Should you use heat or ice on your painful injury? The best method of solving this important riddle is to assess the nature and source of the pain. Essentially, a new injury, that is, one that you sustained within the last 48 hours, is best treated with ice. Chronic pain, or pain that you have had for a long time, is generally best treated with moist heat. Understanding the mechanisms of injury and the physiological and biochemical causes of pain helps us to differentiate the indications for applying ice or applying moist heat.
The primary rule is that you can never go wrong with applying ice. Ice calms things down and, although an ice application may be uncomfortably cold for a few moments, the overall effect is soothing. Cold decreases local metabolism and constricts small blood vessels (arterioles). Cold reduces nerve conduction velocity, that is, the speed at which nerve impulses are transmitted, and therefore reduces the number of pain signals that reach your brain per unit time. Thus, ice applications provide vasoconstriction, analgesia, and sedation. Ice is indicated for acute musculoskeletal injury, burns, insect bites, bleeding, and snake bites. Ice should not be used for gout, rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, history of vascular impairment, and cold allergies. As well, ice should not be used for a patient in a coma.
Moist heat increases local metabolism and dilates small blood vessels. Vasodilation results in increased nutrition, increased activity of white blood cells (phagocytosis), and increased removal of waste (metabolic end-products and damaged cellular structures). Moist heat provides analgesia, sedation, and reduces muscle spasms. Heat is best for chronic pain and muscle spasms. Contraindications to moist heat include acute musculoskeletal injury, area of diminished sensation, acute skin conditions, pregnancy, malignancy, diabetes, encapsulated swelling, hemorrhagic disorders, and suppurative conditions.
Generally, ice applications are used for acute injuries within a 72-hour time frame from the onset of the injury. Acute injury damages local capillaries, causing blood to leak into the spaces between cells and tissues, where it doesn't belong. Such uncontained blood causes pressure on local nerve endings, creating pain. Also, pressure is applied to nearby cells, causing extended injury and possibly cell death. Thus, limiting the amount of blood leaking out of disrupted capillaries is critical in slowing the effects and reducing the impact of musculoskeletal injury. Ice performs this function. Ice reduces swelling, reduces pain, and provides a sedative effect.
When applying ice, it's very important to avoid damaging the skin. Ice packs should always be wrapped in a towel. Ice should rarely be applied directly to the skin. Duration and frequency of ice applications is not an exact science, but a useful guideline is to apply ice for 15 minutes every two hours for a moderately acute injury, using three to four ice applications per day. However, you will know instinctively when the time is right to apply the next ice pack.
Moist heat applications follow similar guidelines. Dry heat should never be used. Moist heat packs should be wrapped in a towel and are applied for 15 minutes every two to three hours, up to several applications per day.
Recovering from injury requires your body to put forth a great deal of effort and requires support from the nerve system, the body's master system. Regular chiropractic care provides great assistance in the process of recovery from an injury. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps ensure optimal functioning of the nerve system. Thus, regular chiropractic care helps facilitate your recovery and helps you return to your full range of activities as quickly as possible.
1McCarberg B, D'Arcy Y: Options in topical therapies in the management of patients with acute pain. Postgrad Med 125(4 Suppl 1):19-24, 2013
2Piana LE, et al: The Cold, Hard Facts of Cryotherapy in Orthopedics. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 2018 Sep;47(9). doi: 10.12788/ajo.2018.0075
3Mayer JM, Mooney V: Continuous low-level heat wrap therapy for the prevention and early phase treatment of delayed-onset muscle soreness of the low back: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 87(10):1310-1317, 2006
How to Exercise Indoors
For those of us who live in locales such as southern California, outdoor activities and outdoor exercise are available year-round. Elsewhere, winter sets in and many people discontinue their outdoor activities until the return of spring. As it is important to maintain our fitness levels throughout the year, ongoing questions relate to the possibility of developing indoor activities and exercise programs. Fortunately, a wide range of indoor exercise activities is available when the weather gets colder to effectively replace one's outdoor fitness regime.
An indoor activity and exercise program includes the following:
Supine leg roll-overs (core)
Supine hip presses (core)
Plank (core)
All-fours leg raises (core)
Push-ups
Bodyweight squats
Bodyweight split-squat
Walking hamstring lunges
Jumping jacks
Rapid standing leg lifts
Abdominal crunches (core)
Leg raises
Resistance band seated row
Resistance band shoulder press
The only equipment you need is a 6-foot-long exercise mat and a resistance band.
