Performance Study: Effects of Pro Muscle Release Therapy

by Dr. Mike Flores D.C., C.C.S.P® Dr. Christopher Chang D.C., and Connor Naasz

Objective:

The Pro Muscle Release (PMR) is a therapeutic modality that precisely administers the benefits of percussion therapy. This patented technology delivers rapid, mechanical percussions that penetrate multiple muscle layers, thereby promoting healing and accelerated recovery.
The aim of the study was to compare the effects of PMR on the athletic performance of subjects when compared to traditional foam rolling treatment.

Methods:

Six cross country runners, aged 16-19 (4 females and 2 males) were divided into two treatment groups. The first group received 15 minutes of PMR to their lower extremities while the second group was provided an equal amount of time using traditional foam rolling procedures. Any runners previously treated by the PMR were excluded, only runners allowed to participate had never been treated by the PMR. After a rest period of 15 minutes, subjects were asked to perform a standing vertical jump (measured using a VerTec) and a 25 yard sprint; speed on turf, hand timed. We used a track coach with no affiliation with the PMR and the cross country athletes to time in order to avoid any bias.

The two treatments were conducted over an 8-week period utilizing the following schedule:

• Weeks 1-2, Treatment 2 times/week
• Weeks 3-4, Treatment 1 time/week
• Weeks 5-8, Treatment 1 time every other week

Results:

• A significant difference was found in the dependent measures of the 25 yard sprint and strong directional findings were found in the vertical jump:
• The PMR group Vertical Jump improved by an average of; Female 2.5 inches: Male 5 inches higher (male had 4 treatments)
• The PMR group 25-yard sprint improved by an average of; Female 0.33seconds faster: Male 0.17 seconds faster (male had 4 treatments)
• The foam roller group Vertical Jump improved by an average of; Female no change: Male 1.5 inches higher (male had 6 treatments)
• The foam roller group 25 yard sprint group improved by an average of; Female 0.155 seconds faster: Male 0.13 seconds faster (male had 6 treatments)

Conclusion:

The reason for this project was to investigate the relationship between PMR’s technology and traditional foam rolling techniques and how each influenced performance immediately after treatment.

Limitations of the study include but are not limited to: scheduling conflicts and possible human error.

For the next study we have a machine time the runs instead of a human to avoid that type of error.

Based on the significant findings of this study, it is suggested that a further study be conducted using more subjects for a longer period of time as well as including a control group.

The current study opens the doors for further research within the fields of sports medicine and chiropractic medicine.
IRB pending.

Frozen Shoulder Case Study

Frozen Shoulder is medically referred to as, Adhesive Capsulitis. It is a condition in which the shoulder capsule, the glenohumeral joint becomes inflamed. Movement of the shoulder is severely restricted. Pain is severe, worse at night, and pushed to extremes in cold weather. Certain movements can cause a sudden onset of tremendous muscle cramping and tension and stiff, greatly restricting motion and causing pain.

The cause of the condition is unknown and can last 9 months to 3 years. It’s most likely explanation is trauma, overuse, menopausal and/or autoimmune.

In this case we have a 47 year old active female. Former competitive swimmer from youth until present. No prior shoulder surgeries, injuries or pathologies. No history of autoimmune, cancer or hypertension. Patent presented with the condition Frozen Shoulder. Had 2 months of prior care with no progress and she “felt” it was getting worse.

Below is the program designed for this case was in 2 months:

10/15 – first appointment with Dr. Mike (had 2 previous appointments prior with associate – with no improvement) advised cortisone injection
10/19 – got cortisone shot
10/22 – next appt with Dr. Mike
12/19 – last appt with Dr. Mike ( in total had 19 appts with you)
In office treatment included 20 minutes of percussion therapy with Chuck Pechin’s PMR 1000 applied to the entire shoulder complex (rotator cuff, serratus anterior, rhomboids, upper/mid/lower traps, latissimus dorsi, levator scap, scalenes, biceps brachii, and pec major/minor). Followed by 10 minutes of myofascial release to same structures. After soft tissue, we used Pulse Electro-Magnetic Therapy to the shoulder complex for 12 visits. Patient saw extreme pain reduction and improved range of motion immediately.
Patient was out on a daily exercise and supplement regimen.

Daily exercise program (approx 40 minutes)

1. Door stretch for 30 seconds (did at start and end of daily program)
2. Moved arms like riding a bike – forward 50 times and back 50 times
3. Bent over and held a water bottle for 30 seconds; moved to 3 pound weight and them 5 pound weight as improved
4. Used pole to stretch arms up (10 times, holding for 5 seconds) and did the same thing behind back
5. Side lateral arm roll forward and back for 25 times each
6. Arm roll holding shoulder – rolling forward and back for 25 times each
7. Sit on hand and stretch the next – 90 and 45 degrees for 30 seconds each
8. Sleeper stretch – 90 and 45 degrees for 30 seconds each
9. Bottle life for strength – laying on side lifted water bottle half way up and then did an inside lift – 15 reps, 3x each
10. IYT’s – did 12 reps of each
11. Face end of a wall and lean shoulder with arm down (awkward position), turn to stretch for 30 seconds, 3x
12. Held and stretched arm behind back for 30 seconds, 3x

Daily supplement program (Before Dr. Mike)

• Centrum silver multivitamin (for women over 50 L)
• Fish oil (1200 mg 2 x daily)
• Calcium/Vit D (1000 mgs 2x a day)

What Dr. Mike added:

• Joint Health Complex (2x daily)
• Hyaluronic Acid (2x daily)
• B-12 1000 mcg (1x daily)

Other:

• 20 minutes in the Jacuzzi every other day, doing some stretches

For specific product brands contact Dr. Mike Flores, DC CCSP® Sports Physician and Chiropractor: 

Mixed Martial Arts – MMA

Mixed martial arts have turned into the fastest growing sport in the world. Kids everywhere are signing up to learn the art of taekwondo, Muay Thai, Wrestling and Jiu Jitsu.  Adults are using mixed martial arts more than ever for training as a way of staying in shape and losing weight. If you have ever taken a boxing/kickboxing class you know there is no other workout like it.  Not only is it a great workout for adults, but also teaches kids discipline and respect as well as it being great tools to defend themselves, God forbid they ever face that dilemma.

MMA and the UFC

In addition, the UFC is one of the most entertaining sports promotion companies ever to grace the TV screen.  The athletes in the UFC are the crème de la crème in the mixed martial arts world and 9.9999 times out of 10, they’re ‘gonna’ put on a great show.  With so many different styles fighting each other it’s always interesting to see which art will out maneuver the opposing force.  From strikers like, George St. Pierre and Jon Jones to ground specialist like Damian Maia and BJ Penn, anything and everything can happen in the UFC.

MMA and Qwick-AID®

In addition to that, the new sports bandage from Qwick-AID® should be added to every first aid kit in every gym to every field and ice rink. Qwick-AID® is your first responder when those exposure points are cut, scraped or are gushing blood.  These new bandages will stop the bleeding in less than one minute!  God forbid in the case that you do have to call 911 you must take into consideration the response time.  It can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes for your first responders to arrive and in the moment of an emergency that might as well be an eternity.

With all of the excitement and electricity in these fights we all know the dangers these athletes put themselves in.  From severe hematomas to bloody gashes the cut-men have their hands full in between rounds.  Over the years they have used many different products, both prescription and non-prescription while working on the fighters.  Most of the products that stopped the bleeding were from a doctor such as the thrombin and adrenaline, but not any longer.

With the addition of an all-natural, non-allergenic, non-prescription hemostatic bandage called Qwick-AID®, the game has been changed.  Qwick-AID® will stop the bleeding in seconds and it begins the healing process immediately.  The cut-men have less than one minute to clean the fighters up and get them back into the fight. Qwick-AID® has proven time and time again to be a reliable tool for the hectic quick pace in which these guys work.  The state of Nevada’s Athletic Commission has approved its use during and after the fight. Qwick-AID® is revolutionizing sports medicine and will continue to be there for athletes in all genres of sports. www.qwickaidsports.com.

Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment is usually categorized by the specific area of the body that is being protected by the types of potential injuries that could take place in each particular sport. For example in football you have pants with thigh pads in them, in lacrosse you have gloves and shoulder pads, in hockey you have shin pads, pants, elbow pads and of course almost all sports include the protective helmet. All of the safety protection equipment is worn for a reason, however, there are still exposure points in this personal protective equipment that are left uncovered. Take a look at the list below as I lay out a couple of the roughest sports and their exposure points.

