Ivan Basso Wins 2009 Giro d'Italia

That's right I said it and yes I am American who knows we will have several riders like Levi Leipheimer and Lance Armstrong but..............................I am an Italian/American well more like American/Italian ......my parents were both born in Sicily and my grandparents and didn't speak a lick of English so what ever that makes me.

First, its not gonna happen for all the Lance fans out there. He will be getting some solid training in and that's it. Levi?.....no way he can peak again for this and the tour so knock him off the podium. I know there are others but I don't care Ivan basso was a stud before his recent suspension and will be again this year. Why do you ask am I so confident. Well lets take a look at doctor Aldo Sassi ( He runs the Mapei Sports Lab and works with a ton of top guys) on Basso in the winter.

"Ivan Basso took the 'endurance' test at Mapei Sport Lab. The test consists on a 10-minute sub-maximal (410W) constant power protocol to estimate the time to exhaustion at the concerned power. The predicted time to exhaustion was 11 minutes at the beginning of the winter training, November 26, 2008, and he showed an increase up to 17 minutes. The 2008 best predicted time to exhaustion was 25 minutes.

His heart rate at the 10th minute of the constant power test dropped from 204 beats per minute to 188.

Roughly, Ivan is now at two-thirds of his 2008 best condition. The test showed that the fitness level is increasing as expected, despite the cold and snow forced Ivan to perform some training sessions on home trainer or on mountain bike." Not bad start and combine that with his win at Giro del Trentino he looks mighty ripe to me. Plus he is Italian and ya know we do it better. The rest of the field is lucky that the Recovery Doc will not be advising him in Italy this year or it would be game over, pack your... bags go home.

Kinesio Tape: 2008 Olympics

Check out this article seen on http://www.nbcolympics.com/

What's with that tape athletes are using?
By Karyn Greer
Posted Saturday, August 16, 2008 8:11 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Some 11Alive viewers have e-mailed, asking about the tape athletes like Olympic beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh have been seen wearing.

Walsh's shoulder has been taped with what is called Kineso tape.

"This would be the kind of tape I would do for somebody, let's say, that's having tennis elbow," said physical therapist Michelle Miller.

A Japanese chiropractor developed Kineso tape in the 1970s, and it was seen widely at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.

"Something you use to assist the exercise -- the stretching. You know, all the rehab that we do. This helps us to get to a place where they're not hurting," Miller said. "In the hands of a skilled chiropractor, or a physical therapist, it's a healing tape. Cyclist Lance Armstrong calls it a miracle tape -- and it does come in other colors: pink, blue and black."

It lifts the skin around the muscles and bones, breaking up adhesions and letting blood flow through the injured area.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh headline the group of teams playing in Day 6 action of the Olympic beach volleyball tournament.

"It allows for function. It allows for decreased joint pain," said Miller. "I mean it works for some people and it doesn't work for others. I've put it on patients and they've felt an immediate difference. I've put it on patients and they haven't felt a single thing."

Thirty-one-year old Carrie Brady is a triathalete -- used to injuries. She said she likes the way the Kineso tape feels.

"It's loose enough that it's not limiting at all," Brady said. "Just kind of reminds you to just be careful with it too. So I think it's just a good presence to have. But it also gives you kinda some warmth. So you remember that the muscles are kind of still there and getting tightened. But it doesn't limit any of the motion."

Recovery for the Boston Maratthon 2009

BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: Among the nation's oldest athletic clubs, the B.A.A. was established in 1887, and, in 1896, more than half of the U.S. Olympic Team at the first modern games was comprised of B.A.A. club members. The Olympic Games provided the inspiration for the first Boston Marathon, which culminated the B.A.A. Games on April 19, 1897. John J. McDermott emerged from a 15-member starting field to complete the course (then 24.5 miles) in a winning time of 2:55:10. The Boston Marathon has since become the world's oldest annually contested marathon. The addition of principal sponsor John Hancock in 1986 has solidified the event's success and ensures it well into the future. Most of the runners are only thinking of the race on Monday but they should have already started there recovery. What? I hear as a collective yell. Yes they should have a recovery plan for the time during and post race into the first 4 weeks as they let their bodies heal and begin a new training program and avoid injury.
No its time to start a reverse taper the week after a marathon I recommend no running at all not even a 20 min walk the following day to flush out toxins. I recommend that you get on your bike for 20 min instead and do 3 20min to 30 min rides that first week to help with the healing process and flush out the toxins that will be present.

