Simple Tips to Slimmer Waists

Everyone knows that eating right and exercising are the keys to weight control.  But not everyone knows these tips to make your efforts pay off faster:

• Eat breakfast - It's true - regular meals and occasional low calorie snacks help prevent the famine-then-feast syndrome.  For a great start, fill up first thing with high fiber cereal, whole grain bread, and fresh fruit.
• Bite into a pickle or lemon - the advantage? Neither has any calories to speak of, and the sour taste will curb your appetite.  Don't have or like either one?  Try brushing your teeth.
• Post a list - put small projects on your refrigerator.  Then, whenever you are bored and tempted to snack, tackle an item from your list.  The result is that you should be able to ride out your craving attack.
• Serve yourself half the amount you usually eat if you tend to eat whatever is in front of you.  Using a smaller plate will also help you eat less.
• Exercise in the morning.  After fasting overnight, two-thirds of the calories burned will come from stored fat, which contains more calories than carbohydrates - the main energy source in an afternoon workout.
• Keep calories burning with aerobic exercise like biking, swimming, or rowing.  A single session burns calories during the workout and for several hours afterward.
• Take your time.  It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive the signal that you're full.  So gulping food quickly may lead to overeating.  Strategies to try include setting your silverware down between bites, chewing slowly, and savoring each flavor and texture.  And play soft, soothing music in the background which tends to slow the meal down.

Winter Activities Can Cause Back Injuries

As the winter winds continue to blow, so does the falling snow.  While many people are participating in their favorite or even least favorite winter activity, they need to keep in mind the impact of these activities on the lower back.  Activities such as snow shoveling, skiing, and snowmobiling can all cause back pain. In addition, poor posture, injury, poor nutrition, disc condition, and muscle weakness all add to the strain.

I recommend the following simple habit forming actions to reduce back pain and improve your overall feelings of wellness.

• Stretch before and after activities
• Use good posture when standing, sitting, sleeping, and especially lifting
• When lifting, including shoveling wet heavy snow, follow these basic rules
• Stand with your feet hip width apart.
• Bend at the knees.
• Keep the object close to your body.
• Maintain firm abdominal muscles.
• Keep your chest up.
• Keep your head over your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles.

Dr. Chris Resch also points out that by developing and participating in a regular exercise program, the painful effects of extra activities such as snow shoveling are greatly reduced.  Your exercise program should consist of cardiovascular conditioning (an aerobic activity), stretching for flexibility, and strength training.

Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise can include any of the following:  walking, swimming, low impact aerobics, or cross country skiing.

Ten minutes per day dedicated to stretching can help improve back pain.  Adding strength training can help you to tolerate certain activities you may be having a difficult time with now.  Strength training can range from simple floor exercises to lifting weights at a gym.

If you do experience an ache or pain in your lower back or even an acute spasm, use an ice pack for 20 minutes, then remove it for 40 minutes.  Repeat this alternating pattern until the sharp pains go away and you feel more comfortable.  Limit sitting as much as possible.  Sitting is the most stressful position for the lower back.  Adjust your body or lie down to find a position that is comfortable.  You should get sufficient rest, but still perform movements every hour during the day to improve blood flow and circulation to the injured part of your body.  If pain persists for more than a few days, seek advise from your chiropractor.

Dr. Resch also states that if the ache becomes a sharp stabbing pain that lasts for more than three days, you may have a more serious problem.  Constant back spasms, visible swelling, movements that are limited or radiating pain to your legs or arms means you have a more serious problem.  If one of the above conditions exists, seek treatment immediately.

The most important things to remember in preventing back injuries are to maintain good posture, to lift properly, and to exercise regularly.

Scoliosis Facts

A normal spine is straight when viewed from the front or the back. Normally, when viewed from the side, the spine curves backwards in the chest area (kyphosis) and forward in the waist area (Lordosis). When viewed from the top down, all of the vertebrae should be facing forward. However, with scoliosis the spine curves to one side or the other in the thoracic and/or lumbar areas. From the top looking down through the center of the spine, some of the vertebrae are twisted which causes the ribs attached to the vertebrae to protrude, usually on the right side.

