Let's get Physical... Therapy? I'm not Olivia Newton John...

www.optimalwellnesstx.comI know the title is terrible but I had a difficult time thinking of something good to get your attention and some of you might not know Olivia Newton John.

So exactly what is physical therapy?  Well physical therapy is a health care practice that involves diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders.  The ultimate goal of a physical therapy is to restore maximum function to the patient.

Why is a chiropractor talking about physical therapy?  Good question, the reason is many chiropractors are trained to do physio-therapy (by law we can not use physical, but it is the same thing).  The reason for this is to teach our patients way to prevent injuries in the future and have them living healthily long lives, and to only see a chiropractor for a "check up" of the nervous system.  Chiropractors deal with mainly the spine and spinal nervous system.  The spine is surrounded by muscles that help us move in various directions and what controls these muscles???  Thats right the nervous system.  So lets say the right side of our body is weaker than the left, would it make sense that the vertebrae would continually pull to the strong side creating a subluxation (bone out of place causing nerve interference and symptoms).  Yes and Yes.  So as a chiropractor if I were to just adjust those subluxations away would they stay away, most likely not.  The reason is we didn't address the muscle imbalance.  So lets say I were to add strengthening exercises to the right side of the spine, would this help A)hold the adjustment and B)possibly prevent it from returning.  Yes and Yes.

Some benefits from physical therapy are increased muscle strength and endurance, increase joint range of motion (along with the adjustment), increased coordination, decreased muscle spasm.  Physical therapy techniques might vary from person to person because our bodies are not the same as well as the length of recovery.  There is no wonder that physical therapy and chiropractic go hand in hand.

In chiropractic office we hear the phrase "what benefit is there to doing these exercises" more often than not.  The benefit of the exercises  and we try and remind patients of this is to keep the spine strong and aligned.

If you would like to see the benefits of our office please contact at us 512.358.0325

Sleeping Beauty...?

With our work schedules, social lives, and overall stressors from our days some of don't get the right amount of sleep or the right type of sleep.  So we compensate for this be consuming our energy drinks, which supplement our bodies adrenaline needs (we won't have as much available for fight or flight if we use an outside source), coffee or my new favorite add 5 hour energy (they got me with the 230 feeling I would get a bit sleepy around then) but now it gives you "A Whole Lot of Hours" but the bottle says five.  I am adapting this post from an article done by US News & World Report but getting adequate sleep is good for us all (this was geared towards high school students)

Tip 1 Be Consistent:  Now I know it might be tempting to sleep in on the weekend or even "catch up on sleep" but keeping a regular sleeping schedule is key to keep our bodies in a rhythm.  According to sleep researchers we should be going to be around 11pm and waking up around 7am.  I am more on the 11pm to 530-6am schedule but as I have mentioned no more than 7 1/2 hours of sleep.

Tip 2 Become a morning person:  I know, I know I have heard it before and we all know someone if it is not us that is "just not a morning person"  Set a pattern of time to wake up, this will work better for us who wake with the sunrise or slightly after.  It will take at least 30 days for this to become a habit, but once you get it down you will see the wonders of the morning.  Going for a walk, run, or just getting outside before it gets too hot and enjoying the world around will not only work for your physical wellbeing but also for your mental health.

Tip 3 Schedule carefully:  Now I know that I just said become a morning person, but even if you get up at 7 and have something scheduled at say 9 that will give you time to wake up and not rush.  Now this will also give you a little extra wiggle room if you don't want to hit the snooze button, but I suggest getting out of bed even if its only to catch up on TV from the week.  Getting out of bed also breaks the pattern of your body wanting to sleep more.

Tip 4 Compensate:  Just be flexible with your time, if you have a race or something that is early in the morning on the weekend chances are you have know about this for a while and should have been preparing for a few days if not weeks.  Don't try and stay up the night before to finish a project if it will effect you over the course of the weekend.  Break it down into smaller steps and finish in a few sessions.

13? Oh no the scariest number ever!

Most of us know that the number 13 is a very mystical and scary number.  Thank you pagens and Jason Voorhis.  Well I actually was thinking about how the number can be a positive and uplifting thing, so I am going to present THIRTEEN reasons to get your spine checked on a regular basis.  This will be the first six, I had to leave it as a cliff hanger.   I am sorry I did not post this 10 days ago you can all shake your fist in my general direction,  towards Texas.

