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Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – July 31

July 31, 2020 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot

On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way. Hopefully, you find value in them.

Something multiple patients have told me this week? I’ve had 4 separate patients tell me that they and their families were screamed for not wearing masks while outdoors this week. They were simply not wearing masks because they were outdoors and nowhere near within 6 feet of anyone which is what is specified within the mandate. All four were really upset that someone would curse them and their children out when they weren’t even in violation of any rules. We are in tough times right now, but I believe that crisis reveals character. The type of person that is willing to say hateful things in front of children was broken far before COVID ever came about. For the rest of us, we want to be the type of people that set an example of how to act and behave properly under any circumstances.

A natural remedy I recommend? Many people regularly suffer from heartburn, reflux, or GERD. There are different causes of each but something I’ve had my patients use with great success over the years is apple cider vinegar. Using apple cider vinegar helps balance the pH levels which leads to benefits in these symptoms in most cases (at least in my experience). Here are the ways I usually have my patients try this remedy:

Option 1: 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar with ¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda – Mix in a glass of water and drink up to 3 times daily

Option 2: 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar with 1 Teaspoon Honey. Mix in a glass of water and drink up to 3 times daily

Option 3: Take apple cider vinegar capsules or drink it straight like a shot.

What did you think of those doctors talking about Hydroxychloroquine? For those that don’t know, a group of medical doctors earlier this week held a press conference and talked about their actual experiences in treating COVID patients with hydroxychloroquine since the pandemic started.

As a chiropractor, I cannot prescribe any medication and I do not take any myself, so I really have no dog in the fight. However, I always trust “boots on the ground” – the people in the field with first-hand experience. I found those medical doctors to be credible and I trusted what they said because it was based on actual clinical experiences they’ve been having and it matched much of what I’d read in studies done outside of our country. I also found it curious that the social media platforms were removing clips of their press conference as “misinformation” since it was based on what they’d done and seen in the hospitals/offices and not theoretical.

How do you handle patients you don’t agree with? The other day I had a patient in my office that was talking very loudly and giving me their take on seemingly all our current events. After they left, a patient that was waiting in the lobby that knows me well (and knew I didn’t agree with what they were saying) asked me why I didn’t argue with them. My answer was that it would be a waste of my energy and wasn’t relevant to me helping them. I am always happy to share my opinions when asked or if I think my experience can help a person get better. I take my job of helping people seriously and I make that my priority above anything else. I never feel it’s my place to use my “platform” to

Some quotes I love?

“Cowards never start, the weak never finish, winners never quit.” – Team Never Quit

“I can. I will. End of story.” – Ray “Cash” Care

“I’m tired boss. Mostly, I’m tired of people being ugly to each other.” – John Coffey, The Green Mile

Want more?

Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com and go to “blog”
Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic

5 Common patient mistakes I often see

September 25, 2019 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

Being in practice for almost 14 years you see a lot of things. Sometimes it’s the rare things that stand out but more often it’s the repetition of certain behaviors. Today I’d like to discuss a few of the most common patient mistakes I see regularly.

Waiting for acute pain before coming in for a visit. Most people don’t wait until they need a root canal before visiting a dentist, they go in for regular checkups to prevent problems from beginning. But when it comes to the spine, far too many patients believe they must run it into the ground before addressing it. Your spine absorbs pressure daily and letting it go too long will cause problems. A regular checkup provides numerous health benefits in addition to keeping you out of these episodes of pain.
Not following up after an initial visit. I cannot tell you how many times I will adjust a patient for the first time, tell them to return for a follow up within a week and then not see them for months. Once they return, I usually hear how great they felt and how well they did in the days following the adjustment and then how it slowly came back over months. Many of the problems that patients see me for began over a period of weeks, months or even years. When you experience immediate improvements, but symptoms return it is your body providing feedback that your problem can be fixed but it may take some time. When you gain weight, it won’t come off in a day, if you took years to create a spinal issue it won’t be fixed in a visit.
Thinking all chiropractors are the same. I had a patient this week that had been under chiropractic care off an on for years. I evaluated him and did what I would consider a basic, hands on adjustment. He was amazed at what I did and raved about it to everyone in my waiting room (we never hate that!). The reality is that it was not anything fancy or elaborate but his previous chiropractor used a different method and my treatment was different. It’s not that mine are better but not every chiropractor or technique is the same and some may be more effective for you than others.
Not wanting a thorough assessment before treatment. My office is on a busy road and from time to time we’ll get someone that stops in asking to “get their back cracked.” There’s nothing wrong with wanting the satisfying feeling of an adjustment but before that happens you really do want a solid evaluation. Properly evaluating an issue can save you time, visits and money and get you feeling great far faster. My evaluation process is thorough but not time-consuming and involves a great history, physical exam and x-rays in-office if necessary. A few extra minutes to find the true cause of an issue is invaluable in the short and long term.
Not playing a part in your own health. I love helping people, it’s one of the reasons I do what I do. However, an adjustment is not a cure-all for your health. When people visit a dentist, they understand that brushing and flossing between appointments will help them maintain their treatments. However, when it comes to chiropractic, people often expect one adjustment to last them forever and solve all their issues. An adjustment can absolutely help but you need to care for yourself when you’re not here getting adjusted as well. Stretching, exercising, eating better, improving postural habits, etc. are all examples of this. When you take an active role in your own health the treatments you receive will only magnify in effectiveness.

