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August 2015

Always Evolving

Always Improving

The instrument used in ConnecTX Therapy, an instrument-assisted connective tissue therapy program, has been granted a U.S. patent

for the device’s unique state-of-the-art double-beveled edges, and brushed, nonslip surface. The instrument’s four distinct treatment edges correspond to different contours of the body allowing the chiropractor a cost effective alternative to soft tissue mobilization techniques that require multiple tools. The patented design provides clinicians with optimal surfaces for examination and treatment applica-tions while providing excellent kinesthetic feedback. The now-patented instrument is only available through ConnecTX.

The ConnecTX instrument and treat-ment protocols provide chiropractors with a means to break up fibrous adhesions, trigger points, and scar tissue and mas-

sage damaged tissues in order to restore healthy function to muscles, tendons, liga-ments, and nerves affected by inflamma-tion, injuries, and various traumas.

The instrument’s designer, Jonathan Dehors, DC, joined the United States Marine Corps right after high school. Fol-lowing his discharge, he returned home to Syracuse, N.Y., to earn a BS in Biology

The Specialized Soft Tissue Instrument Used inConnecTX Therapy is Granted a U.S. Patent

from Syracuse University. Under the care of a chiropractor for low-back pain, he was impressed with the results and de-cided to become a chiropractor himself. He attended New York Chiropractic Col-lege, graduating in 2011, and manages a practice in in Syracuse where he treats patients using ConnecTX Therapy, among other chiropractic techniques.

As a student, he found the idea of STIAM to be “brilliant,” but he noted that purchasing instruments was cost-prohib-itive. He desired for an instrument that could perform multiple tasks, wouldn’t strain the hands of the practitioner, and be reasonably priced. This led him to design a prototype that would ultimately evolve to become the now patented ConnecTX instrument. For more information about ConnecTX Therapy please visit www.con-nectxtherapy.com

8 Hours Online and 12 Hours On-siteUp To 20 CEU Credits

2015 ConnecTX Postgraduate Courses

Temple Hills, Maryland

November 21st and 22nd

Exton, Pennsylvania

November 7th and 8th

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Initial and ongoing trainingoffered by skilled, experienced

ConnecTX practitioners

ConnecTXEmollient Winner

Congratulations to Dr. Howard Kessler, winner of the ConnecTX drawing from the previous edition of the newsletter. Dr. Kessler won a year’s supply of ConnecTX emollient. Check www.connectxtherapy.com for future drawings.

2 www.connectxtherapy.com

Consider the importance of proper mechanics in athletic endeavors. Every coach should teach the basics, no matter which sport you

play. Up to a point, our musculoskeletal system can tolerate improper mechanics, but the cumulative effect often results in injury. One common example is little league. If your child is a pitcher, he/she has about a fifty-fifty chance of experiencing elbow or shoulder pain during their baseball career. In one study, 26 percent of youth players and 58 percent of high school pitchers experienced elbow pain.1 The term “Little League Elbow” refers to pain at the common flexor tendon in skeletally immature athletes, precipitated by throwing. This occurs when the athlete is using their arm/forearm/shoulder to throw without integrating the hips and core (specifically the anterior oblique sling). Biomechanically sound throwing involves several factors, including shoulder girdle stability, glenohumeral mobility, thoracic mobility, core stability, and hip mobility.2,3,4,5 Absence of any one of these factors may result in increased physiologic stress and an “energy leak” in the kinematic chain. The result is synergistic dominance/substitution that ultimately causes or contributes to overuse injuries.

While most athletic programs, from little league to professional sports incorporate

You have sports injuries?Well, let me introduce you to

ConnecTX

calisthenics programs that address flexibility, the focus of practice is typically on sports specific performance and not on mobility and stability factors. Grey Cook, author of Movement, explains that the proper sequence of skilled training begins with mobility. Unfortunately, this is almost never the case. As clinicians we need to change the culture, but what are our options when it comes to restoring mobility?

