You never know until you hurt it how much you use your lower back all day long. When your lower back is injured, every movement becomes painful. Simple actions, such as getting out of a chair or bending over the sink, become excruciating, and your daily routine becomes difficult and frustrating.
Back pain affects 60 to 80 percent of U.S. adults at some time during their lives, and up to 50 percent have back pain within a given year. Some of these problems are easily treated and never return, but in five to ten percent of patients low back pain becomes chronic and the person continues to have recurrences and exacerbations.
Effective treatment of uncomplicated lower back pain involves treatment in a chiropractor’s office and beginning and continuing an exercise program. A recent study conducted by the Medical Research Council, a research organization based in the United Kingdom, has found that patients given a combination of spinal manipulation and exercise experienced greater improvement in back function and greater reduction in pain compared to those treated with spinal manipulation or exercise only.
Most mechanical lower back pain is associated with tight leg muscles and weak abdominal muscles. Leg muscles need to be stretched and abdominal muscles need to be strengthened to avoid recurrences of lower back pain.
People are generally not aware of these relationships. You may know you “should be exercising”, but you may be unaware of the importance of stretching. Also, abdominal strengthening is usually the last thing a person thinks of when he or she thinks of doing exercise.
Abdominal strengthening helps support the lower back. Spinal muscles are not designed to carry your body weight. If your abdominal muscles are weak, then your back muscles will be used to carry your body weight, and eventually you’ll have a lower back injury. Abdominal strengthening not only helps keep your lower back healthy, but also helps maintain good posture. Postural benefits include an easy, relaxed gait; muscles that are long and supple, rather than short and tight; and an open chest that allows for easy, smooth breathing. Your body is a machine. Everything’s connected. A lower back problem affects many other areas, ultimately. By making sure to stretch regularly and by including abdominal exercises in your gym routine, you can help ensure having a lower back that works.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Understanding Neck Pain, Chiropractic Care Helps
Who hasn’t had neck pain at one time or another? What’s more, many of us have experienced on-going neck troubles at some point during our lives. Looking at human anatomy, it’s no wonder pain strikes us so often in this vulnerable area. While the neck structure gives us an amazing range of movement with which to see our environment, it also leaves us prone to injury of the muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. But by making regular visits to the chiropractor, paying attention to posture and doing regular stretching and strengthening exercises, our necks can be pain-free.
Frequent chiropractic adjustments help prevent neck pain from occurring in the first place, but some everyday activities such as poor posture during watching TV, using a computer, reading a book or talking on the phone can easily trigger neck pain. Here are a few tips for avoiding neck pain throughout your day:
* Pay attention to your posture. Check with your chiropractor for guidelines to help improve your everyday posture.
* Do not read hunched over a desk or table. Prop reading material at eye level.
* If you spend long periods on the phone at work or home, consider using a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and shoulder.
* Don’t crane your neck to see a poorly placed computer monitor. Place the monitor at eye level, square to your shoulders if possible.
* Ask Dr. Swager to show you neck exercises to strengthen weak areas or relax tight muscles.
Neck pain that won’t go away or keeps coming back can signal a more serious underlying problem such as a subluxation or degeneration in the joints (such as what occurs with arthritis). If you experience neck pain that doesn’t abate within 24 hours, seek the advice of your chiropractor for diagnosis and treatment.
Contact the experts at Back to Health Chiropractic - 303-688-8855. We'll help you say goodbye to your pain and suffering.
Frequent chiropractic adjustments help prevent neck pain from occurring in the first place, but some everyday activities such as poor posture during watching TV, using a computer, reading a book or talking on the phone can easily trigger neck pain. Here are a few tips for avoiding neck pain throughout your day:
* Pay attention to your posture. Check with your chiropractor for guidelines to help improve your everyday posture.
* Do not read hunched over a desk or table. Prop reading material at eye level.
* If you spend long periods on the phone at work or home, consider using a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and shoulder.
* Don’t crane your neck to see a poorly placed computer monitor. Place the monitor at eye level, square to your shoulders if possible.