What is cupping? Should I try it?

April 17, 2019 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

Did you know that 3 minutes of cupping is equal to 15 minutes of deep tissue massage?! It’s true, the muscle tension relief you get after a cupping session is amazing!

Using suction as a form of myofascial release, cupping creates space for the muscles to unwind naturally without “breaking up” the muscle fibers or causing extra inflammation. One of my other favorites aspects of cupping is the increased blood flow. More blood will flow to the areas in need, bringing with it platelets and white blood cells that promote healing. It’s a win win in my mind!

Fire cupping is the traditional Chinese method, but I have chosen a simple hand pump so that I feel in complete control of the pressure and there is no anxiety from the patient around the flame.

Cupping is great for muscle tension, muscle recovery, inflammation, and relaxing the nervous system. Plus you will walk away with marks of honor for a few days!

By Stella Webb, LMT

3 Aspects of spinal pain

April 4, 2019 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

I’m often asked how spinal pain can start. Today I’d like to share 3 general aspects of how it begins and progresses.

Compression. Think about all the sitting we do daily. Plus, all the work we do around our homes, carrying our children, bad posture, work duties, old injuries, weak muscles, inactivity and so much more. All these things combine to put pressure on our spines which leads to nerve aggravation and pain.
Dysfunction. Have you ever been able to turn your head fully one way but only half as much to the other side? Or tried to bend to tie your shoes and noticed you can only go half as far as you used to be able to? These are examples of your joints not working correctly. This is significant because it leads to the joints getting work down which is a nice way of saying they can become degenerative and arthritic.
Inflammation. When compression and dysfunction are present the joints do not behave as they should, and inflammation will begin to build within the body. This inflammation is painful and in part a symptom of what is going on with the spine. If the first two are corrected, you will be able to heal properly, and the inflammation will begin to dissipate.

If you’re having the signs I’ve outlined above where should you start? Start by seeing a chiropractor for an evaluation and treatment. Chiropractic adjustments will help re-align your spine which will alleviate the compression, help correct the dysfunction and decrease the inflammatory process.

If you would like to feel and move better, I would be happy to help!

I hurt myself, is it muscle?

February 13, 2019 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

“I hurt myself. Is it muscle?”

This is a question I receive almost daily. I will also regularly hear “I think it’s a nerve”, “I think it’s a bone” or “I think it’s a muscle.” So how do you know? The answer is that you probably don’t but here’s some information to help.

Generally, a new pain that disappears or dramatically improves on its own within 72 hours is muscular only. A basic strain would be the best example of this. However, in most cases pain will involve muscular, bone and nerve components. Why? The answer is basic anatomy and neurology.

The muscles in your back and neck attach to the vertebrae of your spine. So, if you aggravate those muscles, they in turn will pull/strain and bother the spine. This causes misalignment of the spine. Since the spine protects and houses the spinal cord and the nerves that exit from it, once the spine is misaligned it will then cause nerve aggravation. And where do those nerves go? Right back to those muscles for one, as well as organs and glands. It is the nerve aggravation that actually causes you to experience the pain or other symptoms.

