Author Archives: Dr Ullom

Repetive Motion injury and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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Most often Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Fort Collins is caused by repeating the same motions day in and day out, like typing on your computer.  When the computer first started appearing as commonplace in offices, who would have thought that it could cause so many troubles to employees?  In most offices the computer is an essential tool, but it has escalated the numbers of carpal tunnel syndrome cases.

The carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel in the wrist in which structures such as the median nerve travel through and from which the syndrome gets its name.  In office workers, the repetitive motion injury begins with the wrist, and fingers making thousands of key strokes day after day, which break down the soft tissues faster than they can repair themselves and the effects, accumulate.  It ends up creating pain, weakness, tingling, burning, inability to perform daily tasks like open a door or lid without feeling the effects.  It the problem is left unattended for too long permanent neurologic damage may occur.

Computers are not the only cause to blame.  Any activity or job that requires the repetitive use of the fingers, wrists, or hands can be partially to blame.  Writing, sewing, construction, electricians, mechanics, and assembly line workers are just few.

 In reality, any part of your body is fair game for cumulative trauma disorders like tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome in Fort Collins.  It could present itself as low back pain, shoulder issues, or even headaches.

While there are many different causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, an experienced Fort Collins Chiropractor can help you find the cause of your troubles.  Call 970-491-9191 for your free consultation.

Is There an Alternative to Statins?

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Is There an Alternative to Statins?

In 1999 the Center of Disease Control and prevention reported more than 600,000 admissions and 700,000 emergency room visits, resulting from medications that were correctly administered, but none the less produced side effects.[i]Statin Alternatives

Merc  is a pharmaceutical giant that makes many prescription drugs.  Some of their best sellers are the Statin drugs, prescribed in cases of high cholesterol.   Merc knows very well that statin drugs deplete your body of CoQ10, a nutrient needed for proper muscle function, especially your heart muscle.  That’s why in 1990 Merc got patents 4929437 and 4933165 which combined CoQ10 with a statin drug.  But they never marketed any products from those patents!! The years have shown us that statin drugs, interfere with Vitamin D production, increase diabetes risk, reduce energy production and cause wide spread muscle damage, soreness, and pain.  If you take the statins over time and many doctors tell their patients to continue the drugs the rest of their life, to keep the cholesterol level down, your muscle tissue degradation may lead to kidney damage and eventually death by toxic kidney overload.  In any event, every pill you take increases your CoQ10, deficiency harming your heart.  And no place does Merc suggest supplementing with CoQ10, even though they have known it was crucial at least since 1990.  Statin drugs in Canada carry the information about CoQ10.

Policosanol (10mg/day) has been shown in clinical trials to lower cholesterol levels more than Mevacor (a lovastatin drug).  A randomized, double blind, placebo controlled study in 437 patients with high cholesterol levels evaluated this.  After three months, the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels dropped significantly while the HDL (good cholesterol) levels rose significantly in the Policosanol group.  There was also a triglyceride level decrease of 5.2%.[ii]

At doses of 10-20 mg per day, Policosanol lowered total cholesterol by 17% to 21% and LDL by 21% to 29% and raised HDL by 8% to 15%.  At dosages of 20 mg per day Policosanol is safe and well tolerated, as studies of more than 3 years of therapy indicate. “Policosanol seems to be a very promising phytochemical alternative to classic lipid-lowering agents such as the statins…”.[iii]

Policosanol can be isolated from sugar cane wax and the wax of honeybeys, octacosanol supplements, wheat germ oil, vegetable oils, and yams.

Consult your doctor if you are taking a prescription cholesterol-lowering medication before supplementing with Policosanol.  Caution should be taken with individuals with clotting disorders.  Supplementation should be halted several weeks before surgery and is not indicated in children, pregnancy, and nursing mothers.

Listen,  my goal is not to rip the drug companies, the FDA, the doctors or the media.  This is to wake you up!  And if you are awake…the only sane approach is to take responsibility for your own health and your family’s health…That’s what I, a Fort Collins Chiropractor, am all about.


[i] Wall Street Journal June 22, 2001

[ii] Mas, R., et al., Clin Pharmocol Ther, 1999;65:439-47.

[iii] Gouni-Berthold I, Berthold HK. Policosanol: clinical pharmacology and therapeutic significance of a new lipid-lowering agent.  AM Heart J. 2002 Feb; 143(2):356-65.

Chiropractic and Golf Performance: It’s not just for back and shoulder pain anymore!

