East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C.

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Treating Muscle Knots with the Graston Technique®

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You can usually find them with your fingertips — those small, tender, rope-like spots buried in the muscles of your upper traps, your lower back, or the side of your hip. You press, and they push back. You stretch, and they refuse to soften. Sometimes they radiate a dull ache far from where you are pressing, leaving you wondering why your shoulder hurts when the source of the trouble seems to be somewhere else entirely. These stubborn pockets of restricted tissue are commonly called muscle knots, and they are one of the most frequent — and most frustrating — reasons patients walk into our office.

Muscle knots feel deceptively simple to fix. Roll them out, press them harder, stretch them more — surely something will give. But anyone who has lived with a recurring knot in the shoulder or low back knows the truth: most of these tight spots simply do not respond to general stretching or self-massage in the long term. The reason has less to do with the muscle itself and more to do with the layers of connective tissue surrounding it. If you have already read about how stubborn restrictions interact with muscle tightness when returning to exercise, this article picks up where that one left off and focuses specifically on what to do when a knot will not let go.

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Spring Cleaning Injuries: Protecting Your Back and Shoulders

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Every spring, millions of people dive into the annual ritual of deep-cleaning their homes — moving furniture, hauling boxes from attics, scrubbing floors, and reaching into corners that haven’t been touched since last year. It feels productive, even cathartic. And then, somewhere around the third hour, something stops you cold… a sharp pull in your lower back, a sudden ache in your shoulder, or a stiffness that wasn’t there when you started. You’re not imagining it. Spring cleaning is physically demanding work, and the injuries that come with it are more common (and more treatable) than most people realize.

At East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C., we see a predictable uptick in patients every spring who’ve overdone it during their seasonal cleaning. Whether you’ve strained a muscle moving a sofa or aggravated an old shoulder issue by scrubbing ceiling fans, this article will walk you through what’s happening in your body, why it happens, and how Graston Technique® — the specialized soft-tissue treatment we focus on — can accelerate your recovery.

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Preventing and Treating Holiday-Based Injuries

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The holiday season can be a wonderful time spent with friends and family. It can also be a time of stress. The last thing you want to worry about when getting ready for the holidays is chronic pain and discomfort. Since holiday injuries are common, it is good to look at how to prevent them and how to treat them.

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5 Tips for Preventing Pain Caused by Surfing

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Summer in New York is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors, and many of us find ourselves more active during this season than any other. Studies show that activity levels peak in spring and summer, from walking in our communities to participating in sports like surfing. And while staying active is key to a long, healthy life, it doesn’t come without risks.

A 2023 study revealed that over 3.7 million people were treated in emergency departments for sports- and recreation-related injuries. Even more experience mild aches and pains that go untreated. Surfing, in particular, uses muscles we often neglect in daily life, making the risk of injury higher than expected.

Common Injuries Caused by Surfing

Surfing doesn’t just pose a risk of injury from wipeouts; the activity itself can strain your body. Some of the most common surfing-related injuries include:

  • Shoulder impingement
  • Lower back pain
  • Knee injuries
  • Hip flexor strain
  • Cuts and abrasions to the feet and toes

5 Tips to Prevent Surfing Injuries

To minimize injury while surfing, incorporate the following practices into your routine:

  1. Warm up with mobility exercises before entering the water.
  2. Use proper surfing technique to reduce joint and muscle strain.
  3. Stretch and cool down after surfing to aid recovery.
  4. Take regular rest days to allow your body to heal.
  5. Consider soft tissue support treatments, like the Graston Technique®, to manage pain and prevent chronic conditions.

Is Surfing Hard on Your Body?

Yes, surfing is a full-body workout that demands strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance. It places stress on multiple muscle groups, especially the shoulders, knees, core, and back. Consistent surfing in challenging conditions requires proper warm-ups and cool-downs to avoid strain and injury.

How Often Do Surfers Get Injured?

Like any high-impact sport, surfing comes with its share of injuries. Rotator cuff tendonitis is common among surfers due to the repetitive paddling motion. Lower back and knee strains are also prevalent, often linked to soft tissue damage.

One proven method for treating these injuries is the Graston Technique®. This treatment utilizes stainless-steel instruments that comb over the affected areas and pinpoint the location of the scar tissue buildup around the damaged soft tissue. The scar tissue deep under the skin can then be broken up, which alleviates the pain and increases mobility. This allows you to heal faster and get back to your favorite activities, including surfing.

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness Can Assist With Your Recovery from Surfing Injuries

If you love summer activities like surfing, don’t let an injury keep you on the sidelines. At East Bay Chiropractic Wellness, we specialize in the Graston Technique® to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility. Our experienced team has nearly 30 years of expertise helping patients recover from sports injuries and chronic conditions.

Contact us today to discover how chiropractic care can support your active lifestyle and help keep doing what you love, pain-free.

Can Subluxations Clear Up on Their Own?

