East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C.

Dr. Martin Marmorale

Chiropractic Care for Ski Injuries

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Every year, more than half a million Americans are injured while skiing or snowboarding. After hitting the slopes during winter break, many of us have returned from our vacation with aches and pains, injured joints, pulled muscles, or even broken bones.

If you have sustained a skiing injury, or if you’re simply sore from a holiday ski trip, chiropractic care can help you feel and heal better.

Is Skiing Hard on Your Body?

Skiing can be a fantastic workout, improving strength, balance, coordination, endurance, and heart health. However, it can also take a toll on your body, especially if you’re a novice skier or venture onto rugged terrain. The repetitive stress and physical demands can strain your knees, ankles, and lower back, often leading to various injuries.

What Is the Most Common Injury While Skiing?

Skiing injuries can range from mild soreness to severe joint or bone damage. Some of the most frequent injuries experienced by skiers include:

Knee Injuries

  • Nearly half of all reported ski-related injuries involve the knees like ACL and MCL tears along with meniscus damage.

Other Common Injuries

  • Fractures: Broken legs from falls or collisions.
  • Spinal Injuries: Whiplash or other spinal issues from sudden stops or collisions.
  • Wrist Injuries: Fractures or sprains from falls.
  • Skier’s Thumb: Torn thumb ligaments from falling while holding a ski pole.

Is Snowboarding Hard on Your Body?

Like skiing, snowboarding can be a fun way to stay fit. However, inexperience, improper form, or overly challenging slopes can strain your joints and muscles, increasing the risk of injury. As with any sport, it’s important to warm up first and wear the appropriate protection equipment to prevent injuries.

What Is the Most Common Snowboarding Injury?

Snowboarding presents its own set of injury risks. Here are some of the most common injuries and their causes:

Wrist Fractures

  • Wrist fractures account for nearly a quarter of all snowboarding injuries due to falls with arms extended.

Other Frequent Injuries

  • Ankle Strain or Fracture: Caused by the lack of stabilization in the snowboarding boots.
  • Shoulder Dislocations: Resulting from falling with outstretched arms.
  • Knee Injuries: Occurring during falls or hard landings after jumps.

Both skiing and snowboarding can result in serious head injuries, making protective headgear and safety precautions essential.

Can a Chiropractor Help with Sports Injury?

Chiropractic care is a noninvasive, medication-free way to help you heal faster and better from sports injuries. After an injury on the slopes, chiropractic care can:

  • Reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Improve your range of motion.
  • Prevent tight scar tissue formation.
  • Enhance future athletic performance.

Chiropractic adjustments also ensure proper body alignment, improving posture, coordination, flexibility, and overall mobility.

Is Graston® Useful in Treating Injuries from Skiing?

The Graston Technique® is a treatment method used to break up fascial adhesions that can result from many types of ski injuries. The Graston® Technique alleviates aches and pains by releasing tight muscles, enhancing blood flow, reducing inflammation, and promoting healing.

We also offer traditional spinal adjustments, physical therapy, massage therapy, and other treatment modalities to provide a holistic approach to healing after skiing or snowboarding.

Winter Sports Injury? Contact Us Today to Schedule an Appointment

For more than three decades, East Bay Chiropractic Wellness in Bellmore, NY, has provided chiropractic services for skiers and other athletes. Don’t let winter sports injuries hold you back! Contact East Bay Chiropractic Wellness today to start your recovery journey.

7 Tips to Return Back to Work After an Injury 

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After suffering an injury, it’s only natural to want life to return to normal as soon as possible. We want to get back to our daily routines, including going back to work.

The healing process has its own timetable though and recovering from an injury can take longer than we’d like. It’s tempting to resume regular activities like exercise, hobbies, and working before our bodies are ready to do so.

While recovery can take time, injuries heal faster when given the care they require. When the necessary steps are taken, you’ll heal fully, avoid further complications, and get back to work sooner.

Can You Return to Work Too Soon After an Injury?

Most of us want or need to go back to work quickly after an injury, but returning to work too soon can worsen the injury, cause complications, or result in re-injury. This can slow the healing process, extend your recovery time, or even result in permanent injury. It’s important to work with your care team to create a viable return-to-work program.

How to Recover Quickly from an Injury

Injuries have their own timeline for healing, but there are actions you can take to recover faster and return to work safely.

  1. Follow injury care instructions: Throughout the healing journey, follow proper injury care protocols. This may include elevation, compression, or application of heat and cold, as recommended by your doctor, chiropractor, or other healthcare professional.
  2. Protect your sleep and mental health: Stress and inadequate sleep are enemies of recovery. Reduce stress and find ways to relax. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep, preferably on a regular sleep schedule.
  3. Keep up your strength and energy: Keep moving as much as possible, with light stretching (unless advised otherwise by your care team). Avoid movements that aggravate the injury.
  4. Watch your diet and fluid intake: Follow a healing diet high in protein, calcium, omega-3s, and vitamins C and D. Drink plenty of fluids; it’s easy to become dehydrated while healing from an injury.
  5. Stay connected to your workplace: Maintain contact with your workplace by communicating with your employer about your condition. If possible, stay connected to your work and your coworkers while you’re recovering.
  6. Consider a phased return to work: If possible, returning to work on a part-time basis or with modified duties may help transition you back into your daily duties.
  7. Make chiropractic care part of your recovery: Chiropractic care can help minimize pain, increase range of motion, reduce inflammation, and speed healing.

