Blog :: Arvada Sport & Spine

Disc Herniation - Let's Review

Sep 07, 2021

Disc herniations occur when a disc, the rubbery cushion between your vertebra, is injured in some way and the nucleus, or center, pushes out through a tear in the annulus, which is the tough circular exterior of the disc. This herniation, which can occur anywhere throughout the spine, can irritate a nearby nerve and lead to pain, numbness, or weakness in the extremities. Herniations in your cervical spine, or neck, lead to these symptoms in your arms while herniations in your lumbar spine, or lo… Read More

"I'm Just Getting Old!"

Aug 04, 2021

Many people come into the clinic with pain saying “I’m just getting old!” Well age does not have to define you or the way you feel. Johns Hopkins held a study which tracked over 6,000 people from the ages of 44 to 84 for more than 7 years. This study showed that those who made changes in their lifestyle including quitting smoking, following a new diet, getting regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight decreased their risk of death in the time period by 80 percent. So, what changes shoul… Read More

Record Heat! How to Prepare Your Body

Jul 07, 2021

Now that the summer temperatures are on the rise, we need to be extra careful while exercising outside. Your body has multiple ways of cooling you off in heat, including sweating and the dilation of blood vessels, but as the temperatures become too hot and humid, the body starts to fail in the cooling process. In order to get prepared for the heat, there are a few things you can do:Drink fluids!Be aware of how much your body can handle physically.Try to be out in the mornings or evenings.Dress a… Read More

Hiking - Know Before You Go

Jun 09, 2021

Now that the weather is getting warmer, many Coloradans are heading to the trails. But before you go hiking, here are a few tips and tricks that should be used to help keep you out of pain and keep you on the trails longer. Find the right backpack fit: While there are many types of backpacks for many lengths of hikes, there are a few pointers that should be used across the board. Backpack sizes are based on your torso length, so ensure that you are checking the dimensions for the right fit. Bac… Read More

Managing the Calm: Box Breathing

May 03, 2021

Let’s be honest—the majority of us are under a lot of stress right now. Stress comes from a multitude of sources and while a little can be useful in motivating us to get tasks done or in running away from a saber-toothed tiger; over a long time, chronic stress wreaks havoc on our bodies. When we perceive something stressful, the hypothalamus, a tiny part at the base of your brain, turns on the alarm. This alarm signals the release of adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline increases heart rate and … Read More

Morning Backaches Part 2: Is It My Bed or Is It My Body?

Apr 26, 2021

Many of our patients at our clinic experience back and/or neck pain that is much worse in the morning upon arising from bed. This is a symptom that can be related to many different contributing factors, some of these are addressed below.In order to discuss the varying factors involved in morning back or neck aches we will need to break down them down into these categories: The bed you sleep inThe position(s) you sleep inThe pillow you use Possible underlying mechanical back issues that need t… Read More

I have a rotator cuff tear. Now what?

Apr 12, 2021

The rotator cuff is a bundle of tendons that surround the shoulder blade and attach to the shoulder. It is comprised of 4 tendons: supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis. These muscles stabilize the shoulder joint, rotate the shoulder and assist in elevating the arm. Common symptoms of a rotator cuff injury include: Front or lateral shoulder painDiffuse upper trapezius or thoracic pain Pain with raising arm to the side. Pain with liftingPain with reaching behind your … Read More

The Benefits of Wearing a Back Brace

Apr 06, 2021

There are some pretty grim statistics regarding back pain:It is the #1 cause of disability worldwide80% of Americans will experience back pain at some point in lifeIf you are one of those 80%, you know first-hand how back pain can not only interfere with your day-to-day activities, it can affect your sleep, keep you home from work, and definitely prevent you from staying active. We are proud to announce that we are now a Medicare accredited clinic for braces. This includes but is not limited to … Read More

The Latest On Concussions

Mar 30, 2021

Photo by engin akyurt on UnsplashWe have come a long way in what we know about concussions. Concussion is no long a “brush it off and go back out there” injury, but rather referred to as a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). A concussion is the result of an acceleration-deceleration of the head. This can be caused by a direct hit in sports or from a fall. It is also nearly synonymous with whiplash having the same symptoms and same mechanism of injury.Common Symptoms of ConcussionConfusionHeadach… Read More

How to Shovel Snow Without Injury

Mar 16, 2021

Over the weekend we got the fourth highest snowfall ever recorded in the Denver metro area. While the snow is gorgeous and means lots of great powder for skiing and snowboarding, most of us had to face the harsh reality of shoveling our driveway on Monday morning. Improper form while shoveling snow can lead to injury, with a 2011 study showing that over 50% of injuries sustained while shoveling snow were soft tissue related. Here are some tips to remember when you are out there shoveling:R… Read More

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