<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><atom:link href="http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;Type=RSS20" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /><title>Dr Farra's Blog</title><description>Health Blog from Dr. Brad Farra Portland Sports Chiropractor</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/</link><lastBuildDate>Fri, 25 May 2012 19:44:27 GMT</lastBuildDate><docs>http://backend.userland.com/rss</docs><generator>RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/</generator><item><title>Running Technique</title><description>&lt;p&gt;Running technique is very important for injury prevention. Issues involving how you place your foot on the ground and how you hold your body can make a difference in both speed and avoiding running repetitive use injury. There are many different opinions on running technique. Here I will offer you some basic technique ideas for long and middle distance running.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here are a few tips for the upper body:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Head held upright over your shoulders and relax your face&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;torso leaning forward slightly&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;arms moving in the direction you are running and not crossing over your body&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;keep arms tucked into your sides&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;arms moving using cross crawl mechanism (right moves forward with left and vise versa)&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;keep shoulders and hips as still as possible with no twisting or one sided back/forward motion&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;hands loosely closed and relaxed with lower arms above hips (elbows near 90 degrees)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Your lower body technique is the most important and complicated part of your running technique:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;whether you have chosen forefoot or heel striking your foot should already be in a backward motion when it strikes the ground&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;at a moderate pace your knee should be the heels highest point and as the pace quickens you should be bringing heel higher&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;foot plant should be just in front of the center of gravity&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;lengthening the stride is done by bringing thigh further forward not by increased knee extension&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;as the thigh comes forward relax the hamstring to allow the lower leg to come forward&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;keep your motion moving forward and limit the "bouncing" up and down movement&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In general keep your body relaxed and try not to consume needless energy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;By improving foot and ankle function/biomechanics you can reduce loss in joint and muscle tension when the foot is on the ground and deceleration is occurring. Feel free to contact me if you have a specific injury such as shin splints, sprained ankle, ankle instability, or knee pain. It's also a good idea to have your hips, knees, ankles, and feet examined even if you are pain free. Prevention is always easier than reactionary care.&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=152018&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fRunning_Technique_Portland_Chiropractor%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Running_Technique_Portland_Chiropractor/</guid><pubDate>Sat, 20 Nov 2010 02:33:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Portland Chiropractor - Graston Technique news video</title><description>I thought I would share this news video from California highlighting Graston Technique.&amp;nbsp; I use this technique and other chiropractic care to treat sports injuries in my Northwest Portland Chiropractic office.
&lt;p&gt;
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</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150138&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fPortland_Chiropractor_-_Graston_Technique_news_video%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Portland_Chiropractor_-_Graston_Technique_news_video/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:09:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Healthy Holiday Travel</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Don't Let Muscle Pains and Strains Affect Your Holiday Travel.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Holiday travel can be tough on your body. Whether driving a few hours to visit the in-laws or flying cross-country for a week-long holiday excursion, you can hardly make the most of your time if the trip leaves you tired, stressed, stiff and sore.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Long periods of sitting can take a toll on your body,&amp;rdquo; says Dr. Scott Donkin, a chiropractor, ergonomics expert and author of the book, Sitting on the Job. &amp;ldquo;Research shows that sitting in place for prolonged periods of time can decrease blood circulation, stiffen muscles, induce fatigue and, in rare cases, cause blood clots that can lead to life-threatening conditions, like deep vein thrombosis.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The American Chiropractic Association recommends the following in-flight exercises to help travelers avoid muscle tension and stiffness:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Foot Pumps&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Start with both heels on the floor and point your feet upward as high as you can. Return both feet flat on the floor. Then, lift your heels high, keeping balls of feet on the floor. Repeat the three stages in a continuous motion and in 30-second intervals.