Los Angeles Chiropractic: Beginners Exercise to Strengthen Muscle in Lower Back

Was recently asked by a Twitter follower what the best exercise for the low back would be. My unsatisfying answer: "Well, what do you need a strong back for?" Taken at face value it might seem that I am denying the need for a strong back, but nothing could be farther from the truth, although I do think the pelvic and leg muscles are more likely to be in need of strengthening.

Nevertheless, I think the wisest approach to determining which exercises should be carried out is to think functionally--that is, what are you attempting to improve? Do you need power for a sport, endurance, or is it to alleviate low back pain? Really, the end result matters.

So this particular gentleman disclosed to me that he was having pain and difficulty getting up and out of a chair. Okay...I've got an answer for this. The best exercise to reduce pain and difficulty getting in and out of a chair, then...is to get in and out of a chair. Forget back extensions, or superman, or anything like that--be functional: Reproduce the activity you need to do. Doesn't that make sense? Don't do biceps curls so that you may jump higher...

Watch the video below to get the gist of what I mean. You'll want to observe some basics, like...keeping your back straight, and tightening your abdominal core. If you are uncertain of how to do that, please watch the video on abdominal hollowing and plank pose. While you're at it, watch the video on pelvic tilting as well. Gaining control of the abdominal core is essential to strengthening the low back.

So, again, before looking to strengthen a particular area, ask yourself for what purpose, because this will dictate the exercise you need to do. Then do a functional exercise--one that simulates the movement--and you should be cool. Enjoy the vid and the exercise. Thank you, Ricardo.

West Hollywood Chiropractic: Advanced Hamstring Workouts and Stretches for Pain Relief

No, no, no, no NO! All wrong--watch the vid below

So I've now given you two great hamstring stretches--one that is the most basic, and where I would recommend everybody to start. Remember, it's using a wall to brace yourself as you bend forward. Why do you need the object on which to brace? Simple...maintaining an arch while bending forward is probably a very different movement for you, so the wall will help you do the position easier. Truth be told, as you get more comfortable, you will probably not need the wall anymore; but I encourage you to master using the wall before getting cocky and going without, as you want to avoid causing injury (and thus spending the next several months to years getting treated by your friendly neighborhood sports chiropractor)

The first advanced hamstring stretch, then, was a lunge stretch to hit the upper hamstrings. It's advanced because if you are very tight, you are susceptible to injury--pulls, tears, and possibly not getting back up without the help of the fire department. So you can try it if you are not sure, but go sloooowly. And if you are severely challenged...then back to the door for you.

The advanced hamstring stretch I demonstrate in the video now uses a prop such as a chair, a weight bench, or even a railing at the gym (or anywhere for that matter). However, the same principles as in the beginners hamstring stretch still apply, primarily that it is imperative that the arch in the low back must be maintained throughout. This is your limiting factor--so once you lose the arch, that's where you stop. How far forward you bend is of least importance after the arch, the alignment of the hips, foot position and a good dorsiflexion of the foot.

You will see that as your hamstrings open, this stretch will become easier, and more rewarding. Watch the video to see the proper biomechanics in doing the advanced hamstring workouts and stretches for pain relief. Once you've got them down, you are on your way to getting good length into these back thigh workhorses. Have fun, and don't forget the arch.

Irresponsible Drug Use the Common Theme

I was asked to say a few words about drug use, but not in the positive. Well darn-it, how could I resist? I'm guessing the request comes on the heels of my most recent posts on medical marijuana, of which I make no secret that I am in favor. But I wish to be very clear that my views on medical marijuana are not a condonation of recreational or irresponsible drug use. On the contrary, it's precisely because I am so against the irresponsible and dangerous use of drugs that I advocate medical marijuana. When compared to the heavy-duty narcotics and other pain pills that are doled-out indiscriminately by doctors, believe me, medical marijuana is a blessing.

First and foremost, I am a former drug abuser, so I full well know what it means to be addicted. And I also know the down-side to heavy and/or long-term drug use. I have done it all, you name it, but alcohol and narcotics were my main weakness. I was also addicted to nicotine. For twenty years I smoked a pack a day.

My experience with drugs and alcohol were not all bad, though--I certainly learned a lot. If nothing else I came to understand how drugs can consume your life, how they can distort your view of the world, and how they could damage relationships. I got to experience how they could kill your motivation and prevent you from achieving your full potential. I was also exposed to a dangerous, seedy side of life that was full of mistrust, deceit, theft and violence, not to mention legal ramifications that could end a life of freedom by landing you behind bars for a long time. Yeah, lots of disadvantages to drugs; but for me it was a valuable education that will probably serve me, and hopefully others, for the rest of my life.