Personal Protective Equipment in Hockey exposure points:

Personal Protective Equipment in Football exposure points:

We all know that soccer, basketball, and baseball the entire body is pretty much left open. They may not be as rough as hockey, football or MMA but, there is contact with other players or a 90 mph fastball pitch coming directly at the batters face. While the personal protective equipment protects athletes during most of the play doing a very good job of protecting, it’s the exposure points in this equipment that leave them in jeopardy. Injuries and accidents happen all of the time, and while rules, regulations and the equipment prevent a lot from happening, they can’t stop the inevitable. This is the very reason why coaches, trainers, and parents must make sure that the first aid kits are kept up to date and on hand for that potential scenario. Lets face it, little Johhny or little Sarah can get hurt just as easily in a soccer game than they can in a hockey or football game.

In addition to that, the new sports bandage from Qwick-AID should be added to every first aid kit in every gym to every field and ice rink. Qwick-AID is your first responder when those exposure points are cut, scraped or are gushing blood. These new bandages will stop the bleeding in less than one minute! God forbid in the case that you do have to call 911 you must take into consideration the response time. It can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes for your first responders to arrive and in the moment of an emergency that might as well be an eternity.

With Qwick-AID not only will you stop the bleeding but you can begin the healing process immediately. The 3-layer hemostatic all natural composite textile has been proven to work in the mother of all rough sports, mixed martial arts. Jacob “Stitch” Duran world famous Boxing and UFC cutman has endorsed Qwick-AID as well as having them on hand for each fight. Qwick-AID® stops vascular and capillary bleeding with its patented matrix and best yet it is 100% non allergenic! For more information on this remarkable new product that is turning the world of sports medicine on its head check out their website at www.qwickaidsports.com.

Concussions in Sports

Concussions in Sports are currently all over the news due to NFL players and mostly ex-NFL players speaking out about the long term effects these traumatic brain injuries have.  Concussions can happen in any sport at any given time so coaches, trainers, and parents must be aware of the symptoms that come along with these horrible injuries.  This topic has hit home because recently I have been dealing with post concussion syndrome.  About 3 months ago I was playing hockey in a men’s pick up game and fell on the back of my head.  With out feeling too bad and with no one to test me I continued to play and didn’t notice or have any symptoms until I got home.

I started to feel foggy and nauseous and instantly knew what was going on because this was not the first time I had experienced this feeling.  For the next 10 days I was foggy with blurred vision and couldn’t do much of anything.  My circadian rhythm was completely off, meaning I suffered with insomnia and sleeping a lot later than I normally would.

After the fogginess left I started to lightly try to get back in the gym by riding the stationary bike.  At first I could only go for 5 minutes before the blurred vision, light headedness and a panicky feeling set in.  I eventually got to 30 minutes a couple months later and started feeling good.  One day I decided to push it to 45 minutes and reactivated the entire concussion because I came back too fast.

Concussions in sports are very serious and these athletes today are coming back way too fast.  I understand that there is a lot of money involved and the potential of someone else taking their position, but this is your brain, people! You need your brain! Protective measures should be taken more as well as preventive measures, but hey, let’s be honest – these things happen.

Here is a list of concussion symptoms that should be immediately recognized.

Concussions in Sports and the Symptoms:

Seek emergency care for a child who experiences a head injury and:

Seek emergency care for anyone who experiences a head injury and:

Here are a couple links for more information on concussions:

Concussion Tests and Diagnosis

Concussion Symptoms

From all of us at Qwick-AID® safety is our number one concern and we are very passionate about not only spreading the word about our remarkable bandage, but also the knowledge that every athlete, coach, trainer and parent should know. Qwick-AID® is your first responder bandage that stops the bleeding in seconds, its non allergenic and it begins the healing process immediately.  This is especially big with the youth who could scar very easily.  Qwick-AID® cuts down the scar tissue due to is fast acting ingredients in its 3 layer all natural matrix.

Whether you are an athlete, coach, trainer or a parent Qwick-AID® should be a part of your personal safety equipment as well as in every first aid kit.  Check us out at www.qwickaidsports.com.