Knee Pain

The hip bone's connected to the knee bone.

We frequently see patients in our office with unresolved knee pain.  Many times they have been to other providers for treatment and have only experienced minimal, temporary, relief.  Often times the patient has lost mobility due to the pain in the knee.  Many of these patients experience swelling, clicking, grinding, or stiffness on a regular basis.  They are usually frustrated and tired of not being able to do the activities they want to do.

When I evaluate a patient, for any condition, I am focused on finding the cause of the symptom, and not singularly focused on the symptom itself.  This can lead me away from the site of pain in my evaluation, but can unlock the true source of the patients' problem.  For many of our knee pain patients the evaluation will lead us to their pelvis and hip joints.  

Remember the children's song "Dry/Dem Bones?"  Well, this song often plays in my head when evaluating a knee pain patient.  The femur (thigh bone) makes the hip joint at the pelvis, and at the other end, the knee joint.  When a problem occurs in one area of the system it can have a domino effect, causing problems in another area.  So, what I often find is that a patient having knee pain will also have a pelvic alignment issue.  If the pelvic issue is not corrected the knee pain may never fully resolve.

Are you having knee pain?  Do you know someone who is?  Maybe they need a thorough work-up to determine the source of their knee pain.  Maybe conservative, non-drug treatments will be just what the Dr. will order.  

I have a team of healthcare professionals that will work to find the best solution for the problem.  Our medical providers offer highly effective injection therapies using naturally based materials, and our rehabilitation treatments focus on increasing joint function.  Click here to schedule a personal time to learn more.  Please share this information with anyone you know who may be suffering with knee pain.

All the best,

Dr. Angela Tharnish
Chiropractic Physician  

Feel free to email me with questions.  Follow us on FaceBook, Instagram, and Twitter

Get your greens

It's time to think further than the lettuce!

When it comes to salads, for me anything goes.  Steak and ground sausage are two of my favorite toppings for a dark green bed of spinach.  If you're trying to add more vegetables to your diet, making a salad into a meal can be as simple as reaching for leftovers.  

Chicken is a common addition for salads, but don't get stuck in only one type of preparation.  Leftover chicken breast from dinner the night before?  Cube it, toss it with your favorite seasoning (garlic, lemon pepper, etc), and a drizzle of olive oil.

One of my favorite salad creations as of late has been a southwestern inspired theme.  I take cooked ground sausage, bell pepper, corn, avocado, and put it with organic spinach.  I use orange juice (yes, juice) as the dressing, and finish it with a sprinkle of garlic and cilantro.  I'm hungry just thinking about it!  I will often crumble corn tortilla chips on top for a little salty crunch.  This salad came about by assessing the leftovers in my refrigerator and getting inspired.   I've used juice and fruit in other salad concoctions before with great results.  Pineapple chunks with spinach, dried cranberries, and almond slices is another favorite of mine.  

I encourage people in my nutrition lectures to take ingredients (preferably low fat, high nutrient content) that they like and mix and match to make their perfect combo.  If you feel like you need a protein to make a meal, add it to the salad.  You'll feel fuller sooner, allowing you to eat less, than if you had eaten the protein by itself.  Plus you'll be getting all of the added benefits of the vitamins and minerals in the vegetables. 

Here are a few guidelines you should follow:

- Choose organic produce based off of the Dirty Dozen list.  Read more here
- Avoid dressings, including low fat dressings.  Try olive oil, juice, or vinegar instead.
- Avoid loading the cheese on your green salad.  It adds fat, and can block some of the absorption of the vitamins in the greens.
- Don't add your dressing until you're ready to consume the salad.

If you would be interested in attending a nutritional lecture at no cost to you, or if you have any questions email me, drtharnish@gmail.com.  

Yours in health and wellness,

Dr. Angela Tharnish
www.charlestonpainreliefcenter.com
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Get Moving!!

After over 10 years of working with people to improve their health, one of the most common hurdles I still see is how to build more activity into their day.  So many people I meet with are stuck thinking that they have to exercise for a hour to get any benefit from it.  This simply is not true.

Think of it this way; you want to take a long weekend trip, and you want to pay cash for it.  You start saving $50/month in order to reach a final goal to pay for the trip.  You still plan the trip even though you don't have the ability to pay for the trip right away.  You "bank" or save the money to reach your end goal.

Exercise can work the same way.  Physiologically you can benefit from "banking" your exercise by breaking it into manageable chunks.  You don't have walk 3 miles or lift weights for 30 minutes in order to reap the many benefits of physical activity.  All you have to do is to get moving for 15 minutes, at least two times per day.  If you can fit in more 15 minute sessions, even better!

In our physical medicine practice we see may people who are stuck in a very dangerous rut.  It hurts them to move, so they stop doing most physical activity, which only compounds and makes their problems worse.  I have encouraged patients to start small.  Do laps around your backyard or in your driveway.  The point is to get up and get moving!  Our bodies were made to move, not sit.  Sitting is literally detrimental to your health, especially the health of your spine.

If you don't feel like you can even walk without pain, sit and stretch your legs out in front of you (then make sure to call me for a consultation because that's not normal!).  Get your body moving as much as you can without pain.

Get out there, and get moving!

Wishing you all the best,

Dr. Angela Tharnish


www.charlestonpainreliefcenter.com

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