// BLOG
“Walking For A Healthy Back?”
February 20, 2012
Scientists who have the studied the architecture of the spine have concluded it is meant for walking. That may come as a surprise since we humans do very little walking these days. Our lives, over thousands and millions of years have gone from a day filled with walking and searching for food, to one that is largely sedentary. Many of us spend the bulk of our day working at a desk, and inactivity has become a major problem to our spinal health. It has been shown prolonged sitting increases the pressures in the disk and leads to decreased strength of the spinal and leg muscles.
Many of us do not sit all day, but instead engage in heavy and repetitive lifting tasks. The heavier the loads we lift, the greater is the risk for spinal degeneration. Whether it is heavy lifting or sedentary life, the effects are the same: low back pain. Low back pain has now become an epidemic in society. Depending on which study you look at up to 90% of us will experience low back pain at some point in our lives.
A study of adolescents inNorwayshowed about 57% had back pain in the past year. We tend to think of our children as immune to back troubles, but the statistics show otherwise. Back pain seems to start in adolescence, and follows us into adult life.
When LBP was compared to activity levels, an inverse relationship was shown. This means that the less time children spent at the computer or watching television, the less likely they were to report back pain. Walking decreased the occurrence of back pain.
In a study of adults who engaged in regular, low to moderate exercise, such as walking, significant differences were noted when these people were compared to those with a more sedentary lifestyle. The group of patients who exercised, had improved mood, reduced need for physical therapy, and used less pain medication. They also tended to have less work disability.
The positive effects of walking continue into old age. Those who walk regularly show less lower body disability.
There was a time when medical doctors thought bed rest for two weeks was a good treatment for patients with low back pain. However, over the past two decades, multiple research studies have shown this prescription will actually increase your low back pain.
Whether you have back trouble or not, it is important to stay active and walking is one of the best ways to keep you pain free. You don’t need a gym membership to do it-just some comfortable shoes. It lowers your risk for back trouble, and is also the best activity to engage in during rehabilitation following an injury.
Back pain is one of the most common problems we treat in our office. You can always schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your health concerns, and the different techniques we use in our office to help get you well again. Just call (201) 339-8889 for an appointment at our Bayonne office and (908) 490-1800 for an appointment at our Scotch Plains office.
Is your neck causing your low back pain?
February 13, 2012
In most of us when we hurt the low back from lifting, the pain starts at the lower spine.
It’s usually not a difficult connection to make, that if it’s the low back that is strained, it is the low back that is injured. But in some cases the back pain seems to creep up, or come out of nowhere. Sometimes you wake up with the pain, and there was no trauma at all. In these cases it is even more important to examine the entire spine for the cause of the problem.
The nervous system is enclosed within the bony spinal column and skull. Nerve signals travel from the brain to all distant areas of the body; to organs, muscles, etc. All of these nerves pass through the neck region, even nerves to the legs. This is why an injury that affects the neck can have ramifications in the areas below. The nerve system is a communication link from brain to tissue, and when the nerve is pinched or irritated, there’s a break or miscommunication in the signal.
Most of us are aware that a person can become paralyzed from a bad neck injury such as a fracture. But what is less well known is that minor sprains of the neck can have an effect on muscle tension and pain in the low back. Some chiropractic techniques specialize in only adjusting the upper portion of the neck because this area can have a profound effect on the entire body.
How neck problems can affect low back is not well understood and is being researched. Some theories are that neck problems tend to cause changes in balance. People tend to sway a bit more when neck problems such as whiplash are present. Perhaps this in-coordination of muscles leads to poor recruitment of muscles when we lift?
Another theory is that if nerves are initially irritated at the top of the neck, they become more susceptible to pinch or irritation at other more distant regions of the spine. The spinal cord is also attached to the upper neck vertebrae. If twisting of the upper neck bones occurs, this can pull on the attachments which link to the cord. Disk protrusions in the neck can also compress the front of the cord, sometimes causing symptoms into the arms or legs.
A thorough examination by a doctor of chiropractic will determine if your low back condition is coming from a neck injury.
When considering treatment for back pain, our chiropractic and physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Headaches and Posture
February 6, 2012
Have you ever glanced at your reflection in a storefront window or mirror as you walked by and noticed your posture? Scary, isn’t it? We all know that we should stand up straight but we soon forget when we get busy and stop thinking about it.
Poor posture is often due to years of standing slouched and this bad “habit” usually starts at a young age. Just look around when you’re in an airport or shopping mall and notice the many people have poor posture. In fact, people’s posture may reflect their attitude – if they’re happy, sad or depressed. Poor posture may be related to self-consciousness, especially during adolescence. It is also genetic as we frequently see a “trait” throughout family members with similar postural tendencies.
The most common postural fault associated with headaches is the forward based head and shoulders. From the side, it appears that the head is significantly forward relative to the shoulders, the upper back is rounded forward and the shoulders are rolled forwards and rotated inward. One exercise that helps reduce this postural bad habit is tucking in the chin and pretending a book is balancing on top of the head. The objective is to not allow the book to slide forward off your head and land on your toes!
It takes approximately 3 months of CONSTANT self-reminding before the new “good habit” posture becomes automatic, so be patient. Soon you’ll “catch yourself doing it right” without thinking about it.
Frequently, posture is faulty lower down the “kinetic chain.” The first link of the chain is the feet and the last link is the head. Since we stand on two feet, any change in that first link or the feet, can alter the rest of the chain, especially areas furthest away – the head, resulting in headaches. For example, if one leg is short, the pelvis drops, the spine shifts (scoliosis), the shoulder drops and the head shifts trying to keep the eyes level. A short leg usually needs to be managed with a heel lift, an arch support or combination of both to properly treat the headache patient.
Most health care providers EXCEPT Chiropractic Physicians typically ignore these issues. Chiropractic Doctors are specifically trained to analyze posture and correct it. You can depend on our clinic for up-to-date treatment approaches such as these.
When considering treatment to correct bad posture that may be causing your headaches, our chiropractors and physical therapists come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Whiplash! Do I Need an Attorney?
February 1, 2012
When you hear the word, “whiplash,” it brings to mind many different thoughts – motor vehicle collision (MVC), neck pain, headaches, concussion, jaw pain, litigation, car damage estimates – possibly a new car, medical costs, doctor’s appointments, sleepless nights, and more. Questions typically asked when a MVC occurs include the following: 1. Do I need to get an attorney? 2. What can I expect for recovery time from my neck pain? 3. Why is it taking so long to get my car fixed? 4. Should I talk to the insurance company when they call? 5. I have to give a deposition next week. What is that? 6. My case didn’t settle and we’re going to court. How do I prepare for that? 7. The insurance company is offering $XXXX.XX for a settlement. What do you think my problems will be down the road?
Let’s take a look at these!
- Should you obtain the services of an attorney? If you want to significantly reduce your stress when it comes time to negotiating with the insurance company, especially towards the end of the process, then YES! Needless to say, you HAVE TO seek council if you plan to not settle and need to go to court. However, you do not have to get an attorney immediately unless you just don’t want to deal with the insurance company at all. Typically, it’s worth having an attorney as they are experienced in “…the process.”
- Recovery from neck pain can vary between a simple strain at 2-6 weeks to a herniated disk that may require surgery. We recommend you ask us this question about once a month as it will help you decide about this as well as questions 1 and 7.
- The insurance company may delay the payment of the car repair costs for a number of reasons. Until the insurance company inspects the car’s damages, they will not authorize the repair shop work, which can take weeks!
- If you have hired an attorney, he/she will communicate for you. If not, it is appropriate for you to communicate with the insurance company. The important thing is to NOT settle the claim until you’re sure you can do all of your pre-MVC activities without difficulty or pain, which often can take a full year or more.
- These are call “discovery depositions” where you will be asked questions about the accident such as, where you hurt, what you can and can’t do since the MVC, what tests and treatment you’ve received and what the results were. Your attorney will tell you the strengths and weaknesses of your case. The deposition “process” is quite easy and there is no reason to feel intimidated. Most attorneys are very courteous and will treat you kindly so don’t worry unnecessarily!
- Preparing for court is similar except you can’t ask questions – they ask & you answer! Your attorney will tell you to answer only the question being asked and your attorney will later be able to ask you to clarify what was “left out.” Always be kind, courteous, and NEVER let the other attorney get you angry!
- See #2 above. If you have ongoing radiating pain in your arm (from your neck) or leg (from your low back), the “prognosis” for complete recovery is less favorable. Similarly, if you have ligament damage in your neck, there will probably be an accelerated pace of arthritis formation that may not bother you much for 5-10 years or longer but may later in life. We, as your expert witness, will describe your “impairment” and bring this to the jury’s attention.
We hope this information is appreciated! We realize that you have a choice in where you go for your health care needs. We truly appreciate your consideration in allowing us to help you through this potentially difficult process.
When considering treatment for whiplash injuries, our chiropractic and physical therapy clinics in Bayonne and Scotch Plains NJ come highly recommended by numerous physicians in Hudson and Union Counties. Feel free to contact us for a Free, In-Office Evaluation. If you are looking for faster service, give us a call at one of our two New Jersey locations. For our Bayonne, NJ location, call 201-339-8889, and for our Scotch Plains, NJ location, call us at 908-490-1800. Just tell them that you read this article and you will receive our complimentary in-office evaluation (a $145 value).
Low Back Pain: An Ice Pack or the Hot Tub?
January 23, 2012
Many patients do some self-care when they first hurt their lower back, hoping this will keep them out of a
doctor’s office. Home remedies sometimes make the pain go away and sometimes they don’t. It depends on what you try. When the back is first hurt, it’s often a sprain/strain type of injury with accompanying muscle spasm. When a nerve in the low back gets pinched or irritated, the body will protect the delicate nerves by keeping you from moving and risking further nerve injury. The easiest way for the body to do this is to cause the back muscles to spasm and splint the injured area.
Muscle pain can be quite severe and heat can sometimes soothe muscle pain. For this reason, many patients take to the hot water bottle or the hot tub to try and get some relief. This should be avoided in an acute injury because inflammation is present. With inflammation, there is increased heat and the additional heat you provide is like adding gasoline to a fire. The results are usually not good.
A better choice with an acute injury is to ice the area, but this also needs to be done with some caution. The simplest ice pack is ice cubes placed in a plastic bag. While effective, you can cause a frostbite injury if you leave the pack on for too long. When you first ice the area, you will go through several phases before some pain relief is achieved. At first the pack will feel cold. The next phase is a burning sensation and the ice will almost feel hot. This is followed by an aching or throbbing sensation. Just before the area is numbed, a very sharp pain will be experienced followed by the relief you desire. This can take from five to ten minutes to go through all of the phases. Once numbness is achieved, the pack should be removed. You should most definitely not fall asleep while the pack is on.
If this simple procedure does not solve the problem it’s best to get your spine checked by a doctor of chiropractic.
Back pain is one of the most common problems we treat in our office. You can always schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your health concerns, and the different techniques we use in our office to help get you well again. Just call (201) 339-8889 for an appointment at our Bayonne office and (908) 490-1800 for an appointment at our Scotch Plains office.
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