1. MORE ENERGY

        The vital energy that runs your body comes from the brain (agreed), travels over the nerves and gives vitality and vigor to your body.  Logic says that if that energy is interfered with your body will not work at its fullest potential. 

2. CLEARER THINKING, CONCENTRATION, and MEMORY

        Did you every have a day when your mind was extra sharp, thoughts and ideas come quickly or your memory was especially good?  Ever have just the opposite type of day?  Well, your body chemistry determines to a great extent your ability to think, concentrate and remember.  Body chemistry is controlled by your nervous system and your nervous system works better without interference (vertebral subluxation).

3. LESS STRESS

        How can getting adjusted make your job easier or cause your kids to give you less problems?  I'm sure some of you are thinking "Man, I don't know".  Well, it cannot (tricked you).  But there is a difference between adversity and stress.  Adversities are circumstances of life.  You cannot change them.  Stress is the inability to handle those adversities.  How well your body is working will determine to some degree how much adversity you can handle and how much stress you have in your life.  

4. A LONGER LIFE

        Here is a reason based on logic.  All things being equal, you will live longer if you take care of yourself, barring any unforeseen trauma, of course.  Taking care of yourself, in no small measure, means keeping your nervous system free of interference due to vertebral subluxation.  

5. MORE SLEEP

        All sleep was not created equal.  Just because you get ten hours (that is way too much but lets just go with it for this example) doesn't mean you are getting the kind of rest you need.  At different times, we all have awaked refreshed, sluggish, or tired from the same amount of sleep.  How well your body is working will determine how much of your sleep is real sleep and not just "down time".

6. GREATER VALUE FROM YOUR EXERCISE

        We all need to exercise regularly.  Some of us do not have the energy to get up off the couch and begin a workout, although that is an issue we have already addressed.  Some of us have an interference in the nervous system that keeps the muscles of our body from receiving a full complement of vital life energy.  It is like trying to exercise a paralyzed muscle.  There is not enough energy going to those muscles.  That is what happens when there is interference in the nerve system due to a vertebral subluxation.  

      

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Lift with your legs...no wait. I meant DON'T lift with your legs.

Everyone knows but do we all take the time to really think and stop lifting with our legs.  Improper lifting form is probably one of the most common causes of back pain in our country, even if it doesn't occur right away we can have long lasting effects.

If you have ever "thrown out" your back while doing a seemingly simply task -- lifting a package, moving a piece of furniture, carrying a child -- you have learned firsthand the importance of safe lifting techniques for protecting your back.  Safe lifting is easy to learn, simple to do, and may be one of the most important skills you will ever learn.  Safe lifting techniques keep your back in balance and can protect you and your back from accidental strain and overload.  It makes sense -- to keep your back working smoothly and problem free, lift right.

1) Visualize the load:  The first step in safe lifting is thinking.  "Can I lift it by myself?"  "Can I hold it close to my body?"  If the load is manageable, then follow the remaining tips.

2) Tuck your pelvis:  By tightening your stomach muscles, you can "tuck" your pelvis to keep your back's three curves in balance.

3)Bend you knees:  Bend your knees instead of your waist (even if you are only getting a pencil off the ground).  Let the large muscles in your legs support your back and carry the weight.

4) "Hug" the load:  Try to hold the object you're lifting as close to your body as possible, as you gradually straighten your legs to a standing position.  Try this exercise out at home, hold a gallon of water/milk/juice out in front of you with arms extend.  Then hold the same object "hugged" into your body.  How long were you able to hold the object in both positions?

5) Avoid Twisting:  This one I can not stress enough, and it goes with everything we carry.  Twisting while you lift or carry increases the load on your spine and can lead to serious injury.  To avoid twisting be sure that your knees and torso are moving in the same direction when lifting.

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Just say No! To surgery that is...but still applies to the DARE slogan.

Low back pain is the second leading reason for patient visits to their primary care physician; up to 90% of people suffer from it at least once in their adult lives.  A recent review of related studies in the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation showed that the highest rate of back surgery in the developed world is in the U.S., with the most common surgical procedure of the lower spine being removal of disc herniation.  Despite these statistics, the cause of low back pain remains elusive and there is conflicting evidence over the best form of treatment.

