elevate-sport-and-spine-center

Your Glutes Aren’t Getting the Attention They Deserve – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:33:40 GMT

In my opinion, the glutes are the most undervalued muscle group in the whole body. They are comprised of three muscles, the glute maximus, glute medius, and glute minimus. Each of these muscles plays an incredibly important role in many movements that we experience each and every day. However, many of us lack the proper coordination and strength in these muscles to perform daily actives efficiently. The most common postural imbalance seen today, again in my opinion, is called Lower Cross Syndrome. The basic understanding is we, as Americans, sit for prolonged periods of time and this causes our hip flexors to become shortened. Our brains then thinks that we’re trying to contract our hip flexors which causes inhibition of our glute max. Overtime our brain will learn that this is a correct pattern and this will cause our glute max not to fire properly leading to several imbalances in our hip since it is the prime mover in hip extension. So, when we walk, we need hip extension to help propel our bodies forward. If our glute max is inhibited, our lumbar spine will try and make up for the lack of hip extension and can lead to back pain or herniated discs.

Our glute medius and minimus are powerful stabilizers of our pelvis. They help keep our pelvis balanced when walking and aid in hip abduction and internal rotation. These muscles generally are not targeted enough in exercise routines unless an athlete starts complaining of hip or back pain. These muscles are incredibly important for anyone performing Olympic lifts. Limited mobility in these muscles can lead to knee and back pain.

We often take our glute muscles for granted and most of my patients with hip or back pain has limited hip mobility that can be traced to the glute muscles. It’s important to strengthen these muscles before we age to prevent degeneration in our lower back and hip joint which is why I perform selective functional movement assessments on my patients to properly identify the areas that aren’t functioning properly and rehabilitating those muscle groups to start doing their jobs again. Improving the functionality of the glute muscles can prevent knee, hip, and lumbar spine injuries in the future!

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #functionalmovement #glutes #glutemax #glutemed #glutemin #walking #injuryprevention #gluteimbalances #butthealth #lowerbackinjury #strongbutt #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

When is surgery necessary? – Dr. John Kuruc CCSP®

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:28:08 GMT

Throughout my ten years and thousands of patients that I’ve seen, the most common statement I hear is that “I don’t want surgery.” Quite frankly, I don’t want my patients to undergo surgery either. However, sometimes it’s completely necessary. Let’s discuss why surgery may be necessary.

As a chiropractor the most common potential surgical case I see is herniated/bulging discs. A herniated disc is where the inner part of the disc bursts through the otter fibers of the disc while a bulging disc, the outer fibers of the disc are still intact but have the inner part pushing against the otter fibers. Conservative care has been shown to improve herniated/bulging discs but sometimes it fails short of helping the patient get to their desired outcome of living a pain free life. In my experience, when a thorough course of conservative care has been done, let’s say about six weeks’ worth, and there is still pain and the quality of life isn’t where the patient and provider would like it to be, a surgical referral is appropriate and necessary.

In many cases, a surgical referral is often a case of last resort. Some injuries such as a herniated disc, pinched nerves, sciatica, grade 1 AC joint sprains, grade 1 and 2 MCL sprains, high ankle sprains, trigger finger, rotator cuff injuries, and labrum tears can respond well to conservative care but the big caveat is, all of these injuries depend on the overall age, health, and lifestyle of the patient. For example, if a seventy-year-old tears their rotator cuff and doesn’t have an active lifestyle, in most cases it may be appropriate to start conservative care and avoid surgery all together but a high school baseball player that has the same injury, surgery is the appropriate course of action.

In conclusion, surgery should be done as a last result or there is a life threating injury that needs immediate attention. Whenever surgery is required it’s important to find the best surgeon for the job, regardless of their “bed side manor.” If you’re unsure of the quality of a surgeon, the best tip I can provide is to call all the local physical therapist offices and inquire about the surgeon. They see their handywork and can tell when a surgery is done properly. As always it’s our duty and conservative health care providers to make sure our patients are getting the most appropriate care for their condition.

What you should do if you sprain your ankle – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:24:44 GMT

Ankle sprains are very common in the athletic population. Approximately 14% of athletic injuries are ankle sprains and I’m sure if you’re reading this you’ve probably experienced an ankle sprain. Certain sports have a higher frequency of ankle sprains that they are; soccer, basketball, running, and football. After experiencing an ankle sprain about 1-in-3 athletes will still have residual complaints about 9 months after the initial injury! When an ankle sprain occurs, 95% of the time it is a result of an inversion injury. This occurs when an athlete is running straight and makes a sudden cut. Jumping can also cause ankle sprains if an athlete does not land properly or lands on another player’s body and rolls the ankle. Lateral ankle sprains are the most common type of injury with the Anterior talofibular ligament (AT FL) being the most common ligament to be injured. The medial aspect of the ankle is protected by a fan-shaped ligament called the deltoid ligament.

Ankle sprains are classified into three grades. Grade 1 sprains are very mild and usually occurs when the ATFL is stretched. Recovery from this usually last between 1 to 2 weeks. Mild swelling, difficultly with hopping, and pin point tenderness over the stretched ligament are generally seen. Grade 2 sprains are moderate in nature and can occur when a complete or partial tear of the ATFL and injuries to the surrounding ligaments. There will most likely be a distinctive limp with the person being unable to run, hop, or raise their toes. There will be swelling and bruising and in general, recovery can take about 2 to 6 weeks. Grade 3 sprains are the most severe and debilitating. The athlete will be unable to bear weight and the injury is extremely painful. This usually indicates a complete tear of the ATFL and the calcaneofibular ligament. There will be significant swelling and bruising and the recovery time to return to play is usually between 1 to 3 months.

If you suffer from an ankle sprain it’s important to stop activity immediately and have it evaluated. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) is a great place to start helping the injury heal. If an athlete suffers a minor ankle sprain a simple side line evaluation can be done by a trained professional and put the athlete through a variety of tests. Fist the athlete must be able to walk without a limp. If they pass then a hop test is performed. After that they must demonstrate they can jog forward and backwards followed by running at a higher speed forward and backwards. If they pass all of those the last test is figure-eight or side-to-side running and jumping. If there is no pain the ankle should always be taped and then the athlete can return to play.

It’s very important for grade 2 and 3 sprains to seek medical treatment. A recent study found that delayed rehabilitation is associated with recurrence and higher medical care use after ankle sprain injuries. Care for these injuries begins by reducing inflammation as quickly as possible, structural stabilization, passive mobilization, increased ability to bear weight, strength/muscular stabilization, functional stabilization and proprioception, and finally establish a home rehabilitation program.

In conclusion, it’s always better to have your ankle evaluated by a knowledgeable healthcare provider than just wait for the pain to go away. If the ankle sprain does not heal correctly or a self-prescribed rehab program does go as prescribed a future injury is more likely. The biggest indication of an athletic injury is a previous injury!

Resource:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Delayed Rehabilitation Is Associated With Recurrence and Higher Medical Care Use After Ankle Sprain Injuries in the United States Military Health System. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. Published Online:November 30, 2021Volume51Issue12Pages619-627

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #functionalmovement #ankle #anklesprain #anklerehab #timnath #windsor #loveland #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

What is Shoulder Impingement Syndrome? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:21:50 GMT

Impingement syndrome is the most common shoulder problem seen in athletes. This consists of irritation to the rotator cuff tendons and/or the long head of the biceps tendon. During combined shoulder movements of flexion, abduction, and rotation these tendons may become compressed. There is still some controversy that surround the exact cause of impingement but we can break it down into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary impingement refers to situations in which there are anatomical structures interfering with the mobility of the shoulder like the shape of the AC joint. Secondary impingement can occur when there is an imbalance or weakness in the muscles stabilizing the scapula or those of the rotator cuff itself. This is the most common cause in the athletic population.

Clinical presentations of impingement syndrome can vary. In the initial stages an athlete may complain of a vague localized deep ache in the shoulder, particularly following overhead activity. Throwing sports and weight lifters are particularly vulnerable. A classic sign of impingement syndrome is a person’s shoulder is uncomfortable and painful to lie on at night in bed. As the condition progresses, there will be pain during and after exercise and can get to the point where the pain prevents an athlete from doing any exercise.

A self-test can be done to evaluate the shoulder. Simply keep the arm at your side with the hand pointing to the floor and then raise the arm side-ways and finish with the fingers pointing to the ceiling. Think of a clock during this test. Your hand starts at 6 o’clock and finishes at 12 o’clock. If there is pain between 2 and 4 o’clock when raising your arm, there is a very good chance that you have shoulder impingement.

If you have this painful arc, it’s important to seek conservative or medical care because if it is caught early there are many treatment options to correct this and avoid more serious injuries like rotator cuff tears or bicep tendon ruptures. It’s also important to stop certain exercises if you’re an overhead athlete. These include bench pressing with a straight bar, Lat pull downs behind the neck, overhead pressing, upright rows, and holding objects in the front rack position! These exercises cause impingements in the shoulder! It’s important to have your shoulder evaluated and treated on a regular basis until symptoms subside. There are several effective exercises that should be performed daily by someone who has a shoulder injury because the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body and the most used joint in the body. Don’t wait for the pain to go away, get it evaluated today!

Resource:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #functionalmovment #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #impingementsyndrome #shoulder #shoulderinjury #rotatorcuff #injuryprevention #dontwaitforshoulderpaintogoaway #getevaluatedtoday #elevateyourheatlh #elevatesportandspinecenter

What is Conservative Care? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:16:56 GMT

Conservative care is a form of healthcare that does not use medications or surgery to resolve an injury. As a sports chiropractor, to me, it is a model that incorporates the care of the injured person/athlete, but also concepts of general health, preventative care, and wellness care. I look at the big picture and don’t just focus mainly on the injury that a patient comes in the office with. This, in my opinion, is on the of the biggest mistakes other healthcare providers make. Yes, the low back is in pain, but what really caused the low back to become painful?

So what treatment options are available under conservative care? There’s quite a few. Adjustments/manipulations/mobilizations are the first thing that probably comes to mind when you think of a chiropractor but there is so much more. Soft-Tissue therapy, physiological therapeutics, exercise/rehabilitation, nutrition, reflex therapy/acupuncture, and advice/counseling are all treatment options under conservative care.

With so many options, how do you know what is the best option for you? This is a question I hear all the time and in short, there isn’t just one answer. Let’s take the example of an athlete that was injured on the field. Each athlete has different extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Some examples of extrinsic factors include: weather, clothing, shoes, protective equipment, etc. Intrinsic factors include: age, gender, previous injury, fitness/strength levels, posture, etc. Understanding all the factors that contributed to an injury is the best way to determine which conservative care options will be the most effective.

In summary, a focus on health, good background knowledge, a comprehensive examination, a diversified and inclusive approach to treatment and management, and a willingness to worth with the athlete/injured individual and his or her support group on performance, recovery, and function provides the basis for sound conservative care management of any injury.

What is a golf fitness screen? - Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:14:31 GMT

As I sit here writing this week’s blog, it’s currently 23 degrees out and we just got a few inches of fresh snow overnight. So why write about golf? Well right now is the best time to work on your body’s limitations so when the snow melts and the courses open, you’ll be ready to go! So, what exactly is a golf fitness screen and how can it benefit you?

