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“Posture doesn’t just reflect our emotional states; it can also cause them,” says Amy Cuddy in a recent New York Times article about the effect that using mobile devices has on our posture.  Cuddy is a professor at Harvard Business School and presenter of the popular TED Talk, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are.”

Pain is a subjective and distressing feeling that people perceive when they encounter an uncomfortable experience. Pain can be both a psychological and/or a physiological experience. While psychogenic pain is typically experienced as a result of fear, nervousness, anxiety, doubt, grief or negativity, physiological pain is now days very frequently associated with repetitive motion injuries. A repetitive motion injury occurs when the body’s tissues are repeatedly exposed to loads beyond their functional capacity, which consequently causes many repetitive mini traumas to the tissues.

Considering that the body is a dynamic and adaptable organism, it is very well equipped to compensate for these micro injuries. The main reason that most people don’t view micro traumas as being a severely debilitating factor to their health is because we learn to work around the injury. That is both a blessing and a curse because when an injury occurs in one area, the body will stabilize that body part and will recruit surrounding tissues to perform the intended movement or action. However, repeated musculoskeletal compensation leads to postural distortions; and poor posture, over time, leads to chronic pain patterns.

When in pain, people tend to become more sedentary in an attempt to avoid activities that trigger pain and discomfort, and yet decreased level of physical activity leads to stiff joints and weak muscles which further exacerbates the problem. Chronic pain has become such an epidemic that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that “pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined.”

So what can be done? The first thing needed to create lasting change and success is awareness.  Allow yourself the space to see things as they are, without forming judgments, excuses or rationalizations. Only by acknowledging what is, do you put yourself in a position to do something about it. So perhaps next time you are brushing your teeth at the bathroom sink, you take a look at your posture; or the next time you are sitting at your computer, you notice any tensions in your neck, hands, and low back.  Or maybe when you are standing in the checkout line at the grocery store you move side to side a few times and unattachedly notice if one side feels stronger than the other, and if your feet are nice and relaxed or tight and tense. Whether you are looking to get out of pain or are simply interested in ensuring that you are functioning at a healthy level, raising the level of awareness as to what your body is doing helps you to then take the next step in creating the needed change.

A recent study published in Journal of Health Psychology concluded that sitting with an upright posture can function as a coping mechanism against stress. From a physiologic standpoint, properly aligned posture significantly decreases the stress on supportive ligaments, tendons and muscles.  And so although you may not be able to make something better immediately, you can take the first steps in honoring your body and wellbeing by acknowledging how well your body moves in space, and then simply noticing what areas need your further attention.

BY DR. LARISSA WOOLSTON DC, MA

Do you suffer with back pain? Well, you’re not alone. According to the American Chiropractic Association, back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work, and the second most common reason for visiting a doctor (only behind upper respiratory infections).

Why is back pain so common? There is more than one answer to that question. A large number of back pain patients suffer because of the following three reasons:

They have suffered a back injury

Individuals can hurt their backs by lifting heavy objects, overexerting themselves, or moving the wrong way. The muscles and ligaments in the back can be twisted and damaged.

Back pain that is the result of a recent injury is called acute pain, meaning it comes on suddenly. Acute pain is usually temporary, so when the injury heals, the pain lessens or disappears completely. Over the counter medications such as analgesics, topical creams, and anti-inflammatory drugs help manage back pain caused from an injury but don’t necessary fix the problem.

Chiropractic care is another way to lessen acute pain and feel more comfortable. By adjusting the spine, chiropractors can relax the muscles, and relieve acute pain faster than simply “suffering through” the injury.

They battle a medical condition or illness

Unfortunately, there are several illnesses that can cause back pain. Fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, inflammatory diseases of the joints, and scoliosis are some of the common conditions that cause back pain. Because the conditions create pain that lasts longer periods of time, this type of pain is considered to be chronic pain.

Chronic pain is an entirely different animal than acute pain, and patients who suffer with it often look for options outside of traditional medication. Chiropractic care is an excellent choice in dealing with chronic back pain.

