When trying to loose weight, most people focus all their effort on watching caloric intake with the foods they are eating. However, many people do not think about the extra calories that they are drinking. Many different beverages that most people drink on a daily bases, such as; soda, milk, coffee, flavored water, and energy drinks all have added calories in them. According to a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the average number of calories that Americans drink on a daily basis is about 400. About 37% of our total daily liquid calories comes from sugar-sweetened drinks. To learn more about How Many Calories You Are Drinking or any other Nutritional advice, contact our Registered Dietitian at Blue Ridge Orthopaedic & Spine Center or call us at 540-347-9220.
Tennis elbow known as lateral epicondylitis or lateral epicondylalgia is a condition where the outer part of the elbow becomes irritated with soreness or tenderness. The name “tennis elbow” has a unique link to racquet sports but can also be caused by other activities such as climbing, swimming, manual workers, playing instruments and everyday life activities! Repetitive moments are usually the culprit.
Symptoms of Tennis Elbow
- Morning stiffness
- Pain on the outer part of the elbow
- Pain when gripping or extension of the wrist
- Soreness in forearm
Tips for Preventing Tennis Elbow Injury
- Stretching is a must! Stretch your fingers, wrist, forearm and shoulder muscles before you begin. Don’t forget to follow up with a proper cool down afterwards. Ice is recommended for your shoulder and elbows.
- Use proper form. Don’t flick your wrist when striking the ball. Try using both arms when contacting the ball; this will cause less exertion from just one arm.
- Make sure your grip is the right size for you. Grip size can be obtained by measuring the distance from the crease of your palm to the tip of the ring finger. Don’t hold the grip too tightly.
- Tension levels for racquet strings should be evaluated and recommended by a professional.
- Counterforce braces can relive some tension of the elbow during your session.
- Listen to your body! Above all – this is critical. If you are a beginner start slowly with your activities. Even if you are an experienced athlete your body will tell you when to stop!
If you feel you might be suffering with tennis elbow, or any joint problems, Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center can help. Whether you require physical therapy, pain management, or diagnosis and treatment from any of our expert physicians, we provide the patient care you deserve all under one roof. Call us today @ 540.347.9220 to speak with a specialist or visit us at www.BroAva.com.
We’re counting down to ready-set-go with the second annual Bodies in Motion 5k and 10k races, and the 1 Mile Fun Run. The event kicks off at 8 a.m. on Sunday, May 19. Have you registered yet? If not, there’s still time! Click here to register via the Bodies in Motion 5k & 10k website.
Once you’ve registered, it’s all about being ready. Whether you’re prepping for Bodies in Motion or another race, here are five tips that will help you get the most out of your race day:
- Take it easy. The week before your race is a good time to slow down and go easy with your workouts. Give your body a chance to rest up and be at its best by race day. You’ll still want to get some runs in, but keep them short and snappy. Nothing long and tiring.
- Get hydrated. Spend the day before the race priming your body with plenty of water. It’s also good to avoid alcohol and caffeine the day before a race or big run. Sure, your morning cup of coffee is fine. But, try to resist that double espresso in the afternoon. Your body will thank you come race day.
- Stick with your tried-and-true shoes. Now is not the time to be breaking in a new pair of running shoes, no matter how great they look on your feet. Stick with the shoes you’ve been training with, and leave the new shoes for after the race. That will give you plenty of time to break them in gradually.
- Eat a normal breakfast. Resist the temptation to load up on a “special” breakfast. Instead, stick with what your body is used to, whether that’s a bowl of cereal and fruit, or a three-egg omelet with bacon and hash browns.
- Warm-up and stretch. Before the race, spend 20 minutes warming up your muscles and stretching out your legs. A brisk 20-minute walk will do wonders for loosening up your running muscles. Follow your warm-up with a round of leg stretches, and you’ll be ready to go when the race begins.
We’re proud to be a sponsor of the 2013 Bodies in Motion 5k & 10k, and are looking forward to seeing you bright and early on Sunday, May 19. It should be a great day of running, fun and community. And, all for a good cause too! All proceeds will go to the Blue Ridge Community Foundation, which will then direct funds to local nonprofits and charitable organizations in need of support. Their goal is to raise more than $25,000 for local organizations in need. We’ll be there to help out. Will you join us?
Click here to learn more about the race: Bodies in Motion 5k & 10k
Neck Pain and the Spine. Myth or Fact?
Finding reliable information is crucial to having the best chances for recovery. This article from http://www.spine-health.com/blog/myths-about-neck-pain-and-spine will clarify a few of the most common myths about neck pain.
