06 May 2024
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Shoe Terminology #1: Zero Drop, What it Means, and Why It’s Important

Shoe Terminology #1: Zero Drop, What it Means, and Why It’s Important

May 6, 2024 | 0 Comments | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We get asked a lot of questions about what types of shoes to wear.  Afterall, there are a lot of options.  Some are functional, some are fashionable.  We like to stick with function over fashion.  Afterall, we tend to work with an active population and athletes of all disciplines need proper footwear to help optimize performance and reduce the likelihood of injury.  There is so much information (misinformation) out there and it seems like most everyone has an opinion.  We are not after opinions.  We are after facts.

We’re going to cover two popular and discussed shoe configuration topics.  This blog (and associated YouTube video below) will cover zero drop and the next one will cover neutral shoes.

Zero drop refers to the heel to toe drop in a shoe.  Literally, the heel of a shoe is usually made to be higher than toe (forefoot).  The shoe effectively angles down from the back of the foot to the front.  You won’t usually see this just looking at the shoe.   You’ll likely need to see the listing online or write the company.  Some shoes are still using 10-12mm heel to toe drops.  Ouch! This effectively shortens your calf musculature at all times…not good. In effect, it’s like you’re wear heels.

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27 Feb 2024
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High Ankle Sprains Are Rare Yet Very Damaging and Every Athlete Should Be Aware of Them

High Ankle Sprains Are Rare Yet Very Damaging and Every Athlete Should Be Aware of Them

February 27, 2024 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We should all be familiar with lateral and medial ankle sprains as we discussed them in previous blogs.  We are now going to talk about the last and least understood form of ankle sprain, also known as the dreaded ‘high ankle sprain.’  These sprains are documented as being between 11 and 17% of all ankle sprains.  They are not too common, but they are very significant.  Proper identification of this type of ankle sprain is vital.  It will need rehabilitation by a trained professional who has experience with this type of sprain.  

Luckily, the explanation and understanding of a high ankle sprain is quite easy.  A high ankle sprain is a syndesmotic sprain that occurs above the lateral ankle.  A syndesmotic sprain involves the ligaments and fascia between bones.  In this case, the tibia and fibula bones above the ankle joint are involved.  In effect, a particular trauma causes the two bones to separate from one another and the ligaments and other tissues between them tear in the process. This leads to a lot of pain and a good amount of dysfunction.

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12 Feb 2024
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The Medial Ankle Sprain and What You Need to Know as an Athlete

The Medial Ankle Sprain and What You Need to Know as an Athlete

February 12, 2024 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

We previously discussed when we turn our ankle in…now we need to look at when we turn it the other way.

Turning the ankle out does not occur as much as when we turn the ankle in.  In fact,  data show this happens between 5-10% of the time.  We do see a lot more lateral ankle sprains, but we must be aware of medial ankle sprains and what to do with them.  Why are there more lateral ankle sprains?  Simply put, it’s a lot more unstable on the lateral side than the medial side.  On the medial side, we have more ligaments, a larger weight bearing bone, ideally a proper arch, that even if reduced, helps support the medial side.

This begs the question: If it’s so much more stable, how can it turn outward?   Generally speaking, this form of ankle sprain occurs more often when there is contact with another athlete. It also occurs when we are cutting/moving and the foot gets planted in the ground and our body goes across it.  This can flatten out the arch and create a nasty valgus (ankle in, foot turns out) stress.  This creates stress on the inside of the ankle as the body rolls over it, thus causing injury.

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31 Jan 2024
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Ouch! I Rolled My Ankle In, Now What Do I Do?

Ouch! I Rolled My Ankle In, Now What Do I Do?

January 31, 2024 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ankle sprains/strains happen…a lot.  (We’ll have a YouTube chat about this soon as well as this blog here.  Please subscribe to follow us.)   That horrible feeling when you ‘roll your ankle in’.  What exactly does this mean and what do we need to look for with ankle sprains?

The inversion ankle sprain is the most common of all ankle sprains, accounting for about 75-80%.  The ankle can roll outward, but this is not too common.  The medial side (inside) of your ankle tends to be more stable.  This blog is about the most common form of ankle sprain, so let’s get going.  (We’ll save the outward rolling ankle sprains and high ankle sprains for another discussion!)


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05 Jan 2024
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Skiboards Are The Way To Go!

Skiboards Are The Way To Go!

January 5, 2024 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

**This blog is updated and re-posted with permission from www.yourchiropractor.net We’re posting it on DBAM because it covers a favorite sport of many, skiing…and it’s about a way to keep those participating safer while sacrificing none of the fun!

I’ve been an avid skier my whole life.  I may not be a double black diamond skier or even all the time a solid black diamond one, but I’d comfortably call myself an advanced intermediate skier.  To me, nothing is more peaceful than being on top of a mountain, with the snow falling down, and only hearing the sound of the carving of the skis.

From childhood, my dad and I would take father and son ski trips and they provided some of the best memories of my life.  From Switzerland, to Mount Tremblant, to Vail, Park City, Tahoe, and more…I was exposed to skiing at an early age and I am very fortunate for this.

Being a sports chiropractor, my life revolves around treating injuries, rehabilitating such injuries, and helping to prevent future injuries.  Skiing is a sport, that although insanely fun, comes with its set of injury risks.  I’ve treated many various skiing (and fairly stated, snowboarding) injuries in my day.  This begs the question: how do we mitigate the risks of skiing while still having loads of fun?

Several years ago, a patient started talking with me about skiing.  He mentioned that he no longer used skis but was using something called ‘Skiboards.’  He talked about how much fun they were and how much safer he felt using them vs. skis.  This conversation piqued my curiosity.  After all, I loved skiing and I also wanted to minimize risk as much as possible. Continue Reading →

19 Jul 2023
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The Need for Youth Sports Information

The Need for Youth Sports Information

July 19, 2023 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As a parent of a child involved in youth sports, you want your child to be healthy, happy, and performing at an optimal level.  Nothing is worse than uncertainty as there is no game plan to approach it.  You have questions and they need to be answered.

Your child plays a sport and gets knee or leg pain.  What do you do?  You want your child to work on strength and conditioning.  Is it safe?  Where do you go?  How much is too much?  What do you look for when selecting a personal trainer/strength coach?  Should your child play one or two sports?  Which offers a lower risk of injury?  Your child has a question about hip tightness and you don’t know who to ask. Continue Reading →

10 Mar 2023
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Learn About Arthrogenic Inhibition

Learn About Arthrogenic Inhibition

March 10, 2023 | Comments Closed | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

So, you’re a runner and keep getting ankle sprains.  You are a powerlifter and keep ‘pulling’ your hamstrings.  You are recovering from shoulder surgery and you simply cannot get back to where you should be even though the surgeon tells you all is okay.  Your knees are just not recovering from what was supposed to be a simple meniscus repair.

WHY can’t you get better?  You feel better but things just aren’t working the way they should…well…here is the likely reason and you’ve never heard about it.

Arthrogenic Inhibition sounds like a complicated concept, but luckily, it is not. Defined as ‘an ongoing reflex reaction of the musculature surrounding a joint after distension or damage to structures of that joint, Arthrogenic Inhibition is readily apparent with really any joint injury.  This includes injury from life, sport, and surgery, and anything else you can possibly do that damages a joint.

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