Adjustments to the spine can promote healing in all areas of a person’s body, as well as provide relief from the pain. Chiropractic care for medical conditions sometimes takes a bit longer to show results, so the patient must be committed to the treatment plan the chiropractor suggests in order to enjoy the maximum benefits of chiropractic.

They have made poor lifestyle choices

Decisions we make can affect our health, either negatively or positively. Being overweight, avoiding an exercise routine, and smoking can result in health issues that cause back pain.

• Additional weight puts extra stress on an individual’s back that can eventually cause pain.
• Smoking is a habit that has many negative consequences, including increasing the chances for back pain. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), smoking can cause a lack of nutrients which affects the back’s discs. In addition, people who smoke tend to heal slower, so smoking can actually increase the length of time a person must endure back pain.
• Exercise increases a person’s strength in muscles and tendons, and a sedentary lifestyle weakens a person’s body, often bringing on back pain, as well as other health issues.

Chiropractic care can assist in lessening a patients back pain, which then hopefully leads to better lifestyle choices.

Feeling better often prompts patients to embark on a fitness routine, eat healthier, and quit smoking. Exercise regimens that include strength training can positively impact a person’s health in a number of ways, including back pain reduction.

Millions of people struggle with back pain on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to treat both the symptoms and the underlying causes. Chiropractic care either by itself or in a combination with other treatments is one of the best choices available today.

Running is one of Americans’ favorite forms of exercise. The reasons for its popularity are simple — it can be done almost anywhere, takes no special equipment, and burns lots of calories. Running also offers a great many health benefits such as weight control, decreased blood pressure and cholesterol, and relief from stress.

Everything with running is fabulous, right up until the time you hear a snap, crack, or pop. The downside of all the wonderful benefits is that running causes its share of injuries to the body.

The Ohio State Chiropractic Association presents an alarming statistic that two-thirds of runners will be injured in some way. Tendonitis, shin splints, ankle sprains, hip pain, and knee strains are a few of the many injuries brought on or exacerbated by a regular running routine.

What is a runner to do?

It’s important to take common sense precautions to not get injured in the first place. Purchasing high quality shoes and respecting the body’s limits are two excellent choices.

Another great choice is committing to chiropractic care. Regular runners can reap many positive results from visiting a chiropractor. Three big benefits chiropractic care offers for runners are the following:

Increased Range of Motion

Loose and relaxed joints allow for greater flexibility and movement, all of which benefit a runner’s gait and time. A study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found evidence that a chiropractic treatment regimen increased mobility in the hips over time.

While chiropractic care does not guarantee an individual will experience an increase in speed, unrestricted joints and better range of motion will definitely help a person move more freely and stand a better chance of avoiding running injuries.

Decreased Healing Time for Injuries

Unfortunately, runners frequently deal with injuries, some of which take weeks or months to heal. For dedicated runners, a serious injury is terrible news.

The first action for runners after they have been injured is to stop running so it can heal. Most runners do not want to risk losing the stamina that interrupting their routine brings on.

Chiropractors can work with runners who have injured themselves from the repetitive motion of running regularly. By using chiropractic adjustments, chiropractors can promote healing in the body as a whole. Runners love this because they want to get back to hoofing it as quickly as possible.

Minimized Instances of Becoming Injured

A spine out of alignment can cause other parts of the body to be weaker and more susceptible to injury. One part of the body compensating for another that is off kilter is one common way runners end up hurt.

Chiropractic treatment helps to keep the spine in alignment, which can have a ripple effect through the body. Regular adjustments can reduce the negative impact the jarring motion of running has on a person’s body, and help avoid running-relating injuries on the front end.

Running is a popular exercise routine for many, and yields a multitude of positive results to a person’s health and well-being. By taking proper steps to minimize the chance of injury, runners can enjoy the good points running brings to the table and steer clear of the bad.

Chiropractic care can be an effective part of making certain your body is in prime running condition and resistant to injury. If a person ends up dealing with an injury, chiropractic treatment may be able to boost healing time.

Ready! Set! Go!

If you are a runner and would like to talk further about the benefits chiropractic care offers you, contact us today for a free consultation at 480-556-6797.

