Dr. Max Lippman, D.C. - Danville, CA
In February, I will be opening a new practice, full time, in the Blackhawk Medical Building. I'm excited for this opportunity to expand my practice and help more people through chiropractic care. I bought a practice from Dr. Greg Arnold, who specialized in working with youth athletes. I plan on picking up right where he left off, and continuing to work with youth athletes and community that supports them. Heck, it hurts to sit in those stands for 2 and a half hours... or worse a double header! 




Some great features I'm bring to the practice: 

Touch screen check in
All electronic health records
Online scheduling
24 hour access to a phone representative from my office
Reciepts are emailed to you, no more little slips of paper for ease of billing
First class table that raises and lowers to help with those with trouble getting on and off
Graston Tools for scar tissue break-up
Kineseo tape for muscle facilitation and rehab
Active Release Therapy for muscle relaxation and rehabilitation
Foundation Training for strengthening the back (so your adjustments hold)
...and many more

For the months of February, I will be giving a free exam and adjustment for everyone that checks out the office. 

It's a beautiful spot (I'll post pictures soon), and ready to see the community. Please email me at drmax@blackhawkchiropractor.com if you would like a free adjustment or if you know someone who'd like to come in. I can wait to serve you!

Recently I watched a video about awareness that got me thinking. I hear from a lot of people that I speak with that say, "Oh, you're a chiropractor. That's great! Luckily, I've never needed to see a chiropractor..." and then they usually make some sort of back stretching motion to show me how flexible they are.

My thought is always: "Is it that you have never needed to see a chiropractor, or you've never been aware that you could benefit from seeing a chiropractor?" A great representation follows in the following video, which is actually an advertisement for bicycle safety. Enjoy and then read below...

You see, when we focus intently on specific things (like the white team passing the ball), we miss other blatantly obvious occurrences (a moonwalking bear). To tie this idea into health care, some people think of chiropractic specifically as a treatment back pain, or neck pain, or headaches, as well as some other conditions. However, focusing on these symptoms is a mistake if these conditions are used exclusively as qualifiers for reasons to see a chiropractor.
Chiropractic looks at how well the spine is moving and if changes in movement are affecting the function of the body. While people often focus on their pain or condition (passes), chiropractors focus on flexibility and function of the spine (bear). Often times there are subtle problems that can be fixed by a chiropractor that patients would never notice. Left alone, these issues worsen until they become more serious and expensive to address.So it would make sense that while patients watch their symptoms (which we can't help but do), they should also ask the chiropractor if he/she sees any dysfunction in their health due to spinal problems.

Now, it's impossible to be fully aware... to fully take notice everything around us. And by acknowledging that fact, we acknowledge that we are in fact missing much (and in some cases it seems most) of all the intricacies of life as they unfold before us. With this in mind, we must value the training and knowledge of others to see what we cannot not. There are moonwalking bears in every aspect of our existence... which can feel overwhelming. To me, it inspires me to learn more about health, life, love, so I can see more around me. I know I miss some things, but I catch a glimpse of some things that many would miss. And when I can't see something, I try to find someone in my life who can see it and teach me what they are looking for.

As a chiropractor, I take this attitude into my patient care to help overcome ailments and avert future health challenges. I do this by looking at the spine with a fresh perspective, and help teach my patients become more self-aware themselves. My goal is always to grow personally, and in turn to help my patients grow as well, by connecting better with their bodies, finding a better awareness in their health and beyond. And who "never" needed t see that kind of chiropractor?

...And remember, watch out for bicyclist like the promo says.

With love and respect,

Dr. Max

Please pass along this blog for 2 reasons:
1) There is a moon walking bear. People should see things that are as awesome as that.
2) If we can raise each other's awareness, we can help make this world a more enjoyable place for everyone around us. If you like the idea of raising awareness of chiropractic or consciousnesses, post this on your wall or tweet it or email it to grandma. And as always, let me know what you think.

Ladies... I know that high heels make your legs look good, but someone doesn't have to be a doctor to look at the picture to the left and say, "Hey, that angle can't be good for that foot.

Wearing high heels distorts the biomechanics of the foot, so our ability to absorb shock doesn't work correctly, which ends up causing pain.

The good news - I'M NOT TELLING YOU NOT TO WEAR HIGH HEELS!

You can wear them, but take care of yourself. Don't wear them everyday. Just like junk food, alcohol consumption, and other vices - there is a place and time for high heels. However, long term, chronic usage of those super hot stilettos are going to lead to problems. See a doctor that specializes in the feet, and get those barking dogs checked out!

