Victor Helo as Hollywood's Newest Body Guru

Posted by Michael St. John on Nov 20, 2005, 11:33


In Tinseltown, no matter what an actor needs to keep the bucks rolling in, they get.One of the most important concerns is keeping the body strong and healthy – how the body looks on camera most of the time determines how many figures you might have on your check.Looking good is a busy, and it's something you should not forget, that is if you choose to have longevity in the biz. "The stress that most actors experience," Victor Helo said, "is not normal – and if it is not controlled or dealt with, it develops into something quite harmful to the body."

Oscar nominated actor, Peter Fonda, said: "I had just finished a film that demanded so much action and stunts, after each day's shoot, I could barely stand up.At one point, I really thought I might have to drop out of the picture. And that meant giving up a few million bucks, if I decided doing that. Then I got a call from my pal, Dennis Hopper, who suggested I see Victor, before it got worse; it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. It was like I was given a new body, even after the first treatment with the guy."

When I finally spoke with Victor Helo, he offered that back pain has always been a serious issue in our society.His concern is not only for adults, but for children, as well."Children," he said, "nowadays, complain about having continual back pain. They don't realize it, but the pain is due to wearing backpacks.Parents should really do some serious research about many of the so-called fashion oriented things their kids are subject to using.Sometimes, the very thing that makes life seem easier is the very thing that might cause problems later on."

Most industry people who come to Victor complain about back problems.They had been in a difficult physical scene with another actor or they were required to do something that was totally alien to what their body was use to."Many of these people," Helo noted, "had not the proper chiropractic adjustments, exercises, stretches and diet, previously.There are several effective ways of treating back pain – and it is exciting to see how it makes a difference in a person's life."

At Victor Helo's Studio City office, aptly called "The Wellness Corner," the intersegmental flexion distraction technique is used."This is a non-invasive, low force technique, where we apply and hold a pressure then stretch the above misaligned/injured vertebrae to relieve the pain and decrease the pressure on the nerve root and the disc." He added that this technique has several treatment protocols and varies depending on the patient's condition.

"Every actor who comes to me for help," Victor said, "I always mention that if a patient is prone for back surgery, don't you think it is better to explore your options before you commit to surgery, followed with long term care and medications?Why would you risk your back pain with back surgery before you explore your options?And can a chemical intake such as muscle relaxant/pain killers correct a physical problem?"

Thousands of actors currently are opting to see people like Victor Helo instead of going under the knife, when possibly it isn't necessary."Most of the actors, musicians, especially dancers," he said, "are amazed to discover that the back pain they were experiencing, only needed adjusting, stretching and a disciplined exercise regimen. It's really great to see them leave my office with a big smile on their face."