Advertise
With Us

Click here to request more information.
OC Family reaches:

• Active & educated parents
• Growing families
• And more...

Mom's Day Off

AcuStretch works! Try this proven method to remove pain. By Alan Cheng, Janae Raphael and Susan BelknappPublished: July, 2009

Print This Article Email This Article RSS Subscribe

As a follow-up to our May Moms in pain/Fibromyalgia story, we spoke to renowned practitioner Alan Cheng, DPT, FCE, director of Knight Physical Therapy in Anaheim and Garden Grove. Cheng and a colleague developed the AcuStretch technique, which has had remarkable results in helping people who have tried virtually everything to manage their pain. OC Family: What hope can you offer someone who has been suffering from chronic pain and has tried every treatment available? Alan Cheng: Over 90 percent of our patients tried everything under the sun – physical therapy, chiropractic, injections, medications, even surgery – and still have pain. AcuStretch is not a cure-all, but it is much more effective than traditional physical therapy, chiropractic treatment or acupuncture alone. Remember, medical treatments are just tools doctors use to help with your pain. Tools in the wrong hands will not be effective. In the right hands, they can do wonders. So it’s not that acupuncture or physical therapy don’t work; it might just be the wrong combination of treatment and therapist. You need the right combination to have success with chronic pain. OCF: Who else might benefit from this type of therapy? AC: Definitely people with acute injury and post-surgical rehabilitation. AcuStretch is extremely effective with reducing acute pain and restoring lost range of motion after surgery. Neck and back pain are our specialty, but we’re the leading experts in shoulder rehabilitation and carpal tunnel injury, as well. OCF: How long does an average treatment last? AC: Each session is about 60 minutes. We spend at least 30 minutes on the injured muscle, tendon, ligament and joint using acupressure massage and trigger-point release. Then we spend 20 minutes on intense Yoga stretching and finish the session with heat or electrical stimulation to calm the injured muscles and joints. (knightpt.com) OCF: Is this covered by most insurance? AC: AcuStretch is covered by private insurance, worker’s compensation, and Medicare under your physical therapy benefits. We are not covered by any HMO plan. We do have cash patients as well. OCF: What advice can you offer someone who has endured years of pain and treatment with minimal results? AC: Keep a positive attitude and an open mind.  You have to remember that medical treatments (acupressure, medications, surgery, chiropractic care, physical therapy, injections, and meditation) are just tools. The solution to chronic pain is not just finding the right tool but also finding someone who knows how to use these tools to resolve your problems. This is one of the reasons why so many medical treatments have failed most chronic pain patients, they might be the right tool for the problem but they’re in the wrong hands. Alan Cheng, DPT, FCE is director of Knight Physical Therapy. BEAUTY TO GO Travel tips to keep you looking your best With summer fast approaching, many women will be searching for flight-friendly and suitcase-suitable versions of their favorite beauty products. Whether you’re escaping to an exotic locale or packing for a local “staycation,” these tips will make traveling hassle-free and keep you looking fresh. Know the rules: > John Wayne and LAX airports allow each passenger to carry on a 1-quart-size, clear plastic zip-top bag holding 3 ounces or fewer. All of your liquid carry-on items must fit into this bag. > Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding 3 ounces, and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. Passengers are requested to use the Family/Medical Liquids Lane and declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint. Short on space? Save room with these multi-purpose travel-size products. All can be found at planetbeauty.com: > Don’t lug around separate bottles of conditioner, body lotion or hand and cuticle cream; All Over Body Balm by Revolution Organics features more than 22 uses from head to toe. Even better, this portable, organic moisturizing balm is specially formulated using only USDA food-grade health-promoting organic ingredients. $28 > Maintain your color on the go with portable sizes of your favorite Frederic Fekkai Technician shampoos, conditioners styling and finishing products – as well as a travel comb – all in a fashionable wristlet travel bag. The convenient Color Care Set includes a 2-ounce Technician Color Care Shampoo, 2-ounce Technician Color Care Conditioner, 1-ounce Technician Color Care Glaze and a comb. $40 > For a full skincare regimen, check out Dermalaogica’s convenient travel size skin kits. They’re made for every skin type. $35 > Create different hairstyles and eliminate the need for a separate flat iron and curling iron with ghd’s limited-edition purple ghd IV Styler. This all-in-one tool creates romantic waves and glamorous curls, in addition to the sleekest, straightest hair around. The styler also comes with a chic, heat-resistant roll bag to protect and hold the styler (and other beauty products) while on the go! $255. • MOM'S GIVEAWAY   Carry on! One lucky OC Family reader will win a kokopax classic carrier, the most fashionable and functional baby carrier around.     The distinctive classic carrier provides for a safe, easy and comfortable ride for little ones – every day, everywhere! It is lightweight (approximately 2.7 pounds), features an adjustable, anodized aluminum frame and has everything you’d expect from a high-end carrier.     Features include a five-point harness, adjustable and padded shoulder straps, a sturdy kickstand and a pocket for extra items. kokopax.com Congratulations to our June winner: CC Murdy of Mission Viejo. MAXIMUM IMAGE SALON AND SPA By Susan Belknapp Innovative indulgence is the order of the day at Maximum Image Salon and Spa in Riverside. The spa, which has roots in Beverly Hills, is the culmination of owner Sylvia Pico’s continuous research and manager Cindy Caldarete’s commitment to stellar service.     With inspiration from ancient Asian and European therapies, the staff has developed sumptuous treatments for optimum health and beauty.     For instance, the Vibrational Chakra massage uses color, light, sound, aroma and touch to stimulate the senses, which eliminates toxins, relieves stress and achieves body balance.     The new Torf Organic Hévíz Moor mud therapy uses imported Hungarian mud from Hévíz Lake. The lake has been known since Roman times for its healing properties, and Hévíz Spa, the most important medicinal spa in Hungary, is visited by tens of thousands of patients each year.     On my day at Maximum Image, the mud for this anti-aging beauty treatment had just arrived, and the first treatment hadn’t been done yet. I would have loved to try it, but we’ll save it for another day. I opted for a facial, a mineral bubble bath, a pedicure and hair styling (rough day, I know). Maximum Image is a one-stop shop, with a full-service day spa and salon. The welcoming staff is like a family, and every person there seems genuinely thrilled to be there and take care of you.     Manager Cindy Caldarete did my facial, and her deft, sure touch indicated a high level of skill and experience. Afterward, I sunk into a fragrant bubble bath in a room awash with candlelight, and nibbled on the fresh and dried fruit and nuts the staff had set out for me.     After soaking for several minutes, I was ushered into the pedicure room, which is equipped with top-of-the-line massage chairs with built-in whirlpools for your feet. When my pedicurist, Mallori, handed me the massage chair’s remote control while I soaked my feet, I knew that there was no place on Earth I’d rather be.     She did a beautiful job with a French pedicure, and four weeks later her work still looks immaculate.     Another staff member, Jennifer, then washed and styled my hair, and I breathed a deep sigh of regret that my day of pampering was over, but couldn’t deny that my every need had been attended to. > Maximum Image Salon & Day Spa 8053 Limonite Ave., Suite 104, Riverside 951.360.1333 maximumimagesalonandspa.com

SEARCH THE SITE