You may perform the entire routine in a single session or divide the exercises into groups, such as legs and 1-2 core exercises, upper body and 1-2 core exercises, aerobic exercise and 1-2 core exercises, and perform each group on a separate day. The overall goal is to do 30 minutes of vigorous exercise five days a week. The indoor activity/exercise program incorporates strength training, aerobic exercise, and core exercise. It could even replace going to the gym when the weather is particularly unsettled.
From the perspective of an individual's and a family's health and well-being, as well as from a public health perspective, regular vigorous exercise provides a wealth of benefits. For example, diabetes, high serum cholesterol levels, overweight/obesity, heart disease, and hypertension are all lifestyle disorders. By implementing consistent lifestyle changes including exercise, nutritious food choices, and obtaining sufficient rest, we are taking meaningful action on our own behalf that will positively impact our long-term health and well-being. These lifestyle changes are important for everyone, as people of all ages, races, and genders may be affected by lifestyle diseases. For example, research has shown that lifestyle modifications accounted for a 50% reduction in mortality from heart disease. This is a significant return on investment of time and effort.
Regular chiropractic care is a key component of all exercise programs and provides support and benefit for both indoor and outdoor exercise activities. Regular chiropractic care detects and corrects spinal misalignments and sources of nerve irritation as well as helps enable your body to perform at peak capacity and function at high levels of effectiveness. In this way, by participating in regular chiropractic care, the spinal biomechanics of every family member is optimized, helping to ensure the long-term health and well-being of everyone, young and old.
1Escamilla RF, et al: Muscle Activation Among Supine, Prone, and Side Position Exercises With and Without a Swiss Ball. Sports Health 8(4):372-379, 2016
2Lorenzetti S, et al: How to squat? Effects of various stance widths, foot placement angles and level of experience on knee, hip and trunk motion and loading. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2018 Jul 17;10:14. doi: 10.1186/s13102-018-0103-7
3Beazley D, et al: Trunk and hip muscle activation during yoga poses: Implications for physical therapy practice. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2017 Nov;29:130-135, 2017 . doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2017.09.009
Holiday Stress — Take a Deep Breath
Most of us pay little attention, if any, to the daily functioning of our many physiological systems. Our hearts beat, our digestive systems digest, and our various hormones, such as those deriving from the thyroid gland, adrenal gland, and pancreas, do what they do. It's all good... until it's not.
For example, ongoing stress can do a real number on people and most of the time we don't see it coming. We get a headache, some neck pain, or back pain and keep going. But when problems persist, it's a good policy to begin paying attention. Stress can elevate blood pressure, depress the immune system, cause a person to become more susceptible to infections, and cause significant problems with the gastrointestinal system. Serious problems associated with long-term stress include type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and various types of cancer. Overall, stress directly impacts and interferes with the daily functioning of all of our body's systems.
It is well known that stress increases around the holidays. Buying presents, cleaning, cooking, and worrisome memories of what happened during past holidays all serve to ramp up one's levels of anxiety and stress. The biggest missing ingredient in our holiday rush is a sense of self. We lose sight of ourselves in the maelstrom of events and become a reactive automaton, of sorts. Go here, go there, buy this, buy that, do this or that chore around the house, and finally go to bed, only to get up early the next morning and start the whole merry-go-round again. All without taking the time to pause and locate ourselves in who we really are and what's really of value to us and our loved ones.
The good news is that there is a better way. We are the ones who get to say how our day is going to go. It is critically important to stop and take a few deep breaths, to find our center, to reconnect with our inner self, to regain the meaning and purpose of our lives. An easy way to return to one's center is to engage in a practice of daily meditation. Firstly, you don't need any equipment to practice meditation, other than a comfortable cushion or chair. All you do is close your eyes and concentrate on breathing, imagining your breath going up your spine in the back and down your spine in the front. That's all there is to it. Count your first cycle of breathing up to ten, then start back over at one. If you notice your thoughts wandering, try restarting your count back at one. The benefit is in the practice itself. By concentrating on your breathing, you regain mastery over your continual train of thought. You are placing yourself, that is, your inner self, back in control, instead of being overwhelmed by random thoughts regarding what you think you "need" to do.