As chiropractors we are the masters of mobility, with our key skill being the adjustment, but what else can we use? Instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobilization (IASTM) utilizing the ConnecTX instrument has been found to be an effective modality in increasing range of motion5,6 and plays an essential role in many manual therapy environments. It’s well received in my practice and I find a majority of my athletic patients actually request it. When paired with chiropractic manipulative therapy (CMT) and a specific self-care mobility protocol, the progress made “in house” can be perpetuated by the athlete on their own time.

ConnecTX intervention is an excellent choice for subacute and chronic sports injury presentations in the transitional and active care phases of rehabilitation. Making sure that areas intended to be tight (stable) and those intended to be loose

By Dr. Eugene Serafim

(mobile) remain so, is a critical aspect in any rehabilitation protocol. ConnecTX is my “go-to” adjunctive procedure to address adhesions and tightness. . The mechanism works by introducing fibroblastic activity which triggers the repair and remodeling phases of healing. My experience has shown it to be an important factor in addressing chronic dysfunction.

Another rehab principle to consider for athletes is Davis’ Law of soft tissue, which applies to the fascia, tendon, ligament and muscle sheath. Eccentric control (yet another pertinent principle) plays and important role in the reorganization of collagen fibers as well. Loaded eccentrics are one more component that must be integrated in the transitional and early active phases of rehabilitation. Considering that many injuries occur in the eccentric phase, better eccentric control reduces the risk of re-injury.7,8

There’s no doubt as to the popularity of IASTM, and specifically ConnecTX, in the area of sports rehabilitation. More than half of the NBA, NFL, and MLB teams use IASTM, and awareness of this technique is still growing. Whether your practice treats athletes predominately or in part, ConnecTX will provide a handsome compliment to any comprehensive program. After all, if Gold Medal Olympian, Michael Phelps uses IASTM, why shouldn’t you?9

1. Lyman S, Fleisig GS, Waterbor JW, et al. Longitudinal study of elbow and shoulder pain in youth baseball pitchers. Med Sci Sports Exerc.2001;33(11):1803-1810.

2. A.L. Aguinaldo, J. Buttermore, H. Chambers Effects of upper trunk rotation on shoulder joint torque among baseball pitchers of various levels. J Appl Biomech, 23 (2007), pp. 42–51.

3. A.W. Anz, B.D. Bushnell, L.P. Griffin, T.J. Noonan, M.R. Torry, R.J. Hawkins Correlation of torque and elbow injury in professional baseball pitchers Am J Sports Med, 38 (2010), pp. 1368–1374.

4. M.B. Sabick, M.R. Torry, R.L. Lawton, R.J. Hawkins Valgus torque in youth baseball pitchers: a biomechanical study. J Shoulder Elbow Surg, 13 (2004), pp. 349–355

5. Laudner, Kevin, Bryce D. Compton, Todd A. McLoda, and Chris M. Walters. “Acute Effects of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization for Improving Shoulder Range of Motion in Collegiate Baseball Players.” International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. Sports Physical Therapy Section.

6. Page, Phil, PhD, PT, ATC, FACSM, CSCS. “Adhesive Capsulitis: Use the Evidence to Integrate Your

Interventions.” NAJSPT. NAJSPT, 11 Dec. 2010.7. Bubbico, Aaron and Kravitz, Len, Ph.D, October

2010 “Eccentric Training”, Idea Fitness Journal, Volume 7, Number 10.

8. Faulkner, J. A. “Injury to Skeletal Muscle Fibers during Contractions: Conditions of Occurrence and Prevention.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 19 May 2015.

9. YEAGER, SELENE. “Michael Phelps: The Greatest American Hero.” Details. N.p., 1 Aug. 2012

Try using our specially formulated and competitively priced emollient,even if you don’t use the ConnecTX instrument.

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Rick Rosa, D.C., of Temple Hills, Maryland, is a fan of ConnecTX. During its developmental stages he was asked to evaluate the instrument and provide feedback. Later, he worked with its designer Jonathan Dehors, DC to help create the ConnecTX mini instrument. He now employs both versions in his practice.

