Back Pain in Teen Athletes

As children become teenagers, those who are athletic tend to become more competitive and push themselves harder. At ACT Wellness Center, we’re happy to see our patients engaged in healthy exercise. Occasionally, teens getting accustomed to work-outs are also at risk for overuse injuries, and since our own Dr. Carmelo Caratozzolo is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, we wanted to supply some information about the most common musculoskeletal ailments.

 

It’s not unusual for teenagers to strain their back muscles. In most cases, only ice and a few days’ rest is needed, but if the pain recurs, they may benefit from low level laser therapy and electric muscle stimulation. These treatments will loosen the swollen muscles, allowing nutrient-rich blood to flow more freely. But there may also be a subluxation of the spinal column in play, including a fractured facet joint, spondylolisthesis (in which one vertebrae has slid forward over another), or a herniated disc. These patients may require a chiropractic adjustment to relieve pressure on the surrounding muscles, allowing them to recover more comfortably.

 

An examination will be required to determine whether the spinal column is misaligned. Disc herniation is less likely in teenagers than in adults, but they are at greater risk for spondylolisthesis. Female athletes, in particular, are vulnerable to osteoporosis if they don’t get adequate nutrition. ACT Wellness Center also offers vitamins and supplements to be taken under expert guidance, as well as recommendations for physical therapy.

 

If your teenager is having recurrent bouts of back, hip, or shoulder pain, schedule a visit to Dr. Carmelo Caratozzolo at the ACT Wellness Center, 14111 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge, Virginia. Call 703-491-9355.

Golf Injuries

Golf is a welcome reprieve for many people, and at ACT Wellness Center in Woodbridge, we’re happy when our patients get exercise and sunlight. But if you weren’t staying limber while practicing social distancing, you may not be quite ready to play at full strength yet. Golf is a sport that puts a great deal of stress on the lower back, so we wanted to address how players can protect themselves from developing degenerative conditions, or experiencing a relapse if they already have one.

 

When you twist your lower back to complete a swing, you’re subjecting it to a great deal of force. The vertebrae of the lower lumbar region are able to rotate more freely than those in other parts of the spinal column, and they, and the muscles and ligaments surrounding them, are more vulnerable to wear and tear. Consequently, the muscles may become tight and swollen as they fray, and people whose discs are already degenerating are at risk of herniating them. If you suffer an injury, begin resting and icing it; don’t attempt to play through the game, or you risk further rupture.

 

We offer minimally invasive, non-addictive solutions to lower back pain. Among them are electric muscle stimulation, chiropractic adjustments, and low level laser treatments. But to prevent injuries, you’ll need to warm-up before each game and stretch every day. Our doctor, Dr. Carmelo Caratozzolo, is a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician and can help patients to develop a regimen of core strengthening exercises that will ease the burden on their spinal columns and allow them to stretch more freely without their muscles and tendons fraying.

 

If you’ve been bothered by lower back pain while practicing your swing, schedule a visit to Dr. Carmelo Caratozzolo at the ACT Wellness Center, 14111 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge, Virginia. Call 703-491-9355.

Leg Pain and Back Problems

If you’re interested in learning about chiropractic, you’ve probably heard of sciatica. This condition is caused by compression of one of the sciatic nerves, which travel from the lower back to the leg. In fact, there are several connections between the back and legs running through the pelvic region, and as experts in musculoskeletal health, we at ACT Wellness Center in Woodbridge want our patients to understand why noninvasive treatment of the lower back may be the best thing for their leg pain.

 

Nerves emerge from the lumbar, or lower back region, of the spine through small holes called foramina. The nerves could be constricted at their point of origin if a person is suffering from inflammation due to a damaged spinal disc or facet joint, if a person’s vertebrae have slipped out of position, or a nearby muscle is being stretched tightly over a bony spur. The nerves could also be compressed further down in the pelvis if there is a problem in one of the piriformis muscles, which connect the lumbar spine to the top of the leg.

 

Not all leg pain is due to nerve compression. There are several other muscles in the pelvic region that could tighten, pulling on the lower back, and some of them pass over and compress bursae. If we determine that a patient’s pain is due to a musculoskeletal problem, we have several treatment options for reducing inflammation. Those include chiropractic adjustments to fix subluxated spinal joints, extremity adjustments to restore leg and foot joints, and low-level laser therapy to accelerate healing. We will also help patients devise therapeutic exercises that will reduce the risk of their muscles cramping again and help them to ease the burden on the spine.

 

If you’ve suffered from pain, tingling, or numbness in your lower back or one of your legs, schedule a visit to Dr. Carmelo Caratozzolo at the ACT Wellness Center, 14111 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge, Virginia. Call 703-491-9355.

Occipital Adjustments

If you’ve felt ringing in your ears, a tense jaw, and pain in your shoulders, the problem may be originating from in between them. “Cervicogenic” is the word we use to describe pain that radiates from the neck. Although it may sound scary, Dr. Caratozzolo at ACT Wellness Center is specially trained to perform occipital adjustments, allowing him to remove pressure in the neck. If this sounds like it could be the solution to your problems, read on.

 

Many nerves emerge from the spinal cord in the cervical region. The nerves leading to the arms branch out in the lower section, while the trigeminal nerve, which leads to the face and top of the head, branches from the top. When a person suffers whiplash, the soft tissues in their neck will likely become swollen from being frayed, and the person may even suffer a herniated spinal disc. This could compress one of the nerves at their root, or the other injuries may be painful in their own right.

 

Occipital adjustments use gentle, controlled force to adjust the top of the neck, where it meets the base of the skull. This will help to loosen the soft connective tissues, allowing blood to flow more freely and reducing swelling. Adjustments can also be done on the lower part of the neck to take pressure off the spinal discs and move them back into place. As the patient recovers, we will teach them neck flexibility exercises that will help them to prevent a relapse, and better postural techniques if we determine that something in the patient’s lifestyle may have strained their necks and made them more vulnerable to whiplash or chronic inflammation.

For a diagnosis of what’s causing your neck pain and expert occipital adjustments, schedule a visit to Dr. Carmelo Caratozzolo at ACT Wellness Center, 14111 Minnieville Road, Woodbridge, Virginia. Call 703-491-9355.