Chiropractic doctors undergo a course of training after college which includes 4 years of chiropractic medical schooling, followed by 1 year of internship, and then often by 1 or 2 years in an associateship or preceptorship to further learn a specialty. They have a license similar to a medical doctor, dentist, or osteopath, etc., who are all primary care physicians.
Physical therapists usually have a minimum of 2 years of college, followed by 2 years of physical therapy school. They then become licensed "therapists" who require the orders of a medical doctor, a chiropractic doctor, or osteopath, etc., to legally treat patients.
Massage therapists are not required to have a college degree, and currently there is no statewide requirement in California for certification. Different cities have their own licensing requirements, ranging from a few month course of a minimum of 100 hours in Northern California to a minimum of 500 hours of massage education for most of Southern California.
CHIROPRACTIC EDUCATION
After college, it may require as much as 5 to 7 years of further study before a Chiropractic Doctor enters into private practice! The education process for a Chiropractic Doctor (D.C.) is much like that of a Medical Doctor (M.D.), Dentist (D.D.S.), or Osteopath (D.O.). After college, the Chiropractic Doctor completes 4 years of education at an accredited chiropractic university. This is followed by 1 year of internship at a university affiliated clinic.
After graduating, Chiropractic Doctors must pass several stringent National Board Examinations, then take oral, written, and practical examinations for the states in which they choose to practice. Oftentimes, Chiropractic Doctors will then decide to enter a 1 or 2 year associateship or preceptorship in an existing clinic which emphasizes treatment methods in which they wish to specialize. This does not mark the end of the education process! Chiropractic Doctors are required to complete yearly postgraduate courses for license renewal and to stay current on the latest scientific research.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
WHICH YOGA EXERCISES MAY BE DANGEROUS
I have treated many yoga students as well as many yoga instructors, and I have found that about 25-30% of the postures they are doing in their yoga routines could be quite injurious to their spines. If you have any questions about your individual yoga practice, it is good to consult a chiropractic doctor who can examine your spine and make specific recommendations to you for your ideal exercise routine.
Potentially Dangerous Yoga Postures Include:
(1) Bending while twisting -
Especially triangle poses and their modifications. Research has shown that bending as little as 30 degrees forward (or more) with any amount of twisting will rupture disc fibers!
(2) Straight leg lifts -
Such as Boat pose, leg lifts, the 'bicycle' are often advocated as "core" strengthening exercises for your abdominal muscles. They aren't, they actually use your "hip flexing" muscle (psoas muscle) which attaches to your spine and puts undue stress on your lower back. Many military personnel and athletes come to my office as a result of low back pain from doing leg lifts and full sit-ups.
(3) Full Sit Ups -
Again, while these are often advocated as "core"strengthening exercises, they also use predominantly your "hip flexing" (psoas) muscles. These exercises are one of the main reasons military personnel come to me for low back problems after basic training! A better alternative exercise would be "crunches", which strengthen only your abdominal muscles.
(4) Head or Shoulder Stands -
While there are many benefits to inversion, the dangers of head and shoulder stands greatly outweigh their benefits. The plough posture is o.k., but too much spinal stress occurs from these other weight bearing inverted yoga poses, and permanent ligament, disc damage, and cartilage damage could occur. Using a "Roman chair" or other form of inversion machine would be a much better alternative.
(5) Neck Rolls -
Rotating the neck for flexibility can and will aggravate underlying joint problems. There are many other forms of safe and effective stretches for the neck.
(6) Ballistic Movements -
Stretching should involve very conscious, slow, and precise movements, done over a 30-60 second period of time, without any bouncing, flinging, or fast (ballistic) movements. This will result in a more lasting length change for the muscles being stretched, and minimize the chances for injuries.
Please click on the following link below for a chart of some examples of
dangerous yoga poses you should avoid. This chart is not comprehensive,
and depending on your spinal condition, there may be more exercises your doctor would suggest avoiding for the long term or just temporarily.
CHART OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS YOGA POSES
* ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE BEGINNING ANY FORM OF
STRETCHING OR STRENGTHENING EXERCISES! *
Potentially Dangerous Yoga Postures Include:
(1) Bending while twisting -
Especially triangle poses and their modifications. Research has shown that bending as little as 30 degrees forward (or more) with any amount of twisting will rupture disc fibers!
(2) Straight leg lifts -
Such as Boat pose, leg lifts, the 'bicycle' are often advocated as "core" strengthening exercises for your abdominal muscles. They aren't, they actually use your "hip flexing" muscle (psoas muscle) which attaches to your spine and puts undue stress on your lower back. Many military personnel and athletes come to my office as a result of low back pain from doing leg lifts and full sit-ups.
(3) Full Sit Ups -
Again, while these are often advocated as "core"strengthening exercises, they also use predominantly your "hip flexing" (psoas) muscles. These exercises are one of the main reasons military personnel come to me for low back problems after basic training! A better alternative exercise would be "crunches", which strengthen only your abdominal muscles.
(4) Head or Shoulder Stands -
While there are many benefits to inversion, the dangers of head and shoulder stands greatly outweigh their benefits. The plough posture is o.k., but too much spinal stress occurs from these other weight bearing inverted yoga poses, and permanent ligament, disc damage, and cartilage damage could occur. Using a "Roman chair" or other form of inversion machine would be a much better alternative.
