Q&A with Dr. Durlan Castro!

[huge285]

Ask Dr. Castro all your questions related to A.R.T. (active release techniques), chiropractic, and rehab!.............

[Manavs]

BIG D! Welcome aboard bro!

[dcastro]

thanks dave... It's a pleasure to be here helping out fellow bodybuilders in pain. Will do my best to answer all your questions as best as possible.

[Sliced N Diced]

My left knee for a while has been bothering me for a while. While back I was doing A LOT of cardio and thats where it started. Now here and there my tendon and rarely quad tendon bother me. Sometimes the inside part of the ligament as well. Last week, it bothered my knee on the negative motion of leg extentsion. What can this be?

[dcastro]

BIG DOM,
I'm trying to get an idea of where your pain is. If it's on the outside of the knee, it could be "iliotibial band syndrome". This is an overuse and tightening injury of the band that extends from your hip to the outer part of your knee. We see this alot with runners, especially when they increase their mileage or add hills to their training. The pain that you are feeling in your quad tendon could also be an inflamed or tendinosis of the tendon.
Both of these injuries can be helped and elliminated quickly using a therapy called Active Release Techniques. (activerelease.com). again, proper location of the pain needs to be established, but i have no doubt that you would get relief from this treatment. let me know how everything turns out

[Glenda Bozett]

thanks dave... It's a pleasure to be here helping out fellow bodybuilders in pain. Will do my best to answer all your questions as best as possible.


Welcome Dr. Castro, it's nice to have you here too. My client Dr. Lynn Pierri and her husband will be coming to your office next week. They know they will be in the best hands. Thanks for helping my clients, you make their pains go away and they continue training, thanks a lot. ;)

[dcastro]

thanks Glenda. It's always a pleasure working with your clients. They always seem well educated and eager to get back to training. I will do my best

[Sliced N Diced]

BIG DOM,
I'm trying to get an idea of where your pain is. If it's on the outside of the knee, it could be "iliotibial band syndrome". This is an overuse and tightening injury of the band that extends from your hip to the outer part of your knee. We see this alot with runners, especially when they increase their mileage or add hills to their training. The pain that you are feeling in your quad tendon could also be an inflamed or tendinosis of the tendon.
Both of these injuries can be helped and elliminated quickly using a therapy called Active Release Techniques. (activerelease.com). again, proper location of the pain needs to be established, but i have no doubt that you would get relief from this treatment. let me know how everything turns out
Now its my lateral collateral ligament, and fibula. Not really a pain, just a stress feeling. Any idea Doc?

[Manavs]

Durlan,

Have you finalized which shows your doing this year?

We're all looking forward seeing you in action again go get that pro card!
Best
Mikey

[ChromeHearts]

Hi Dr. Durlan,


Lately I've noticed discomfort in my right shoulder around the side delt area. I feel pain around the area when doing side lateral exercises. The pain is more pronounced when my arm is twisted with my thumb pointing downward. Similar to holding a glass upside down.


I noticed when I twist my arm and lateral it seems to hit the delt muscle betterm
. Either way I am having some issues with it. I also flat bench and not sure if that might be causing it. Thanks.

[dcastro]

ChromeHearts,
Great name by the way, I'm a big fan, love their jewelry and tanks. Your pain sounds like it's coming from the supraspinatus muscle in the rotator cuff. Ice and rest for 7 days, then go back into it slowly. if it still hurts you may want to get it checked. It sounds like a tendonitis. Ice must be applied 2-3 times a day for 20 minutes at a time. try that and let me know how it goes. Good luck

[dcastro]

manavs,
whats up buddy. Hope youre kickin ass on the golf tour! Getting ready for the master's nationals again, and if i need to maybe the north americans again... Hopefully it will be my year at the master's and i can earn my pro card there. Thanks for asking.

[47ronin]

I am currently rehabing a torn rotator cuff and although my arm's range of motion is not once what it was it has improved quite a bit and is still slowly improving. I wanted to know your opinion on ultrasonic massagers. They claim to "generate deep heat within body tissues and promote blood circulation." The one I'm interested in has an output frequency of 1.0 MHz. From what I've read this is the best one b/c it's able to penetrate 3 to 5 cm deep. Do you think my using an ultrasonic massager will help speed recovery and decrease pain or is it just a waste of money? Thanks for your time and help.

[Manavs]

manavs,
whats up buddy. Hope youre kickin ass on the golf tour! Getting ready for the master's nationals again, and if i need to maybe the north americans again... Hopefully it will be my year at the master's and i can earn my pro card there. Thanks for asking.


Golf is going great thanks for asking bro! Ill be back north next week. Masters Nat's going to rock for you next year! I know it!