The authors of this literature review evaluated studies on current surgical and nonsurgical treatments for lumbar (low back) disc herniations, to determine the short- and long-term results of each.  Several different approaches were discussed.

No statistical difference was noted in long-term outcomes between surgical and nonsurgical options for low back pain treatment.  Only short-term relief of hip pain was shown as more successful through surgical intervention. (Note: Recent studies in the literature have shown comparable results between nonsurgical and surgical approaches to hip pain.)  The authors recommend that aggressive rehabilitation combined with pain control may be the best treatment option for low back pain.

Surgery remains a controversial treatment option for low back pain.  When you consider the costs and complications associated with surgery, almost any option may be better.

Memmo PA, Nadler S, Malanga G. Lumbar disc herniations: A review of surgical and non-surgical indications and outcomes. Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation 200: 14(3), pp 79-88.www.optimalwellnesstx.com

The second part about the 13 reasons to get adjusted...

As the title says this is the end of what I posted a little while ago.  I thought I would break it up so the post wasn't long.

7. MORE BALANCED CHEMISTRY
        The proper balance of your body's chemistry is unique for you.  Only the innate wisdom of your body knows exactly what it should be (no you were not born with a lack of aspirin in your body).  People can only guess.  The organs, glands and cells of the body must be working properly to produce just the right amounts at just the right time.  Your nervous system is critical in the coordination of that function.

8. MORE HOURS in YOUR DAY
        How can you get more than 24 hours a day from chiropractic visits, especially when the visit itself is going to take up some of your time?  Well, time-management experts will tell you that it is the efficient use of your time, not the total number of hours that is the issue.  If you mind and body are working as well as they possibly can, you will be more efficient and more than make up for the time it takes to visit your chiropractor.

9. INCREASE INCOME EARNING CAPACITY
        What? No way!!!  Lets think about this logically.  If you had more energy, clearer thinking, a better ability to handle adversity, more alertness, and were more efficient and physically, mentally, and emotionally functioning at a higher level, you work more, work harder, get a better job or possibly a promotion, or even start a business of your own (which many say is the only way to become finically independent.)  So yes we are taking a long route but it does make sense.

10. IMPROVED RELATIONSHIPS
        Why is it some people seem to be able to get along with people that you cannot stand?  Perhaps it is you!  If you were functioning at a higher level, if your body chemistry was balanced, perhaps you could handle them better and not be bothered by whatever it is about them that affects your relationship.  Even better, get them to a chiropractor and you could, perhaps, become best of friends.

11. IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
         With an improved nerve supply, all your performance levels will be elevated.  Whether that improvement is enough to make a difference is an individual matter.  As the advertisement says, "Results may vary."  But why not try this safe treatment.  However, getting adjusted and doing some other healthy things will have a cumulative effect and result in noticeable changes.  It just makes sense to do everything possible to improve performance, including having a good nerve supply.

12. BETTER DIGESTION
        There are probably hundreds of reasons why certain food affect certain people.  Most times, the cause can be traced back to the inability of the body to handle that food.  If it was the food, then it would effect everyone negatively.  There are many reason why your body, in general, and your nervous system, in particular, may not work properly.  One of those reasons, an interference in the nervous system due to vertebral subluxation, can be addressed by regular visits to the chiropractor.

13.  ENJOY LIFE MORE
        The bottom line is to have a happier and more fulfilled life.  If you see improvement in the areas above and on the last post, your life has to be more enjoyable.  Even some of the things you do not enjoy now could become more pleasurable and rewarding.

Poor us, bones? Not a clever skeleton joke...

Osteoporosis, or porous bone (get it now), is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures, especially of the hip, spine, and wrist, although any bone can be affected.  It is often called a "silent disease" because bone loss occurs without symptoms.  People may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse.  Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form or severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as kyphosis or stooped posture.

Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, or 55 percent of the people 50 years of age or older.  In the U.S.. 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis.

Of the 10 million American estimated to have osteoporosis, eight million are women and two million are men.

By about age 20, the average woman has acquired 98 percent of her skeletal mass.  Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis later.  There are five steps which together can optimize bone health and help prevent osteoporosis.

1. A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
2. Weight-bearing and resistance-training exercises
3. A healthy lifestyle with no smoking or excessive alcohol intake
4. Talking to one's healthcare professional about bone health
5. Bone density testing and medication when appropriate