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ankle Circles&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Lift one foot off the floor. Draw a circle with your toes 10 times in a clockwise rotation, then 10 times counter-clockwise. Relax. Repeat with the other foot.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Knee Lifts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While in a seated position &amp;ndash;with your back straight and feet flat on the floor &amp;ndash;lift the right foot a few inches off the floor while keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees. Alternate legs. Repeat 20 to 30 times for each leg.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Shoulder Rolls&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Gently roll your shoulders forward, up, back and down. Repeat in the reverse direction. Repeat several times.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Neck Rolls&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With your shoulders relaxed, drop one ear to your shoulder and gently roll your neck forward and back, holding each position about five seconds. Repeat five times.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In addition, keep your blood flowing by walking up and down the aisle periodically, when permitted by aircraft personnel; keep your legs uncrossed; wear comfortable clothing; and drink plenty of water.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;ldquo;Because travel can completely change your regular routine, it can be very tough on your body and stressful, too. See your chiropractor to help assure healthy travel,&amp;rdquo; says Dr. Donkin. &amp;ldquo;He or she is trained to diagnose and relieve problems of the spine and nervous system.&amp;rdquo;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This article provided by the American Chiropractic Association.&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=152012&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fHealthy_Holiday_Travel%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Healthy_Holiday_Travel/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:50:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Politics and your children's school lunch</title><description>&lt;p&gt;Here is a follow up video &lt;a href="/_bpost_5304/6_Tests_School_Cafeterias_Fail"&gt;to my post from yesterday&lt;/a&gt;. Politicians in your local school cafeteria are not looking out for your child's nutrition.&lt;/p&gt;
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</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=152014&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fPolitics_and_your_children's_school_lunch%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Politics_and_your_children's_school_lunch/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:52:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Chiropractic Care Cuts sports Injuries</title><description>&lt;p&gt;As a Portland Chiropractor treating sports injuries I do my best to stay on top of the scientific research in this field.&amp;nbsp; Here is a report on a study that looked at soccer injuries and how Chiropractic care helped to prevent them.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A new Macquarie University study involving two Australian Rules football  clubs has found that chiropractic treatment can significantly reduce  the risk of players succumbing to hamstring injuries and lower limb  muscle strain.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/Images/soccer player-resized-600.jpg" mce_src="/Images/soccer player-resized-600.jpg" alt="Chiropractic Care Cuts Sports Injuries" style="float: left; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 245px; height: 314px;" /&gt;  Two semi-elite Victorian Football League (VFL) clubs participated in the  research, which is the first Australian study to examine the role of  chiropractic treatment in minimising injury in footballers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The study was undertaken by sports chiropractor Wayne Hoskins as the  basis for his PhD project on hamstring injuries and has just been  published in the journal &lt;em&gt;BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;
&amp;nbsp;&lt;br /&gt;
"Hamstring and lower limb muscle strains are the most common injuries in  the AFL," Hoskins said. "The AFL's injury survey shows no change in  injury rates in the last 15 years and management of these injuries has  remained a source of frustration for players, clubs, medical staff and  fans alike."&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hoskins' research showed that hamstring and lower limb muscle strain  injuries can be dramatically reduced through the inclusion of a sports  chiropractor in the traditional injury management programs adopted by  clubs, which generally involve a mix of physiotherapy, massage, and  strength and conditioning management.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
Hoskins said the results suggest that the inclusion of chiropractic  treatment would boost player performance whilst saving clubs money.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
"The study lasted an entire season and involved 59 players from two VFL  clubs," Hoskins said. "The group which included chiropractic management  had a four per cent chance of a hamstring injury and a four per cent  chance of a lower limb muscle strain. The group which received the  traditional management only had a 17 per cent chance of hamstring injury  and a 28 per cent chance of a lower limb muscle strain."&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
