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Side Bridge

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:26:00 GMT

Key Points

Knee or Feet depending on capability
"Soft - V" position at rest
Solid chest, shoulders, and head
Hips forward and up
Posterior Pelvic Tilt with glute and ab contraction
Hold 3-5 seconds
Return to rest position
Repeat

Good Luck,
Dr. Jared

Glute Bridge

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:52:00 GMT

Key Points:

Body, Leg, and Foot Positioning
Drive the knees out
Hips up
Posterior Pelvic Tilt with glutes and abs contracting
Hold 3-5 seconds
Hips down
Knees together
Repeat

Have fun,
Dr. Jared

Front Bridge

DrJared_HPCchiro — Thu, 05 May 2011 20:37:00 GMT

Highlights

Understand Anterior and Posterior Pelvic Tilt mechanics
Know what type of patient you are and if you need "flexion" or "extension" in the rest position
Posterior Pelvic Tilt in the bridge/plank position (glutes and abs)
Hold 3-5 seconds and back to rest position
Its about technique and repetition, not the burn

Have fun,
Dr. Jared

Anterior Posterior Pelvic Tilt

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 04 May 2011 21:07:00 GMT

Highlights:

Key Concept for Pain Relief for Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain
Provides baseline concept of rehabilitative movements
Posterior Pelvic Tilt - represents the top of all lower extremity resistance training movements
Posterior Pelvic Tilt - represents safe and solid foundation for most upper extremity movements
Anterior Pelvic Tilt - represents the bottom of all lower extremity resistance training movements

Enjoy,
Dr. Jared

I HATE STRETCHING!!!

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:12:00 GMT

For some the pain and agony of a 3-5 minute stretchingsession is too much to bare, though 4 hours of continuous running may be justfine. Ironic as it may be, this is thetruth for many endurance athletes. Theywill train day after day, hour after hour, but never take a few minutes beforeand after the training session to adequately prepare and sufficiently repair.

My practice sees a large number of endurance athletes,ranging from novice to elite. A few ofthese athletes come in as a result of an acute injury from a fall, collision,or some other uncontrolled event. However, the majority come in with chronic over-use or mis-use injuriesthat stem directly from either incorrect or a complete lack of pre- andpost-work out stretching.

Patients with these chronic injuries generally present withtwo specific problems: 1. Muscle imbalances in the region of the injury; 2.Compensation patterns that decrease efficiency and increase degeneration oftissue. By utilizing a dynamic warm-upand cool-down that focuses on lengthening the tight muscle groups, contractingthe opposite muscle groups, and activating the primary force producers of theactivity, the athlete can prevent chronic over-use/mis-use injury and increaseactivity performance.

Simple as it sounds, it is highly effective in decreasingpain and managing the causative factors of the pain. Key muscle groups that commonly requirestretching in endurance athletes are the gastroc-soleus complex, iliopsoas, and rectus femoris. Musclegroups that commonly require contraction/activation are the tibialis anterior and glutealmuscles.

Train hard, but train smart!

Jared Van Anne

Chiropractic Physician

MS – Sports Science & Rehabilitation

Health & Performance Center - Contact Us

Brugger's Posture

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:11:00 GMT

Box Squat

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:10:00 GMT

This tutorial is meant to be a reminder to "current patients" who havereceived in-office instruction on proper technique. Those who have notreceived such instruction/treatment should not hold this postaccountable for poor results.

From Top to Bottom:

1. Feet shoulder width or slightly wider, Flared 15-30 degrees
2. 4-6 inches in front of Chair/Box
3. Brugger's Posture (Proud Chest & Stable Core)
4. Hip Hinge back to chair maintaining Brugger's Posture
5. Knees are quiet and Track with hips - over feet
6. Hips Contact Box, Minimize Rock Back, Maintain Posture
7. Spread Floor in between feet (contract glutes)
8. Bring Hips forward in same form as going down

2010 "World's Fittest Man" - Comments on Chiropractic & Flexibility

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:10:00 GMT

Graham Holmberg recently won the title of "World's Fittest Man" at the 2010 Crossfit Games. This 3 day event was hosted at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA with individuals from across the world competing in numerous workouts that tested multiple functional capabilities. The work capacity of the athletes was tested over a broad array of time and modal domains, rewarding competitors for high levels of proficiency in speed, power, strength, stamina, mobility, endurance, coordination, precision, and many other measurable factors of true fitness. Obviously, strength in one area is useless if an athlete is weak in another (ex: strength & endurance). Listen to Graham's thoughts on how chiropractic care kept him healthy, as well as how flexibility is of vital importance to overall performance.