First things First

Get that recovery bottle and drink that carb/protein mix to restore your carbohydrate stores and begin the process of repair. While you do that get out of the mess of people and to a predesignated spot with a little bit of walking involved (take space blanket even if you think your to hot you may cool down to a point you need it). I also have my athletes take a small snack that they find easy to digest after a workout. In addition, your supplements should be taken with this small meal (i.e. omega3,bioflavanoids,mag,multi,enzymes,tumeric,co Q10,glucosamine etc.). Now get out of those nasty clothes and into your post Marathon comfy clothes and a hot shower will always feel good. One thing to note if you have an injury or are very competitive runner then you need to ice/cool down your injured area first and your legs as a whole before that hot shower( a must if you are a pro) Jot down what you think went wrong and always end with what went right. Don't dwell on any negatives enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. That night eat lots of healthy foods and make sure you add more protein than you normally do and skip anything more then a glass of wine or beer you just ran a damn marathon. Sleep is sometimes a problem but you have to get some quality sleep or you will never recover over the next few weeks. Stretch before bed as well.

The Day After

Repeat after me..... I will not run the week after the marathon....... I will not run the week after the marathon. As I stated earlier you can ride a bike for 15 to 20 min this will help a lot. Continue with proper recovery nutrition and sleep and start to dissect the race but always keep that positive spin on what you can do better but at the same time be happy with what you have accomplished. See a sports chiropractor to help with restoration of proper biomechanics and proper healing.

Week 2 and beyond

Week 2

Keep it light short and sweet. ( Can also add some cycling days)

Week 3

Keep most of the runs easy but you can add some tempo runs at 15 - 30 seconds faster than marathon pace.

Week 4

Gentle tempo runs and strides. Increase distance gradually of runs. Keep doing those easy runs.

Week 5

More tempo runs and strides. Slightly longer long run.

Week 6

OK your basically back to normal now don't rush the process or you will end up in my office for an injury consultation instead of a recovery training one. You can now start a gradual speed program now and doing some nice intervals. Remember that your body and tissues need time to heal and recover.

Lastly I wanted to wish good luck to all my athlete's that are running the Boston Marathon (remember what I told You) and to an old friend and high school teammate.....the guy who when I think about it...... got me out of my house as kid and onto the cross country team thanks Pesc! and Break that 3H mark bud.

Steroids: Clemens Said it Best

Major League Baseball is starting, and I’m sure the steroid rumors are going to continue. With Roger Clemens’ saga last year, A-Rod’s recent confession, and the spot light now shining towards Manny, this might be another long season of steroid-filled ESPN Breaking News highlights.

With all of this focus on steroid use, and the improved regulations of the MLB, players are certainly reconsidering the use of performance enhancing substances. That being said I believe the players, and teams for that matter, are going to focus on a much more drug restricted plan to keep their bodies functioning optimally.

Teams traditionally have an entire medical staff trained to provide the care that their players need. This staff is usually composed of medical doctors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, orthopedists, etc… allowing the players to perform at the highest level. Chiropractic is another profession that is becoming more and more popular around the clubhouse. Teams and players around the MLB are seeking out Chiropractors to aid in their performance.

It was Clemens himself who stated in his Congressional Testimony that he “has had the opportunity to work with many trainers, chiropractors, physical therapists and other professionals to try to educate himself and to use the knowledge they had to keep his body in the best shape it could possibly be.” You can see it for yourself on this YouTube clip (seen around 1:40)! Therefore, with the improved MLB steroid screening tests, and the fear of being exposed to the public, I believe many more players are going to be strongly concentrating “on keeping their bodies in the best shape they can possibly be,” by using drug free alternatives.

Chiropractic is a drug free alternative to treating sports injuries and ensuring optimal performance. Here in our Fairfax office, we have the opportunity to treat many collegiate, professional, and Olympic level athletes, without the use of drugs.

