Imagine being a 12 year old pitcher and your arm hurts all the time.
You’re not exactly going to be putting your best foot forward when you step on the mound. The speed isn’t there, the control isn’t there. And realistically your mind isn’t there because you are thinking about the pain you are in.
Recently, I got a message from a mom whose son this was happening to. She asked if I could help.
Most likely, yes. The key is to figure out WHY it’s happening.
When I did my NeuroCentric Strength Analysis exam on him I found his entire right arm was not working correctly.
Every single muscle in his shoulder, arm and wrist was not firing how it was supposed to. No wonder he had pain! When muscles don’t work, pain is sure to follow.
Every other muscle I tested was working. His left arm was fine. His legs were fine. His torso and abdominals were fine. Just his right arm was the problem.
It took just a few seconds to figure out where it was coming from.
In this age group I have learned to look to the mouth first…
Orthodontic braces.
Using a few simple tests I could immediately make the muscles of his right arm temporarily work again. And if we can make them permanently work again with the correct adjustments, the pain will vanish.
This leads us to cranial adjusting.
A kid with orthodontic braces has compression of his or her skull.
It’s just the nature of the game. Unfortunately with our horrible food supply we are not growing nice wide faces anymore where the teeth can come in properly.
So, we turn to braces. I’m not knocking orthodontists by any means, they have their place and it’s important, but we have to understand what is happening to the body when they are on.
Compression of the skull.
The plates of the skull are intended to move. Without proper movement all bets are off to what kinds of problems can occur throughout the body.
In the case of my young patient, his right arm didn’t work correctly. Something with the way the forces were pulling his face and teeth caused this pattern. I can only assume there was more torque on the right side of his head and face.
I figured out where I had to make the adjustments to his skull to relieve the pressure and restore arm function.
He got off the table all smiles.
When he moved his arm, then pain he walked in with was markedly reduced. Two months of arm pain was virtually gone within seconds. Only some inflammation was left.
Within the next week as his body healed any damage that was done from having arm muscles not working correctly, he was completely pain-free.
I don’t know about you, but I like results like that.
Find the problem and fix it. Now, while he has his braces on he will continue to come in for adjustments to his skull. Especially after any orthodontic appointments where they are making changes.
My job is to help his body mange the changes happening and the forces being put into his skull. The orthodontist provides the straight teeth and the child gets pain-free function as well. A win-win.
Now, if we can just get these kids coming in sooner rather than later. Two months of pain is practically an entire season!
Note: I never tell patients to get their permanent wire dental retainers or braces removed. I show them what is happening to their neuromuscular system before and after stimulation to the retainer or braces. They make their own decisions. And if they do choose to get their wire retainers removed, I always tell them to wear the plastic retainers at night to preserve their orthodontic investment. All three of my children had braces as well!