Basically, the spine, muscles and nerves are all so closely related that it’s difficult to have only one as the culprit. Therefore, any proper diagnosis will involve evaluating all three to determine their involvement.

If you have an issue that you want to know more about, I would be happy to evaluate you and find the solution you need.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Kenney

How often will I need to come in?

February 7, 2019 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

“How often will I need to come in?”

I occasionally get this question from new patients that are concerned if they see a chiropractor, they will be pressured to keep coming in again and again.

So how do I handle the question? I explain to them my process.

I examine them thoroughly so I can diagnose them accurately, but I do not make any long-term recommendations at the initial visit because it would only be an educated guess. Everyone has unique factors to consider in the healing process, so it’s difficult to say with certainty exactly what they’ll need. However, I do share with them the experience I have in treating their condition and how long it tends to take on average. I will then make short term recommendations to help the patient and usually most people feel dramatically better (depending on severity of condition) within 1-6 visits.

Once someone is out of pain, I always suggest that they receive ongoing chiropractic checkups at a frequency of their choosing. This helps to prevent previous problems from returning and new ones from forming – very similar to how dental checkups work.

If someone decides that these checkups aren’t for them that is fine too. That is always up to the patient. All I ask is that they know they will be welcomed back at any time should they choose to return. In fact, I help people regularly that I haven’t seen for a visit in years.

In my office there is never any pressure to adhere to any specific program. Ultimately, I only want to help my patients – as much and for as long as they’d like.

4 Uncommon ways to break through your comfort zone

March 23, 2017 Matt Kenney Blog 1 comment

My belief is that going out of your comfort zone helps reset what you see as normal and what you perceive to be possible while also making you more resilient to life’s challenges. Today I’d like to share some of the methods I use to get myself more uncomfortable to help sharpen my body and mind, endure any challenge and stay calm under pressure. I’ve used these techniques for benefit athletically, personally and in my business.

Cold training. In my experience, there is nothing that destroys a person’s drive and motivation quite like being exposed to the cold. Therefore, if you can learn to make cold your friend you will develop a mental and physical edge that others only dream of. I employ cold training by running in frigid temperatures with minimal clothing, standing barefoot in snow for 5 minutes or more while wearing only shorts (this is the Wim Hof method that I’ve begun using recently), ice baths, frigid showers and more. As extreme as this may sound to some, you will be amazed at the physiological and mental benefits it provides. When things get hectic in my life and I have tons going on I will often think back to races or training in the cold and immediately whatever I’m facing in the present doesn’t seem as daunting.
“Alarm clock” challenges. We’ve all had the experience where we’ve gone to bed excited about getting up early to accomplish something in the early morning only to hit the snooze alarm for an hour and avoid doing it. I challenge myself to get up earlier than I must and perform exercise, go for a run or get something accomplished for my business. Empowering yourself over your alarm clock will help you begin your day with a win and help you gather momentum throughout the rest of the day. I also think accomplishing something when others are still sleeping tends to make you feel great.
Sign up and suffer. No matter what your ability level, there is a race out there to challenge you. I had never run more than a mile until I was 35 years old. I then jumped into obstacle course races which led to half marathons which then led to 24 hour races and ultramarathons. The key is to select something that you feel will be difficult for you. If you must dig deep, overcome the urge to quit and accomplish a lofty goal you will be amazed at the confidence and resiliency you acquire from it. When I face stress in my life now I often think back to a grueling stretch of a race I’ve done and think “well this is nothing compared to how I felt at that time.” Remember the quote “if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”
Get around people that inspire you. Whether in business or in my personal life I have derived great value from being involved in groups. I believe being a part of a group helps keep you accountable, motivated and the camaraderie can be excellent. As a recent example, on Facebook I have become a member of Jesse Itzler’s #2017ofEverything group. The group accepts a monthly physical challenge to be performed over a series of days. Though I do all my workouts on my own I have found the group to be amazing. The group members range from elite athletes to people that are using the challenge to exercise for the first time. Reading posts about their progress inspires me to go beyond my comfort zone. Getting around others that are hungry for success I believe can be a great tool as we strive to improve as well.

Chiropractic and Pregnancy – 7 Things I’d like you to know

December 14, 2016 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

There is almost not a day that passes that I’m not asked about whether chiropractic can help a woman during pregnancy. For over 11 years I have helped pregnant women and continue to do so each and every week. Today I would like to share 7 interesting facts from my experience of caring for pregnant women.

