Well I am super excited about an event I am putting on or better worded, helping put on. It's the first annual Reach Church 5K. It's going to happen on 6/2/2012 at Lake Brushy Creek Park. It's going to be fun and whether you run or walk it should be a good time. Of course, "the Tri Doc" and crew will be out there running and hanging out afterwards. It's on $20 until May 15. Here is the link. 

I always get asked this question or I hear that chiropractic has failed somebody and they are ruling it out for future care. Well, I have decided to tackle this question over the next several blogs. I will be showing everyone some of the treatments in my office to help potential patients understand a little more about what I do. 

Since, I train for all types of athletic events, I feel like I have a good understanding about  different kinds of activities and how they relate to the body and more importantly how they positively or negatively effect how the body functions.

After many years in practice with very good results, I still felt something missing. I would guess that about 80% of my patient population got full or almost full resolution to their problems. For most clinicians, this is a very acceptable number. For me, it wasn't. What I found was that although the spine or other joint in the body had good mobility, it didn't sustain that motion. I found that something within the soft tissue ( the fascia, muscle, ligament or tendon ) was preventing complete function in the joint. So I set out on a search to find more options to treat this. I came across several ( I will discuss more later) treatments and really liked the Active Release protocol. 

Active Release treatment in a nutshell focuses on muscles that are not functioning at 100%. The therapy involves treating the damaged tissue until the full function returns. Then the joint or soft tissue pain resolves and we have a happy patient.

This type of therapy helps with a multitude of conditions and not limited to this list, but here are some of the things I have had excellent results with:

•  Carpal Tunnel
• Tennis Elbow
• Neck pain
• Shoulder pain/tightness/ limited range of motion
• Low back pain
• Hamstring pain/ tightness/ limited range of motion
• Quad pain
• IT Band syndrome
• Knee pain
• Calf pain
• Plantar fasciitis

I have first hand experience with resolving each of the above conditions permanently with a relatively short treatment time.If you want to see more, check out this video with a demonstration of Active Release.

Note: I am full body Certified in this technique which means I have taking all the required classes to treat all areas of the body.

One of the best things I tell my patients to improve their health is to do some self-maintenance. Foam rolling is an excellent way to not only maintain, but to improve a person's muscle integrity. Many people out there are dealing with:

• Low back pain
• Decreased range of motion (either in their legs or spine)
• Tightness or restriction in their legs.
  
• Plantar Fasciitis (foot pain or tightness)
• IT Band syndrome (pain on the side of thigh.... very common in runners)

These are many of the issues I see on a daily basis in my clinic. As a chiropractor in Cedar Park Texas, I feel these are so common and many times can be prevented (not necessarily treated by itself) with simple techniques that include stretching and foam rolling. Foam rolling is essentially self massage. Now I love a good massage as much as anyone and I don't feel that foam rolling replaces massage, but I do feel it is something that tremendously helps and can be done daily. Done correctly and often, foam rolling and stretching can keep a runner, cyclist, swimmer, climber, walker and just about anyone else in pretty good shape. I have a video here showing the basics.

Check this out and give it a try. You can get a foam roller about anywhere. You can purchase a Grid online or swing by my clinic. Try it out and get going on improving your health. 

Thanks for taking a look-

John Tuggle, D.C.

aka the tri doc

Suffering from plantar fasciitis can be extremely painful, but Wellness & Better Health Chiropractic has several treatment plans that can provide the relief you need. The condition strikes when the thick band that stretches across the bottom of the foot becomes irritated and swollen. The band, known as the plantar fascia, connects your toe bones to your heel bone and can become inflamed for a variety of reasons. Dr. John Tuggle has seen the condition in athletes, especially runners, as well as those who are overweight, pregnant, or spend a lot of time on their feet. Shoes that do not offer adequate support can also result in the painful foot ailment.

Cedar Park Chiropractor Care Can Get You Back on Your Feet

Our Cedar Park chiropractor offers treatment plans for an irritated plantar fascia that depend on the cause and can include a combination of techniques. If an uneven gait contributed to the problem, a misalignment of the spine may be to blame. We offer spinal adjustments that serve to realign the vertebrae as well as restore full functioning and proper gait. If overuse or extensive pressure on the feet has led to the condition, treatments can include a series of exercises designed to strengthen and stretch the area to stabilize your heel and ankle.

Lifestyle suggestions can also be part of our treatment plans. Dr. Tuggle may suggest home treatment remedies that can help alleviate the pain and swelling of the plantar fascia. These can include elevating your feet, applying ice, wrapping the affected area in supportive tape, or a temporary change in your routine until the condition heals. Switching to more supportive shoes or arch supports inside your existing shoes can also be helpful not only for the plantar fascia but for back pain, neck pain and knee pain caused by flat feet or an abnormal walking pattern.

Have you suffered from pain and swelling in the feet? What remedies helped?

I did a trail run last weekend. I would like to say after doing this same race for the second year in a row, I love it. It is a tough, scenic and long 15.5 miles, but it is very refreshing and challenging. I think running offroad is great for your body if done correctly. By this, I mean that you should start small and work your way up. Start with a mile or so offroad and then begin a build from there. After a while, 3-5 miles will be a great little outdoor run. 

The things I really enjoy about outdoor running:

• It's tough
• It's very different, you don't make the same turn twice ( you actually do do the same hill twice though )
• It's beautiful.
  
• You don't have tons of people all over you the whole race.
  
• You get lots of time to reflect.
  
• It is better on your body.
  

• Nobody sees you when you are crying.... haha

  If you want to see some more, I welcome you to check out a video I did of it. I did the video myself of just pulling out the recorder a few times on the course and I put it together myself, so the quality is pretty amateur, but it will give you an idea of the course and see some of God's beauty out there. Thanks to Jeremy Camp more making a great song for this guy to jam too.