Although the lat pulldown can be used as a great hypertrophy stimulus, the ½ kneeling single-arm lat pulldown can be set up in line with the fibers of the lat, thus specifically targeting those tissues. Another benefit is that we are also exposing our hips to the ½ kneeling position which may help certain clients who are working around hip discomfort enabling them to potentially lift heavier weights.

The single-arm, or one-arm lat pull, is a versatile exercise because it can provide more individualization since the cable can be set up to fit the client, rather than trying to make the client fit the exercise. For example, if an athlete has a history of shoulder issues, but wants to train the upper back, a traditional lat pulldown may not be the best choice. However, in the 1/2 kneeling pulldown, the cable can be adjusted for a more comfortable setup and exercise execution to maximize a full range of motion.

With this exercise, there are 3 things to remember:

1. At starting position, the cable should line up with the lat muscles. begin at about 45 degrees between the arm and shoulder joint, and adjust as needed
2. Initiate the movement with the elbow moving down and slightly back
3. When the weight, sets, and reps become easy, progress your pulldown by either adding more weight, sets, or reps.

Lastly, if you’re looking to put on more muscle, training for a specific sport, or feel your training has become stale and would like to learn some new exercises such as this one, give us a call at #908-679-5313 to schedule your performance assessment today! As always, feel free to visit our website at www.goparabolic.com for more training and therapy tips.

The post The Benefit of the ½ Kneeling, Single Arm, Lat Pulldown appeared first on Parabolic Performance & Rehabilition.

How traditional pain management falls short

When your body is in pain, your nerves transmit this information to your spinal cord and brain by releasing neurotransmitters. Opioids work by binding to these neurotransmitter receptors, preventing your nervous system from sending and receiving these chemical messages. The trouble is, popular opioids like morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl, often have side effects. These commonly include:

• nausea and vomiting
• drowsiness
• itchiness
• constipation

In addition, opioid usage over time can lead to increased tolerance, which requires people who have a long recovery ahead of them to take larger and larger doses for effective pain management. In certain cases, this can lead to dependence, not to mention the additional medley of drugs that often need to be taken to treat the side effects of the pain medication itself.

And pain is not the sole concern. Often in the aftermath of surgery, lingering pain, prolonged hospitalization, immobility and other types of bodily discomfort can undermine sleep patterns, immunity, and other elements of your body’s efforts to heal and return to its normal rhythms.

How acupuncture can help

With its long history as an effective painkiller, muscle relaxant and nausea-reducer, acupuncture is a logical replacement or accompaniment to more traditional postoperative treatment plans. Not only has it been consistently observed in clinical trials and medical literature to reduce pain directly, but when used in concert with opioids, it’s been shown to decrease patients’ reliance on them overall, lowering their required dosages and time spent taking the drugs after surgery.

Beyond pain reduction itself, acupuncture’s benefits for postoperative patients are often cited as holistic and cumulative, from decreasing stress pre- and post-surgery (many practitioners recommend asking for ear seeds to prolong the positive effects of a pre-surgery acupuncture session), boosting your immune system during long hospital stays, minimizing drug side-effects, and even reducing internal and external scarring.

Consistently cited as having little to no negative side effects itself, many doctors are embracing acupuncture’s benefits and recommending its inclusion in postoperative care–even if researchers are still studying how the science supports acupuncture’s results.

Why wait? If you are suffering from postoperative pain or discomfort and looking to decrease your reliance on opioid painkillers, get in touch to see how acupuncture can help.

Our Acupuncturist, Andrea Gurciullo, LAc, MTOM has over 20 years in clinical practice and has successfully treated thousands of patients. Her expertise includes acupuncture and sports medicine as well as post operative pain and rehabilitation. Feel free to call and or email her with any questions… andrea@goparabolic.com or call 973-744-2770

The post Acupuncture and Post Operative Care appeared first on Parabolic Performance & Rehabilition.