For more information on chiropractic & mobility visit www.hpc-stl.com
For more information on Crossfit visit www.crossfitvalleypark.com or www.crossfit-tnt.com

Barefoot Running - Know before you go

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:07:00 GMT

Barefoot running or minimalist running has been getting a great deal of press. Such techniques do have merit; however, it is important to understand as much as possible before hitting the road. For more information on this trend: click here

The linked article fails to adequately educate the reader on a wide variety of critical concepts. Barefoot running is great, but only if you are highly skilled in proper technique. Honestly, this minimalist running style can be devastating to an uneducated runner with poor technique. For those runners interested in improving technique and understanding concepts surrounding injury prevention, Pose Technique is something to study.

Suggestions from the article are posted below with modifications from Dr. Van Anne.

If you’re thinking about shedding your shoes, consider these guidelines:

Barefoot training is not for people who are just starting to run or returning from a long layoff—it’s something to slowly incorporate into an existing running regimen. ** False ** - As discussed above, it is more important to have good skill and technique than to have a specific kind of shoe. Good skill and technique allow a runner to pick which ever shoe he or she desires, because it really doesn't matter when you know what you are doing. It is better to slowly learn to do something correctly than to get good at doing something really bad. The latter leads to pain and suffering.
If you have persistent or serious foot problems, consult your podiatrist first. ** The podiatrist is an option, but it is important to consult someone who knows something about running technique and has personal experience. If they don't sound knowledgeable and dodge your questions with confusing or incomplete answers...look elsewhere. Other options include chiropractors, physical therapists, sports medicine doctors; however, the same criterion applies.
Ease in slowly. Paul advises starting with a few minutes on a flat, relatively forgiving surface once a week. Grassy fields, smooth roads, and soft trails qualify. Running on sand might be tempting, but barefooting newbies should stick to wet sand at first as the unstable soft stuff puts a lot of torque on your joints and is much harder to run on. ** This is a very good idea! Taking it a step further, you may want to do walk-jog/run combos that will increase your training time, but decrease the overall wear and tear to the bare foot. This will also give you recovery time to think about improvements and changes to your technique.
Listen to your body. “Barefoot Ken Bob” Saxton, founder of running barefoot.org and finisher of more than 70 barefoot marathons, says, “Luckily, your feet are sensitive, which is a good thing. Listen to them and they'll keep you from doing something stupid.” ** I always cringe when I hear "listen to your body". It is more important to understand what the body is telling you, specifically the difference between pain and discomfort. Pain is a stop signal that something has gone wrong and needs immediate attention. Discomfort is a sign that Pain is near and modifications are necessary. In other words, if you experience discomfort you need to re-evaluate your technique and try to eliminate the discomfort through more skillful running, instead of stopping at the first scent of difficulty. I like the term "communicate with your body".

Lateral Lunge

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:06:00 GMT

Hello all,

Here is the video on the lateral lunge. In short, this exercise is great for pre- and post-exercise because it asks a lot of the hip regarding mobility, stability, and power transfer from ground to core and/or core to ground. This exercise is perfect for gaining mobility in the groin or adductor muscle groups, facilitating proper glute function, and improving overall squat (sitting)mechanics that keep us healthy and performing well.

For runners, this is a great exercise because it fights against injuries due to the repetitive, in-line nature of your sport.

Remember the 48-72 hour rule!

Have Fun!!!

Dr. Jared

Warm-up - What Should I Do?

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:05:00 GMT

Hey folks,

Many questions come up about what to do before higher intensity activity. The answer is simple:

Do something that gets you sweating and uses your whole body (2-5 minutes of continuous motion)
Focus on preparing your body for the activity you will soon be doing at a high intensity

This video gives a little more background on this simple, but highly effective, approach to warming up.

FLEET FEET Runners - Yes, even you! You have to get your body warmed up and prepared before you do anything as repetitive as long distance running. You can accomplish this in one of two ways:

Take 2-5 minutes to run at a slow pace (~60% of max effort), then do your preparation mobility drills and exercises, then have at it!
Take 2-5 minutes to do multi-joint, functional movements (jumping jacks, burpees, squats, pushups, jump rope, step-ups, etc.), then do your more specific mobility drills and exercises, then have at it!

Have Fun!!!

Dr. Jared

Day After Recovery

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:05:00 GMT

DOMS - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Maybe you have never heard the term, but I bet you have felt it. What is the chemical process that takes place to cause such a terrible feeling (lactic acid, ion imbalance, etc.)? I don't really care and, honestly, nobody really knows for certain. What I know and care about is what information to gather from it and what to do about it. Understand this:

1. We should never be sore in joints
2. It is okay to be sore in muscles
3. If we are sore, it is important to be sore in the right areas

Joint pain is a sign that you have done too much with perfect form, done too much with terrible form, or somewhere in between. It is most likely that you have done too much of a bad movement and you will need guidance from an expert to help prevent the problem in the future. Much the same, if you do a lot of squats, deadlift, o-lifting... hip extension, and you are sore in your low back more than in your glutes, you're doing it wrong! The same could be said if you want to substitute "hamstrings" for "low back". The big concept is that we want to do the motions correctly so that we are sore in the correct muscle groups and never in joints. Soreness in joints or, proportionally, in the wrong muscle groups is a sign that we need help. Help with mobility, stability, sequencing, skill? The answer is most likely "yes to all" and the solution is to talk with someone who can give you good answers.

