Posts Tagged ‘back’
Ergonomic Relaxation: Reading in Bed Without Hurting Your Back
What is more relaxing than reading in bed?
Likewise watching Netflix or television from bed is many a person’s way to wind down. But it’s no secret that relaxing in bed can cause its fair share of trauma to the spine. While we would never sit here and deny you the pleasure of recreating in bed, it is prudent to set your spine up so that it incurs the least possible damage. For the purpose of this blog, we will use reading in bed as the model activity, but the same principles can be applied to using a laptop or cell phone in bed.
Muscles that Matter Most for Core Stability
Why is core stability important
Your core is the foundation of musculoskeletal wellness. Most movements you undertake on a daily basis originate in the core, or at least utilize it in some manner. The core forms a link between the upper and lower body and weakness in this crucial center link underpins a lot of musculoskeletal dysfunction that can lead to immobility, pain and degeneration, especially in the spine. The spine can be used to stabilize the spine and transfer forces across the body from the smallest acts such as bending over to tie your shoes to bigger acts such as the heavy lifting involved in construction work. Let’s take a closer look at one of the most important muscles of the core and how paying attention to it can prevent back pain.
The Vital Element of Spinal Longevity is Your Core
Core mechanics contribute to a healthy spine
But surprisingly few people are able to take advantage of their core when it comes to supporting the lower back. Think about your core and what it means to you: is it just an ambiguous mass of muscle in the middle of your body; or is it a dynamic set of muscle groups that work together to stabilize the lower back, sharing the burden of weight and preventing injury to vertebrae and muscles in the lumbar region? At Holmes Chiropractic, we hope it is the latter; and if not, we can help you turn your core into a lower back stabilizing aid that will benefit you throughout your lifetime.
Facts In Hand: Making an Informed Choice on Back Care
Back pain is the leading cause of disability in the world
Even doubters of this grandiose statement have to admit that the phenomenon of back pain has established itself firmly in society. Its presence is on the rise, with conservative estimates stating that as much as 80% of our country’s population will experience back pain in some form during their lifetime. And while there are many direct, or acute, causes for back pain, there are equally as many cases of indiscriminate lower back pain that is aggravated by lifestyle factors. As we discussed in our blog here, pain is one of the least understood phenomena in society, which makes the need for unique, customized treatment all the more important.
Why Musculoskeletal Medicine Matters
Musculoskeletal medicine matters for quality of life
Understanding the complexities of the musculoskeletal human means coming to better terms with what causes pain, especially chronically recurring pain that can become life-defining. Chiropractic, in its own way, is a form of pain science that seeks to treat the underlying causes of pain rather than repress or placate the symptoms.
Careers with Back Pain: White Collar Work
White collar work hurts
White collar work doesn’t involve the dangers of lifting that more physically demanding jobs do, but it still takes a toll on the body. And precisely where does it hurt? The lower back. Because the average office worker can spend more than seven hours a day sitting while on the job, white collar work is one of the worst professions for back pain.
Careers with Back Pain: Auto Mechanics
Don’t let your job kill your back
Automobile mechanics are in an industry that can be disastrous for the back. Consistently ranked in the top 10 of professions that cause back pain, the auto mechanic faces unique challenges to maintaining their spines’ integrity. Cars are large, awkward objects that require a human to bend, dip and arch their backs in order to get the required angle for work on the car. As we have found out, bending is one of the hardest movements on the spine because it pinches the front of intervertebral discs and leads to degenerative problems in the spine. Below you will find health tips regarding back care and the auto mechanic industry.
Careers with Back Pain: Nursing
Each job comes with its own set of occupational hazards for the spine
Which means that it is important to identify those risks that are particular to your job. And while it may seem apparent that construction workers face a higher incidence rate of injury to their back, you may be surprised to find that nurses suffer more pain as a result of their job. What is responsible for this? It turns out that the lifting involved in nursing is a critical factor in creating back pain. Helping patients move from lying to sitting, boosting them from gurney to examination table and preventing patients from falling are all movements that can damage ligaments and create dysfunction in the spinal motion segments. Here are our tips for preventing back pain as a nurse.
Keeping your Spine Aligned: What you can do
Houston, why do you want to keep your spine aligned?
First of all what determines “good alignment?” A properly aligned body refers to a position in which the head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles align in a position that puts minimal pressure on the spine. Let us give you some reasons why this is important:
- Good spinal alignment contributes to better body mechanics and fewer injuries
- Good spinal alignment protects and aids in the functioning of the central nervous system
- Good spinal alignment facilitates the optimal functioning of all your major bodily systems
What can you do outside the chiropractor’s office to keep your spine aligned
After the Adjustment: Taking Care of your Spine
Chiropractic care does not end when you leave the office
Chiropractic adjustment seeks to apply a controlled force to a spinal joint in order to move it back into alignment with the rest of the spine, thus alleviating compression from nearby nerves, correcting the body’s physical function and structural alignment and balancing the muscles in the back. Many people find that they experience significantly less pain and enjoy a greater range of motion immediately after a chiropractic adjustment. By alleviating nerve compression and aligning the spine, significant improvements are made in a person’s range of motion and, thus, flexibility. But what happens when you leave the office?