 Photo by Indian Yogi (Yogi Madhav) How Do You Squat Bro?By Dr Khong Lamvichit on October 23, 2019 4 mins Over and over again I am in my athletes' ears about fixing their squat mechanics. They will go to sleep hearing sounding voices affirming "butt-back", "peel-the-carpet", "hip-turnouts", or "core-brace". All of which are equally important with proper squat mechanics to prevent lower back pain.
 Push Pull then RepeatBy Dr Khong Lamvichit on August 14, 2019 2 mins Goal #1 - Build Muscle Building muscle is priority. When working on increasing muscle size you create a doorway for everything else. This allows your body to generate power with lifting, control and stability for balance, and explosiveness for speed. An overlooked attribute is body temperature regulation for those sweltering hot summer or frigid winter nights. Goal #2 - Overall Fitness Improving your overall fitness. This attribute could be the top-of-the-top when it comes to exercise goals. When it comes to being able to perform at any given moment, you want to be sure you're at peak form with your exercises. Goal #3 - Stamina Improving overall stamina. Run, dance, or climb stairs much? You would know what stamina or endurance feels like if you're a runner training for the Chicago marathon every year in October. You want to include exercises that assists your endurance for running. Many times athletes will have a one-sided training regimen which could lead to repetitive stress injuries. Train outside the box! Goal #4 - Overall Well-Being Improving your overall well-being. Our last and final goal is to make you feel happy! Those who train for intense competitions for powerlifting, crossfit, and martial arts will tell you how brutal their sport is, but what drives them is the passion to become faster, stronger, and smarter than who they were the day before. They will tell you how they struggle with training, however at the same time they'll tell you of the "high" you will receive when you're done with training. This comes from an influx of hormones that gives you this rush of euphoria after your exercising. What an interesting time we live in! We have more resources than ever to help each individual exercise and guide them through their workout journey. At the same time, we have people who have paralysis-by-analysis. If you are feeling paralyzed in the beginning of your journey this article will be your go-to for your path to a healthy lifestyle.
 To Exercise or Not To ExerciseBy Christian Worstell on July 30, 2019 3 mins When the lingering effects of an injury make it difficult for you to tackle tasks or activities you once enjoyed, you might want to consider physical therapy. This article unpacks the purpose and benefits of the practice to help you decide if it might be a good course of action for you. What is Physical Therapy? Physical therapy, or PT, is designed to support patients across various phases of recovery. It can be used to reduce pain and boost your mobility. PT can also help you regain control of muscles or body systems after surgery or a stroke. The goal of a physical therapy doctor is to identify the main causes of your issue. Then, using your input and medical record, your physical therapist can develop a care plan to guide you back to better health and mobility. While some forms of physical therapy fall outside of the realm of insurance coverage, many physical therapy treatments are covered under insurance if they are deemed medically necessary. When Should I Seek Out Physical Therapy? Physical therapy might not be best for everyone, and it will not take the place of a primary care physician’s expertise. There are, however, some common scenarios in which you might find physical therapy right for you:
It can be helpful to check in with your physical therapist simply to assess your overall condition. You can also ask your physical therapist for recommendations on lifestyle changes that might help ward off additional aches and pains in the future. Tap Into the Benefits of Physical Therapy Physical therapy can alleviate your ailments while also saving you the cost and health impact of pain medication prescriptions and surgeries. It can also help you better understand how your body works. It might not be the best option for everyone, but for many, it presents a marvelous means to take back their mobility one session at a time. Find a physical therapy provider near you here or make an appointment with Midwest Sport and Spine for your physical therapy HERE
Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash
Hands On Fire
By Dr Khong Lamvichit July 13, 2019 3 mins
What Kind Of Condition Is This?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling mainly through the arms and hands. The median nerve is the major nerve that gets squeezed or compressed as it traverses through the wrist.