Scoliosis is a condition that may appear in more than one member of a family in the same or different generations. It does not develop as a result of anything that a child or her parents did or failed to do. Poor posture or carrying a heavy book bag does not cause scoliosis. Scoliosis is a spinal deformity that usually appears during adolescence, although it may appear in younger children as well.

HOW IS IT NOTICED?

One of the most common signs of scoliosis is a prominent shoulder blade, frequently the right one. One shoulder may also be higher and the child tends to “list” to one side. The hips may be uneven and one seems to be higher than the other. Scoliosis should not be confused with poor posture. Very often the first indication of scoliosis is that there is something wrong with the fitting of clothes. This is very apparent in girls when observing the hemline of a skirt or dress. When a child with scoliosis bends forward, the appearance of a rib prominence is one of the most striking signs.

IS SCOLIOSIS VERY COMMON?

According to the Scoliosis Research Society, about 10% of the adolescent population has some degree of scoliosis. This means that about 1,000,000 children just in the United States have scoliosis. About on fourth of these children, or 2%-3%, will require medical attention which may consist of observation for further progression of the curve, bracing or surgery, depending upon the degree of the curvature at the time of its detection. Some scoliosis may be so mild that treatment may never be necessary.

Mild scoliosis occurs nearly as often in boys as in girls. More serious curves are five to eight times greater in girls than in boys.

Studies conducted throughout the world show there is a very even occurrence of scoliosis. There is virtually no variation of racial or ethnic incidence.

ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCOLIOSIS?

There are many causes for scoliosis. About 80%-85% of the patients have a type called IDIOPATHIC scoliosis. This means “no known cause”. Idiopathic scoliosis often runs in families and appears to be due to genetic or hereditary factors. It is not known what “triggers” the development of the curve, or why some curves progress more than others. Scoliosis may occur in children who are otherwise perfectly healthy.

Also, scoliosis may be caused by NERVE and MUSCLE DISORDERS, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and polio. Other known causes of scoliosis include: CONGENITAL which is caused by abnormalities in the formation of the vertebrae present at birth, CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISORDERS such as Marfan’s Syndrome, and CHROMOSOMAL ABNORMALITIES, such as Down’s Syndrome. Early diagnosis of the cause of scoliosis can aid in the proper treatment.

During adolescence scoliosis usually produces no pain and may be difficult to detect. Mild scoliosis may be present for several years before it is seen. One of the easiest ways to detect it is by using the forward bending examination. Most importantly, a medical professional should check the child’s spine regularly until growth is complete since scoliosis may appear at any time during adolescence. The curvature may progress considerably during the last major growth spurt.

SIMPLE HOME TEST FOR THE EARLY DETECTION OF SCOLIOSIS

• Is one shoulder higher than the other?
• Is one scapula (shoulder blade) more prominent than the other?
• Does one hip seem higher or more prominent than the other?
• Is there a greater distance between the arm and the body on one side than on the other when the arms are hanging down loosely at the sides?
• Does the child have excessive "swayback" (lordosis)?
• Does the child have excessive "round shoulder" or "round back" (Kyphosis)?
• Is there a larger "crease" at one side of the waist than the other side?
• Does the child seem to "list" or lean to one side?
• When you examine the child, have them bend forward with their arms hanging down loosely with the hands even and the palms touching each other at about the level of the knees. When in this position:
• Is there a prominence or hump in the rib area?
• Is there asymmetry in the hips or waist? 

 If you have any "yes" answers or if the child has a brother, sister, parent or other close relative with scoliosis, consult your medical professional. Schubbe Resch Chiropractic and Physical Therapy – Appleton is also available to answer your questions, and a more through follow up screening can be arranged if parents find any areas of concern.

The McKenzie Method

What is the McKenzie Method for back pain and neck pain?

The McKenzie Method involves more than just exercise

Many people know about the McKenzie Method of physical therapy and exercise for back pain or neck pain, but aren’t sure exactly what the goals of the program are and what the exercises entail.

