cook G. Movement: Functional Movement Systems : Screening, Assessment, and Corrective Strategies. Santa Cruz, CA: On Target Publications, 2010.

•  Tuner J, Hode L. The Laser Therapy Handbook. Grangesberg, Sweden: Prima Books, 2004.

•  Turchin C. Light and Laser Therapy: Clinical Procedures, Second Edition. 2006.

•  Boyle M. Functional Training for Sports. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2004.

•  Cook G, Kiesel K, Plisky P. The Selective Functional Movement Assessment: An Integrated Model to Address Regional Interdependence. Presented at the 2009 American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists conference.

•  Riegel R, Pryor B. Clinical Overview and Applications of Class IV Therapy Lasers. 2008

•  Sahrmann S. Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes. St. Louis: Mosby, 2002.

If you are suffering from: Sports Injuries, Sprains, Strains, Car accident,  Herniated Disc, Disc Bulge, Degenerative Disc Disease, Neck pain, Headaches, Low back pain, of just want to feel better and have better life performance– please call our office in Irvine, California- at 949.857.1888 or visit our website at ADJUST2IT to learn more about Functional Fitness Chiropractic, Sports massage, Myofascial Release, Corrective Exercise, Non Surgical Spinal Decompression, Class IV laser,  and Functional Nutrition.

Comment from me-For now-this is the FIRST published study of tissue loads during kettlebell exercises.

J Strength Cond Res.  2012  Jan;26(1):16-27.

Pub Med. Gov Link

Kettlebell swing, snatch, and bottoms-up carry:  back and hip muscle activation, motion, and low back  loads.

McGill SM, Marshall LW.

Spine Biomechanics Laboratories, Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract

The intent of this study was to quantify spine loading during different kettlebell swings and carries.

No previously published studies of tissue loads during kettlebell exercises could be found.

Given the popularity of kettlebells, this study was designed to provide an insight into the resulting joint loads.

Seven male subjects participated in this investigation.

In addition, a single case study of the kettlebell swing was performed on an accomplished kettlebell master.

Electromyography, ground reaction forces (GRFs), and 3D kinematic data were recorded during exercises using a 16-kg kettlebell.

These variables were input into an anatomically detailed biomechanical model that used normalized muscle activation; GRF; and spine, hip, and knee motion to calculate spine compression and shear loads.

It was found that kettlebell swings create a hip-hinge squat pattern characterized by rapid muscle activation-relaxation cycles of substantial magnitudes (~50% of a maximal voluntary contraction [MVC] for the low back extensors and 80% MVC for the gluteal muscles with a 16-kg kettlebell) resulting in about 3,200 N of low back compression.

Abdominal muscular pulses together with the muscle bracing associated with carries create kettlebell-specific training opportunities.

Some unique loading patterns discovered during the kettlebell swing included the posterior shear of the L4 vertebra on L5, which is opposite in polarity to a traditional lift.

Thus, quantitative analysis provides an insight into why many individuals credit kettlebell swings with restoring and enhancing back health and function, although a few find that they irritate tissues.

Other good Kettlebell or McGill articles:

Kettlebells for Injury Rehab

Kill the sit-up crunch-Dr. Stuart McGill

No Sit-ups Stuart McGill PhD

If you are suffering from: Sports Injuries, Sprains, Strains, Car accident,  Herniated Disc, Disc Bulge, Degenerative Disc Disease, Neck pain, Headaches, Low back pain, of just want to feel better and have better life performance– please call our office in Irvine, California- at 949.857.1888 or visit our website at ADJUST2IT to learn more about Functional Fitness Chiropractic, Sports massage, Myofascial Release, Corrective Exercise, Non Surgical Spinal Decompression, Class IV laser,  and Functional Nutrition.

Posted by Me, written by  Perry Nickelston, DC, FMS, SFMA

Before we get started 4 thoughts from me…

1.  if you are in the Orange County, California area I highly recommend Kettlebells Orange County.

