D.O. 101 

            Here I will go over the basic concepts that show how D.O.’s diagnose dysfunction and treat it. This is very basic but gets the point across!!

Somatic Dysfunction- when the structure of your bones/ muscles disrupt how your nerves, blood vessels and lymph drainage function causing some sort of problem downstream from the trouble.

-         How to Diagnose it

- We use a pneumonic called TART

Tenderness- DOES IT HURT

Asymmetry- is one side different from the other

Restricted- is the motion of that part decreased

Tissue change- warm/ rigid/ atrophied

-         Next we determine if it is new or old

New- very tight/ hot/ and sweaty with pain

                        Old- cold/ ropy/ and clammy without pain or minimal

-         Then we go through the different ranges of motion of that part

We twist it, bending, pull it, and push it

            Then we compare it to the oppisite side 

-         As for the treatment there are a number of different things we can do which depend on the age, problem, and disease of the patient. We use a direct/indirect coupled with a passive/active to achieve our goal, BLISS, ha-ha.

o       Direct- force into problem

o       Indirect- away from problem

o       Active- patient helps

o       Passive- they relax and do nothing

Myofascial release- basically a massage where you hold the muscle at    an extreme until it releases, can be any type of the combos from above

Counterstrain- find certain “trigger” point that is causing pain and hold pressure to work out the problem

Muscle energy- always active but either direct or indirect. Hold muscle at extreme and have patient squeeze it then relax. Stretch a little farther and do the same, 3 times.

HVLA- direct passive, find the bad barrier and adjusting the bones through it, CRACK!!!!  Just like a chiropractor.

Lymph pump- gets the lymph in your body moving to promote healing, basically just bouncing fast, ahha.

-         How much is ok?

Around ½ a week, with acute problems more often. The young more frequently than the old as well. These are just some “guidelines” though.

            This is the first segment on many more to come about my profession and its theories/ treatments. Remember these treatments center around the concepts mentioned in my earlier blogs. The body is a unit and its structure governs function. Get that body into tip top shape and live the awesome life you have always wanted!

Improving Life not Just Looks!

            The SYSTEM is not just for the aspiring model/ bodybuilder. Being a future doctor I see all sorts of debilitating diseases every day. From arthritis to spinal stenosis there are so many problems that lead to a decreased quality of life and it’s a shame. Well I urge you to give the SYSTEM a try. No matter what kind of shape you are in you can always improve your quality of life through some sort of exercise.

            I suggest doing the basic exercise that I suggest in my blogs but execute them according to how your body allows. Remember the center concept of the SYSTEM isn’t a strenuous lifting program; it is a fun and enjoyable way to stay healthy. For the young it is great because it doesn’t stress the joints which can lead to growth problems in the future like short stature via bowed legs. For the old, not to discriminate, it provides some sort of exercise which is crucial to get the fluids in your body moving to prevent disease as well as increase bone mass to prevent fractures. For people with arthritis/ spinal problems/ heart conditions… yada yada yada, it gives you a way to exercise but not exacerbate your disease. Its win win!

            The key is to go at your own pace. This may entail not even using weights but just flexing your muscle to your favorite song whether it be Louis Armstrong for the older readers or Jay Z for the younger (not sure what they listen to these days, ahah). If you have any questions or concerns consult your doctor before starting the SYSTEM and make sure to explain what it is to him and even refer him to the site. I'll be happy to answer any questions you or he may have.

            I may model and body build, but I am a doctor first (soon to be). I want to improve the overall quality of life in as many people as I can which is the whole reason I became a doctor. Whether it be getting you into those jeans that haven’t fit in years or getting you out of bed it works! Exercise can help you no matter who you are even if it is as simple as just flexing. The SYSTEM will help you I guarantee it.

            Please if you have any questions about anything in your life I would love to try and answer them to the best of my ability.

            Life is a long twisting road with ups and downs, why cruise along on it in a Pinto when you could enjoy it in a Ferrari. God Bless you all!

“Luck be a lady tonight.” –Frank Sinatra

Self Healing

This principal promotes the self healing abilities located within our own bodies. Our body does have a whole system devoted entirely too self healing and repair. One of the key concepts one must grasp is that our self healing ability relies on the health of our body prior to the insult on the system. This is why being in shape is so crucial to overall health. How often do you see people who are in shape regularly coming down with everyday coughs and colds? Sure it happens but the majority of people who get sick are usually out of shape. Exercise promotes movement of fluids within your body, called lymph, which intern decrease the chance of infections and whatnot. So the basic concept here is that your body can and will heal itself but the speed and effectiveness with which it does it depends on the overall condition of your body to start with. A healthier body equals faster and better recovery.    

"Keep on Rocking in the Free World."  - Neil Young

 Structure Governs Function

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This concept is basically a no brainer. If there is some sort of structural abnormality in your body, everything down stream of it will become hampered in some way. This is again why I feel the mental aspect of your lift is the most important part. If you are not mentally into what you are doing then you really aren’t doing it at one hundred percent. A way to demonstrate this concept is to envision someone wit a pinched nerve. There is usually some sort of back problem whether it be some sort of injury or maybe just sleeping in an awkward position. This leads to back pain which in turns leads to some kind of dysfunction in the extremities. An example would be some one with low back pain who is complaining of numbness and pain in there legs. So let’s break down what is happening in this situation. The nerves that exit your spinal column travel through the vertebrae themselves. Some condition causes these nerves to be pinched between the vertebra or a spastic muscle. This causes a dysfunction in the nerve which leads to the numbness and pain in the extremities, where the nerve ends at. So a problem in one part of the body cause dysfunction in other more distant parts of the body, Structure governs Function!    This is the bread and butter of the Osteopathic industry. Osteopaths are able to correct these structural problems which in turn lead to improve functions in the associated parts of the body. I was a product of this growing up and eventually persuaded me into pursuing my current path. My father, a chiropractor, would give me adjustments whenever I needed them growing up. He could make headaches disappear on spot which was always appreciated! To have the power to correct a persons pain with something as simple as an adjustment is an amazing thing not to mention profitable, ha-ha.

uy me a drink, sing me a song, take me as I come cause I cant stay long." - Tom Petty

 What made me ME   

              Being a future D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathy) has played a crucial role in devoloping this sytem. Andrew Still, the founder of the profession, devised some simple principles that are the backbone of this system as well as for overal health and everyday life.

1. The Body is a Unit

       This First Fundemantal Principal states that every system in your body (cardiovascular/ musculo/ neuro...) is interconnected. Whatever happens in one part of your body, influences other more distant parts as well. A good way to display this concept is during your exercise. When you exert yourself you strain your muscles whcih causes your heart rate to rise, this is because more blood is needed  to supply nourishment and remove waste, 1 system affected. Also you sweat, this is your body compensating for the increased temperature being produced be your working muscle, system 2. You stop Digesting food when you are exercising to divert more blood to the tissue being worked, system 3. Mentally you become focused, system 4. Your breathing increases to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood and romove the CO2 being produced by the muscles, system 5. Enzymes are release in your blood that cause fat/ glycogen (stored sugar) to be broken down for energy, system 6. Your bladder is  inhibited as well for the same reason your bowels are, system 7. So just through simple exercise which uses your musculosketal system you have 7 different sytems working together to make it an optimum process. 

       My workout hinges on this concept. I try to get the Mental part triggered first. I think that this is the most important part of the system and if it is peaked everything else falls into line much more easily. This is accomplished through the music part. You know the feeling of listening to your favorite workout music while you  so why not use it to motivate as part of your lift! Once this key peice of the puzzle is placed, the sky is the limit on the rest of the workout!

" The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind."  -Bob Dylan

        Well this is basically a system I came up with that enabled me to conquer Medical School and the Modeling World simultaniously. I took what I learned from bodybuilding as well as in Medical School and combined them into a ridiculously easy program that incorperates the key ascpects of both. Being a future D.O. I wanted to make sure the workout included the mental ascpect of the lifting experince. In theory if you get your mind in the correct state, everything else in your body falls into place including all the components of acheiving an optimal exercise. This is accomplished by making the entire system based on something everyone can appreciate, music. You know the feeling when you hear a good song, the hair stands up on the back of your neck, this system takes that mentality and lets you chanel it into physical exercise. If you are mentally and physically in tune you can do great things in a very little amount of time.

                The whole concept is based on the notion that there are two types of muscle fibers in your body, red/ white. Red is more of the Lance Armstrong type that is used for endurence and leaning up and uses oxygen to to so. The white are more the Arnold type that are for power and don't need oxygen to work. This workout combines the two to allow you to get the overal lean ripped look as well as put on some muscle size as well. This program is what you make of it. If you half-ass it then you'll look half-assed. The lift takes at most 45 min for a advanced routine (30 if you're just trying to get into basic shape) and you will find that you have to cut yourself off because it gets to enjoyable and you loose track of time. 

This is my first time blogging so be patient with me for I am terrible at spelling and what not. The routine and diet are broken down in two different sections.

"Come together, right now, over me."  - The Beatles