For many of us, exercise is more than a general walk in the park. In reality, it’s a part of who we are, and our dedication to training programs, fitness, and health, goes above and beyond. From running, to swimming, to CrossFit, and to hiking, we just love to do it. Every day we push ourselves harder – we run faster, swim further, and lift more. Yet while our daily habits may seem outwardly healthy, we may actually be doing ourselves harm in the long run. Why? Well, for some of us the exercise routines we’ve come to love have turned from ‘healthy’ to ‘unbalanced’. In other words, as we’ve pushed ourselves on the court, in the pool, or on the bike, we’ve lost track of our personal limits - we’ve fallen prey to what is generally called Overuse Training Syndrome. Now, if the name intimidates you, don’t fear. In this post, we discuss the causes and effects of OTS and we give you advice on how to get back in the right gear.  ​[...]

Neck pain and upper back pain may be two of the most common ailments people experience. From struggling to move your neck, to worrying about the position you sit in on your favorite sofa, pain in the upper torso is debilitating. Yet, many of those who experience these kinds of issues haven’t suffered a fall, twisted their necks unnaturally, or been on rollercoasters since their pain started. For most people, the cause of neck pain or upper back discomfort can’t be pinpointed: there is no single unique moment in which their backs or necks could have been injured. What then? How did they come to be in so much pain? And if you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking the same thing about yourself. Fear not, however, because we’re here to help. In this post, we’ll be investigating the hidden causes that have led to your neck and upper back pain. We’ll also be looking at what to do about it and which steps to take next. ​[....]

Dr. Marc here, I just wanted to tell you about a patient I had this week who was 6'8" and an avid basketball player. He was visiting family from out of town,  but came in because he spent Easter laying on the floor with excruciating back pain.  He presented to my office holding his wife's shoulders as he attempted to ambulate safely, and he was completely shifted off to the side.  This typically signifies a disc problem.  As I further assessed his low back and dug a little deeper, I found out he had very limited hip mobility. Normally when in a seated position and we rotate our foot out, we should get about 45 degrees of rotation each way. Well, the gentleman had limited internal rotation on the one leg, and very limited external on the opposing leg.  So, he also said that he always crosses one leg over. He's only really able to get the one leg over to cross, but the other leg, he can't do. This is another sign that there's a hip mobility problem. [...]