Blog posts tagged with 'Homewood IL chiropractor'

GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR CORRECTLY

                    FIGURE 20 – STEP ONE                  FIGURE 20A – STEP TWO 

                    FIGURE 20B – EXITING                   FIGURE 20C – EXITING

Getting into and out of the car incorrectly can easily harm your back. Unfortunately, some people have jobs and lifestyles that require frequent trips into and out of their automobiles. These people are likely hurting their backs and don’t know it. The correct way to get into your car is to stand with your buttocks towards the car door. From this position, squat or use hip rotation to step backwards into the car seat (FIGURE 20). Then, swing your legs around to the front of the car (FIGURE 20A). The incorrect way to get into the car is to stand sideways next to the door, bend away from the car, and plop into the seat. 

            You will get out of the car the same way as you entered it, but in the opposite order that you entered it. First, swing your legs around from the front of the car to the side (FIGURE 20B). Next, scoot all the way towards the edge of the seat and get up using your legs, not your back (FIGURE 20C). This method spares your back and decreases the risk of injury.

NO DRUGS FOR BACK PAIN!

The American College of Physicians recommends no drugs for back pain and to try conservative care first, including chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture! Chiropractic works. Try it.

Read the story for yourself in the Wall Street Journal:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-drugs-for-back-pain-new-guidelines-say-1487024168

WE HAVE NEW PRICES AND SERVICES!

SIT PROPERLY IN THE CAR

Back injury is common from sitting incorrectly in the car. The driver’s and passenger’s seats must allow for the most ideal seated position. I do not recommend the driver or passenger try to maintain a dynamic seated position while driving. It is safer for the driver and passenger to ensure their seat is set for the most ideal seated position possible. The driver’s and passenger’s seats should allow for the legs and hips to be at 90 degrees. Use a lumbar support (www.backsafetyandwellness.com/products) to avoid forming the “C shape,” or hump, in the low back. Instead, a ski slope, or inverted “C-shape,” is desired. Do not flex the low back!

Do not shrug your shoulders. Some people place their arms on the door rest, which causes a constant shoulder shrug. Avoid this. In addition, drivers tend to place one arm on the steering wheel and shift their weight to one side. Again, try to avoid this. Rather, place both hands on the steering wheel. The arms and elbows, if possible, should be at 90 degrees. 

FIGURE 1

Do not position the head rest too far forward. Ideally, your head should rest against the head rest at the spot directly above the bump on the back of the head. If properly positioned, your head will appear slightly bent backward at 15-20 degrees as in FIGURE 1. 

The passenger should follow the same guidelines as the driver. Properly sitting in the car will allow you and your passenger to feel better after a long drive. 

USE A PHONE HEADSET

                                            AVOID PUTTING YOUR EAR TO YOUR SHOULDER     

            Using a phone headset eliminates the possibility of torticollis, or muscles spasms in the neck, from improper phone usage. Repeatedly bending your head to your shoulder to hold a phone causes injury to the joints, muscles, and ligaments in the necK. It is also possible for injuries to these areas to cause referral pain and subsequent headaches. If use of a headset is not possible, alternate holding the phone with your right and left hand.   

            USE A BOOK STAND WHILE READING

                        Figure 1                                        Figure 1A

When you read, do not bend your head too far forward and down. To prevent improperly positioning your head while you read, use a book stand or an inclined reading surface. An incline of 12 degrees is enough to prevent the ill-effects of a bent head posture. However, many tables and reading surfaces are not made with this incline, so it is easier to purchase a book stand to hold your reading material upright (FIGURE 1 and 1A). A bookstand reduces possible muscle spasms, headaches, and pain from prolonged improper head positioning.

