Chiropractor Chandler AZ: Hip Stress Fracture

Your friendly Chiropractor in Chandler AZ, Dr. Dan Rae, is back at the computer this morning to write about Hip Stress Fractures.  I do not see Hip Stress Fractures a lot in my practice, but I have dealt with them on occasion making it something that I feel I should address.


In the image above by MMG 2000, we are able to see the different types of Hip Stress Fractures that occur at the femoral neck.  Within the bone we have different types of cells one of which is an osteoclast and the other an osteoblast.  Osteoclasts in a sense eat bone or destroy it, and osteoblasts on the other hand create bone.  With repetitive stress to the femoral neck, microfractures occur.  This damage leads to increased bone remodeling, or the removal of old bone by osteoclasts and the formation of new bone by osteoblasts.  When osteoclastic activity surpasses osteoblastic activity, the bone becomes weakened leading to fracture.

In most cases that I have had in my office the patient is usually young and active, often participating in cross country, gymnastics, dancing, or marching band.  The pain comes on rather slowly and is worse when standing.  The pain is normal felt on the front and deep into the leg.

Treatment for the Tension/Transverse Stress Fracture is different from that of the Compression Stress Fracture.  With the Transverse Stress Fracture surgical pinning is required to stabilize the hip.  With the Compression Stress Fracture an elastic support is necessary as well as rest for 2 weeks.  After the two weeks non-weight-bearing exercises are implemented such as cycling and swimming.  The Displaced Fracture require surgical pinning as well.

Author Bio:
Dr. Rae's professional interests lie in helping the community reach their health potential.  Through hundreds of hours of post-graduate training, Dr. Rae has studied different soft-tissue therapies, studying the muscles and how to help them function appropriately. He specialize in Hip pain.

Kinesiology tape: Adductor Strain/ Groin Pull

Your friendly Chiropractor in Chandler AZ, Dr. Dan Rae, is back at the computer this afternoon to talk about the Adductor Strain also known as a Groin Pull or Pulled Groin.  This is an injury that happens quite often, and I would have to say I see it mostly in individuals who do not warm up properly.

The cause of the Adductor Strain is generally from a sudden contraction of the adductor muscles (the muscles that pull the leg back to mid line) from a stretched position where the hip abducted out away from the body or in a flexed position.  The most common site of this injury is at the junction of the muscle and the tendon of the adductor magnus muscle.

These patients usually come into my office complaining pain in the groin area after performing movements such as kicking, sprinting, water skiing, or jumping such as high jumps or hurdles.  They also say that the pain in the groin came on immediately after the movement and was incapacitating.

Treatment for this condition sometimes includes an elastic figure eight strapping around the hip with slight extension and internal rotation of the hip.  Kinesiology Tape is often applied to decrease the amount of tension being placed on the adductor muscles, and myofascial release techniques such as Active Release Technique (ART) and Graston Technique are utilized to prevent scar tissue formation and encourage proper healing.

Top 6 Benefits of Active Release Technique (ART)

What is Active Release Technique or ART?

Active Art Release is a soft tissue massage technique that addresses health problems related to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. This is a common practice in treating people with overused muscles that causes adhesions or scar tissue. When this happens, our muscles become weaker and shorter. Our muscle and joints mobility are also affected due to  nerve compression. As a result, the patient will suffer from decrease of blood supply, poor mobility and pain.

ART has proven to have a 90% success rate. This approach is said to have effectively treated people with the following conditions:

• Headaches
• Back Pain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Shin Splints
• Shoulder Pain
• Sciatica
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Knee Problems
• Tennis Elbow

How is Active Release Technique Performed?

Doctor’s uses their hands to evaluate tightness and movement of the muscles, fascia, ligaments, tendons and nerves. Once the problem is identified, The ART technique is applied to correct the specific problem that is affecting the patient. By simply applying pressure, it breakdowns scar tissue, thus, allowing increase in blood flow.
Benefits of Active Release Technique

1.       Relief from back pain problems. Back pains are usually caused by nerves being trapped or compressed. By simply using the ART technique, nerve strains will start to break up and patients now feel relief from back pain.

2.       Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Art is able to address not only one affected area but to all soft tissues of the body.

3.       Knee problems. ART technique is an effective approach in minimizing knee problems which is often caused by psoas muscle.

4.       Shoulder Pain. Once you feel debilitating pain in your shoulder, a soft tissue tune-up might be a good idea. This can be done through ART therapy. With just a few months of continuous therapeutic massage, shoulder pain will be gone completely.

5.       Tennis Elbow Injury. This type of injury is commonly experienced by tennis players. ART is the most effective remedy to treat elbow injury, as it is said to primarily address ligaments, muscles, tendons and nerve issues.

6.       Shin Splints. Shin splints are commonly experience by runners, athletes and other individuals who are serious into keeping themselves healthy and fit. Having this type of injury is very painful. Normally, the lower leg is inflamed due to stress. Inflammation is the repercussion of running for too long or wearing the wrong kind of shoes. But with Active Release Technique, pain is healed restoring strength and vigor easily.