Do Chiropractors Get Hurt Too?

Being a chiropractor is a very physically demanding job; especially if you do more than just adjust, like soft tissue work, taping, etc.  Not only are you moving and positioning people all day, but you also put yourself into awkward and unnatural positions to treat your patients.  For example, if I am treating a patient for plantar fasciitis, you’ll often times find me crouched on the floor with an instrument wedged under the patient’s foot while they perform calf raises.  Another example is when I am adjusting patients larger than myself.  Granted, I’m not a small woman by any stretch of the imagination…I’m 6’0 tall for crying out loud, but I do have several patients that are difficult for me to maneuver into proper adjusting positions.  So it goes without saying that it is not uncommon for chiropractors to get injured themselves.  And as a habitually accident prone person, I have had my fair share of injuries in and out of the office.  Here is the story of my most recent chiropractic-related injury and recovery.

It was a sunny Tuesday morning here at Pro Chiropractic and I was the only doctor working in the Bozeman office.  I had just completed the adjustment on my first patient of the day and was assisting that patient into the regainer chair to help restore her natural cervical curvature.  As I bent forward to tighten the tension on the chair, I felt a very sharp pain on the right side of me lower back; so sharp and severe that my right knee buckled beneath me.  I stood up very slowly and assessed my condition.  It was next to impossible to stand up completely straight and even harder to bend forward more than about 10 degrees.  I made my way back to my desk and sat down to try to relieve the pressure in my lower back.  It helped a little bit, but did not completely relieve the pain.  As the morning went on, my lower back muscles continued to get tighter and tighter.  I still had patients to see so it was not an option for me to go home at that time.  I was somehow able to grit my teeth through adjusting a few more people and did so without further injury (thank goodness!).  By the end of the morning, I was beginning to question my effectiveness in not only keeping myself safe, but in keeping my patients safe as well. 

Luckily, Dr. Wilhelm was a few doors down working on the new Pro Physio Bozeman office and was able to treat me before I went home for lunch.  He did some extensive soft tissue mobilization and adjusted my hip.  Unfortunately, the treatment did not do much to relieve the pain.  My lower back muscles were in severe spasm by then.  When I got home for lunch, I decided it was necessary to take some ibuprofen if I wanted to have a chance to make it through the afternoon seeing patients.  As I bent down to grab a cup of water to take the pills, I felt like I had been struck by lightning in my lower back and immediately hit the floor.  I have never in my life felt back pain like this before.  As a person who suffers from chronic sacroiliac dysfunction, I often have lower back/pelvic pain, but this pain in my lower back was at a whole new level.  It took me about three minutes to get myself up off the floor into a standing position.  I knew at that moment that I was in trouble and would not be able to tough it out for my patients in the afternoon. 

I rushed back to the office and was happy to see that Dr. Wilhelm was still there.  I talked to him about what happened and how the pain was getting worse.  We agreed that it would be unsafe for myself and my patients to try to work the afternoon.  He recommended that I wear a back brace and seek treatment at Pro Physio; specifically non-surgical spinal decompression to try to release the spasms.  The Pro Physio team was fantastic in getting me in immediately and on the DRX machine for 30 minutes.  Once I finished on the DRX, I felt mild relief and was able to stand more upright.  I was then treated with electrical muscle stimulation and moist heat, manual soft tissue manipulation and kinesiology tape to further release the spasm in the lower back muscles.  Following the treatment, I sought out Dr. Bradley for an adjustment.  He informed me that I had a severe rotation of my L4 vertebrae in my lower back.  Once he adjusted it, I had instant relief and went home to rest for the rest of the day. 

The following day, the Pro Chiro team was set to volunteer to do sports physicals at Manhattan Christian School and I was needed to help with those.  I returned to Pro Physio that morning and repeated the treatment from the previous day.  Afterwards, I felt sore, but better overall.  I still had to wear the back brace during physicals, but was able to complete the task.  I spent the remainder of the day at home resting.  I returned to work Thursday in the back brace and made it through the day and Friday with only mild to moderate soreness.  Friday after work, I was lucky enough to get in for a massage with Amy Hessen who is a massage therapist that works in the Pro Chiropractic Belgrade office.  She did a phenomenal job working through the muscle spasms in my lower back and all surrounding areas.  I woke up Saturday morning with very little pain at all and have returned to my normal work schedule and activities.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself, “Why are you telling this story?”  Well here’s the answer!  As a chiropractor, I see people in pain every day.  It is my job to help them get out of pain.  But I thought it was important to show what happens when the shoe is on the other foot and give a personal account of what it takes to get out of pain.  I am lucky enough to have an amazing group of chiropractors, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants and a massage therapist on my team.  The great news is…SO DO YOU!  When the injury first happened, I had family members and friends tell me that I needed to go to the hospital or go see a medical doctor to get muscle relaxers, pain killers or an injection.  But I didn’t need to do any of that!  I was able to feel better and heal without those unnatural means.  I was able to feel better and heal using conservative care and you are no different!  Sure, it takes a little longer, but in the long run, it is more effective and less expensive.  Who wouldn’t want that? 

To experience any of the treatments I had, please call Pro Chiropractic at 406-219-2462 or call Pro Physio at 406-388-8118.

If you or someone you know in the Gallatin Valley area is looking for a chiropractor, please call Dr. Shea Stark with Pro Chiropractic at 406-219-2462 to schedule an appointment in our Belgrade or Bozeman office.  Dr. Stark is a board certified chiropractor and the author of this blog post.  To learn more about Dr. Stark and the many benefits of chiropractic care, please visit our website: www.prochiromt.com.

Beware of the Flip Flop

As summertime approaches, more and more people gravitate toward the flip flop.  If you’re anything like me, these shoes are a must this time of year.  Heck, I grew up in Texas and Arizona so I’m used to wearing flip flops year round.  But these summertime staples are not all that great for your feet…or the rest of you for that matter.

Toes:
With just a small strip of fabric or rubber securing the foot, the toes must grip the sole of the flip flop to keep the shoe on.  This constant grip can lead to overuse of the muscles that flex the toes leading to tendonitis.  Tendonitis can be very painful and eventually lead to rupture of the affected tendons.  Also, continuous flip flop usage can lead to the formation of hammer toes which is the contracture of tendons and stiffness in the joints causing abnormal bending in the affected toe.  Not to mention that wearing flip flops too much can cause bunions to form or can worsen an existing bunion.

Bones:
Overuse can also lead to stress fractures in the bones of the feet due to repetitive trauma with no cushioning or shock absorption.  Standing or walking for prolonged periods of time in a long, thin shoe such as a flip flop can cause this.

Foot Pad:
When wearing flip flops, your foot, having no support, is constantly in motion against the base of the shoe thus creating continual friction which can lead to calluses and blisters on the underside or pad of the foot.  This is usually increased when that friction is paired with sweat on a hot day.

Arch and Heel:
A thick band of fibrotic tissue called the plantar fascia runs from the heel bone to the ball of the foot, creating one of the arches of the foot.  Overuse and lack of support of that fascia…like when wearing a flip flop for extended periods of time…can lead to inflammation of the plantar fascia and a condition known as plantar fasciitis.  This condition causes some pretty bad arch and/or heel pain and tends to be worse when you take your first few steps after getting out of bed in the morning.  The lack of support in a flip flop can also lead to over-pronation of the foot during the gait cycle, thus flattening the arch.

Ankles on up…:
Speaking of gait cycle…wearing non-supportive shoes such as flip flops can drastically alter your gait cycle (how your foot moves when walking or running).  These alterations can affect your entire body through what we call the kinetic chain.  If the foot is not moving the way it is designed to move…which it rarely does when wearing flip flops…it affects the way the ankles move which affects the way the knees move and bear weight which affects the movement and stabilization of the hips and so on.  Long story short…if your feet don’t move properly, none of your other weight bearing joints do either.  This can lead to chronic pain in the knees, low back and if bad enough, the neck. 

Not all flip flops are the same, though.  And not all flip flops are totally bad.  Here are a few things to look for when purchasing your summer footwear staple:

1. Get the right size!   Never, ever, EVER get a one size fits all flop.  Make sure that the flip flop sole fits the length of your foot so that neither the toes nor the heel extend past the edge of the shoe.  Also, make sure the straps fit comfortably on your foot and aren’t too large.  If they are too loose, your foot will slide around when walking causing all sorts of problems…not to mention increasing your risk of falling.

2. The bend test!  See the picture above?  This bend is NOT ok.  A bend in the middle of the flop give zero support to your foot.  Look for a flop that bends where your foot bends while walking…at the ball of the foot.

3. Arch support!  If you can, find a flop with a little hump in the arch to provide more support.  A thicker sole helps too.  Crocs does a great job of this.

4. Material matters!  The American Podiatric Medical Association recommends finding a flop made of soft leather rather than rubber to reduce friction and irritation to the skin thus limiting blister formation.

5. Replace them!  Flip flops wear out pretty quickly…especially the cheap, rubber ones.  Make sure to replace your flops every year to ensure better support.  If they are showing signs of wear, throw them out!

 

If you or someone you know in the Gallatin Valley area is looking for a chiropractor, please call Dr. Shea Stark with Pro Chiropractic at 406-219-2462 to schedule an appointment in our Belgrade, Manhattan, or Bozeman office.  Dr. Stark is a board certified chiropractor and the author of this blog post.  To learn more about Dr. Stark and the many benefits of chiropractic care, please visit our website: www.prochiromt.com.