A common perception is that the McKenzie approach comprises a set of exercises that people can do on their own. While this is true, the McKenzie Method is really an overall program of assessment, treatment and prevention strategies (including exercise) that are usually best learned with a physical therapist who is trained in the method.

Overall goals for healing from back problems that cause pain

The McKenzie Method was developed in the 1960’s by Robin McKenzie, a physical therapist in New Zealand. In his practice, he noted that extending the spine could provide significant pain relief to certain patients and allow them to return to their normal daily activities.

With the McKenzie approach, physical therapy and exercise used to extend the spine can help "centralize" the patient’s pain by moving it away from the extremities (leg or arm) to the back. Back pain is usually better tolerated than leg pain or arm pain, and the theory of the approach is that centralizing the pain allows the source of the pain to be treated rather than the symptoms.

A central tenet of the McKenzie Method is that self-healing and self-treatment are important for the patient’s pain relief and rehabilitation. No passive modalities—such as heat, cold, ultrasound, medicine or needles—are used in the treatment.

The long-term goal of the McKenzie Method is to teach patients suffering from neck pain and/or back pain how to treat themselves and manage their own pain for life using exercise and other strategies. Other goals include:

• Reduce pain quickly
• Return to normal functioning in daily activities
• Minimize the risk of recurring pain (avoid painful postures and movements)
• Minimize the number of return visits to the spine specialist

The movement of pain from the extremities to the back will not occur with all patients. The McKenzie Method is designed to help patients where the pain does "centralize." Also, for some patients, such as those with lumbar spinal stenosis or facet joint osteoarthritis, extending the spine may actually increase their pain.

Is Pain Your Obstacle to Fitness? Chiropractic Can Help

Are aches and pains getting in the way of your weight loss goals? Schubbe Resch Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Centers in Appleton and Neenah can help. This fall, doctors of chiropractic across the country will highlight how they can help patients focus on getting past the roadblocks to fitness and better health during National Chiropractic Health Month. The theme for the 2010 observance is “Why Weight? Get Healthy!”

More than 60 percent of adults in the United States are either overweight or obese, according to CDC statistics, and obesity is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and some types of cancer. However, many people are unaware that even modest weight loss, such as 5 to 10 percent of a person’s total body weight, could improve blood pressure as well as blood cholesterol and blood sugars levels. That’s only 10 to 20 pounds for a person who weighs 200 pounds.

Yet losing weight can be a struggle, and many people wonder where to begin. The answer for some may be in the office of a doctor of chiropractic (DC). “Diet pills and extreme diets do not offer long-term solutions,” says Dr. Rick McMichael, president of the American Chiropractic Association. “Doctors of chiropractic, on the other hand, offer natural approaches such as exercise, diet and hands-on care to help keep you active and able to achieve your weight-loss goals in the short term, and also help you maintain your fitness level and thereby avoid some chronic conditions down the line.”

Consultation with a DC is particularly important when you consider that the effects of obesity on the musculoskeletal system—osteoarthritis, back pain, neck pain and joint pain—often cause overweight people to avoid physical activity and exercise when they need it most.

“If you’re carrying more weight than the load-bearing structures of your body—spine, legs, etc.—can handle, there’s going to be pain, loss of movement and degeneration in the joints,” adds Dr. Peter Schubbe. “Particularly if you’re carrying most of your weight in your abdomen, the low back and the spine will need to work harder to hold you upright. This adds extra stress and tension on your muscles, which in turn creates stiffness.”

Sponsored by ACA, National Chiropractic Health Month is held each October. The event helps raise public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, whole-person, patient-centered approach to health and wellness.

Over the years, Schubbe Resch has built an exceptional reputation with local patients and physicians that is unsurpassed in the Fox Cities region. For more information about how Schubbe Resch can help you achieve better overall health and wellness, please visit www.schubberesch.com or contact patientservices@schubbeappleton.com .

