Long-term Pain Options

Soft Tissue Therapy can be more comfortable than surgery as a solution to long-term pain.

If you’ve been experiencing pain that impacts your life longer than three months, you’re probably seeking more than a short-term solution. Surgery might be an option, but it’s always a good idea to explore your options before scheduling an invasive procedure*. With the correct treatment regimen, it is possible to live a pain-free life.

A Long-term Solution to Pain Relief

At Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine, we’ve provided countless patients with an alternative to surgery. Dr. Phipps is a board-certified chiropractor and level-5 Integrative Diagnosis provider. Dr. Phipps is an expert at diagnosing and treating muscle fibrosis, the most common and under-diagnosed source of pain. He has helped many people find relief with pain in their neck, lower back, shoulder, elbow, foot, hip, and other areas of the body.

Pain comes in many different forms. You might be experiencing uncomfortable knots, throbbing back pain, tightness in your shoulder, or more serious pain that makes it very difficult to perform daily tasks. There is no “one-size-fits-all” answer to how long back pain can last, but if you’re experiencing extreme discomfort in any part of your body for more than a few days, it makes sense to seek treatment.

What is a Soft Tissue Specialist?

We’re often asked, “What is a soft tissue chiropractor?” Phipps Soft Tissue and Spine specializes in treating the areas of the body considered “soft tissue.” Those areas are body parts that are not hard like bone, such as levels of muscle, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels, and skin. A Soft Tissue Specialist is different from a chiropractor or a massage therapist because of the types of treatments used. Dr. Phipps can walk you through the process and answer any questions you might have.

Finding an Alternative to Surgery

Always speak with your physician to understand what types of treatment would work best for you. The prospect of surgery can be scary, and we work with many people who have apprehension about any kind of pain treatment plan. If you’re seeking an alternative to surgery, schedule a consultation with Phipps Soft Tissue and Spine. We’ll be happy to put your mind at ease and get you started on a life without chronic pain.

*Please note every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.

Golfer’s Elbow & Tennis Elbow

Golfer's Elbow and Tennis Elbow Pain

Golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are common summertime injuries. Both are forms of elbow tendonitis, but tennis elbow is caused by damage to tendons on the outside of the elbow, while golfer’s elbow impacts tendons on the inside of the elbow. However, they are not limited to golfers or tennis players. Others who repetitively use their wrists or clench their fingers can develop golfer’s or tennis elbow as well!

Symptoms may include:

  • Stiffness in your elbow
  • Tenderness and pain
  • Tingling or numbness in your fingers (usually the ring and little fingers)
  • Weakness in your hands and wrists

Golfer’s Elbow or Tennis Elbow doesn’t have to keep you off the course or court for too long. With a consultation and proper treatment, Dr. Phipps will help relieve your pain so you can get back into the swing of things in no time.

Should You Use Ice or Heat for Pain?

When it comes to chronic pain in your back, neck, shoulder, or elsewhere, both ice and heat can help you feel more comfortable – at least temporarily.  

  • Ice can help reduce inflammation and temporarily numb the area so you can get a brief moment of relief.
  • Heat will help relax muscles and promote a calming comfort.
Woman using ice pack on shoulder

Healthy muscles don’t tighten up randomly, and joints don’t get inflamed without reason. These sensations are signaling a problem within your body. So, if you have to resort to using ice or heat to deal with chronic pain, there’s an underlying cause that isn’t being properly addressed. The best first step to treating pain is to see a specialist that can identify the problem before it gets worse.

Once you’ve had a specialist look into the cause of your chronic pain, using heat or ice for pain management if needed is okay. It’s a good idea to experiment with both options to see which feels and works best for your situation.

Remember, there are some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid when using ice and heat:

  • Using it to continue an activity when you should stop. For example, let’s say you resort to ice or heat after every workout. Eventually, those methods won’t be enough to relieve your pain, and your problem could become much worse.
  • Using it for too long at a time. Generally, you should only use either method for 5-20 minutes. Anything longer may result in rebound pain as your body works to return the area to regular temperature.
  • Laying on the ice or heating pack. Laying on the area can compress blood vessels, obstructing proper circulation. Restricting blood to body tissues can result in more pain and other health problems.   

Using heat or ice to manage pain? Reach out to Dr. Phipps to get help today!

Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine -Williamsville, NY Chiropractor

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.

Experiencing Shoulder Pain When Lifting Your Arm?

Do you feel a sharp pain in your shoulder when you lift your arm? You haven’t had a recent injury, so you are wondering why this is happening. You’re not alone! This is a common and often debilitating problem for many people.

Woman holding her shoulder experiencing pain

Symptoms of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that gives you a wide range of motion, but this makes it more vulnerable to injury. Muscles, tendons, and cartilage can be involved, making symptoms different in every case. As a result, you could experience pain down the arm, into the shoulder blade, into your armpit and even into your neck.

Ask yourself some questions to help figure out if you have a shoulder injury:

  • Can you lift your arm freely? Or are you experiencing pain and/or stiffness?
  • Can you perform heavy tasks with no discomfort?
  • Do you find yourself avoiding certain shoulder movements or positions?

Shoulder Pain Causes

A problem with one or more of the local muscles or tendons is generally the cause of shoulder pain. Most commonly from a rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff tendonitis, and shoulder muscle adhesion/fibrosis.  So, a neck problem can also refer pain into the shoulder.

Diagnosis & Treatment*

A healthcare provider will carefully review your symptoms and may perform physical examinations and tests to make a proper diagnosis.

If you are experiencing pain when lifting your arm(s), click the link below to sign up for a consultation with Dr. Phipps to relieve your pain for good.

Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine -Williamsville, NY Chiropractor

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

6 Tips for How to Shovel Snow Safely

Whether you live in Williamsville, Buffalo, or anywhere in the northeast, you likely need to shovel snow during the winter. Find out some tips to help you shovel snow safely.

Push snow shovel and lift snow shovel
Push shovel vs. lift shovel

1. Have the right tool for the job
You’ll need a shovel for pushing snow, and a shovel for lifting and moving snow. You can see an example of both snow shovels in the photo.

We’ll discuss how to properly use each of these shovels in tips 2 and 3.

If you have a larger driveway and want to do the work yourself, then save your back and body and invest in a snowblower or snowplow.

Woman demonstrates good snow shoveling technique with a push snow shovel | Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine
Pushing snow midline instead of to one side will reduce back strain

2. Push the snow!
Pushing the snow puts less strain on your back than trying to lift and move it. When pushing the snow, it’s best to have the shovel directly in midline instead of off to one side. Keep your body upright and engage your core.
Go slow! If you push too fast and your shovel gets caught on something, then the handle will jab into your abdomen. (Another reason to keep your core tight. 😉)

Woman shows good snow shoveling technique with a lift snow shovel | Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine
Moving your feet and turning your body as a single unit can put less strain on your back while moving snow

3. When lifting snow use the right shovel and technique
When lifting snow, shovels with the curved ergonomic handles are better for your back. The curve allows you to be more upright when lifting, putting less strain on your low back.

If you have to lift and move snow, make sure you move your feet and turn your entire body as a single unit. Twisting and flexing when you’re holding weight away from your body is an easy way to herniate a disc in your spine.

4. Don’t pick up too much snow at a time
If the snow is heavy and wet, then it’s better to take more smaller loads of snow. The more weight that’s on the end of your shovel will increase the torque and strain on your low back, shoulders, and neck.

5. Treat shoveling like a workout
Warm up before shoveling. This doesn’t have to be anything complicated or take much time. Wide shoulder circles, jumping jacks, lunges, squats, toe touches, wrist circles are a few of the many possibilities. Start with something that’s easier on your body, and progress to more demanding tasks.

6. Check with your doctor
If you have a history of heart problems; a condition that increases your heart attack risk such as hypertension, high cholesterol, being overweight, being a smoker; or rarely physically exert yourself; then you should check with your doctor before shoveling. Shoveling can quickly place a large demand on your heart. If your heart doesn’t get enough blood because the blood vessels that supply your heart are narrowed, then you can have a heart attack. Your doctor can provide further guidance for how to shovel snow safely if you have a condition that could increase your risk of having a heart attack.

* All content and media on the Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine website is created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

How to Stop Your Kids from Growing “Horns”

“‘Horns’ are growing on young people’s skulls. Phone use is to blame, research suggests” by Isaac Stanley-Becker (Washington Post)

This article is just another reminder of the damaging effects excessive phone use can have on your neck.

“Horns” are actually bone spurs forming on the back of the skull from excessive strain in the neck. This excessive strain can also cause spine degeneration, neck pain, headaches, and adhesion.

Here are a few simple rules that you and your kids should live by.

1. 4-Finger Rule

Stress on your neck increases as your chin gets closer to your chest. Do your best to always keep a 4-finger distance between your chin and chest.

2. Use your Eyes

Using your eyes to gaze down will help reduce the distance your neck has to move and reduce overall stress on your neck.

3. Take Breaks

Long durations of looking down will compound the stress that goes through your neck. Looking straight ahead and relaxing your shoulders every few minutes can go a long way to reduce stress.

We can fix the muscles damaged from being on your phone.  Get started here to get rid of pain, discomfort, or stiffness.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

Integrative Diagnosis – Muscle, Nerve & Joint Problems

Integrative Diagnosis is your fast track to clinical excellence and practice success. This is a cutting-edge educational and certification program for healthcare providers that specialize in the diagnosis and conservative treatment of muscle, nerve, and joint problems. 

What makes Integrative Diagnosis unique?

Diagnosis: The ID system shows you how to establish a diagnosis that includes the exact tissue and pathology responsible for your patient’s problem. After all, you can’t make lasting change or have excited patients if you don’t know what is really wrong. Symptom charts and guesswork don’t cut it!

Treatment: Expert conservative care includes three equally important categories: Manual Therapy, Exercise and Load Management. If you are not really, really good at all three, your results and practice are suffering. Most providers are too focused on manual therapy. Are you?

Communication: Even with amazing clinical skill, you need to be an effective communicator. Patients need to know what is wrong, how you will help, what they need to do and why it’s important. This is an extremely undervalued art: Be accurate, be concise, be compelling.

ABOUT DR. PHIPPS:

In 2010 Dr. Phipps began his post-doctorate training in the diagnosis and conservative treatment of muscle, nerve and joint problems through the Integrative Diagnosis system.

He is a full body certified Integrative Diagnosis provider (Low back & hips, neck & back, upper extremity, and lower extremity).

Avoid Lower Back Pain with Sit-Slide-Lean

Is it better to sit up straight or lean back? If you are experiencing lower back pain after sitting, it may have to do with your posture. Sit-Slide-Lean is the mantra that you should repeat every time to avoid back pain after sitting.

Sit down, slide your butt all the way back, then lean back and relax.

Woman sitting with the sit-slide-lean method

This will put you in optimal position without activating your postural muscles, allowing you to sit in a safe position without falling into a flexed our slouched posture. Sitting in this position will decrease compression in your low back and decrease lower back pain from sitting.

Two of the most common mistakes that occur with sitting are:

1. Not sliding all the way back.

Failure to slide all the way back will result in flexion in the lower segments of your low back especially at L4-L5 and L5-S1 (Two of the most common discs to degenerate and cause pain).  Sitting in a flexed position will accelerate degeneration and increase pain.

2. Not leaning back and relaxing.

You may experience lower back pin when leaning forward while sitting. Failure to lean back and relax will cause your postural muscles to contract to maintain your position. Excessive contraction will quickly lead to fatigue and more compression through your spine causing pain.

Make sure you always sit-slide-lean to avoid back pain, but it is also important to get out of your chair every 20 minutes (even if its only for a few seconds) and go for short walks around the office every hour.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

3 Quick Tips for a Pain Free Bike Season

1. Minimize shoulder to hip angle

The shoulder to hip angle (HS angle) is an imaginary line drawn from the hip to shoulder that increases as your shoulders drop forward. Time trial and road bikes will have a larger HS angle to maximize aerodynamics but this comes at a cost to the rider. As the HS angle increases, so does the stress/load on your neck and low back increasing risk of pain. Recreational bike riders should buy a bike with minimal HS angle and ideally have their shoulders positioned directly above their hips to minimize injury risk to their neck and low back.  Racing/competitive bike riders can reduce HS angle to reduce the stress by working with their local bike shop to get a proper fit. A slightly less aggressive position may have minimal impact on aerodynamics, but significantly reduce the stress on the neck and low back and add years to your competitive career.

2. Take a break

Riding a bike is like sitting at a computer with very poor posture. Office workers are plagued with low back and neck pain because sitting for extended periods of time causes continuous stress/load on those regions.  General advice to office workers is to take micro breaks every 20 minutes and a slightly longer break every hour. These short breaks encourage blood flow and reduce stress/load on your neck and low back.   Recreational riders should take a break every 30 minutes to give their low back and neck a break.  Racing/competitive bike riders should limit the time they spend in the aero position and longer rides that take time to get off their bike.

3. Adhesion free muscles 

Keeping your muscles adhesion free is vital to staying pain free on the bike. Adhesions form from overuse and unfortunately, biking, creates the perfect environment for adhesion formation. Adhesion will act like glue in your muscle making them less flexible and weaker.  Biking with adhesion will make an already high stress/load on your low back and neck even worse, resulting in accelerated pain and injury. If you don’t have pain (once you have pain, you need to be evaluated by a soft tissue specialist) or find that your low back and neck are stiff, then check out the home mobility screens below. Muscle adhesion is the most common reason for failing a mobility screen test.  If you already have pain while biking or have failed one of mobility screens, then use the contact page or call 716-629-3100 to schedule a consult with Dr. Phipps. Dr. Phipps is a soft tissue specialist and an expert at diagnosing and treating adhesion and other overuse related injuries that occur from riding a bike.

Mobility Screens:

Low back

Neck

Elbow/Hand

Shoulder

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor