Matthews Chiropractic Center » In the Office

FOOD DRIVE for Matthews Children

Matthew Leibman — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:50:17 +0000

Dear Patients and Friends,

Our office along with other Matthews chiropractic offices, have founded an organization called “Chiropractors Hearts and Hands for Matthews Children.” The purpose of this organization is to support the Matthews Help Center by annually collecting non-perishable food items for needy children and their families in the Matthews region during the week of Valentine’s Day. This year, our food drive will run from Monday, February 13th through Friday, February 17th. Donations will be collected in our office.

Any non-perishable food items that you would like to donate to our cause would be greatly appreciated by our office and the children of Matthews that we care for and serve.

Thank you for your thoughts and donations as we strive to improve our community one child and family at a time.

Dr. Leibman

Avoid OTC Cough & Cold Meds for Children Under 4

Almost Fully Healed

Matthew Leibman — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:21:54 +0000

Wow, what a difference 3 weeks makes. Since my back injury on January 2nd I spent a week off my feet, a week working in discomfort, and last week started to jog again. This week there are almost no signs of my injury. I can provoke pain with certain core stabilization exercises that stress muscles that I injured.

Muscular Injuries Can Be Really Painful

I am supremely grateful for the frequent, judicious chiropractic treatments that I received since the day of my injury. Not without pain, I impatiently found the balance between resting, stretching, and exercise (walking). I applied ice frequently, often after simply maneuvering onto the couch, and was careful not to move in any manner that would have made my condition worse.

Following a few basic tenets I was able to recover from an injury that brought a great deal of pain and cost me productivity.

Chiropractic Care – good spinal motion is essential to health and promotes healing
Ice to quell inflammation
Good Nutrition – hydrate well, avoid foods that inflame, eat & supplement to reduce inflammation and oxidation (antioxidants)
Know your limits – rest when movement hurts and extend your range of motion as you can tolerate

I’ve run 21 miles since last week and I’m registered to participate in the Southpark RaceFest 1/2 marathon again in April. I plan to continue stability training so that I heal completely, strengthen my core, and protect myself for the future. Of course I will continue with my regular chiropractic adjustments.

Chiropractor on the Mend

Chiropractor on the Mend

Matthew Leibman — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:43:15 +0000

While many started the New Year with shopping or rest and relaxation, my plan included a home improvement project on the second day of 2012. An accidental misstep led to an injury from which I am still recovering. My accident left me with severe muscle strain and spasms, lumbar joint fixation (loss of joint motion between vertebral segments), an antalgic lean, bruises, and intense pain. Last Wednesday, I was encouraged because I could walk in the grocery store while pushing a shopping cart for support.

Experiencing an injury allowed me to test all the advice that I normally recommend for my patients. I was out of commission for a week, so I can tell you that I was eager to return to better functioning, productivity, and the ability to lift my children. Activities as basic as bathing, dressing, getting in and out of the car, moving on and off the couch, or getting into bed were all provocative.

My Healing Recipe:

Ice (20 minutes, then at least 20 min off) throughout the day, often needed just after moving onto the couch or into the car
Avoid Movement and Rest
Chiropractic treatment to increase ROM and facilitate joint motion
Ultrasound therapy to reduce muscle spasm
Position of comfort (leaning to my right offered protection while moving and could ease pain while resting)
Anti-inflammatory products including NSAIDs, flax seed oil, bromelain supplement & pineapple, zinc, antioxidants
Walking (first with the support of a cart, then on the sidewalk)
Stretching as I could tolerate (before getting out of bed in the morning and throughout the day)
Drinking plenty of water to flush toxins from my system

Chiropractic treatments were at times as painful as any movement I attempted, but Flexion-Distraction Therapy allowed my joints to be moved and helped me to stand straighter, however incrementally. I received daily chiropractic treatments last week and have already had two visits this week. I will always choose the discomfort of treatment over the soreness of inactivity when faster healing is possible.

I admit that I was very fortunate to have the support of family, friends, and extended family that made it possible for me to be so inactive for a week and to be transported to my chiropractic visits. My range of motion is not 100%, I’m still sore to sit or stand for prolonged periods, certain movements can stop me in my tracks, and it hurts me to get into my car. Take away what you will, but after sustaining an injury that wouldn’t allow me to stand vertically for 5 days, I was able to return to work a week later. On Monday, January 9, 2012, I was able to return to treating my patients and I continue to progress daily.

Improve on my regimen for recovery by adding: Fish Oil, Resveratrol, Quercetin, and ginger to your diet for increased defense against inflammation.

Please be careful in all the activities that you do. If you should sustain an injury, please let us help you at Matthews Chiropractic Center.

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Don’t Make your Pain Worse

Matthew Leibman — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:46:54 +0000

I was reminded again recently how ingrained is our instinct to put heat on pain. The trouble is that there is a time for heat when treating injured muscles and joints, but not when an injury is new. When muscles are newly injured, in a motor vehicle collision, sports injury, slip and fall, or otherwise, applying ice is the best first aid. For new injuries treat with ice or cold packs, applied to the area of pain for 20 minutes, wrapped in paper towel or over a t-shirt, every 2-3 hours to alleviate pain and reduce inflammation for the first 48 hours or more. Do not apply ice for more than 20 minutes at a time. Allow at least 20 minutes to pass between treatments.

Applying any type of heat, be it a heating pad, hot water bottle, commercially available heat wrap, soaking in a hot tub/bath, or otherwise, to injured muscles can boost the inflammatory response and pain. Increased inflammation can affect a broader area, intensify pain and delay healing. Avoid heat for new injuries.

As a Rule…

if pain is new, sharp, shooting, or burning, then you should apply ice. If muscle pain is more than a few days old, sore, or dull and achy, the use of heat may be more appropriate. If after an injury you have pain radiating or traveling into the arms or legs, this is a sign of a more serious injury to the nerves. You should contact our office for consultation or present to another medical provider.

Muscles do the work of moving the bones and joints in the body, so when muscles are injured or not working properly, chances are that spinal joints may also be affected. This is why at Matthews Chiropractic Center my approach focuses not just on improving and maintaining movement of the joints of the body, but also on treating and instructing home care of the associated muscles.

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