"Whole body immersion cryotherapy (WBC) has become very popular in the last few years.  Like all things that become trendy in the public realm, it is associated with all sorts of sales.  Or as some call it…benefits.  Some of these “benefits” have been: decreased soreness, improves mood, lessens depression, boosts immune system, stops the flu, activates regeneration, treats autoimmune disorders, reduces pain, increases collagen production for better skin, reduces cellulite, and decreases body fat.  I haven’t done an a ton of research on WBC.  But it seems you can support your preference either way.  So for me, it’s not something I recommend or have a strong opinion on.  As long as it’s administered safely, I see it as an n=1 situation."

I couldn't agree more with the above from Aaron Swanson's take on cryotherapy, especially his last line.

I have friends and patients who like going to US Cryotherapy in Danville/San Ramon.  Check them out!

There is something you don't hear every day....but it is true!

A study in Spine Journal looked at low back CT or MRI images of 3110 ASYMPTOMATIC (no back pain) people from 20 to over 80 years old and found (among other things):

• The prevalence of disk degeneration (arthritis) increased from 37% of 20-year-old individuals to 96% of 80-year-old individuals
• Disk bulge prevalence increased from 30% of those 20 years of age to 84% of those 80 years of age.
• Disk protrusion prevalence increased from 29% of those 20 years of age to 43% of those 80 years in age.

Here is the chart by age and percentage, from the study:

Your diagnosis does not always hinder your movement!! You can restore normal movement and participate in life WITH all these scary diagnoses.

If you have questions, we're always here!

Dominick
dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com

Insomnia has been shown to increase pain. It can be a difficult situation for patients who find it difficult to get to sleep because they are in pain, and then their pain is exacerbated because they are unable to sleep. Sleep deprivation in healthy individuals can even bring on whole body symptoms of fibromyalgia and can decrease descending inhibition (pain is more sensitized) (Choy, E 2015).

Sleep is a very hot topic at the moment, and understandably so. With technology at our fingertips and people being more wired than ever, sleeping less than 8 hours per night is becoming the norm. Unfortunately this is not at the benefit of our health.

A population who definitely understands the struggle of sleep is parents. Some new parents may not get more than an hour or two of sleep per night for the first 1-2 years – maybe longer. There could potentially be nothing more annoying than a new parent coming in to see their physiotherapist for back pain or neck pain – and being told that a large contributing factor for their pain is lack of sleep. News flash – they are aware they are getting less sleep. Something that may be more realistic is to acknowledge that the lack of sleep may increase feelings of pain, and not to panic about this. It is less likely that you have a structural issue going on, and more that you have some hypersensitivity due to lack of sleep. Sleep may not be the easiest thing to change, but things you can change is trying to fit in 5 minutes of exercise per day, drinking enough water and using a heat pack. Then when you do get some better sleep – you will probably feel a million dollars!
​
Another population that comes into mind is people who are unable to sleep because of their pain. They end up in a vicious cycle because their pain makes it difficult to get comfortable, every time they roll over they wake up in pain, then they get less good quality sleep, and then their pain increases because that have not had good sleep. Some things that can help people get to sleep include:

• Use a heat pack when you go to sleep
• Apply some Fisiocreme (similar to BenGay, IceHot) on sore areas before going to sleep
• Try sleeping with a pillow between your knees, under your knees, or hugging the pillow
• Do not worry about what position you sleep in, find one that is comfortable for you

This article was written by Emily Georgopolous, who is a physical therapist at POGO in Brisbane, Australia.

It's pretty amazing.  I see tons of people with knee pain and I consistently notice decrease calf size (atrophy) of the involved leg.  Can you guess which knee is bothering the gentleman above? Patients don't believe me, so I have collected all these pictures of people's calves.  These are a few since March 2019.  Check them out:

The exercise to help??? Simple!! Calf raises but with a few important rules to follow:

1. Use a step or stair; something with a drop off
2. Explore the ENTIRE motion; let the heel drop down then go all the way up as high as you can on your toes
3. Do 10 single leg. Then 10 both legs.  Repeat 3 times.

