Accelerate Health

On December 10, Accelerate Health moved to a new office, located at 38 East 5th Avenue, Denver, Colorado. If you have yet to come visit us, here are some photos of our new office:

The Reception Area

The Main Exam Room/Chiropractic Room 1

Chiropractic Room 2

Chiropractic Room 3

Accupuncture Room

Massage Room

Dr. Clark's Office

David Manthey, coach of Runner’s Edge of the Rockies, shared this amazing training tip with me today. I thought it applicable to many different types of athletes (including my yogis) and thus decided to share it on the blog. If you are a runner, however his training method is the best! Contact him if you are thinking about training for a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, or even ultra (he’s completely many). Just because it is an individual sport doesn’t mean you have to train alone….

If you’ve been running for a long enough time, then you’re probably no stranger to injuries. Whether it’s something severe enough to require surgery, or something small and nagging, they can all be highly annoying especially when they are tough to solve or may be holding you back from doing your best. Sometimes injuries are sudden, but oftentimes they start as a faint whisper due to overtraining or pushing through a small tweak. Pushing through pain or an injury may be OK at the end of a race (i.e., like pushing through ITB at Mile 20), but if it’s during training that’s different… The key is making sure that you are listening to your body when it’s whispering before it becomes a roar! I’ll share with you my own injury issues that I’ve been dealing with this winter and hopefully you can use it as an example/reminder for your own training:

Like most runners, I tend to have a bit of a “tough guy ego” and think that I can push through just about anything. Small tweaks, pains, etc… Well, that’s all part of running, right? Especially for an ultrarunner! Well… Unfortunately, there is a big difference between “normal” pan and those all-important whispers that I’m talking about. Fatigue, muscle soreness and minor tweaks that don’t hang around for very long are all very normal as a part of the training process when we apply the stress of training miles to our bodies that will make us stronger for race day. And sometimes you’ll have runs where you feel 100% great, and others where you’re a bit more tired/sore. BUT, if it’s something that is nagging beyond that and sticking around for a week, two weeks, three, a month… Then you’re beyond that “normal” range and are definitely dealing with something else. And the key is to listen closely for those whispers that are beyond “normal”, because if you ignore what your body is trying to tell you (and run through it), it can have a severe/negative impact on your training and races, and will probably extend your injury much longer and possibly jeopardize your races. And remember… You can’t set a new PR or achieve your goals if you can’t even make it to the start line!

And that applies 100% to me too, as I pretty much ignored those whispers back in October and early November during some of my runs. Did I hear the whisper? Yes. Did I actually listen to it though? Not much – I hoped they would just go away! Over the last few months as Julie and I have been prepping to run the Goofy Challenge next week in Florida, I’ve been dealing what I thought was “normal” tweaks/issues that were part of a.) not running much since the Leadville 100 in August b.) piss-poor/inconsistent training, and c.) running on icy/snowy conditions where I’ve had a few slips/falls. The pain I’ve been dealing with has pretty much been right in line with Plantar Fasciitis and Posterior Tibial Tendonitis, and is something that I’m familiar with throughout my running career. (Basically a lot of pain/soreness in the bottom of the heel and up the inside of the calf.) I’ve had PF/Post-Tib on/off throughout my running career, but this time it’s been in my right foot, when in the past year it would reside more in my left foot – That’s not entirely uncommon, as “Compensatory Injuries” can spring up as the body subconsciously attempts to protect the injured/weaker side of the body.

So, the whispers got a little louder and a little louder, and I just dealt with it and tried to battle through my runs, and got used to the post-run limping that was becoming a pretty common part of my routine this winter. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain so sometimes for me actually hearing/understanding those whispers is a little tough. But they finally got the point where they were a dull roar and loud enough that I was finally having to skip short runs and cut planned long runs shorter than I would have liked. Running was becoming very “un-fun” for me, and I even reached the point of frustration where I said to myself, “I ran 2 100-milers in 2011, and here I am barely able to get through a 4-mile recovery run. What the hell!” I also realized at that point that Goofy was not just going to be an easy cruise for me, and that finishing the race(s) could be in jeopardy. And best-case scenario I figured I would probably wind up slowly limping it in, well behind Julie. (Take that, ego!) And, had I properly addressed all of this back in early November when I started hearing the whispers, I would probably be in a much different place with my training. So again, the lesson here is to listen to those whispers early on so that they can be addressed quickly – The earlier the better, because the more you wait the longer you extend your recovery time.