* Ask Dr. Swager to show you neck exercises to strengthen weak areas or relax tight muscles.
Neck pain that won’t go away or keeps coming back can signal a more serious underlying problem such as a subluxation or degeneration in the joints (such as what occurs with arthritis). If you experience neck pain that doesn’t abate within 24 hours, seek the advice of your chiropractor for diagnosis and treatment.
Contact the experts at Back to Health Chiropractic - 303-688-8855. We'll help you say goodbye to your pain and suffering.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Depression, Stress and Your Spine
To learn more about Dr. Swager, Back 2 Health Chiropractic and our chiropractic office in Castle Rock, CO, we hope you enjoy reading this weeks health article.
So many of our patients frequently comment that they have friends battling “this,” a family member who has “that,” or co-workers who are always calling in sick with some ailment or illness. Our patients frequently state that chiropractic could help them. However, those words are sometimes not listened to or acted upon. So, our team developed a fantastic community health program to make it SOOOO easy for them and SOOOO easy for you!
Your Voice Can Heal
Ever listen to people’s conversations on the street or in restaurants? So much of it is about the drugs they are taking. So much of it is about diseases that don’t go away or suffering that will not end. A few words from you might change their lives.
Who Told You About Chiropractic?
What would your health be like if your spine was never adjusted? If someone never told you about chiropractic? Would you be living on drugs? Facing surgery? Fortunately, someone did tell you about chiropractic, and you were introduced to the world of natural health care and subluxation correction. In doing so, you’ve joined the many millions of people who have found relief from dis-ease and regained their health under safe, natural, drug-free chiropractic care.
Why Live On Drugs?
When chiropractic enthusiasts see others – friends, relatives, perhaps even strangers – living on pills and other medicines, they ask, “Why live on drugs? Why live in pain? Aren’t you frustrated with not getting better? Aren’t you tired of being sick and tired? Why don’t you see my chiropractor?”
Our Team’s Commitment
Our team is committed to improving the education, health and future of our community. Each month, we will feature a specific health concern and will provide an accurate and researched article for you to pass along to someone you know. These articles will address the causes of the problems and will explain the chiropractic connection and the validity and benefits of chiropractic care.
Depression
Do you have friends, family members or co-workers who are personally battling depression or have children who are depressed? Then tell them, “You’re not alone!” In the United States alone, more than 14 million people battle depression every year! Unfortunately, the only “solution” most people ever utilize to counteract depression is medication. Not only is the success rate of anti-depressants very questionable, but there have been some incredibly dangerous side effects that have been linked to anti-depressant medications. Thankfully, many patients in our practice have come to realize that being under chiropractic care can help them deal with depression in a healthy, drug-free way!
A Gentle, Accurate And Efficient Check-up
A thorough examination can determine if the feelings of depression that your friends, family members or co-workers are experiencing are the result of misalignments in their spine. The tests performed during this examination are gentle, accurate and efficient. Our highly trained and experienced team will then provide your friend with a thorough report to explain what has been found in their case. Help your friends make 2011 healthier and better than 2011. They really have nothing to lose!
We look forward to serving you! Call - 303-688-8855.
So many of our patients frequently comment that they have friends battling “this,” a family member who has “that,” or co-workers who are always calling in sick with some ailment or illness. Our patients frequently state that chiropractic could help them. However, those words are sometimes not listened to or acted upon. So, our team developed a fantastic community health program to make it SOOOO easy for them and SOOOO easy for you!
Your Voice Can Heal
Ever listen to people’s conversations on the street or in restaurants? So much of it is about the drugs they are taking. So much of it is about diseases that don’t go away or suffering that will not end. A few words from you might change their lives.
Who Told You About Chiropractic?
What would your health be like if your spine was never adjusted? If someone never told you about chiropractic? Would you be living on drugs? Facing surgery? Fortunately, someone did tell you about chiropractic, and you were introduced to the world of natural health care and subluxation correction. In doing so, you’ve joined the many millions of people who have found relief from dis-ease and regained their health under safe, natural, drug-free chiropractic care.