Most patients with the condition will worsen over time, but lucky you're reading this article because you'll be able to address the symptoms early on. Symptoms will could be relieved with avoiding specific activities; however I encourage symptomatic patients to perform the later on exercises to re-introduce proper movement into your ligaments and tendons. Constant pressure on the median nerve potentially could lead to nerve damage or worsening symptoms. To prevent permanent damage or surgery to take off the pressure to the median nerve you could either fast forward to the exercises or continue reading to enlighten your noggin. How Long Does Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Last?
The Cleveland Clinic suggest numbness takes longer to relieve, maybe up to 3 months. Surgery also will not help if you do not have carpal tunnel syndrome. As an added bonus, pain in the palm around the incisions could also last up to a few months post surgery.
How Serious Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Some people and health care providers make CTS sound morbid; however the truth of the matter is this condition is usually not serious. If you were able to see a chiropractic doctor, physical therapist, or other soft tissue practitioners you would be able to address the symptoms immediately without having to go into surgery. To all the hand orthopedic specialist, sorry but not sorry to take away your business.
How Do I Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome At Home?
Now aren't you glad you read this article. Here are four easy ways to treat your carpal syndrome at home:
1. Wrist twirls:
These are additional wrist equipment and appliances to help find relief from your typing, construction, or hand gripping related job you're apart of.
1. Rocktape for carpal's tunnel spacing
2. Gel thumb spica for carpal's tunnel spacing
3. Wrist/Thumb splint for carpal's tunnel spacing
4. Hot/Cold therapy & Air compression brace for carpal's tunnel spacing
 HEAL MY "IT" PAIN PLEASEBy Dr Khong Lamvichit on June 18, 2019 3 mins Define iliotibial band syndromeAthletes that exercise frequently performing repetitive knee bending activities, such as running, cycling, squatting, and/or overweight with decondition hips could potentially experience over tightening of the Iliotibial (IT) Band syndrome. This pain occurs commonly in runners; however very sedentary lifestyle seekers have experienced this outside knee pain. Lucky for the reader, there's no need for surgery, but therapies such as myofascial release, dynamic stretching, and proper strengthening exercises will do. What are the symptoms of an IT band injury?Athletes experiencing IT band symptoms: 1. Aching, burning, and/or tenderness along the outside of their knee 2. Feel clicking, popping, and/or snapping along the outside of their knee 3. Pain referral shooting up and/or down the outside of their leg 4. Warmth and redness on the outside of their knee How do I heal my IT band pain?1. Reduce the pain and inflammation that normally occurs. Depending on the severity of the pain, we always want to focus on keeping your pain down before we perform tissue mobilization on your ITB. Common ways to reduce inflammation and pain is the "no brainer" rest, ice, and topical anti-inflammatories. Commonly NSAIDs would be recommended if you're looking to speedily reduce the pain. At the end of day these are all effective in the beginning phase. 2. Massage and stretching frequently. Experts in these areas are massage therapists or myofascial specialist such as active release treatments from practitioners from Chiropractic doctors or physical therapist. Staying away from foam rollers would be a wise decision simply because there is no tissue release taking place. Constant smashing of any thick fibrous bands such as tendons or iliotibial bands would irritate the tissue. 3. Strengthen your behind. We at Midwest Sport and Spine would make attempts to strengthen the primary and secondary hip stabilizers immediately after reducing the pain and inflammation. Primary hip stabilizers consist of gluteus maximus. Secondary hip stabilizers consist of tensor fascia latte, gluteus medius and minimus. What causes my IT band pain symptoms?IT (Iliotibial band) pain typically stems from repetitive motion causing the taut band to snap over the lateral femoral condyle. This is normally termed "overuse" injury with athletes participating in running, cycling, or other sports with repeated knee flexion and hip joints. Does ITB syndrome go away?ITB pain could start off as a mild pain; however left untreated could potentially worsen. Most people would rest which could take as long as 6 weeks; however we have found when left untreated the fascial band will remain tense and thickened. This means the athlete potentially can re-aggravate the IT band once they resume their respective sport. We highly encourage the athlete to perform simple stretches and exercises in this article to reduce the tension developed in their knee. You will thank us later. Stretches and Exercises