BUT… The old adage “it’s never too late to start” applies here as well, and I’ve become hyper-sensitive to my body in the last several weeks, doing hourly checks of my pain levels, stretching, icing, etc., (no pain meds though, especially NDSAID’s like Advil, ibuprofen, etc., that wreak havoc on the body), and I also got in quickly to see Dr. Michelle Clark and Mike Allen for some chiropractic/ART/acupuncture care. I’ve gone in the last few weeks to see them and really work on the issue, have backed off my mileage some to give my body a little break to heal (because being 10% undertrained is still better than 1% overtrained), and hopefully I’ll be better by race day next weekend. But that brings up another issue with injuries and that’s how quickly your body adapts. Some people are “faster adapters” than others, and so the length of time it takes to recover from an injury varies from person to person and it’s important to CONTINUE to keep listening to those whispers a.) during your recovery and b.) when you resume your normal training routines.

While Mike Allen was sticking me full of needles yesterday (seriously, the best treatment ever and I wish I could do it daily) at their new Accelerate Healthcare offices, we talked about Mike’s quote that they had up on their Facebook page, which is so apropos for this training tip. He said, “YOU, the patient, are always in control of your treatments. WE, the healers, are but guides…” So true! So while people like Michelle & Mike, or Dr. Wolcott & Dr. Hill at the CU Sports Med Center, Karen Kalbach, etc. are all incredible healers, they also are not us, and cannot hear the whispers that our bodies are trying to deliver. So having a good network of healthcare providers is good to help us get through our injuries, it’s still up to us to decide “should I run today or skip? Should I opt for low-impact cross-training instead of a run? Should I bag that scheduled speed workout or long run and just do a short recovery run? Should I just lose today’s workout and focus on recovery activities like stretching/icing?” Starting the PT/treatment is important, but it’s also important to keep high levels of communication with your providers and to constantly continue to listen for those whispers and adjust the treatment and training as necessary so that you can get through your injury.

Hopefully that tip and my examples (albeit a little lengthy) will help you all the next time you start to hear those whispers… Because if you run enough, it’s not a question of “if” but WHEN you’ll start to hear them. But if you’re a good listener, then you’ll get through them quickly! (Kind of like school, eh?) And hopefully I’ve listened enough and it’s not too late, so that my race(s) next week at Disney isn’t too much of a suffer-fest, and I’ll be able to have a good start to 2012!

David Manthey
Coach of Runner’s Edge of the Rockies
Contact him on Facebook

A common question that comes up during my intakes is; “Can this {acupuncture} do anything for hot flashes?”

My reply is always, “absolutely”. Acupuncture treatments have been used more increasingly to regulate the effects of menopausal syndrome. With more and more evidence coming out disputing the actual benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), more and more women are seeking alternative methods to regulating the changes that happen during this phase of life.

Menopause is most commonly described in TCM as a Yin deficiency pattern. Through Acupuncture and herbs the body can be better regulated to supplement the natural decline of Yin in the body.

Like many other treatment scenarios in TCM, it is best to approach this phase of life proactively. If you are already showing signs and symptoms then the pattern has been at work for some time. In these cases, the sooner you address the pattern, the sooner (and usually easier) it is to correct it.

It is important to be consistent with your treatments. Your body didn’t get to to this point overnight and realistically it won’t go back that fast either. I’ve seen patients get relief with 2-3 treatments and think that they are “all better” and, thus, don’t feel the need to continue treatment. Subsequently the symptoms returned shortly after treatments were discontinued. Acupuncture and herbs, when given the opportunity, can be very effective in ameliorating the unwanted effects of menopause.