Paris-Roubaix 2009

A lot of sports stuff is happening in the u.s, Masters, frozen four, MLB opening days not to mention my birthday next week I haven't forgotten the best damn spring classic Paris-Roubaix! But this year Three spectators were seriously injured Sunday when a motorcycle crashed into fans watching the Paris-Roubaix cycling race, a one-day classic won by Belgium's Tom Boonen.
Three people were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Lille and Valenciennes for further scans, two for abdominal injuries and a woman who was briefly knocked unconscious, said Philippe Sudres, a spokesman for race organizer Amaury Sport Organization.
"Doctors do not think their (lives) are in danger, but we have to wait for the results," Sudres said.
About a dozen others needed medical treatment, Sudres said.
The motorcycle belonged to race organizers to provide regular time checks for riders, he said. It appeared to lose control and swerved sideways into the side of the road.
Boonen broke away from the pack about 10 miles from the finish and comfortably won one of cycling's toughest classics a third time. Italy's Filippo Pozzato was 47 seconds behind, and Norway's Thor Hushovd was third, 1 minute, 17 seconds back.
Last year, Boonen beat former champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland in a sprint finish. He also won in 2005. Some recovery time is now needed for some of the riders at the top to start to train for a second peak at the Tour de France this July. This transition time always places strange stressors on the riders. Like fitting in family obligations,travel,changes in weather,changes in diet, reflection on the first part of the season can all set up a stressful state for the athlete and that lowers the immune response as well as slowing the recovery time.

Augusta National, Tiger Woods and previous surgery.....not always a great mix

Spring has sprung, MLB has started and now we have the masters.......that
always makes me feel good because I know the weather is getting warmer and the outdoor sports season begins. So after watching tiger ending 5 strokes back I was thinking about how surgery and injury changes an athletes biomechanics in such a way that it may effect his game. Now don't get to nutty OK, I have not examined tiger personally so I am not saying that his surgery is affecting his present round at Augusta but ......I have treated many atheletes and this has come up so often. My main point is that you have to look at the athelets mechanics more then anything else. I have seen overzelous rehab that changes the athelete and not always for the better. Recovery is so tricky at that level and I think biomechanics is often overlooked. Now I also no that this is no strange spot for Tiger he has never broken 70 on the opening round at Augusta and as he pointed out to a reporter "I also won it four times" plus I know that he is an active advocate for chiropractic, so I am sure he has all his ducks in a row.

Chiropractic Manipulation Best Option For Low Back Pain, According to Patient Survey

Chiropractic Manipulation Best Option For Low Back Pain, According to Patient Survey

(Arlington, Va.) -- In light of a new survey showing that chiropractic spinal manipulation is the top-rated treatment for people suffering with back pain, patients should consider a consultation with a doctor of chiropractic, says the American Chiropractic Association.

The Consumer Reports Health Rating Center released the survey results of more than 14,000 Americans on April 6.

The survey rated doctors of chiropractic as the top practitioner, with survey respondents noting that they were more likely to be “highly satisfied” with the care received from their doctor of chiropractic (59 percent) than their primary care physician (34 percent).

“For the treatment of back pain, few options are better than chiropractic,” says ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC. “As shown in this latest survey, chiropractic spinal manipulation is an evidence-based and effective treatment for low-back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries. Coupled with the high-levels of patient satisfaction, patients should turn to chiropractic as their first choice.”

To compare which treatments helped most, Consumer Reports asked its subscribers to rate a comprehensive list of potential remedies along with their satisfaction with the health care professionals they visited. Most survey respondents had tried five or six different treatments on average, and many found that their back pain interfered with their daily activities, including sleep and their sex life.

Doctors of chiropractic provide drug-free, non-invasive treatment options for many types of pain and inflammation. For example, chronic back pain, neck pain, joint pain and headaches can often be reduced with the appropriate combination of chiropractic manipulation, rehabilitative exercises and lifestyle counseling – all of which are offered by doctors of chiropractic in a patient’s personalized treatment plan.

A significant amount of evidence has shown that the use of chiropractic care for certain conditions can be more effective than traditional medical care, with many patients feeling improvement shortly after their first chiropractic visit.

To read the article as it appears on the Consumer Reports Web site, click here.

For more information about chiropractic care, or to find a doctor of chiropractic near you, visit the Web site of the American Chiropractic Association, www.acatoday.org.

The American Chiropractic Association, based in Arlington, Va., is the largest professional association in the world representing doctors of chiropractic. The ACA provides lobbying, public relations, professional and educational opportunities for doctors of chiropractic, and offers leadership for the advancement of the profession.

NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) has established a special NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund to help the victims and their families who perished from the recent earthquake in the town of L’Aquila and other small towns in central Italy in the region of Abruzzo.

“NIAF extends its sincerest condolences to the victims and their families suffering from the recent earthquake that struck residents as they slept. This tragic disaster has claimed the lives of innocent people. Words cannot convey the Foundation’s sense of loss for the victims. Our hearts and prayers are with them and the rescue workers, who are frantically trying to save those who remained trapped in the debris,” NIAF President Joseph V. Del Raso, Esq., said. Del Raso’s ancestors trace their roots to the region of Abruzzo.

Many members of the NIAF Board of Directors including Gabriel A. Battista, John F. Calvelli, Arthur J. Furia, Esq. and Anthony A. Marnell II also trace their heritage to the region of Abruzzo. The ancestors of the Honorable Pat Tiberi of Ohio, who serves as co-chair of the Italian American Congressional Delegation of the 111th United States Congress, emigrated from the Abruzzo region to the United States.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3 reported by the U.S. Geological Survey, has resulted in the deaths of 92 people with approximately 1,500 people injured and many people still missing. With residents still buried under the debris of the collapsed buildings, rescue workers continue to work diligently to save the remaining trapped victims. Between 30,000 and 40,000 people are believed to have lost their homes and Italian authorities are working to find them shelter before nightfall.

Individuals, corporations and foundations who wish to donate to the NIAF/Abruzzo Relief Fund can make their donations here. All donations are tax deductible.

Please follow this LINK

NAIF

Ty Lawson Leads Way to NCAA Championship Game

Despite a toe injury that had basketball fans predicting an early exit for UNC, Ty Lawson has been busting brackets as they compete tonight for the National Championship against Michigan St. Though it’s somewhat unclear as to what happened to Lawson, and his exact diagnosis, one thing is for sure…Tarheel fans are glad to see him back in action!

UNC’s orthopedic surgeon related Lawson’s injury to “something similar to Turf Toe,” which is essentially a sprain of the metatarsalphalangeal joint (joint located at the base of the big toe). These injuries are tricky in terms of recovery, as the joint needs to rest as much as possible. It is advised to keep the athlete off of his/her feet, not to mention completely restrict activities such as running, jumping, defending, coming off screens, and changing direction. So what do you do when the athlete needs to get back on their feet in a hurry, specifically for the NCAA Tournament?

A combination of therapies including rest, ice, compression and elevation are done 2-3 times per day to control inflammation and reduce pain levels. Additional therapies such as therapeutic ultrasound and cold laser therapy are also extremely beneficial. In the most extreme cases (such as Lawson’s), steroid injections are necessary. As mentioned, these therapies are great for reducing inflammation and controlling pain levels.

Though the above therapies are great for initial treatment, there is one more important step for complete recovery…rehabilitation. This includes stretching and strengthening of the musculature around the affected joint to reduce the risk of re-injury. Though the on-site UNC medical staff is doing great right now, and Lawson is playing well, his training room back in Chapel Hill will certainly be welcoming him with open arms come tomorrow.

Tour of Flannders,Ghent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix it must be spring!

Rain, flowers, warmer temps, and rough cobblestone roads whats not to love.......pollen maybe. While Quick step's Stijn Devolder has won Flanders for the second time thanks in part to Boonen be a marked man for this race and the American everyone wants to see win one of these classics George Hincapie running out of rode the other two classics are this week. Recovery is an obvious important strategy and must be maximized like a Grand tour. The Distances and ridding full gas during the spring has the top guys on the line of injury or illness. In my temple hills clinic we often see that nutrition and supplementation can make a huge difference in recovery. We alter diets to be less pro-inflammatory and add supplements that create an anti-inflammatory effect naturally. A recent study done pre and post ACL-Surgery found in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving men undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery, supplementation with the antioxidants, vitamin C (500 mg) and vitamin E (200 IU - 50% d-alpha-tocopherol acetate, 50% d-alpha-tocopherol), twice daily, for a period of 2 weeks pre-surgery and 12 weeks post-surgery, was found to attenuate the increase in IL-10 (proinflammatory cytokine that may potentiate muscle atrophy), found in patients after ACL surgery. Immediately following surgery, levels of inflammation and muscle damage increased in both the active and placebo groups. The group that received antioxidants was found to have a significantly lower IL-10 response, compared to the placebo group. These results suggest that supplementation pre- and post-surgery may benefit patients undergoing ACL surgery, by reducing levels of IL-10 - an inflammatory cytokine - thereby potentially reducing the extent of muscle atrophy. Of course this is just one part of recovery and a total recovery program will always be the best option. I once again will be hoping that Big George gets his Win.