 Words Will Not Break Your Bones, But Falls Might By Dr Khong Lamvichit on April 17, 2019 5 mins Friend, you are apart of an aged population. The last time I checked, you're getting older and we all do. The day I see someone pull a "Benjamin Button" I'll begin questioning the science of our evolution. Many of us are aware our muscles begin to degrade though our 30s; however determining whether bone tissue or muscle tissue begin to lose mass first is destined for another article. Since I have an image of a very colorful bone, labeled with a rad name, let's get going on bone tissue. To save you from boredom of the anatomy of bone tissue I'll take you on an imagery ride of your youthful days as compared to your aging days. When you were young you played, you laughed, and you fell down. You then washed, rinsed, and repeated this cycle over and over time with no hesitancy of what may occur; you enjoyed life at this time. Here comes your 30's and you played, you laughed, and you fell down. You then look at life questioning your weekend warrior spirit of what follows next. Buzzwords ensue like CR-RACK, KA-POW, or honey I did it again! This is us. When you were young, bone is repeatedly broken down then repaired faster. This is a constant state of renewal for bone growth. When you reach your late 20s this cycle reverses. How fast you lose bone mass depends on what you were able to attain during your youthful "KA-POW" days. How much bone you have stored away will help prevent future bone related injuries like osteoporosis or osteopenia.  Risk Factors The likelihood of you developing osteoporosis depends on your age, race, lifestyle choices, and medical conditions and treatments." Other risk factors out of our control would be your sex, age, race, family history, and body size frame. Hormone levels could play a role such as lowered sex hormones could weaken the body, too much thyroid could cause bone loss, and other associated overactive parathyroid or adrenal glands. Dietary factors that accumulate low calcium intake with eating disorders or gastrointestinal surgeries like gastric bands. Steroids and other medical prescriptions would sometimes interfere with bone rebuilding as well; as an added bonus, if your lifestyle choices were sedentary included with a complimentary sandwich of excessive alcohol and tobacco than I have some news for you. Complications Fractures are the path to possibilities if pursuing this path to destruction. Here are a few examples: 1. Back pain (obvious) 2. Lost height (too short) 3. Hunchback (too short and no dating) Prevention Good news for you there are ways to keep your bones healthy for the remainder of your life. Let's start with: Protein: These are the building blocks of bone formation. A great source of protein is from animal meat. Vegetarians and vegans are able to get enough protein from combination sources such as soy, nuts, legumes, and dairy and eggs. Body weight: Maintaining significant muscle mass for body weight will decrease bone loss. The Mayo Clinic recommends weight-bearing exercise and activities that promote balance and good posture which are beneficial for your bones, but walking, running, jumping, dancing and weightlifting are also beneficial (3). Calcium: The RDA for calcium is 1,000 mg of calcium per day. Good sources of calcium include:
Vitamin D: A 2013 Research Study from Lebanon (4) compared teenage girls and boys who took vitamin D supplements with others who took a placebo. The main result was:
 The end of the day, the best way to prevent osteoporosis is to build your strong bones and slow down bone loss. Weight-bearing exercises benefits your bones at any age group, but you'll have the most benefits if you exercises regularly from when you're young and throughout the rest of your life. As we age, let's create an savory plate of movements to balance and strengthen our lifestyles. Let's face it, the older we get the sweeter we become. References:
By Hazel Bridges March 26, 2019 4 mins
As a senior, the prospect of doing yoga might seem like an impossible dream. After all, there’s no possible way you can bend and twist your body into a pretzel, right? However, yoga comes in many different forms, each with its own poses, and many are extremely gentle, focusing on slow movements, gentle stretching, and deep breathing. If your interest is piqued, the following benefits of yoga will have you on the yoga mat in no time. Create a Dedicated Yoga Space When you are first getting into yoga, it is best to take classes with an instructor who can show you how to modify moves for your safety using chairs and props. However, once you are feeling comfortable, you might want to set up your own yoga space (1). In order to do this, you’ll need to clear out a room or designated corner/space. You might find that you need to move some of your furniture or items into storage, at least until you figure out what to do with them. You can book a 10’x10’ self-storage unit in Chicago for