The Benefits of Using the Perfect Pushup with Wrist Injuries

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

The wrist is an amazing joint. Fifteen bones articulate and create motion at the attachment of the forearm to the hand. It can develop enough strength to break through cinder blocks yet for the average person, it can easily be injured while typing on a keyboard. The great thing about the Perfect Pushup is that wrists love it.

The standard pushup causes your wrist into forced extension (bending backwards). This can be a painful position for many people due to various causes, from shortened forearm flexors, sprains or strains, repetitive stress (keyboarding and mousing all day) to Carpal tunnel syndrome.

The ability to grip the Perfect Pushup and keep your wrist in a neutral position (not flexed or extended) allows for more comfort during the pushup motion. This allows you to train, even with certain wrist injuries, which would otherwise preclude you from the pushup motion. The additional benefit, which is huge, is that you can strengthen your grip, wrist and forearms by squeezing the device as you exercise. The rotational component of the forearm motion also adds to the development of stability in the wrist and shoulders. This also increases the intensity in your nervous system and gives you even more benefits (increased strength being the major result) then the standard pushup.

Workout Tip: The next time you go to use the Perfect Pushup, try to alternate gripping loosely and then focus on tightly gripping the handle with every other rep. You should notice an increase in strength as your nervous system gets a boost from the focused increase in intensity.

Continued use of the Perfect Pushup can help to reduce the stress on the wrists while it increases stability and strength. It also allows you to train with many of the common wrist injuries, as the neutral grip that rotates is the key to training in a pain free position.

I look forward to answering your questions about the benefits of using the Perfect Pushup with Wrist Injuries!

Dr. Scott Calzaretta

_______________________________________________

Dr. Calzaretta is the director and founder of the Chiro-Medical Group. He has been in practice since 1985, and has successfully pioneered the design and operation of a multi-disciplinary health care facility. He has traveled extensively both nationally and abroad treating professional and world class athletes.

Dr. Calzaretta was a founding board member of F.I.C.S (World Governing Body of Sports Chiropractic). His knowledge and experience in treating athletes was a key factor in his appointment as a team doctor in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He is a State Appointed Qualified Medical Evaluator and Certified Industrial Disability Examiner. Dr. Calzaretta has taken his experience in sports and rehabilitative medicine and has successfully integrated them into the comprehensive health care approach offered by the Chiro-Medical Group.

Stretching and Flexibility

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

Barbie’s question – Is there a method to stretch correctly and not have your muscles tighten? What else can you do besides stretching to get greater flexibility?

One of the best ways to develop flexibility is to get stable??? Strange, but here is an example: someone with a weak core or back may have tight hamstrings as a result of the hamstrings trying to make up for the weakness and act as a stabilizer. So…when we strengthen the core the hamstrings suddenly feel better about relaxing/stretching since the other muscles are now doing their job of stabilizing the body.

Here is a simple test:

While standing, attempt to touch your toes. Now, place a pillow between your knees and squeeze with your legs. Attempt to touch the floor again. Result -- if it is easier to touch the floor with the pillow and contracting your muscles, your core needs some help and your hamstring flexibility will improve. (I have had many patients who reported not being able to touch their toes be able to do so on the spot).

Strengthening a "Weak" Arm + Rock Climbing Exercises

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

Natalia has two questions. She has used the BodyRev for years and she’s now back at the gym 2x a week after a 6-month hiatus.

Question: Although Rev’ing has strengthened her arms, when she gets to the Butterfly machine, her left arm is unbelievably weaker (she’s right-handed) – what to do?

Imbalances of greater that 10% may mean something more than just weakness and should be checked by a sports medicine specialist. If there are no underlying issues, than I prefer dumbbells or cables to help focus on the weak arm and stabilizers (no cheating here). Typically, doing this with the addition of an extra set or two on the weak side can be a quick fix. If you are doing light weights, then we add more weight to the weak side and keep reps at 6-10 per set. Get help from a trainer in the gym and let them watch your form as well.

Question: Her 13 year-old “Little Sister” is Rock Climbing at the gym: what kinds of exercises will help her? What should she avoid, other than falling (they do have harnesses)?

The Perfect Pullup is a great device for rock climbing. You can work out the entire body in the comfort of your home. Grip and finger strengthening is also an area of focus. The nice part of climbing is that, for the most part, the activity itself will strengthen her naturally.

Road to Recovery after a Rotator Cuff Injury

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

Kamy severely injured her rotator cuff a year ago. She’s had therapy and avoided surgery and now has medical clearance to go back to the gym. She doesn’t want to re-injure her shoulder.

Question: What movements should she avoid? How can she strengthen that area? What about working back up to regular pushups?

I am glad to hear that you are on the road to recovery. The Perfect Pushup can be a great assistance in giving you more stability in your shoulder. We have seen this many times through testimonials as well as in our rehab department. Some people will start with kneeling while using the Perfect Pushup. The rule of thumb is that if it hurts while you are exercising (on your own) avoid that motion. Typically, your therapist should have told you things to avoid so go with their recommendations.

Outside of the usual exercises you have probably been taught, here is a great move for rotator cuff: A single arm deadlift while contracting the cuff muscles and squeezing the bar with intensity (please get help learning that one). Good luck.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

Cat is coming out of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and had two questions:

Is CFS a long-term case of severe overtraining?

Answer: There is nothing that I have come across in the literature to suggest that CFS is a direct result of long term overtraining.

Her second question: How can she ramp up her ½ hour hill walking to a law-enforcement level of fitness without getting sick again?