DO NOT SIT WITH SHRUGGED SHOULDERS

Make sure your work station does not force you to sit with shrugged shoulders (SEE ABOVE). If you use a keyboard, it should not be elevated so that your shoulders are in a perpetually shrugged position. Likewise, do not use an elevated desk or rest your elbows on the desk or arms of the chair, as this forces shrugged shoulders. The desk height cannot typically be altered, which is why it is important to use an ergonomic chair that can be raised and lowered accordingly.      

          POSITION YOUR COMPUTER MONITOR CORRECTLY

  Hopefully, you don’t sit at a computer for longer than 50 minutes. However, if you do, make sure the computer monitor is positioned appropriately to prevent any back problems. Be certain the monitor is positioned so that there is no glare on the screen. Second, place the monitor so that your head is not too far forward or backward, and you don’t have to squint while looking at the screen. Please see the above picture for proper seated posture, while working at a computer.

ROCK BACKWARD AND FORWARD WHILE STANDING  

              FIGURE 1- FORWARD                 FIGURE 1A - BACKWARD

Evidence shows that you can develop chronic low back pain from excessive standing. This chronic low back pain seems to result from a lack of movement, specifically forward and backward, while standing. As a result, I suggest rocking backward and forward on the balls and heels of your feet. Please refer to FIGURES 1 and 1A. Rocking backward and forward is not something you do constantly. I recommend every five minutes you rock backward and forward for about 60 seconds. Again, there is no rule set in stone as to the frequency with which you should rock forward and backward, as it is based on your feeling. 

DON'T STAND TOO LONG

As mentioned, I don’t believe excessive standing is as much of a problem as excessive sitting. However, standing can lead to chronic low back pain. To combat the potential effects of standing too long, I recommend taking a break from standing after every 20-30 minutes. Excessive standing is typically considered 50 minutes or longer, but I recommend 20-30 minutes because of spinal memory (see February 7th blog post). If your job or lifestyle requires prolonged standing, bring a stool to your workstation. I suggest sitting for a minute or two every 20-30 minutes. Combining a rest break after 50 minutes, and sitting every 20-30 minutes is a great way to avoid the effects of excessive standing. 

Another suggestion is to switch your weight-bearing foot. Every 10-15 minutes, switch your weight to your right foot. Stand with your weight on the right foot for one minute. Then, switch the weight to your left foot for one minute. Next, stand normally with the weight equally distributed on both feet. In another 10-15 minutes, switch weight-bearing feet again and repeat the process. A different way to accomplish this same concept is with a small step stool. Place the non weight-bearing foot on the small step stool and alternate feet as previously described.  There is no set rule to how frequently you should switch weight-bearing feet. Do what makes you feel best.     

STAND UP CORRECTLY FROM SITTING

                         Figure 1                                         Figure 2

Standing up correctly from the seated position is one of the most important things I tell patients they can do to spare their backs. It is also one of the easiest. Most people use their low backs to assist them in getting up from the seated position. This is wrong! Think about how many times you get up from sitting. Every time you use your low back to stand, you are flexing your spine and placing unnecessary stress onto it. Here is the easy solution:  before you get up from sitting, scoot all the way to the edge of your seated surface, keep your back straight, and get up using your legs, as in FIGURE 2. This may feel strange at first, but should become second nature after a few days. One tip to get started:  use your arms to assist your legs in the process (FIGURE 2). Place your hands into fists and use them to push up off the seated surface, while using your legs. Do not place your fists on your legs. Again, at no time will you flex the low back or use it to assist you in the standing process.

            Be sure to not bend your spine—keeping it neutral, as you sit down, too. Simply reverse this standing process, and use the same technique to sit down properly. 

