ACHILLES TENDINITIS - Causes and Cures

Achilles Tendinitis is a common overuse injury which results in inflammation of the Achilles tendon, most frequently causing mild to severe heel pain that may occur anywhere from the top of the heel up into the back of the leg.

Severe to mild heel pain can result from a common overuse and runner's injury resulting from inflammation of the Achilles tendon, called Achilles Tendinitis.

The largest tendon in the body, the Achilles tendon, connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. This tendon is mobilized with every step you take -- whether walking, running or jumping - the Achilles tender is in movement.

Although it is large, strong and can withstand heavy stress, the Achilles tendon is also susceptible to tendinitis. Very commonly occurring in athletes, tendinitis is most likely to occur in runners who suddenly increase the duration or intensity of workouts. Achilles tendinitis is also common in "weekend warriors" who are middle-aged and only intermittently engage in sports like basketball or tennis.

Fortunately, most cases are mild and can be treated at home under Dr. Jeffer's supervision. More severe cases of Achilles tendinitis can ultimately lead to tendon tears or actual ruptures that can end up requiring surgical repair.

The causes of Achilles tendinitis can be:

• Intensive or extensive sprinting, stair climbing or hill running
• Overuse due to a natural lack of flexibility in the muscles of the calf
• Rapidly increasing intensity or duration of exercise, especially after a prolonged period of relatively inactivity
• A hard or sudden contraction of the muscles of the calf when extra effort is exerted as in a high jump or final sprint

Achilles tendinitis and tendinosis symptoms:

• Recurring localized heel pain along the Achilles tendon, often severe, that occurs along the Achilles tendon either after exercise or during exercise
• Pain that is initiated almost immediately after ending exercise and worsens gradually
• Stiffness or tenderness in the morning that occurs about one and one-half inch above the point where the Achilles tendon is attaches to the heel bone
• General feeling of sluggishness in a leg
• Mild to severe swelling in the heel
• Stiffness that generally diminishes as a tendon warms up as it is used

Treatment for Achilles tendinitis:

• Bandages that are specifically designed to restrict motion of the Achilles tendon
• Over the counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (ibuprofen)
• Custom orthotic shoe inserts provided by Dr. Jeffers to relieve stress on the tendon
• Rest - staying off your feet as much as possible
• Using low impact exercises such as swimming, that do not cause stress to the Achilles tendon
• Ultrasound, massage, stretching and appropriate exercises from Dr. Jeffers that will help to strengthen the muscles that support the Achilles tendon

Please contact your Chiropractor San Diego Running Doctor - Dr. Keith Jeffers - for help or more information on Achilles tendonitis...

Call Today (858) 452-7770

What Conditions Cause That Pain in the Neck?

Neck Pain -- Causes and Issues:

1. Abnormalities in the soft tissues of the neck and shoulders (ligaments, muscles, and discs) can cause neck pain, as well as in the bones and joints of the spine.

2. Inflammatory diseases and degeneration from diseases including osteoarthritis can also result in neck pain.

3. Cervical disc degeneration. Normally, the disc acts as a shock absorber between the bones in the neck.
If the space between discs narrows, stress is added to joints of the spine causing additional degeneration and wear.

We give little thought to the space between our shoulders and heads, until we find ourselves suffering from some type of neck pain.
Our neck may suddenly become an irritating source of discomfort after a long drive, a bad night's sleep or prolonged phone conversation --
not to mention an accidental twist or turn -- or even an auto accident causing painful neck pain from whiplash.

A visit to your San Diego chiropractor can help you get back to your normal activities and pain-free life.

What specific issues can result in neck pain?

Repetitive Strain Injury

This strain is due to overruse, either in a normal or abnormal way. This type of neck pain and strain is generally
associated with the person who sits at a desk or works at computers for long periods of time.

