Dr. Rick's Health Tip of the Month

February 2002

Don't let those trigger points build up.

By Dr. Rick Allen, DC

Two of my patients, Sharon Johnson, who just came back from a dance competition in Hawaii, and Michelle Uttke, owner of Fancy Feet Grand Ballroom in Oregon City, both had pain in the shoulder blade and, most notably, down the arm. The had developed painful trigger points in the infraspinatous muscle of the shoulder blade.

You can minimize this by by avoiding holding prolonged positions with the arms up and out. Take a stretch break when typing, writing or dancing. For optimum health, I further recommend stretching regularly, drinking lots of water each day (6-8 glasses per day), eating good food, and avoiding sugar in all its forms (sugar, soda, and high fructose corn sweeteners).

In addition, just like you change the oil in your car to keep it running smoothly, I recommend regular chiropractic and massage treatment to help keep you healthy. For the vast majority of cases, conservative treatment and a healthy lifestyle will be all that is necessary to keep you dancing. See details in this month's Instep dance magazine article.

---

Dr. Rick Allen is a chiropractor, massage therapist and dance student in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Rick welcomes your questions and suggestions for future articles. However, he cannot make specific diagnoses or treatment recommendations unless you visit him in person. He can be reached by phone: 503-257-1324, mail: 221 NE 78th Avenue, Portland, OR 97213, e-mail or World Wide Web: www.CascadeWellnessClinic.com

Home | Services | Bio | Benefits | Interests
Info | Articles | Tips | Classes | Links | Search | E-mail | Top

©1997-2008 Dr. Rick Allen
Cascade Wellness Center