West Hollywood Chiropractic: Exercises for Knee Pain Relief

Got a call from an old friend the other day, said he tweaked his knee pretty badly.  He said he was trying to avoid surgery, but his doctor thought it might be necessary because he probably tore his meniscus.  I asked what tests and diagnostic imaging the doctor had done and he said, "None--I just showed her where the pain is."

"Listen, I'm not saying you don't have a torn meniscus, because I wouldn't know that without seeing you and doing some tests to make that evaluation; but by the way you're describing it, it might not be," I told him.

He asked if there were any stretches one could do to rehab a knee.  My response was that seeing a doctor that understands sports injuries was the probably the wisest thing to do, and preferably an orthopedist or West Hollywood sports chiropractor; but I told him I would cut a video showing some preliminary stretches that would be part of a knee rehab regimen.

I want to caution anybody watching this video that doing these stretches with a recent knee injury is not advised without the supervision of a doctor.  However, saying that, once inflammation has been controlled and any instability stabilized, stretching the muscles I show in the video should do wonders to open the knee joint up, preserving the knee.

Finally, these stretches are good for non-injured people too, so if you are looking for an excellent knee-opening regimen, try the stetches in the video; I guarantee with a little diligence, you'll be truckin' like an old pro.  There ya go, Pauli.

Tingling Hands Not Always Carpal Tunnel

Numbness and tingling can be an unnerving symptom no matter where it is felt.  When it happens in the arms and hands it can be especially disconcerting since we use our upper limbs constantly.  What causes numbness and tingling in the arms and hands?  Well the most oft-diagnosed condition is carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), but I'm telling you it's what we call a BS diagnosis.  Along with "tendonitis," "sprain/strain," and "arthritis," carpal tunnel syndrome is just another way of saying, "I'm really busy; I don't have time to investigate, and ultimately, I don't know what you've got."

Any doctors reading this?  If what I say pisses you off, it's because IT"S TRUE!  Doctors not versed in musculoskeletal problems give the BS carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis (it's a guess), and quite often, they're wrong.  It wouldn't be such a big deal except that the treatment for CTS is the ol' snip-snip.  Can't reverse that, so it behooves one getting this diagnosis to seek a second opinion.  I'd try an orthopedist or sports chiropractor; these professionals focus on musculoskeletal complaints and thus have a good grip on what might be going on.

One thing that can cause numbness and tingling in the arms and hands is an ulnar nerve entrapment or impingement syndrome.  The ulnar nerve, which innervates or controls the last two fingers (ring to pinky), can become compressed by the forearm muscles.  When this happens forearm pain and numbness and/or tingling in the last three fingers can occur.

A good sports chiropractor can alleviate this discomfort and teach you stretches and exercises to prevent further problems.  I highly suggest getting any arm, forearm or hand numbness/tingling checked by a doctor, because any nerve irritation can lead to long-term damage.  While waiting to get in to see the doc, however, you can do some things at home on your own.  Watch the video below to get some tips on alleviating arm and hand numbness and tingling.

And please, before you get the ol' snip-snip, go see a sports chiropractor (or an orthopedist) for a second opinion.