Latest Laser Research

Low level laser therapy research covers lots of territory! Three recent studies show:

1. Improved quality of life for patients receiving radiation treatment for head and neck cancers;
2. Significantly decreased damage to heart tissue in experimental animals in whom heart attacks had been induced the previous day; and
3. Greatly increased range of motion in patients with shoulder impingement when compared with exercise alone.

Free Wellness Screening

Join us for a free Wellness Screening on Saturday, June 18, 11:30am-2:30pm at the Rudolph Steiner Bookstore (9727 Lake City Way). Call the store (206-985-2059) to schedule your appointment.

In evaluating our well-being, we always need to consider all three sides of the Health Triangle: physical, mental/emotional, and chemical. Three simple tests serve as screening tools to find out how any of these stresses may have impacted your health. The screening will include a Stress Survey plus Blood Pressure/Hormonal Stress, Toxicity, and Trigger Point tests.

Fundraiser-for-Japan Spa Day

Relaxation For You-Relief For Japan-Healing for Everyone: As we watched the images of suffering and devastation in Japan on the heels of the earthquake and tsunami, we decided to put our concern into action by supporting the UW Japanese Student Association's fundraising efforts with a Spa Day on April 1, from 4:00-8:00pm.

Here's the schedule of hands-on healing and classes and the donation amount for each:

4:00-8:00pm

15-minute seated Shiatsu (Nik Kanetomi) $5

15-minute Network chiropractic (Dr. Connie Amundson) $10

5-minute low level laser therapy (John Kanetomi) $5

1-hour Swedish massage-$30 (Sandy Matthews, LMP) $30

4:00-5:00pm

30-minute Alexander Technique classes--$5 (Catherine Kettrick, PhD, and David Mills, PhD) $5

1-hour Cranial-Sacral Therapy--$30 (Barbara Coon, LMP) (already booked!) $30

5:00-8:00pm

30-minute Reiki, Polarity Therapy, and Aromatherapy (Kate Bromley, LMP) $15

5:00-6:00pm

30-minute Qi Gong (Shoko Zama) $5

30-minute Tai Chi (Shoko Zama) $5

6:00-7:00pm

30-minute Yoga (Carol Levin) $5

7:00-8:00pm

30-minute Pilates (Cherie Boschma, BFA) $5

Here's how it works:

• Make a donation at the JSA's dedicated website
• Print your receipt
• Schedule your appointment(s) by contacting Dr. Connie at 206-658-7658 or DrAmundson (at) gmail (dot) com
• Bring your receipt on April 1 to "purchase" your services (donations may also be made at the event and additional services may be scheduled on a space-available basis)

We'll see you on the 1st!

FREE CLINIC: Fresh Ideas Gait Clinic for Runners

Runners, would you like to move with the ease you felt as a kid?

• Do you feel frustrated by injuries forcing you to the sidelines?
• Are you concerned about the long-term effects of chronic foot, knee, hip, back or neck pain?
• Have you tried expensive custom orthotics with limited success?
• Are you inspired to run with minimalist shoes or even barefoot, but wondering what to do about your pronation or supination?

We've got low-cost solutions that work with conventional, minimalist, and 5-fingered running shoes, and for barefoot activities such as pilates, yoga, and martial arts. Get off on the right foot and sign up today for our FREE CLINIC on Saturday, March 12, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Location: Ki Chiropractic & Massage, 3511 NE 105th Street, Seattle, WA 98125

ADVANCED REGISTRATION REQUIRED (include your name, contact info, and shoe size)

Call or text: 206-658-7658

Email: DrAmundson (at) gmail (dot) com

Online: TeachStreet listing

Co-sponsored by MortonsFoot.com

Laser therapy enhances strength training

Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been documented to optimize human muscle performance with physical exercise. This study tested the effect of LLLT on physical strength training compared with strength training only.

The study involved 36 healthy, fit men using an 808 nm continuous wavelength laser, much like what we use in our office. The LLLT men showed an increase of 55% in strength on isokinetic dynamometry, significantly higher than the increases with exercise alone. Soon we may see LLLT commonly used to improve sports performance.

(Lasers Med Sci. 2010 Nov 18)

Happy New Year!

All of here at Ki Chiropractic and Massage wish you the very best health in 2011! Staying healthy is a practice, and I often think of my body as a very strict Zen master. It gives me immediate feedback about how I'm doing. Right now I have the sniffles, and I'm reminded to put myself to bed earlier on a consistent basis! There's nothing like restful sleep to restore vitality, so I'll add restful sleep to my wish for you all.

It's Like A Wave

How we remember to take care of ourselves, then forget for awhile, then get a wake up call, and get back to doing what we know we need to do for optimum health and happiness. Take my core stabilization exercises, for example.

My goal: to do them every day. My reality: not even close! A snow holiday and a Thanksgiving weekend and come Monday morning I notice it's been a week since I last did them! So what do I do? I may gnash my teeth, scold myself, despair at my inconsistency, or -- miracle of miracles -- just take the ten minutes and DO them. Because after a week, I'm not feeling as perky and lively as I like to feel, and that's enough to remember and to take action.

Dr. Donald Epstein (founder of Network Chiropractic) talks about learning to listen to subtler cues, from our environment and from within our bodies. When we do that, we generally can minimize unnecessary suffering! We don't need the whack of a two-by-four to get our attention! We can respond to a gentle nudge, and be grateful for the nudge.