Weber Family Chiropractic - Weekly Health
Tip April 22, 2024 |
Dear patient and
friend,
In the journals I
read I often come across new developments in the science of chiropractic. However, people like you never become aware of
these important ideas since the media reports so little of it.
Therefore I’ve taken
yet upon myself to keep you informed of crucial breakthroughs because I know
how important they can be to you, your family and friends. As your doctor, I believe it’s
part of my sacred trust. So for your
information and consideration, here are these unique and revolutionary
developments.
If there was a magic pill to
eliminate pain forever, we would all take it. Until that day, there are
simple strategies you can use to help manage your chronic pain. Simple, such
as finding daily movement strategies that lessen your pain and enable you to
keep doing what matters most. It’s the little things that
cause the biggest changes, and improper movements done consistently
throughout a lifetime can lead to pain and dysfunction. Did anyone ever show
you how to sit and stand without causing back pain? I’m sure someone did tell
you to sit up in your chair and avoid slumping. It’s not hard to get great
results with a chiropractor addressing your spinal pain and dysfunction, but
you can also assist your doctor in helping you get better by making small
changes in how you do certain things. Of course, none of us are
perfect; this is a slow—yet effective—process. Below are a few key movement
strategies that can be performed every day as part of your daily routine,
helping over time to lessen chronic pain and make you feel better. Stop
Slumping One of the hardest things to
do is to correct our posture. There are various degrees of what people
believe is “good” posture, but simply put, “good” posture is consistent,
pain-free movements. Many people sit at work and school, slumped down in
their chairs, leaning forward and looking down at their phones. Most of us
have figured out that this normally causes spine pain as well as arm and leg
pain. No one sits up perfectly straight all the time, but being mindful of it
helps. There are options such as apps, smart wearables, and post-it notes
that can help by giving you little reminders. Students, desk workers and
truck drivers owe it to their neck, back and shoulders to try to sit up
more. Sitting
Down and Standing Up Most people lean forward
and/or bow when standing or sitting. When your body is leaned forward while
you’re about to stand (think past 900), your lower back experiences nearly double
the pressure it normally would.1 Sitting in the sitting
position while leaning forward repeatedly can cause wear and tear on spinal
muscles and supporting connective tissue. Instead, try to maintain a forward
gaze as you sit down and stand up. Eye movement controls head movement, which
in turn controls body movement. To take pressure off the spine when sitting,
back up to the chair or bench until your lower legs are touching it, and then
think of pushing your hips straight back and down (see You Tube: hip
hinge) while sitting down. Feel free to use your arms and the chair
to assist you as you get used to this position. It is also important that you
try not to plop down, as this can hurt the spine. Performing the same
movement in reverse will help you stand with less pain. This normally
requires more training since the pattern of leaning forward while standing is
hard to quit. This effort can be helped by sitting forward in the chair and
using your upper body strength to push up while looking forward, not down.
For standing without chair arms, put your hands or fists in the crease between
the hips and torso while holding pressure there as you rise. Once this is
implemented into a daily routine, spinal stress will lessen and injured
tissue can heal. Walking Walking is a basic human
function, and most people don’t walk enough. You’ve probably been told by a
healthcare provider that you should walk for your cardiovascular system, but
it’s also a great way to lessen spinal pain for most people.2 Without
poking your chest out, imagine yourself walking tall. While in school or at
the doctor’s office, we stand as tall as possible when our height is being
measured, and we should think of the same when walking. As stated above,
constantly leaning forward causes spinal stress, so if you sit slumped down
in the chair, you more than likely slump down when walking and picking up
items, too. Carries When picking things up,
walking with a weight in one or both hands is a great balance, grip strength
and cardiovascular workout. Starting off with one hand (see YouTube: suitcase
carry) and the two-hand carry (see YouTube: farmer’s
carry) will set you on the path to a stronger body, which can help
support and strengthen a painful spine. As with walking, remember to do this while looking forward and not slumping down. With
a half-gallon of water weighing around four pounds, and a gallon weighing
around eight pounds, you can start doing carries today without any extra
equipment. Daily, consistent pain-free
movement can be achieved for people who patiently practice. If the goal of
the person in pain is to move well and hurt less, the solution starts
within! |
Dr. Scott Weber
Weber Family
Chiropractic
217.243.5438
P.S. Have you tried Bio-Freeze yet??? If not, ask us for a FREE sample on your next
visit.
I had severe
headaches for over 26 years. Dr. Weber was friendly and understanding of my
problems. After seeing Dr. Weber I was able to see over my shoulder when
driving; the first time in 3 years. I am a strong supporter of chiropractic
care and would recommend it to anyone.
Lori R.
Rushville
I woke up one morning
with a bad headache and my back was so stiff I could hardly move. Chiropractic
care has helped me a lot. I would
recommend it to anyone.
Trena
P.
Carrollton