When you suffer from joint or muscle pain, it is important to work on maintaining as much flexibility as possible. The more flexible you are, the less likely you will be to further injure yourself. One of the best ways to improve your flexibility is by stretching before you are active.

However, you need to warm up your muscles before you stretch. If you stretch first, you can actually injure yourself by pushing your joints too far. Spend a few minutes doing some light activity before you stretch. This can be as simple as a brisk walk or some basic calisthenics.

If you have been seeing a chiropractor, he or she may be able to recommend some stretches for you. Otherwise, you can use some of these basic techniques. There are two basic forms of stretching, static and dynamic.

Static Stretching vs. Dynamic Stretching

Static stretches involve holding a position for a certain period of time to loosen up your muscles. These tend to be what most people think of when they think about stretching. However, dynamic stretches are also important. With these, you move parts of your body to work on your flexibility.

Many of the most effective stretches for back pain can be done right at home. For example, lie on your back with your knees bent. Grasp one knee in both hands and pull it up towards your chest. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then lower the knee to the starting pose. Repeat with the other knee. You can also do both knees at the same time.

A similar stretch begins in the same position as the previous one. However, instead of lifting your knee to your chest, roll both legs to one side so that your knees are as close to the floor as possible. Hold this position for 10 seconds, and then roll to the other side.

Another common stretch recommended by many chiropractors comes from yoga, where it is known as the “cat pose.” Get down on the floor on your hands and knees, with your hands underneath your shoulders. First, let your abdomen drop down towards the floor. Then, reverse this movement by arching your back. Repeat this cycle three to five times.

More dynamic stretches can also be good for your muscle pain. Try doing handwalks to stretch your shoulders and abdominal muscles. Stand up straight and slowly lower your hands towards the floor. Walk your hands out in front of you until you are as far down as you can go. Then walk your hands back to the starting position.

A final stretch that can help your back muscles is known as the “scorpion.” Lie face-down and stretch your arms out to the sides. First, slowly move your right foot towards your left arm. Then, move your left foot towards your right arm. Make sure to move in a slow and controlled fashion.

When you are suffering from muscle or joint pain, it is a good idea to stretch both in the morning and the evening. By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, you can avoid many common injuries.

If you need further instruction regarding stretches, please give us a call at 480-556-6797 to schedule an appointment and we’ll be happy to help you.

Chiropractic care is designed to alleviate pain and restore the body to its natural balance. For chiropractors, injury prevention is key for a healthy body. Good practices combined with solid exercises creates toned muscles that protect the body and spine from harm. While each patient receives exercise instructions for their specific condition, the following exercise tips for chiropractic patients apply to everyone.

Do Take Time To Warm Up Before Exercising

Before starting any exercises, it’s important to warm up. A series of dynamic moves will boost your heart rate and heat up the muscles that you will be using during your work out.

Select whole body movements such as leg lunges paired with arm motion or walk in place while raising and lowering your arms. Once you’ve warmed up, you can safely stretch without risk of injury.

Introduce Ergonomics Into Your Home And Work Space

One of the most important exercise tips for chiropractic patients is to take steps to keep your body in alignment as you move through your day. In the workplace, check with an ergonomics consultant to ensure proper positioning, especially if you spend most of the day seated or doing repetitive tasks.

A comfortable chair reduces muscle strain and prevents injury. Make sure that your feet sit firmly on the floor and that lumbar support is in place. At home, you should have a good mattress and supportive furniture.

Choose The Right Shoes

Before you buy your next pair of shoes, check for stability, flexibility, and comfort. During your test drive, make sure that the shoes feel firmly in place as you move through your entire range of motion for a stable gait during wear.

Footwear should be flexible enough to give easily at the base of the toe for a smooth gait, and there should be cushioning at all the right places with plenty of room for the toes to move. Shoes that properly fit your feet means that your walk will be more natural and healthy during exercise and in daily motion.

Sit And Stand With Posture In Mind

Perhaps the biggest reason that these exercise tips for chiropractic patients are so important is that strong and flexible muscles will help you have good posture. Be mindful of the following as you move through your day:

• When sitting, your feet should be on the floor, your shoulders should be relaxed, and your forearms should remain parallel with the ground.
• If you will be standing for a time, make sure that you maintain posture by tucking your stomach muscles in.
• When standing for an especially long period of time, be sure to shift your weight from one foot to the other and from the heels to the toes and back again.

