What is that funny colored tape on David Beckham?

April 30, 2011

You may have seen pictures of David Beckham, Serena Williams or Lance Armstrong with pink, blue or black tape on during a sporting activity and wondered what that tape is for?  Well, this tape is widely used because it helps heal while providing support and stability to muscles and joints.  Sometimes we hurt ourselves and think we can not continue working out or playing the sport we love.  Sometimes that is the case, but there are many times that taping can allow us to continue what we love without hurting ourselves further.  Taping can also elevate our performance so some athletes keep it on during their sport to run faster or move quicker.

Kinesio Taping® is a rehabilitative taping technique that is designed to accelerate your body’s natural healing process.  It does all of this without restricting your body’s movement.  Kinesio® Tex Tape is safe for everyone from kids to grandparents.  It successfully treats a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions.

The Kinesio® Taping Method not only provides your muscles and bones with the support you are looking for, but at the same time rehabilitates your condition as well.  It does this by targeting different receptors within your somatosensory system.  Kinesio® Tex Tape alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin.  This lifting affect decreases inflammation allowing a quick recovery from your injury.   Kinesio® Tex Tape can be applied to any area of the body and has the ability to reduce pain and inflammation, enhance performance, prevent injury and promote good circulation and healing.

At our facility, we want you to get the desired benefits from a Kinesio Tex Tape.  We will provide a full assessment to find out what areas need help and in some cases, the treatment of a condition may require treating other underlying conditions as well.  Kinesio Tex Tape has been proven to have positive physiological effects on the skin, lymphatic and circulatory system, fascia, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.   It is safe, effective and pain free!

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in Chiropractor Redwood City, General Health, Redwood City Chiropractor | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Adolescent Sports Injuries

January 15, 2011

Athletic injuries occur in two different ways.

  1. Macrotrauma: an injury from a major force. Falls, collisions, sudden twisting. Examples are fractures, sprains and strains, bruises or cuts.
  2. Microtrauma is normally due to repetitive actions over a long period of time causing injury. Examples stress fractures, little league elbow, golfer’s elbow and shoulder impingement syndrome.

In high school, football accounts for the most injuries in boys, while soccer accounts for most injuries in girls.

Sprains of ligaments, muscle strains and bruises account for most of the acute injuries. However, repetitive and overuse during sports are more common in adolescents than acute injuries. Research studies have shown that up to 48 percent of high school athletes sustained one injury during their playing season.

Why are adolescents at risk for injury?

While they are still growing, the skeleton takes on the increased weight and load put forth during an athletic activity. They are not fully formed and as a result, there is increased risk for a severe injury in teens. During growth and development, agility, power, speed and motor coordination improve.

During their growth spurt, lengthening of the bones occurs before growth in the connective tissues. As a result, there may be a relative decrease in flexibility during this period. Girls tend to be more flexible than boys and peak in their flexibility around age fifteen years compared to boys who develop increased flexibility later in adolescence. Decreased flexibility may cause an increased risk for overuse injuries in both boys and girls.

There are other factors that may contribute to a teenager sustaining an athletic injury. These include the following:

  • Hazardous playing fields
  • Poor conditioning
  • Competing while injured or fatigued
  • Poor nutrition
  • Poor physical fitness
  • Inadequate supervision
  • Stress
  • Weather conditions
  • Inadequate, poorly fitted, improper safety equipment
  • Teams set by age rather than size

How are athletic injuries treated?

For acute injuries, always remember the mnemonic PRICE. Sprains and strain may be treated with Protection, Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.  Fractures may require casting.  Allowing the body to heal and alleviating the swelling can allow rehabilitation process to start. After the swelling is eliminated, appropriate adjustments can be administered, scar tissue can be properly addressed and exercises can be given.

How can we prevent these athletic injuries?

