Beyond the Band-Aid: Why Addressing Function is Key for Fargo/Moorhead Athletes

The "Revolving Door" of Injury and Pain

Are you tired of resting for weeks when your pain flares up, only for that same shot of pain to return the moment you get back to your sport?

Do most treatments feel like they help for a little bit, but don't actually fix the root cause?

It is incredibly frustrating to sit on the sidelines while your friends are out playing because you don't have a clear rehab plan to get back to training.

The Gap in Traditional Care

Traditional treatment for muscle and joint pain usually helps temporarily. However, there is often a massive gap between being treated while lying on a table and actually returning to a high-level sport. Your rehab plan should prepare you to return to your sport or activity, not just rest until the pain goes away. And if we are unable to compete due to pain, our rest should be modified so you can continue staying active while recovering. That is why we look beyond your symptoms, to ensure every area of your body is moving the way it should so you are prepared to compete at your best.

To bridge that gap, we have to look at the whole picture: This includes Function.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Our body parts work together as a team. Whether you are dribbling a basketball, shooting a hockey puck, gardening, or anything in between, multiple joints must move at the same time to complete the task. This is known as regional interdependence.

Analogy: What happens when the team stops working together?

Imagine three helpers moving a heavy pile of softener salt bags across a room by hand:

• Helper 1 decides he needs a water break after one load and disappears.

• Helper 2 gets frustrated by the weight and quickly gives up, pouting in the corner.

• Helper 3 ends up doing all the work by themselves, because the job has to get done!

The Result: The job is finished! Helpers 1 and 2 are feeling good, but helper 3 is now sore and painful…

If we want to stop that soreness from happening again next time they have to do the job, should we just give Helper 3 a nice massage and hope they feel better?

Or should we make sure the rest of the team, (Helpers 1 and 2) actually start doing their fair share of the work?...

The Victim vs. The Culprit

Now let’s apply that analogy to your body. Imagine you are playing your sport or doing your favorite activity; we’ll use golf as our example:

The job now, instead of moving softener salt across the room, is to swing a golf club for 18 holes. Our helpers this time include different joints and body parts, specifically focusing on the hips, lower back, and upper back.

So we start off on hole one feeling good about the round ahead, not realizing that our upper back has decided that it cannot rotate after sitting all day! Oh well, we have other teammates (body parts) to help us out and swing that golf club, right? Well pretty soon our hips start getting tired and decide that they no longer want to help out either. But we still need to swing that golf club on the back 9! Good thing our lower back still moves well, because now we have to get all of our movement from that area since the rest of the team is no longer helping out.

We are able to finish golfing, but dang that lower back sure does hurt now, it must be the problem! Right!?

In this scenario, your lower back is actually the victim of the pain, but your hips and upper back are the culprits. If we only treat the low back and don’t address the upper back and hips, nothing changes the next time you tee off.

A Better Way to Rehab - Looking at Function

Aside from looking at and treating the area of pain, we also take the time to check function throughout the rest of your body. When assessing function we take a look at two main areas, mobility and stability.

Mobility involves how far we are able to move each of our joints, including how far we are able to turn our head, rotate our hips, and so forth. Limited mobility or range-of-motion in one body part can cause another body part to have to move more when accomplishing the same task. Stability is related to how well we are able to control each of these joints. We can have full mobility in a joint, but if we cannot use the muscle to control that body part, it can also lead to more stress being placed on other areas.

After determining if there are any mobility or stability limitations present, we then investigate further to determine the specific structures that are involved. Is your neck mobility limited because of the joints, tight muscles, or do you not have good stability/control over your neck?

Finally this all needs to be placed into the context of your activity. Remember, there is a big gap between treatment on a table and returning to sport. As treatment progresses, your visits will start to look more and more like training for your specific goals. This way we can be sure your body is ready when you are able to get back in the game.

Gear Up for a Fargo/Moorhead Summer

As the weather finally warms up here in the Fargo/Moorhead area, we are moving away from winter sports and into summer activities. This transition often means moving our bodies much more than we have over the last few months, or getting into new activities.

Don’t let pain dictate what you can and cannot do this season! Make sure your body is functioning at its best so you can take on whatever summer activities come your way.

Ready to Find Your Edge?

Your first visit with us isn't about a quick fix and a "goodbye." We take the time to get to know your history and plan ahead for your specific goals. Our active treatment approach is designed to get you moving better, sooner, and with more intent.

• If you are still unsure if we are a good fit, book your complimentary consultation today so we can discuss your situation and potential treatment options more in-person.

• If you are ready to get back to performing at your best, reserve your new patient appointment now so we can start building a plan that works for you!

Jordan Gregoire, DC