These simple tips for maintaining good posture will passively work your muscles and result in a healthier spine.

Passive Stretches For Large Muscles

Finally, it is important to target large muscle groups with passive exercises. Use your weight to slowly stretch your hamstrings, your piriformis, and your entire back. Passive stretching is gentle and relieves stress points that cause back pain. These gentle exercises provide a great deal of relief and are easily adjusted to suit your current ability.

At the Woolston Wellness Center we are happy to work with you to design an exercise program that is optimal for you. Be sure to follow through with the plan and include these tips in your regular work out to experience the joy of healing from chiropractic care.

Remember how your mom always said, “Nothing in life is free”? Well, she was right. High-tech gadgets and smart phones advancing at the speed of light are a modern convenience unlike little else, but the advantages of communication at our fingertips come with a price: text neck.

Here are 5 things chiropractic patients ought to know about text neck, the epidemic that is taking the world by storm:

1. Text neck is caused by poor posture.

Specifically, habitually looking down at a phone or laptop puts extra pounds of unwanted pressure on the cervical spine, causing wear and tear and even degeneration over time. Additionally, in the space between the neck and shoulder is a cluster of nerves. If these nerves are compressed, misaligned, or damaged, the pain is excruciating and difficult to treat.

In short: Text neck puts the head, neck, and spine at risk.

2. Text neck is increasingly common among young people.

Spending as little as two to four hours a day hunched over a smart phone is enough to make a serious impact on the body over time. And though two to four hours may not seem like a long time, it isn’t hard to arrive at two hours by adding several 15-minute or half-hour segments together.

For teenagers, specifically, two to four hours on a smart phone is not unfathomable. Some teens likely spend twice that much time in a given afternoon or the space between classes or over lunch. Consider the impact of 1500+ hours of bad posture in a year. It is no surprise that teenagers are at risk.

The lasting impact of text neck on today’s young people could be costly.

3. Text neck in combination with a sedentary lifestyle is a recipe for disaster.

With hours of looking down at a smart phone often come hours of relaxing on the couch or sitting still. Generally speaking, we aren’t prone to be active when we are engaged in surfing the Internet or texting our friends.

Though the list of ailments for poor posture is long and discouraging, it is made worse by sluggishness or inactivity. The best thing to do is to put the phone down on occasion, stretch, exercise, and return to the technology only once in a while.

The benefits of technology do not outweigh the consequences of inactivity.

4. Text neck can be corrected.

Practicing good posture is the easiest place to start. Making an appointment with a chiropractor is a good move for anyone who is facing the painful side effects of hours spent looking down.

Taking small steps toward better posture can save money and pain in the long run. Choosing to engage in technology as a treat instead of around the clock is a good practice for anyone who wants to live a long and healthy life.

5. Text neck can be avoided.

To be clear: No one is asking anyone to stop using cell phones. Text neck can be avoided without going 1980 on cell phone usage. But avoiding extra pressure on the neck and spine does require forethought and follow-through.

In today’s ever-increasing technological age, choosing to dodge smart phone usage doesn’t happen accidentally. One good strategy is to look with the eyes instead of moving the neck. Another strategy is to ask friends and family to say something when they notice prolonged periods of poor posture.

In short, text neck is nothing to LOL about. Take it seriously and make any necessary changes before text neck gets the best of you. Let us know how we can help by giving us a call today.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a serious, painful nerve injury that affects many people in the United States. CTS occurs when the median nerve, which runs down a person’s forearm to his or her hand, gets compressed in the eight bones in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. This injury is frequently caused over time by repetitive motion such as assembly line work, and is the most expensive work-related injury. Symptoms of CTS include pain and numbness of the hand and wrist. While there are a variety of treatment options available to those who are afflicted with carpal tunnel syndrome up to and including surgery, chiropractic care has become a popular and effective option.

Here are four ways patients with carpal tunnel syndrome benefit from chiropractic care.