In addition, the chiropractic group missed just four matches during the  season through hamstring or lower limb muscle strains. The group not  receiving chiropractic treatment missed 14 matches through hamstring  injury and 21 matches through lower limb muscle strain.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The group receiving chiropractic treatment also had significant  reductions in non-contact knee injuries, low back pain, and improvements  in physical components of health, although this was not the goal of  treatment.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
The study was carried out under the supervision of Associate Professor  Henry Pollard from Macquarie University's Department of Chiropractic.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-as printed by Science Alert April 19, 2010&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150140&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fChiropractic_Care_Cuts_sports_Injuries%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Chiropractic_Care_Cuts_sports_Injuries/</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Nov 2010 06:23:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Portland Chiropractor - Shin Splints</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are shin splints and how did I get them? &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a sports chiropractor in Portland I see a lot of running injuries.&amp;nbsp; Shin splints is one of the most common running injuries.&amp;nbsp; Shin Splints is an entirely too vague of a term describing exercise induced lower leg pain.&amp;nbsp; The term shin splints is used by runners to describe their symptoms or by a doctor as a diagnosis.&amp;nbsp; Shin splints is essentially the strain of a muscle and its attachment to the tibia.&amp;nbsp; A more specific term would be tenoperiostitis or traction periostitis.&amp;nbsp; There are two types of shin splints, posterior and anterior.&amp;nbsp; Posterior shin splints are on the inside (medial) side of the shin and it's also called postero-medial shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome.&amp;nbsp; Posterior shin splints involve the tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, and the flexor hallicus longus muscles.&amp;nbsp; Anterior shin splints, also called antero-lateral shin splints, involves the tibialis anterior muscle.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shin splints is a repetitive/overuse type of injury.&amp;nbsp; The primary factor in both anterior and posterior shin splints are weak muscles/tendons.&amp;nbsp; This weakness leads to damage/degeneration of the soft (connective) tissues that connect the tendon to the periostium of the bone; hence the term tenoperiostitis.&amp;nbsp; When repetitive muscle contraction, of one or more of the above mentioned muscles, is too forceful this painful condition results.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Repetitive impact is the most common cause of shin splints.&amp;nbsp; Shin splints is not limited to running, but you can bet there is probably running involved in the sport if shin splints is an issue.&amp;nbsp; Several factors play a role to increase the likely hood you will have problems with shin splints:&amp;nbsp; long distances, hills, hard/uneven surfaces, training errors (too far, too fast, too soon), changes in routine, new activity, inappropriate shoes, poor conditioning, inadequate warm-up, over pronation/under controlled pronation, and over training.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="" src="http://www.drbradfarra.com/Portals/34530/images/shin splnts-resized-600.jpg" mce_src="/Portals/34530/images/shin splnts-resized-600.jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" /&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How can I prevent shin splints?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Prevention questions are among the most important questions I answer as a Portland Chiropractor.&amp;nbsp; I work with a lot of athletes in a preventative manner.&amp;nbsp; The most important thing you can do to prevent shin splints is to not make any training errors.&amp;nbsp; Don't run too much, too fast, too soon.&amp;nbsp; The most common training errors are when you increase your mileage or speed too quickly.&amp;nbsp; This also includes avoiding over training.&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are specific exercises that can be done to help prevent shin splints.&amp;nbsp; It's simple:&amp;nbsp; Strengthen the muscles listed above as the culprits in shin splints.&amp;nbsp; Running on softer surfaces lessens the impact on the leg and in turn decreases your vulnerability to shin splints.&amp;nbsp; If you run on uneven surfaces, as in trail running, make sure you build mileage slowly so your body has time to adapt to this type of stress.&amp;nbsp; Always be sure you get an adequate warm-up before your running event, especially if your sport involves sprinting.&amp;nbsp; Have a coach look at your technique and consider using a technique that can help decrease the impact stresses on your leg/shin.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Treatment of shin splints: &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The treatment of shin splints usually involves temporarily limiting or stopping the offensive activity.&amp;nbsp; The most effective therapy for shin splints involves the use of &lt;a href="/_bpost_5304/Portland_Chiropractor_-_Graston_Technique_news_video"&gt;Graston Technique&lt;/a&gt;, ice, rehab exercises,stretching, and kinesio-taping.&amp;nbsp; Proper evaluation of the entire kinetic chain should be performed by a  qualified practitioner.&amp;nbsp; Manipulation of the low back, SI, knee, ankle, and foot joints can also be helpful.&amp;nbsp; The athlete can also use a compression sock or have the shin taped for running.&amp;nbsp; A change in shoes may be helpful.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; There are many other factors that should also be addressed with shin splints;  these issues include foot positioning at foot strike (foot flair), hip  position (externally rotated hip), stride length (too long of a stride),  and leg length inequality.