2.  If you are looking for a DVD series I highly suggest Kettlebell Warrior by Dr. Mark Cheng, Senior RKC

3.  Great article in New York Times Dec. 25, 2011 on Atlanta Falcons and their use of Kettle Bells.

4.  FIRST published study of tissue loads during kettlebell exercises-Journal Strength Cond Res-Jan 2012-McGill

Okay…on with the article…
Right about now is when many people ask two questions: “What is a Russian kettlebell?” and “How can it be used safely during injury rehab?”

Here are the answers.

Kettlebells have been around for ages.

Generally made out of cast iron, they’re cannonball-shaped weights with a single handle on top.

Kettlebells originated in Russia; the first recorded mention of them was in 1704.

The Russian word for kettlebells is girya and the men who lifted these weights were called gireviks.

Although they look much different from your standard free weights and machines, kettlebells are one of the best and most efficient fitness/rehab tools available.

The lightest one weighs in at only 10 pounds, and they increase in weight all the way up to 100 pounds.

Kettlebells offer movement-based rehab training, otherwise known as functional training.

They offer full-body conditioning and kinetic chain rehabilitation benefits.

The body learns to work as one synergistic unit linked strongly together for core stability.

Kettlebell Training

Kettlebell training involves multiple muscle groups and energy systems at once, thus increasing resistance to injury.

Improved mobility and range of motion can be obtained by teaching basic patterns of hip-joint hinging and gaining increased strength without increase of muscle mass.

Kettlebell bodies are lean, toned and functional, not bulky – a benefit that helps prevent recurrent injury.

At first glance, one might be intimidated by a kettlebell thinking it may cause injury, rather than strengthening you and preventing injury.

And in a way you would be correct.

In reality, you can be hurt using any fitness and rehab equipment if you are not using it properly.

Technique, form, proper instruction and intent of movement are all paramount in the application of kettlebell exercises.

This is where expert coaching and guidance are vital in rehabilitation protocols and outcome assessments of your clients.

However, when properly executed, kettlebell exercises can be the primary weapon in your arsenal for bulletproofing the body against injury.

I consulted with one of the pre-eminent experts on kettlebell training, Dr. Mark Cheng, to learn more about the benefits of the kettlebell swing.

Dr. Cheng is a doctor of Chinese orthopedic medicine and acupuncture, as well as an RKC (Russian kettlebell certified) “team leader” by way of his training with kettlebell guru Pavel Tsatsouline.

Dr. Cheng teaches kettlebell rehabilitative fitness, RKC system strength training, and Chinese martial arts.

According to Dr. Cheng, the kettlebell swing is “weight training by means of synergy instead of isolation.”

In a recent article in Black Belt magazine, Dr. Cheng summarized Pavel’s explanation of the movement:

“Visually, the basic body mechanics for the swing are virtually identical to the wall squat and deadlift.  However, it’s a ballistic movement. Instead of lifting the kettlebell in front of the body using the arms, the arms loosely hold it and the explosiveness of the hips snapping into extension propel it forward.”

Rehab Applications

This is where the uniqueness of the kettlebell swing comes into play with rehabilitation.

One of the primary areas of the body that causes back pain via dysfunctional movement patterns is the hip joint and glutei muscles.

Many people who suffer from lower back pain have decreased mobility in the hips, particularly with internal rotation and extension.

The glutei muscles have become inhibited from poor postural control and no longer initiate hip extension with stabilization.

This may be caused by the poor motor control, decreased mobility and stability effects of Vladimir Janda’s upper- and lower-crossed postural distortion syndromes.

A well-performed swing teaches hip hinging and glute / hip extension under a controlled, weighted environment.

The ability to “hip hinge” is vital to learning the proper mechanism of lifting and bending to alleviate additional stressors to the lower back.

If the hips lack mobility, the lumbar spine may lose stability as compensation, thus increasing the risk of injury.
According to Dr. Cheng’s article, quoting Pavel,

“If you completely engage the muscles of your posterior chain by digging your heels in, locking out your knees and clenching your glutes to the point where your hips extend, you won’t get injured. The kettlebell can pull you off-balance only if you neglect one of those points during the swing. Otherwise, you perfectly counteract the forward pull by engaging your entire body in the stabilization process.”

Never fear the dead-lifting motion of the swing.