Chiropractic care is documented to work on carpal tunnel syndrome.

While there are no guarantees that any one mode of treatment will work on every person, two studies have shown strong results that back the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment on CTS.

In both cases, the majority of participants showed significant improvement in several measures such as range of motion, finger sensation, and pain reduction. These studies provide evidence to people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. Patients can feel confident in improving their symptoms when choosing to pursue a chiropractor’s care.

Chiropractors provide a less invasive treatment option.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, particularly cases that have gone undiagnosed or treated for an extended period of time, that ends up being too painful and advanced to be handled with medicine may face surgery. However, chiropractic care often helps minimize that option as a last resort. Regular visits to a chiropractor can show positive results in the controlling and healing of many of the CTS symptoms.

Chiropractic care offers an alternative to drugs to manage pain

As with surgery, daily doses of medicine may be a less than ideal plan when managing carpal tunnel syndrome. Certain patients may suffer from issues with the medicine, CTS medicines may conflict with other medication, or they may simply not want to take daily medications.

If medicinal treatment is not an attractive option, a chiropractor appointment is the next logical step. Chiropractic care often helps CTS by adjusting the patient’s elbow and spine.

Another common treatment is bracing. This technique limits the hand’s movements with the goal of allowing the wrist and tendons to heal and recover.

A chiropractor who is experienced with carpal tunnel syndrome is able to review each case individually and make solid treatment recommendations that can alleviate the patient’s dependence on managing the pain with drugs.

Allows patients to learn how to manage carpal tunnel syndrome.

Unfortunately, health problems that produce chronic pain can take a toll on the patient not only physically, but psychologically. Dealing with CTS can make a person feel powerless over their own body. Working with a chiropractor to relieve, control, and heal the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome empowers the patient to be able to feel ownership of managing and improving his or her health.

Workers who perform repetitive tasks daily as part of their job need to be especially aware of the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Feeling pain, numbness, tingling, or burning in their palms or fingers may be the first symptoms of CTS. The earlier it’s diagnosed, the more effective less-invasive treatment will be.

Of all the carpal tunnel syndrome treatment choices, chiropractic care offers the dual benefits of being a highly effective treatment while still employing tactics that are not as invasive as other options. If you or a loved one are suffering from this condition, give us a call. We’re here to help!

There are dangers in everyday life, from slipping in the shower to getting mowed down by the next door neighbor’s teenage driver. The risk doesn’t end once we are safely behind our desks, because… sitting is killing us!

Seriously, while not really trying to commit murder, our computer, desk, office chair and keyboard are not our friends. We spend hours each day sitting, typing, staring at the computer screen, and this inactivity is wreaking havoc on our health in a variety of ways.

First, most of us sit incorrectly

Goldilocks knew what she was doing when it came to carefully selecting the right chair. Most of us cause excess stress and pressure on our neck, shoulders, and back from the way we sit in our inadequate office chairs.

According to OSHA, a person who spends time at their computer needs to choose an adjustable chair that supports the back, buttocks, legs and arms. Be mindful of your posture throughout the day as well. An ergonomically adjusted chair minimizes the occurrences of awkward, strained positions that frequently cause injury.

Along with the way we sit, our office jobs are killing us because…

We have our desks laid out wrong

Even with a great chair, a desk that is the wrong height can cause a person to repetitively move and bend awkwardly during the day and injure themselves. Anyone who sits behind a desk needs to make certain it is the right height to comfortably reach the computer keyboard and all pertinent supplies are within a comfortable reach. Add a foot rest to decrease the stress on the lower back. Ergonomically positioning a desk offers greater comfort and less stress on a person’s body.

We also type wrong

Using the keyboard incorrectly can cause a ton of painful medical conditions from neck and back issues to carpal tunnel syndrome. The keyboard should sit at elbow height. Reduce the strain on your hands by keeping them in as natural a position as possible, holding your wrists up even with the backs of your hands. Avoid banging the keys by typing softly, which alleviates the stress on your fingers.

A computer mouse should be situated close to the keyboard, and it’s essential to keep the hand in a neutral position when using it. Avoid resting your hand on the mouse for an extended period of time.