Can the Graston Technique® Help Me Recover from an Injury?

Injuries often leave behind fascial adhesions that limit range of motion and cause discomfort. At East Bay Chiropractic, our specialty is the Graston Technique®, a process that uses specialized stainless steel tools to locate and break up these barriers to movement and comfort. The Graston® Technique also releases knotted muscles, allowing for healthy blood flow, reduced inflammation, and faster healing.

Other chiropractic treatments like adjustments, massage therapy, physical therapy, and acupuncture also help to accelerate healing and reduce pain.

Speed Your Healing at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness has helped individuals recover from injuries for more than 35 years. We offer a broad range of holistic chiropractic services, including adjustments, massage therapy, trigger point therapy, kinesiology techniques, and more. We specialize in the Graston Technique® which can speed healing and increase your range of motion after an injury. Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Can Chiropractic Care Help with the Most Common Motorcycle Injuries?

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People often associate chiropractic care as one way to properly recover from various personal injuries. Many common sports, workplace, or auto injuries can be treated with chiropractic care. These include spinal manipulation, massage therapy, and the Graston Technique®, all of which can help alleviate chronic pain by addressing its source. These injuries include whiplash, slip and fall, and repetitive motion.

Different kinds of accidents lead to different injuries. For example, an injury that is more common in a car accident may not be as common in a motorcycle accident. So, what are the most common motorcycle injuries?

What Part of the Body Is Most Affected in Motorcycle Accidents?

While we often think of spinal injuries due to whiplash in a car accident, motorcycle accidents work in a much different way. That makes sense since motorcycle riders are more exposed than those in a car, even if they’re wearing full protective gear.

For example, the spine is one of the least likely regions of the body to be injured in a motorcycle accident. In fact, on only 4% of instances is it the most seriously injured part of the body. The face and neck also make up a low percentage of the most seriously injured body regions. You are most likely to have more serious injuries around your legs, followed by your arms and ribs.

How Do You Recover from a Motorcycle Accident?

Recovery from a motorcycle accident can vary widely. Because of the nature of motorcycle accidents, your body is exposed to more risk potential which could lead to broken bones and soft tissue damage. Depending on the severity of the injuries and how long the expected recovery time would have to be provided by a doctor. However, that projected recovery time can often be decreased with chiropractic care.

Can Graston Help with Scar Tissue from Motorcycle Accidents?

The Graston Technique® can and does help with recovery from soft tissue injuries related to motorcycle accidents. Adhesions that have developed on your soft tissue under the skin as a result of a motorcycle accident can be broken up using specialized tools. This will restore your range of motion and comfort in the affected area and will allow your body to start healing properly.

The Graston Technique® is a specialized therapy that requires training and accreditation. Make sure the chiropractor you’re considering is an expert on the Graston Technique® with a proven track record.

Dr. Marmorale Can Treat Accident-Related Injuries

Motorcycle accidents, as well as a number of other personal injuries, can lead to chronic pain and discomfort. That doesn’t mean you have to live with it. At East Bay Chiropractic Wellness, Dr. Marmorale specializes in the use of the Graston Technique® in pain management. And with more than 35 years of experience, you can rest assured that you’ll be in good hands. Contact East Bay Chiropractic today to learn more about how we can help you manage your chronic pain.

Treating Back Pain Caused by Sitting Too Much

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Our lives involve a whole lot of sitting, whether it’s at a desk for eight or more hours each day, commuting into the city, or driving kids to appointments and activities. We all know that too much sitting isn’t good for our backs and our overall health, but it’s often unavoidable in today’s world. Fortunately, there are tips and treatments for dealing with sitting’s impact on our musculoskeletal system.

[Read more…] about Treating Back Pain Caused by Sitting Too Much

Should You See a Chiropractor Before a Marathon?

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Every fall, runners train in earnest for the New York City Marathon, taking place this year on November 3. Serious runners may look forward to the marathon, but not necessarily to its impact on their bodies. Running is great exercise and a rewarding sport, but it causes strain on muscles and joints, as well as spinal misalignment and irritated nerves. It may even result in repetitive motion injuries. Luckily, chiropractic care can help runners prevent these injuries, improve their performance, and recover more quickly from injury or aches and pains.

Can a Chiropractor Help You Prepare for a Marathon?

