Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/convertplug/convertplug.php on line 216

Deprecated: Function get_magic_quotes_gpc() is deprecated in /var/www/wp-content/plugins/convertplug/convertplug.php on line 1464

Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called incorrectly. Translation loading for the infusionsoft domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /var/www/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121
ReVITALize Rehab Club

Physical Therapy Clinic | CA | ReVITALize Rehab Club

Author: Danh Ngo

  • Essential Oil 101: Clove

    cloveoilDid you know that our mouths can tell a lot about our internal health?  There have been research studies that linked our oral hygiene to coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancers.  For example, mouth lesions may be the first signs of HIV infection, aphthous ulcers are occasionally a manifestation of Celiac or Crohn’s disease, and pale and bleeding gums can be a marker for blood disorders.

    No worries!  Clove essential oil is here…it is popularized for its natural dental benefits due to its antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiviral, aphrodisiac and stimulating properties.  Clove oil is produced from the flower bud of an evergreen tree called S. aromaticum.  The bud oil consists of about 80% eugenol, acetyl eugenol, caryophyllene and other minor constituents.  Eugenol is a common ingredient in dental care products and found in nutmeg, cinnamon, basil, and bay leaf.  Eugenol content varies based on which parts of the clove you are using: the stem, bud, or leaves going from highest to lowest content respectively. (more…)

  • Finding The Balance in The Journey to Stopping Neck Pain, Part 3

    tightrope

    Finding the right balance in life is crucial for happiness in life.  The definition of happiness is different for everyone.  This cannot be any more true for the care of neck and head pain.  In “Our Mighty Duck…Quack! Quack! Quack! (How to Manage Neck Pain)” I explained how this balance is important in the role of the neck, metaphorically and literally.  Our ability to stay upright is important to not add any more stress to our neck’s role in connecting our senses to our environment.   If you are interested in direct self-treatment strategies to your neck, read “Hidden Reasons for Nagging Neck Pain Part 1 and Part 2“.

    It is common to have tension in our neck extensors like the trapezius (upper) fibers and levator scapulae muscles. I linked the trigger point chart to these muscles, showing where the “knots” can be and the referral pain pattern.  These are the same movement pattern as our glutes.  If one has a weak buttock (gluteus maximus and medius muscle) propulsion or power capability, the neck (extensors) muscles can be overworked.  Our big toe flexibility plays a huge role allowing and communicating our glutes to fire properly, thus the big toe is important in neck care.

    Many studies have shown direct relief of pain and pressure when our middle back has good range of motion.  The good news is that our mid back is an easy region to provide self-care too.  Our middle back is where our diaphragm is located.  The diaphragm and utilizing breathing strategies to become a diaphragmatic breather is important in relieving pain and tension up and down your spine.   Our diaphragm is part of our “core” and practicing efficient breathing can have a profound effect in displaying raw power and athletic movement.   (more…)

  • Hidden Reasons for Nagging Neck Pain, Part 2

    Nagging.  What do you think of?  Something that does not go away and annoys your personal space of serenity.  You tell that person or remove that nagging thing but it comes back.  One may think of a nagging spouse.  One may think of a nagging boss.  In this case, I am talking about the nagging neck pain.  If you have been working at a desk job, the chances that you have neck tension is high.  In “Our Mighty Duck!  Quack!  Quack!  Quack! (How to Manage Neck Pain)” I discuss the role of the neck and two BIG reasons that contributes to neck tension that not many practitioners discuss.  The follow up article “Hidden Causes for Nagging Neck Pain (Part 1)” I discuss direct self care treatments and exercises to the head and neck that may help dampen down the frequency and intensity of your neck pain.  Part one elaborates on specific exercises to help one address where the tension is located.  Part 2 will provide insights and self care exercises to our head and neck region that is usually not thought as important to our neck and head pain.  Addressing these hidden pain drivers can have a profound effect to reducing the nagging frequency and intensity of your neck pain.