Why Live On Drugs?
When chiropractic enthusiasts see others – friends, relatives, perhaps even strangers – living on pills and other medicines, they ask, “Why live on drugs? Why live in pain? Aren’t you frustrated with not getting better? Aren’t you tired of being sick and tired? Why don’t you see my chiropractor?”
Our Team’s Commitment
Our team is committed to improving the education, health and future of our community. Each month, we will feature a specific health concern and will provide an accurate and researched article for you to pass along to someone you know. These articles will address the causes of the problems and will explain the chiropractic connection and the validity and benefits of chiropractic care.
Depression
Do you have friends, family members or co-workers who are personally battling depression or have children who are depressed? Then tell them, “You’re not alone!” In the United States alone, more than 14 million people battle depression every year! Unfortunately, the only “solution” most people ever utilize to counteract depression is medication. Not only is the success rate of anti-depressants very questionable, but there have been some incredibly dangerous side effects that have been linked to anti-depressant medications. Thankfully, many patients in our practice have come to realize that being under chiropractic care can help them deal with depression in a healthy, drug-free way!
A Gentle, Accurate And Efficient Check-up
A thorough examination can determine if the feelings of depression that your friends, family members or co-workers are experiencing are the result of misalignments in their spine. The tests performed during this examination are gentle, accurate and efficient. Our highly trained and experienced team will then provide your friend with a thorough report to explain what has been found in their case. Help your friends make 2011 healthier and better than 2011. They really have nothing to lose!
We look forward to serving you! Call - 303-688-8855.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Ten Tips for Smart Stretching, Castle Rock Co
Ten Tips for Smart Stretching
1. Why stretch? Stretching lengthens muscles and improves flexibility.1,2 Also, stretching the big leg muscles - the hamstrings, calves, and quads - simultaneously loosens and lengthens the muscles of your lower back. So, when you stretch, you're helping your back!
2. When to stretch? Recent exercise physiology studies show that static stretching is best done after exercise.3 Pre-exercise "dynamic warm-ups", such as torso twists, arm circles, and light jogging, prepare the body for work. Importantly, for those of us with back issues, it's still a good idea to do the familiar static stretches even before the dynamic warm-up!
3. Don't rush! Stretching is as important as what you're going to do after you stretch. And, if you rush, you might pull a muscle or worse. Be sure to include 10 to 15 minutes of stretching as part of your exercise time.
4. Stretch gently and slowly. You're not trying to accomplish anything while stretching. In other words, you're not trying to stretch "this much" or "this far". Nice and easy does it. Stretching is a Zen activity. There should be nor "effort".
5. Pay attention! If your mind drifts, you're headed for a pulled muscle.
6. Visualize! See (in your mind) what you're doing. Hold a mental visual image of the muscle group, where it comes from, where it goes. Visualization helps establish a brain-muscle connection, making your muscles much smarter!
7. Stretch your hamstrings first. Lie on your back with one knee bent [start with the left leg bent; you'll be stretching the right hamstring]. The left foot is on the floor and the left knee is bent approximately 90 degrees. Holding behind the right knee, gently bring that knee to your chest. Alternate this chest movement with a movement that begins to straighten the right leg in the air. The eventual goal on straightening is to achieve a 90 degree angle (or close to this) between the leg and your torso.
8. CAUTION - Progress may be quite slow. Remember - you are where you are. Stretching is gentle and slow. Alternate the bending and straightening movements gently, achieving a slightly greater straightening each time. You should work each leg for between three and five minutes.
9. Calf stretches - face a wall and place both hands lightly on the wall. Keeping both feet facing front, bend the front knee and place the foot of the leg to be stretched directly behind you. Your weight is being supported by the front leg. The back knee is pretty straight and the back heel is on or close to the floor. Maintain the stretch for 10 seconds, feeling the stretch in the calf as the back heel reaches toward the floor.
