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STEP FORWARD TO REACH

                   GOOD FORM                                    BAD FORM

An alternative to flexing/bending your back to reach for an object is to step forward. Keep your spine neutral as you step forward to reach for an object to prevent the use of your spine and protect your back. Notice the difference between the two photos. With good form, the back is neutral (straight), whereas bad form demonstrates a flexed back with that nasty “C-shape” that you want to avoid. Cycles of bending forward and coming up, or extending, cause back injuries. Stepping forward to reach is an alternative to flexion and extension of the spine.  

AVOID IMPROPER BENDING AFTER SITTING FOR 20 MINS

The muscles, discs, and ligaments of the spine adapt to sustained positions. For example, after 20 minutes of sitting, the soft tissues of your body retain the flexed (bent), seated position. So, if you were to flex your spine, which is the incorrect way to bend after sitting for 20 minutes, you would put your spine at risk for injury. This concept is called “spinal memory.” Similarly to lying down for 2-3 hours, I do not recommend improperly flexing (bending) your spine for 30 minutes after you’ve sat for at least 20 minutes. Give the spine time to “forget” the previously adapted position. If you must bend your back within that 30 minute time period, squat or use a hip rotation. 

DONT' BEND AFTER LYING DOWN FOR SEVERAL HOURS

The spine consists of discs in between each vertebra, which allow for movement and cushion. These discs are primarily made of fluid, which is lost during the day and reabsorbed while you sleep, in a process known as disc imbibition. In fact, we lose up to 19 mm of height each day from the loss of disc fluid! After lying down for 2-3 hours, the discs reabsorb their lost fluid and are at full size. When they are full size, the potential stresses placed on the discs are increased by 300%. As a result, it is imperative not to flex/bend your spine for one hour after you have rested for at least 2-3 hours. If you must bend during this time, try squatting, stepping forward, or rotating at yoru hips. Avoiding flexion of the spine after 2-3 hours of lying down is a great way to protect your back. Please understand, that I’m not saying you can’t bend during these aforementioned times, I’m saying it is especially important that you bend the CORRECT way.

 AVOID REPEATED FLEXION/EXTENSION                                          

Repeatedly bending forward and subsequently straightening your spine is known as flexion and extension. Cyclic full spine flexion and extension may cause stress fractures in the spine and displaced vertebra, also known as a spondylo. The discs between your vertebrae are vulnerable to this repetition as well and can become injured. A patient of mine worked in a deli at a grocery store. Her job required repeatedly bending down to remove products from the refrigerated display, which caused her spinal discomfort. We discussed ways to alter her work environment so she did not exacerbate her condition and she improved. Had she known what to avoid, she never would have had the issue in the first place. One alternative to repeatedly bending down and coming back up is stepping forward to reach for the item, instead of bending down if possible.

DR. ZUMSTEIN APPEARS ON WGN MORNING NEWS

WGN Morning News recently featured Dr. Josh Zumstein to discuss ways to prevent back and neck pain. During his most recent appearance on WGN Morning News, Dr. Zumstein talks about ways to prevent back and neck pain while you sleep and at work. He also reveals exercises that are proven to strengthen spine-stabilizing muscles. Dr. Zumstein’s appearance can be viewed here:

http://wgntv.com/2015/03/05/6-ways-to-a-pain-free-back/

THREE BACK PAIN MYTHS AND THE TRUTH BEHIND THEM

1.     “I’m too young, and in too good of shape, to get back pain.” Each time I speak to people about back pain, I get the same reaction. People aged 45 and older pay attention to what I say. The people aged 44 and younger couldn’t care less. Why? Because most people believe back pain only affects the elderly or out-of-shape population. This belief cannot be further from the truth. Low back pain is the number one reason people aged 45 and younger seek health care services. The spine is the most frequently injured part of the body in most workman’s comp cases. The discs in between each vertebra, that cushion your spine and provide movement, can start to degenerate before you hit puberty.

Now, close your eyes and think of ten people. It doesn’t matter their age, race, gender, whether they’re in shape, or out of shape, rich or poor. Eight of these ten people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Pay attention, because it doesn’t matter your age or whether you’re in good shape. You are at risk for back pain.