This is a natural movement that most people have completely forgotten how to perform, and have also become totally detached from how it should feel.

[Side note from me..here are 2  nice youtube videos of Gray Cook discussing natural movements we have forgotten and how to perform other kettle bell rehab movements.] 1. Video. 2. Video

They need to learn these essential motor skills during rehabilitation to ensure reduced risk of injury.

In fact, one of the main reasons they may have suffered a back injury is because they do not know how to perform these movements.

The kettlebell swing can be performed either one-handed or two-handed, and basically involves using your posterior chain (i.e., your core, back, hamstrings and hips) to swing the kettlebell out in front of you and then in between your legs in a fast, continuous pendulum-type motion.

Reference the pictures (below) of Dr. Cheng performing a two-handed kettlebell swing movement.

Notice the hip hinging, line of drive, hip extension, head and thoracic spine position, and the foot placement.

Benefits of the Swing

* Swings develop the important posterior chain muscles of the body such as the hamstrings, glutes and back. These muscles are often overlooked with traditional weight training and rehabilitation movements.

* Swings work the abs and strengthen the core muscles, and provide a stable platform for functional abdominal training that actually has benefit in terms of real-world activities of daily living.

* Swings build your back from top to bottom, inside and out. Not only is the lower back involved with kettlebell swings; the lats, traps and scapula are all involved in the movement, giving you a total back-strengthening program.

* High-rep swings also develop back endurance, which helps reduce the incidence of back injuries.

* Swings are a fantastic conditioner and fat burner. Losing body fat around the midsection will help alleviate back pain.

This is just a partial list of positive health benefits derived from performing kettlebell swings. You will find that patients actually enjoy doing the exercise.

They become stronger, leaner, more powerful and more resistant to injury. What’s not to love?

Part of our responsibility as health care professionals is to teach and educate our patients to stay healthy.

By mastering the kettlebell swing and teaching your patients, you give them a way to take back (pun intended) control of their bodies and their lives.

The swing:  Dr. Cheng starts with the kettlebell positioned on his centerline (1). Keeping his spine arched and bending at the hips, he reaches down for the weight (2) and begins the swing by half dead-lifting it and then hiking it back between his legs (3). As it swings forward, he simultaneously drives his heels into the ground, locks his knees, clenches his glutes and shortens his abs — explosively (4-5). Keeping his arms relaxed, he depends on the power generated by snapping his legs and hips into extension to propel the kettlebell forward and upward, after which gravity pulls it down. Men usually start with a 16-kilogram (35-pound) kettlebell, while women are encouraged to use one that weighs 8 kilograms (18 pounds). The number of repetitions isn’t important; perfect form is.
— Picture and KB sequence description courtesy of Black Belt Magazine.

Other good reads:

Functional Movement Screen-Gray Cook

Fascia-The Web of Life

Video of Dr. Craig Liebenson Link:  “Modern Spine Care” (MSC)

The Role of Manipulation in Rehabilitation-Dr. Craig Liebenson

Resources
* Cheng M. “Russian Kettlebells Revolutionize Martial Arts Weight Training and Injury Rehab.” Black Belt magazine, 2011.
* Instructor profiles: “RKC Team Leader – Dr. Mark Cheng.” Dragon Door Kettlebells, Strength Training, Conditioning, Diet and Health Resources.
* Cook G. Movement: Functional Movement Systems : Screening, Assessment, and Corrective Strategies. Santa Cruz, CA: On Target Publications, 2010.
* Tsatsouline P. Enter the Kettlebell! Strength Secret of the Soviet Supermen. St. Paul, MN: Dragon Door Publications, 2006. Print.

If you are suffering from: Sports Injuries, Sprains, Strains, Car accident,  Herniated Disc, Disc Bulge, Degenerative Disc Disease, Neck pain, Headaches, Low back pain, of just want to feel better and have better life performance– please call our office in Irvine, California- at 949.857.1888 or visit our website at ADJUST2IT to learn more about Functional Fitness Chiropractic, Sports massage, Myofascial Release, Corrective Exercise, Non Surgical Spinal Decompression, Class IV laser,  and Functional Nutrition.

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