Ref: "Modulation of inflammation by vitamin E and C supplementation prior to anterior cruciate ligament surgery" Barker T, Leonard SW, et al, Free Radic Biol Med, 2009; 49(5): 599-606. (Address: Maret G. Traber, 571 Weniger Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.

Fore Your Health

With the recent reappearance of Tiger Woods on the ESPN highlight reel, and the sudden (but welcomed) change in weather, people are flocking to their local golf courses. Golf, which is often considered a leisure sport, is anything but that.

Ask any of the Pro's! Golf is a sport that requires proper posture, strength and balance. It is very demanding of the muscles and joints of the body, and induces tremendous one-sided torque on the spine. So whether your teeing off at your local 9-hole course, or putting on the 18th of Augusta, proper precautionary measures should be taken.

Proper shoes, orthotics, as well as a specific stretching routine are all necessary before beginning each round. Hydration techniques as well as modified stretching throughout are necessary to help prevent injury. These practices are extremely important to help lessen the stress of the game. In fact, amongst the many medical personnel employed by the PGA, they also have an on-site Chiropractor to ensure proper warm up, as well as any complications faced by Tiger, Phil, and company.

Here in our Fairfax office, we help plenty of golfers with their warm-up routines, orthotics, as well as any golf related aches, pains and/or injuries.

Dr. Rosa featured on Pro cyclist Davide Frattini Blog

"The Doctor"

No no,
I'm no talking about "Valentino Rossi" the Motogp Champion, but another "Doctor", his name is Rick Rosa.

He is a great Chiropractor that help us and the Team Colavita/Sutter Home during the Tour of California.

Most of the riders at the TOC,cause the cold weather and rain during the first 2-3 stages ,had a serious knees problem.

Also he used a new technique called "Graston Technique" click on the link to check how works and what he does.

Here some links about Rick:

http://www.recoverydoc.net/

www.rosachiropractictemplehills.com

And also Rick is a "Compaesano",his family infact is from Sicily, so was cool having some Italian talking during the Tour!

Ciao e grazie Doc!

No Thank you! I had a great time with the whole team!

Check out Davide's Blog

Football and Kinesio Tape

Even though the Giants were not participating, this past Super Bowl was a great game. The game went right down to the last minute, and was action packed from start to finish. Though it may not have been as great as last years Super Bowl, I would have to say it might be a close second!

Even more impressive than the game itself, was the number of Kinesio Tape applications I saw on multiple players. They were most apparent on the Cardinals linemen, which seemed to have a few shoulder stability techniques applied. It was great advertisement for the technique as well, as we had multiple patients come in to our Fairfax office this past week, all mentioning the "Kinesio Tape" seen during the Super Bowl.

Kinesio Tape is a technique that we use in many of our clinics, including right here in Fairfax. It's a rehab technique thats useful in stabilization, stretching, pain control, etc... all while encouraging movement! This technique has been effective for over 25 years, but has recently received a lot of publicity from its prevalence in the 2008 Olympics.

Check out this YouTube video, which features Kinesio Tape on CBS Health Watch!

Kinesio Tape seen in NCAA Hoops

If you haven't been watching, Kinesio Tape has been seen all over NCAA hoops this year. And by "all over," I actually mean I've seen it on just one player for the past couple of months. Regardless, this one player, just happens to be the 7ft 3in center for the UCONN Huskies, Hasheem Thabeet.

Thabeet, who has been hindered from a left shoulder injury for the majority of the season, has been sporting the black Kinesio Tape throughout Big East play. This year he is amongst the leaders for rebounds and blocks throughout the entired NCAA, and is getting some serious attention for the upcoming NBA draft. One of Thabeets most noteable skills is his ability to block shots with both hands, particularly with his left. And it just so happens, the Kinesio Tape is seen on his left shoulder, providing him stability throughout motion.

My past two posts have regarded Kinesio Tape, and its particular application to the shoulder. However, here at Rosa Family Chiropractic, we apply this tape to multiple joints and muscles throughout the body, and provide benefit for a variety of conditions.