By Sandy Baird, DC, ART

When it comes to strengthening exercises for the hamstrings, a more accurate description would be “Good, Better, and Ugly”.  Most hamstring injuries occur during the late-swing phase of gait, as the hamstrings eccentrically contract to help slow down the leg.  Any strengthening that can be done in an eccentric manner can help prevent injury.

Straight-leg deadlifts/Goodmornings (“Better”)

These are the best exercise for this, as they allow strengthening over both of the joints that the hamstrings cross (the hip and the knee).  This allows you to train the hamstrings in positions that best approximate the motions of running.  Click here to learn how to perform straight-leg deadlifts with proper form.

Nordic hamstring exercises (“Good”)

 Nordic hamstring curls only strengthen across the knee joint, as the hip is held in a fixed position.  Nonetheless, they have been shown to prevent injuries.   Let yourself fall from a kneeling position while someone holds your feet.  Catch yourself just before you reach the floor, push up and repeat.

Concentric hamstring curls (“Ugly)

These have actually been shown to raise susceptibility of injury to the muscle during eccentric contraction, since they reduce the number of sarcomeres in the fibers (resulting in the muscle operating best at a shorter length).  If you will be running or sprinting, you want your hamstrings to work optimally at all lengths!  Avoid traditional concentric hamstring curl exercises.  If you can’t break your addiction to the hamstring curl machine at the gym, you can still focus on the eccentric phase by raising the weight with both legs (should feel easy), and then slowly lowering with one leg.

References:

1)      Arnason, A., Andersen, T.E., Holme, I., Engebretsen, L. & Bahr, R. (2008) Prevention of hamstring strains in elite soccer: an intervention study Scandanavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 18 (1), 40-48

2)      Brocket, C.L., Morgan, D.L. & Proske, U. (2004) Predicting hamstring strain injury in elite athletes Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, 36 (3), 379–387.

3)      Mjolsnes, R., Arnason, A., Osthagen, T., Raastad, T., & Bahr, R. (2004) A 10-week randomized trial comparing eccentric vs. concentric hamstring strength training in well-trained soccer players Scandanavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 14, 311-317.

When:  Saturday, March 10th between 4-8PM

Where:  NorCal Golf Academy:   2094 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite B | Walnut Creek, CA 94596    (In the same complex as Dutch Girl Cleaners by the entrance of 24.)

What:  Experience state of the art technology such as the K-Vest and K-Trainer!  Try a swing, do some rehab exercises.  Golf Pros, Golf Exercise Trainers, and Golf Sports Medicine staff will be there to answer questions about Golf and other sports, Sports Medicine, Video Analysis, Fitness, etc.     Snacks and drinks provided.

NorCal Golf Academy is an indoor golf facility equipped with a putting green, 3 golf swing bays all with video and K-vest, a launch monitor, TRX and fitness equipment as well as a sports medicine clinic.

Innersport provides sports medicine support via ART, Graston, Spidertech, and rehab exercises for NorCal Golf Academy’s golfers as well as local triathletes, runners, cyclists, youth athletes, and weekend warriors.

To learn more about NorCal Golf Academy, visit:   www.norcalgolfacademy.com  or come to the Open House!

Do you ever find yourself asking your significant other, “Please, just press here, right between my shoulderblades!”  Are there tight, sore muscles that you notice yourself pushing on frequently to try to get some relief?  You may have trigger points in your muscles.  Trigger points are taut, irritable bands (about the size of a pea) in your tissues.  There are several types of trigger points, but I’ll save that discussion for a future blog post.  what I want to offer you today are two tools you can use to reduce the irritating sensations of trigger points.

Up first is the “S-hook massager.”  You can buy the type with knobs or the smooth type, but they act on the same principle.  you drape one end of the curved hook over your chest, and position the other end over the sore areas in your back.  The tool acts like a fulcrum, allowing you to push on the end that’s in front of you, generating pressure over the other end.  It’s easy to moderate the amount of pressure by modifying how hard you push, and it’s easy to re-position the tool to get multiple trigger points in a short amount of time.  Most people will naturally start with the area between the shoulder blades (rhomboids and traps), but don’t forget to search for trigger points in the muscles that lay over the scapula themselves (infraspinatus and teres minor).  You can switch your grip so the hook is held out to the side to put pressure on any trigger points you find in the pec minor and pec major muscles.  Hold each point for 10 seconds or until the pain starts to dissipate.  Another cool thing about these tools is that they break into two pieces so that you can take it with you when you travel.

Up next is one sock and one tennis ball.  Slide a (clean) tennis ball into a (clean) sock.  Stand with your back to a wall.  Hold the open end of the sock and fling the ball end behind you.  Now bend your knees slightly so you will be able to generate some force with your body weight.  Position the ball on the most sore spot in your back, lean into it, hold pressure for 10 seconds, then roll onto the next spot.  You can also face the wall and place the ball on your pecs, and then carefully lean into it.  The sock will keep the ball from dropping as you shift positions, and also serves as a visual cover to hide the tennis ball from your dog.  If they don’t see the ball go in there, they won’t try to chew it up.  Unless they love socks.  Then you’re out of luck and maybe you should try the S-hook.

Give them both a try and see what works best for you!

Did you ever notice that it’s a challenge to carry protein-rich snacks with you if you don’t have a cooler or a fridge to store them in?  Veggies are easy to cut up and stack in a Tupperware.  Nuts and fruits are naturally portable as well.  But unless you want to start loading up your pockets with pieces of pre-cooked meat, you may be looking for alternate easy protein-rich snacks.

This weekend, pop open two cans of organic garbanzo beans, drain and rinse them in a colander, and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.  Toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, sea salt, and your favorite spices (or try cumin, garlic, and paprika).  Pour them onto a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and give them a shake so they spread out.  Pop them into the oven for about 40 minutes at 425 degrees.  Check them after 30 minutes to make sure they’re not burning.  They should come out crispy.  If they aren’t yet crisp, turn up the heat and give them another few minutes.  Let them cool, and then store them either wrapped in their foil, or in a dry Tupperware.  They stay crispy for a few days and are the perfect portable, pop-able protein snack!

Option 1: cook your own beans from scratch, and then pat them dry before tossing them with the olive oil.

Option 2: Only use one can of beans.  * This isn’t a very good option because you will want to eat the whole batch as soon as it’s out of the oven.  And if you do, well, you won’t have any crispy beans leftover for later in the week.

Should you train or rest before a major race?

The best way to train a couple of days before an important race or a marathon is to stop training altogether. How long you can exercise a muscle depends on how much sugar you can store in that muscle before you start to exercise. Dr. Dave Costill of Ball State University asked one group of highly- trained runners to jog at a slow pace on the two days prior to measuring their muscle sugars and another group to not jog at all. The runners who didn’t jog stored the most sugar.

Studies on bicycle racers show that their muscles will load maximally with sugar when they take a very hard workout four days prior to racing and then ride easily for the next three days. However, running three or four days before a marathon will decrease the amount of sugar that muscles can store, presumably because hard running damages muscles and interferes with their ability to store sugar.

There is no evidence that a hard workout in the week before a race will help a runner during that race. Hard training tears down muscles and it take several days for the muscles to heal sufficiently to improve performance. Run at a slow pace on the fifth, fourth and third day before your event, and do not run at all on the last two days.

From Stacie Hovland:

Drip Drop is a fast-acting fluid replacement for mild to moderate dehydration that tastes great. Drip Drop is a new type of ORS. It has two to three times the electrolytes of leading sports drinks, yet it meets or exceeds the taste levels of the most popular sports drinks on the market.

Drip Drop ORS quickly restores proper electrolyte and fluid balance lost through training, and competitions. It also provides relief due to vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, or excessive heat during illnesses. For mild to moderate dehydration, it can save trips to the emergency room, or save patients the discomfort of intravenous drip therapy.

Whether you are a parent to a sick dehydrated child, caretaker to an elder needing hydration, or active in a physically demanding lifestyle, Drip Drop offers a solution to a common problem of dehydration. Water is such a large component of our body, undeniably necessary, and so often we turn to beverages that are either lacking viability with the correct electrolyte levels or taste. Drip Drop provides an optimal electrolyte level to facilitate the absorption of fluids with a fresh lemon taste.