Chronic Pain

If you suffer from chronic pain, chiropractic care may help you.  While you may be able to struggle through your essential duties, there is not much you can enjoy when your head aches or your back or neck hurts constantly.  To get on with life, many people take pain relievers like aspirin or the newer but similar drugs including Advil, Motrin, Aleve, and other brands.  Unfortunately, these do nothing but cover up the problem.  Worse yet, these drugs can have serious side effects if taken regularly over time.

There is a better way to handle chronic pain - chiropractic care gets to the cause of the pain and has virtually no side effects.  Chiropractic care is well know to work wonders with chronic and acute pack pain, but it is also effective with many headaches, neck pain, whiplash injuries, on the job injuries, and other painful conditions.  The best part is that chiropractic care gets to the root of the problem rather than covering it up like drugs.

Heat Therapy for Back Pain Relief

Ice massage and ice application is generally most helpful during the acute pain phase following an injury that strains the back muscles. After this initial period, heat therapy is probably more beneficial to the healing process. For some people, alternating heat therapy with cold application such as ice massage therapy provides the most pain relief. Cold therapy should be utilized as long as acute pain is present – not just during the first 48 hours following an injury.

Benefits of heat therapy

Moist heat, such as a warm bath or whirlpool, is thought to aid the healing process by increasing circulation and relaxing muscle spasms. Whether one uses moist heat or dry heat, the desired effect is for the heat to penetrate down into the muscles. When warmth and heat penetrate the injured and sore muscles, this provides the dual benefits of:

• Relaxing the back muscles (to reduce painful spasms)
• Facilitating stretching the injured tissues to reduce stiffness.

In addition, heat therapy is both inexpensive and easy to do.  Several types of heat application are readily available and include heating pads, hot water bottles, commercial heat wraps, hot baths, warm gel packs, and more.

Precautions for heat therapy

As with ice application, when applying heat therapy, care should be taken to avoid burning the skin. Any type of heat source should be “warm”, not hot, to avoid burning the skin. Also, it is cautioned never to fall asleep with the heating pad on. As with ice therapy, it is important to always use a protective barrier, such as a towel, between the heat and the skin to avoid burning the skin.

Please note that heat should not be used in certain circumstances. For example, if the lower back is swollen or bruised, heat should not be used and it is better to use a cold pack to reduce the inflammation or swelling in the area. Patients should consult with their chiropractic physician if they have heart disease or hypertension. In general, heat therapy should also not be used if the patient has dermatitis, deep vein thrombosis, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, an open wound, or severe cognitive impairment. There is no exact prescription for ice and heat therapy, but common usage is 20 minutes on followed by 45-60 minutes off – repeating this cycle as often as possible.  If either ice or heat therapy cause an increase in pain, stop using the pain causing therapy immediately, and continue to use the other one alone.

Ice Massage Therapy for Back Pain Relief

Ice massage therapy
For patients experiencing back pain, ice massage therapy is quick, free, easy to do, and it can provide significant pain relief for many types of back pain.  In a world of sophisticated medical care, a simple ice massage can still be one of the more effective, proven methods to treat a sore back or neck, either alone or in combination with other treatments.

Most episodes of back pain are caused by muscle strain.  The large paired muscles in the low back (erector spinae) help hold up the spine, and with an injury, the muscles can become inflamed and spasm, causing low back pain and significant stiffness.

Common causes of muscle strain to the low back muscles include:

• A sudden movement
• An awkward fall
• Incorrect lifting of a heavy object
• A sports injury

While it sounds like a simple injury, a muscle strain can create a surprising amount of pain.  In fact, this type of injury is one of the most common reasons people go to the emergency room.  However, not much can be done for a strained back muscle except for rest (up to two days), pain relief medications, and to use ice and/or heat application.  This article discusses how and when to use ice massage therapy  for quick relief of back pain caused by muscle strain.