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The term “subluxation” has several meanings across different disciplines, but in the study of chiropractic care, a vertebral subluxation is a misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine. When a vertebra is misaligned, it can put pressure on a spinal nerve, potentially disrupting nerve communication, causing injuries, or even contributing to disease development. A vertebral subluxation may or may not be visible on an x-ray.

Will a Subluxation Go Away on Its Own?

It is possible for some subluxations to resolve spontaneously. In those cases where the misalignment is minor and not causing excessive discomfort, the body may correct the issue over time. This depends on several factors, including individual health and lifestyle. It may not be sufficient to rely on the body’s ability to heal, especially if the pain persists or worsens.

How Long Does a Subluxation Take to Heal?

Minor subluxations may heal within a few days or weeks with proper rest, gentle stretching, and maintaining good posture. The healing process varies significantly based on the severity of the subluxation and an individual’s overall health. More severe misalignments may require chiropractic adjustments or specialized treatments such as the Graston Technique® to promote effective healing. Promptly establishing a care plan can help prevent long-term injuries, chronic pain, and restricted mobility.

The Graston Technique® uses specialized instruments to assist in soft-tissue manipulation. The technique is used to induce inflammation to boost blood flow and promote healing in affected soft tissues. Patients experiencing back pain may also receive treatment targeting hip flexors, shoulders, and other areas connected through the fascial network. However, the Graston Technique® should not be used in cases such as spinal compression fractures or any condition contraindicated for soft-tissue mobilization.

Can a Misaligned Back Heal on Its Own?

The body has mechanisms to correct minor injuries and misalignments, but a consistently misaligned back may not heal completely without targeted intervention. Chronic subluxations can contribute to continuing discomfort, muscle tension, and nerve irritation. Chiropractic care, physical therapy, and exercises designed to strengthen the supportive muscles can help realign the spine and prevent recurring issues.

What Happens If You Don’t Treat a Subluxation?

If left untreated, a subluxation can cause persistent discomfort or stiffness that may worsen over time. Untreated subluxations can contribute to degenerative spinal changes, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis or herniated discs. They can also affect the nerves and cause radiating pain, tingling, or numbness in the extremities. Declining spinal health can negatively affect daily activities, posture, and overall quality of life.

Early intervention leads to a faster recovery and reduces the risk of long-term complications associated with untreated spinal misalignments. It’s important to seek a professional evaluation and treatment for persistent or recurrent issues.

Explore The Benefits of Chiropractic Care at East Bay Chiropractic Wellness

In addition to conventional chiropractic care, East Bay Chiropractic specializes in the use of the Graston Technique®. In fact, we are the first on Long Island to be certified in the use of the technique. Book an appointment with East Bay Chiropractic today!

Does Cold Weather Cause Joint and Muscle Aches?

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Here on Long Island, we’re most of the way through winter, and while the warmer weather will be here soon, we still have to navigate the cold through the near future. The older we get, the less likely many of us are to enjoy the colder weather. For example, we’re more prone to serious injury from slipping and falling on ice, which can result in pulled muscles, spinal misalignment, and more. 

Unfortunately, you don’t need to experience an injury to feel pain and discomfort in the colder weather. Many people experience joint and muscle aches in colder weather. Below, we’ll discuss the possible causes.

Why Does My Back Hurt When It’s Cold Out?

There are a few reasons as to why your back, as well as other areas of your body, can hurt more when it’s cold out. One cause of winter back pain is something you can control: lack of exercise. We often find ourselves being less active in the winter months. It’s important to resist that urge and to continue being active, doing stretches, and other activities to promote physical health.

One of the more unavoidable reasons for pain and discomfort in the colder weather is how it affects our circulation. Our blood vessels may constrict in the colder weather, meaning less blood flow to our extremities as our body focuses on keeping our vital organs warm. Colder weather may also cause the liquid around our joints to thicken, causing stiffness and discomfort. Many traditional chiropractic treatments such as spinal manipulation can help reduce the pain, but other options may provide better results.

How Does Scraping Help Your Muscle Aches?

Part of why you may be experiencing pain and discomfort in the colder weather is from damaged tissue beneath your skin affecting your soft tissue, like your joints, ligaments, and muscles. This could be from a previous injury, or wear and tear on our bodies. The cold weather could be further impeding your flexibility.

The Graston Technique® uses specially designed stainless steel tools that require separate training and certification beyond traditional chiropractic care. These tools comb over your body to pinpoint the affected areas, the hardened tissue, and fascial adhesions causing the pain and discomfort, which gets reabsorbed into the body.

East Bay Chiropractic Wellness Can Help You Recover Faster

Aches and pains related to the cold weather can add stress and discomfort to your day-to-day life, putting you at higher risk of sustaining an injury. It’s time for you to experience the relief that only professionals with a long track record of satisfied clients can provide.

For more than 35 years, East Bay Chiropractic Wellness P.C. has been providing a wide range of chiropractic services to locate the stressors within your body and target those areas to alleviate your pain so you can focus more on enjoying your life. We can work with you on pain management and restoring the range of motion through massage, stretching exercises, spinal adjustments, the Graston Technique®, and much more. Schedule your appointment today and start your journey to a more comfortable tomorrow.