&amp;nbsp; Weak quads, hamstrings, hip abductors, or  hip flexors can also be a factor with an athlete suffering from shin  splints. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How long will my shin splints last?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When you start feeling the pain of shin splints the condition has more than likely been going on for a significant amount of time.&amp;nbsp; If you seek treatment immediately after you start feeling the pain the condition should significantly improve in 1-2 weeks.&amp;nbsp; If the condition is chronic it could take months to resolve.&amp;nbsp; Treatment should continue after the resolution of pain to reduce scar tissue/adhesions.&amp;nbsp; If you are being treated for shin splints and are not seeing improvement consider one of the other possible causes for shin pain listed below.&amp;nbsp; Be sure that all of the factors listed above have been addressed. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;All shin pain is not shin splints! &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other shin pain that is NOT shin splints:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-Tibial Stress fracture&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-Compartment syndrome&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-Intermittent claudication&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-deep vein thrombosis&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-thrombophlebitis&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have any questions about shin splints or other running/sports injuries feel free to comment on this blog.&amp;nbsp; If you live in the Portland area and need treatment for a sports injury or have any questions please visit my website:&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href="/index.html"&gt;www.drbradfarra.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="../Default.htm" mce_href="/"&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150144&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fPortland_Chiropractor_-_Shin_Splints%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Portland_Chiropractor_-_Shin_Splints/</guid><pubDate>Fri, 05 Nov 2010 04:32:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Portland Chiropractor - Graston Technique</title><description>&lt;p&gt;As&amp;nbsp;a Sports Chiropractor in Portland there is a great  demand to have an effective soft tissue therapy.&amp;nbsp; A sports physician must be  able to treat muscle, tendon, ligament, scar tissue, fascia, and other soft  tissues.&amp;nbsp; Many of you know I have been using Graston Technique to  effectively treat different soft tissue injuries.&amp;nbsp; Graston is extremely  effective with running, cycling, swimming, and other sports injuries.&amp;nbsp; Here is  some specific information about Graston Technique.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Graston Technique&amp;reg; is an  interdisciplinary treatment used by more than 7,500 clinicians  worldwide&amp;mdash;including athletic trainers, chiropractors, hand therapists,  occupational and physical therapists.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;GT is utilized at some 825  out-patient facilities and industrial on-sites, by more than 125 professional  and amateur sports organizations, and is part of the curriculum at 32 respected  colleges and universities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;The Graston Technique&amp;reg;, originally developed by athletes,  is changing the way clinicians &amp;mdash; including athletic trainers,  chiropractors,&amp;nbsp;physical therapists, occupational therapists &amp;mdash; and patients view  treatment of acute and chronic soft tissue injuries.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Graston Technique&amp;reg; is an innovative, patented form of  instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to  effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions. The Technique  utilizes specially designed stainless steel instruments&amp;nbsp; to specifically detect  and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic  inflammation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial;"&gt;
&lt;p style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;The curvilinear edge of  the patented Graston Technique&amp;reg; Instruments combines with their concave/convex  shapes to mold the instruments to various contours of the body. This design  allows for ease of treatment, minimal stress to the clinician's hands, and  maximum tissue penetration.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;
&lt;p style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;The Graston Technique&amp;reg;  Instruments, much like a tuning fork, resonate in the clinician's hands allowing  the clinician to isolate adhesions and restrictions, and treat them very  precisely. Since the metal surface of the instruments does not compress as do  the fat pads of the finger,&amp;nbsp;deeper restrictions can be accessed and treated.  When explaining the properties of the instruments, we often use the analogy of a  stethoscope. Just as a stethoscope amplifies what the human ear can hear, so do  the instruments increase significantly what the human hands can  feel.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial;"&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;
&lt;table border="0" style="width: 100%;"&gt;
    &lt;tbody&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td&gt;
            &lt;h3 style="font-family: arial; color: #093170;"&gt;Graston Technique&amp;reg;  offers many advantages and benefits.&lt;/h3&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
    &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;
&lt;table cellpadding="0" border="0"&gt;
    &lt;tbody&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;For the  clinician:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/span&gt;