How ice massage therapy provides pain relief

Ice massages can help provide relief for back pain in a number of ways, including:

• Ice application slows the inflammation and swelling that occurs after injury.  Most back pain is accompanied by some type of inflammation, and addressing the inflammation helps reduce pain
• Ice massage therapy numbs sore tissues (providing pain relief like a local anesthetic)
• Ice massage therapy slows the nerve impulses in the area, which interrupts the pain-spasm reaction between the nerves

Ice massage therapy is most effective if it is applied as soon as possible after the injury occurs.  The cold makes the veins in the tissue contract, reducing circulation.  Once the cold is removed, the veins overcompensate and dilate and blood rushes to the area.  The blood brings with it the necessary nutrients to allow the injured back muscles, ligaments, and tendons to heal.

As with all pain relief treatments, there are some cautions with applying ice and using ice massage therapy.  Never apply ice directly to the skin.  Instead, be sure that there is a protective barrier between the ice and skin, such as a towel.  Limit the ice application to no more than fifteen or twenty minutes.  Additionally, ice should also not be used for patients who have rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud's Syndrome, cold allergic conditions, paralysis, or areas of impaired sensation.

The Benefits of Vitamin D

There are few foods that naturally contain vitamin D – salmon, tuna, mackerel and fish oils are the best sources.  Thankfully, you can also get Vitamin D from a daily dose of sunshine, or from supplements.

If you are trying to get your vitamin D from exposure to the sun, you will need about 10-15 minutes per day outside in the sun.  Sunscreen will prevent you from getting adequate exposure, so try spending the first 10-15 minutes outdoors without sunscreen.  Just be sure to apply after that to prevent unnecessary burns.

You can also get your vitamin D from fortified foods such as milk, or take a quality vitamin D supplement.  The usual recommendation is 400 IU (international units) but many nutritionists recommend as much as 1000 IU.

Vitamin D has been shown to play a number of roles in our health.  It promotes the absorption of calcium, which increases bone health.  It boosts your body’s immune function.  Vitamin D can reduce inflammation, and also protect against some forms of cancer.

Our office sells two different Vitamin D formulations:

• D3 1000 IU by Metagenics offers a high potency vitamin D3, which is the most bio-active form of supplemental vitamin D available.
• We also offer D3 5000 IU  for patients who have low vitamin D levels and need a higher dosage.

Why Do I Need Orthotics?

If your feet don't work right, you hurt ALL over.  Remember the old song, "the foot bone's connected to the shin bone, the shin bone's connected to the thigh bone ... all the way up to the neck bone"?  Well, your aching feet, your trick knee, your stiff back or that crick in your neck may come from abnormal foot bio-mechanics.

Your physical therapist, with special training in biomechanics, a branch of medical science dealing with human motion and posture, will evaluate you from head to toe, both dynamically (while moving) and statically (when at rest).

Some of the mechanisms observed during this type of examination are supination (rolling out)  and pronation (collapsing in)  of your feet.  If abnormal, a very important aspect of your treatment will be the prescription of functional foot orthotics.

Here at Schubbe Resch Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Centers, we do prescribe functional foot orthotics.  Functional orthotics capture the neutral position for the sub-talar joint.  During casting, the therapists find the mid-stance position to compensate for foot deformities. Posts or wedges built in the orthotics allow the foot to function around its neutral position.

Our office also offers pre-made orthotics.  This type of orthotic may be helpful for some patients,  however, the orthotics will accommodate whatever position the foot is in along with any deformities that are present.  The off-the -shelf orthotics are not made to correct deformities.  Their main purpose is to redistribute plantar pressure to prevent pain.

Insurance plans may or may not cover custom orthotics, and usually will not cover off-the -shelf orthotics.  However, the cost to the patient may be worth the reduction in foot and spine pain.

What Does Light Therapy Do?