For Rosa instrument-assisted soft-tissue mobiliza-tion (IASTM), using the ConnecTX instrument, is an indispensable tool in his armamentarium, second only to the chiropractic adjustment. He finds the approach incredibly valuable in achieving superior results quickly. He used it as a recovery tool to aid in the removal of metabolic waste products when caring for members of the Asian pro-cycling team in China. He and they were delighted with the outcomes.

Rosa is participating in the research end of the proj-ect, providing feedback and data from the use of it in his practice and is an instructor for the program in the Washington, DC area.

Hunter Mollin, DC, was responsible for much of the work creating ConnecTX protocols and Rosa credits him for designing a well-constructed

and integrated program. He also is a fan of the new training model and schedule. “It gets the tool into more hands and more people are utilizing it.”

In addition to his work with Con-necTX, Dr. Mollin maintains an ac-tive private practice. As you would expect, he uses the ConnecTX in-strument and protocols with many of his patients. Asked how it makes a difference, he said that, as valu-able as the chiropractic adjustment is, it may only address part of the problem. ConnecTX Therapy often completes the picture.

At this time of year, Mollin sees lots of golfers whose game is suffer-

ing because of shoulder problems. But shoulder problems are always in season, and IASTM using Con-necTX is a vital part of the treatment protocol to ensure rapid and lasting results in many conditions. As an approach that can access the entire kinetic chain, ConnecTX has the potential to enhance treatment of everything from plantar fasciitis to tempromandibular joint dysfunction.

It’s great for the health of your practice too! Mollin notes that word of this effective new approach spreads rapidly to potential new patients, particularly over social media. The increasing numbers of patients seeking his services is keeping him even busier than usual.Dr. Hunter Mollin (left)

Dr. Rick Rosa (left)

ConnecTXCompletes the Picture

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Dr. Bronstein has witnessed a number of changes in the chiroprac-tic profession since her graduation in 1982 from National College of Chiropractic. The most positive change has been an increase in public acceptance of chiropractic with more people than ever having been treated by a chiropractor at one time or another.

A board certified chiropractic internist, Bronstein holds two bache-lor’s degrees; one in Human Biology and the other in Computer Science. She and her husband, Lawrence Bronstein, DC, CNS, DACBN, own and operate Mahaiwe Chiropractic and Health Services in Great Barrington, Mass., offering natural healthcare that partners with patients and nurtures the ongoing growth of complementary and integrative approaches to healthy living. She possesses a special interest in help-ing people overcome chronic health issues through lifestyle changes and in women’s health issues. She has also engaged in postgraduate stud-ies in nutrition, attending several conferences annually. “I like being the person they go to for natural healthcare, not just manipulation,” she says.

Why ConnecTX?Dr. Bronstein has always had

an interest in muscle work and in-vestigated a number of soft-tissue mobilization techniques. She found the ConnecTX instrument to be more reasonably priced than many others, and the fact that ConnecTX courses were conveniently offered nearby her home made it the right fit for her.

ConnecTX fits well into her prac-

tice as well. Bronstein employs both the original and mini ConnecTX in-struments in her practice and finds both instruments comfortable and easy to use. It fits comfortably in her hands and she notes that patients are often surprised at how good it makes them feel. Using the therapy to treat patients suffering from musculoskeletal issues or having a chronic lack of mobility can help with issues that were previously dif-ficult to resolve with other forms of treatment. She finds the mini more effective when treating conditions involving the neck, or on smaller areas, especially with her female patients. The larger instrument works particularly well on low-back pain and on individuals of a larger stature.

Patients seem to appreciate and love ConnecTX, says Bronstein who has seen an improvement in patient outcomes in cases where it has been employed. She also happily reports an increase in referrals due to the success with ConnecTX Therapy.

Nancy Bronstein, DC, DABCI Endorses ConnecTX

Dr. Nancy Bronstein

Is your group or associationinterested in organizing a

ConnecTX Seminar in your area?For information contact

Ms. Erin Griffiths at855-353.5888

orinfo@connectxtherapy.com