Just take a look at the picture above and you’ll see the body moving in all sorts of different directions. From external rotation in the right shoulder, extension and rotation in the thoracic spine, hip extension, and ankle dorsiflexion, our bodies move a lot during a golf swing. Any limitations in these movements could potentially affect your golf swing which is where I come in to help. As a Titleist Performance Institute Level 2 Medical Professional I understand the body-swing connection. For instance, if you have limited hip extension and ankle dorsiflexion, you’re more likely to come over-the-top which can lead to a steep swing. Here’s the best part, we can test that and much more to see what your body’s limitations are! TPI’s philosophy is there are a million ways to swing a golf club but there is one efficient way to do it. Efficiency leads to an increase in swing speed and has the ability to decrease the risk of injury. The top three most common injury sites among golfers are the low back, elbow, and shoulder. If you’re a golfer and reading this you can probably recall a time where you were playing and injured one of those body parts. TPI’s screen is designed to find these limitations and help you improve them through drills and exercises.

The screen consists of over a dozen movements looking at golf specific movements. It takes less than thirty minutes to preform and at the end of the screen a custom fitness routine is generated specific to each golfer. It’s also important to realize that this is just one part for a golfer. It’s best for a golfer to work with a team of experts. From swing coaches, sports chiropractors, physical therapists, golf fitness professionals, and even nutritionists! When a golfer surrounds themselves with experts, they have a much higher chance to succeed! If you’re wanting to take your golf game to the next level, find your local TPI expert today!

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #golf #golffitness #tpi #golffitnessscreen #golfinjuryprevention #improveyourgolfgame #functionalmovment #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

What every patient can expect at Elevate Sport and Spine Center – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:06:44 GMT

One of the most annoying parts of my profession is that you can walk into ten different chiropractic offices and get ten different opinions and treatment options. Essentially there isn’t a set standard of care. Think of it this way, you go into your primary care physician for your yearly checkup, they run some blood work and find out that your cholesterol is high. They recommend diet changes and put you on a prescription. A year later, you move across the country and find a new primary care physician. They run the same blood work and get the same results. The physician recommends diet changes and puts you on a similar prescription to help lower your cholesterol. Two physicians, thousands of miles apart, provide you with the same standard of care. This unfortunately does not occur yet in the chiropractic world. This is why I wanted to take the time to explain what my standard of care is.

Every new patient begins their care at Elevate Sport and Spine Center by filling out our new patient intake forms. These forms are over four pages long and while I understand it’s boring to fill out it provides myself with a lot of information. Patients generally provide 95% of the information needed to make a diagnosis which is why we ask over a hundred questions on our intake forms. This also helps myself get a better understanding of the current lifestyle, past medical history, and overall health of my patients. After discussing with the patient their current health issues and what brought them into my office I really get to work. I start with a comprehensive neurological exam, orthopedic evaluation, functional movement screen, range of motion, manual muscle testing, and a complete musculoskeletal exam. At the end of my evaluation, I’ll explain my findings with the patient and help them relate what’s going on to their daily life. If I feel that imaging is necessary, I’ll refer out to our local imaging center or refer them to the appropriate medical provider.

If chiropractic care is medically necessary and appropriate, I start my treatment. Every patient will then receive some manual therapy. This can include instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation, deep tissue myofascial release, cupping, vibration massage therapy, or Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) stretching. This will last between 20-30 minutes. Then, if appropriate, mechanical traction will be done as well. Finally, if any spinal or extremity adjustments are necessary, I’ll perform those last. Now that my treatment session is complete, I then move onto the rehabilitative session of the visit. I’ll work one-on-one with my patient and demonstrate corrective exercises to help them stay out of pain and retrain the “faulty” movement patterns. I then send them home with a few corrective exercises because I can’t stress enough, what patients do outside of my office is more important than what we do inside my office! When their first visit is complete, which lasts around one hour, I’ll recommend a treatment plan that is right for them. Everyone gets their own customized treatment plan.

In summary, every patient can expect the high-quality standard of care mentioned above. First visits will last one hour and follow up visits will be 30 minutes! There isn’t any cookie-cutter treatment plans, contracts, or unnecessary x-rays. My goal is to get you out of pain as quickly as possible or help you maintain your active lifestyle pain free! This is the standard of care I set for my patients in the Fort Collins area. If you’re wanting to ELEVATE your health in the Fort Collins area, I may be the chiropractor that can help.

#foco #fortcollins #timnath #wellington #loveland #windsor #noco #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #functionalmovement #standardofcare #elevateyourhealth #elevateyourlife #elevatesportandspinecenter

What are the benefits of cupping? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 07:03:28 GMT

There are a lot of benefits to cupping. The skin is a heavily vascularized tissue and as such has a constant flow of blood. Blood which carries nutrients that help your body to heal. When we apply cups to the body, we cause a localized increase in blood flow. This helps the target area become more nutrient rich which speeds up recovery and increases overall circulation. This leads to a decrease in inflammation. As an added benefit, cups also create tension on the fascia beneath the skin creating a pull on the underlying muscles.

Stationary Cupping:

Traditionally, cupping has been used to treat tissue pain and tenderness. A provider will apply cups to an irritated area and leave them there for several minutes. This is called stationary cupping and does a really good job at helping to alleviate pain and speed up recovery. But this is just one way to treat utilizing cups.

Sliding Cupping:

Sliding is another fairly popular form of cupping. This method has the provider placing cups onto the patient body and then sliding the cups across the skin, generally with the aid of an emollient so that the skin is not aggravated. Sliding is really beneficial for patients experiencing irritation along a larger/longer muscle or muscle group. Because the cups slide along a larger area, blood flow throughout the entire region is stimulated resulting in even greater nutrient transport. Additionally, sliding provides a deeper mobilization of the fascia and underlying musculature. It can help workout multiple trigger points within one or a group of muscles without having to apply more cups. In other words, stationary cupping is great for a focal area of pain, where sliding is more beneficial for larger areas of pain.

Cupping with Mobilization:

There’s one last approach to cupping I want to cover but this one is not, in my experience, as well known to the average patient as the others are. This would be cupping with active and passive mobilization. In this version, the provider applies multiple cups to several different muscles that relate to an area of dysfunction. For example, if a patient is experiencing shoulder pain, cups may be applied to the trapezius, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres and pectoralis muscle groups. The goal here is to take the benefits of cupping (increased circulation and fascial mobilization) and rather than using it to treat the irritated muscles alone, use them to treat the muscles involved in a particular joint’s movement.

From here the provider will alternate between passively moving the patient’s shoulder through its normal, healthy range of motion and asking the patient to move through that same range of motion on their own. By using this method, we can give several benefits to the shoulder with one 3-4 minute treatment modality. Cupping with mobilization leads to better circulation throughout every muscle that plays a role in joint movement, helps reduce inflammation throughout the entire joint, performs a sort of trigger point release therapy on the muscle restricting joint movement while also strengthening the brain-body connection with regards to how the shoulder SHOULD be moving. And this approach can be performed for any joint.

Cupping is a great way to treat a large number of musculoskeletal conditions. It’s a relatively short modality but it offers so much benefit. There are some contraindications such as, bleeding disorders, blood clotting conditions and some medications but for the vast majority of patients this is a modality that can make a big difference fast.

To experience cupping give our office a call today!

#noco #foco #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #functionalmovement #ccsp #tpi #cupping #softtissueinjuries #inflammation #conservativecare #chiropractic #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:59:26 GMT

Clinically speaking, the thoracic outlet is the region from the nerve roots that exit the cervical spine to the lower border of the axilla. The outlet is bordered by several muscles of the cervical spine, first rib, upper trapezius muscle, and clavicle among others. The blood vessels in this region course together as well. Whenever these structures are impinged, symptoms can occur. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) can occur as neurological or vascular meaning either the nerves or the blood vessels are to blame. When this occurs, one may experience symptoms such as; pain, paresthesia, numbness, weakness, discoloration, swelling, and loss of pulse. Everyday activities such as driving, typing, combing your hair, cleaning dishes, among others may cause these symptoms.

There are several causes to TOS, the most common is postural variations. We live in a world where everything we do requires our shoulders to round forward, our heads to lean forward, and our hands to internally rotate. Not to mention, who’s stressed these days? Soaring inflation, skyrocketing gas and grocery prices, everything is so expensive comparted to a year ago and that causes stress for many of us. When we’re stressed, we tend to unknowingly tense our upper trapezius muscle and levator scapula muscle. As mentioned above the upper trapezius is a border for the brachial plexus. Also, when we’re stressed, we breath differently and stop using our diaphragm but our secondary muscles of respiration, which some are located as the boarders of the brachial plexus as well!

There are several tests I use to accurately locate the cause of TOS and address the root cause. Once the root cause has been established, I have several techniques that I perform on my patient to help alleviate the symptoms. From there I have my patients follow my plan of care which leads to great results! TOS is something that doesn’t go away in just one visit which is why I help educate my patients on correct posture, how to modify provoking stresses, and help them incorporate safe exercise into their daily routine. On my end I correct impaired posture, mobilize restricted connective tissue, joints, and muscle. Improving muscle performance and initiating proper breathing patterns are incredibly important. Once all aspects are address my patients have very favorable outcomes for years to come!

#noco #foco #fortcollinschiropractor #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #timnath #loveland #windsor #wellington #thoracicoutletsyndrome #tos #handnumbness #muscleweakness #stress #brachialplexus #nerveroots #conservativecare #functionalmovement #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #dysfunctionalbreathing #uppercrosssyndrome #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

The Importance of Hip Mobility – Dr. John Kuruc CCSP®

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:56:44 GMT

Anatomically, our hip joint is classified as a “ball-in-socket” joint which allows it to have incredible amounts of motion. Our hip joints are the second most mobile joint in the body, only behind the shoulder joint. It’s incredibly important to have proper hip mobility because a lack of mobility can lead to knee and lower back pain. Let me explain.

As stated above, our hip joints are mobile joints, meaning they have excessive range of motion in three planes while our knee and lower back are stable joints meaning they generally have range of motion in one plane. Our knee and lower back loves to flex and extend. That is their primary range of motion. Yes, they can rotate and laterally bend but those ranges are very limited when compared to flexion and extension. When we lose range of motion in our hips, our knees and lower back will try and make up for that lack of movement which can lead to injury over time. One of most common limiting factors that I’ve seen is a lack of proper internal and external hip rotation. When I evaluate an athlete, I will assess the hip in multiple positions to determine if there is adequate internal/external rotation. I want to see 30 degrees of internal rotation and 40 degrees of external rotation. The second most common issue I see is a lack of hip extension which should be around 10 degrees. Having a lack of range of motion in these planes can cause lower back and knee pain especially in their training routines.

Another cause of limited hip mobility could be how the pelvis is orientated. Studies have shown when a pelvis anteriorly rotated, there is less room for the hip joint to actually move whereas having a posteriorly rotated pelvis, the hip joint has more room to move and can improve range of motion in the hip. We have a video on Instagram demonstrating that.

Hip mobility is incredibly important in preventing injuries, especially in the athletic population. Often times the root cause of the problem goes unchecked so that chronic lower back pain and knee pain could very well be coming from a lack of hip mobility. It’s important to find the right healthcare provider that will find the root cause of the problem and not just go right to the site of pain. We’ve had patients tell us they’ve tried conventional chiropractic, physical therapy, massage, and other methods for years but when we perform our functional movement screen it’s easy to find and diagnose the root cause of their pain and help then get on a path to a pain free life.