The founder and creator of Drip Drop, Dr. Eduardo Dolhun, is a practicing physician, Mayo Clinic graduate and lecturer at Stanford University. It’s wonderful to have our Bay Area the epicenter of such an important advancement. Drip Drop doesn’t stop here however. The ready to mix, just add water powder has already traveled to Haiti and Pakistan helping save lives globally.

First adopted by the World Health Organization more than 30 years ago, oral rehydration therapy constitutes one of the most important medical advances of the last century. It relies on a simple mixture of electrolytes, sugar and water taken orally. This oral rehydration solution (ORS) activates the sodium-glucose co-transport system to pull water and electrolytes into the body.

The education and implementation of proper rehydration is important in the San Francisco Bay Area among healthcare professionals, to professional and high endurance athletes, and families. It is currently available through certain Walgreens pharmacies and at www.dripdrophydration.com. The reaction to taste alone has been one of relief and joy as seen on amazon customer reviews.  Drip Drop payed notice and will be coming out with three new delicious flavors, orange, honey tea, and berry, in the beginning of 2012.

Drip Drop has been put into regular use by athletes, and families of all kinds, and is currently part of hydration protocols for collegiate and professional sports teams. For recommendations of where our product would benefit people in the bay area please email info [at] dripdrophydration [dot] com.

For mild to moderate dehydration due to Competitions, Training, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Colds and Flu, Sweating, Excessive heat, appropriate for Children, Adults, and the Elderly. This ORS has No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. A solution to dehydration that works and tastes great. 

ART is a great method to both diagnose and treat soft tissue conditions (carpal tunnel, swimmer’s shoulder, rotator cuff problems, plantar fasciitis, just to name a few).  For more information about the technique please visit http://www.activerelease.com/what_patients.asp

To sign up with me, please schedule your free appointment through our website:

http://www.genbook.com/bookings/slot/reservation/30050141?bookingSourceId=1000

Click on “new patient,” then select Dr. Sandy Baird.  Choose any Tuesday in February, and then please enter ART Tuesdays in the memo field.  Spaces are limited so sign up soon if you’re interested.

Details: For new patients only.  Appointments must be scheduled with Dr. Sandy Baird.  One free appointment per person.  24 hour cancelation notice applies.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Tuesday, February 7th at 7pm (free)

Do you experience pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands after working at the computer for long periods of time? Do you have a friend or family member who has told you they have carpal tunnel syndrome. This lecture will help you gain a better understanding of carpal tunnel syndrome and related overuse injuries. What most people think of when they hear “carpal tunnel” isn’t necessarily a problem with the wrist. The following topics will be addressed:

* What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
* Other injuries that can mimic the symptoms of carpal tunnel.
* How to tell if you have true carpal tunnel syndrome.
* How you can prevent carpal tunnel and other injuries.
* Why surgery isn’t always the most appropriate treatment.
* What to do if you start feeling the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Please RSVP to drsandy [at] innersport [dot] com.
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Nutrition for Peak Performance

Tuesday, February 21th at 7pm (free)

You can have the perfect biomechanics, optimal skeletal alignment, and the strongest muscles in the world, but if you are not taking in the right fuel, you’re leaving your body prone to fatigue (which is one of the most common causes of soft tissue injuries.)

Attend this lecture to learn what foods to eat and which foods to avoid. We’ll discuss the role of protein, fats, and carbohydrates in the diet, and we’ll talk about optimal timing for consuming each of them. We’ll offer suggestions for preparing quick, healthful snacks that you can throw in your bag at the beginning of a busy day, and you may even leave with a few new delicious recipes to try!

Please RSVP to drsandy [at] innersport [dot] com.
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Self Care for Yoga Practitioners

Date: tbd

Content:   tbd
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Here is your chance to experience an ART treatment for FREE!  Maybe you’ve heard about Active Release Techniques but haven’t gone for it and signed up for any treatments.  Perhaps this is your first time hearing of ART, and you have nagging shoulder, wrist, knee, or foot pain.  Either way, take advantage of this opportunity.  For a limited time, I’m offering free ART sessions on Tuesday afternoons.  I would love to sit down with you, discuss your injury or issue, and then provide you with some soft tissue treatment.