Here is a list of what light therapy can do:

• Increase circulation by increasing the formation of new capillaries, which are additional blood vessels that replace damaged ones.  New capillaries speed up the healing process by carrying more oxygen as well as more nutrients needed for healing and they can also carry more waste products away.
• Stimulate the production of collagen,  Collagen is the most common protein found in the body.  Collagen is the essential protein used to repair damaged tissue and to replace old tissue.  It is the substance that holds cells together and has a high degree of elasticity.  By increasing collagen production, less scar tissue is formed at the damaged site.
• Stimulate the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).  ATP is the major carrier of energy to all cells.  Increases in ATP allow cells to accept nutrients faster and get rid of waste products faster by increasing the energy level in the cell.  All food turns into ATP before it is utilized by the cells.  ATP provides the chemical energy that drives the chemical reaction of the cell.
• Increase lymphatic system activity.  Edema, which is the swelling or natural splinting of the body, has two basic components.  The first is a liquid part which can be evacuated by the blood system and the second is comprised of the proteins which have to be evacuated by the lymphatic system.  Research has shown that the lymph vessel diameter and the flow of the lymph system can be doubled with the use of light therapy.  The venous diameter and the arterial diameters can also be increased.  This means that both parts of edema (liquid and protein) can be evacuated at  a much faster rate to relieve swelling.
• Increase RNA and DNA synthesis.  This helps damaged cells to be replaced more promptly.
• Reduce the  excitability of nervous tissue.  The photons of light energy enter the body as negative ions.  The calls upon the body to send positive ions like calcium among others to go to the area being treated.  These ions assist in firing the nerves thereby relieving pain.
• Stimulate fibroblastic activity which aids in the repair process.  Fibroblasts are present in connective tissue and are capable of forming collagen fibers.
• Increase phagocytosis, which is the process of scavenging for and ingesting dead or degenerated cells by phagocyte cells for the purpose of clean up. This is an important part of the infection fighting process.  Destruction of the infection and clean up must occur before the healing process can take place.
• Induce a thermal like effect in the tissue.  The light raises the temperature of the cells although there is no heat produced from the light therapy diodes themselves.
• Stimulate tissue granulation and connective tissue projections, which are part of the healing process of wounds, ulcers, or inflamed tissue.
• Stimulate acetylcholine release.  Acetylocholine causes cardiac inhibition, vasodilation, gastrointestinal peristalsis and other parasympathetic effects.

Posture Pointers

How Important is Good Posture?

Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health.  It is as important as eating right, exercising, getting a good night's sleep, and avoiding potentially harmful substances.  Good posture is a way of doing things with more energy, less stress, and less fatigue.  Surprised?  Well you are not alone.  The importance of good posture in an overall fitness program is often overlooked by fitness advisers and fitness seekers alike.  In fact, the benefits of good posture may be among the best kept secrets of the current fitness movement.  The good news is that most everyone can avoid the problems caused by bad posture - and you can make improvements at any time.

What Does Bad Posture Look Like?

When you have poor posture, the body's proper vertical position is out of alignment and the back's natural curves become distorted.  There are three common poor postures:

Head Forward or Slouched Posture:

• rounded shoulders
• head forward, rounded upper back
• arched lower back
• protruding buttocks
• flattened chest
• abdominal organs sag, crowding and making more work for heart and lungs

Military Posture:

• head pulled back
• should blades tightly pulled back
• arched lower back
• knees locked
• minimizes the spinal column's ability to be a shock absorber for the body

Slumped Sitting Posture:

• upper back humped or too rounded
• head forward
• rounded upper back
• often starts in teenage years

What Does Perfect Posture Look Like?

Perfect standing posture is when the following are properly aligned - the points between your eyes, chin, collarbone, breastbone, pubic area and midpoint between your ankles.

From the side, you can easily see the three natural curves in your back.  From the front, your shoulders, hips and knees are of equal height; your head is held straight, not tilted or turned to one side.  From the back, the little bumps on your spine should be in a straight line down the center of your back.

Obviously, no one spends all day in this position, but if you naturally assume a proper relaxed standing posture, you will carry yourself in a more balanced position and with less stress in your other activities.

Improving Your Posture

When standing - hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to increase your balance.  If you stand all day in a job like a cashier or clerk, rest one foot on a stool or take breaks to get off of your feet for a while.

When sitting - use a chair with firm low back support.  Keep desk or table elbow high, adjust the chair or use a footrest to keep pressure off the back of the legs, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips.  Get up and stretch frequently - every hour if you sit for long periods of time.  Do not sit on a fat wallet - it can cause hip imbalances. 