            &lt;ul&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Provides improved diagnostic  treatment&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Detects major and minor fibrotic  changes&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Reduces manual stress; provides hand and  joint conservation&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Increases patient satisfaction by achieving  notably better outcomes &lt;/li&gt;
            &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;strong&gt;For the  patient:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/span&gt;
            &lt;ul&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Decreases overall time of  treatment&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Fosters faster  rehabilitation/recovery&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Reduces need for anti-inflammatory  medication&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Resolves chronic conditions thought to be  permanent&lt;/li&gt;
            &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;span style="font-size: small;"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;strong&gt;For  employers and the healthcare industry:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
            &lt;ul&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Allows patients to remain on the  job&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Reduces the need for splints, braces and  job-site modifications&lt;/li&gt;
                &lt;li style="font-size: small;"&gt;&amp;nbsp; Contributes to reduction of labor and  healthcare costs, direct and  indirect&lt;/li&gt;
            &lt;/ul&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
    &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;
&lt;h1&gt;&lt;span style="color: #056168;"&gt;Clinical Applications of the Patented GT  Instruments&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;span xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"&gt;
&lt;table border="0"&gt;
    &lt;tbody&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="width: 66%;"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial;"&gt;The Graston  Technique&amp;reg;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial;"&gt;(GT)  Instruments, while enhancing the clinician's ability to detect fascial adhesions  and restrictions, have been clinically&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style="font-size: small; font-family: arial;"&gt;proven to&amp;nbsp;achieve quicker and  better outcomes in treating&amp;nbsp;both acute and chronic conditions,  including:&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td&gt;&lt;span style="min-height: 125px; width: 200px; border: medium none;"&gt;&lt;img alt="" width="200" height="125" style="float: right;" src="http://www.grastontechnique.com/resize/200/125/force/sites|*|86|*|GTclinicalSholder.jpg" mce_src="http://www.grastontechnique.com/resize/200/125/force/sites%7C%2A%7C86%7C%2A%7CGTclinicalSholder.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
    &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;table width="100%" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="0" border="0"&gt;
    &lt;tbody&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Cervical sprain/strain  (neck pain)&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Lumbar sprain/strain  (back pain)&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Carpal Tunnel Syndrome  (wrist pain)&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Plantar Fasciitis (foot  pain)&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Lateral Epicondylitis  (tennis elbow)&lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Medial Epicondylitis  (golfer's elbow)&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Rotator Cuff Tendinitis  (shoulder pain)&lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Patellofemoral Disorders  (knee pain)&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Achilles Tendinitis  (ankle pain)&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Fibromyalgia&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Scar  Tissue&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Trigger  Finger&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
        &lt;tr&gt;
            &lt;td style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;"&gt;Shin  Splints&lt;br /&gt;
            &lt;/td&gt;
            &lt;td&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/td&gt;
        &lt;/tr&gt;
    &lt;/tbody&gt;
&lt;/table&gt;
&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150145&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fPortland_Chiropractor_-_Graston_Technique%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Portland_Chiropractor_-_Graston_Technique/</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:33:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Portland Chiropractor - Tennis Elbow</title><description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/Images/tennis_elbow-resized-600.jpg" mce_src="/Images/tennis_elbow-resized-600.jpg" alt="Tennis Elbow" style="float: left; margin-right: 2px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Last spring I wrote a blog on Tennis elbow.&amp;nbsp; I thought it was time to re-post and update some information.&amp;nbsp; As a Sports Chiropractor in Portland Oregon I treat a lot of sports and extremity injuries and tennis elbow is very common.&amp;nbsp; Tennis elbow has also been called carpenters elbow and is  referred to by health care professionals as lateral epicondylitis. All  of the activities associated with tennis elbow include some type of hand  use. Tennis players are only responsible for a small percentage of  these injuries. In addition to the activities listed above there are  many other possible causes including: computer terminal use, plumbing,  carpentry, bowling, and too many others to list.&amp;nbsp; Tennis elbow is a repetitive use injury, not caused by a single traumatic event.