See you soon
Mikey -
Ps Emy's shoulder is great! no surgery required! she got an anti-inflam shot in the joint and it worked! She'll call you next week

[dcastro]

47ronin,
The ultrasound unit you're thinking of buying is the strongest they will dispence to patients. Ultrasound is a vibration frequency which does convert to a deep heat , it speeds up healing by increasing blood flow to the area. Make sure the setting is on pulsed and not continuous, as this can burn and cause more harm. Is it worth it? I always like to have the option to be able to do extra therapy when possible. It shouldn't cost more than 200 dollars. The ultrasound used by physical therapists is stronger and it's being used by someone who is trained. If you are going to purchase it, then I suggest you bring it in to your PT and have them show you how to apply it properly.

[timmytimm3]

I have been battling tendon pain in my forearms for about a year now. At first, I was icing and using anti inflamatories which helped, but then the irritation came back. Then I tried acupuncture every other week and applying heat twice a day, then stretching. It was offering relief, but the pain (irritation) is starting to come back again. I have not been lifting (upper body) at all during this time. I also have been taking Glucosamine Chondroitin and MSM, drink at least a gallon of water a day, and I'm generally in great health. What would you recommend?

Thank you!

[timmytimm3]

EDIT:

I went and saw an orthopedic doctor yesterday for my arm problem. He said that because the pain is in the meat of my forearm and not my wrist area it is a muscle problem and not a tendon one. He thinks I have Forearm exertional compartment syndrome, and put me on Methylprednisolone for a week.

Have you heard of anything like this, and do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

[dcastro]

Timmy,
The compartment syndrome sounds correct. let me know how you feel after the week is over. If the pack doesn't work, it may just be adhesions in the brachioradialis muscle impinging on the Radial nerve in that area. ART can help with that particular problem. I'm just curious to see if it was an imflamed compartment. Please keep me posted.

[timmytimm3]

Sent you a PM with an update.

Thanks

[G-Roy]

Dr. Castro
I had a minor pec tear strain back in November (insertion in armpit area). No significant swelling /bruising. Took some time off, about 2 weeks of rest then eased into things I could do without using my pec. Since then Ive eased back and Im doing ligth high rep chest work. Im still getting an odd pain the day after I do things that stretch the area i.e. dip machine, wide grip pull ups. I had 1 or 2 ART sessions back in November. Do you think this littl ebit of pain left could be some scar tissue and A.R.T. woul dhelp, or I just need some more time?
thanks

[aaronthegreat34]

My right lat has been tight for a year and a half and from various types of treatment I learned thats the problem was in the supraspinatus. I stretch multiple times a day, use the foam roller, ice, heat. I also have been seeing a very good A.R.T practitioner who works with many top athletes. Nothing seems to work. This injury also seems to have caused a strain in my arm and an impingement in my shoulder. I am not sure of the problem and haven't heard of anyone in my situation. Do you have any advice for me?

[JYD]

Dr. Castro, Thank you to take time to asnwer our questions! About 3 months back i returned from the gym after nearly 4months out of it with what they said was a bulge around c7 T1. It was putting pressure on a nerve and was having issues from teh neck down to the fingers. My therapist also said i also had 1st rib dysfunctions. After x rays, emgs and therapy i was doing well but have since regressed. They say to stop lifting but u know how likely that is. Would seeing a chiropractor or massage therapist help get me feeling better in the gym and eliviate the discomfort in the region... feelin pretty lost. thanks a lot!

[redline777]

just want to say thanks to durlan, as he gave me advice on seeking an ART specialists in australia to fix my trap muscle... thanks bro, !

[bigjayfan]

i have a question for u. My Rib cage is twisted to one side more than the other and puts my left pec into a great postion to contract that side of the muscle while the other side has no stretch and has a hard time getting a pump its been like this for years now so i have stopped lifting due to creating more imblances. My right shoulder is higer on the side with no stretch . so i started yoga pillates and lots of core work and i am seeing a chiro that doesnt really no too much . my hopes that with lots of trunk core work that the rib cage will even it self out..can u give me any advice thank you very much

[irishmuscle]

hey doc, hope you can help me! I was just walking up a stairs and my knee just gave way,really strange sensation. I can still walk on it(just about) but cant put any pressure on it. I cant even do a single leg ext with 8lbs. Now i haven't done leg training since last saturday and was due to do it today(obviously not now). if im looking at my right knee cap it would be on the left side of knee cap just in between the cap and the vastus medialis and to push it its sore. Could it be just bruised or something worse? Any suggestions would be welcome,Thanks

[redline777]

Doc, my elbows are killing me. especially on the top of it and on the side when i turn my wrist towards my stomach or when i tense my elbow. what can i do apart from ART?

[the mighty stu]

Hey Doc, I've had issues over the past few years with a chronic inflammation problem in my right forearm (radiobrachiallis?). I can be fine for months, and then I do one thing 'wrong' and pow, I'm a mess for 2-3 months. I usually try megadosing on the fish oils, alleve when I can, and just decided to try some curcumin after reading about it's anti-inflam properties. My brother is a DPT, and we're tried muscle stim, ultra sound, all sorts of stuff. Do you think ART is something that could address this issue, and if so, exactly what do you think could cause this situtaion in only one arm?

Thanks Doc.

S