One of the outcomes of such a meditation practice is reduced stress and enhanced wellness and well-being. The holidays are transformed into a time of good fellowship and loving family interactions. Regular chiropractic care provides wonderful assistance to all of us as we engage in the process of re-centering. By restoring balance to our nerve system and optimizing our spinal biomechanics, regular chiropractic care supports our present and future health and wellness, throughout the holiday season and throughout the year.
Proper Overindulgence Over The Holidays
The term "overindulgence" is probably best assessed as a red flag, especially with respect to consistent overconsumption of high-calorie comfort food and desserts during the holiday season. An overall healthier perspective could be described as "indulgence" regarding such calorie intake. Provided that we have maintained healthy lifestyles, especially regarding exercise and nutrition, during the course of the year, indulging a bit during the holiday season will likely not have a negative impact on our long-term health.
During the year, healthy nutrition is obtained by making sure to consume food from all four food groups on a daily basis: fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein. Dairy products represent an optional fifth food group. Consuming foods from all the major food groups provides a broad range of nutrients and a wide variety of phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are macromolecules that furnish protection against the development of many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis. Many phytochemicals act like antioxidants and neutralize free radicals in human cells. Others have anti-inflammatory properties and help slow the aging process. Fruits and vegetables rich in phytochemicals include carrots, blueberries, apples, greens such as kale and chard, broccoli, oranges, beets, rutabaga, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Importantly, healthy nutrition is fulfilled by eating at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
Calorie consumption is also a critical factor in healthy eating.1 Consuming excess calories on a regular basis will result in these energy sources being stored primarily as fat. The best kinds of food are nutrient-dense, rather than being calorie-dense. Lean meat, fish, whole grains, high-quality dairy products, and fruits and vegetables are all nutrient-dense foods. For example, sprouted grain bread is nutrient-dense while white bread is calorie-dense. It takes a little effort to determine which foods are healthy and which are not, but once you've done your homework, it becomes easy to choose the foods that will provide valuable energy and nutrients to you and your family. As a side benefit, beginning a healthy nutrition food plan may result in weight loss and normalization of high cholesterol levels.
In addition to consuming nutritious foods, a second key component of healthy living involves regular vigorous exercise five days a week for at least 30 minutes per session. Such exercises can include yoga, strength training, walking, running, cycling, and swimming. The specific choice of exercise is less important than the consistency. Regular vigorous exercise is strongly correlated with multiple health benefits, including enhancing cardiovascular health and strengthening the immune system.
With healthy lifestyles in place over the long-term, holiday indulgence provided such indulgence is not excessive, represents a blip on the radar. With long-term habits of healthy nutrition and regular vigorous exercise, we and our families are able to tolerate minor deviations from our baseline without suffering ill consequences. In addition, including regular chiropractic care in our long-term healthy lifestyle plan adds the benefits of spinal health and a healthy nerve system, our body's master system, to assist in supporting our overall long-term health and well-being.
The five senses, that is, the sense of sight, touch, hearing, taste, and smell, provide us with necessary information regarding the world around us.1 These precious capabilities enable us to navigate our environment with seemingly instantaneous feedback with reference to our actions and activities in our immediate surround. The loss of one or more of the five senses requires compensatory enhancements of the remaining senses, the long-term results of which may lead to equivalences in capability and optimized functioning. Regardless of the number of sensory formats to which one has access, it is important to recognize that all individuals need to maintain high levels of health and well-being to derive the greatest benefit from their physiological processes and sensory inputs.
In order for us to comprehend what it is that we are experiencing, our specialized nerve endings, special sense organs, and brain process incoming signals so that we can interpret the information meaningfully. In other words, by processing the information presented by light waves bouncing off a ripe heirloom tomato and hitting our retinas, we're enabled to experience that we are seeing a dusky red fruit. By processing sound waves emanating from a piano being played at a jazz concert, we're enabled to experience that we're listening to "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" by Duke Ellington. If we have the skill, our brain's processing power will even allow us to identify individual notes, such as a progression from high G to E to D sharp and back to E.