Not taking breaks

According to the Mayo Clinic, sitting for long periods of time is linked to a variety of serious medical conditions from obesity to high blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Sitting in the same position for hours can put pressure on and result in back and neck pain.

Break up sitting every 30 minutes by standing and walking around and stretching if possible. Even standing for a couple of minutes at a time lessens the impact of a sedentary job.

In addition to taking the initiative to build an ergonomic office space, choosing to participate in chiropractic care is a great way to help eliminate pain from back, shoulder, and neck strain. Chiropractic treatment involves adjusting the spine, along with other techniques, offering better alignment in particular and a stronger, healthier body in general. A long-term benefit of chiropractic care is a body that enjoys greater mobility and fewer aches and pains.

An ergonomic office setup is critical in maintaining good posture that minimizes strain and repetitive motion injuries. By investing in ergonomically tailored furniture and setting it up to suit your specific needs, you will lessen the harm an office job does to your body.

If you or a co-worker suffer from symptoms related to an improperly positioned workstation, give us a call. Drs. Jeff and Larissa can help get the symptoms under control as well as guide you toward a more healthier spine and working environment.

Are you experiencing pain along one side of your body from your lower back down through your hip and the back of your leg? If so, you could be suffering from a condition called sciatica.

According to the Mayo Clinic, sciatica can best be described as “most commonly occurring when a herniated disk or a bone spur on the spine compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.”

A variety of issues weigh in on an individual’s likelihood of ending up with sciatica. Most of them deal with increased pressure on the spine.

Obesity: carrying too much weight is instrumental in bringing on a number of health related issues. Extra pounds overload the spine, causing damage that results in sciatica.

Improper lifting: Individuals who frequently twist the bodies and lift heavy loads are more likely to suffer from sciatica. Certain jobs that require these movements are a key cause of the condition.

Sedentary lifestyle. A person’s job does not have to involve lifting to be responsible for this condition. Sitting for extended periods without stretching or standing puts excess pressure on the spine and can cause sciatica.

Too many birthdays. Getting older can affect all of our body’s joints and bones in a negative manner, especially if we never committed to an exercise routing. An individual’s back often deteriorates with age, causing bone spurs and herniated disks that sometimes result in sciatica.

Treatment options for sciatica are varied, and the choice depends on the severity of the condition.

Pain medication: A common and easy way to treat sciatica is with drug therapy. Anti-inflammatory drugs are frequently used to reduce the inflammation around the nerve, which is a big contributor of the pain. Over-the-counter pain medicines, as well as codeine, may also help with pain management.

Acupuncture. Alternative therapies like acupuncture have shown positive results in the treatment of sciatica. If a drug-free treatment option appeals to you, find an experienced acupuncturist in your area and talk to them about treatment options.

Strengthening exercises. A consistent exercise program strengthens your muscles and helps the body function effectively. Ask your doctor which exercises assist the body with bouncing back from sciatica.

Supplements. Supplying the body with vital vitamins and minerals assists in overall health in general, including improvement from sciatica. Daily doses of supplements such as calcium, magnesium, St. John’s Wort, and Vitamin B12 have shown to treat sciatica effectively.

Chiropractic care. Chiropractors understand all things spine-related, and work with the body as a whole to help it heal itself. Chiropractic treatment for sciatica works to align the spine and reduce the stress to the lower back. Treatment helps alleviate the underlying causes of the condition, and shows positive results in a short amount of time.

Cortisone injections. Most of the time, sciatica can be treated by the less invasive measures mentioned above. However, severe bouts of sciatica may require a shot of cortisone directly into the inflamed area. Individuals generally choose this option when other treatments have garnered no relief.

Dealing with sciatica is painful and irritating, as the condition often sidelines the sufferer from daily activities. By knowing the treatment options that are effective in combating both the underlying causes and the pain of sciatica, sufferers can begin a regimen that will help them get back on their feet, pain-free in the shortest period of time possible.

If you are suffering from sciatica and would like to talk to Drs. Jeff or Larissa Woolston about how to treat the condition, contact us today.