(5) Neck Rolls -
Rotating the neck for flexibility can and will aggravate underlying joint problems. There are many other forms of safe and effective stretches for the neck.
(6) Ballistic Movements -
Stretching should involve very conscious, slow, and precise movements, done over a 30-60 second period of time, without any bouncing, flinging, or fast (ballistic) movements. This will result in a more lasting length change for the muscles being stretched, and minimize the chances for injuries.
Please click on the following link below for a chart of some examples of
dangerous yoga poses you should avoid. This chart is not comprehensive,
and depending on your spinal condition, there may be more exercises your doctor would suggest avoiding for the long term or just temporarily.
CHART OF POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS YOGA POSES
* ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE BEGINNING ANY FORM OF
STRETCHING OR STRENGTHENING EXERCISES! *
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
CAN I DO YOGA OR ANY EXERCISES INSTEAD OF SEEING A CHIROPRACTOR?
When we have stiffness or pain in the body, we cannot always tell if we have a problem involving only a muscle or if we also have a joint problem, which may involve the malfunctioning of the vertebrae within our spine.
When attempting to treat spinal problems primarily with yoga or exercise, if you are unsuccessful, or if your problem worsens, further yoga or exercise may prove dangerous. Yoga and exercise are designed to restore movement and function to the spine as a whole, but research has shown that individual inflammed, fixated, or degenerating joints of the spine may persist and even be worsened by attempted stretching or strengthening exercises. Once a skilled chiropractic doctor treats you and restores proper function to the problem areas of your spine, when inflammation subsides, stretches and other exercises can then be very beneficial and supportive to healing. Chiropractic care, proper stretching and strengthening exercises, and massage are each vital parts of a "holistic" approach to successfully treating spinal and joint conditions.
I have treated many yoga students as well as many yoga instructors, and I often have found that about 25-30% of the postures they are doing are potentially quite dangerous. If you have any questions about your individual yoga routine, it is good to consult a chiropractic doctor who can examine your spine and make specific recommendations to you for your ideal exercise routine.
When attempting to treat spinal problems primarily with yoga or exercise, if you are unsuccessful, or if your problem worsens, further yoga or exercise may prove dangerous. Yoga and exercise are designed to restore movement and function to the spine as a whole, but research has shown that individual inflammed, fixated, or degenerating joints of the spine may persist and even be worsened by attempted stretching or strengthening exercises. Once a skilled chiropractic doctor treats you and restores proper function to the problem areas of your spine, when inflammation subsides, stretches and other exercises can then be very beneficial and supportive to healing. Chiropractic care, proper stretching and strengthening exercises, and massage are each vital parts of a "holistic" approach to successfully treating spinal and joint conditions.
I have treated many yoga students as well as many yoga instructors, and I often have found that about 25-30% of the postures they are doing are potentially quite dangerous. If you have any questions about your individual yoga routine, it is good to consult a chiropractic doctor who can examine your spine and make specific recommendations to you for your ideal exercise routine.
Friday, March 23, 2012
CAN I ADJUST MYSELF? IS IT BAD TO "CRACK" YOUR BACK AND NECK A LOT?
The desire to “pop” the neck or back is caused by a feeling of irritation or muscle tension surrounding a joint. This irritation and
tension is usually most present where the spine is being asked to try to move beyond its normal limits. When one area of the spine
is jammed or moving too little, it causes the neighboring joints to have to compensate by moving too much. Too much movement
forces the ligaments around these joints to loosen, making the area easy to “pop” by one's own minimal self-effort. Thus, the
feeling of needing to pop a joint is usually present in areas of the spine which are already over-strained and shouldn't be adjusted!!
Some people form a habit of “adjusting” themselves many times a day. However, by adjusting these overly loose and irritated areas
of the spine, they are repeatedly treating the wrong joints. What must actually be treated are the stuck or jammed areas of the spine
which are adjacent to it. So, although someone may feel momentary relief from their tension after adjusting an irritated area of their
back or neck, etc., within a few minutes they feel like they need to adjust themselves again. A chiropractic doctor is trained to
locate and treat the appropriate joints of the spine--so as not to aggravate existing instabilities--in order to restore delicate balance
to the spine and nervous system. Often people with even long term habits of self-adjusting will find they no longer feel the urge
after proper chiropractic care has been received.
tension is usually most present where the spine is being asked to try to move beyond its normal limits. When one area of the spine
is jammed or moving too little, it causes the neighboring joints to have to compensate by moving too much. Too much movement
forces the ligaments around these joints to loosen, making the area easy to “pop” by one's own minimal self-effort. Thus, the
feeling of needing to pop a joint is usually present in areas of the spine which are already over-strained and shouldn't be adjusted!!
Some people form a habit of “adjusting” themselves many times a day. However, by adjusting these overly loose and irritated areas
of the spine, they are repeatedly treating the wrong joints. What must actually be treated are the stuck or jammed areas of the spine
which are adjacent to it. So, although someone may feel momentary relief from their tension after adjusting an irritated area of their
back or neck, etc., within a few minutes they feel like they need to adjust themselves again. A chiropractic doctor is trained to
locate and treat the appropriate joints of the spine--so as not to aggravate existing instabilities--in order to restore delicate balance
to the spine and nervous system. Often people with even long term habits of self-adjusting will find they no longer feel the urge
after proper chiropractic care has been received.
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