 STRETCH EVERY 20-30 MINUTES

                       FIGURE 1 – REACH                     FIGURE 1A – SQUEEZE

Stretching every 20-30 minutes combats the effects of excessive sitting. It helps avoid the physiological effects of excessive sitting and the associated spinal memory. To perform the appropriate stretch, stand up and reach toward the ceiling (FIGURE 1). Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. During exhalation, stretch higher toward the ceiling.  Next, with your palms pointed up, bring your arms down to the side of your body. Then, pretend you are holding a pencil between your shoulder blades and squeeze them together to prevent the pencil from falling. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. During this exhalation, hold the contraction of your shoulder blades together for 10 seconds (FIGURE 1A).  Relax. You have successfully completed the basic stretch needed to combat the effects of prolonged sitting. The entire stretch break will not take more than 30 seconds, yet its benefit will last exponentially longer. Repeat this stretch every 20-30 minutes, or as needed. 

 DON’T SIT TOO LONG

Working conditions in the United States demand less physically of its workers now, than were required of its workers in the past. Most jobs now involve sitting rather than laborious tasks such as lifting, pulling, pushing, etc., yet disability claims for back pain have been increasing. This increase occurs because sitting can be more harmful to your body than physically demanding tasks. There is a definitive correlation between excessive sitting and low back disorders, such as disc herniations, also known as bulging discs. The solution is to avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time. A worker who sits longer than 50 minutes should stand up, take a walk, or stretch, though I recommend he shouldn’t sit longer than 20-30 minutes due to the effects of something called spinal memory, which I will discuss at a later time.     

            This information is particularly useful to any athlete, such as a baseball or basketball player, who sits for 20 minutes or longer before performing. Because sitting places your back in a stressful position, athletes are at a higher risk for injury if they immediately perform their athletic tasks after sitting for 20-30 minutes or longer. If an athlete must sit for an extended period of time before playing, he/she must remember to sit with proper posture, take stretch breaks, or use a lumbar support of some kind.

BREAST CANCER PREVENTION

As most know, October is breast cancer awareness month. To help promote this cause, outlined for you are several tips to help you better understand some risk factors associated with breast cancer and the possible prevention of it.

• 1. Perform regular self-exams for lumps, discoloration, or any other abnormalities. Not sure how to perform a self-exam? Ask your primary care physician, or try an online search. Simply relying on a mammogram may not be your best option. The United States Preventative Services Task Force, or USPSTF, found over a 25 year study that women aged 40-59, who received an annual mammogram, did not reduce their risk of mortality from breast cancer. Furthermore, 22% of invasive breast cancers were over-diagnosed when discovered with a mammogram.
• 2. Stay Active. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Another study indicates you may have a 35% less likely chance of developing breast cancer if you exercise regularly.
• 3. Eat Properly. Consuming red meat daily increases your likelihood of developing breast cancer by almost twice the amount. You don’t have to eliminate red meat completely, but try to resort to eating it maybe once or twice a week. However, if you eat 3-6 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, your risk of developing breast cancer is cut by 50%. Please note that one-third of the vegetables and fruits you consume should be raw. This statistic does not mean you can consume daily amounts of red meat because its damage will be offset by your 3-6 servings of fruits and veggies.
• 4. Bra Usage. Believe it or not, women who wear their bra for more than 12 hours a day are 50% more likely to develop breast cancer. Let them breathe a little bit!
• 5. Avoid Chlorine. Woman with high levels of chlorine in their bodies have a 10 times higher likelihood of developing breast cancer. That’s TEN TIMES more likely! What is the major source of chlorine? Drinking water. Most filters will eliminate chlorine from tap water, so be sure to drink properly filtered water.

These suggestions are not bulletproof and do not guarantee you immunity from breast cancer. However, these suggestions certainly won’t hurt your odds of developing the cancer, and can only help you. Prevention is key!

Thank you to everyone who attended our ribbon cutting ceremony. Many thanks to Mayor Hofeld for bringing the ribbon and the right-sized scissors neeeded to cut that ribbon! Everyone had a good time.

Back Safety & Wellnes Center is officially open! Come visit us at 18141 Dixie Hwy., Suite 107, Homewood, IL for all your chiropractic, acupuncture and back pain needs. Improve your quality of life now.

Yours in health,

The BSWC