ART is a great method to both diagnose and treat soft tissue conditions (carpal tunnel, swimmer’s shoulder, rotator cuff problems, plantar fasciitis, just to name a few).  For more information about the technique please visit http://www.activerelease.com/what_patients.asp

To sign up with me, please schedule your free appointment through our website:

http://www.genbook.com/bookings/slot/reservation/30050141?bookingSourceId=1000

Click on “new patient,” then select Dr. Sandy Baird.  Choose either Tuesday the 17th or the 24th, and then please enter ART Tuesdays in the memo field.  Spaces are limited so sign up soon if you’re interested.

Details: For new patients only.  Appointments must be scheduled with Dr. Sandy Baird.  One free appointment per person.  24 hour cancelation notice applies.

What are intervertebral discs?

In between each of our spinal bones (vertebra) are discs that act as shock absorbers and keep the vertebrae separated, allowing them to move properly.  These intervertebral discs are made up of an inner and an outer layer.  The outer layer, the annulus fibrosus, consists of many layers of fibrocartilage, which distribute pressure across the disc.  The inner layer, the nucleus pulposus, contains a gel-like fluid with loose fibers floating in it.  It is similar to a jelly donut.  The annulus fibrosus is the delicious, sweet doughy pastry shell, and the nucleus pulposus is the sticky red jelly that inevitably ends up all over your shirt.

What causes a disc injury (herniation)?

When you bite into the front of that donut, the jelly gets forced to the back of the donut.  With a strong enough bite, or repeated small bites, the jelly is forced to the outside of the donut.  Taking a big bite out of a donut is analogous to undergoing major trauma to the spine (car crash, sports collision, etc.)  Taking many small bites is equivalent to experiencing a series of microtraumas to the spine (the damaging “flexed” position typical of poor posture, the repetitive motions of typing, etc.)  The microtraumas accumulate over months to years and can cause the disc to degenerate.  Aging, poor nutrition (such as eating too many donuts!), and chronic smoking also factor into determining the extent of disc degeneration.  The pain associated with a disc injury comes partially from the mechanical irritation of the “jelly” squeezing it’s way out of the disc and into the epidural space, where it presses on delicate nerve roots.  Further pain is caused because the “jelly” contains chemical irritants called cytokines, which cause inflammation and irritation of the nerve structures in the area.

What should I expect?

The pain associated with a disc injury may start slowly, and may get worse after standing or sitting, when bending backwards, or when coughing, sneezing, or laughing.  The most common area for a disc injury is the lower back.  You may have sharp pain in the leg, hip, or butt.  There may also be pain, tingling, or numbness below your knee or into your foot.  This is commonly referred to as sciatica.  A disc injury in your neck may result in pain upon moving the neck, pain in your shoulder, arm, and sometimes into the fingers.  Some disc injuries also result in muscle weakness in the involved areas.  Your symptoms will likely resolve in weeks to months.  Most cases resolve without surgery, but there are instances when a patient elects to have surgery so that they can get out of pain faster.  You will need to notify your doctor immediately if you notice progressive muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in your genital or anal area, or loss of bowel or bladder function.

What to do about it?

To allow a disc injury to heal, we need to remove the damaging stimulus.  This may mean avoiding certain postures, lifting lighter loads, and bracing your core before making sudden movements.  As soon as you are able, you should return to your normal activities unless they aggravate your pain.  Avoid sitting for long periods of time without taking a break, bending, and twisting.  As soon as you injure a disc, apply ice to the painful area for twenty minutes every two hours.  After three days, you can start to use a heat pack for twenty minutes every two hours to reduce muscle spasms and increase circulation.  Therapies such as ART, Garston, and chiropractic manipulation can be useful to address soft tissue restrictions in the damaged tissues.  Depending on the individual and the extent of the injury, your doctor can come up with the most appropriate treatment plan for you.  Once the healing process is underway, these manual therapies can be combined with exercises to further rehabilitate your injury.  These exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles in the injured area, as well as balance out different muscle groups so that the spine will be under minimal stress.