under $60 a month. This could be a good time to de-clutter your home too to cut down on stress and falls. Once your space is cleared, use calm cool tones and add mood lighting (Walmart has mood lamps for as low as $11.97) or drapes (Target has a wide selection of drapes and curtains, many of which are under $20). Yoga for Depression Relief With age comes great loss — loss of a spouse, friends, mobility, independence — and it can add up rather quickly. This is when feelings of depression can creep in, leaving you feeling anxious, lonely, and helpless. While yoga isn’t a replacement for mental health treatment, it is an amazing supplement (2). Yoga naturally increases your serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter used to treat depression, and is responsible for happy and calm feelings. In addition, yoga increases your heart rate variability, resulting in a much higher relaxation response. Yoga for Dementia Prevention Dementia is common among seniors, and there is yet to be a cure, but yoga has been shown to lower your likelihood of developing it by improving memory recall and memory encoding. According to research cited by the Pacific Standard, “Yoga is believed to exert its effect via lowering stress, lowering inflammation, enhancing neuroplasticity processes, increasing antioxidant levels, and increasing telomerase activity (3).” Put simply, yoga helps the brain form new neural connections to keep the brain functioning properly. Yoga for Dental Health Age can bring on a lot of changes in your dental health, including periodontal disease, tooth decay, and jaw pain, and there is evidence that it is an indirect result of depression (4). Unfortunately, stress exacerbates these issues. Regular brushing, flossing, and check-ups are your first line of defense, but yoga can be your second in your quest for good dental health (5). Stress causes inflammation in various areas of your body, including your gums, increasing your risk for gum disease. All this built-up tension can lead to teeth grinding and subsequent nerve damage, gum recession, decay, and tooth loss. Thankfully, yoga’s focus on mindfulness, fluid movements, and deep breathing make it a stress-buster. In addition, certain yoga poses increase salivation, helping to rinse your mouth and keep bacteria from growing. Yoga for Balance and Mobility Both balance and mobility take a hit as the years tick by. Some accept it as a natural part of the aging, but yoga can help you gain some of it back and improve your quality of life. According to a study of 300 men and women age 60 and older, those who attended a yoga class once or twice a week over the course of several months saw a small improvement in balance and a medium improvement in mobility (6). While the research was inconclusive as to the impact on falls, it is safe to say that better balance may reduce the likelihood of falls and injuries. Yoga is a tool all seniors should use. The senior-specific benefits are plentiful, and getting started is simple. Grab a yoga mat, find a quiet space, take a deep breath, and enjoy. References: 1.https://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/5-ways-diy-yoga-sanctuary 2.https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/yoga-therapy#how-it-works 3.https://psmag.com/news/yoga-may-help-stave-off-dementia 4.https://areadentist.org/depression-and-dental-health-exploring-the-connection-and-how-to-get-back-on-a-healthy-track/ 5.https://www.peacefuldumpling.com/yoga-dental-health 6.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-yoga-balance-mobility-idUSKCN0US2MY20160114
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 Get Your Bamboo Legs Here!By Dr Khong Lamvichit on February 9, 2019 2 mins Every now and then I will catch someone looking at their tush in the mirror. I wonder if they're simply admiring, hoping, or thinking their bum will grow in very the short period of time until they have to leave for their respective destination. No my friends my hips are not the spectacles you're thinking of, but I have a hunch you caught random close friends in this spotful act. As a reputable lyricist once told me, "No Shame In This Game." Instead of the full blown adoration of your bottom base, I figured I would give you the exercise and benefits with improving your posterior stump. Your gluteal muscles are the main feature of your backside asset. The larger primary posterior hip muscles consist of gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. They include other secondary muscles like the piriformis, obturator internus, superior/inferior gemelli, and the quadratus femoris and this is just the backside of the hips. So today let's simplify the hip muscles being addressed as Posterior thigh/Hamstrings, Anterior Thigh/Quads, Inner Thigh/Adductors, and finally the Outer Thigh/Abductors. Ahh I feel better now. One fun exercise that would likely work all these muscle groups is the side lunge. If you haven't heard of a side lunge well you're in luck. Here's a quick run through.  