#noco #fortcollins #foco #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #functionalmovement #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #titleistperformanceinstitue #sfma #hip #hipmobility #hippain #lowbackpain #kneepain #rootcause #rehabchiro #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

So, you have shoulder pain, what next? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:54:03 GMT

The shoulder is arguably the most mobile joint in the body so it’s no wonder why it’s often injured. The shoulder can be broken down into five joints; The glenohumeral joint, acromioclavicular joint, sternoclavicular joint, scapulothoracic junction, and suprahumeral junction. These joints work together to aid mobility and stability of the shoulder. When an imbalance occurs between these joints, impingement syndromes can occur.

There are several causes of impingement syndrome. The first being macrotrauma or microtrauma. This occurs during repeated motions that create stress on the tendons of the rotator cuff. Next is glenohumeral internal rotation deficiency (GIRD). Dr. Burkhart theorized that the loss of internal rotation, caused by tightness of the posterior capsule, is the primary lesion in the overhead shoulder. When this occurs, the superior portion of the rotator cuff is pressed against the coracoacromial arch, resulting in subacromial impingement. Third, muscular imbalances can occur. For example, the subscapularis can become tight and hypertonic. When this occurs the infraspinatus and teres minor become inhibited. Let me explain it a different way. If you just contract your bicep, your triceps muscles have to relax to allow the bicep contraction. Now just think if your bicep was always slightly contracted, your triceps muscles would be slightly relaxed and inhibited. Now back to the subscapularis, if this muscle is tight, it will cause the humeral head may shift anteriorly and impinge the anterior labrum. Finally, there can be weakness of the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers. The role of the rotator cuff is to compress and depress the humeral head into the glenoid fossa. This means that decreased compression creates abnormal upward excursion of the humeral head which can lead to an impingement of the subacromial space. Weakness of the scapulothoracic muscles reduces scapular stabilization, allowing abnormal upward excursion of the humeral head which leads to impingement of the subacromial space. It’s important to evaluate the posture of the glenohumeral region to identify weak or inhibited muscles.

Now what? As you can see there can be a variety of conditions going on to cause shoulder discomfort. As a sports chiropractor I evaluate all causes of shoulder pain based on what our patient’s health history is, mechanism of injury, a previous injury to the shoulder, and palliative and provocative factors. From there I build a custom treatment and rehabilitation program that will address the underlying issues. Shoulder injuries, in my opinion, take longer to resolve because we just simply use our shoulders a lot every day. Simple movements like typing, driving, and writing require our shoulder muscles to work together to allow us to do these movements. Not to mention the other dozens of daily activities that we do that require our shoulders. If you have a shoulder injury, be patient and trust the process. You will get better.

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Garth WP, Allman FL, Armstron NS. Occult anterior subluxation of the shoulder. Am J Sports Med. 1987;15: 579-585

Burkhart M, Kibler B. The disabled throwing shoulder: spectrum of pathology part 1: pathoanatomy and biomechanics. Arthroscopy. 2003;19(4): 404-420

Burkhart M, Kibler B. The disabling throwing shoulder: spectrum of pathology part III: the SICK scapula, scapula dyskinesis, the kinetic chain and rehabilitation. Arthroscopy. 2003; 19(4): 641-661

Sitting is slowly killing us – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:49:47 GMT

I find this title ironic, because right now I’m seated at my computer typing away of why sitting is slowly killing us. But here goes nothing. We sit a lot, more than any other time in history. In a typical day we wake up to sit back down and drink coffee, then get in our car, drive to work, to sit for extended periods of time. Now it’s noon and time for lunch so we either sit at our office and eat the food we packed or we go to a restaurant to sit down and have lunch. The afternoon rolls around and you guessed it, back at the desk from 1pm to 5pm. Time to go home so we get in our car and drive home to catch up on our phones or watch our popular TV shows. As you can see, we sit a lot, too much in fact. So how is sitting slowly killing us?

Humans are designed to be standing. Our cardiovascular system and bowel and bladder systems function more efficiently when standing. Our bones also benefit from standing upright! When we sit for extended periods of time our body retains more fats and sugars which overtime can lead to weight gain and obesity. Some studies suggest that you will need 60-75 minutes of moderate intensity exercise to combat excessive sitting. You burn on average of 50 calories more per hour by standing. If you stand for 3 hours per day, five days per week, it adds up to 750 calories burned. In a year that adds up to 30,000 calories, which is almost 9 pounds. This is the equivalent of around 10 marathons per year and standing desks can be extremely beneficial.

When we sit there is an increase of pressure on our low back. A study out of Cornell University found that 90% more pressure is applied on the low back when we sit. As we age our discs begin to lose water and start to shrink and not be as strong as they were decades ago so this pressure can cause mild to severe low back pain depending on the individual. As we mentioned before in a previous blog, when we sit for extended periods of time our hip flexors become tight and our glute muscles become weak. We won’t dive into that so check out the “Low back pain” blog for more information.

There are other negative health implications from prolonged sitting. There is an increase in Type-II diabetes, anxiety, depression, deep vein thrombosis, and even cancer. With these adverse side effects of sitting too long, it’s no surprise there is a correlation of having a shorter life span. A 2010 Australian study found that for each extra hour participants spent sitting daily during a 7-year-period, their overall risk of dying increased by 11%. A 2012 study found that if the average American reduced their sitting time to 3 hours per day, life expectancy would climb by 2 years.

If you’ve made it this far, get up and move! Ok, now that you’re back let’s talk about what you can do to avoid sitting for extended periods of time. If your employer will provide a stand-up desk, get on that ASAP. If not set reminders every 30 minutes to get up and walk around the room or office. Then if your boss keeps asking you why you’re always getting up and moving, tell them you’re just trying to be healthy and suggest a stand-up desk! Some employers won’t cover the cost of the desk which is a bummer but, it’s well worth the investment in your health. If you are always on the phone at the desk, get a wireless headset so you can stand up while you’re on the phone. When all else fails a trip to your chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist, or your local stretch center are great options to help your body recover from sitting.

Sources:

9, R. F. M., Fiorenzi, R., 9, M., & Ryan Fiorenzi is one of the founders of Start Standing. After suffering from constant back pain for 8 years. (2021, May 9). Sitting is the new smoking. Start Standing. Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.startstanding.org/sitting-new-smoking/#extended

The dangers of sitting: Why sitting is the new smoking. The dangers of sitting: why sitting is the new smoking - Better Health Channel. (n.d.). Retrieved January 12, 2022, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/the-dangers-of-sitting

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #movewellmoveoften #sitting #deskjob #driving #fucntionalmovement #sittingisslowlykilingus #sittingisthenewsmoking

Simple ways to improve your life. – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:44:10 GMT

We’ve all seen commercials on TV telling us that if we take this supplement we’ll have so much more energy, or if we take this pill, we’ll lose a bunch of weight. Here is the secret that they won’t tell you. You have to do a lot more than just take their product to get the desired outcome. How many of you have tried to accomplish a health or lifestyle related goal and failed? The good news if you said yes is that you’re not alone. Let’s dive into some simple ways you can improve your life.

The first thing in my opinion most people overlook is hydration. Yep, you read that correct. Water consumption is a conversation I have with my patients on a daily basis. I’ve learned over the years that most people aren’t drinking enough water throughout the day. Our body and muscles love to be surrounded by water. Water helps improve so many bodily functions that I won’t dive into all of them but proper hydration helps with regulation our body temperature, keeping our joints lubricated, boosts our immune system, helps deliver nutrients to our cells, and helps keep our organs running properly. If you take your body weight and cut it in half, that’s how many ounces of water you should be drinking daily. If you exercise, live in a hot or humid environment those numbers will need to increase.

The next way to improve your life is to get quality sleep. Notice I didn’t say a lot of sleep. Quality is the key. I previously wrote a blog on the benefits of sleeping so check that out if you’d like more in depth information on that but here’s a quick summary. The quality of your mattress is extremely important. If you wake up in the morning feeling tight and stiff and the mattress you just got up from is over 8 years old then it’s probably a good idea to start shopping for a new one. Our bodies like to sleep in cooler climates from 62-68 degrees F. Putting the phone done a good 20 minutes before getting into bed helps our brain relax from all the stimulus it gets while looking at the phone. Blue glasses are a great option if you’re always on the phone closer to going to bed. Having a consistent bed and wake up time is also extremely important.

Finally, lets discuss diet and exercise. Most of us sit for extended periods of time and I discussed the not-so-great side effects of prolonged sitting in a previous blog. If you’re sitting for most of the day it takes about 60 minutes of moderate intense exercise to undo the side effects of your day. It’s important to exercise 4-5 times a week with a few “off” days programmed throughout the week so that your body can recover. I’m not saying everyone should be a gym rat but what I am saying is that everyone has a starting point. Some people might need to walk for 30 minutes while others can jump right into a CrossFit gym. The important takeaway is just to get any type of physical activity. Once you can accomplish that it’s just as important to feed your body the proper nutrition it needs to help recover and boost your metabolism. Our typical American diet is filled with chemicals, processed products, and fillers. Eating a diet balanced in whole foods and minimal sugar is the key to a healthy diet.

Let’s review. Stay hydrated. Get quality sleep. Exercise several times a week. Eat a whole food diet limiting processed foods and sugar. Try implementing this for 30 days. Consistency is the only way you can improve your quality of life. I’m asking you to take this information and challenge yourself for 30 days. If you do, I can promise you that you will see an improved quality of life. There’s nothing to lose but a lot to gain. Are you up for it?

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #functionalmovement #chiropractor #healthcoach #hydration #sleep #diet #exercise #routine #consistency #healthgoals #healthylife #qualityoflife #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Should young athletes lift weights? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:39:34 GMT

With the evolution of fitness more and more children and teenagers are engaging in some sort of weight lifting activities. The old days of calisthenics during gym classes are long gone. With high school sports becoming ever more competitive coaches have their student athletes pushing their young bodies to the limit several times a week. Is this safe and should they be lifting weights because doesn’t lifting weights stunt their growth? The answer may surprise you.

The short answer is that strength training is safe and does NOT stunt growth! There are however safe ways to go about strength training that will lower the risk of injury in our young athletic population. There are basic concepts to follow to prevent injury. Strength training is just one part of a well-balanced youth fitness program. Training should take place about two-to-three days a week with a rest day in between workout sessions. Training should include all major muscle groups making sure to balance between opposing muscle groups. This means if you’re doing bicep curls, you’re also going to perform triceps pulldowns! Resistance training is done through a full range of motion to develop strength while maintain flexibility. So, what should a workout session look like?

A dynamic warm up should be performed for several minutes before any weight lifting occurs. Static stretching can lead to an increase in injury due to the lack of blood flow through the muscle. A light jog, jumping jacks, push-ups, skipping, jump roping, and arm circles are just a few examples of dynamic warmups. From there focus on 6-8 exercises with a 10-15 repetitions per exercise. If an athlete cannot perform 10 repetitions per set, reduce the weight immediately. Once an athlete can perform at least 10 repetitions of a certain exercise in three different sessions, the weight can slightly increase to build strength.

