By Dr. Matt Fontaine

This is the first in a series of articles that will detail a new paradigm in dealing with musculoskeletal injuries.  The first of which will deal with assessing human movement, and highlight the Functional Movement Screen™ and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), developed by Gray Cook and Lee Burton.  The Functional Movement Screen™ is an innovative system used to evaluate movement pattern quality for clients or athletes.

“It has also been recognized that the dysfunctions of muscles and joints are so closely related, the two should be considered a single, inseparable functional unit” Dr. Vladimir Janda

Our nervous system generates normal movement by integrating and orchestrating groups of muscles to produce fundamental movement patterns with an adequate balance of mobility and stability to meet the demands of the task at hand.

The human system will compensate normal patterns of movement in response to pain or in the presence of weakness, tightness, or structural abnormality. Over time, pain alters normal movement patterns, often causing compensation such as limping or guarding to protective injured joints or muscles.   The pain associated with movement often results in as decreased ROM, muscle length changes, and decreased strength.

Gray Cook has said that a limp is visual representation of the body giving up it’s core stability in order to prevent the loading of a painful joint.  Sometimes the body compensates in a less dramatic fashion and the altered movement patterns are more subtle.

The traditional sports medicine model is to look to the pain.  Typical RICE(rest, ice, compression, and elevation) is helpful to control inflammation.  However, using an isolated or regional approach to either evaluation or treatment will not accurately detect the issues that caused the pain, nor restore function. Gray Cook has said repeatedly that functional restoration requires a map of dysfunctional patterns and a working knowledge of functional patterns to gain clinical perspective and design an effective treatment strategy.

Pain-free functional movement for participation in occupation and lifestyle activities is desirable. In order for our body to create proper pain-free functional movements during sport or activities requires adequate posture, full unimpeded range of motion, proper muscle and fascial gliding between soft tissue structures, motor control, and balance reactions.  Impairments in  any of these areas can alter functional movement resulting in or as a consequence of pain.

Utilising the Functional Movement Screen™ and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) allows healthcare professionals to assess key functional movement patterns the body performs and allows the detection of faulty movement, muscle imbalances, and lack of joint mobility and stability.  This information is essential to identify dysfunctional movement. Traditional muscle length, strength, and special tests can be used to help the clinician identify the impairments, which are associated with dysfunctional movement.

By using the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) as an approach designed to complement existing exam the practitioner can better detect faulty movement patterns and be much more specific in devising a program therapeutic exercise to help correct the problem or issues. The Functional Movement Screen™ and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) serve as a model to efficiently integrate the concepts of posture, muscle balance and the fundamental patterns of the movement system into musculoskeletal practice. It should also serve as a feedback system for the effectiveness of the therapeutic exercise program, which should target the dysfunctional movement pattern as well as the impairments that have been identified.

Part two will address the approach that should be utilized to properly evaluate and manage muscle and joint pain syndromes.

It’s that time of year. High School Seniors are getting or have gotten their college acceptance letters. There are several reasons to be excited, after all, college should be some of the best years of our life. But when you finally get there, but careful not to fall into one of several nutrition traps. The foods you choose affect your energy, concentration and memory. Fortunately, most college dining halls provide plenty of nutritious options, and you can stock your dorm room with good choices too. This guide will help you to incorporate nutritious choices into your busy schedule.

6 Tips To Making Good Food Choices:

1. Don’t skip breakfast. Studies have shown that skipping breakfast can hurt your performance in school. When there isn’t time to sit down to a morning meal, at least make sure you have a bagel or other source of grain, a piece of fruit and some juice.

2. Make time for meals. Eating three meals per day will give you enough energy to last all day and keep your metabolism active. In addition, pack healthy snacks such as fruit or a granola bar.

3. Don’t confuse hunger with thirst. You may think you’re hungry when your body actually needs more liquid. Be sure to stay hydrated throughout the day. Having several cups of coffee or cans of soda doesn’t count, however. The caffeine in coffee and sodas is a diuretic, and sodas, juice drinks and sports drinks are loaded with sugar, which can make you gain weight. Instead, drink plenty of water.

4. Don’t eat the same foods all the time. Make sure you eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, carbohydrates and fats. A salad of raw vegetables, dark leafy greens, and beans, topped with some nuts and fruit, will give you a variety of important nutrients.

5. Stop eating when you start feeling full. Our bodies don’t always tell us when enough is enough. One study found that people given larger portions tend to eat more food, no matter how hungry they are.

6. If you must eat fast foods, choose wisely. Limit your intake of high-fat foods like French fries. Choose pizza with half the cheese, for example. Or try a green salad with reduced-calorie dressing, or a baked potato.

Slip an apple or orange into your bag. Most dining halls will let you take fruit or other healthy snacks when you leave. Do this to help you resist the lure of the vending machine later on. Keep healthful snacks on hand. Possibilities include fresh or dried fruit, pretzels, unbuttered popcorn, rice cakes and whole-wheat crackers. If you have a refrigerator, consider raw vegetables with low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese dip.

As you educate yourself about nutrition, making smart choices in the dining hall will become second nature. Here’s advice on 4 situations you might encounter:

1. I can’t find any food I like. Be creative. If you don’t like the entree offered, try combining foods from different areas of the dining hall. For example, add a grilled chicken breast to a salad or vegetables from the salad bar to make a sandwich or a wrap.

2. I’m a vegetarian. Most colleges offer vegetarian entrees at all meals, such as veggie burgers, stir fries and pasta dishes. Or you can create your own meal at the salad or sandwich bar by adding protein-rich ingredients like cheese, eggs, hummus, beans or peanut butter.