The ability of our peripheral and central nerve systems to accurately process inputs from our five senses depends, in large part, on the fidelity of the information transferred from point to point, that is, from the nerve receptors that interface with the environment to various bundles of nerve cells to the highest levels of processing in the cerebral cortex and, finally, to conscious awareness.2 Competing signals such as pain signals can suppress information being carried in other pathways, and in this way information from the five senses may be distorted or lost entirely. The presence of pain and other types of irritation and inflammatory processes in the musculoskeletal system can distort our experience of the world in which we live.
By detecting and correcting misalignments of the spine, regular chiropractic care reduces and removes sources of pain signals that interfere with the accurate transmission of critical information our five senses derive from our environment.3 Thus, regular chiropractic care, based on its direct effect on the functioning of the nerve system, has both short-term and long-term effects on our ability to obtain maximum benefit from the functioning of our five senses. In a word, regular chiropractic care helps us become smarter. Regular chiropractic care enables all of us, children, adults, and seniors, to get more out of our daily experiences and also to obtain increased levels of health and well-being.
1 Doty RL: Measurement of chemosensory function. World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg 4(1):11-28, 2018
2 Hotz-Boendermaker S, Marcar VL, Meier ML, et al: Reorganization in Secondary Somatosensory Cortex in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 41(11):E667-73, 2016
3 Lelic D, Niazi IK, Holt K, et al: Manipulation of Dysfunctional Spinal Joints Affects Sensorimotor Integration in the Prefrontal Cortex: A Brain Source Localization Study. Neural Plast. 2016;2016:3704964. doi: 10.1155/2016/3704964. Epub 2016 Mar 7
Obtaining sufficient restful sleep is an essential requirement for optimal human productivity. Such a practice is a key component of a healthy lifestyle, which includes a nutritious diet, regular vigorous exercise, and a positive mental attitude. How much sleep one needs varies from person to person. Importantly, failure to obtain sufficient restful sleep will negatively impact every aspect of one's physiological and cognitive capabilities and functioning.1, 2
Sleep itself and the process of sleep have been celebrated throughout the centuries by the world's greatest poets. In "To Sleep", John Keats described the "soft embalmer of the still midnight". "How to Sleep", by Philip Larkin, described how "minds are wiped calm as sea-leveled sands". And William Blake, in "Cradle Song", declared "Sleep sleep beauty bright, Dreaming in the joys of night". These few examples highlight the inspiration that poets and other artists derive from the marvels of the gift of sleep.
But despite the words of the poets, we generally take sleep for granted, usually erring on the side of getting too little sleep. Many people take pride in and even brag about their seeming ability to get things done and meet all the demands of their day on five or six hours of sleep per night. However, what these "hard-chargers" fail to disclose is their need for four or more cups of coffee every day, their irritability and high blood pressure, and their chronically dysfunctional gastrointestinal system. As with exercise and diet, we may be able to fail to fulfill our body's requirement for sufficient restful sleep for a certain number of weeks or even months, but the impact of not taking care of ourselves with almost certainly catch up with us in the not-too-distant future.
Sleeping the appropriate amount of hours makes all one's other activities possible. By metaphorically resetting the biological clock on heart rate, respiration, hormonal function, immune system performance, and digestive functioning, sufficient restful sleep gets us ready for the next day's round of engagements.3 The basic average sleep requirement of eight hours makes this global biological reset possible. Some people may do well on an average of 7 hours of restful sleep per night. Others require nine hours of sleep to be fully refreshed. Critically, each of us needs to acknowledge our authentic sleep requirement and make sure to obtain that amount of sleep on a regular basis.
Regular chiropractic care assists us in fulfilling our healthy lifestyle activities, including helping us to obtain sufficient restful sleep. By detecting, analyzing, and correcting sources of spinal dysfunction and nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps ensure optimal functioning of the nerve system, our body's master system. Regular chiropractic care reduces and removes musculoskeletal causes of nerve irritability and helps provide an environment in which we can go to sleep comfortably and sleep consistently through the night. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps us achieve our healthy lifestyle goals and improve our long-term health and well-being.
1. Hombali A, Seow E, Yuan Q, et al: Prevalence and correlates of sleep disorder symptoms in psychiatric disorders. Psychiatry Res. 2018 Jul 6. pii: S0165-1781(18)30268-3. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.07.009.