10. Quad stretches - stand on your left leg, placing a hand lightly on a wall to support the upright posture. Grasp just above the right ankle with your right hand and bring that heel close to the right buttock. The quadriceps is stretched by bringing the right thigh in line with the left thigh, just as if you were standing on both legs. The knees should also be close, in a line. You should feel a stretching sensation down the right thigh. Imagine a straight line running from your right hip socket all the way to the floor.
1Ferreira GN, et al: Gains in flexibility related to measures of muscular performance. Clin J Sport Med 17(4):276-281, 2007.
2Peeler J, Anderson JE: Effectiveness of static quadriceps stretching in individuals with patellofemoral joint pain. Clin J Sport Med 17(4):234-241, 2007.
3Behm DG, et al: Effect of acute static stretching on force, balance, reaction time, and movement time. Med Sci Sports Exercise (36(8):1397-1402, 2004.
1. Why stretch? Stretching lengthens muscles and improves flexibility.1,2 Also, stretching the big leg muscles - the hamstrings, calves, and quads - simultaneously loosens and lengthens the muscles of your lower back. So, when you stretch, you're helping your back!
2. When to stretch? Recent exercise physiology studies show that static stretching is best done after exercise.3 Pre-exercise "dynamic warm-ups", such as torso twists, arm circles, and light jogging, prepare the body for work. Importantly, for those of us with back issues, it's still a good idea to do the familiar static stretches even before the dynamic warm-up!
3. Don't rush! Stretching is as important as what you're going to do after you stretch. And, if you rush, you might pull a muscle or worse. Be sure to include 10 to 15 minutes of stretching as part of your exercise time.
4. Stretch gently and slowly. You're not trying to accomplish anything while stretching. In other words, you're not trying to stretch "this much" or "this far". Nice and easy does it. Stretching is a Zen activity. There should be nor "effort".
5. Pay attention! If your mind drifts, you're headed for a pulled muscle.
6. Visualize! See (in your mind) what you're doing. Hold a mental visual image of the muscle group, where it comes from, where it goes. Visualization helps establish a brain-muscle connection, making your muscles much smarter!
7. Stretch your hamstrings first. Lie on your back with one knee bent [start with the left leg bent; you'll be stretching the right hamstring]. The left foot is on the floor and the left knee is bent approximately 90 degrees. Holding behind the right knee, gently bring that knee to your chest. Alternate this chest movement with a movement that begins to straighten the right leg in the air. The eventual goal on straightening is to achieve a 90 degree angle (or close to this) between the leg and your torso.
8. CAUTION - Progress may be quite slow. Remember - you are where you are. Stretching is gentle and slow. Alternate the bending and straightening movements gently, achieving a slightly greater straightening each time. You should work each leg for between three and five minutes.
9. Calf stretches - face a wall and place both hands lightly on the wall. Keeping both feet facing front, bend the front knee and place the foot of the leg to be stretched directly behind you. Your weight is being supported by the front leg. The back knee is pretty straight and the back heel is on or close to the floor. Maintain the stretch for 10 seconds, feeling the stretch in the calf as the back heel reaches toward the floor.
10. Quad stretches - stand on your left leg, placing a hand lightly on a wall to support the upright posture. Grasp just above the right ankle with your right hand and bring that heel close to the right buttock. The quadriceps is stretched by bringing the right thigh in line with the left thigh, just as if you were standing on both legs. The knees should also be close, in a line. You should feel a stretching sensation down the right thigh. Imagine a straight line running from your right hip socket all the way to the floor.
1Ferreira GN, et al: Gains in flexibility related to measures of muscular performance. Clin J Sport Med 17(4):276-281, 2007.
2Peeler J, Anderson JE: Effectiveness of static quadriceps stretching in individuals with patellofemoral joint pain. Clin J Sport Med 17(4):234-241, 2007.
3Behm DG, et al: Effect of acute static stretching on force, balance, reaction time, and movement time. Med Sci Sports Exercise (36(8):1397-1402, 2004.
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