3. I have special dietary needs. Students with food allergies, medical conditions like diabetes or special religious requirements may find it harder to get by in a dining hall, but most schools make an effort to meet their needs. The vegetarian meals offered by dining halls often help meet the needs of students with religious requirements. If you have special dietary needs — especially medical ones — you may need to talk to the dining hall manager or to someone in student services.

4. I have class during mealtime. You need food to think properly, so make time to eat. If you skip a meal, you may have trouble concentrating or get a headache. If you can’t sit down for a full meal, pack a healthy snack.

When you’ve been up for hours studying, you might look to sugar, fried food or caffeine to provide a boost. But healthier alternatives can give you more energy with fewer negative consequences. Keep your room stocked with healthy snacks like the following:

• Animal crackers
• Canned fruit
• Crackers
• Energy bars
• Fresh fruit
• Granola bars
• High-fiber cereal
• Nuts
• Pita bread
• Popcorn
• Pudding
• Soup
• Trail mix
• Tuna fish
• Baby carrots
• Celery
• Low-fat yogurt or smoothies
• Low-fat milk

In the end, it’s not hard to eat healthfully at college. Just keep these tips in mind, and use common sense, and you’ll take excellent care of both your body and your mind.

I found this video on ABC News, not only helpful, but extremely timely.  One of our Physical Therapists, Barbara Fallon-Wallace is in her 6th month on pregnancy AND is also a competitive runner.  There are 3 key points to take away from the video:

1.  Being active, especially during pregnancy, is always better than choosing to be inactive.

2.  Active women recover faster, post pregnancy than less active women.

3.  Pregnancy is not a disease, merely a condition.  You are healthy, so work to remain healthy.

Enjoy the video.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/running-pregnancy-safe-safety-baby-fetis-infant-health-excercise-workout-fitness-11825606

I miss Ray Charles.

I remember growing up and hearing stories of the 1958 performance of The Great Ray Charles on the campus of Penn State. My father often recollected about that transformative evening as he watched the legendary artist, absent of sight yet profoundly full of vision.

Over the years, I began to pay closer attention to the Ray Charles lyrics and grew to love the man.  And for reasons that are difficult to describe, when Ray Charles passed in 2004, I was deeply saddened and have missed him ever since.

Now I miss John Wooden.

It is rare to meet people who actually “get it”.  And by “IT’, I mean LIFE. As a sports fan, I have always admired John Wooden’s success as a basketball coach.  How can you overlook 10 National Champonships, including 7 in a row and 4 undefeated seasons?  If you dig deeper, you learn that John Wooden also achieved the highest level of success as a player:

-Led his High School Team to the State Championship finals 3 years in a row

-Led Purdue to the 1932 National Championship

-Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1961.

But this is NOT why I will forever miss John Wooden.

If you have a free moment, go to GOOGLE and search “John Wooden Quotes”, and then sit down and get ready to be awed!

How could one man have such depth? I never met the man, but I believe I became a better person just by reading his words.

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

“Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights.”

And probably my personal favorite: “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

Are these the words of a basketball coach or a modern day prophet?

I will miss John Wooden and I have never met the man.  But I can promise you this, I am a better person because I read his words and heard his lessons.  People like John Wooden don’t come around that often, so we need to embrace them.

An active exercise program is essential to maintain good health….FOR EVERYONE! Exercising should be a part of your daily routine whether you are 10, 20, 40, or 60. Regular exercise is proven to lead to better long-term health. For seniors, ages 60 and up, we want you to keep living, actively, for as long as you can, to increase your chances of longevity. But before starting any daily exercise routine, it is important for everyone, seniors in particular, to remember to Warm Up! Warm up exercises help to stimulate blood flow, to prepare your body for the elevated exercise that is to follow, and to help reduce the risk of injury while exercising. Check out the following examples of warm up exercises to help you start your daily routine off right:
1) Walking – Start by walking in place for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps to gently raise your heart rate and breathing before beginning more strenuous exercise.
2) Bicycle Riding – Hop on your stationary bicycle for 5 to 10 minutes if you are not into walking in place. Maintain your pace to ensure a proper warm up.
3) Rowing – Either stationary or actually on the water, use this warm up exercise to increase blood flow, while using your arm and leg muscles.
4) Stretching – Take care to do slow, thorough movements, to build flexibility and to avoid muscle injury.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/129030-warmup-exercises-seniors/

Capitol Rehab is pleased to announce that Dr. Beck has recently completed his Upper Extremity certification of Active Release Technique. Dr. Beck is now certified in both Upper and Lower Extremity protocols, broadening his knowledge of a variety of soft tissue injuries.

Active Release Technique is described as “a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves.”

At Capitol Rehab-Arlington, Dr. Beck is able to integrate this very comprehensive soft tissue technique with functional rehabilitation and Chiropractic Care to provide very detailed treatment of such difficult conditions as Carpal Tunnel, Sciatica, Plantar Fasciitis, Shin Splints and Tennis Elbow.

Dr. Beck plans on completing ART certifications in Spine and Long Tract Nerve Entrapment later this year.

That was a comment recently posted on Twitter.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Super Chef, Emeril Lagasse.  He says, “Fried food isn’t bad for you, bad fried food is bad for you.”  The same applies to chiropractors.  People don’t dislike chiropractors, they dislike bad chiropractors.

It is highly recommended that you seek out a “Sports Chiropractor” or a chiropractor who incorporates treatments not just of the joints, but also of the muscles, nerves and surrounding soft tissues.

Such a doctor may or may not perform miracles, but will certainly encourage functional changes that will significantly reduce your back pain, but will also improve functionality and performance.  A good site to start your search may be www.activerelease.com.