2. Andersen ML, Araujo P, Frange C, et al: Sleep disturbance and pain: a tale of two common problems. Chest. 2018 Jul 27. pii: S0012-3692(18)31113-9. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2018.07.019.
3. García-Perdomo HA, Zapata-Copete J, Rojas-Cerón CA: Sleep duration and risk of all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2018 Jul 30:1-11. doi: 10.1017/S2045796018000379.
Summer is a subjectively fleeting season and school days are upon us once again. For children, this bittersweet time marks the completion of a period of relative freedom and the beginning of a new set of responsibilities. For adults, the onset of late summer and early fall signals yet another turn of the wheel of life, reminding us of our mortality on the one hand and of all we have accomplished and have yet to achieve during our time on earth on the other.
For both children and adults, mental wellness is a key component of our successful adaptation to the changing seasons. Such mental well-being is especially important during the time of transition to a new school year. Hopes and expectations are high, and yet the change of scene may be daunting, for both the children and the parents. New teachers, new classmates, new relationships, and new academic challenges directly confront a child's settled view of the world and the wishes and desires of parents for their child's ongoing development as a human being and future contributing member of society.
As the child will be spending significant portions of her or his day in the school environment, it is critically important to ensure that healthy lifestyle choices are proactively available.1,2 Healthy lifestyle choices include providing a variety of nutritious foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, at snack times and at lunch. As well, daily vigorous exercise is a necessary component of all school programs, beginning with the youngest grades and continuing all the way through high school. From a public policy perspective, addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH) will help to foster a rich and rewarding school experience.3 The SDOH include sufficient green space in both the city center and surrounding communities, especially with respect to the inner city. The built environment is a key component of the SDOH, including working street lights, sufficient four-way stop signs, clearly marked pedestrian crossings, and ensuring that school buildings are adhering to all safety codes.
Mental well-being for the entire family is supported by regular chiropractic care. By correcting spinal misalignments and eliminating sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps our bodies to function at optimal capacity. Regular chiropractic care helps remove the causes of many musculoskeletal aches and pains, headaches, fatigue, irritability, and nervousness. In this way, regular chiropractic care reduces and removes sources of mental stress, and helps our mental and physiological processes to work in unison. The result is improved ability to focus and concentrate, improved creativity, and improved overall mental wellness. Regular chiropractic care helps ensure the health and well-being of all of us, parents and students alike.
1 Hager ER, et al: Implementation of Local Wellness Policies in Schools: Role of School Systems, School Health Councils, and Health Disparities. J Sch Health 86(10):742-750, 2016
2 Profili E, et al: School wellness team best practices to promote wellness policy implementation. Prev Med 101:34-37, 2017
3 Wolfenden L, et al: Strategies for enhancing the implementation of school-based policies or practices targeting risk factors for chronic disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2017 Nov 29;11:CD011677. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD011677.pub2. Review. PMID: 29185627
A repetitive motion injury (or overuse injury) involves doing an action over and over again, as with a baseball pitcher throwing a baseball, a tennis player hitting a tennis ball, typing at a computer keyboard, and most notoriously, typing with your thumbs on the tiny keypad of your phone. It may be reasonably asserted that our musculoskeletal systems were not designed for such repeated motion sequences utilizing small muscle groups, but rather for a wide variety of tasks involving bending, lifting, twisting and turning, and walking and running that confronted early human progenitors a million and more years ago.
The repeated movements implicated in overuse injuries cause inflammatory reactions, which affect muscle-tendon units that move bones and ligaments that hold joints together.1 The short-term result may be achy or sharp pain localized to a specific muscle or joint. Longer-term results of repetitive motion injuries include more frequent pain, possibly experienced throughout the day, and more significant structural damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In the case or carpal tunnel syndrome, repetitive use may permanently damage nerve bundles that supply the muscles and other soft tissues of the hand.2
Overall, it would be optimal to avoid repetitive motions altogether, but for almost all of us this is simply not an option. It would certainly be sensible to restrict typing on the keypad of our phones, but limiting typing on a full-size keyboard would conflict with the work environment in which most of us earn our livelihood. Whether we are writers, healthcare professionals, members of a sales team, data analysts, or human resource administrators at government or nonprofit agencies, working at a computer comprises a substantial portion of our work week, and may even extend into one or both days of what used to be known as a "weekend". Similarly, athletes are not going to stop or limit participation in their sport owing to the possibility of a future repetitive motion injury.