Here is a good article from Acupuncture Today in regards to Acupuncture for Menopause.

http://acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32427

Feel free to contact me, Mike Allen, with any questions or stop by Accelerate Health, downtown, 38 East 5th Avenue for a free 15 minute consult~

Many athletes are familiar with a foam roller, that little tube that people roll up and down their legs. If you don’t already own a foam roller, we strongly suggest you invest in one; some cost as little as $20. This tool helps reduce the risk of injury, speed recovery and can make you a stronger athlete.

Reasons to Use a Foam Roller
Foam rolling can hurt. A lot. So why do people do it? Here are some of the reasons foam rollers exist:

• Simulate deep-tissue massage. Kinks, knots and muscle cramps happen, and since we can’t all afford a massage every day, foam rollers provide a cost-effective solution.
• Reduce muscle soreness by improving blood flow. Intense exercise causes damage to your muscles, resulting in soreness. Foam rolling after a hard workout improves blood flow to speed repair of the damaged muscles.
• Break up scar tissue. The muscle damage from exercise can also cause scar tissue to form. Foam rolling is one way to break up the scar tissue and maintain the elasticity of your muscles.
• Strengthen your core. Foam rollers can also be used as a workout tool to strengthen your core muscles. You can use a roller for crunches, push-ups and various balance drills.
• Prevent injury. All of the reasons to foam roll equate to one thing, preventing injury, and as long as you’re doing it properly, regularly foam rolling is an effective way to prevent sports injuries.

Types of Foam Rollers
Technically there is only one type of foam roller; the solid foam roller. But there are two additional products people use to simulate their own deep-tissue massage and strengthen their core muscles.

• Solid foam rollers. Standard foam rollers consist of a solid foam cylinder and are available in different densities. The denser the foam, the more pressure you can exert on cramped muscles. Denser foam rollers also last longer; less-dense rollers become soft and lose their effectiveness over time.
• The Grid. The Grid is a piece of plastic pipe with foam on the outside. The foam is molded into different “Distrodensity Zones.” These zones are designed to simulate how a masseuse applies pressure. For example, there is a zone for fingertip massage.
• Plastic pipe. Some people just forego the foam altogether and use a piece of plastic pipe (like ABS or PVC pipe used for plumbing) to roll out their kinks and break up scar tissue.

Tips for Using a Foam Roller
Using a foam roller sounds simple enough; you just roll up and down sore muscles. But there are a few things to keep in mind so you gain the most benefit from the experience.

• Only foam roll after a workout. Foam rolling works best when your muscles are warm and the blood is flowing. Attempting to foam roll when your muscles are cold will be more painful than necessary and can do more harm than good.
• Do not roll over bones or joints. Rolling over bones and joints will be very painful and potentially damaging, so keep the roller on your muscles.
• Sit in one spot for a while. Deep-tissue massage therapists often press in one area for a long time to “release” your muscles. You can do this with a foam roller by holding it at the area of pain or muscle attachment for a while before rolling the muscle out.
• Roll slowly. Don’t just sit on the foam roller and start rolling really fast. Going slow and focusing on trouble areas will give you a deeper, more effective massage.
• Apply as much body weight as possible. When foam rolling, you use your own body weight to give yourself a deep-tissue massage. The more weight you apply, the deeper the massage, but keep it within your pain threshold. Too much weight on a damaged muscle will only harm it more.
• Relax and breathe. Foam rolling can be painful, but it is even more painful if you hold your breath and tense up. Focus on relaxing and taking steady breaths to help loosen your muscles.
• Drink plenty of water. Water helps keep muscles limber and elastic. Foam rolling causes your body to use water, much like a workout, so you must replenish your fluids afterwards.

Foam rollers are a wise investment for any athlete. They are relatively cheap — available at most sporting goods stores — and can greatly reduce your risk of injury. And anything you can do to reduce your risk of injury is well worth it.