2.      “My back pain will just go away on its own.” Patients entering my clinic frequently come in with the mindset that something very serious is happening to them because they’ve had lingering back pain that won’t go away. Why? Because the majority of people believe their back pain will go away on its own. And, if it doesn’t, it must not be back pain. It must be something more serious. Right? Wrong. Low back pain is typically not self-limiting--it won’t just stop on its own. In fact, almost 50% of people that have back pain will still have pain after one year. And if you’ve already had back pain, you have a 40% chance of getting back pain again within the same year. On a side note, 90% of back pain is usually just a simple backache. Less than two percent of back pain is from a serious spinal problem. Get your back pain fixed. It’s probably not going away.

3.      “I know what caused my back pain.” Patients ask me all the time, “What did I do to cause my back pain?” And I’ll say, “Probably what you’re doing now.” Of course, the patient will look at me confused because he/she is just sitting. So why do I say this? Because the majority of back pain (approximately 86%) is caused by repetitive misuse, or doing things the wrong way for a long time. It’s likely your back pain was caused by you performing the same tasks the wrong way for a long time. Think of the spine as a long row of dominoes. Each time you perform a task the wrong way, you knock down one of those dominoes until they all fall down. When this last domino falls, your back “goes out.” It didn’t “go out” because you bent down to put on your shoes last night. Your back went out because you’ve bent down to put on your shoes the wrong way for five years. Your back “went out” because you’ve sat for eight consecutive hours at your job every day. Your back “went out” because you’ve picked up children improperly at a day care every day. Get the point? It’s imperative that you learn the proper way to perform daily tasks and activities so you don’t play dominoes with your spine.

AVOID FLEXION OF THE SPINE

What is flexion of the spine? Flexion, also known as bending, occurs when you bend forward to pick up an object off the floor, tie our shoes, etc. The action of repeatedly fully bending the spine is a risk factor for low back disorders and causes disc herniations in the spine.  In addition, bending our spine for a prolonged period of time will damage the back. Note the “C-shaped” hump in the low back of FIGURE 1. This “C-shaped” hump indicates flexion of the spine and incorrect bending. Whenever you see this “C-shape” in the low back, you are bending incorrectly! 

It is best to avoid repeated and prolonged flexion of the spine. It is also important to understand that every time you bend forward, you must extend your back to get up again. This act of straightening your back after bending forward is called extension. Cycles of bending forward and coming back up cause low back problems. Flexion and extension can harm your back without lifting an object. It is simply the act of flexing and extending that is inherently bad.  Eliminating flexion of the spine is critical to protecting your back. 

FIGURE 1

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!

STRETCHING: WHEN TO DO IT, AND WHICH ARE BEST

            Admit it, you’ve probably asked yourself, “Am I doing the right stretch? Should I stretch right now?” And if you’re anything like me, you then went into the corner of the gym where you hoped no one would see you possibly embarrassing yourself stretching. There are two types of stretches: dynamic and static. This article will teach you the difference between both stretches and when one stretch is more appropriate to use than the other.

            A static stretch is the typical stretch people think of when they envision a stretch; you hold one muscle for 10-30 seconds hoping it will “loosen.”

Static stretch of the hamstrings

Statically stretching before you exercise is proven to decrease the efficiency of your workout by almost 10%. In other words, if you are about to perform lunges and you statically stretch your hamstrings (as shown above) prior to lunging, you will lunge approximately 10% less weight than if you had not done the static stretches. Of greater importance, statically stretching before an exercise may place you at greater risk of injuring that muscle, too. Therefore, the best thing to do before a workout is a dynamic stretch. A dynamic stretch is essentially a simulation of the exercise you’re about to perform.

Dynamic stretch of hamstring

If you’re about to run, great dynamic stretches to perform prior to running are body weight lunges, body weight squats, jumping jacks, kick-butts, or knee-highs. These dynamic stretches will engage your running muscles in a safe manner to allow for better performance. If you’re about perform an anaerobic exercise, like bicep curls, a dynamic warm-up stretch may be bicep curls with about 50% less weight than you plan to use during the exercise. Again, you want a simulation of the exercise you’re about to perform, but with less weight and intensity.

            Ok, so if a dynamic stretch is most appropriate before you workout, what should you perform after you workout? Post-workout is the time for a static stretch. After working out, your muscles are loose and susceptible to a greater range of motion. Therefore, you can increase the flexibility of your muscles if you perform the appropriate static stretches post-workout. If you performed lunges, or ran, an appropriate post-workout stretch is the hamstring static-stretch shown above.

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