This video covers simple things you can do if you have DOMS, are at work, and it is socially unacceptable to get into a deep lateral lunge position (i.e. wearing a skirt, talking to the senior vice president of your company, pick an awkward work scenario):

Day After Recovery - DOMS mgmt

Research on Running Biomechanics

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:04:00 GMT

Very interesting article comparing running methods that will hopefully start a revolution in understanding that running isn't something everyone does well. On the contrary, it is a developed skill. In other words, everyone can get better to become safer and faster!!!

Reduced Eccentric Loading of the Knee with the Pose Running Method
REGAN E. ARENDSE', TIMOTHY D. NOAKES', LIANE B. AZEVEDO', NICHOLAS ROMANOV', MARTIN P. SCHWELLNUS 1, and GRAHAM FLETCHER 2

'MRC/UCT Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Research Unit, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA; and 2University College of the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, CANADA

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the biomechanical changes during natural heel-toe running with learned midfoot and Pose running. Methods: Twenty heel-toe runners were instructed in midfoot running and a novel running style in which the acromium, greater trochanter, and lateral malleolus are aligned in stance (Pose running). Clinical gait analysis was performed for each running style and the biomechanical variables compared. Results: In comparison with midfoot and heel-toe running Pose running was characterized by shorter stride lengths and smaller vertical oscillations of the sacrum and left heel marker. Compared with midfoot and Pose running heel-toe running was characterized by greater magnitudes and loading rates of the vertical impact force. In preparation for initial contact, the knee flexed more in Pose than in heel-toe and midfoot running. The ankle at initial contact was neutral in Pose compared with a dorsiflexed and plantarflexed position in heel-toe and midfoot running, respectively. The knee power absorption and eccentric work were significant lower (P < 0.05) in Pose than in either heel-toe or midfoot running. In contrast, there was a higher power absorption and eccentric work at the ankle in Pose compared with heel-toe and midfoot running. Conclusions: Pose running was associated with shorter stride lengths, smaller vertical oscillations of the sacrum and left heel markers, a neutral ankle joint at initial contact, and lower eccentric work and power absorption at the knee than occurred in either midfoot or heel-toe running. The possibility that such gait differences could be associated with different types and frequencies of running injuries should be evaluated in controlled clinical trails. Key Words: KINETICS, KINEMATICS, MIDFOOT, RUNNING STYLE MODIFICATION

Running Skill

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:02:00 GMT

So many opinions and theories are spreading around the running communities that it is difficult to understand what is truth and what is fad. If you have read previous posts on the topic, you undoubtedly know that I am an advocate for the Pose Concept of running. This is true not because I love Dr. Romanov or because I am drinking cool-aid, etc.; rather, it is because I understand all motion as a skill governed by the laws of nature (gravity/physics). Due to that fact, I like Pose because it utilizes such laws in teaching skilled running.

What part of the foot hits the ground and what covers the foot as it hits the ground does have surface level merit. But the concept every study and article has neglected to discuss or even consider is the relation of the runners CENTER OF GRAVITY to the contact point. The picture below highlights this concept:

The first athlete is heel striking with the COG behind the contact point. In other words, the runner is slowing forward progress and then needing to re-accelerate the body with every step. Thinking in terms of Energy Economy, it is easy to assess that this running is inefficient because of the need for eccentric contraction at heel strike and re-acceleration through his "gait cycle". On a larger scale, the runner has lost all gravitation assistance and horizontal propulsion from muscle elasticity. In fact, gravity is working against this runner with every step.

The second athlete is the same as above, yet striking mid-foot. Yes, just because you strike mid-foot doesn't mean you are running efficiently. In fact this runner is in "antalgic" posture, which is how people walk into the doctor's office after "throwing out their back". Anyone can understand that this probably isn't the best way to run.

The third athlete is the model of efficiency. Mid-foot strike, check. COG ahead of contact, check. Positive gravitational assistance, check. Maximal forward propulsion from muscle elasticity, check. Increase efficiency, check. Decrease overall joint load, check.

The kicker is this, the first two athletes will, at some point, be in the exact same position as the third athlete. However, they will waste time and energy as well as significantly increase joint load as they move in and out of that position. In short, they are working too hard just to hurt themselves more.

Health and Performance Center teaches running skill... contact us

Runners Knee; generalized vs. specific approach

DrJared_HPCchiro — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:02:00 GMT

Nonsurgical treatment is often the cure for Runner's Knee
www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/fitness/article_b030f593-f36c-5d34-a557-ecb23d82d228.html

This is an excellent article which provides another opportunity to stress that "TECHNIQUE TRUMPS PROGRAMMING". Again, how you do something is always more important than how much and how often you do it.

"There is no point in getting really good at doing something really bad!"
-Dr. Jared