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Tennis elbow usually comes on slowly with pain in the outside  (lateral side) of the elbow. Sometimes the condition will go away on its  own by removing the offensive activity, but it usually requires  treatment for full recovery and avoidance of flare ups. Current research  provides evidence that this is not an inflammatory condition, but more  of a chronic degenerative condition; this explains why cortisone shots  and anti-inflammatory drugs are ineffective for this condition.  It should also be mentioned that cortisone shots have been shown to weaken tendons and connective tissues and should not be injected directly into a tendon.&amp;nbsp; Treatment should always begin with conservative measures. Tennis elbow  is at times slow to respond to treatment, but rarely needs more invasive  treatments like surgery. Conservative therapy usually includes  modification or elimination of the offensive activity; for example a  tennis player may need to take a break from tennis, limit the backhand  swing, or at a very minimum use the two handed backhand and improve  technique. In office treatment consists of soft tissue therapy, elbow  joint manipulation, and ultrasound. An extremely effective type of soft  tissue manipulation for tennis elbow is &lt;a href="/_bpost_5304/Portland_Chiropractor_-_Graston_Technique"&gt;Graston Technique&lt;/a&gt;  (www.grastontechnique.com). It is important to begin rehabilitation  exercises including stretching and strengthening as soon as you have  your elbow condition diagnosed. In less than 5% of cases surgery is  needed where conservative therapy has failed. Surgery for tennis elbow  is 80-90% effective.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you did acquire your tennis elbow with your powerful backhand a  few tips might be helpful if you are unwilling to take a break from  tennis and you want to continue playing while receiving treatment:  change your racket (avoid high string tension), get in a long warm up,  use a larger hand grip, avoid Kevlar string, use string dampers, counter  weight handle of racket (retrofit handle), use a brace (counter force  strap), play on slow surfaces with new and dry balls.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you are like most people and have acquired a nasty case of tennis elbow from too much computer use.&amp;nbsp; Have someone work with you on your work station ergonomics and posture.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you are seeking  treatment for this condition go to &lt;a href="/index.html" target="_new" mce_href="/"&gt;www.drbradfarra.com&lt;/a&gt; for information about scheduling.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I hope you find this information helpful and as always if you have  any questions please don't hesitate to contact me. &lt;span style="text-decoration: underline;"&gt;drfarra@drbradfarra.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=152011&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fPortland_Chiropractor_-_Tennis_Elbow%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Portland_Chiropractor_-_Tennis_Elbow/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:49:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician</title><description>Press Release:
&lt;p&gt;Dr. Brad Farra has obtained the postgraduate designation of Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) by the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians (ACBSP). The CCSP certification requires the doctor to attend a minimum of 100 hours of a 120 hour postgraduate program. This instruction is specific to physical fitness and the evaluation and treatment of injuries encountered in sports. Following completion of these hours, the doctor must then take and successfully pass a comprehensive written examination.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This training will aid the doctor in the prevention and treatment of athletic injuries by enhancing his diagnostic skills and patient care. The CCSP accreditation exists to provide a uniform standard of education that assures teams and athletes that the doctor has met a minimum level of competency in chiropractic sports medicine. Dr. Farra joins 4000 others internationally who hold this designation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in having your sports event covered please contact Dr. Farra.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;br /&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=152295&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fCertified_Chiropractic_Sports_Physician%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Certified_Chiropractic_Sports_Physician/</guid><pubDate>Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:16:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Winter Running</title><description>&lt;h3 class="title"&gt;Wintertime running can be safe and enjoyable provided you make a few adjustments.&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You may wonder what a Southerner could possibly teach you about cold-weather running. Well, I may live in Atlanta, but I travel enough to have logged plenty of miles in the ice and snow. I admit that when I first began visiting places like Minneapolis, Winnipeg and Boston in the dead of winter, I was tempted to limit myself to indoor exercise. But after seeing a steady stream of runners head out to face the elements, I eventually followed them.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;What a pleasant surprise to discover that, with a few adjustments, I could enjoy a run in 20-degree temperatures as much as a 70-degree run! Through trial and error I learned how to adapt traditional running advice to the vagaries of cold weather. Here's what I found.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Form and stride:&lt;/strong&gt; A long stride is perilous on ice and snow, where footing can be dicey. A shorter stride is more stable because it keeps your feet more directly underneath your body. Another way to add stability is to decrease your "bounce." By keeping your feet close to the ground and taking some of the spring out of your step, you'll gain more control.