The Next Big Thing in Rehab
Rehab to Performance (R2P) is ‘old school’. I don’t mean any disrespect to the originators of the R2P concept. R2P created awareness, gave direction, and has served students on campuses well for many years. I understand the original intentions of those that started ‘the club’. Everything you do in exercise from assessments, to testing, to protocols, to performance will enhance your technique methods and outcomes. Here is my suggestion – take the concept further … Rehab to Longevity or Rehab to Graceful Aging. Only 10% of you will practice in the professional sports arena; 10% of you will deal full time with really difficult and chronic cases; another 10% will likely go into full time research and about 70% of you will deal with John & Jane Q Public. I have met hundreds of students and young doctors and they don’t know yet what our average patient really wants. Patients want so much to get out of pain as fast as possible, and then they want to look younger (improved aesthetics, weight loss), feel stronger, think more clearly, feel less tired, and move better especially as they age. That is the conversation I think we need to focus on. The average life expectancy for Americans is 78.7 years, (1) your habits and your environment have a lot of influence on your longevity. I’m meeting people who expect to live to be 120-130+ years old. The game has changed. People want healthy aging (healthspans) and longevity. Chiropractors are well suited to help patients achieve this goal.
Whatever it’s called, Anti-aging, Regenerative medicine, Performance Optimization, Aesthetics, Integrative medicine, Metabolic medicine, Nutritional medicine and Holistic practices, I see all of this blending together. Are you preparing yourself for this trend?
Here’s a simple quiz:
1) Can you list 10 biomarkers of health and aging for your patients?
2) Name one supplement that has clinically proven benefits for performance (larger improvements in strength), can increase lean muscle, and results in greater body recompositioning with a controlled diet without causing an athlete to test positive (lose a medal or be disqualified from an event)?
3) Name 4 things that will improve brain performance?
Take a moment and consider these questions…
Let’s see how you did:
Answer. 1
1. Telomere length test
2. Hemoglobin A1C (< 5)
3. High Sensitivity C-reactive protein (<5)
4. Plasma Homocysteine (<6)
5. Allergy testing
6. First morning urine test for pH (morning urine pH should be between 6.5-7.5 and below that means metabolic, cellular acidosis)
7. Vitamin D (between 50 and 80 ng/mL)
8. Omega 3 index (should be more than 8%)
9. 8-oxoguanine (<5 ng/mg)
10. Gene testing - Fitness & nutrition DNA tests. Provides the actions you should take to achieve your fitness goals.
Answer. 2
Phosphatidic Acid
Answer. 3
Help get and keep glucose levels within normal ranges (2).
Eat more vegetables, especially brightly colored ones. These contain polyphenols that neutralize free radicals. Polyphenols also help you make more BDNF (Brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein that builds new brain cells (3). Help patients decide if they need to supplement with antioxidants (Vitamin C and polyphenols) to help get rid of harmful free radicals too.
Discuss breathing strategies and offer meditation practices to decrease oxidative stress.
Teach patients about Intermittent fasting. When your body goes a period of time without food, your cells get the signal that it’s time to clean house, especially waste products that have to go. A few times a week, give them the opportunity to take out the trash by allowing at least 12 hours (ideally up to 18) between dinner and your first meal the next day.
What’s the verdict? Are you prepared? Our annual symposium is one place you can learn some of the lastest biohacks and rehab to longevity concepts. As a reminder, members of the ACA Rehab Council receive discounts and numerous perks. Join us in Tempe, Arizona, March 13-15, 2020.
Jeffrey Tucker DC DACRB
Dr. Tucker has been evolving and integrating contemporary concepts of chiropractic rehabilitation for more than three decades. He has lectured extensively and authored countless publications on these concepts.
References
[1] http://fortune.com/2018/02/09/us-life-expect...
[2] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article...
[3] https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jphs/91...