When working on a computer - take a one or two minute break every 20 minutes.  Keep your computer screen 15 degrees below eye level.  Place reference materials on a copy stand even with and close to the terminal.

When sitting in a car - adjust the seat forward so your knees are higher than your hips.  Put a small pillow or cushion in the small of your back.

When sleeping -  sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow to make your head level with your spine.  Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head.  Use a small pillow or chiropractic pillow under your neck instead.  Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

When lifting - let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your low back.  Stand close to the object, then squat down and straddle it if possible.  Grasp the object and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as you stand up.  Carry the object close to your body.

When bending - never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time.  To lift or reach something on the floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.

If you follow these practices, but still feel discomfort and pain related to specific activities, visit your Doctor of Chiropractic periodically for spinal checkups and for a postural evaluation for yourself and your children.

Whiplash

The classic cause of whiplash is the rear-end automobile accident.  In a rear end collision, the victim's car is first pushed forward and then, because their foot is either on the brake or they hit the car in front, the victim's car is quickly slowed down.  At first, the body is pushed forward but the head stays behind.  This causes the muscles and ligaments of the neck to be stretched or torn.  A properly positioned head rest can lessen some of this movement, but in most cases, the damage is done before the head even hits the head rest.

For some accident victims, the symptoms of whiplash can take several weeks or months to appear.  A person who has immediate symptoms is actually lucky because they are more likely to seek treatment. Whiplash symptoms consist of a stiff neck, neck pain, persistent headaches, irritability, shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing, blurred vision, ringing ears, nausea, dizziness, and vertigo.  Victims may experience burning pain, prickling or tingling.

Studies have found that chiropractic adjustments to the neck resulted in significant improvements and outcomes for patients with whiplash injuries.  Early activity and mobilization (chiropractic adjustment) were more effective in treating whiplash than standard medical treatment consisting of rest and a soft collar.

Research has clearly shown that chiropractic care is effective for the care of whiplash injuries and is more effective than other forms of care.  If you suspect you may have sustained a whiplash injury from a car accident, or from any significant blow to your body, you should schedule a chiropractic checkup.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue.  This debilitating, yet preventable disease increases the fragility of the bone making it more likely to break.  The consequences of osteoporosis can be devastating.  Many disregard the severity of the disease and may consider it a normal part of aging.  This is not true.  Osteoporosis can lead to fractures primarily of the hip, spine, and wrist.

There are factors that increase our risk that are out of our control like our gender and race.  However, there are lifestyle choices that reduce our risk that are under our control like diet and exercise.
Risk factors that you can change:

• Hormone levels - have your estrogen level checked if you feel that these levels are low, especially after menopause.
• Activity levels - weight-bearing exercise is essential for building and maintaining bone health.
• Diet - a diet inadequate in calcium and Vitamin D is detrimental to bone health, especially from childhood through the mid 20's.
• Smoking - may interfere with calcium absorption and women who smoke typically have lower levels of estrogen than non-smokers do.
• Drinking - more than 2-3 drinks per day may cause bone loss.
• Medications - the long-term use of steroids can lead to bone loss and an increase in fractures.

If you already have osteoporosis, you might wonder whether you should exercise at all.  The answer for most people is YES!  Your chiropractor can help you develop an individualized exercise program that you can perform safely and is specific for your needs.  Our Six Weeks To Wellness Program is a perfect example.  You can also ask your chiropractor about calcium supplements that are easy for your body to absorb.

What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?

When the 24 bones that protect the spinal cord lose their normal position or motion, delicate nerve tissue can become choked or irritated.  If a thorough examination reveals malfunctioning areas of the spine, chiropractic adjustments are recommended to help correct this situation.

A chiropractic adjustment is the use of a specific force in a precise direction, applied to a joint that is fixated, or not moving properly.  Adjustments help return bones to a more normal position or motion, relieving pain.