Myth: Rest Is the Best Way to Help Neck Pain
Fact: Brief short periods of bed rest may ease acute pain of the neck or back, but physicians generally advise against more than one or two days of bed rest. Ironically, resting and lack of activity can cause more pain as it leads to muscle wasting and other harmful effects, which can create more pain and lead to an unhealthy cycle of pain/inactivity/more pain/more inactivity.
Myth: With Its Sensitive Nerves, the Spine Is Easily Injured
Fact: The spine is a uniquely well-designed structure – the muscles, tendons and ligaments provide strength, flexibility and support for the spine. Generally, keeping the spine healthy requires proper conditioning, including stretching, strengthening and aerobic exercise. Poor posture and body mechanics, and other unhealthy habits, such as smoking, lack of nutrition or sleep can harm the spine.
Myth: My Doctor Didn’t Find Anything Wrong, so the Pain Must Be All in My Head
Fact: Pain is always real! While your physician may not find the anatomical cause of your pain, you still are experiencing pain. It’s especially important to proactively treat chronic pain (pain that lasts for more than 2 or 3 months.) While psychological factors (such as sleeplessness and depression) will often need to be a part of a comprehensive treatment program, it’s important to search out all treatment options that can help alleviate the pain.
Myth: My Pain Is So Bad, There Must Be Ongoing Spine Damage
Fact: With chronic pain, the amount and scope of pain is not related to the amount and scope of damage or injury in your neck and back. For example, severely degenerated discs may not be the source of much pain at all, and discs with minor degeneration can cause severe pain. Unlike chronic pain, acute (short lived) pain does link to the level of injury. For example, a deep cut in your skin is more painful and more damaging than a bruise, and the pain will lessen as it heals. With this, acute pain provides us with a protective reflex – so we can avoid things that cause tissue damage (such as we remove our hand from a hot burner.) However, with chronic pain, the pain does not have the same meaning-it’s not protective and does not mean there is any ongoing tissue damage or injury.
Whether you suffer from chronic or acute pain, the physicians of Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center are here to help. Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center offers comprehensive musculoskeletal care. Our team of professionals will ensure your experience here is comforting, respectful, and to your complete satisfaction. For more information, please contact our specialists at (540) 347-9220.
Come visit us! Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center will be at the 2013 Culpeper Days! Hosted by the Culpeper Ruritans. It’s a fun filled day for the whole family in downtown Culpeper. May 4th, 2013 from 10am-4pm. Hope to see you there!
Treat that someone special or make time to splurge on you!
Check out these May massage specials -
30 minute massage – $24 60 minute massage – $48 90 minute massage – $72
You are in good hands with our certified massage therapist Lindsay Barnes. Massage therapy relaxes the entire body; loosens tight muscles; relieves tired and aching muscles; increases flexibility and range of motion; diminishes chronic pain; calms the nervous system; lowers blood pressure; lowers heart rate; enhances skin tone; assists in recovery from injuries and illness; strengthens the immune system; reduces tension headaches; reduces mental stress; improves concentration; promotes restful sleep; aids in mental relaxation, and is a wonderful calming experience!
We offer: Therapeutic Massage, Sports Massage, Swedish Massage, Myofascial Release, and Deep Tissue Massage.
Please contact our Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department @ 540-347-2918
to schedule an appointment or for more information.
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Offer only valid for massages scheduled between May 1st, 2013 through May 31st, 2013. Give the perfect gift to mom – Massage Gift Certificates are available! |
Congratulations to the FHS girls soccer team on a successful car wash – fundraiser held at Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center on 4/27/2013. Also, we would like to send out a big thank you to our staff and patients who participated in this event! Go Falcons! Great fun! Hope to see you back again soon!
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Whether your kid is into soccer, baseball or gymnastics, May is a great month to review your child’s goals for the current and upcoming season, and set a plan for success. This is also a good time to ensure you and your child are planning for a safe and injury-free season.
Here are five tips to help plan for a fun, successful and injury-free sports season for your child:
- Expect bumps, bruises, sprains and strains. The vast majority of sports injuries require no care other than rest, ice, wrapping and elevation. When in doubt, give us a call. We can show you and your child the best way to wrap an injury to accelerate healing and reduce the risk of re-injury.
- Pay attention to size as well as age. Many sports leagues are divided by the age of the child athletes. But, children of the same age can vary dramatically in size and physical strength. If your child is either large or small for his or her age, consider signing them up for an athletic team that better matches his or her size and/or ability.