The side lunge works primary muscles groups such as the posterior, anterior, and inner thighs with secondary muscles such as hamstrings. The best part is you don't need any equipment, unless you're looking to do weighted horse walks with a barbell on your shoulders, than you're find with some old fashion body weight. The first benefit of side lunges are performing lateral movements that becomes neglected since society normally sees traditional squats with forward or backwards lunges. The second benefit of side lunges are strengthening the inner and outer thighs which will help prevent genu valgum or genu varus injuries that come with linear plane movements such as running. The third benefit of side lunges are co-contraction of the anterior and posterior thigh which strengthen knees to prevent instability.  As an added bonus, your gluteal muscles will and should be doing most of the work which builds upon the lateral and rotational fibers of your glutes. Don't worry, your glutes will thank you. All this and more from one simple exercise movement. Be sure to keep up with proper form and breathing patterns while keeping your knees in the same direction as your feet. This will begin your path for the everlasting Bamboo Legs. Side Lunge Instructions: 1. Stand straight with feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Step out to the side and transfer your weight to that leg. 3. Use your lead foot to push you back to the starting point. 4. Repeat and then switch sides. Sets and Reps: Perform 1 set x 10-15 reps then add to the number of sets and reps over time until you're able to perform 3 sets of 15-30 reps. Add a set of dumbbells to challenge yourself. Keep moving!
 KETO Food TrainBy Dr Khong Lamvichit DC on January 16, 2019 5 mins With the human population being bombarded with the never ending diet industry, I feel my eyes are being spammed by constant colors and programs from all the "experts" in this field. I persistently have my patient's ask if I have heard of (insert diet) and then ask my thoughts. I 100% feel eating dark green vegetables, fruits, and cruciferous vegetables are the staple of my personal diet; I can't help to think of another solid diet that has gotten everyone up and out of their seats as if a new iphone just came out. The Keto Diet has made a big splash the last few years, but I'm not here to rip into your ear about why it's the diet of the 21st century or even benefits. I want you to know, from a health provider's point of view, my patients went from having slumps of energy to having energy for days, tracking alertness and reaction timing went through the roof, and the obvious weight loss becoming leaner as they stayed compliant with the keto diet. You might have been skeptical as much as I, but once I began seeing first hand on what it has done for many of my patients I began jumping on the keto train. Keep in mind there is not a one-size-fits-all diet. If you stay consistent with good eating habits and track your results you will get the benefit of that diet. To begin, here is a link to 16 Foods to Eat on a Ketogenic Diet.
Stay Healthy My Friends
By Dr Khong Lamvichit DC on January 7, 2019 3 mins
It is that time of year again movers. We are 7 days in the new year, the holidays are officially over, leftovers are presumed to have all been eaten, and your Christmas tree is laying in the back alley hoping the cleaning crew will take it away. We wish all these things, but more importantly we wish to lose the extra poundage we gained during our time of lethargism. How much did I gained one might ask? The answer is simple "enough", but we have the solution.
I know what you're thinking, where could I find the time to get that extra rep, pump, or any synonym related to an exercise word. How about you put down that bag of chips and keep reading. According to the Mayo Clinic, our friends at the Department of Health and Human Services has a recommended guideline for you. (Disclaimer: this is at the most basic level of exercise recommended, in other words, be better than basic).
These are the minimum amount of exercise you could get away with and call yourself "healthy" if performed consistently. Go treat yourself for a power walk, cycle, or even go swimming. If you feel the need to be more challenged, join your local running club, yoga sculpt class, or have fun in brazilian jiu jitsu. The Mayo Clinic also recommends to reducing your sitting time. Every hour you add in your chair, the higher your risk of metabolic problems, which could impact your health and longevity. Even brief bouts of moderate to vigorous intensity will offer enormous benefits for you. If you are able to go for a few 5 minute strolls down your block a week, you will continue to reap health benefits. The old saying goes, any activity is better than no activity. Making regular physical activity apart of your lifestyle is proof that movement is medicine. Top Workout Gear for the Cold Winter Months
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