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

Not the Hulkling, but active children

In a world where video games are becoming almost as crisp and bright as our most vivid imaginations and the percentage of childhood obesity is on the rise, we need to teach our children to cherish exercise and playing outside.  Now I know we all want our children to study and get great jobs and flourish, but I think we need to compromise on this little thing.  Let's say that your child gets out of school at 3, and you make him do his/her homework before they can play or watch TV.  Well if your child has say 3 hours of homework and you have dinner at 6, which takes an hour when is that child able to play outside?  That is correct they probably aren't.  Why don't we let children play for a couple of hours after school say from 3-5, then an hour of homework, dinner at 6, and finish the two hours up after dinner.  This would mean that your child would be in bed by 9pm.  I think that is pretty far given the state at which our waistlines are headed.

Evidence suggest that behaviors established at a young age persist in adulthood.  If you're a parent, you probably believe in the evidence -- thats why you don't want your children "picking up bad habits" from other children, or hanging out with "the wrong crowd."  But this "evidence" might not be quite accurate, at least not when we consider a potential "good" behavior -- physical activity.  According to a recent study, simply increasing the amount of exercise as a child doesn't necessarily mean that your children will exercise as adults.  The study compared two adult groups: one that received five hours of physical education weekly for six years during primary school, and a group that received only the standard physical activity requirements (about 40 minutes per week).  Questionnaires completed by the groups showed that childhood physical activity did not have a significant effect on attitudes toward, frequency of, or intentions to exercise as adults.  The authors believe that consistent exposure to the process of exercise, and to an overall health-oriented program in childhood, may be a more important contributor to positive exercise/fitness patterns in adulthood.  Don't just encourage (or pressure) your children to participate in sports.  Teach your children the value of staying healthy and active, and schedule them for regular visits with your family chiropractor to main fitness level.optimalwellnesstx.com

The second 9...

Since I have talked a little about golf, I figured you might want a little more because remember just like Chubbs Peterson once said "It's all in the hips".  So I thought why not put out a few more tips on how to save your back during a round and how if you do get injured to recognize the symptoms.  Most of this information is coming from "Chiropractic tips & Advice to improve your golf game and save your back"


Golfers put their bodies in oddly twisted postures, that generate a great deal of torque (i.e Tiger out of the rough when he was younger:).  Couple these motions with a bent-over stance, repeat this 70-120 times, mix in the weather, the fatigue from walking and what you get is a good workout and potential back trouble.


Most golfers go until they get hurt to look for help.  According to Dr David Stude, founding fellow of the National Golf Fitness Society "Back pain is a warning sign that there is an underlying problem responsible for a symptom that will likely get worse.  Doctors of chiropractic look for the cause of the symptom and help reduce the likelihood of future injury."


Dr Strude suggests some simple but effective measures to help avoid pain or injury and improve your game.

• Get your equipment fitted, don't adapt your swing to clubs that are not right for you
• Women, please don't use "hand me downs" from your husband they can be too long and too stiff for you
• Stretch before you play, I know we all want to be John Daily and just roll up and hit the ball of the first tee.  Without a proper warm up we can increase our aversion for injury.
• Take lessons to learn proper technique; at the end of the swim you want to be standing up straight, the back should not be twisted.
• Take the "drop"!  One bad swing striking a root or a rock with your club can cause damage to your wrist, neck or back.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system.  Doctors of chiropractic can address other health concerns, such as shoulder, knee, arm, and wrist pain that can affect your game.  It you golf consistently, you will no doubt feel the stress of the game, but by following a few simple prevention tips, it is possible to play without pain for a lifetime.

FOOOORRRREEE! Golf and chiropractic

V

Since Tiger broke onto to the scene what now seems like a lifetime ago, the popularity of golf is growing. Well as more people start to "swing the wrenches" the incident of "wrenching" you back has also gone up (everyone see my lame joke).  Many of us who are amateur golfers don't take the proper time to warm up, we grab our sticks out of the car and run to the first tee as our buddies are calling us on our phones.  This is the John Daly method of golf no warm up just grip it and rip it.  Well as with other actives with out a proper warm-up we can do more harm than good.


Dr Tom La Fountain is a chiropractor who travels with the PGA tour and regularly provides chiropractic to the pros.  Dr La Fountain reports that up to 85 percent of the injuries on the PGA Tour and Senior Tour relate to the spine, and about 70 to 75 percent of those golfers received regular chiropractic care.  The August 21, 2000 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune reported that senior pro golfer, Doug Tewell was delayed entering the Senior PGA tour due to spinal problems.  Twell injured his back while playing a round of golf whit his son in Oklahoma.  The injury kept him in bed for three days and required the use of a walker for two week. On the recommendation of below pro Bob Tway, Twell decided to see a chiropractor.  His comments in the Tribune article summed up his reactions, "the most incredible thing, just a few little jerks," Tewell said.  "I thought I had met Oral Roberts."  Professional women golfers also utilize chiropractic.  Dr David E Stude, a chiropractor and associate professor and faculty clinician at Northwestern Health Sciences University, lectures across the country with Lisa Masters, an LPGA  golf pro, emphasizing the importance of chiropractic care for golfers.  Dr Stude states, "Normally, each vertebra in the spine mods indecently a certain number of degrees when our whole body is in involved in an activity.  If that isn not happening, for example, if two or more segments move as a whole unit, rather than moving independently, it can lead to one kind of vertebral mechanical dysfunction."

Some quick tips to help you not feel like guy in the foursome ahead of you.

• Improve the entire body's balance, stability and coordination, which translates into a smoother swing and reduced fatigue.  (stretch, and work out away from the course)
• Avoid metal spikes (most course haven't allowed these since the '90's).  If you are using metal spikes first its time to upgrade your shoes, second metal spikes increase stress on the back.  While soft spikes allow for greater motion.
• Warm up before each round.   I know we all want to be like John Daily and just smoke heaters and drink Diet Coke right before we tee off but this is terrible for you and your game.  Stretching before and after 18 holes is the best way to reduce post-game stiffness and soreness.  
• Pull don't carry your bag, even better ride.  Carrying your bad if you don't have a double strap cause disc and nerve irritation on one side of the body as well as compression of the vertebrae.  Make sure while you are riding to walk to one shot per hole.
• Keep your entire body involved.  Most if not all of us are not switch hitters with a golf club, every third hole on the tee box take some practice swings with your opposite hand.  This will keep your muscles balanced and even out stress on the back
• DRINK LOTS OF WATER.  Dehydration can cause fatigue. leading you to compensate by adjusting your swing, thus increasing your chances for injury.  Have a couple cans of "swing right"/"adult pops" can dehydrate you even further.  This is why course put out water stations, please use them.

Now remember a bad day at the golf course is better than a good day any where else.

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