- Remember that children are still growing. Unlike adult athletes, children are still growing. Their bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments are not full-size, and may be more susceptible to injury. Watch especially for injuries at the site of your child’s growth plates. These are the areas of cartilage where bone growth occurs at the end of the long bones, like the femur and the tibia. Approximately half of all growth plate injuries occur from team or individual athletic activities. If your child complains of pain at the site of a joint — knee, elbow, hip, etc — we can help. Our team will diagnose the problem and identify a treatment course.
- Watch for over-use injuries. Because children are still growing, their bodies are more susceptible to over-use injuries than adult bodies . Throwing a ball — baseball, football, etc — is a common cause of medial apophysitis (aka. little leaguer’s elbow) and osteochondritis dissecans, two over-use injuries which affect the elbow. If your child hasn’t suffered a chronic injury, but is still complaining of joint pain, you may be dealing with an over-use injury.
- Know when to ask for help. Because children are still growing, relatively minor injuries can sometimes have long-term effects. When in doubt, please give us a call. A quick examination and/or x-ray will help diagnose the source of your child’s pain. Our sports medicine specialists will then work with you to develop a plan for treatment and recovery, if necessary.
Click here to learn more about injuries and treatments in child athletes:
We hope you and your child enjoy a fun, exciting and injury-free sports season. If an injury does sideline your child, please give us a call. We can help diagnose the injury, plan for treatment and get your child back in the game as quickly — and healthfully — as possible.
Contact us today to schedule a consult with one of our sports medicine specialists:
- email us at info@broava.com
- call us at 540-347-9220
Can you believe summer is almost here? It’s time to put away our warm comfortable cover up clothes and break out the cool stuff including our bathing suits! Afraid to make the move? Many people are. Not to worry, there is still time to feel good about you and your body. Do you know Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center offers medical nutrition therapy?
What is Medical Nutrition Therapy?
Medical nutrition therapy is a key component of comprehensive healthcare that can improve the health and quality of life for those with a variety of conditions and illnesses. Making a few small changes in your diet now may make a world of difference in your medical future and overall health. Our registered dietician (Heather Suders) is here to assist you in making healthy lifestyle choices. We provide this vital service by identifying your nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, and customizing a nutritional program you can easily implement and maintain at home.
Don’t delay! You have nothing, except a few pounds, to lose! Please call 540.347.9220 today to schedule an appointment or simply for more information.
Golf is a demanding sport which can certainly cause golf injuries. The majority of golf injuries occur from over-use and improper body mechanics.
Follow these safety tips from www.mayoclinic.com/health/golf/Ho00075
- Use proper posture – Think about your posture before and during your swing. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and distribute your weight equally on both feet. Avoid hunching over the ball, which may contribute to neck and back strain.
- Stay smooth – The power of a golf swing comes from force transferred smoothly through all the muscle groups, from your ankles to your wrists. If you depend on one part of your body for your hitting power, you may be more prone to injuries.
- Don’t over swing – If you swing the club too hard or too fast, you may stress your joints. Relax and take a nice, easy swing at the ball. The best golfers have consistent – not necessarily fast – swing tempos.
- Stretch and warm up – Before you practice your golf swing or play a round of golf, warm up with a brisk walk or a set of jumping jacks. Stretch your hands, wrists, forearms, elbows, shoulders, spine and pelvis. Swing your golf club a few times, gradually increasing your range of motion.
- Start slowly – You might practice your swing for hours, believing it’s helping your game – but if your body isn’t conditioned for the strain, practicing your golf swing may do more harm than good. Work up to your desired level of activity instead.
- Strengthen your muscles – You don’t need bulging muscles to hit a long drive – but the stronger your muscles, the greater your club speed. Better yet, stronger muscles are less prone to golf injuries. For best results, do strength training exercises year –round
- Focus on Flexibility – Regular aerobic activity can give you staying power on the course.
- Lift and carry clubs carefully – Golfers who carry their own bags have higher rates of shoulder and back injuries than do other golfers. If you jerk heavy clubs out of the trunk of your car, you could injure yourself before you reach the first hole! Use proper lifting technique: Keep your back straight and use the strength of your legs to lift.
- Choose proper footwear – Dress for comfort and protection from the elements. Wear golf shoes with short cleats. Long cleats dig into the sod and hold your feet planted as you swing, which may strain your knees or ankles.
We wish you a healthy, injury free golf season. If you do experience an injury, the physicians and therapists of Blue Ridge Orthopaedic and Spine Center are here to help. Through careful diagnosis and treatment planning we will get you back to the game as quickly as possible!
Contact us today to schedule a consult with one of our specialists. 540.347.9220