Chiropractic is completely safe during pregnancy. I have personally performed more than 200,000 pregnancy adjustments. The same care I gave to the mother of my children during her pregnancies is the same care I give to my pregnant patients. Widespread research over many years also confirms the safety and benefit of chiropractic care during pregnancy.
Chiropractic care helps relieve spinal pressure during pregnancy. In order to accommodate for the growth of the baby, a woman’s center of gravity will begin to change. This causes more pressure (and thus pain) within the lower back, sacral and hip areas, especially during the first trimester. During the 2^nd trimester as the baby grows larger a woman may begin to have more thoracic (mid back) pain. Neck (cervical) pain is also common though usually not as severe. Chiropractic adjustments alleviate this pressure and pain.
Chiropractic care provides proper nerve supply for the baby to aid in growth and development. When a woman’s spine is misaligned it will pressure her nerves. For example, the nerves that leave the spinal cord in the lower back not only power the surrounding muscles but also control the reproductive areas as well. Removing nerve pressure leads to pain relief but more importantly it allows for proper nerve supply to the baby to aid in growth and development.
Many women receive chiropractic care throughout their entire pregnancy. Growing a human life inside of your own body is no small feat. As a result most women experience more discomfort with each progressive week. Chiropractic care makes the experience of pregnancy more enjoyable by allowing for less pain, better mobility, improved sleep and more. This is also why of all my patients; pregnant women often leave the happiest.
My evaluation for a pregnant woman is completely non-invasive. My examination process during pregnancy (or women attempting to become pregnant) involves a detailed history, postural evaluation, range of motion and orthopedic testing, spinal and muscle evaluations. This provides ample data for me to use in order to help the patient. X-rays or other more invasive procedures are never performed on expecting moms in my office.
Pregnancy adjustments lead to immediate results. As women progress through pregnancy their bodies continue to produce more and more of the hormones necessary to facilitate childbirth. Many of these hormones cause ligaments to relax which allows for extremely easy, low force adjustments to be performed with great ease and instant improvements. Other than children, pregnant women are the easiest adjustments I perform.
Many medical doctors and mid wives refer their patients to chiropractors. I have personally received countless referrals from these practitioners throughout my career. I believe this is due to trust that I’ve built up with these experts after helping so many of their patients. One of my greatest referral sources at my previous office was from a doctor that recommended her patient not receive chiropractic care at my office during her pregnancy. I called her to respectfully ask why and we ended up having a great discussion. Once she understood better my approach to pregnancy care she began recommending chiropractic care for all of her patients, many of which I was fortunate enough to care for. These types of referrals are common.

Dr. Kenney has won multiple awards for “Best Chiropractor” and specializes in helping patients achieve their goals of better health and pain relief.

For more information or to schedule an appointment please visit www.NewBodyChiro.com, find us on Facebook (New Body Chiropractic & Wellness Center) or call (303) 347-9906.

3 C’s of Success

October 20, 2016 Matt Kenney Blog No comments

Below are 3 concepts I believe lead to success in life, business or almost any endeavor. I call them my 3 C’s to success.

Create outcomes through action. Something I observe regularly is the correlation between someone’s efforts and their success. This can be physical efforts, business efforts or efforts at self improvement. My experience is that those that take fewer (or half hearted) actions tend to create lesser results while often having the most excuses. Conversely, those that are constantly putting in sincere effort create better outcomes. I believe that energy is either created by action or diminished by lack thereof. As an example, a deal that falls through may be initially disappointing but then lead to a better opportunity later. The effort and desire produced results. Quite simply, the more positive actions you take the more you will be rewarded in one form or another.

Consistency. There is no substitute for making correct choices time and again. I’ve witnessed people begin to pursue proper diet and exercise, savvy business practices or positive personal enrichment only to revert back at some point to old, unsuccessful habits. The problem was not that their actions were faulty but rather they failed to follow them consistently. Often the lack of instant results causes doubt at which point we may fall back on habits we see as comfortable or familiar. Much like a flower requires water, sunlight and nutrients before it breaks through the soil; we need consistent actions often over a long period of time before we reap the rewards.

