July 27, 2008 at 5:13 pm (Evidence Informed Chiropractic, Patient Information, Patient Resources)
Tags: achilles tendonitis, ankle injuries, ankle sprain, cold laser therapy, Evidence Informed Chiropractic, kinsler, laser therapy, lllt, tendonopathy
Thanks to the Vancouver Chiropractor for tipping me off about the recent study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine (2008; 36(5):881-887) testing the effects of low intensity laser therapy and specific exercises for achilles tendonitis.52 athletes were divided into two groups. One group was given low intensity laser therapy and strengthening exercises, while the other was given fake laser (machine not turned on) and the strengthening exercises.
Results showed that the low intensity laser group had significant improvements in pain and all other measured factors at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after the initial treatment, when compared to the exercise only group. In fact, the results the laser group got in 4 weeks took 12 weeks for the non-laser group.
If you are suffering from achilles tendon pain, you should consider using low intensity laser therapy (cold laser) in your treatment. It appears to speed the healing time and will get you back in the game sooner!
Brett L. Kinsler is a chiropractor in Rochester, NY who uses low intensity laser therapy in his practice. More information can be found at www.RochesterChiro.com
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July 24, 2008 at 10:24 pm (Alternative Medicine Products, Patient Information, Patient Resources, Website Recommendations)
Tags: cavities, dentistry, gummy bears, tooth decay, Xylitol, zellies
It’s a good month for xylitol as researchers have recently announced tests involving gummy bears made with xylitol ward off cavity-causing bacteria. A study in Washington State gathered 154 first to fifth graders from two elementary schools. The students were given four gummy bears made with either xylitol or maltitol (types of sugars used in many types of sugarless chewing gum) three times a day during school hours.
All were checked for plaque and bacteria in their mouths at the start of the study and six weeks later.
After six weeks, there was a “significant” reduction in the main bacteria buildup associated with cavities for the children who snacked on the xylitol and maltitol candy.
The gummy bears made with xylitol used in the study are not available on the U.S. market at this time but as you know, gum and mints with xylitol are available from our office in the form of Zellies. If you are not local to Rochester, you can purchase Zellies from here.
The findings are going to be published in the journal BMC Oral Health.
Dr. Brett Kinsler is a chiropractor in Rochester, NY. Zellies xylitol candies and mints can be purchased in his office at 2364 Lyell Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606.
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July 24, 2008 at 9:27 pm (Chiropractic Legislation, Current Events)
Tags: brazil, chiropractic, Chiropractic Legislation, chiropractors, physical therapy, south america
I love physical therapy as a profession…I really do. I don’t have the time or interest in walking patients through long rehabilitation procedures or exercises. I do not enjoy working with stroke patients and teaching them how to walk again. Not my area of expertise or specialty. I’m thrilled there are people willing to do those things and who excel at them. I am friends with some of them and have good, respectful, working relationships with others.
That being said, this situation that is happening in South America is getting my goat. It seems in a new threat to the independence of chiropractic, physical therapists in Brazil, Peru and other countries in South America are lobbying governments for laws that would make chiropractic a sub-specialty and part of the physical therapy profession.
Since chiropractic is not yet licensed in those countries, the PTs feel that by acting quickly, they can absorb a profession that is more than simply spinal manipulation, and make it their own. The Brazilian Chiropractors’ Association (ABQ) has been campaigning to establish the chiropractic profession but their 200 members are going to have a difficult time against the 95,000 PTs already in Brazil alone.
Chiropractic has been growing rapidly in Brazil since the opening of two university-based chiropractic colleges in the late 1990s – Feevale Central University in Novo Hamburgo, in partnership with Palmer College; and the University of Anhembi Morumbi in Sao Paulo, in partnership with Western States Chiropractic College. The legislation to protect chiropractic and being promoted by the ABQ was approved by a third and final parliamentary Commission in late November 2006 and must now go back to the full house or Camara for final vote. It is being stalled by legislators working with the PT profession, while PTs are providing short courses in chiropractic to try to create a competing chiropractic profession.
Advertisement claiming chiropractic is a specialty of physical therapy, and placed in Brazil’s national newspaper The Globe in February by Brazilian physical therapists.
Recently, the fight for chiropractic in Brazil took a turn when the Federal Police, acting upon a complaint from physiotherapy leaders, challenged visiting doctors of chiropractic for being engaged in the illegal practice of physiotherapy in southern Brazil.
As chiropractors, what happens in other doctor’s backyards will eventually affect us. The World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) is asking for chiropractic associations, colleges, other organizations and individuals to assist the ABQ and chiropractic in Brazil financially. We need to stop the PTs in Brazil from succeeding in their attempts to hijack this profession.