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Warming up and cooling down:&lt;/strong&gt; Because cold reduces the flexibility of muscles and tendons, a thorough warm-up is crucial. Here's one that works particularly well on cold days: Start by walking, then walk and jog for a few minutes, then jog slowly for a few more minutes before easing into your normal running pace.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you'd rather hit the ground running, warm up indoors. Jog in place or spin easily on a stationary bike for a few minutes until you break a sweat. Then suit up and head out the door.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The very idea of "cooling down" may seem ridiculous when you're sprouting icicles, but a gradual transition from outdoors to indoors is smart. (Going straight from arctic temperatures into a hot shower can tax the heart.) Cool down by reversing the warm-up process: Ease your running pace into a slow jog, then walk and jog for a few minutes, and end with a few minutes of walking.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hydration and nutrition:&lt;/strong&gt; Believe it or not, winter running can dehydrate you. So don't neglect to drink. No matter what the weather, drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you're running long enough to require energy bars or gels, stash them close to your body to keep them from freezing.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Intensity:&lt;/strong&gt; Even on a clear running surface, going all-out in very cold weather has some risks. I've seen many well-trained runners suffer pulled muscles when weather conditions changed during a workout. It's possible-after a good warm-up-to do some gradual accelerations during an outdoor run without much injury risk, but intense speed sessions are best done on a treadmill or indoor track during the winter.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Four Cold-Weather Myths&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Don't know what to believe when it comes to winter running? Here are the cold facts:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Myth:&lt;/strong&gt; You'll freeze your lungs.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Fact:&lt;/strong&gt; There's no evidence that exercising in cold weather, even in extreme cold, will hurt your lungs. If the cold air hurts your throat, breathe through a bandanna or a polypropylene face mask.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Myth:&lt;/strong&gt; You'll burn more calories when you run in the cold.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Fact:&lt;/strong&gt; When you run continuously, you burn roughly 100 to 120 calories per mile. The air temperature doesn't significantly change this.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Myth:&lt;/strong&gt; You don't have to drink as much when it's cold.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Fact:&lt;/strong&gt; Most people sweat about as much during winter runs as they do during summer runs, but many runners don't recognize dehydration as easily during the winter. When in doubt, drink.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Myth:&lt;/strong&gt; We're meant to hibernate during cold weather, not run.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;Fact:&lt;/strong&gt; Just take a trip to the Twin Cities in February and see how many people are running outside, enjoying the subzero temperatures. With the right clothing and a positive attitude, you can adapt to just about any type of weather.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Reprint: &lt;a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/" target="_new" mce_href="http://www.runnersworld.com/"&gt;Runner's World&lt;/a&gt;, January 2000, p. 30&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150600&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fWinter_Running%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Winter_Running/</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Nov 2010 06:22:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Preparation For Snow Shoveling Prevents Injury</title><description>&lt;p&gt;When snow, ice and frigid winds blast into town, watch out. If your body is not in condition, the common winter chore of snow shoveling can present the potential for spasms, strains, sprains and other health problems, warns the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Bending and twisting&lt;/strong&gt; when tossing a shovel of heavy snow can aggravate lower back discs, according to the ACA. In addition, the overall physical exertion required for snow shoveling, without proper conditioning, often results in painful injuries.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The ACA advises you to be prepared and follow these tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Be prepared. Maintain your exercise program year-round.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work; rushing the job can lead to injury.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Wear layers of clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Do some stretching before you grab the shovel.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;For big jobs, use a motorized snow blower. If you shovel by hand, use a lightweight, ergonomically designed shovel to reduce back strain.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don't try to throw it; walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;Stop if you feel chest pain, or get excessively tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional care.&lt;/li&gt;