I work on feet all the time, undoing the havoc that poor footwear and bad habits bestow on our kickers. It's amazing what can happen to foot pain, knee pain, leg pain, and low back pain when the feet are able to move correctly.

If you're interested, here's a few numbers. 80% of women have some sort of foot pain at some point from age 30-50 years old, and typically it is bunions and plantar fasicitis (pain throughout the sole of the foot). Both of these can be directly related to improper footwear. High heels shift the weight from being equally balanced between the heel and the ball of the feet, and instead put 70-80% of the weight on the forefoot, which is NOT designed to take that kind of stress. Thus, the body lays down scar tissue from the damage created, and "wallah!" - foot pain.

Get your feet check out, treat them well, and keep rocking out.

A better option to heels:

This is a great article written by my friends over at The Specific Chiropractic Center. I thought I would share it with you. If you are looking to get a little advice on what kind of backpack you should purchase for your child, let me know and we'll help make sure your child's back stays healthy. If you want to see if you child is already dealing with signs of damage from a backpack, make an appointment to get them checked by a chiropractor.

Dublin, CA - If there’s one thing chiropractors, pediatricians, orthopedic surgeons and other medical practitioners can agree on, it the fact that backpacks are not healthy for the human body. The problem starts at a young age, when children have to load up backpacks with books and supplies for school. For kids, the backpack load should weigh no more than ten to 15 percent of the child’s total body weight. When they are overloaded and improperly fitted or worn, backpacks can lead to back, neck and shoulder pains as well as headaches and other spinal discomforts that can lead to more serious, problematic conditions.

Though we generally equate backpacks with children, the bags used throughout the school years by teenagers and college students and those hauled around by adults or travelers should also be scrutinized. In general, the following guidelines should be considered when choosing a backpack that is as minimally damaging to the spine as possible:

Choose function over fashion. This particularly applies to the younger crowd, which thinks nothing of choosing a backpack based on color or the latest fashion.

Make sure the bag fits properly. The person who will be wearing the backpack should try it on to ensure it fits correctly. This is not a purchase to be done blindly. The backpack should not be too long or too short and should fit against the back, not too high on the shoulder blades or below the waist. The lower a backpack hangs, the more weight the shoulders have to carry. In an ideal situation, the backpack should hang two inches above the waist. It should have wide, padded, adjustable straps so that it can be properly positioned on the back. There are also backpacks that have a hip strap or lumbar pillow built in. When these are used, it helps to distribute part of the weight from the back to the hips.

Properly load the bag. The heaviest items in the backpack should rest against the back. Load these items first, and do what you can to ensure that weight is evenly distributed. Make sure there is not a lot of excess weight on one particular side. Do what you can to lighten the load by removing anything extra from the bag. All of these small items add up to unnecessary weight.

Carry the backpack correctly. A backpack should not be slung over one shoulder with one or both strips, worn upside down or left unzipped. The only proper way to wear one is to use both straps—one on each shoulder—with the backpack set against the lower back.

Lift the bag properly. When lifting anything of significant weight—and that includes backpacks—remember to bend at the knees and use the legs to lift.

RESOURCES

Anrig, Claudia, DC. “The Backpack Dilemma: Function vs. Fashion.” DynamicChiropractic.com. (September 1, 2005) Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=50359.

“Bad Backs and Backpacks.” Health.Harvard.edu. (January 2004) Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0104a.shtml.

I spent about half an hour complaining to my parents last night about random things bothering me, and after some time, we came to some conclusions of what I should do to fix this problem. This sign was basically encompasses our conclusions. I saw this today (thanks to Sara Williams, an old friend from Kindergarten and beyond), and thought, "Yes, this is exactly what I need to do!"

Be careful, if you're feeling stuck and unhappy, you'll start to feel defensive, and maybe making some excuses. Let's try to rise above that.

For my patients, let's figure out how we can be more active, and really beat the health challenges we're faced with.

For my friends and family... (and my patient's too) - I love you, and I'm ready to live life at a higher level.

Be Well,

Dr. Max

If you've had chronic backpain, a big reason will probably be because your back muscles, and the muscles surrounding them, are weak. If you've been following my blog posts, you've seen the exercises I've mentioned called "Foundation". Well, there was a brand new video shared today on youtube which runs through some very basic "Foundation" exercises and guides you through for 22 minutes.Ready to get rid of your back pain? Give this video a try for 3 days a week for 2 weeks. If you need pointers on how to do the exercises correctly, email me, call me. Come to my clinic, I'll teach them to you for free. I want you to feel better. These can help. Good luck, and as always, tell me what you think.