Radiculopathy

A pinched nerve usually from a herniated or slipped disk.
Pain in the arms as well as the neck -- often the first sign that nerve roots are irritated by a neck problem.
The most common symptom of radiculopathyis in the pain that radiates down into the arms from the neck.
Muscle weakness is usually a sign that the nerve compression is more severe. Pain can vary, from aching, cull, and difficult to localize, to sharp, burning, and easy and pinpointed.
Hypersensitivity to touch can also occur or numbness in the area of skin supplied by the nerve root.
Weakness in the arm muscles plus numbness and tingling are warning signs that the problem may be more serious.
You should definitely see Dr. Jeffers about your neck pain if you have weakness in your arms.

Other sources of neck pain:

Spondylosis - disc changes that occur with aging - arthritis or spondylosis

Myofascial Pain - aching pain in neck muscles that can arise from poor posture, prolonged computer work, or other job-related tasks

Spinal Stenosis - narrowing of the nerve openings that can cause symptoms similar to a pinched nerve

Neck Tendon, Ligament or Soft Tissue Pain - when an area is over-stretched or muscles overused - causing tenderness

Instability - due to an increase in motion between vertebra - usually the result of injury with symptoms usually of tingling
in neck or arms.


Sometimes neck pain can result from a combination of factors or another issues that does not originate in the neck - such as elbow injuries, shoulder injury or
gall bladder disease.


Contact Dr. Jeffers today for a consultation about your neck pain!
(858) 452-7770

Ask about the latest non-surgical, non-drug neck pain treatment --
AND complimentary consultation about San Diego Spinal Decompression.

WHY Does My Heel Hurt?

One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis, which is caused by issues arising from the plantar fascia on the base of your foot.

The thick band of tissue or ligament that runs from your heel bone (calcaneus) across your arch and the ball of your foot to the base of your toes ball is called the plantar fascia.

This ligament acts very much like a large, thick rubber band.



The plantar fascia maintains the arch of the foot - pulling on the heel bone,
raising your arch as your foot pushes off the ground.

When your foot touches down again and impacts the ground, the plantar fascia stretches out and the foot lengthens.






With its constant, central role in the biomechanical movement of the foot, problems can develop - and the most common of these is plantar fasciitis.

If the foot moves incorrectly, the plantar fascia may become strained, its fibers may experience small tears or fray and the fascia swells or becomes irritated and inflammed.

What causes a foot to move incorrectly?

Your foot may be moving incorrectly due to biomechanical issues -

• Flat feet - the foot flattens too much -- fascia can be overstretched and swell
  
• High arches - the foot does not flatten enough and the fascia may be pulled too tight and ache
  
• Pronation - or abnormal inward twisting of the leg and foot
  
• Achilles tendinits - tight tendons at the back of the heel

What other factors can cause plantar fasciitis?

• Repeated foot use - or excessive exercise, walking or running on hard surfaces
  
• Sudden weight gain - or overweight placing stress on the foot and ligament
  
• Improper shoes - shoes with little or no support, poor arch support, soft soles or that fit incorrectly or are poorly cushioned
  
• Arthritis in the foot
  
• Traumatic injury to the foot

If you are experiencing painful heels, feel free to contact Dr. Jeffers who can determine the source of your pain and treat plantar fasciitis and other foot, ankle, knee and leg problems that may arise - for the athletic and non-athletic individual. Call your San Diego chiropractor, Dr. Jeffers, with any questions -- (858) 452-7770 Find out what other patients say about Dr. Jeffers treatment in chiropractor reviews and GET HELP -- Today!

A Pain in The Neck

Your head, weighing about 10% of your body weight, is much like a bowling ball sitting on top of the relatively slender, flexible structure, known as your neck.

Each inch that your head moves forward in your standing or sitting posture, the weight of the head on the neck increases by 10 pounds. Unbalanced neck posture can lead to a forward head position which is one of the most common causes of tension and pain in the head, neck and shoulders.

In addition to sports injuries and trauma (whiplash), misalignment of the neck can result from strains and sprains or weak neck muscles as well as other causes. These conditions and improper everyday head and neck positions can in turn lead to sleeper neck, driver neck, geek neck, reader neck, couch neck and texting neck.

Dr. Jeffers offers treatment for neck (cervical) pain. As your San Diego Chiropractor, Dr. Jeffers specializes in caring for non-surgical conditions of the shoulder, arm, back, hip, leg, foot and neck with a gentle approach that deals with mechanical and neurological or nerve-related causes of pain.

Dr. Jeffers is a specialist in spinal manipulation or the active, hands-on care that returns motion to a part of the body with restricted movement and / or pain. With the return of normal body mechanics, your muscles relax and pain is resolved.

In the case of neck pain – restricted motion of the spine can cause neck pain.

Neck conditions that Dr. Jeffers treats and those which respond to chiropractic care include such issues as:

• cervical sprain injuries
• spine joint restriction issues
• facet joint sprain
• "whiplash" injuries
• cervical disc injuries
• stiff neck
• acute neck stiffness (or torticollis) which occurs when neck muscles stay contracted and can even hold the neck in a twisted position
• neck degenerative joint syndrome
• multiple types of chronic neck pain

Before deciding on the appropriate approach for pain treatment, Dr. Jeffers performs an examination to diagnose the specific cause of the pain.
If you visit Dr. Jeffers with a neck pain problem, he will still evaluate your entire spine as a mechanical whole. He will check your neck, mid-back and low back. Even though the pain may only manifest in your neck, it is important to examine your entire spine as other regions may be affected.

Dr. Jeffers determines regions and points of disc injury, restricted joint motion, muscle spasm, or ligament injury by checking joint movement, tenderness and tightness. He also analyzes your walk and spinal alignment which helps him understand the integrated function of your spine and body mechanics.

The neck is a vulnerable area and neck problems can often occur in athletes and runners. It is an area where stress has a tendency to accumulate for runners, office workers, drivers, computer-users and people with life-stress in general. Seeing someone grab the back of their neck and squeeze it is very common for a runner, and the probability of neck pain occurring for any runner at some point in their life is high.

Dr. Jeffers treats your neck pain quickly, gently and effectively.

Call Jeffers Chiropractic today and get rid of your pain in the neck.

CALL (858) 452-7770 NOW

San Diego and Southern California neck pain care...

Hip Pain and Leg Pain -- What is IT?

What is that pain in your hip, or upper buttock -- or the pain running down the side or back of your leg?

If it's in your hip or buttock -- you may believe you have a hip problem. If you have pain down your leg -- it may be a burning sensation or numb feeling or even tingling radiating from your lower back or even just your upper buttock down the back of your thigh and into the back of your leg.

It's sciatica -- a low back condition that most often causes more than just low back pain.

Most often, the sciatic nerve is inflamed. Sciatica is caused by irritation of the root(s) of the lower lumbar and lumbosacral spine- and involve either a pinched nerve or an inflamed facet joint.

Often sciatica symptoms are aggravated by walking or bending at the waist and may be relieved by lying down.

Whenever the sciatic nerve flares, rest. Quality rest for the back will help the sciatic inflammation subside more quickly.

You can apply cold packs when you first notice pain from the sciatic nerve. Place cold packs on the affected areas for about 15 minutes four times per day.

After 48 hours, you can begin applying heat to the affected areas.

The good news is that sciatica is quite treatable with chiropractic care by Dr. Jeffers.

When symptoms first appear, prompt treatment is best – simply waiting and hoping pain will subside on its own often results in only a more prolonged period of pain.

Call Dr. Jeffers, your San Diego Chiropractor, today for all types of leg, hip, elbow, shoulder, back, knee and neck pain. Call: 858 452-7770

Tips for Avoiding Runner's Blisters

Incorrect Size Shoes
The foot can continually rub against the side of the shoe if the shoe is too small – or if too large, the foot will slide around too much. Either type of friction can cause blisters.

Improper Socks
If the sock is too large or small or composed of an irritating material – blisters can result. Not wearing any socks can also lead to the type of friction that causes blisters.

Foot Structure
An enlarged or prominent part of your foot, such as a bunion or hammer toes, can press against the shoe and cause friction.

Excessive Moisture
Running or exercising in shoes damp from water, sweat or rain, can cause the foot to again slide around and result in friction – and blister.

Running Surfaces
Friction from running on a hot surface, such as an asphalt street in the heat of summer, can lead to blisters. Simply switching to a different surface, such as a new track can also cause blisters.