The solution lies in a prevention program that incorporates graduated, comprehensive strength training activities into our regular exercise routines.3 Performing upper and lower body strength training exercises each week trains both large and small muscles groups to adapt to mechanical loads throughout a full range of motion. Beginners start with light weights and gradually increase the number of repetitions and the amount of the weight being lifted. Those who have done strength training in the past may have a shorter learning curve and more quickly re-adapt themselves to this critical and rewarding exercise environment. The key for everyone is to exercise each major muscle group, that is, the chest, back, shoulders, arms, and legs, at least one time per week on a consistent, ongoing basis.
Regular chiropractic care assists all of us in our exercise activities and in achieving our long-term health and wellness goals. By detecting and correcting spinal misalignments and sources of nerve interference, regular chiropractic care enables our bodies to receive and incorporate the full benefits of our healthy lifestyle choices, including healthy nutrition, sufficient restful sleep, and regular vigorous exercise. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps our families and ourselves to live full, healthy lives.
1 Warrender WJ, et al A Seasonal Variation in the Prevalence of Common Orthopaedic Upper Extremity Conditions. J Wrist Surg 7(3):232-236, 2018
2 Inge Petter Kleggetveit IP, Jørum E: Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome Scand J Pain Published Online: 2018-06-12; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjpain-2018-0089
3 Pogorzelski J, Nonoperative treatment of five common shoulder injuries: A critical analysis. Obere Extrem 13(2):89-97, 2018; doi: 10.1007/s11678-018-0449-1
Left-Handers Day, celebrated on August 15th, was launched in 1992 by the Left-Handers Club, an organization based in the United Kingdom. Since then, Left-Handers Day has become a worldwide event and social media phenomenon. Around the world, approximately one in ten persons is left-handed. But we live in an overwhelmingly right-handed environment, the most notorious example of which is the traditional schoolroom desk with the writing surface attached to the right side.
Left-handers, familiar since childhood with the necessity of overcoming various mechanical and furniture-related obstacles, may derive comfort from the fact that they are perceived as unique, different, and gifted with more intelligence and creativity than the average individual. Famous left-handers in the arts, sciences, and political arena include Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Friedrich Nietzsche, Michelangelo, Vincent van Gogh, Isaac Newton, Julius Caesar, Barack Obama, H.G. Wells, and Oprah Winfrey.
Being left-handed implies that such a person's cerebral cortex is "right-brain dominant", with the assumption that she or he will have additional skills in the areas of music, metaphor, imagination, and cognition of non-verbal information. But being creative requires more than mere aptitude and raw neural network processing power.1 The creation of a work of art or achievement in a field of scientific endeavor, as well as being a leader at any political level, requires discipline and dedication and the willingness to explore and investigate new ideas and new associations.2,3
As with all life skills, talents, and abilities, one's creativity is assisted immeasurably by ongoing health and wellness. It is certainly possible to succeed at a high level despite chronic illness, but long-term health makes more energy available on a more regular basis to help facilitate the creative process. Long-term well-being is established by the consistent lifestyle choices of good nutrition, regular vigorous exercise, and getting sufficient restful sleep.
Good nutrition is provided on a daily basis by eating foods from the four major food groups, that is, healthy protein, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, as well as consuming healthy oils and plenty of water each day. Regular vigorous exercise consists of both cardiovascular and strength training routines, done for at least 30 minutes five days a week.
Regular chiropractic care assists all of us, ourselves and our families, to participate fully in these healthful lifestyle activities. As well, regular chiropractic care provides a long-term boost to our creative faculties. By helping to improve the performance of our nerve system, our body's master system, regular chiropractic care facilitates the flow of information from the brain to the rest of the body and back again. In this way, regular chiropractic care helps ensure open channels of nerve conduction and helps enhance the creative process. As a result, everyone, left-handers and right-handers too, can achieve greater fulfillment of our creative potential and flourishing as human beings.
1Fink A, Benedek M: EEG alpha power and creative ideation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 44:111-23, 2014
2Wiggins GA: Creativity, information, and consciousness: The information dynamics of thinking. Phys Life Rev 2018 May 7. pii: S1571-0645(18)30059-9. doi: 10.1016/j.plrev.2018.05.001. [Epub ahead of print]
3Allen R, Heaton P: Can shared mechanisms of cultural evolution illuminate the process of creativity within the arts and the sciences. Prog Brain Res 237:61-75, 2018
10 Ways to Prevent Back Pain During Summer Yard Work
Love it or hate it, yard work can't be avoided during the summer months. Mowing, weeding, trimming, and mulching keeps your yard looking its best. But maintaining your yard isn't without its dangers. These 10 tips can help you avoid nagging back pain or injuries this summer.
Warm-Up
Keep your muscles and joints flexible by performing a few warm-up exercises before you begin working. Lunges, jumping jacks, stretches, or even a few laps around the yard get your blood flowing, relax your muscles, and improve flexibility along with range of motion.
Wear Supportive Shoes
Your feet support the weight of your entire body and help keep your bones and joints properly aligned and balanced. Wearing worn-out or unsupportive shoes while you mow or complete other yard work may increase your risk of back pain.
For safety's sake, wear closed shoes that provide adequate support for your arches. If you have flat feet or another foot issue, you may benefit from wearing orthotics in your shoes. The custom shoe inserts add arch support, keep your feet properly aligned in your shoes and absorb shock.
Flip flops and sandals aren't good choices for yard work. Even if you choose styles that offer arch support, you may be more likely to slip or fall if your lawn, deck, patio, or walkways are wet.
Don't Put Your Back Into It
Poor lifting techniques can lead to stressed or strained back muscles. Before you attempt to lift a bag of mulch or move a heavy flower pot, place your feet about 18" apart to improve stability. Bending your knees when you lift reduces stress on your back. As you pick up the object, hold it close to your body, and use the muscles in your legs, not your back, to lift.
Know Your Limitations
You may be able to lift those large paving stones by yourself, but should you? If you know you'll struggle to carry objects even a few feet, it's best to ask for help. Although you may not notice any immediate problems, soreness and pain can set in just a few hours later.
Back pain should never be ignored, as it can become a chronic condition. Twenty percent of people who experience acute (sudden) pain develop chronic back pain after 12 months, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Stores Bags of Topsoil and Mulch in a Dry Location
Rain-soaked bags of mulch or topsoil become much heavier and difficult to move. Keep the bags in a covered area to prevent them from becoming soaked by rain or your sprinkler system.
Let Your Equipment Handle the Heavy Work
Rearranging the potted plants on your deck, patio, or porch is much easier when you place the plants on rolling plant stands. Use a dolly, wheelbarrow, or a tractor to move heavier items.
Upgrade Your Mower
Mowing your lawn not only keeps grassy areas presentable but also qualifies as aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, pushing the mower may cause muscle tension, stiffness, or back spasms. If mowing leaves you in pain, consider switching to a self-propelled or riding mower.
Alternate Hands
Most people primarily use their dominant hands when using garden tools. Digging or raking with your right hand for hours may stress the right side of your body and cause back pain. Avoid a backache by alternating hands occasionally.
Bend and Stretch
You're more likely to suffer from muscle or joint pain if you remain in one position too long. Hunching over to weed the flower bed or stain the deck can cause aches and pains in your back and neck. Stand and stretch every 20 minutes to work out the kinks.
Visit Your Chiropractor
Regular visits to your chiropractor can help you avoid back pain. Even minor imbalances in your spine can increase your risk of pain. When your vertebrae aren't properly aligned, muscle tension may increase. Tight muscles are more likely to become injured during heavy lifting or tasks that require repetitive movements.
Spinal manipulation, massage, soft tissue mobilization, and other therapies improve spinal alignment, correct imbalances, and relieve tight muscles, reducing your risk of back pain when you work in your yard.
Does your yard look beautiful but your back hurts? Chiropractic treatment can help ease your painful symptoms.
Sources:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Materials Handling: Heavy Lifting
Chiropractic Economics: Understand the Relationship Between Low Back Pain and the Feet, 10/14/16
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Low Back Pain Fact Sheet