Control what you can. At any given time there are thousands of things to stress about, lose confidence over or waste time on. I believe it’s important to direct our efforts into the things we can control and avoid worrying about the things we cannot. As an example, in business I can directly affect how I set up and offer my services to the public. Therefore, I try to create a welcoming environment that is professional, efficient and customer friendly so that people feel comfortable seeking care within my office. Does that mean that everyone will use my services? Of course not, however that aspect is out of my control and if I were to obsess over it would make me a less effective doctor and businessman. Focusing on the things we can directly affect leads to greater confidence, self esteem and productivity.

The beauty of comebacks – in races and in life!

August 23, 2016 Matt Kenney Blog 2 comments

2,076. Out of just over 2100 people, that’s where I was predicted to finish in my race by the “race predictor.” For someone that is extremely competitive and has tackled some very challenging races throughout the years this was very humbling.

The race to which I’m referring is known as the Pikes Peak Ascent which is slightly more than a half marathon distance although more challenging than any marathon you’ll find. It begins at about 6,000 feet above sea level and after 13.3 miles and 8,000 feet of elevation gain over rocks and rough terrain eventually delivers you to the top of Pikes Peak, one of Colorado’s famous “14ers.” I competed in this event for the first time last year and with 4 miles to go got altitude sickness – which both literally and figuratively made my race extremely ugly (here’s a LINK to my blog from last year about overcoming it – http://sj4.5f8.mywebsitetransfer.com/2015/08/). Based on that performance I was seeded 2,076 this year.

Since I crossed the finish line last year resembling something out of The Walking Dead, I’ve been anxious to attempt it again. However, as the race grew closer it began to appeal to me for reasons other than just completing it again. I saw this race as a metaphor for a specific time in my life. A few years ago I moved across country with my family to a state where I knew no one and had to start over in my career. Within months I was divorced, living in a small apartment, had little money and had to adjust to only seeing the loves of my life – my two young boys only 3-4 days per week. As challenging as that was, I made the decision from the start to never complain, to never quit and always keep moving forward. As difficult as things were, I saw it as an opportunity to reinvent myself. Years later I am now a business owner, financially stable, have a nice home, am engaged to an amazing woman and have a closer relationship to my boys than ever before. I transformed difficult times into a life far greater than I’d ever experienced. In other words, I made a comeback.

As I lined up for the race in the 21^st (and final) group of runners this past weekend I thought back to those times and embraced the strength it gave me. Not only did it motivate me at race time but it made me train harder and smarter in the months and weeks leading up to that moment. I was blessed because my failures motivated me, gave me passion and there I stood with an opportunity to earn a new outcome. I even took it as a sign when the night before the race my 9 year old gave me his advice “Daddy keep reeling them in (passing other runners) and stay hungry!” Those words were profound to me and exactly what I needed to hear. Throughout the race I repeated them in my head hundreds of times and I did exactly as he told me.

In the end, the race was one I consider my best ever and of which I am the most proud. I didn’t win; in fact I wasn’t even close (or even close to being close) to winning. However, I came from dead last at the beginning and finished in the top 50%. Just as my son told me, I reeled people in and stayed hungry for 4 hours and 43 minutes and finished 90 minutes faster than I did the previous year. I gave every ounce of effort I could while embracing all the fatigue and challenge the race presented me. As the elevation got higher and the miles got exponentially tougher I became even more determined to prove to myself what I could achieve. It was very similar to how things had gone for me a few years back in my personal life – start from scratch, keep moving forward and eventually create a greater outcome.

One of the things I will always remember about the race is finishing the last ½ mile with a group of about 5 people. The closer we got to the top the more emotional it became. As I crossed the finish line the woman behind me grabbed my arm, smiled and while crying said “we did it!” This was another reminder to me of how after we’ve endured pain or disappointment, how amazing it feels to attain a personal victory. At the top of the mountain I had an hour to enjoy the amazing views and reflect. I felt blessed to have experienced in that race what I had in life – the satisfying feeling of a great comeback!

Blog

Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot – July 31

5 Common patient mistakes I often see

What is cupping? Should I try it?

3 Aspects of spinal pain

I hurt myself, is it muscle?

How often will I need to come in?

4 Uncommon ways to break through your comfort zone

Chiropractic and Pregnancy – 7 Things I’d like you to know

3 C’s of Success

The beauty of comebacks – in races and in life!

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