There are many ways to adjust the spine.  Usually our doctor's hands or a specially designed instrument delivers a brief and highly accurate thrust.  After years of training, each doctor has selected a variety of methods and becomes skilled in their delivery.  Regardless of the technique used, each chiropractic adjustment is tailored to the patient's age, size, and unique spinal problem.

Adjustments help normalize spinal function and avoid bone and soft tissue degeneration.  When nervous system function improves in this way, the body can begin the natural healing process.

Backpacks That Make the Grade

Backpacks are very convenient for carrying books and supplies, but many are overloaded or improperly worn.  This can put children at risk for spinal injury.

Here are some recommendations for safe backpack use:

• Wear both straps.  This distributes the weight evenly across the back and shoulders.
• Wear the backpack over the mid-back muscles.  These muscles are the strongest.  The size of the backpack should match the size of the child so the backpack rests evenly in the middle of the back.
• Don't overload the backpack.  The load should not be more than 10% of the child's weight.  Therefore, a 75 lb child should only carry 7.5 lbs or less in their backpack.

Here are some signs that your child's backpack is too heavy:

• The child changes their posture when wearing the backpack to accomodate the extra weight.
• The child struggles when putting the backpack on or taking it off.
• The child experiences pain while wearing the backpack.
• The child experiences tingling or numbness or has red marks from wearing the backpack.

Keep these tips in mind when shopping for a new backpack or when observing your child with their current backpack.

Whiplash Symptoms

Whiplash commonly happens when a car is struck from behind or collides with another vehicle.  The head may suddenly be jerked back and forth, causing muscles and ligaments supporting the spine to be over-stretched or torn.   The following list shows the most common whiplash symptoms.  If you have been in a car accident and experience any of these symptons, you should consult with your chiropractor.

Typical Whiplash Symptoms:

• Neck pain and/or stiffness
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty swallowing
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Pain in the arms, legs, or feet and hands
• Headache
• Low back pain and/or stiffness
• Shoulder pain
• Nausea
• Ringing in the ears
• Vertigo
• Numbness and tingling
• Pain in the jaw or face

Understanding Sciatica

Low back pain and/or leg pain that travels down the large sciatic nerve, from the lower back down the back of each leg, is generally referred to as sciatica and is fairly common. This pain can be caused when a nerve root in the lower spine that helps form the sciatic nerve is pinched or irritated.

Sciatica can be caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve from a herniated disc (also referred to as a ruptured disc, pinched nerve or slipped disc) in the lumbar spine. The problem is often diagnosed as a “radiculopathy”, meaning that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the radicular nerve (nerve root) in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve. Pressure on the sciatic nerve can also come from having misalignment of lumbar vertebrae, long standing spinal degeneration or a tight piriformis muscle (a muscle located deep in the buttock).

Sciatica occurs most frequently in people between 30 and 50 years of age. Often a particular event or injury does not cause sciatica, but rather it may develop as a result of general wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. The vast majority of people who experience sciatica get better with chiropractic and physical therapy.

Understanding Sciatica Pain

For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the pain might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse. Usually sciatica only affects one side of the lower body and the pain often radiates from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also radiate to the foot or toes.

One or more of the following sensations may occur as a result of sciatica:

• Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting.
• Burning or tingling down the leg.
• Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot.
• A constant pain on one side of the rear.
• A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up.
• Low back pain may be present along with the leg pain, but usually the low back pain is less severe than the leg pain.

While sciatica can be very painful, it is rare that permanent nerve damage (tissue damage) will result.

Since sciatica nerve pain is caused by a combination of pressure and inflammation on the nerve root, treatment is centered on relieving both of these factors. Because not all sciatica has the same cause, effective treatment plans will be individualized by your doctor of Chiropractic and may include: adjustments, ice, ultrasound, muscle stimulation, manual decompression therapy and massage therapy. Sciatica will resolve faster the sooner it is treated-so don’t wait till you are in really bad shape to help!

Raking: Causes, Prevention and Tips for Low Back Injury

Whether spring, summer or fall, raking is a common cause of low back injury. In this video, I explain how injuries occur, preventative measures you can take, and what to do if you experience pain.