Understanding the Connection Between Arthritis and Gut Dysbiosis: Exploring the Gut-Joint Axis
Understanding the Connection Between Arthritis and Gut Dysbiosis: Exploring the Gut-Joint Axis

Arthritis, a condition characterized by inflammation and stiffness in the joints, affects millions of people worldwide, causing pain and reduced mobility. While it's traditionally been viewed as a joint-specific issue, emerging research is shedding light on the intricate connection between arthritis and gut health. In particular, the concept of gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiota, is gaining attention for its potential role in exacerbating arthritis symptoms and even contributing to its development.

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Christopher Ellis#gut, #arthritisComment
Nourishing the Hidden Guardians: Exploring the Connection Between Lymphatics and Nutrition
Nourishing the Hidden Guardians: Exploring the Connection Between Lymphatics and Nutrition

In the intricate symphony of human health, nutrition acts as the conductor, orchestrating the harmonious functioning of various systems within the body. While we often associate nutrition with fueling our muscles and organs, its impact on the lymphatic system remains a lesser-known but equally crucial aspect. In this blog, we'll delve into the fascinating relationship between lymphatics and nutrition, exploring how what we eat can influence the health and function of this vital system.

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Christopher EllisComment
Anemia of Chronic Disease
Anemia of Chronic Disease

Anemia of chronic disease (ACD), also known as anemia of inflammation, is a common type of anemia that often accompanies chronic infections, inflammatory diseases, and other long-term medical conditions. Unlike other forms of anemia, ACD is not primarily caused by nutritional deficiencies or blood loss. Instead, it is a result of the body's response to chronic disease.

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Christopher Ellis#anemiaComment
The Link Between Excess Iron and Diabetes
The Link Between Excess Iron and Diabetes

Iron deficiency anemia affects more than 3 million people per year in the U.S. However, a lesser known problem is too much iron, or iron overload. Iron overload affects 200,000 people per year in the U.S. This can be much more devastating, and even deadly if it goes untreated because it “rusts” the organs. It affects men more than women because men accumulate iron over a lifetime, whereas women lose iron from menstruation. After menopause, iron overload can become a problem for women as well. Many women are anemic through their menstruating years and are told to take iron, but are rarely told to come off it after menopause which can induce iron overload. There is a line of evidence building that shows a correlation between the development of diabetes due to excess iron.

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Christopher Ellis#diabetes, #iron, #ironoverloadComment
The Correlation Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Low Back Pain
The Correlation Between Metabolic Dysfunction and Low Back Pain

Low back pain is the number one reason people visit a physical therapist. There are so many reasons why low back pain occurs, and pain can be extremely complicated. This article will just explore one way back pain can happen, and I think it’s grossly overlooked.

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Christopher Ellis#metabolicdysfunction, #backpainComment
A Hidden Reason for Fatigue: Pernicious Anemia
A Hidden Reason for Fatigue: Pernicious Anemia

Anemia is a condition that reduces the ability of blood to carry oxygen, leading to fatigue and a whole host of other symptoms. This may be due to a reduction in hemoglobin, or a reduction of the production of red blood cells. Some common deficiencies that cause reduced red blood cells are B12 (cobalamin), folate, and iron.

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Christopher Ellis#b12, #anemia, #perniciousanemiaComment
An Update on Plantar Fasciitis
An Update on Plantar Fasciitis

Have you been to physical therapy for plantar fasciitis and been disappointed in the results? Maybe it took way too long. Or mabye it didn’t help. That’s because our understanding of what it actually is was not accurate. This can completely effect how we go about treating it, as you’ll see.

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Christopher Ellis#footpain, #plantarfasciitisComment
Stabilize, Strengthen, Dynamically Strengthen
Stabilize, Strengthen, Dynamically Strengthen

I was treating a patient recently who was getting back pain while stretching his hip flexors. He said that always happens to him. I told him to squeeze his core and glutes. The pain immediately went away. Of course he wanted to understand why that was. I explained it, and then said we need to stabilize, strengthen, then dynamically strengthen. This is a general principle in physical therapy, and can be seen as a progression. What does this mean? What is the difference between these terms?