    &lt;li&gt;If you feel sore after shoveling, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150601&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fPreparation_For_Snow_Shoveling_Prevents_Injury%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Preparation_For_Snow_Shoveling_Prevents_Injury/</guid><pubDate>Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:34:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Warm Up &amp; Stretching</title><description>&lt;p&gt;If you have ever been a patient of mine you know that I think a warm up before any athletic performance is important. Equally important is the post exercise stretching.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A good warm up should increase muscle and core temperature, increase blood flow, and prepare your soft tissues for work. No one really argues the point that a warm up is important. Warm up allows for a faster muscle contraction and relaxation, improves strength and power, increases blood flow to working muscles, enhances metabolic reactions, and even improves oxygen delivery. Improved injury prevention is probably the most important benefit of a good warm up.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While the importance of a good warm up is not disputed, it seems that we will be arguing about when to stretch and when not to until robots have taken over the planet and there are no more muscles to stretch. Until the humans are dead I'll try to sort through the research to give you some guidelines.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;With sports that require an increased range of motion pre-exercise stretching should be performed after warming up. An examples of a sport requiring a maximum range of motion is gymnastics. In other sports static stretching can reduce muscle performance, but the evidence is somewhat conflicting. The most important time to stretch is after your activity. Post exercise stretching facilitates improvements in flexibility and helps prevent injury. I often tell my patients that are runners that if they don't have time to stretch after their run, then they don't have time to run. Stretch after your exercise, you'll thank me and you won't be in my office with an injury that needs treatment.&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150602&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fWarm_Up_Stretching%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Warm_Up_Stretching/</guid><pubDate>Sat, 06 Nov 2010 21:18:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>The Body is the Hero!</title><description>&lt;p&gt;"It is the body that is the hero, not science, not antibiotics...not machines or new devices...The task of the physician today is what it has always been, to help the body do what it has learned so well to do on its own during its unending struggle for survival - to heal itself".&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;"IT IS THE BODY, NOT THE MEDICINE THAT IS THE HERO."&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-Ron J. Glasser MD&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Experience what Chiropractic can do to help your body heal itself.&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=150603&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fThe_Body_is_the_Hero!%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/The_Body_is_the_Hero!/</guid><pubDate>Sun, 07 Nov 2010 06:21:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Graston Technique</title><description>&lt;p style="text-align: center;"&gt;&lt;a mce_href="/images/back_large.jpg" target="_new" href="/images/back_large.jpg"&gt;&lt;img alt="" mce_src="/images/back.JPG" src="/images/back.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;More than 115 professional and amateur sports organizations, some 600 out-patient facilities and more than 6,000 clinicians around the country offer not only the original, but the finest instrument-assisted soft tissue treatment technology available. GT is part of the curriculum in 29 university and collegiate institutions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I use Graston Technique in my practice for many different types of soft tissue injuries, it's an amazing and effective therapy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Graston Technique is an innovative, patented form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization that enables clinicians to effectively break down scar tissue and fascial restrictions. The Technique utilizes specially designed stainless steel instruments to specifically detect and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis or chronic inflammation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Research has found that the controlled micro trauma induced through Graston Technique protocol, increased the amount of fibroblasts to the treated area. That amount of inflammation to the scar tissue helps initiate the healing cascade. The structure of the tissue is rearranged, and damaged tissue is replaced by new tissue. Ice is then applied to reduce the pain and exercise is implemented to increase function and range of motion.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Other clinical studies continue to document the success of Graston Technique&amp;reg;, generally achieving better outcomes when compared to traditional therapies, and resolving injuries that have failed to respond to other therapies.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Graston Technique decreases overall treatment time, fosters faster rehabilitation, reduces need for anti-inflammatory medication, resolves chronic conditions thought to be permanent, and allows the patient to engage in normal everyday activity or sport.&lt;/p&gt;
</description><link>http://www.drbradfarra.com/RSSRetrieve.aspx?ID=6508&amp;A=Link&amp;ObjectID=152718&amp;ObjectType=56&amp;O=http%253a%252f%252fwww.drbradfarra.com%252f_blog%252fDr_Farra's_Blog%252fpost%252fGraston_Technique%252f</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.drbradfarra.com/_blog/Dr_Farra's_Blog/post/Graston_Technique/</guid><pubDate>Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:19:00 GMT</pubDate></item><item><title>Gary Null Speaking Out at the NYS Assembly Hearing</title><description>&lt;p&gt;I am encouraging people to make informed decisions about whether to get a vaccine or not.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here is some information to help with your decision making. There are some disturbing facts brought to light by Dr. Null.&lt;/p&gt;
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