    This article will address tension and dysfunctions that are from the skull, jaw and front neck region.  To understand the complexities of our body but still simple for everyone to understand the vital components of the three listed regions, I will say that there are four regions that is in a constant state of movement: cranium sutures, tongue/hyoid region, diaphragm and pelvic floor region.  The diaphragm is becoming more mainstream in performance and rehab setting in regards to our core and stability.  You have to breath and the diaphragm makes sense that it can never stop moving.   (more…)

  • Hidden Causes of “Nagging” Neck Pain, Part 1

    seniors-neck-pain-causesDo you have a pain in the neck?  Literally or metaphorically, physically or emotionally, managing neck pain can be a simple fix or something more comprehensive.  In the first article of this series, “Our Mighty Duck! Quack! Quack! Quack! (How to Manage Neck Pain, Part 1) ” I elaborated on how our neck is heavily impacted by the idea of compensations.  Compensate is defined as to counterbalance (a force or the like); adjust or construct so as to offset or counterbalance variations or produce equilibrium.

    There are a few factors that needs to be addressed when dealing with pain.  A common description of neck pain is “tight” and “stiff”.  The dreaded “knots” to the bottom neck.  The occasional “kink” that slows life down and makes driving miserable.  This pain in the neck is what people deal with until it gets worse or compounds into arm pain.  Worse is where the quick fix or the chiropractic and masseuse is not doing the trick anymore.

    The problem with neck pain is that there are many conditions that mimics or contribute to your nagging neck pain.  Lets breakdown the components of a good neck care program: direct, indirect, and balance therapeutic exercises.

    Direct care is working on the head and neck.  Most direct neck care focuses where the pain is at.  Lets stretch out the knots with a trapezius stretch.  Hold it for 30 seconds.  Repeat it over and over until it is gone.  It feels so good that this technique must be the magic answer, however, you still have it. (more…)

  • Our Mighty Duck…Quack! Quack! Quack! (How to Manage Neck Pain, Part 1 – The Why)

    ht_mighty_ducks_2_netflix_sk_140922_v16x9_16x9_992Remember the movie, “The Mighty Ducks” staring Emilio Estevez?  It was an 80’s feel good movie of a group of underdog children overcoming many challenges to win the hockey championship.  I love this movie and apparently I am not the only one because there are two sequels to the original.  I am dating myself by choosing to use this analogy to describe how our neck is designed.  The movie is best described as the “little kids with big heart” working together as a team for a common purpose, to win!

    Our neck is not big and powerful like our legs.  Our neck is smaller in size than our trunk. Our neck is far from being dexterous like our arms.  Regardless of the lack of physical capacity, our neck loves to help in whatever it can, hence, the big heart analogy.  It is not uncommon for people to have neck pain with complaints of low back, shoulder, knee, or even ankle pain.  The list can include emotional and spiritual instability like stress and personal trauma.  Everyone can agree that the neck is an important structure since it supports the head and brain.  The neck is at the highest point of our body.  It allows us to see, hear, and taste.   The two factors of location and unique abilities explains the reason for the “big heart” helping mentality.

    An easy demonstration of how our neck is impacted with every movement is to imagine shaking a flexible stick from the bottom of it.  The greatest arc of motion happens at the top of the stick while the least is where you are holding the stick, the bottom.  This is a common driver of “stiff” and/or painful nagging neck pain.  In locomotion, aka walking, if one does not have good balance, the neck takes the brunt of this large arc of motion.  If the body has not learned how to contain this sway, one can make this quick observation by watching people walk from behind.  You can see someone with uncompensated neck pain when their head bobbles sideways.   (more…)

  • 3 Easy Tips On How to Love Your Liver

    virtual-office-asstWhat would you give for an effective and reliable “right hand” assistant?  Behind every great leader or CEO, there is an assistant that keeps the day organized and “flowing”.  In “Welcome to Our “Right Hand”, the Liver”, I used this analogy to explain our liver Qi in eastern medicine.  Our liver is responsible for the smooth flow of qi.  When you have liver dysfunction, it usually starts with a disruption of qi.  Early signs and symptoms include frustration, anger, or depression.  When the assistant is overworked, and even worst, under appreciated, the assistant becomes angry and resentful.  There is a saying “it is hard to find good help”.  A good leader can make an average assistant better if the leader understands how to capitalize on the assistant’s strengths.  The bond can be stronger if the leader decides to invest in the relationship.  To go back to my eastern medicine explanation of the liver, this is the right time to take care of your liver so you can avoid more severe problems in the future. (more…)

  • Welcome to Our “Right Hand”, The Liver!

    multitaskenWhen a company or a leader does well, there is usually an assistant that does all the grunt work.  Overworked and underpaid like Andrea “Andy” Sachs from the movie “Devil Wears Prada.”  This does not always have to be the case and should not.  The “right hand” can perform much better when one feels their work is appreciated and important.   This analogy reminds me of our liver. Conveniently, our liver is located in our right flank region.

    Our “right hand” assistant, the liver, is the second largest vital organ in your body.  The liver performs many essential functions related to digestion, metabolism, immunity, and the storage of nutrients within the body. The tissues of the body would quickly deteriote from lack of energy and nutrients if the liver is not functioning well.  One good thing about liver is it can regenerate quickly so being reVITALized back to its normal state is a possibility.

    A good “right hand” assistant has the role of screening the head cases, directing flow of tasks, bringing morning coffee and donuts, overall, making the leader look good.  Lets breakdown the actual job duties of our liver.   (more…)

  • How to Undo Butt (Gluteus Maximus Muscle) Amnesia or Just Get a Rear Lift

    img_2181

    Do you suffer from knee pain? back pain? neck pain? hip pain? ankle sprains or pain?  Do you want to walk up the stairs easier, carry your grandchildren, play golf or tennis with your friends, jump higher, move faster?  The gluteal region is important for everything but we sit on it all day long.  Technology and society makes it too convienent to not engage our rear, hence the “butt amnesia”.  Children are made to sit in chairs that help us develop poor posture at an age. Do not get me started on smart phones.

    Let’s breakdown why the Gluteus Maximus (GM) is one of the most important muscle to train. There are two parts to the GM, upper and lower fibers.  The upper fibers blends with its arch nemesis, the Tensor Fascia Latae (TFL), and helps to control our pelvis for locomotion.  A study demonstrated that a weak GM relative to the TFL is common in hip osteoarthritis.  The lower fibers are designed for propulsion and power, bringing our long thigh bone (femur) under and past our trunk during walking and sprinting.  The nemesis of the inferior fibers is the hip flexor muscle group.  The higher the movement intensity, sprinting and climbing, the more you need all parts of your rear.  The gluteus maximus muscle is controlled by a group of nerves join together called the inferior gluteal nerve.

    During rehab and fitness, there is a consensus that this muscle plays a huge role in bouncing back from all types of injuries.  The list of ailments include patellofemoral pain, sciatica, hip bursitis, meniscus injury, shoulder impingement, hip labral tear, sacroiliac pain, plantar fasciitis, and piriformis syndrome.  If you decide you had enough of your pain or want to reVITALize your fitness level, but you have a busy lifestyle, knowing the best exercise allows you to be time efficient.

    Here is where I will attempt to do our readers justice by trying to target the right exercise to the right crowd.  There are too many snapshot or clips of exercises but no content with it explaining when and if you are appropriate for the exercise.   (more…)

  • It Takes Two to Tango: Finding the Yin Yang Balance

  • Essential Oil 101: Frankincense

    frankincense-resin-pic

    Frankincense is an oil with an intriguing religious backstory of various cultures, from Buddhism, Egyptians, Romans, and Catholicism to name a few. The name itself is derived from the Old French ‘franc encens’ meaning pure incense. It is most popular as one of the three gifts given to the baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men. Frankincense oil is made from a gum resin of a milky white sap from the soon-to-be endangered tree of the Boswellia family and its related species. This tree is found in African and Arabian regions, with Oman being the most ancient source of frankincense. There are varying qualities of frankincense.  The highest quality can be distinguished by its clear and silvery appearance.

    Our family uses frankincense oil frequently as an option in skin health. From ancient to modern day, it is claimed to be “one of the top” essential oils for your health. (more…)