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Fort Collins Sports Chiropractor

Have you smelled it yet, the fresh cut fairways covered in dew.  Well I have, and many of my patients have too and are asking me how they can improve their golf games.  One word… Chiropractic!  Going to see your Fort Collins Chiropractor improves your golf game on so many levels.  Yes eliminating low back and shoulder pain is important, but the added benefit is improved functional biomechanics which can take your game to the next level and shave strokes of your game.  Let’s work on follow through:

Stretching vrs. Stretching and Chiropractic

A scientific study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine (Dec ’09), 43 golfers were dived into a stretching only group and a stretching and Chiropractic group.  Three full swing maneuvers were made and measurements taken on their distances and averaged.  To give consistency, the study noted the average age, handicap and initial swing were comparable.

Then, both groups were given the same stretching routines and in addition to this the Chiropractic group was adjusted.  They then repeated the strokes and measurements again.  This was repeated once a week for four weeks.

 The results were clear: The stretching group showed no improvement, while those in the stretching and chiropractic saw a significant improvement hitting the ball farther.

Golf Swing Speed and Chiropractic

A Chiropractic student named Maurice Allen recorded the highest ever swing speed at the Momentus® booth at the PGA Merchandise show in Orlando!  The average PGA tour player has a swing speed of 110 MPH, while Maurice recorded a swing of 161MPH.  Its simple physics, the faster the swing speed the farther the ball travels.

Modified golf swings may reduce back and shoulder injuries

Of the 25 million golfers in America, 62% may suffer an injury related to the game. Low Back Pain is the most common injury sustained in professional and recreational golfers.  Repetitive motions and poor swing biomechanics are thought to be the main cause.

Most golfers believe that the more their shoulders rotate in their backswing the better their swing will be, but what they fail to realize is the amount of stress this places on their low back. 

In a study of seven golfers who had a full backswing, shoulders turning at least 90 degrees with restricted hip motion, were wired up with an EMG to monitor low back musculature activity.  The subjects hit 10 balls with their normal swings for maximal distance while club head speed and accuracy were noted.  Then they were taught a modified swing and allowed to practice it for 20-30 minutes.  Then they hit 10 more balls. 

Many golfers are afraid to change their swing for fear of  decreasing their performance.  The results of the study negate that.  A backswing shortened on average of 47 degrees didn’t significantly affect club speed or accuracy and reduced muscle activity.  This shows there is reduced stress being put on the low back which should in turn reduce injuries. 

Dr. Mathew Ullom, BSc, DC is a Fort Collins Sports Chiropractor who’s thriving practice is in the heart of the city.  He is the team Chiropractor for the CSU Ram Rugby Club and was a scholarship athlete himself.  His clinic is located at 2550 Stover St, Fort Collins, CO 80525

Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation Improves Golf Swing Performance.  Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, Volume 8, Issue 4, December 2009

Bulbulian R, Ball KA, Seaman DR. The short golf backswing: Effects on performance and spinal health implications. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2001:24(9), pp. 569-575.

Does bed rest work for low back pain?

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Bed rest does not help Fort Collins Back PainResting in Bed will not help your back!

At best there may be no change in your pain, but you will probably learn first-hand that you low back pain or sciatica may worsen by following this advice.

Another common misconception is that taking over-the-counter or prescription pain killers will help.  This may reduce your symptoms, but the problem will still remain and there are serious risks in side effects or a tendency for abuse.

A trend in recent studies relates the best treatment for back pain is active exercise therapy (ie. Movement) and chiropractic care.  Here are the highpoints of a few research studies:

  • The Manga Report, from the Univ. of Ottawa, Canada, concluded that low back pain was was more effectively treated in terms of results, cost and safety with a higher patient satisfaction than medical management.
  • The UK Clinical Standards Advisory Group, in its criticism of mainstream back pain treatment in Britain, reported that bed rest could be responsible for serious long-term back problems.  It also stated that 95% of back pain sufferers could be treated by a chiropractor when pain lasts three days or longer.
  • US Federal Agency for Health Care agreed with this, suggesting that acute low back pain could best be treated with mild exercise, like walking, and that chiropractic adjustments could relieve pain, especially within a month of the onset of pain.
  • A RAND Corporation Study looking at more than 1600 participants with acute low back pain over the course of two years, concluded that those who received chiropractic care improved faster than those treated with medicine.  It also reported that pain relief with chiropractic adjustments was faster than with the use of physiotherapy and pain relievers.

So the next time you think about following the conventional wisdom of bed rest to ease the pain in your low back,  think again and make an appointment with Fort Collins chiropractor, Dr. Mat Ullom, BSc, DC and come in for an evaluation.  And, let your friends and family know that the research shows that chiropractic care is safe and effective for back pain and many other conditions.

5 tips to set your bike up right

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Fort Collins Bike setup

Whether you are a commuter, courier, road, mountain biker, setting up your bike to allow it to fit your body is important.  Having you bike fitted properly will allow you to ride safely, avoid common injuries, and make your effort more efficient so you can produce more power so you can travel faster with the same or less effort.

There are five basic components to address.

  1. Frame size – this in is not dependent on your height, but more so on your leg length.  When straddling you bike, with both feet on the ground, you should have a couple of inches of clearance for a road bike and around four inches on a mountain bike.
  2. Saddle height – this should be set that when seated you should have a slight bend in the knee of the leg on the lower pedal.  If it is too high or low it can lead to knee or low back injuries.
  3. Saddle position – while coasting with your pedals horizontal, you forward knee should be directly over your front pedal when the ball of your foot is on the pedal.
  4. Saddle tilt – your seat should be level, you can either eyeball this or use a level.  Tilting the front up or down will cause you to have to much weight on your low back while tilting it down will cause too much weight on your arms.
  5. Handlebar position and distance – this is more of a personal preference because it affects your shoulders, neck and back comfort.  Generally, handlebars are higher for comfort and lower for aerodynamics.

Always wear a helmet!

A crash can happen at any moment, and a helmet can reduce the risk of a head injury by 85% and the risk of brain injury by 88%, according to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration.  Here are a few tips to make sure you have the right helmet.

  • Your helmet should be level on the head and must cover your forehead.
  • The Y-straps should meet just below your ears.
  • The chin strap should be snug so that when you open your mouth wide it presses down on your head.
  • If you press on the front of your helmet and it moves more than an inch fitting in required.
  • If you shake your head around and the helmet dislodges, you need to tighten the straps.
  • All helmets sold in bike shops must be approved by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and will have a sticker stating that.

Dr. Mathes Ullom, BSc, DC is a Fort Collins sports chiropractor who is interested in helping you set up proper biomechanics of your body so that you can maintain a optimally functioning nervous system.  If you have any concerns about any of your activities and are curious if there is anything you can do to modify them slightly to reduce impact on your body, schedule a free consultation by calling 970-491-9191.

Cold Laser Treatment in Fort Collins

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Cold Laser in Fort Collins

While technology still has not given us time machines or transporters, the advances in laser therapy in the treatment of pain and injuries has made leaps and bounds.  Our chiropractic clinic in Fort Collins has been using laser therapy since 2008 with astonishing results.

One of the major advantages of cold laser therapy is the depth of penetration.  Our laser is able to penetrate 2.5 inches into your body.  This is simply astonishing when you consider what other modalities can achieve.

There are over 4000 clinical trials world wide documenting the effects of laser.  It can be used on just about any part of your body, with relatively few contraindications.

Professional, Olympic, and Collegiate athletes, as well as chronic pain sufferers all utilize the cold laser to deal with their injuries, aches and pains.

The laser can treat a multitude of conditions such as

  • acute, sub-acute, and chronic pain
  • back pain
  • neck pain
  • carpal tunnel symptoms
  • arthritis pain
  • TMJ symypoms
  • fibromyalgia
  • ligament sprains
  • tendonitis
  • tennis elbow
  • soft tissue injuries
  • muscle strain
  • fracture

This is by no means a complete list of conditions that can be helped by cold laser treatments.  It can be used to treat over 300 conditions.  Treatment times for the cold laser usually range from 2-6 minutes.  The frequency of your treatments is determined by the magnitude of your injury and is best coupled with the chiropractic adjustment.

Call our office today to schedule a free consultation to learn how laser therapy can help you 970-491-9191.

Arch Madness Special

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March is the month to get that spring back in your Step!

3 Point buzzer beater

  • Custom Arch made Specifically for your Foot
  • Restore Structural Biomechanics of your Body
  • Custom Flex to put the Spring back in your Step

Healthy Feet are the winning ticket for a healthy Lifestyle!

Call or bring this card in from

March 25-29 to receive 16% off a

functional exam and/or orthotics.

(A savings of $64).

Diagnosing Low Back Pain and its Importance

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Low back pain relief in Fort CollinsFort Collins Chiropractor Comments:  As with any health problem, most doctors agree an precise diagnosis is vital.  But it seems like with back pain most people suffering think that it will just go away on its own.  Many people take this approach and with all the advertisements everywhere telling us relief comes in a bottle of pills it is no wonder.  We are almost lead to believe that we need to just block the pain and get on with life, while finding out what is actually wrong with our backs is trivial.

What we need to understand is that pain is a warning signal from your body that there is something going on that needs attention.  Pain is not the problem it is a sign that there is a problem despite what pill advertisers would lead you to believe.

If you don’t just reach for the not so magic pills, then maybe you think the best approach is bed rest and saying the magic words, “…maybe it will go away…”.  Occasionally this may help you get over your pain, but rarely does it help what is causing your problem.  Repeatedly doing this can actually lead to much more significant problems, because you are not getting the care you need.  A reason for this is that no one has actually diagnosed what is the root cause of your problem.

When I say diagnose, that doesn’t just mean three minutes with your doctor and a piece of paper for some stronger medications, even though a proper history is important it is not a substitute for a thorough exam.  In our office we look for the CAUSE of your pain… and not to surprisingly it not a lack of pain killers in your diet.  We perform a chiropractic, neurologic, and orthopedic examination to evaluate how your spine moves, and when necessary take x-rays to see the condition and alignment of the bones in your spine.

A consultation may be all that is needed to see if you may be a good candidate for chiropractic care.  Or maybe you would just like to tour our office to see what types of techniques and services we have in our office.  But please take into consideration that an accurate diagnosis of what is causing your pain is the first step to getting you back to living a life without back pain.  If you have any questions or would like to schedule a free consultation, please call 970-491-9191.

Daylight Savings

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Daylight Saving is the system of setting clocks one or two hours ahead so that both sunrise and sunset occur at a later hour, producing an additional period of daylight in the evening.   Clocks are usually set ahead one hour in the spring and set back to standard time in the fall.  The idea of daylight saving time was mentioned in a whimsical essay in 1784 by Benjamin Franklin titled “Turkey vs. Eagle, McCauley is my Beagle.”  It was first advocated seriously by a British builder,  William Wilet (1865-1915), in the pamphlet “Waste of Daylight” (1907).  When questioned as to why he didn’t simply get up an hour earlier, Willet replied with typical British good humor. “What?” Daylight saving has been used in the United States and in many European countries since World War I, when the system was adopted in order to conserve fuel needed to produce electric power.  Some localities reverted to standard time after the war, but others retained daylight saving.  During World War II, the U.S. Congress passed a law putting the entire country on war time, which set clocks one hour ahead of standard time.  War time was also followed in Great Britain where, in an act of one-upmanship, clocks were put ahead still another hour during the summer.  In the U.S. during peacetime, daylight saving was a subject of controversy.  Farmers, who usually work schedules determined by sun time and are therefore inconvenienced when they must conduct business on a different time basis, registered strong opposition.  Because of the accents, they were ignored.  Railroad, bus, and plan scheduling was so hampered by time inconsistencies among various cities and states that the repercussions and still being felt today.  The Uniform Time Act, enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1966, established a system of uniform (within each time zone) daylight saving time throughout the U.S. and its possessions, exempting only those states in which the legislatures voted to keep the entire state on standard time.  Under legislation enacted in 1986, daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and ends at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.  Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. this Saturday night.

Back Pain in Fort Collins? Does Back Pain Really Disappear After 6 weeks?

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Back pain in Fort Collins

If this really was true chiropractors, orthopedists, physical therapists, and other back pain professionals wouldn’t have many patients to work on.  I have heard highly respected doctors repeat this 6 week myth, but the reality of back pain is the exact opposite.  Most back pain will not just go away by itself, and if it does it is going to come back again later as the damage becomes worse.

This myth started back in the 90’s when there was study which surveyed medical doctors about how long it took for their patients to recover from acute back pain.  The problem was the design of the study, which lead to inaccurate data and flawed conclusions.  Back pain is a very common thing, with a lifetime community prevalence estimated to be between 50-85%[i]

If back pain disappeared in 6 weeks, then why is it the most expensive ailment of the working population and the second most common cause of missing work?  It also uncoincidently is the third most commonly reported symptom.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking it will go away on its own.  Maybe it will, but it will come back, as the best predictor of back pain is a history of back pain in the past.  The subsequent episodes are normally worse and last longer.

As a Fort Collins chiropractor, who treats back pain daily, I can tell you it is much harder to fix someone’s back the longer it goes untreated.  Pain is a sign telling you that there is something going on that could be much more serious, so getting it looked at is the best decision you can make.  Reoccurrence rates of back pain of 60-86% in the first year have been reported.[ii]

There are many studies that show low back pain just doesn’t disappear in 4-6 weeks.  In fact, a study that evaluated 36 other studies showed no evidence supporting the myth of 80-90% of low back pain suffers being pain free in a month.[iii]

I have seen firsthand that most cases of back pain are recurrent, and most likely will come back much worse. If you are having back pain in Fort Collins, I would love to help make you feel better.  Please call for a consultation or appointment.


[i] Papageorgiou AC, Croft PR, Ferry S, et al. Estimating the prevalence of low back pain in the general population: Evidence from the South Manchester back pain survey. Spine 1995;20:1889-1884.

 

[ii] Suni J, PT, PhD, Rinne M, PT, MSci, Natri A, MD, DScik et al. Control of the lumbar neutral zone decreases low back pain and improves self-evaluated work ability: a 12 month randomized controlled study. Spine 2006;31:E611-20.

 

[iii] Hestbaek L. et al. Low Back Pain: What is the long term course? A review of studies of general population. Euro Spine Journal, 2003; 12: 149-65.