Despite medical marijuana being classified a schedule 1 controlled substance--high potential for abuse, lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision, and no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States (not entirely true, but that's the definition)--it does have definite benefits. In my lifetime, I have seen it help HIV+ men keep from wasting away by giving them an appetite when they had none. I have seen it help cancer patients. One elderly couple, who are in their 90s, and whom I treat chiropractically, have shared their stories with me about the unrelenting pain they feel on a daily basis due to the cancer they each have; and how not even the Fentanyl* patches their doctors put them on would not bring relief. Only medical marijuana did that. That's right--these people, in their 90s, could only find relief from the intense pain they felt 24/7 by smoking a joint. They were not hippies; they had never had marijuana in their lives until they were sick with cancer. And it helped them. Duh!

Listen, drugs in and of themselves are not bad. They are helpful, even necessary, in many instances. I've needed the help of pain killers. An attack of acute appendicitis in 2006 showed me just how useful morphine could be (although not 100% effective, and highly addictive). Whether antibiotics, sedatives, pain meds or steroids, each have a short-term use; but too many doctors give them to people long-term, as an easy yet temporary fix, instead of looking for real, long-term and self-directed solutions.  And it's this that leads to serious problems.


Let me ask you a question. What do the following people have in common:

• Jimi Hendrix, John Belushi, Sid Vicious, River Phoenix and DJ AM?

They all overdosed on recreational drugs.

And how about these people:

• Elvis Presley, Keith Moon, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson?

They all overdosed on doctor prescribed drugs.

In both groups the common theme was an irresponsible use of the drugs. So regardless of whether a drug is illicit or legal, using it carelessly is foolish, and it can lead to illness or death.

That doesn't mean drugs are bad by any means. Worshiping and relying on drugs, however, is unwise. And that goes for medical marijuana too. But if a substance can help cancer patients, people with HIV and people that suffer from chronic pain, find relief, and maybe even help them survive (by increasing appetite), and that substance has low-risk side effects when compared to harder drugs like narcotics, then shouldn't we use them? Shouldn't we at least study them to see what medicinal benefits they might contain and do our best to understand them?

That's not me condoning drug use. I have lived both a life of drugs and a drug-free one--and I can say without a doubt that I prefer being straight, sharp and of clear mind. But I don't knock recreational drug use, either, if the user can do so responsibly. However, rehab centers and city morgues are filled with people who couldn't, and frankly, that could be you one day.  So if you value your life, it's better to stay clean.

That, however, is the farthest I will go with wagging a finger at society, because I know we can't both live in a culture where taking prescription drugs is considered 'normal', and expect others to not do so recreationally. That would be a fantasy.

*Fentanyl is a schedule 2 controlled substance--high potential for abuse, currently accepted medical use in treatment in U.S., and currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions. Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence (not true of marijuana).  Medical cannabis (currently a schedule 1--see above) would be more appropriately placed in this category, and probably most appropriately as a schedule 3.

Lat Workouts and Stretches for Pain Relief

Lat pull downs and chin-ups are favorite exercises of bodybuilders and other athletes.  Aside from the fine aesthetics of a well developed latissimus dorsi (the V-shape of a man's back), low back stabilization benefits also apply.

But chinning-up without stretching these massive muscles is a mistake, and it can lead to back pain, shoulder pain and even difficulty breathing.  In the video below, I demonstrate the best lat workouts and stretches for pain relief and prevention.  Further, stretching the lats just feels good.  It's one of my personal favorites.

Whether you have low back pain, a chronic shoulder pain or just tightness from working out, the stretch I demonstrate in the video will be sure to open you up and make both your upper and lower torso feel tops.  Enjoy.

CMA Endorses Marijuana Legalization

Another small victory for marijuana proponents, as the California Medical Association (CMA), is calling for cannabis legalization. The state association, which represents more than 35,000 physicians statewide, has taken an official position that despite its questionable medicinal value, marijuana should be made legal and regulated like alcohol or tobacco.  The CMA is the first major medical association to take that stance.


According to Dr. Donald Lyman, the Sacramento physician who wrote the group's new policy, the change in position stems from frustration over California's medical marijuana laws. As he explains, doctors are in a difficult position as more patients start to ask about marijuana's medical benefits, particularly for pain relief, but which is still an illegal substance under federal law. Dr. Lyman believes that the question of whether marijuana has medicinal value can only be determined by legalization and research.

But this latest statement by the CMA has stirred much controversy.  John Lovell, spokesman for the California Police Chiefs Association said, "Given everything that we know about the physiological impacts of marijuana--how it affects young brains, the number of accidents associated with driving under the influence--it's just an unbelievably irresponsible position."


Other doctors associations have voiced concerns as well. Dr. Robert DuPont, M.D. and professor of psychiatry at Georgetown Medical School, said the association's call for legalization showed "a reckless disregard of the public health. I think it's going to lead to more use, and that, to me, is a public health concern. I'm not sure they've thought through what the implications of legalization would be."

But the rationale from the CMA has merit.  Although they acknowledge some health risks to using marijuana, they believe that the consequences of criminalization outweigh the hazards. Dr. Lyman says current laws have "proven to be a failed public health policy." He cited increased prison costs, the effect on families when marijuana users are imprisoned and racial inequalities in drug-sentencing cases.