​You may be sore the next day, but that will subside.  You should notice more stability and strength in the knee with it being easier going up/down stairs and walking a bit faster.

If you have any questions, please give me a holler!

Enjoy your weekend!
​Dominick

While running across the lifespan can help to slow the rate of decline of cardiovascular capacity and strength, as a runner enters the masters years they will experience an inevitable and unavoidable progressive decline physiologically, biomechanically and also in performance.

Here are 5 tips to help the runner who is looking to stave active:
.

1. KEEP RUNNING! Running across the lifespan has been shown to add years to runner’s lifespan compared with non runners
2. STRENGTHEN YOUR CALVES! Between 20 & 60 yrs, runners will experience approximately 1/3 reduction in power generated at the calf when running...and your calves 
3. CHANGE UP YOUR SPEEDS!  It’s important to not get stuck in the ‘mid & comfortable running pace’ rut. Running at speed can assist with building tissue tolerance and running body resilience-which may be injury protective (when done with wisdom)
4. STRENGTH TRAINING! From 20-80yrs 30% of muscle mass is lost- resistance training can help to offset and even reverse this change .
5. MIX UP INTENSITIES! Adopting a hard: easy approach can assist with optimizing tissue health, thereby assisting with the development of a chronic training base while not being interrupted through injury 

TAKE HOME: By adding even just one of the above tips you may assist your running (P.S. Still very helpful also for runners sub 40yrs) 👍🏻

​Brad Beer, a physical therapist and owner of POGO Physio in Australia, wrote the following post.  He has tons of great information on his blog and Instagram.  Follow him @brad_beer

It's well established that aerobic exercise improves health, but a new study suggests that better cardio fitness leads to a longer life, and that the benefit may help older adults the most. The results were published online Oct. 19, 2018, by JAMA Network Open.

The Journal of the American Medical Association conducted a study and Harvard Medical School posted this article.

In the study, more than 120,000 people (59% of them men) underwent exercise treadmill testing periodically over 14 years. The researchers found that increased cardio fitness levels were directly associated with longer lives, and that people with the highest aerobic fitness levels lived the longest, especially among those over age 70.
The participants first underwent stress tests and were then classified into five groups based on their current fitness level: elite, high, above average, below average, and low. Elite performers, defined as the top 2.5% in their age group, had aerobic fitness levels comparable to endurance athletes.
​
When all the subgroups were analyzed by age, the association between higher aerobic fitness and longevity was observed in all age groups, but the benefit was greatest in people older than age 70. The researchers speculated this was most likely because the people were already fit and continued to commit to their fitness as they aged. They added that although it may be tougher to work on cardio fitness in older age, the payoff appears to be well worth it.

This article is from the Harvard Medical School in the Harvard Men's Health Watch in Feb 2019.

​Try this easy stretch for plantar fasciitis. All you need is a step! Put your big toe on the step with the ball of your foot and heel on the ground. Drive the front knee forward, holding for 3-5 sec. Perform 10x and this can be done 3-6 times a day.

This can also help out some folks with Achilles and heel pain.  Give it a try and let us know how it helps.  If you have any questions, you can always contact me at dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com

Here is a quick fix for a nagging neck issues.  It can sometimes even help shoulder achiness. 

​Simply turn your head to to the side of pain and use your fist to push your chin further into rotation.  Only hold for a second or two then return to center.  Knock 5-10 of these motions once an hour and then see how your neck feels at the end of the day.

If your neck continues to bother you, reach to us and see how we can help.  Life's too short to have nagging aches and pains...and age isn't a good enough reason!

You can always reach out to me at dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com.

Does this strecth look familiar?  It is a common one to go to for tight calves and ankles, but are you doing it correctly??

PLEASE make sure your foot is not turned out like the picture above.  We see it ALL THE TIME in clinic and we must help fix this epidemic!  Luckily, there is an easy fix to this problem.

My hands are against the wall in front of me.  They could also be on a counter or table, acting as additional support.

We hope this helps in getting the most out of your calf stretch.  If you have any questions, please let us know!

dominick@sanramonvallypt.com