Chiropractic care can be an important part of both marathon training and marathon recovery. Because runners are prone to a wide variety of overuse injuries, it’s crucial to optimize your biomechanics, increase your flexibility and range of motion, and strengthen any areas of weakness in your body before a race. This can help prevent common runner injuries like stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and more.

Regular chiropractic visits not only help prevent injury but also offer other benefits, such as:

  • Pain relief.
  • Improved joint function and range of motion.
  • Quicker recovery times.
  • A more robust immune system.

Not only can chiropractic care help marathon runners, but it can offer many benefits to anyone involved in athletics.

Should You See a Chiropractor Before a Marathon?

Many runners only think of visiting their chiropractor in the days following a marathon. Much of the stiff and sore aftermath of a grueling race can be prevented or reduced by seeking consistent care during the leadup to a race, during marathon training, and year-round.

Can Graston Technique Help Marathon Runners?

At East Bay Chiropractic, we specialize in the Graston Technique®. This process uses specialized stainless steel tools to locate and break up the scar tissue and fascial adhesions that can plague runners. Graston® also releases knotted muscles, allowing for healthy blood flow, reduced inflammation, and faster healing. Adapting Graston® for athletes can be incredibly beneficial.

Other chiropractic treatments we offer include adjustments to remove subluxations, massage therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture, and nutritional counseling and supplements.

How Often Should Runners See a Chiropractor?

How often you should see a chiropractor depends on your running goals, how often and how intensely you train, and your current physical condition. We recommend visiting your chiropractor more often during marathon training or any time you increase the frequency or intensity of workouts.

We also suggest monthly or bi-monthly year-round maintenance treatments to prevent pain and injury and to address any ongoing issues. Remember, you don’t have to be injured or in pain to benefit from chiropractic treatment.

East Bay Helps Athletes Prepare, Optimize, and Recover

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness has provided a broad range of chiropractic services to runners and other athletes for more than 35 years. Whether you’re a marathoner, a casual runner, or somewhere in between, we can help you feel your best with the Graston Technique®, adjustments, massage, and more. Contact us online to schedule an appointment.

Leaf Raking Injuries

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People know that it’s a great idea to stretch out before they exercise, but very few actually do it. That can lead to injuries and pain.

Year after year, we end up with patients who have sore backs and aching bodies because they didn’t take the proper precautions before raking leaves. It doesn’t sound like it should lead to injuries, but it does. Let’s talk about why.

What Muscles Do You Use When Raking Leaves?

A surprising number of muscles are involved in raking leaves. Because you are pulling with your arms, the primary muscles you engage are your biceps. But that motion also requires help from your shoulder muscles, rotator cuff, and deltoids.

Then, bagging the leaves uses your quadriceps, glutes, and all your core stabilizer muscles. In effect, raking leaves can become a long-chain exercise, hitting most of the major muscle groups in your body.

Is Raking Leaves a Strenuous Exercise?

Yes, though it is not necessarily a vigorous activity. Because so much of your body is used in the process of raking leaves, it is a strenuous exercise. Whenever you use multiple large muscle groups in an exercise, your body is exerting more than it does with a simple exercise like bicep curls. 

Many people don’t realize the additional weight that builds up in wet, decaying leaves, so you may be pulling more than you realize. Additionally, this is a repetitive stress motion. The act of raking is the same thing over and over with muscle groups that are not typically used that way. All that together means that the most common leaf-raking injuries are sore backs and shoulders.

The motion of pulling things toward us is not something we do with a lot of frequency and certainly not with the force and repetition that we do when we rake leaves. And most people don’t think to alternate their position or the side they are pulling with, according to HealthCentral.

Because we are never actually trained how to rake leaves without injuring ourselves, many end up facing autumn with sore, aching muscles or even muscle strains and pulls.

Can the Graston Technique® Help with a Raking Injury?

You may have heard that the best thing to do after overexerting a muscle is to take some form of pain reliever and relax, but that’s not the best way to minimize your pain and speed up your recovery.

If you must take a pain reliever, there is only one that we at East Bay will recommend: Nutrametrix Isotonix OPC-3. But the better way to fight the inflammation is with good nutrition, including natural anti-inflammatory nutrients such as grape seed extract, Boswellia, and curcumin. Even better is to use the Graston Technique®.

According to this study published by Illinois State University, the Graston Technique® helps stimulate the development of hemoglobin in the blood when used to treat non-specific neck pain. And why does stimulating your blood matter when you are dealing with pain?

To remove inflammation from your muscles, you need to increase blood flow. Your blood will carry away the impurities causing the discomfort and send nutrients and oxygen to your muscles, creating a faster recovery time with less soreness.

Using the Graston Technique®, we stimulate the muscle and help speed your recovery.

Contact East Bay Chiropractic Wellness for Relief from Leaf Raking Injuries

If you have injured yourself raking leaves, planting annuals, or just making the bed, the Graston Technique® can help speed up your recovery. Contact us to schedule an appointment and we can help to alleviate your pain.