The biggest, most important, factor in weight lifting is form. Most young athletes believe they have great form or saw something on social media so that immediately means they should try it. This is my opinion is how injuries occur. This is not just limited to social media but the coaches as well. Most coaches were former athletes themselves so what they used to do and what they were taught years ago while they were in high school may not apply to today’s young athlete. The one example I still hear today is when you’re squatting pretend like you’re sitting down in a chair. Not only does this flex your lumbar spine but add several hundred pounds to that and that is a back injury waiting to happen.

One other aspect of adolescent weight lifting that goes unnoticed is the growth spurt. When a growth spurt occurs there is usually a lack of coordination, decreased flexibility, and decreased relative strength, which are all potential risk factors for injury. The key is to check flexibility on a growing athlete and the sit-and-reach test is the gold standard. When a growth spurt occurs, the athlete may experience night pains in their knees, increase in appetite, feeling more tired throughout the day, and clothes and shoes don’t fit any longer. I recommend when a child is currently going through a growth spurt that they stop all strength training as to not put an increase pressure on the growth plates but instead transition to more body weight, cardio, and light resistance band workouts until the growth spurt stops.

In conclusion, young athletes are completely safe in performing strength training as long as proper form is strictly followed. I have equipment in my office to assess proper form in athletes and if an athlete cannot demonstrate proper form, they get a functional movement screen to determine where the mobility problem is.

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #fucntionalmovement #ccsp #youngathlete #strenghtraining #growthspurt #injuryprevention #highschoolathlete #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Muscle Memory is a Myth – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:36:04 GMT

Michael Jordan has made free throws with his eyes closed. Tiger Woods has made 3-foot putts with his eyes closed. This must mean that their muscles knew exactly what to do, right? To answer this question lets take a step back and look at an experiment done by Mr. Wadman in 1979. In this experiment he placed EMG needles into the bicep and triceps to look at firing patterns. He had subjects hold a rod on a track, kind of like a sled with a handle, and told them when you hear a “beep” slide this sled as fast as you can to the other side. They had 10 attempts to see how fast they could do it but, on the 10th, attempt he locked the sled in place and didn’t tell the subjects that he did that. So, the previous 9 attempts the bicep contracted at a certain time and the triceps relaxed at a certain time as the elbow flexed as the subjects pushed the sled to the end of the track. So with the sled locked what happened on the 10th attempt? Well, the subjects tried as hard as they could but the elbow didn’t flex, it probably extended as did the entire arm, a completely different movement pattern than before. The EMG resulted in the same firing pattern as the previous 9 attempts! This means that muscles have ZERO memory and all of our memory is stored in our brain!

Each memory is like a book in our brain, let me explain. Our brain develops motor and cognitive skills differently. For instance, if I asked you to take your 7th grade algebra test how do you think you’d do? Probably not well. I know I wouldn’t. If I asked you to ride a bike, would you know how to do it even though it’s been years since you last rode one? My guess is after a few wobbly seconds you’d be cruising down the road. This tells us that our brain stores cognitive and motor skills in different areas. Now think of all the “books” we’ve written throughout our life in terms of motor skills. Literally anything regrading movement has its own book in our brain. Once that book is written it’s stored permanently!

Alright, we know how the brain works when it comes to movements so what happens if it has a faulty movement pattern or a bad book stored in there? The research shows that we can try and try and try to change a movement pattern but if the brain constantly refers to that faulty movement pattern book, well you’re still going to have that faulty movement pattern. The key is, and it can be challenging, is to write a new book and convince the brain that this book is much better than the last one! This is as simple as I can explain it. So if you’ve been working with a health care professional and you’re still not improving or still getting the same movement patterns, then the health care professional isn’t writing a better book.

Circling back to MJ and Tiger, they were able to write the correct books and when they line up for a free throw or a 3-foot putt, the brain tells the body exactly how to move in a correct manner. Knowing and understanding how the brain works is why I love incorporating functional movement screens into my practice.

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #functionalmovement #sfma #motorskills #brain #nerd #musclememory #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Low back pain – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:33:33 GMT

It’s no surprise that I see a lot of low back pain. It is the most common complaint among my patients. What’s not so common is that most patients that have lower back pain generally have the same movement patterns, or I should say, lack of movement patterns. When a patient has low back pain and they can not recall a specific traumatic event that set off the low back pain like a slip and fall, car accident, or shoveling snow, I don’t examine the low back at first. Hear me out. Most cases of lower back pain that I see are generally put into two categories. The first category is the person has an office job or a job that has them sitting most of the day. The second category is the person has a physically demanding job so they are on their feet most of the day.

Let’s break down the first category. When a person sits for extended periods of time, day in and day out, two things happen. The thoracic spine becomes less mobile and the hip flexors become very tight. When the thoracic spine losses mobility, the lower back tries to make up for that lack of mobility by trying to move more than it should. When the hip flexors become tight, the pelvis is pulled into an anterior position. This causes the glute max muscle, yes, your butt muscle, to become stretched that therefore weakened because it loses muscle tension. We call this reciprocal inhibition. Think of it this way, when we contract our biceps, our triceps muscle has to relax for allow for the contraction of the bicep muscle. Same concept with our hip flexors. This is also known as lower crossed syndrome in the chiropractic world.

When a person has a physically demanding job and requires them to be on their feet for extended periods of time, our core muscles can become weak and that can cause lower back pain due to the lack of core stabilization. Also, footwear can play an important role in lower back pain as well. Proper shoes will give you the right support so your hip and pelvis can move in an efficient manner when walking or lifting. Most people that have physically demanding jobs are not using their body in the most efficient way possible. I certainly forget to lift with my legs from time to time and lifting and twisting is just a recipe for disaster for the low back.

Now that you have some understanding how lower back pain occurs in most people it’s important to properly address the root causes of lower back pain. This is why I examine the low back LAST. I will usually find underlying issues that are attributing to low back pain. My approach usually has MOST people feeling at least 50-75% better in under 6 visits, and no, they aren’t coming in 3 times a week for a month!

With approximately 1 in 10 people experiencing back pain every year it’s important to help educate my patients on what they can do at home when back pain occurs. Some exercises I incorporate into my treatment plans are: Supine knee to chests, pelvic tilts, dead bugs in neutral spine, horizontal figure 4’s, starfish patterns, and more. If you have lower back pain just type in these rehab exercises into your search engine and give them a try!

#fortcollins #foco #lowbackpain #sportschiro #chiropractor #functionalmovment #lowbackpainrehab #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Is your cell phone causing neck and shoulder pain? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:25:07 GMT

We live in a world filled with technology. Most of us can’t go a day without using any form of it, but what if the technology we’re using that is helping to make our lives easier and more efficient is having some negative effects on our body? Let’s talk about the most commonly used piece of technology today, your cell phone.

Cellphones have changed a lot over the years. Who remembers those tiny flip phones or the indestructible Nokia’s? Kids now a days won’t have to deal with hitting the number 7 four times to enter the letter “s” in a text message. Long gone are those days, and the days of cell phones being tiny. With larger screens and more functions, our cell phones are daily link to the outside world. We answer emails, check the latest trends on social media, order pizza, have video calls with loved ones, and so much more all from the palm of our hands. A study recently found that the average person spends over 3 hours on their cell phone per day! Yes, you read that correctly, 3 hours! Just imagine all the time spent on this one device. So how can your cell phone cause your neck and shoulder pain?

When we use our cell phones, we tend to look down at it. This causes us to have a forward head carriage, meaning we increase the angle of our head relative to its neutral position. The average human head weighs between 10-12 pounds. Let me ask you this hypothetical question; If I were to have you hold a bowling ball for 15 minutes, how would you hold it? Would you hold it closer or further away from your body? The answer is closer to your body. When our head starts to move forward there is an increase of pressure on the base of our neck. A mere 30 degrees of forward head carriage can cause an additional 40 pounds of pressure on our neck! Over time this can lead to cervical spine mobility which can cause disc heights to shorten, osteoarthritis, and facet degeneration. Once this occurs, the nerves that exit our cervical spine can become irritated and refer pain into the shoulder or arms. This is where the term “text neck” or “tech neck” comes from. How do we correct this?

The best thing to do is when using your phone for screen time, hold it directly in front of your eyes and make sure you’re sitting/standing upright. This will help prevent the forward head carriage. When using the phone for long periods of time, it’s best to use a headset so you won’t have to tilt your head or use your arms to make the phone call. Strengthening your back muscles, especially the rhomboids and middle trapezius will help prevent your shoulders from “rounding forward.” If you’re still experiencing neck or shoulder discomfort after trying these simple remedies, I suggest seeing your local health care provider so they can do an evaluation and find the root cause of your discomfort.

Resources:

Zalani, Rochi. “Average Screen Time: Statistics 2021.” ECM, 5 Nov. 2021, https://elitecontentmarketer.com/screen-time-statistics/.
Hansraj, Kenneth K. “Academic Search Engine for Paper.” Scinapse, https://www.scinapse.io/papers/53370736.

Inflammation and nutrition of an athlete – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:18:46 GMT

When an athlete begins training, inflammation occurs. Our bodies are great at suppressing the inflammation so we don’t even know it’s an issue, until it is. Think of it this way, athletes have a pro-inflammatory state long before an injury occurs. Inflammation has been liked to several serious health issues such as cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes. Current research also suggest that chronic inflammation is most likely driven by faulty nutrition. When looking at this further, inflammation relates to fatty acids, certain minerals, antioxidants, and bioflavonoids. Long before an athlete feels anything, our bodies are doing everything they can to prevent pain. When it can no longer keep up an athlete can experience pain, spasms, edema, and delays in healing from an athletic event. This can lead to chronic adverse tissue changes. There are plenty of inflammatory markers so we won’t dive into each one but the take home message is athletes can EAT themselves into an inflamed and painful state!

Most athletes are just average Americans which means they eat like the average American. What this means is they are eating less than the three daily servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit. It’s important for an athlete of any level to understand how important nutrition is for their performance but also their recovery. One of the pro-inflammatory mediators is Omega-6 fatty acids. These are found in grains and most seed oils. Omega-3’s on the other hand are converted into anti-inflammatory markers. These are found in fish, flaxseed oil, and green vegetables. A diet filled with processed carbohydrates and fried foods can greatly increase inflammation in the body while eating a less processed diet and eating several servings of vegetables can greatly reduce inflammation. Research has indicated that excessive intake of Omega-6’s, an acidic body pH (think about drinking lots of carbonated beverages), low antioxidant status, reduced potassium intake, and hyperinsulinemia greatly increase the inflammatory potential.

Now that we have some understanding on what causes inflammation and what reduces it, how can we EAT our way to a less inflamed state? In general, each sport will require different amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, as well as other nutrients. A great general rule, or starting point, for any athlete should be to consume fresh fish, not farm raised in most cases. Eggs are a great source of Omega-3’s and grass-fed animal products are highly recommended. Another recommendation that I make to my patients is if you’re eating a cup of fruit eat a cup of vegetables as well during the same meal to help offset the sugars in the fruit as to not spike insulin. The ideal meal that you can’t really go wrong with is having half your plate filled with a variety of colorful vegetables, a quarter of the plate is filled with protein, and the other quarter is good carbohydrates like quinoa/sweet potatoes and fats.

It’s important for an athlete to remember to feed the skeletal system so that it can perform all the tasks that the athlete will require it to do. Poor nutrition will lead to poor performance and even pain. Head to your local sports chiropractor or sports nutritionist to find how you can boost your performance and enhance your recovery.