For more detailed background, a list acknowledging donors to date, and a donation form go to the Newsroom at www.wfc.org
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July 10, 2008 at 9:42 pm (Alternative Medicine Products, Current Events, Patient Information, Patient Resources, Website Recommendations)
Tags: cavities, dentistry, teeth, Xylitol, zellies
Daily doses of xylitol have again been shown to keep people from developing cavities. Yup, this one’s for real folks! Dental researchers at the University of Washington have found that toddlers who are given two or three daily spoonfuls of the sugar substitute xylitol in a fruit-flavored syrup have significantly lower rates of tooth decay than other children.
Researchers presented their results yesterday at the 86th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research in Toronto.
The study involved 102 children with an average age of 15 months who lived in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Childhood tooth decay is a serious health concern in that central Pacific region. Study authors say the average 5-year-old living there has two to three times as many cavities as a young child living in a typical mainland community.
The children randomly received different doses of the sweetened syrup once, twice, or three times a day for 12 months. At the end of the trial, nearly 76% of the toddlers who received twice-daily doses of xylitol syrup (8 grams in total) were cavity-free, compared to 48% of those who received a single spoonful a day.
More than half (59.4%) of the children who received xylitol three times a day were cavity-free after a year.
Fruit Flavored Zellies
Xylitol is a naturally occurring sweetener that’s found in plants and fruits. It is a sugar alcohol that blocks the growth of the bacteria that cause cavities.
We have been using Zellies xylitol products in our family for years with great results. Recently, we began carrying the Zellies line of 100% xylitol gum and candies in our office. If you’re local to Rochester, stop in to our office to pick up Zellies — our prices are good compared to the website! If you’re not local and you order some Zellies here.
Add this one to the growing list of studies showing the benefits of xylitol…a sugar that truly makes teeth healthy and happy.
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July 9, 2008 at 1:11 pm (Evidence Informed Chiropractic)
Tags: back pain, Chiropractors & Chiropractic, Evidence Informed Chiropractic, Guidelines, healthcare, NCQA, Quality Assurance
Treatment for uncomplicated low back pain varies widely. While most physicians follow the recommended approach of pain management and gradual return to physical activity, some prematurely prescribe costly imaging, epidural steroid injections-or refer their patients to surgery.
NCQA, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, has a Back Pain Recognition Program (BPRP). This program seeks to recognize medical and chiropractic physicians who deliver superior care to millions of Americans who suffer from low back pain. The BPRP program consists of 13 clinical measures and three structural standards that address the broad spectrum of low back pain and focus on underuse, misuse and overuse of treatment modalities.
NCQA BPRP Seal
NCQA developed BPRP requirements from widely accepted medical evidence, with significant input from physician specialists and health plan and employer representatives.
Our office has been recognized as part of this program and Dr. Elliott and I are among only a dozen physicians at this time in New York State to achieve this honor.
http://recognition.ncqa.org/PSearchResults.aspx?state=NY&rp=4
We feel the NCQA BPRP program is a step in the right direction toward evidence based chiropractic treatment and are thankful for the opportunity to earn this recognition.
Dr. Brett Kinsler and Dr. Michalene Elliott are NCQA recognized chiropractors in Rochester, NY. Their website is www.RochesterChiro.com
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July 8, 2008 at 9:16 pm (Evidence Informed Chiropractic, Patient Information, Patient Resources, Uncategorized)
Tags: chiropractic, healthcare, myths, scams, x-rays
There are so many myths about chiropractors I have a hard time finding a starting point. Let’s address one of the more harmful myths in today’s column: x-rays. I recently heard the proposition that “a thorough chiropractor is one who takes x-rays on every patient before he touches them.” I actually hear some variation of this quite a bit from new patients.
It is simply not true. The chiropractor who x-rays every patient is no more helpful than the medical doctor who gives every patient an antibiotic.
A thorough chiropractor is one who takes a complete medical history, carefully examines the patient and formulates a logical diagnosis and treatment plan. As part of the work-up, the patient may require diagnostic imaging such as x-rays or an MRI. Patients in certain profiles, with specific medical problems or history of certain types of trauma absolutely require x-rays. X-rays are used to rule out some types of medical problems, congenital conditions and deformities.
Routine x-rays of all new patients is not a thorough practice – it is criminal, a waste of money, time and needless exposure to radiation.
You certainly may need x-rays…but if you come across a chiropractor whose practice is to x-ray all patients, you are probably in the wrong office.
Dr. Brett Kinsler is a chiropractor in Rochester, NY who does not routinely x-ray his patients – even if they ask really, really nicely….only if they need it.
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