I tend to agree with the CMA, though I think they are taking the politically safe, yet smart, route by doubting benefits of marijuana use and playing up the risks, so as not to encourage recreational drug use, but also by pointing out, and rightly so, that the drug is benign...and it may have greater benefit than we know!  But we'll never find out if we don't open that smokey door.

Listen, I've said this repeatedly in this blog: There is no doubt that marijuana carries with it side effects (2 am Taco Bell runs for instance) physiological changes, but when compared to alcohol and tobacco--it's lite-weight. The warnings by police enforcement officials is about as convincing as Reefer Madness. C'mon. Regulate it, tax it, punish driving under the influence, and you've got an open revenue source. No way it'll lead to more chaos than booze...or pharmaceuticals...c'mon.

I am convinced that the ol' MJ will be legalized in California within ten years, maybe sooner.  And as Cali goes, so goes the nation. That's what the Heshers say, anyhow.

Nocebo--Getting the Pain/Illness You Expect

Last post, I talked about the importance of both doctor and patients believing in the chosen treatment to most positively effect healing.  The mind cannot be removed from the healing process--not the patient's mind, not the doctor's.  Case in point: New brain research shows the effects of nocebo on the healing process.  No, no, no...not placebo--the perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition from a sham or simulated healing intervention--the nocebo effect!

The nocebo effect is the belief that either a person will fall ill and/or experience pain.  This phenomenon was studied via sophisticated experiment where 22 subjects were zapped with a heat-beaming device onto their legs until they rated the pain as a 70 or more on a 100 point scale.

The researchers then hooked up an IV to give the subjects a powerful morphine-like painkiller remifentanil, which is typically used for surgery patients.  It works rapidly but also is metabolized rapidly, so it was able to be switched on and off as researchers alternated between giving the drug or plain fluid.

The volunteers' brains were scanned as they described how much pain, and pain relief, they experienced at different times.  When the researchers induced the burn and clandestinely turned on the drug, the volunteers said their pain improved a fair amount.  The painkiller was working, expectations aside.

But here is where mind took over: The researchers next told the volunteers they were about to inject the painkiller even though they'd never turned it off.  Those pain ratings dropped even more — meaning expectations of relief doubled the drug's painkilling benefit.

Finally, the researchers lied again, saying they were stopping the drug and that pain would probably increase.  Sure enough, the volunteers' pain levels soared back up to almost their pre-treated level as grim expectations canceled out the effect of a proven and potent painkiller.  Anxiety levels fluctuated similarly.

Why? The brain scans showed changes in neural pain networks that prove the people really did experience the changes in pain that they'd reported.  So essentially, the nocebo effect is getting the pain you expect. 

Moreover, expecting more pain fired up sections of the brain that control mood and anxiety, the researchers recently reported in the journal Science Translational Medicine.  In contrast, anticipating pain relief fired up different regions previously found active in people given placebos.  Wow!

Remember, as I said last post, the patient has to believe in the treatment.  When a patient goes in expecting not to be helped, expecting to be ill, or expecting pain...well, they'll like get it.  On the other hand, a patient believing that they will be well, that they will heal, or that a healing technique will work for them will actually set the healing process in motion.


I wrote an article a few years back describing what I call The Five Mental Blocks to Healing.  In it I described the five ways in which the mind acts as a saboteur in the healing process.  Uncertainty, not trusting the treatment or doctor, or expecting failure are some of these blocks.

Nocebo is a real phenomenon--I've seen it plenty in my office.  I know when somebody (usually a heterosexual male) is in my office only because their wife or children wanted them to come that they will probably have a retarded healing experience.  Unless I get through to them, which, fortunately...sometimes I do. 


If you are in a situation that needs healing you've got to seek and believe--seek treatment and trust the process, that's all.

West Hollywood Chiropractor on Chiropractic Adjustments for Children

Most people think of chiropractic for pain relief, and it's great for that; but chiropractic is also necessary to keep the nervous system functioning optimally. That's why chiropractic adjustment for kids is essential.

It's rare for children to experience chronic pain the way adults do, although it does happen. More important, though, is that children are in the developmental phase of growth, and as such they are establishing neural pathways that will shape their future experiences and, thus, their lives. Chiropractic adjustments can aid in that development so that they fight infection easier, handle bumps and bruises better, and experience growth and neurological wellness unimpeded.

The nervous system takes in and processes information from the environment around us. So pediatric chiropractic adjustments, then, allow the nervous system to do what it does best--recognize, analyze and create responses with no interference. Think that is useful for a developing child?

I've been receiving chiropractic adjustments since I was seven--thanks mom! And that's exactly what I do for my children, too--provide them with healthy, optimally functioning nervous systems. If you and your children live the chiropractic lifestyle now--bravo! If not, try it--you've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain. It's safe (watch the videos: those are my most precious treasures, my daughters), effective, and it FEELS GOOD!