Lance Armstrong is a phenomenal athlete, the dude does everything to get his body in the best shape (though some times not all of those things may be totally legal in his sport)

Whether you respect him or not due to the tactics for getting to an elite level, one thing you have to respect is his exercise routines, the time and effort he puts into getting into amazing shape, and the feats he's been able to accomplish over the last 10+ years.

A few months ago I met the creator of Lance Armstrong's low back workout, Dr. Eric Goodman, who named the strengthening exercises "Foundation". I  was able to sit down and have an hour long conversation about the strategies he uses with Lance and some of the other clients he works with (many pro athletes as well). He explained to me about the posterior chain of muscles (muscles from our back to our hamstrings to our calves) weakening due to our daily activities and how this leads to back pain. I've just started recently doing these exercises myself, and I wanted to share them with you and my patients. They are best explained in his book called Foundation: Redefine Your Core, Conquer Back Pain, and Move with Confidence. More information can be found on their website - www.foundationroots.com

I'm looking forward to exploring these exercises and see how they help with my own core strength, and the outcomes with my patients. I have started teaching these to my patients this week... and I shall share the success stories with you as they come in.

Check out the video links and link to amazon for the book if you're interested. As always, let me know what you think!

I had an incredibly productive weekend. I feel invigorated, and want to keep it rolling. I then got an email from Dr. Ben Altadonna introducing me to this article this morning, and I feel that it is right in line to what I am trying to accomplish. If it's worth reading for me, I assume it'll be worth reading for all you guys, so I thought I'd share it.

Top 10 motivation boosters and procrastination killers

A brief summary:

1. Pick Good Sounds
2. Use Minor Distractions to Fend Off Big Distractions
3. Set a Timer and Crank Until It Beeps
4. Move and Breathe Like You're Excited
5. Make Your To-Do List Doable
6. Don't Check Email for the First Hour of Work
7. Create a Fake Constraint
8. Move Quickly on New Skills and Great Ideas
9. Have a Status Board (of Some Kind)
10. Understand and Overcome Your Fear of Failure

Take a look, it's good stuff. Let me know what you're thinking of accomplishing, and how some of these things may help. I like the idea of creating fake constraint - limit the possible choices so I stop deciding what I might do and just do it. Nice!

Be well (and produce),

Dr. Max

Just a quick post. It's the end of my exercise competition this week, which has helped 50 of my closest patients and friends start focusing a little more on what they put in their mouths, and how they move. Feedback has been mostly positive that the idea of getting points for different healthy activities has helped motivate the competitors to eat healthier, drink less, and exercise more. 

One thing we never addressed was the many levels of healthy eating. As this cute little girl describes, a naturally raised potato absolutely has the ability to produce thriving offspring, while the inorganically grown potato has been farmed with chemicals that inhibit this ability. Do we really think that eating these chemicals will not have an effect on our health? 

Today I had an insurance agent explain to me that as a male, I have around a 50% chance of getting chance of getting cancer by age 90. It's videos like these that make me think, "Yeah, that seems about right." I've never put that much importance on buying organic, and when I was in college I thrived on corn dogs and cheap beer. It's never too late to make tweaks to the diet, and after watching this, maybe we should get a few extra points in the next workout competition for eating organic healthy meals. Who's with me?

Be well,

Dr. Max

Often times when I am treating my adult patients, I find injuries that have for years. I typically come to the conclusion that the problem would not be as severe if the patient had taken action earlier. In the long run, the patient would have saved money, time, and felt better if they had maintained their health from an early age.

After some time, I realized that rather than merely regretting the fact that my older patients had not made the best healthcare decisions in their past, the more productive thing to do is to start adjusting kids at a young age, before the problems have years to grow worse.

Many ailments of the adult population stem from injuries that occurred during youth participation in sports, so I created a wellness program for youth athletes – helping them stay healthy and improve their performance on the field. When I was in high school, my chiropractor kept me healthy through my football and tennis seasons, and she did so at a discounted rate. I have chosen to carry on that legacy. Thus, I am proud to offer $20 adjustments to any youth actively participating in sporting activities (18 years old and under). Working together, my patients and I are able to keep youth athletes on the field, while also raising their game to the next level. If interested in what chiropractic can do for you or an athlete you know, please call 925 829 8484 or visit www.maxlippman.com.