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Christopher EllisComment
Dry Needling and Its Benefits
Dry Needling and Its Benefits

Dry needling is a therapeutic technique used by some healthcare professionals including physical therapists to treat musculoskeletal and neuromuscular pain and dysfunction. It involves the insertion of thin monofilament needles into specific points into and around muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues.

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Christopher Ellis#dryneedlingComment
B12 Deficiency and SIBO
B12 Deficiency and SIBO

We routinely send our clients out for bloodwork, and one of the most common deficiencies we see is B12. There are a number of reasons for this, and in this blog we’ll cover the most common ones.

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Christopher Ellis#b12, #siboComment
Warm Up and Cool Down For Sports
Warm Up and Cool Down For Sports

As we age, the importance of warming up prior to activity becomes increasingly important. This is because our overall flexibility and mobility decrease with age partially due to decreased elasticity and collagen levels in our muscles. As a result of these changes, our bodies become more vulnerable to injury. A proper warm up will help to improve blood supply to the muscles that will be required during physical activity and therefore help to improve both performance and safety during the activity.

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Christopher Ellis#warmup, #cooldown, #dynamic, #dynamicwarmupComment
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Groin Strains
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Groin Strains

Groin strains, or adductor strains, are common in a lot of sports, but particularly in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This probably is due to being in a closed guard position. This asks a lot of the adductors, and if they are quite strong enough, strains can occur. 

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Christopher Ellis#groinstrains, #adductorsComment
5 Ways to Reduce the Risk For Achilles Tears
5 Ways to Reduce the Risk For Achilles Tears

It seems like an epidemic in the NFL this year. In the last few weeks teams have lost crucial players such as Aaron Rodgers after being on the field just 4 plays and Tre’Davious White who came back late last season from an ACL tear just to go out after only 4 games this year. Post-surgical repair, these athletes will be sidelined on average for another 9-12 months before being able to return to sport. This injury is not exclusive to Professional athletes however. This article will help to explain how these tears can happen and how you can reduce your risk.

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Christopher EllisComment
Why Stress is Giving You Diabetes
Why Stress is Giving You Diabetes

You may have heard there is a correlation between stress and diabetes (Type 2). Stress affects the autonomic nervous system in profound ways including secretion of hormones. In this blog we’ll explore the mechanism, and what to do about it. 

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Christopher Ellis#stress, #diabetesComment
4 Ways to Build Resilience
4 Ways to Build Resilience

Our modern world has become easy. We live in climate controlled houses, get in our climate controlled cars, and climate controlled offices and gyms. Over time, this makes us fragile. Ever notice that kids seem to be immune to swimming in cold water yet you get sick every time you travel? We have “endpoints” that our bodies get used to and if we don’t expose our bodies to difficult things, those endpoints narrow and then when we have to do something difficult, the body will let you know that it’s too much. Maybe you get sick, or maybe you develop pain. Whatever system in your body is most vulnerable, it shows up like a canary in a coal mine. 

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Christopher Ellis#physiologicflexibility, #becomedynmamicComment
Fix Your Stiff Wrists
Fix Your Stiff Wrists

If you have difficulty doing push ups because you’re missing wrist range of motion, this blog is for you. Wrists can be limited, like any other joint, by muscle and capsule. A reminder; capsules are the ligamentous ‘sack’ around all joints. They can stiffen from lack of movement or injury. Muscles get stiff from underuse, or overuse. Or, as I like to say, ‘a weak muscle gets overused faster’. 

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Christopher Ellis#wrist, #pushupsComment
5 Ways Breathing Influences Low Back Pain
5 Ways Breathing Influences Low Back Pain

Breathing seems like such a simple thing, and it is in a sense. However, when you think about how many breaths we take a day, altering your breathing can have a huge impact. When I have a patient with low back pain, I’ll always look at their breathing pattern. 9 times out of 10, I find that they are chest breathing. This is not necessarily a ‘wrong pattern’, but it gives me some insight into how their full system is operating. To explore this, I’ll explain 5 ways breathing can have a role in reducing low back pain. 

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Christopher Ellis#breathing, #lowbackpainComment