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Seaman DR. The diet-induced proinflammatory sate: a cause of chronic pain and other degenerative conditions? J Manip Physiol Ther. 2002;25:168-179

Craig W. Phytochemicals: guardians of our health. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997:97(Suppl 2):S199-S204

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #athletes #inflammation #nutrition #athleticnutrition #eathealthy #supportyourbody #healthyeating #enhanceyourperformance #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

I’m not in pain, should I still see a chiropractor? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:13:55 GMT

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to set up a table and offer complementary manual therapies to people of all ages at a variety of events. From half marathons to local home expo’s and everything in between, I’ve been there. One of the most common phrases I’ve head from people passing by is “I’m not in pain so I don’t need a chiropractor.” Is this true? Let’s find out.

First, we need to talk about how our bodies process pain. Pain is produced when an injury occurs or an added stimuli occurs. Everyone knows what an injury is but what is added stimuli? The best example of this is when someone rubs your shoulders and with that added pressure you feel your shoulders are really tight and painful, but you didn’t realize that they were painful until the shoulders were rubbed. Once pain is produced our bodies release chemicals that travel into the spinal chord and up to our thalamus. From there, more chemicals are released and the nerve fibers from the thalamus travel to the cerebral cortex where then a signal is shot down our spinal chord to the area that is in pain, and that is how we feel pain. So, if there isn’t enough of a stimulus to get the pain receptors to fire, we won’t feel any pain. If the magical question is, if we can’t feel pain, is the pain still there?

The short answer in my opinion, is yes. Our bodies are awesome chemical factories and we have trillions of cells, millions of which are responsible for tissue repair. This is why most of us go day-to-day without having any pain! Now let’s revisit our opening question, if you’re not in pain, should you go to the chiropractor?

My opinion is yes, and here’s why. We use our bodies every day but how often do we use them efficiency? Not often enough. This inefficiency can and will lead to “wear and tear” on our muscles and joints, and even though they aren’t in pain at the moment, can lead to pain down the road. Our bodies work in alternating segments, mobile vs stable. A mobile joint as more than one primary rage of motion while a stable joint as one primary rage of motion. For example, our ankles are mobile while our knee is stable, followed by our mobile hips and stable low back. You get the picture. When we use our bodies inefficiently, this can cause our movement patterns to change which can accelerate wear and tear on our muscles and joints. A properly trained chiropractor can detect these imbalances and help correct them before any pain occurs!

So once you start seeing a chiropractor does this mean you have to go back for life? The answer is no! You don’t have to keep coming back, but most patients enjoy the benefits of seeing their chiropractor. I give my patients these two examples; first is we brush our teeth daily because we use them daily and we don’t want to get any cavities. Second, we change the oil in our car ever 5,000 or so miles so we can prolong the engine’s life. Our bodies operate in the same way. We use them daily so every once in a while, we should take care of it because it’s better to maintain something that it is to repair it. Life’s a marathon, not a sprint. Taking care of our bodies can lead us to enjoy a long and happy life, pain free!

If You’re Not Sleeping, You’re Not Recovering. – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:11:33 GMT

The picture you see above is my wonderful beagle, Maggie. Maggie loves to sleep and fortunately for her, has no problem falling asleep. She’s always well rested and is consistently on the prowl for any crumbs that we may sprinkle on our floor. Most people on average get roughly 6-7 hours of sleep per night. For some, this may be sufficient, for others not so much. When we sleep our bodies have a chance to recover from the day. If you’re an athlete and push your body to the limit, this is a crucial step in being able to perform well the following day. Let’s discuss briefly how to get better sleep and why sleep is so important.

A study by the American Medical Association published a study years ago and they found that between 62-68 degrees is the best temperature to sleep in. This cool temperature allows our brain to fall into REM, rapid eye movement, sleep. This stage of sleep is important for learning, memories, and mood. When we don’t get enough REM sleep, we often feel “sluggish” the following day. What we sleep on is incredibly important. Mattress should last roughly around 8-10, depending on the manufacturer. Pillows should be changed every 2-4 years as well. Removing as many electronics from the bed room, keeping the room quiet and dark, and having consistent bed times have all been shown to increase REM sleep.

With better sleep comes better outcomes. As we discussed earlier enjoying a good night’s rest will result in better learning. For an athlete this is crucial. Learning a new motor skill is very challenging. We discussed this a few blogs ago so if you missed it, go and check it out! Sleep also helps regulate blood sugar, helps us have a healthier heart, improves athletic performance, reduce muscle fatigue, and provides us a healthier immune system. Research has found, however, that people who sleep for longer than 9 hours a night have a higher calcium build up in their heart arteries and were less flexible.

In conclusion, having a cool, dark, quiet place to sleep for 6-8 hours a night, with consistent bed times and wake up times is extremely beneficial to our bodies. Having the right mattress and pillow will help us wake up with less aches and pains and will improve our quality of life.

How’s your ankle mobility? – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 06:09:06 GMT

Our ankles are often overlooked in the healthcare profession. Most healthcare providers will only examine the ankle if there is an injury in the area. However, studies have shown that if there is a lack of ankle mobility, the knee, hip, lower back, and even neck pain can be attributed to a lack of ankle mobility. If we take a step back and look at the role of the ankle, we can certainly understand how this is possible.

Our ankles are a mobile joint, meaning they serve in more than one plane of range of motion. Those are inversion, eversion, dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, abduction, and adduction. As you know from previous blogs, when a mobile segment becomes stable, meaning it loses range of motion in one or more planes, the cascade can affect distal segments. So, whether you’re an athlete or not, your ankle mobility can drastically affect your life.

For the non-athlete, a stiff ankle can cause hip imbalances which can result in hip and lower back pain. This can also cause you to “waddle” as you walk which overtime can lead to an increase in degenerative joint disease in the hip and low back. For the athlete this can impact performance. For the powerlifter a strong base is the foundation for any efficient Olympic lift. If the ankle cannot stabilize the foot in inversion/eversion during a lift, it can translate to a shift in the knee and the hip losing efficiency and therefore the amount of weight a person can lift. For a runner having sufficient dorsiflexion and plantarflexion can make the difference in achieving the sub twenty-minute 5k. Soccer, football, tennis, basketball, and golf athletes are more prone to having ankle imbalances due to the incredible amount of force those sports put on the ankles.

Some simple drills that anyone can do at home to increase ankle mobility and stability as simple as standing on one leg close to a wall for support. The goal would be to hold a single leg stance for longer than a minute with each side. Drawing the alphabet with your big toe, half kneeling calf stretches with a flat foot, and stretching your calves are great ways to improve ankle mobility. If you’re still experiencing stiffness after trying these stretches, some adjustments to the foot and ankle can increase mobility as well!

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #chiropractic #functionalmovement #ankle #anklemobility #dorsiflexion #plantarflexion #inversion #eversion #pronation #supination #anklesprain #athlete #injuryprevention #anklehealth #gait #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

How to prevent ACL injuries – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:35:26 GMT

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is a very strong ligament in the middle of our knee that prevents our tibia from moving forward relative to the femur. It also provides rotational stability of the knee. The ACL also shares a connection with the medial meniscus and the medial meniscus shares a connection with the Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) which is why it is not uncommon to see a tear of all three structures following a severe knee injury. Some of the most common ways an athlete injures the ACL is when an athlete is tackled from the side when the foot is on the ground, a basketball player hyperextends the knee on landing, or a sudden deceleration when attempting to cut. Hyperextension and deceleration injuries are more likely to produce isolated injuries to the ACL. Ironically enough this is exactly what happened to me when I said goodbye to my ACL in 2009. I was playing basketball driving to the net and an offensive lineman stood in-between me and the hoop. Natural instincts took over and I drove into him to draw a foul and put the shot up. He stood firm, very firm, and I ricocheted off of him several feet and landed with my right leg hyperextended. Once my foot hit the floor and my knee was locked out, my momentum kept going and that’s when I felt and heard the loudest ‘pop’ in my knee. A lot of pain and swelling later I knew my ACL was torn and after getting the confirmation on the MRI I was set for surgery in May of 2009. So how could have this been prevented?

Basketball, football, and soccer have the highest incidents of tearing the ACL in sports due to the factors mentions above. Female athletes are at a higher risk factor than their male counterparts. Studies have shown that learning how to jump and land correctly dramatically reduced the risk of an ACL tear. This occurred by having athletes performing cuts using a three-0step pattern in which the knees were flexed and the feet were kept beneath the hips. Over a 2-year period just performing this exercise reduced ACL injuries by 89%! Weight training, plyometrics, and stretching also showed a great reduction in ACL injuries. Wobble board exercises are also highly beneficial. Standing on an uneven surface performing squats or throwing a ball to another player are just some examples as well. Strengthening the VMO complex is also important as this muscle keeps the patella tracking properly. Having players take a jump shot from a box approximately 30-40cm high and having them land with flexion in the hip and knees is beneficial.

Other factors to include are proper footwear for the sport and conditions, good ankle and hip mobility, and overall skill and awareness of an athlete. There isn’t a one size fit all approach to preventing ACL injuries but more of a multifactorial approach seems to have better outcomes in reducing that injury. After going through the injury, surgery, and recovery I want to help as many people try and avoid this injury.

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

#foco #noco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #functionalmovement #aclinjury #acl #injuryprevention #kneepain #aclprevention #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

How to Improve Your Cardiac Endurance – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:32:57 GMT

There are numerous benefits to cardio workouts. Most of which you are probably aware of. Decrease risks of heart attacks, lower cholesterol, more energy, higher metabolism, weight loss, and better moods due to a release in oxytocin, just to name a few. There are several ways to improve cardiac health and there isn’t a one size fits all model for this which is great. The most common ways are running, biking, and rowing. However, swimming, hiking, high intensity workouts, playing various sports, and dancing are other ways to help increase cardiac endurance. So how can you improve your cardiac endurance?

The first and most important way to improve endurance is to be consistent. We know from research that after 48 hours of not exercising our cardiac endurance starts to decline. It’s important for athletes who are injured and need to have a high cardiac endurance to have their training modified to maintain that endurance so when they recover from an injury, they can pick up right where they left off. Consistency translates to roughly 150 minutes a week to improve your heart and lungs and over 300 minutes a week can lead to additional health benefits.

Next, it’s important to find several exercises that you ENJOY! It’s more of a psychological benefit that you find exercises that you enjoy doing because you’re more likely to continue those exercises. For me it’s running, stationary biking, rowing, and high intensity interval training. These exercises help my body adapt to the various demands that each exercise has on my body. It’s called the SAID principal, Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. Basically, our bodies will adapt to the types of the regular exercises you perform!

For serious athletes, many find their ideal heart rate for the various types of exercise. For moderate intensity exercises 50-70% of your max heart rate is a great and for vigorous exercises 70-85% of your max heart rate is where you want to be. To find what your max heart rate is, just simply take 220 – (age) = max heart rate. For myself it’s 185 beats per minute. Staying within these percentages for certain types of exercise will help increase cardiac endurance and strength.

Changing the intensity, known as the overload principle, is another way to improve endurance. This principle involves making gradual increases in either volume or intensity to continue improving your fitness. If you’re biking 10 miles and want to improve your time, increasing the distance, time, or intensity you bike will help improve your time.

Staying hydrated, sleeping well, and breathing properly will all help you increase your cardiac endurance. I’ve mentioned this before and its very important so I’ll mention it again, for every pound you lose during your workout you need to supplement 20oz of water afterwards. This will help your body and muscles recover faster and prevent dehydration. Having a set sleep schedule has been shown to improve muscle recovery. Breathing properly may sound strange to you but our diaphragm is connected to so many tissues and organs and if it's not functioning properly it can lead to a decrease in lung capacity which will hinder cardiac endurance.

Finally, having proper body mechanics will help your body move efficiently through various exercise programs. Efficiency equals free power is a saying that I tell my patients all the time. The more efficient you move your body the greater results you’ll get. This is where my functional movement screen comes in to play to address poor body mobility. So if you’re still stuck and not seeing any improvements with your cardiac endurance give my office a call so we can find the root cause of what is holding you back!

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #northerncolorado #sportschiro #functionalmovement

How a Selective Functional Movement Screen can improve your body – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:30:59 GMT

You’re living the active Colorado lifestyle, exercising several times during the week and the weekend you’re enjoying the great outdoors with a long hike or bike ride. You’re an avid Olympic lifter, runner, yogi, golfer, baseball player, soccer player, gym goer and all of a sudden doing the same movements that you’ve been doing for months starts giving you pain. You brush off the pain, stretch it out, and continue the workout. The next day the pain is still there and you decide to take a few days off. After a few days the pain is better so you go back to your exercise routine but then a few days later the pain is back, this time worse. Does this sound like someone you know? Chances are it’s yourself!

Every athlete knows how painful it is to miss out on games or competitions. What if there was a way to prevent these injuries from happening? Good news, there is! It’s called the SFMA, Selective Functional Movement Assessment. This is an assessment of what the body should be capable of doing. Lets take a look at some examples and relate them to certain sports.

Your shoulder should be able to produce 90 degrees of external rotation. When there is a limitation more stress is put on the surrounding musculature. For a golfer this could limit their backswing and cause the club to be off plane. For a quarterback it could be the difference from a touchdown to a pick six. A baseball pitcher could be losing velocity.

Our ankles should have 40 degrees of dorsiflexion. This is incredibly important for anyone who does squats. CrossFit, Olympic lifters, high school and college athletes all incorporate this movement into their exercise programs. If you don’t have adequate ankle dorsiflexion there is a good chance, you’ll drop your chest when getting low in the squat. This will put a lot of pressure on the low back and can lead to failure.

Cervical spine rotation should be 80 degrees. If a wide receiver doesn’t have that range of motion, that can cause the player to lose sight of a deep pass. A tennis player may not be able to locate the opponents volley after spinning around from hitting a backhand. A wrestler will need that range of motion as they grapple the opponent and get tossed around to see what moves they are trying to establish.

Spinal rotation in the thoracic spine should be 50 degrees. This is important for golfers, lacrosse, football, basketball, softball, wrestling, tennis, and hockey. Pretty much any sport with a rotation component.

There are plenty of more examples I can make but the point is every athlete can perform with limited mobility in the area’s mentioned above. But this will cause inefficacies in other regions of the body which can break down and cause pain and ultimately, the athlete has to miss games or events. By knowing what body parts aren’t moving as well as they should be, and addressing how to correct these, an athlete’s performance can excel. The SFMA breaks down our body movements into a screen which provides the physician, coach, trainer, and athlete valuable information. So, get your SFMA screen today and see an improvement in your performance tomorrow.

#foco #fortcolins #fortcollinschiro #sprotschiro #functionalmovement #sfma #improveyourbody #athleteperformance #baseball #football #golf #hockey #soccer #basketball #lacrosse #tennis #swinning #biking #running #hiking #wrestling #elevateyourperformance #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Head Trauma in Sports – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:28:31 GMT

Head trauma in sports is fairly common. Approximately 2 million head injuries occur every year in US sports and out of those 300,000 are concussions. American football, ice hockey, boxing, soccer, wrestling, and cheerleading are the sports with the highest incidence of head injuries. It’s estimated that 20% of players in their football careers will experience a head injury! The main mechanism of injury is a direct blow to the head or a very hard impact to another part of the body which results in a “whiplash” type of injury. The latter results in a coup countercoup injury were the brain essentially rates around in our skull causing damage to different lobes.

The lobes of the brain specialize in different functions which is why it’s not uncommon to have multiple lobes injured during a head injury. The frontal lobe contains the centers for intellectual function, eye movement, and motor speech. The temporal lobe is primarily responsible for receptive speech and memory. The parietal lobes contain the association areas where information is processed. The occipital lobes deal primarily with vision. Between the skull and our brain consists of three meninge layers. The dura is a tough outer cover; the arachnoid is a filmy middle layer; and the pia matter is a thin, transparent layer closely adhered to the cortex.

When a traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs, there can be bleeding into the meninges and bruising to the brain. An athlete should be immediately evaluated following a suspected TBI. The gold standard scale to evaluate an athlete that has just suffered a head injury is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). This is done after making sure the athlete is alert and verbal. In short if an athlete scores a 13-15 on the GCS the brain injury is mild, 9-12 moderate, less than 8 severe. It’s been reported that a GCS score of lower than 7 has a 40% mortality rate. After determining the GCS an athlete should be taken either to the ER or to the sidelines for further evaluation and not be allowed to return to play on the same day.

Side line evaluations are more thorough and can consist of neuropsychological tests and recent memory questions. It should also be noted to suspect a cervical spine injury with any TBI and should be evaluated. It’s VERY important to NEVER leave an athlete alone after a suspected TBI. Life threating injuries can take several minutes to develop where as previously the athlete seemed fine. Changes in personality, loss of coordination, vomiting, unsteady gait, changed in pupil sizes, slurred speech, and bruising can occur well after an athlete has left the field. If any of these symptoms occur the athlete should be transported to the closest ER for immediate evaluation and imaging to rule out life threating injuries.

Regardless of the severity of the head injury, an athlete should not return to play until being thoroughly evaluated by a trained medical professional. Rushing an athlete back from a concussion too soon can result in second impact syndrome, which is rare, but when it does occur is often fatal.

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #chiropractor #functionalmovement #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #headinjury #concussion #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Exercising in Warm Temperatures – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:26:26 GMT

Summer has finally arrived and with that comes longer days and higher temperatures. The summer months are great to get outside and shake off those winter blues. Popular summer activities such as running, hiking, and biking are great ways to exercise but how can we prevent our bodies from overheating?

The first, and most important aspect in my opinion is, staying hydrated. You might be saying to yourself ‘I drink enough water’ but in my experience most people do not. The best way to gauge how much water you should be drinking on a daily basis is taking half your body weight in ounces. However, depending on your climate such as a desert or humid environment those numbers should increase. If you’re a coffee drinker like myself, add an extra glass of water per cup of coffee you consume. Dehydration reduces endurance exercise performance, decreases time to exhaustion, and increases heat storage. In my opinion, if you want to set yourself up for success, hydration, especially in the summer months, is the first place to start.

When our body temperature rises during exercise we begin to sweat. This is very important step in helping our bodies cool off. As we sweat, it evaporates and therefore helps cool our bodies to prevent hyperthermia. The main limiting factor of evaporation is humidity. When there is more moisture in the air, less sweat evaporates which limits our body’s ability to release heat. If you’re in a desert climate you won’t have to worry about this too much but if you’re stuck on the east coast pay close attention to the humidity levels.

There are three main types of heat related injuries, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Heat cramps occur when the body loses electrolytes through sweating. The best prevention of heat cramps is hydration! If you experience a heat cramp, immediately stop the exercise and rest, rehydrate, and stretch passively. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body is dehydrated and has difficulty dissipating heat. Symptoms include a weak rapid pulse, low blood pressure, dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and general weakness. One thing to also not is the body temperature is usually not elevated. If you’re out and experience these symptoms it’s best to lie down in a cool environment and replenish any loss of water. A hypotonic fluid is highly recommended. The most severe injury due to heat is a heat stroke. This is a true medical emergency. The symptoms of a heat stroke may mimic heat exhaustion however there are some subtle differences. Mental and emotional status can change, our gait will be unsteady, our skin will be warm and dry and our bodies will stop sweating. If you see someone experiencing these symptoms call 911 immediately. If at all possible, apply ice packs to the neck, axilla, and groin region. Soak anything in water and place it around the head and trunk areas. Whole body immersion in in ice bath is most effective and is best done naked to expose as much of the skin as possible. The person should not be allowed to move until first responders arrive or until shivering occurs in the ice bath.

The big takeaway from this is staying hydrated! Proper loose clothing and avoiding the hottest parts of the day are also great ways to make help prevent any heat related injuries!

#noco #foco #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #functionalmovement #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #heat #heatrelatedinjuries #heatcramps #heatexhaustion #heatstroke #hydration #dehydration #hyperthermia #humidity #exercise #running #hiking #biking #summer #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Exercising in Cold Temperatures – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:23:58 GMT

As I sit in my office writing this, it’s currently a balmy 5 degrees out with some light snow and yet I see two people cross country skiing on a trail so I wanted to write about how to protect yourself if you’re exercising in cold weather. Let’s briefly discuss what happens to our bodies when we are exposed to a cold environment. When we enter a cold environment vasoconstriction occurs, meaning out blood vessels tighten up, think of it as driving in a four-lane highway that merges into two. The reason for this is to limit heat loss and protect our core temperature. This is why you’ll feel your hands and toes become cold first when experiencing cold weather. When we start to feel cold and need to warm up, our bodies can involuntary start shivering. The purpose of shivering is to contract skeletal muscle to produce heat. If you start to shiver, this is a sign that you’re losing more heat than your body can produce and is a sign to get back inside or start moving slowly to produce more heat!

Hypothermia, medically speaking, occurs when core temperature is below 35 degree C or 95 degrees F. There are three types; mild, moderate, or severe. Mild hypothermia is the most common and I’m sure we’ve all experienced it. Shivering, feeling cold overall, and cold fingers and toes. When this occurs, get to warm shelter and place warm dry clothes on.

Moderate cases of hypothermia are more alarming. They include confusion, sleepiness, slurred speech, and a chance of behavior or appearance. We can become more fatigued with a potential of shivering to stop. Our coordination will be altered and our reaction time will decrease. When this occurs get to a warm area immediately and eat a warm meal and drink water.

Severe hypothermia is a medical emergency and occurs when our heart rhythm changes with the addition our core temperature falls below 32 degrees C or 89.6 degrees F. You’ll see a complete loss of shivering, confusion, visual disturbances, changing levels of consciousness, a lower blood pressure and respiratory rate. This is a true medical emergency so if this occurs call 911 and try to keep the individual warm and alert. Remove all wet clothing if applicable and hug the person to try and keep them warm.

Rain and wind can also increase the chances of hypothermia so it’s important to check the weather before heading outside to exercise. Our bodies can put us at a higher risk for hypothermia as well. Individuals with high subcutaneous fat thickness and muscle mass can maintain core temperatures better than individuals with less fat and muscle! The older and younger population are at an increased risk as well.

When exercising in the cold it’s important to know what the stages of hypothermia are and it’s always better to exercise in pairs so both individuals can monitor each other. Doing a warm up is critical before exercising to increase blood flow to the muscles to prevent injury. When sweating starts to occur it’s important to shed layers because the sweat will start to evaporate and evaporating is a cooling process and will decrease our core temperatures quickly. Limiting our time in the cold is crucial to prevent frostbite and hypothermia. If you’re exercising in a snowy environment, having waterproof clothes and equipment is highly recommended.

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #functionalmovement #ccsp #coldweather #coldweatherexercise #keepingathletessafe #frostbite #hypothermia #athleteeducation #hypothermiaprevention #elevateyourheatlh #elevatesportandspinecenter

Exercise during pregnancy – Dr. John Kuruc

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:20:43 GMT

You’ve found out the exciting news of the newest addition to your family and after the excitement settles you wonder if it’s still safe to exercise during your pregnancy. The general consensus is that exercise is beneficial to the pregnant woman but on an individual basis. Some benefits of exercise during pregnancy include; avoidance of excessive weight, maintenance of muscle tone and fitness, less backache, less water retention, and shorter postpartum recovery. Mild to moderate exercise routines can continue during pregnancy and doing these exercises three times a week is preferable to intermittent activity.

Let’s talk about two examples of pregnant women; one is active and one isn’t as active. The active individual exercised several times a week doing heavy lifting, cardio, and yoga. The other would take walks on the weekends with her dog. Both of these women have a very similar due date. One of the most important things to do for both women is to check with her obstetrician to be sure that she does not have a high-risk pregnancy. Some examples of high-risk pregnancy include; hypertensive disorders to pregnancy, incompetent cervix, uncontrolled type I diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, or multiple gestations. If both women have been ruled out by their obstetrician and have been exercising prior to pregnancy she should be able to continue the activities with moderations as the pregnancy evolves. Both women can now keep up with their pre pregnancy exercise routine. It’s important for both women to stop exercising when fatigued and do not exercise to exhaustion. It’s also important to avoid exercises in the supine position after the first trimester and prolonged periods of motionless standing should be avoided as well.

As the second and third trimester arrives, both women will need to reduce intensity of their exerciser programs. In the active individual, the weight intensity will be lowered and body weight versions of the exercises should be recommended. The other individual should be taking more breaks when walking and if walking becomes to difficult cycling or swimming should be recommended since those are non-weight-bearing exercises. Modifications are critical during pregnancy because the body is constantly changing. Joint laxity occurs due to the increase of the hormone relaxin. This causes the joints and ligaments to become loose to allow for the growth of the fetus. Hypermobility can cause injuries in the pregnant women if modifications do not occur.

After the birth of the child most women are eager to start exercising again. It is generally recommended to wait 6-10 weeks after a cesarean section is performed. If a normal birth is performed, waiting for vaginal bleeding to stop and/or the postpartum check-up for your physician is normal. It’s also recommended for breastfeeding women to either nurse before exercising or collect milk for later feedings. Research has showed that lactic acid will increase in the breast milk and this can cause the baby to reject this milk!

In conclusion, each pregnancy journey is both challenging and wonderful. Each women requires specific individualized care detailed to their physical abilities. As a sports chiropractor I have helped several patients successfully navigate this journey both from the chiropractic side and from the exercise side. Both chiropractic care and exercise during pregnancy have been well documented to be beneficial to the mother and fetus.

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #exerciseduringpregnancy #pregnancy #exercise #chiropracticcareduringpregnancy #elevateyourheatlh #elevatesportandspinecenter

Does your back hurt when you squat or deadlift? – Dr. John Kuruc CCSP

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:16:09 GMT

One of the most common complaints from my patients is back pain after performing a squat or deadlifting workout. Let me state that you should not have back pain after performing these exercises. Your back can feel “stiff or tight” but pain should not occur. So, what can cause back pain during a squat or deadlift? First let’s talk about toddlers, yes you read that correctly.

When we’re born and learning how to navigate this strange world, we stumble and fall a lot. Through this process our body fine tunes our proprioceptors. Proprioceptors essentially give the brain detailed and continuous information about the position of the limbs and other body parts in space. These play a big part in creating stabilization and helps our bodies walk upright. Once we learn how to do that, we instinctively squat to pick up objects. If you don’t believe me just watch a toddler pick up objects. They have phenomenal squat forms yet no one taught them to how to perform that motion. So what gives? We have the innate ability to squat but as soon as we start school and sit for several hours a day, we lose that ability. Throw in several decades of schooling and other lifestyle activities you can see how our body loses flexibility.

One of the most common areas limiting proper squat and deadlifting forms in ankle mobility, primarily ankle dorsiflexion. When we perform a squat or get in the start position of a deadlift, we need proper ankle dorsiflexion to allow our knees and hips to get into proper position. The starting position of the deadlift and the bottom of the squat share similar body mechanics. Ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion, and hip flexion. If we don’t have enough ankle dorsiflexion, we will lose knee and hip flexion which will cause our back to get involved in the movement which is not the goal of a deadlift or a squat.

Another reason is our glutes are not working as much as they should be. We need hip extension to preform a deadlift and a squat, and this is one of the primarily muscles that these movements target. One of my simple tests is to have my patient preform a glute bridge. If they tell me they feel this movement in the back or hamstrings, we have a problem and therefore squatting or deadlifting will be problematic. The reason being if a person can not isolate their glutes using body weight, I know they will have difficulty squatting or deadlifting. Would you be surprised that a lot of people have both ankle dorsiflexion and hip extension limitations?

The good news is when a patient comes in with lower back pain from squatting or deadlifting, they go through my selective functional movement assessment. Through this screen we are able to see how their body is moving, or not moving, and help create a customizable treatment plan that gets them out of pain but moving properly again. So, if you have pain while squatting or deadlifting, don’t wait for the pain to go away. Come in and get assessed. All you’ll lose is pain and gain mobility and maybe that personal record you’re chasing.

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #chiropractor #sportschiro #rehabchiro #functionalmovement #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter #squat #deadlift

Do you really need x-rays when visiting a chiropractor? – Dr. John Kuruc

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:22:49 GMT

One of the most common questions a new patient will ask is whether or not x-rays will be necessary prior to being treated. The answer is in most cases x-rays won’t be medically necessary. The last two words of the previous sentence is what I want patients to take home, medically necessary. In my opinion, any imaging or advanced testing should only be required when it’s medically necessary. Most patients will not require x-rays prior to being treated in my office. One of the biggest reasons why I can say this because I listen very carefully to them. Yep, it’s that simple. Patients tell us about 95% of their diagnosis! The rest comes from orthopedic, neurological, functional movement, and special testing. So, what makes any imaging medically necessary?

In my profession we are always looking out for what we call “red flags.” These are potentially serious issues that need to be addressed as quickly as possible. There are many examples of red flags but some include: sweating at night, severe and debilitating pain, history of a previous injury to the current location of pain, history of cancer or other severe illness, red and swollen areas around the pain, and severity of initial injury. When these red flags occur it’s important to rule out serious and life-threatening issues. This is when it’s extremely important to get diagnostic imaging and special testing done.

When imaging is necessary, I will refer out to the appropriate provider or imaging center. It’s important to build relationships with other healthcare providers in the area so when a patient comes in and needs additional help you can provide them with the best options. After an x-ray is taken, I always recommend the patient get a copy of the radiograph for their own personal records. I will help review the images with the patient so that they can fully understand what’s going on because reading the radiology reports can be really confusing!

In conclusion, x-rays generally aren’t medically necessary. Putting patients through unnecessary exposures to radiation and having an extra out-of-pocket expense isn’t something I want my patients to go through for an adjustment.

Common Throwing Injuries and How to Prevent Them – Dr. John Kuruc

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:20:57 GMT

The end of March and the beginning of April usually means one thing; the beginning of Major League Baseball. This also means that High School teams are starting their season as well and in a few more weeks Little League will begin their training as well. So, lets dive in and talk about common throwing injuries.

By far, the most common and famous throwing injury is an ulnar collateral ligament injury. This injury occurs by repetitive valgus extension overload of the elbow and when this occurs “Tommy John” surgery is needed. The ulnar collateral ligament consist of three ligaments and the anterior band is the ligament that usually gets torn in these throwing injuries. This band is taught when the elbow is extended and is the primary resistance to valgus stress. When a pitcher throws during the acceleration phase, the trunk and pelvis have already shifted forwards towards the catcher and the arm has to catch up. Just take a look at the photo above. When the arm catches up to the rest of the body the elbow rapidly extends and a large valgus forced is produced. Overtime, this repeated force can lead to failure and rupture. Proper pitching mechanics are crucial to preventing this injury as well. Take a look at the pitcher above. Look at how is lead knee is collapsed and his back leg is far off the mound. This causes his pelvis to drop which will then cause more stress on the elbow as it has to work harder and faster to come around. A collapsed lead knee is a huge pitching flaw that can rob a pitcher of velocity and efficiency. Curve balls are also partially to blame for UCL injuries as they increase elbow extension to throw the pitch.

Little league elbow is also very common as well as medial epicondylitis. Little league elbow occurs when there is repetitive stress to the medial elbow causing and injury to the growth plate resulting in a facture of the medial elbow. This requires a visit to your local orthopedic specialist for further evaluation. Medial epicondylitis is an overuse condition of the common flexor tendon at the medial epicondyle, flexor-pronator tendons, and triceps insertion.

The best treatment for these injuries is prevention! Proper conditioning is the most important. Maintaining flexibility and endurance in the offseason is the best place to start. Throwing in the offseason is recommended but throwing at max velocity is NOT recommended! Functional movement screens are very important to help ensure the body is moving efficiently as to not put unwanted stress on other parts of the body. The thoracic spine has a huge influence on shoulder mobility and the lower body is extremely important for pitchers! Avoiding pitching when fatigued can not be stressed enough. Pitch counts are very important especially for the younger population. Subtle signs that a pitcher is starting to be fatigued is their accuracy will decrease. Accuracy will decrease before pitching velocity! If a pitcher is throwing 75% strikes consistently and then drops to 65%, fatigue is starting to set in! Don’t rely of velocity alone! After pitching is complete, icing the elbow is a great way to combat inflammation. Light tossing and throwing during the off days and stretching are recommended, again without maximum effort. Soft tissue techniques such as muscle stripping, vibration therapy, and pin-and-stretch techniques are extremely beneficial.

If you’re experiencing elbow pain, don’t wait to be seen by your local sports chiropractor!

Resources:

Hyde, T. E., & Gengenbach, M. S. (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #functionalmovement #pitching #elbowpain #tommyjohn #timnath #windsor #loveland #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Chiropractic Care is NOT a quick fix – Dr. John Kuruc CCSP®

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:18:43 GMT

Throughout my career I have learned that there are essentially two types of patients. Those who want the quick fix to get out of pain and those who want to find the root cause of their pain. They both have the same goal, to get out of pain, but the direction to their desired outcomes are completely different. Let me explain.

The “quick fix” patients that I have seen in my career want the instant fix. It is that simple. They want a miracle cure. They are looking for one treatment to “cure” all their ailments and that just does not happen. Can a single chiropractic treatment deliver amazing results that reduces pain and increase mobility? Absolutely. Will it have long lasting effects that create new movement patterns and change body mechanics? Absolutely not! In the chiropractic world this type of care is just treating the symptom and not the cause. As chiropractors we should know better than to treat the symptom.

