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Sock Doc: Knee Pain and Injuries—Natural Treatment and Prevention
Video Transcript Dr. Gangemi: Hey, this is Dr. Gangemi, and welcome to the newest Sock Doc video. Today I’m going to be talking about the knee and common complaints and injuries—performance problems that people have with the knee. Who better to help out today than G. A. Long, midfielder for UNC Soccer? They won the
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Trigger Point Therapy: A Powerful Tool to Treat and Prevent Injuries
I use trigger point therapy a lot while treating patients in my office; it’s one of the many tools used to get a person well. Trigger point therapy is very effective for a variety of problems, often structural, but even sometimes visceral (organ-related). Since I discuss trigger points in articles throughout the Sock Doc site
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Do Not Wear Orthotics! 10 Reasons Not to Wear Orthotics
I’ve put together a top 10 list of why you should avoid orthotics if you really care about your feet, actually, if you care about your entire body. Caveat: Some extreme foot deformities or injuries may require the assistance of orthotics. But c’mon, for millions of runners and walkers? There’s nothing natural about these artificial
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Preventing and Healing Stress Fractures and Stress Reactions
A stress fracture occurs when there is an overload of stress in a bone because of poor biomechanics and sometimes accompanying nutritional imbalances. Poor biomechanics occur due to muscle imbalances, which are a result of mechanical and nutritional problems. Improper footwear is a very common mechanical factor that results in muscle imbalances and, subsequently, a
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Are Orthotics Really Ever Necessary?
The prescription and use of orthotics is a hot topic. Some physicians don’t appreciate the fact that I think orthotics are expensive pieces of carbon graphite, neoprene, and other materials that most often serve as a disservice to the patient. My stance on orthotics is based on how I evaluate, treat, and manage patients. It
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Sock Doc: Natural Treatment and Prevention of Piriformis Syndrome, Low-Back Pain, and Sciatica
Video Transcript Hey, this is Doctor Gangemi, the Sock Doc. Today’s Sock Doc video is on piriformis syndrome, lower back issues, and sciatic-type pain, or what many people perceive as sciatic-type pain. Lara O’Brien, who is a principal dancer with Carolina Ballet, is going to be helping us out today, and we’re going to go
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Tendonitis or Bursitis? Natural Treatment and Prevention, Regardless of Which “Itis” You Have
Itis means inflammation, usually as a result of trauma (such as a tendon strain) or infection. However, inflammation can also occur from nutritional problems as well as local muscle and joint dysfunctions, and I’d say this is much more common than actual trauma and infection. Think about how often a runner develops an injury to
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No Need for Knee Pain—Running, Cycling, or Anytime
Knee pain is a common complaint for many runners, cyclists, and triathletes, leading them to succumb to pain medication, anti-inflammatories, knee braces, and other contraptions just so they can continue pushing through the miles. From elite athletes to fitness walkers, an individual may be told they have bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, chondromalacia patellae, iliotibial band frictional
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Your Running Shoes Are Only Part of the Injury-Free Prescription
Since Sock Doc began, one of the most common questions I have been asked is, “Sock Doc, I’m running in minimalist shoes (or barefoot), but I’m still injured—why?” This question tells me one thing: Runners think that if you get out of your oversupportive, cushioned running shoes and orthotics, injuries magically disappear. Unfortunately, this is
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Shin Splints Treatment, Prevention, and Video: Save the Frozen Veggies for Dinner
Just about anyone who has ever played high school sports has rubbed a Dixie cup of ice up and down their shins to deal with the painful shin splints. While this is still prescribed today by many coaches, athletic trainers, and physical therapists, I think that the Dixie cup itself is just as effective in
Sports Injury Prevention, Causes, & Treatment
These articles discuss sports injury prevention, treatment, and causes. Athletes typically develop injuries over time due to training at an intensity or duration beyond what their body can handle in a given period. Improper equipment such as poor footwear and orthotics can cause an injury too. Injuries occur from muscle imbalances which result from the body’s inability to handle these types of stress. Conventional therapies and sports injury treatments such as ice, heat, stretching, bracing, NSAIDs, and other drugs rarely benefit an athlete. Often these “go-to” therapies can actually hinder healing and result in increased injury rates. Sports injury prevention involves awareness of the proper training methods, diet, and footwear along with knowledge about muscle imbalances, hormonal imbalances, the impacts of stress, and related issues discussed in these articles. For injured athletes, there are a number of articles related to specific injuries that discuss healthy sports injury treatment methods for specific conditions.