Ergonomic Travel Tips
From traveling to and from work every day to driving to your next vacation destination, keep in mind these helpful tips that can prevent your body from stiffening up.
30 Minutes of Daily Walking
Did you know that walking a minimum of 30 minutes a day can provide these benefits? If you have any aches and pains while walking or afterwards, let us know on your next visit!
We can assess for gait imbalances that may be contributing to your pain and holding you back from enjoying your walk.
Gardening & Wellness
It’s that time of year again! 🌷🌺☀️
It seems like the warmer temperatures are here to stay and you may be planning to start or have already started sprucing up your yard and flower beds. Gardening is a very rewarding pastime, however, if not done properly, it can lead to increased aches and pains during or days afterward.
Before jumping into your gardening projects, take some time to read through our helpful tips that can help minimize the risk of pain.
1-Take some time to warm up your muscles before starting. During the winter months, you may have been a bit more sedentary. Warming up the muscles of your hips, legs, low and upper back, shoulders, and arms can help prevent injury and make it more comfortable and efficient for gardening. Ask us on your next visit what stretches and exercises would benefit you!
2–Drink plenty of water. Hydration is always important and even more important when you are physically active under the sun. Have a bottle of water easily within reach, and take a water break every 20 minutes to ensure proper hydration.
3- Be mindful of how much you are carrying. Divide larger amounts of soil or mulch into smaller batches. Utilize a wheeled cart/wheelbarrow to avoid lifting more weight than necessary.
4-Remember to breathe! When you’re taking a break stretching and hydrating, take in some deep, oxygenating breaths to nourish your hard-working muscles and help to improve circulation. Keep your shoulders and chest relaxed. When breathing deeply, you should see your abdomen extend out and then in calmly.
5-Vary your tasks. Rather than concentrating on one area or job at a time, vary your tasks to ensure that you aren’t holding the same position for extended periods.
6-Listen to your body! It’s easy to get lost in your work and spend longer time in a certain position than is safe. If you start to feel any aches or twinges, this is your body letting you know that it needs a break from this action or position. Take a break or move onto another project that requires a different position.
If you have further questions or concerns about gardening, feel free to ask at your next appointment!
Happy Gardening!
Breastfeeding Issues?
Studies show that problems with the cervical spine directly affect a child’s ability to successfully nurse.
Through a combination of gentle, noninvasive adjustments, chiropractic care can improve a child’s ability to latch, suckle, swallow, and breathe through feeding.
Osteoporosis and Chiropractic
Don’t rule out chiropractic care just yet if you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis. Patients with this common condition are often hesitant to try spinal manipulation, but it may provide some well-deserved relief. If you have weak, brittle bones from osteoporosis, our team can help you decide if spinal adjustments and similar treatments are right for you.
Headache or Migraine?
Have you ever wondered if you are experiencing a headache or a migraine? The info-graphic below is helpful in differentiating between the two!
Often, a misalignment in the cervical spine can disrupt the function of your brainstem, inhibit blood flow, and proper drainage of your cerebrospinal fluid, which can ultimately lead to symptoms of a headache or migraine.
The good news is, chiropractic care can help alleviate and correct these misalignments!
If you or someone you know is suffering from daily headaches or migraines, consider scheduling an appointment and getting the relief you deserve today! 724-834-5600
Backpacks, Bags, Purses – Ergonomics
Proper bag ergonomics is not only important for school aged kids but for adults too!
Carrying a bag/purse on one shoulder can quickly lead to headaches, neck pain, and shoulder strain, and can actually develop into chronic symptoms.
It’s recommended to avoid carrying a bag that is heavier than 10% of your body weight (i.e. for someone weight 140 lbs, their bag shouldn’t be more than 14 lbs), and if possible, carry a backpack or a bag with two shoulder straps.
Crossbody bags can also help distribute the weight of a bag as well!
Rounded Upper Back or Hunchback
Having a rounded upper back or hunchback can not only be embarrassing, it can be painful and lead to chronic symptoms.
Proper alignment through chiropractic adjustments and activation of the muscles in the upper thoracic and cervical spine can help reduce an already established hunchback or prevent one from happening altogether!
Cell Phone Posture – Neck Pain & Headaches
Your cell phone could be to blame for certain types of headaches and neck pain.
Instead of looking down at your phone, lift it up to eye level. Your ears should be positioned directly above the shoulders in a neutral position to avoid strain on your neck.
Treating Root Cause
If you had a rock in your shoe that was causing pain, you could take pain meds or get injections and you might not feel it anymore, but you would still have a rock in your shoe.
Our job, as your chiropractor, is to get to the source of the problem. Treat the cause, not the symptom!