Answer: You should get help from a health care professional who can assist you in improving your condition. Over 23 years, I have seen CSF patients make excellent recoveries when addressing the issues that caused their CSF. As a general rule, start slow (don’t increase more than 5%/week), get adequate sleep, focus on great nutrition and give yourself enough days between workouts to recover.

You really do need to work with someone knowledgeable in assisting patients to recover from CSF, and has more insight into your personal history, so you can move forward in your training.

_______________________________________________

Guest blogger Tim Grizzell also addressed Cat's concerns -- see the comments to his blog, "Making Time for Fitness" for his answer.

How Do Athletes Recover from Overtraining?

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

AJ asked: What do you have athletes do to recover from overtraining/over exercising?

Great question as this is an all too common challenge. The athlete's training program of exercises, sets and reps (including diet, stress levels, sleep patterns) must be assessed. Many athletes overtrain, but there are varying degrees of symptoms. Some are evident and some not. A few examples are decrease in strength, endurance, poor sleep and elevated resting heart rate. Active rest/recovery is one of my favorite mechanisms for someone who overtrains and just will not rest. OK, once we literally almost had to lock a US ski team member in the closet for a weekend. After convincing him of how to stop overtraining he performed the best he had done in years.

An example might be a light cardio day keeping heart rate in 60% range followed by full body foam roller and stretching. It does depend on the sport or goals of why they are training, but rest and or active rest/recovery are a good place to start. Did you ever notice how strength can increase with some time off from lifting?

You might need to decrease volume, intensity, frequency or all three. Get help from a trainer and most importantly, listen to your body and train smart.

Back to Basics with Doctor Scott

Guest blogger: Dr. Scott Calzaretta

During any sport or activity the best coaches always told you to pay attention to the basics. Focus on the foundation for the activity and everything else is built around those basics. Martial art masters will tell you that once you receive a black belt it is an indication that you've mastered the basics and now ready to take your learning to the next level. Most of the advanced moves are basics with a nuance. The same thing holds true when it comes to exercise. The foundation of all exercises start with proper movement patterns and timeless basics. You'd be amazed how many people cannot squat to the floor without lifting their heels. Watch a child play and you will notice they can play in the squat position effortlessly. This is a basic movement pattern that is easily lost with a weak/unstable core and/or inflexibility.

I recently attended a conference which gathered some of the best-known sports chiropractors, medical doctors, physical therapists and athletic trainers dealing with professional athletes and amateur enthusiasts on a regular basis. A common theme amongst the presenters was exercises that dealt with body weight and functional movements (the way the body is designed to move in relation to itself and the activity for which you are training). Push-ups with focus on core and shoulder stability while varying angles and even adding a plyometric component are much more functional than your standard bench press. The ability to do pull-ups is an outstanding exercise in so many ways (and products like the Perfect Pullup have made them even better).

How about good old fashioned skipping or sprinting? Box jumps, which start in a partial squat position and jump up onto a solid structure with focus on technique that sticks the landing (a partial squat just like when you started). There are so many great exercises that can be done at home with minimal equipment and maximal results. These are just some examples of the exercises that are tried and true and have real life applications. We also understand that people are limited in their time and want results. So let’s define results….

Results are defined by improved function which means you are more efficient in your activities or sport and have a decreased risk of injury. All movements in sport should come from the core. The core is the area between the ribs and the pelvis. By maintaining a stable core, it provides the foundation for which all other movement patterns come from easily and efficiently. What the core is not is the abdominal muscles. While some of the core stabilizers do involve some of the abdominal muscles, the complete core wraps around the body. The important purpose of this is that when the core muscles engage, they stabilize the spine - which functionally strengthens it.

This brief blog isn't about developing massive size to your frame. These exercises are about getting tone and looking fit (and if you really focus on your nutrition, becoming ripped). More importantly, this new phase of old exercises (variations with additional degrees of difficulty, e.g. balance and stability) can help you to feel better and function better in your everyday life activities. These exercises are timeless, ageless and produce results.

Remember that famous quote from Billy Crystal, “It is better to look good then to feel good”? I am sure he would now be saying, “It is better to look good, feel great and function better”. Now go “Back to Basics”, learn them as they should be done, and enjoy the results you deserve.

I look forward to answering your "Back to Basics" questions!

Dr. Scott Calzaretta

_______________________________________________

Dr. Calzaretta is the director and founder of the Chiro-Medical Group. He has been in practice since 1985, and has successfully pioneered the design and operation of a multi-disciplinary health care facility. He has traveled extensively both nationally and abroad treating professional and world class athletes.

Dr. Calzaretta was a founding board member of F.I.C.S (World Governing Body of Sports Chiropractic). His knowledge and experience in treating athletes was a key factor in his appointment as a team doctor in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He is a State Appointed Qualified Medical Evaluator and Certified Industrial Disability Examiner. Dr. Calzaretta has taken his experience in sports and rehabilitative medicine and has successfully integrated them into the comprehensive health care approach offered by the Chiro-Medical Group.

The Stud Sports Doctor -- Welcome Doc Scott!

CM Teammates, here’s another special guest blogger joining us tomorrow – Dr. Calzaretta – aka Doc Scott. He’s ranked as one of the best of the best when it comes to sports medicine; he’s trained and treated folks from pro sport teams to Olympians to even the Rockettes (lucky bastard!); he’s a certified Titliest golf trainer, a black belt in Karate and has started six sports medicine clinics – yep, he’s a stud, and we’re honored that he’s a member of the Team Perfect’s advisor team. Feel free to fire questions his way.

Enjoy learning how to improve your body’s performance.

HOOYAH DOC SCOTT!

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN