Medical, Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Blog


What is a concussion? The ICD-10 is a system of codes that we as practitioners use to diagnose injuries and ailments. According to this system a concussion is categorized as a mild traumatic brain injury. It is mild in that it is usually not life threatening. However, symptoms can be debilitating. You do not necessarily have to have an impact to your head to result in a concussion. A concussion happens when the head and the body move in such a great force to cause shear of the brain inside the s… Read More

Arvada Sport and Spine Group has a new tool for those suffering from neck pain, headaches, and other upper cross symptoms. The newest addition to our office is the Aspen Vista Cervical Collar. This collar is intended to help support you by creating a more natural curve in your neck. The collar does this by retracting your neck and begins to aid in engaging muscles in the neck that can weaken over time. The collar can also help take off stress from your cervical vertebra, discs, and nerves which … Read More

Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is one of the many exciting treatment options that we offer at Arvada Sport and Spine group. There are many different conditions that respond well to PRP therapy including, rotator cuff/shoulder problems, knee pain, hip pain, elbow pain, injuries to tendons and ligaments. A few weekends ago Dr. Welling and NP Karin went to Chattanooga, TN to learn more about the technique and wanted to share some information about the treatment process.THE PROCESSPRP is derived from… Read More

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

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

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

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

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

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

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