Chiropractic And Acupuncture – One Location – Portland, Maine
Chiropractic and Acupuncture Under One Roof! So Much easier. What are the benefits of having chiropractic and acupuncture under one roof? The most time consuming part of doctor visits for most Mainers is driving to and from appointments and waiting once they get to the office. Rather than driving to a chiropractor, then across town for acupuncture, waiting in two places, and then paying in two locations, it is much more efficient to go to one location. You may have a family, a job, a life. Time, quality time, is irreplaceable. Respecting your time should be a top priority of any office you go to. After all, you are seeking help to enjoy your life, not to hang out in your car or the doctors office. Time is your most valuable commodity, don’t waste it. Don’t let others waste it either. Is there a benefit to having one doctor perform both services? What do you think? Having one person, licensed in both chiropractic and acupuncture, means that they can seamlessly integrate care holistically. They can also maximize the benefits of both for your specific needs. Do practitioners communicate about your case if they are in different offices? Sometimes,...
read moreSteve Vai Had Trigger Finger Surgery!
Guitar player magazine reported that the great Steve Vai is recovering from surgery following a “trigger finger” diagnosis, which was the result of the sustained holding of a chord. What is trigger finger, how does it affect musicians, and what can you do to prevent and resolve it? What Is Trigger Finger? Simply put, trigger finger is when a finger gets stuck in the bent position. Much like a tendonitis, the soft tissue becomes inflamed and extremely contracted. Sometimes the finger releases and snaps, like a trigger. The medical term for this condition is “stenosing tenosynovitis,” which basically means that there is a shrinking of the sheath of tissue around a tendon of the finger that causes it to become restricted and contracted with inflammation. Slow fingers? Poor Muscle Memory? Musician Finger Speed Solved. The cause of trigger finger is often repetitive stress. In musicians, “Playing Related Musculoskeletal Disorders” are called PRMD’s. Prevention of PRMD’s includes proper warming up, stretching, strengthening, post play cool down, taking breaks and evaluating daily activities that could make one more vulnerable to PRMD’s. Things like computer work, cooking, driving, sleep position, history of injuries and activities may all contribute to vulnerability and perpetuation...
read moreSaxophone Injuries – Musician Injury Specialist
Sax Breaks Backs. And other parts… Saxaphone players are prone to injuries that may impair their performance, but may also disrupt their life outside of music. Finger, wrist, neck and back injuries are common. Back pain, neck pain and headaches are leading causes of missed work worldwide. Your concerns are legitimate and demand proper attention in order to reduce your risk of future disability or inability to play. An 2019 article published The journal “Medical Problems of Performing Artists” discussed the most common injuries among saxophone players. PRMD’s (playing related musculoskeletal disorders) are remarkably common in saxaphone players. Small injuries may lead to bigger injuries, even disabling pain that derails careers. Professional and college level saxophonists were polled and 76.15% had had some form of PRMD in the past. 50% had a PRMD in the past year. 21.1% had a PRMD in the past week! The most common areas of pain and injury were the wrists, neck, mouth and jaw. “The most common self-reported postural habits were forward head position and rounded upper back. Postures that correlated with higher pain ratings were rounded upper back and backward pelvic tilt. The rounded upper back, backward pelvic tilt, and excessive curve...
read moreDrug Free Pain Relief During Recovery
Drugs, Alcohol, Addiction, Chiropractic and Recovery. Pain Relief without addictive medications. For those in recovery, pain relief is limited. Any medication with potential for addiction is skipped over for what are usually simple over the counter anti inflammatory pain killers like Aleve. Surgery and subsequent medications would be risky for a recovering addict, and it’s simply not an option. Why is chiropractic such an amazing tool for those in recovery? Chiropractors make up the third largest healthcare profession after medicine and dentistry. It is a drug free form of healthcare. The entire focus is on the health and function of the nervous system and it’s relationship with your spine and body. Your body has the potential to heal itself. For patients with headaches, neck pain, back pain, joint pain, neuralgia, disc herniations and a host of other issues that cause pain, chiropractic is an effective form of treatment without the use of drugs or surgery. Additionally, by contributing to better brain and nerve control of your body, chiropractic actually makes you healthier, more adaptable, mentally more clear. While little research has been done on the topic, theoretically, chiropractic care could aid in overcoming addiction. Your health depends on staying...
read morePiano Back Pain.
Piano Posture Causing Low Back Pain? If you play piano and your back hurts, there are reasons and solutions that are important to your future. You’ve learned to sit up straight on a flat wooden bench. You have put in hundreds to thousands, to tens of thousands of hours of focused practice. Your back hurts during or after practice or performance and it’s starting to affect your ability to wash dishes, play with your kids, even sleep. At some point you have to think about your viability as a musician down the road. That’s why this blog exists for you. When you sit up straight on any surface, with extension in your low back and shoulders, you are compressing the joints of the low and mid back, increasing muscular tension in your low back. This combination is one of the leading causes of low back pain, temporary disability, and real trouble if you want to continue to play. As joints of the spine continue to be “loaded” with stress and compression, arthritis and pain are the predictable outcome. We Were Not Designed To Sit All Day. In non musicians, low back pain remains the leading cause of disability in...
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