The “root cause” patients are totally different. Generally speaking, they once were the “quick fix” type and have tried traditional chiropractic, physical therapy, and orthopedic care and are still not getting the desired outcomes that they want. These patients want to find the root cause of their pain/limitation. They are tired of not living their life the way they want and not achieving the goals they want. They are committed to the process of changing how their body moves and are committed to the rehab process. Progress takes time, consistency, and commitment. Read that last sentence again.

Now that you have some understanding of the two different patient types can you guess which one has better outcomes? It’s pretty easy to tell. As a rehab sports chiropractor I take pride in taking the time necessary to find the root cause of my patient’s pain and helping them through our three-stage process. Those stages are; activation, stabilization, integration. My practice is built around those who want to find and understand what is causing their pain. I am proud that my appointments are hour long and I can help patients achieve their goals in as little as 9 visits. It’s important to take the time necessary to explain to patients that what I do is not a quick fix but a long lasting fix.

Can Chiropractic Care Help Pinched Nerves? – Dr. John Kuruc

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:16:20 GMT

On average, 85 people out of 100,000 adults in the United States will suffer from a pinched nerve. Within that statistic, any age group can experience a pinched nerve, yet studies show that people over 50 years of age are more susceptible to enduring the ramifications of a pinched nerve. Why? Because those individuals also suffer from arthritis or bone degeneration that can trigger pinched nerves. It is crucial to mention however, that if pinched nerves are not treated adequately, your quality of life may rapidly decline.

A pinched nerve is caused by an increase in pressure on the nerve root. This can occur from a disc herniation, degenerative joint disease, obesity, and poor posture among others. When a pinched nerve occurs, common symptoms may include; numbness, tingling, discomfort, pain when coughing/sneezing, weakness, and sharp pain.

The issue of dealing with a pinched nerve however, is its tendency of surprise. Meaning, that the symptoms that coincide with a pinched nerve may occur when you least expect it. Many studies also show that when patients feel numbness and tingling in their extremities, the sensation at times becomes sharp and electrical. Generally, these episodes come and go but if not treated, they will become persistent over time. When a person feels weakness in their leg, arm, foot, or hand due to a pinched nerve, this is because the affected nerve has been irritated because of the repetitive compression. This can be very uncomfortable, and if the proper care is not pursued, muscle function, size, and vitality may be lost in the specific area. This of course, occurs in the most severe cases, but must be avoided while possible. In more specific cases associated with pinched nerves, the increased compression may result in wearing down the nerve’s protective outer layer. If that occurs, the buildup of fluid in the area will cause dangerous inflammation and potential scarring of tissue.

So how can chiropractic care help? You see, chiropractic care will dive into finding the root cause of the pinched nerve. While pain medications and a steroid are often prescribed by medical doctors, it’s important to help the patient understand why the pinched nerve occurred in the first place and help correct it. Most patients in my experience that have hand a pinched nerve respond well to several techniques that I use in my office daily. Manual therapies such as myofascial release, deep tissue massage, cupping, and instrument assisted soft tissue therapy. Spinal manipulation or extremity manipulation were necessary to increase range of motion to the joints. Flexion distraction techniques are used to separate the spinal joints to reduce pressure on the nerve roots. Finally, postural rehabilitative exercises to help restore proper body mechanics.

With all of these therapies combined, patients tend to see results in as little as six to nine treatments. Pinched nerves unfortunately do no resolve overnight which is why treating a pinched nerve with several treatments over a short period of time leads to better outcomes because no one likes to live in pain. So, if you’re experiencing a pinched nerve, don’t wait for the pain to go away! Get evaluated as quickly as possible!

#noco #foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiropractor #sportschiro #functionalmovement #certifiedchiropracticsportsphysician #pinchednerve #carpaltunnel #neckpain #backpain #dischernination #discbuldge #tingling #nervedamage #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter

Can Chiropractic Care Help Headaches? – Dr. John Kuruc CCSP

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:13:47 GMT

There are several different types of headaches. Most common include tension, migraine, cervicogenic, and sub-occipital headaches. Tension headaches commonly present as a band like tension or vice grip feeling around the head, whereas migraine headaches usually result in pain on one side of the head and are commonly accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Cervicogenic headaches and sub occipital headaches, the neck is the source of the problem but the pain is perceived in one or more areas of the head and/or face.

The causes of headaches are not always well understood but a family history of headaches, neck stiffness, history of concussions, stress, barometric pressure, stimulates such as caffeine, and constant computer use and fluorescence lighting are common factors. So, how can chiropractic care help headaches?

As a sports chiropractor I have treated a wide range of patients suffering from headaches and the most important that I’ve learned in my ten years treating patients is that each headache is different from the last. Our bodies are constantly changing and therefore no two headaches are the same. With that being said, I have found that the most helpful treatment in dealing with headaches is manual therapy techniques. These include myofascial release, pin and stretch, PNF stretching, cupping, instrument assisted soft tissue manipulation, and soft tissue mobilization. Often times I am able to reproduce the type of headache my patients experience during my examination! Most commonly I will use manual therapy techniques, cervical traction, spinal manipulation, and rehabilitation with my headache patients and I have found these procedures to provide the best outcomes. Studies have also shown that chiropractic care can help decrease the intensity and frequency of migraines.

It’s important to take headache seriously. Consider consulting myself if you often have headaches, if you frequently take a pain reliever for your headaches, if your headache pattern changes, or if your headaches are getting worse. Seek prompt attention if your headache is sudden and severe, follows a head injury, or is accompanied by fever, stiff neck, weakness, numbness, or difficulty speaking.

References

1Bryans R, Descarreaux M, Duranleau M, Marcoux H, Potter B, Ruegg R, Shaw L, Watkin R, White E. Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011;34(5):274-89.:

Breaking down the lower body during the squat. – Dr. John Kuruc

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 07:10:50 GMT

Performing a squat is one of the basic human movements and we’re born with the best squat form! Don’t believe me, just look at a toddler squat. When they pick up their toys, they squat to do it and they didn’t have a personal trainer teach them how to perform a squat properly. As we get older, we lose our ability to do a squat properly unless we start working on it. One of the biggest reasons why we lose that ability is we go to grade school. Yep, I’m blaming my poor squat form on the educational system. We start sitting for hours upon hours a day which, overtime, creates tight hip flexors and hamstrings. When we squat, we need proper knee and hip flexion and if that is inadequate, our form becomes compromised.

One of the most common reasons why people have pain during a squat is from limited ankle dorsiflexion. In the picture above, the you can see how the knee is moving forward during the squat. This, relative to the ankle, is dorsiflexion. This is my experience the number one reason why athletes have trouble with their squats or have pain when performing them. There are several reasons for this. Previous ankle injuries that weren’t rehabilitated correctly is very common. When most people sprain their ankles the RICE method is most commonly used. Res, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. After a few days/weeks the ankle will heal with some scar tissue depending on the severity and the athlete will slowly start to get back into competition without any proper rehabilitation. This will cause the ankle to lose mobility which can limit ankle dorsiflexion in the squat. This can also limit ankle inversion/eversion. You might be wondering what is ankle inversion/eversion. Think of your foot rocking side to side. This helps create a stable base for our feet when we do a squat. Another big reason for loss of dorsiflexion is tight calf muscles. Our calves in general are very tight unless we stretch them. We sleep for several hours a night with our toes pointed or slightly flexed and when we walk the push off phase requires plantar flexion. Tight calf muscles won’t allow the ankle to dorsiflex.

Finally, we need good hip internal and external rotation. This helps stabilize our hips and pelvis and keeps our femur and tibia from excessively rotating during a squat. You can see hip mobility issues in athletes that can’t perform a squat when they try and make up for that lack of movement by laterally deviating during the squat. The squat should be performed in the sagittal plane and limited hip mobility can cause it to shift, which could potentially cause injury.

There are lot of moving parts in the lower body when performing a squat. It’s important for all of these movements to work in unison to enable an athlete to perform a functional squat. When mobility issues arise in the lower body, our squat form will become less efficient which can lead to injury. If you’re experiencing pain during the squat contact your local functional movement specialist for an evaluation. It’s better to find out any small issues before a serious one occurs.

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #functionalmovement #squat #squatanalysis #injuryprevention #dorsiflexion #hipflexion #kneeflexion #anklemobility #hipmobility #elevateyourheatlh #elevatesportandspinecenter

All supplements are not the same – Dr. John Kuruc

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 06:56:53 GMT

Supplements are intended to provide micronutrients that we do not consume in our normal diet. The typical American diet is being too low in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy oils, and too high in red meat, high-fat dairy products, processed and fast foods, refined carbohydrates, added sugars, salt, and calories. With this diet, overtime our bodies will start to become depleted in certain nutrients, which then can contribute to chronic diseases. Supplements are a great way to bridge the gap between a poor diet and depleted nutrients. Obviously, the best way to get micronutrients is through a proper diet but with our busy lifestyles making healthy choices is often put on the backburner.

This is where supplements come in but not all supplements are created equally. Supplements are not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration which gives supplement manufactures free range of what they put into them. Having over a decade of experience in conservative healthcare, I’ve seen and heard about all of the “best” and “great” supplements that are supposed to “cure” this or “burn fat.” When a patient says that they take supplements I always want to know the brand, the ingredients, and why they are taking them. Here’s why. Most supplement companies that you see at your local Walmart or grocery store use cheaply made versions of vitamins, minerals, and herbs. This is a great way for the companies to save on costs but are they really helping you? For example, lets talk about calcium. Calcium has multiple important roles in our body, from helping us form strong bones and teeth, to helping maintain a regular heartbeat. Most calcium supplements will be calcium oxide or calcium carbonate. These are forms of calcium but what most people don’t know is that our bodies can have trouble absorbing these forms because they require stomach acid to help absorb calcium. Calcium chelate is the most absorbable form of calcium and does not require stomach acid to be absorbed, but is also more expensive.

Fish oils are another common supplement that many of my patients take. Again, certain companies will take whatever fish, often multiple fish at a time, and harvest their oil and just put them in a capsule and label it “Omega-3 fish oils.” Well, it is true that there are Omega-3’s in fish oil but depending on what fish they harvested it from there could be higher levels of mercury!

Lastly, herbs are another area where shady supplement companies get away with lying to their consumers. Several supplement companies will put fillers in their herbal supplements and sell them as “Gingko Balboa, St. John’s Wart, or Echinacea.” Don’t believe me? Do a quick Google search of “GNC herbal supplement law suit.” By the time they sell millions of dollars’ worth of herbal supplements a quick settlement for a few hundred thousand is a win to them. We’ve heard about echinacea and its immune boosting properties but did you know the only part of the plant that contains those therapeutic benefits is in the root? So, if you’re taking echinacea and it doesn’t have any root in it, you’re unfortunately wasting your money!

With all of this said it’s important to do some research before starting a supplementation routine. I always encourage my patients to bring in their supplement bottles to take pictures of them because I want to make sure they are spending their money wisely and not just flushing it down the drain. If you’re not sure if the supplements your taking are beneficial, talk to your local functional medicine provider, chiropractor who has experience in quality supplement companies, or nutritionist!

#foco #fortcollins #fortcollinschiro #sportschiro #ccsp #nutrion #supplements #absorablesupplements #notfakesupplements #elevateyourhealth #elevatesportandspinecenter