The following are some of the strategies that may help teens prevent athletic injuries:

  • Get a sports physical examination before allowing participation
  • Before each training or sports event, warm up and then cool down afterward
  • Do flexibility exercises
  • Play within safe ranges for one’s age and size
  • Use proper and well fitted equipment
  • Stay physically fit
  • Begin training one to two months before the season of the sport to prevent trauma to the body
  • Gradually increase training time but not more than ten percent each week

Parents should recall the following strategies to help prevent athletic injuries in adolescents:

  • Encourage teens to participate in several different sports
  • Be sure that coaches adhere to appropriate training principles
  • Modify rules for adult games so they are appropriate for adolescents
  • Ensure contests are supervised carefully and rules strictly enforced
  • Safety is more important than winning

-MassGeneral Hospital for children

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Tips for preventing bicycling injuries

July 10, 2010

Sometimes people who come into my office complaining of neck, low back, knee pain or hand/foot numbness don’t take notice that their posture at work, home or school may be having negative effects on their nerves. Often times they are oblivious to the fact that the sport they do to stay in shape may have bad effects too.

Neck, low back, knee or hand/foot pain during or after biking may mean you don’t have proper bike ergonomics. Buying the right bike for you is imperative. Here are some tips to avoid injuries and keep riding.

The proper saddle:

Your seat should be at a level that supports the full weight of your body while allowing you to re-adjust your position. If the front of your seat is tilted up, you will slide backward and it will be hard to reach the peddles and force you to push your back forward adding stress to the low back. If the seat is tilted downward, you slide forward putting more pressure on your arms, wrists, hands and knees.

To make sure your seat is the right height. Wear the appropriate biking shoes and put your heels on the pedals. Start to pedal backwards and make sure your knees fully extend without reaching. If you notice that you have to move your hips from side to side to pedal, then your seat is too high. Now when it is time to start pedaling forward you will notice that the balls of your feet are over the pedal and a slight bend in the knees occur with each push.

Proper handlebar height:

Miscalculation of handle bar height can lead to neck, shoulder back, hand/wrist pain.
Proper ergonomics of the handlebars will allow you to bend your elbows while using all of the positions of the handlebars and gears.

Knee pain occurs when the seat is too high or low or tilted improperly. Also, the improper bike shoe position can cause knee problems: Here are some cause and effects of improper seat or pedal ergonomics.

  1. Seat too high will result in pain in the back of the knee or hip pain.
  2. A low seat or forward seat will cause pain in the front of the knee.
  3. Improper foot position will cause pain on the outside of your knee.

Differences in leg length may lead to twisting on the bike, stretching of one leg which pulls on the hips. Shoe orthotics and hip adjustments to keep the hips even can alleviate this problem.

Neck Pain:

Neck pain happens commonly with cycling. Usually this is a problem of having the handlebars too low or having a bike that is too long for the cyclist. Not stretching the hamstrings or muscles in the front of the thigh can cause neck problems because it will force the spine to arch which will force your head to extend backward while riding.

Foot numbness or pain:

Wearing the proper shoe is necessary with someone who bikes regularly. Bike shoes are made to evenly distribute the pressure on each pedal. Also, if you are riding in a gear that is too high for you, it will put more pressure on the feet causing a disruption of the nerves and tissues of the feet.

Hand Pain or Numbness:

Wear padded gloves while riding to provide a cushion and not push on the median nerve. Allow the shock of the ground to be put on the elbows which can bounce and absorb the pressure from the bumps during the ride.

Remember to always stretch and relax before and after riding. This will prevent tightness and reduce the chance of pulling a muscle.

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

SASTM (Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) what is it?

June 12, 2010

Soft tissue mobilization is used to treat a number of problems.  SASTM instruments are designed for treatment of soft tissue disorders.  These remarkable instruments effectively break down fascial restrictions and scar tissue helping your body to heal and create more movement in the body. The ergonomic design of these instruments provides the clinician with the ability to locate restrictions through sound waves. The unique design allows the clinician to treat the affected area with the appropriate amount of pressure, due to square surface of the instruments.

Trauma to soft tissue causes a local inflammatory response.  This initiates reabsorption of inappropriate fibers (scar tissue). During the treatment, the instruments breakdown scar tissue adhesions which may have developed as a result of surgery, immobilization, repeated strain or other mechanisms, are broken down allowing full functional restoration to occur.  This allows your body to move properly and put less stress on your joints.

This form of treatment is beginning to be used by colleges like Stanford to increase their performance.   To find out more about Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization check out this site

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in San Carlos California | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Physical Therapy, Scar Tissue and Chiropractic

May 28, 2010

When a person injures themselves and sees a medical doctor, in most cases the M.D. sends them to physical therapy to strengthen the injured area.  Exercise is great for your body and health but there is a difference between stretching and strengthening.

First of all, depending on the injury, there may be numerous areas of scar tissue that has to be alleviated in order for the muscles to function properly without further injury.  If exercise is done too soon, it may only add to the problem.  After most accidents or sport injuries, the chances of scar tissue forming is very high.  This needs to be addressed before building your muscles.  Sound Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy is great at getting rid of scar tissue quickly and easily.  It is used by trainers and athletes around the world.

After the scar tissue has been addressed, it must be determined whether stretching or strengthening is needed.  Stretching your muscles is key before starting any exercise program. You don’t want to start exercising a muscle that is already stiff and tight.  That will increase the chance of a further tear or injury.  After a few bouts of stretching, you will become more flexible and are now ready to start an exercise program.

Physical Therapy is great and offers a wonderful benefit to healing.  However, if your body is not aligned or moving properly, physical therapy can only do so much.  Chiropractic aligns the body properly to enable proper function.   We offer more than just an adjustment, you can get it all!

At Precise Moves Chiropractic, we offer proper alignment of the body, massage and physiotherapy.  This helps you get better results quicker!

We can help with any musculoskeletal problem and so much more!!!  Call us today (650) 353-1133

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in Chiropractor Redwood City, Redwood City Chiropractor, San Carlos California | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Bicycle Safety Tips & Workshops

April 23, 2010

Summer is almost here, which means it is time to check your breaks, inflate your tires and lubricate your chain. You’ll be pulling out your bicycle helmet too, I’m sure, but what else can you do to keep yourself safe as the you ride this summer.

Well, here’s where you can find out!

Free Bicycle Safety Workshops at four Peninsula library branches and one community center. If you register before the workshop, you’ll be entered to win a $25 gift card from a local bike shop.

The 90-minute workshop will include information on current traffic laws for bicyclists and drivers, Bike to Work Day 2010, bicycle maintenance, maps and safety booklets.  Visit
“Safe Bicycling in San Mateo County” for a practical guide in biking to work, or combining public transit and biking to work.
For more information, email: [email protected]

In the meantime, here are some great bicycle safety times.

1. Get a rear light. If you’re riding at night, use a flashing red rear light. Bike shops have red rear blink lights for less than $15. If you already have one, make sure the batteries are working!

2. Wear a reflective vest or a safety triangle. High quality reflective gear that you can get at any bike shop  makes youmore visible, even in the day time. When you hear a car/truck approaching, straighten up to make your reflective gear more noticeable.

3. Choose wide streets. Ride on streets whose outside lane is wide enough that it can fit both a car and your bike side by side. That way a car may speed past you and avoid hitting you, even if they didn’t see you!

4. Choose slow streets. The slower a car is going, the more time the driver has to see you.

5. Use back streets on weekends. Because some people still drink and drive, it’s safer to ride along neighborhood streets..

6. Get a mirror. Get a mirror and use it. If it looks like a car doesn’t see you, hop off your bike and onto the sidewalk. Mirrors cost $5-15.

7. Don’t hug the curb. Allow space between yourself and the curb so you have someplace to go to avoid getting hit. This also enables turning across or from your lane to better see you.

By admin | Posted in General Health, San Carlos California | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Reasons for “Turf Toe”

April 21, 2010

What is Turf Toe?
Turf toe is pain occurring at the base of the big toe.  Most commonly it happens where your big toe bends when you are walking or running.  Turf Toe happens after a after constant slamming of your toe down when running, jumping or walking.  This can be a repetitive injury that can keep re-occuring throughout life if a person does not learn how to prevent it.  This injury is frequently seen with athletes who play football, rugby, soccer, wrestling or any sport that promotes “pushing off” quickly with resistance.

Keeping the foot healthy and moving properly with the use of stiff sole Orthotics when necessary can prevent the symptom of Turf Toe.   It is common to have bracing during athletic performances to prevent excessive hyperextension of the toe.  This is fine but what about when we are not working out?

Chiropractic adjustments along with proper Orthotics can prevent Turf Toe.  Jamming your foot into the ground constantly will jam up the foot joints making it impossible for your foot to function the way it is supposed to.  We will Make sure that all 26 bones in the foot are moving properly.  This will make sure that there is not any added pressure to the big toe and prevent chronic flare ups from occurring.

If you have this problem, please call our office today for a consultation!

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The Affects Of Tight Hamstrings

April 18, 2010

A lot of patients that come into my office have tight hamstrings and think it is normal to feel a pull in the back of their legs when bending forward.  This is not normal.  Sure, there may not be any problems right now but in time, the muscle can cause several dysfunctions.  Tears, low back and sciatic pain (because the muscle attaches to the lower portion of the hips), and pain or tears in the back of the knee may occur.  The hamstring muscle is really three muscles.  The semitendinosis, semimembranosis and biceps femoris.

What causes hamstring tightness?
Sure, genetics can play a part but in most cases it is caused by improper or not enough stretching.  There are easy stretches that only take about 6-10 minutes and can prevent tears and problems in the future.  Stretching before and after an athletic event helps in maintaining a flexible muscle so it is recommended to do so every time you engage in a sport.  Here is a common stretch that is easy to do.

  • Sit on the floor with one leg straight
 and the other bent with the foot pressing against the inner portion of the outstretched leg
  • Keep your back straight as you lean forward through the hips 
to one the straight leg side
  • Hold (don’t bounce) for 25 to 30 seconds
  • Switch sides

Doing these exercises will prevent injuries and keep you low back loose preventing injuries.

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos California, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

How can I prevent spraining my ankle?

March 28, 2010

Ankle sprains are becoming common.  Sprains occur when the ligaments of the ankle are stretched and pulled beyond their capacity.  This sometimes leads to partial tears or complete tears in the foot.  In 85% of ankle sprains, the Anterior Talofibular ligament is damaged by someone planting their foot, then rolling over the outside of their foot.  This inside of the foot is only sprained about 15% of the time.

In a total tear, stabilization of the foot is necessary along with R.I.C.E (rest, Ice, compression, elevation) for regrowth and restoration of the tissues.  The foot can still be checked for proper movement and can be manipulated safely but with caution.  Partial tears require R.I.C.E and stabilization is not normally necessary.  Exercises after the inflammation is gone along with getting the foot and ankle in their proper position helps and gets patients back walking normally quickly.

People with chronic sprains sometimes think it is normal to keep spraining their ankle.  This in NOT true!  The reason why someone sprains their ankle many times can be because of balance issues, pathological gait patterns and improper foot position.  Learning balance exercises, proper gait and getting the foot in the proper position can prevent future sprains and keep patients healthy and active for a lifetime.

We are extremity experts at Precise Moves Chiropractic.  We can help with any sports injury or extremity problem.  Please call us today to make an appointment for an exam and consultation!

Precise Moves Chiropractic has been serving the San Carlos, CA area since 2007!

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos California, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Bursitis in our joints

March 27, 2010

Bursitis definition:
Bursitis is inflammation of a bursa.   The bursa is an area of fluid around a joint which functions like grease on a machine.  It helps our joints glide properly and protects us from unnecessary friction causing injury. Technically, there are 160 different bursae in our body.  Most common areas where bursitis occurs is by large joints such as the shoulder, elbow, hips and knees.  These are complex areas that are commonly flared up by most athletes who train hard.

Over the years there may be flare ups of the bursae because of added joint pressure, crystal accumulation or degeneration in the joint space. Infection affiliated with Rheumatoid Arthritis can also cause Bursitis.

Symptoms of Bursitis is pain, swelling and tenderness in the joint space.

How can this be treated?
In the case of an infection, a visit to your primary care physician may be necessary for inflammatory medication.  In the majority of cases, rest, ice and making sure the joint is moving properly to prevent unnecessary friction is recommended.  Once your body is moving correctly, the bursae can now go back to functioning normally.

We take great pride in helping people through this debilitating problem.  Proper treatment and rehabilitation can prevent future flare-ups.

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos California, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)