Chiropractic Health & Wellness Blog

Partly due to rising health costs and the awareness that sitting for long periods has a negative effect on health, there is some significant motivation to get workers out of their chairs and on their feet. In addition to the stated health benefits, people tend to be more productive when they work on their feet.

Even the American Medical Association (AMA) recognizes that prolonged sitting is bad for you. The AMA recently adopted a new policy onsitting at work. It is now urging employers and others to make alternatives to sitting available to workers. AMA board member Quick read more or view full article Dr. Patrice Harris said, "[giving] employees alternatives to sitting all day will help to create a healthier workforce" and lower them the chance of having low back pain.

 

A Nation of Obese Sitters

So, is sitting a healthy thing to do? It would appear not! At least not for long periods of time. In spite of significant evidence, the plain fact is we have become a nation of sitters. We sit at work, sit on the way to and from work, sit while we eat, and sit during the evening while watching TV. Among some of the other negative aspects of prolonged sitting, there is a correlation between the amount of time spent seated and the development of obesity. It's really no wonder we are becoming a nation of obese sitters.

In addition to its recent policy on sitting at work, the AMA just saw fit to make obesity a disease, rather than a lifestyle choice. Interesting call! On a personal note, I've considered myself to be far too short for my weight most of my life. However, I don't consider that I have a disease; never have. Rather, I credit my own situation to more calories going in than going out. Labeling obesity as a "disease" sort of takes the personal-responsibility part out of the equation.

So, back to the sitting thing. There is ample evidence that sitting, whether at work or at home watching TV, has a negative effect. Studies show that prolonged sitting leads to an increase in childhood obesity, diabetes and even attention problems.

An interesting study was published a few years ago in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study was conducted at Duke University and looked at the impact of obesity on worker's compensation costs. Workers with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, filed twice as many worker's compensation claims, had seven times higher medical costs, and lost 13 times more time from work when compared to non-obese workers.

Tools to Help Fight the "Sitting" Epidemic

In an attempt to curb the sitting epidemic, the American Heart Association (AHA) is promoting a new device. It's actually a smartphone app, Hotseat. It is designed to do one thing: Get people out of their seats for a few minutes throughout the day.

I'm not in the habit of promoting products, but this one has me intrigued. A pilot study by the AHA found that 71 percent of the app users took more breaks from sitting during the workday. Additionally, nearly 87 percent of the workers said that using the app made them more aware of the time they spend sitting.

Those using Hotseat set up an individual break profile, one that they feel comfortable and capable of doing. They then set up the number of breaks they want to take and when they want to take them. Each break is approximately two minutes in length. Rather than a fixed schedule, the app syncs the breaks with the worker's calendar. Nifty use of a smartphone. Fran Melmed, the creator of the Hotseat app, says it is designed to combat "sitting disease" and low back pain.

One other thing that seems to help is the treadmill desk. I wrote about this in an earlier article, but it's important to re-emphasize, because it does get people out of their chairs. The treadmill desk consists of a treadmill that is set up as a standing workstation which would decrease low back pain and help keep you healthy while your at work.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is move more. Don't spend too long in any one position. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Park far enough away from the store that you are forced to walk a bit. Take walks after lunch and dinner.

I'm always amused when a worker who has injured his/her back is given a temporary work assignment that involves seated work. The opportunity to sit at work is considered to be "light work." In reality, it comes with its own price.

I'm personally pleased to see the interest in the negative effects of sitting. Prolonged sitting leads to a variety of health problems, from obesity to back pain to postural fatigue. It behooves all of us, doctors and patients alike, to move around more.

If you have any question please contact your local chiropractor or call Lyn Lake Chiropractic at 612-879-8000 Read Less

Chiropractors are known to help many people with neck and back pain, and the majority of chiropractic practices work on conditions relating to the neck and back.  Most all chiropractors also work on the different extremity joints of the body.  Some chiropractors specialize more in sports injuries, and occupational injuries and perform adjustments on these joints more than other chiropractors.  Today I will talk of the common extremity adjustments that can help people with many joint conditions.

Let’s start at the foot, and head upward.  The foot has 13 bones, and all of these Quick read more or view full article bonesarticulate with their neighboring bone.  Many times due to traumatic events in sports and/or injuries relating to auto or work these joints become misaligned and dysfunctional.  Each one of the thirteen bones and their related joints can be manually adjusted and/or adjusted utilizing hand instruments.  The long axis distraction of the talus adjustment is probably the most popular and well known chiropractic adjustment.  It can be beneficial for sprained ankles, plantar fasciitis and other conditions relating to the foot.

Heading north the knee joint can be adjusted also by manual and/or mechanical device.  My favorite adjustment is an adjustment on the medial meniscus which helps the meniscus function better.  The fibular head also goes anterior often.  There are great fibular head adjustments to ease lateral knee pain.

Adjustments on the hips and pelvis are very common.  The main hip adjustment is a long axis distraction maneuver.  This adjustment helps many patients with arthritis in their hip.

The upper extremity adjustments are more commonly used than the lower extremity adjustments.  As patients often have common injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff injuries and frozen shoulder.  Shoulder adjustments include sternal clavicular ac joint adjustments and glenohumural adjustments.  Chiropractors also utilize many muscle techniques when addressing shoulder injuries.  There are 8 carpal bones in the wrist, and all of these articulations can be adjusted by chiropractors.  The middle bone in the wrist is called the lunate.  This bone many times falls forward and closes the carpal tunnel.  Adjusting this bone is my favorite adjustment to help someone with carpal tunnel syndrome.

The last joint is the elbow.  The radial head is the most often misaligned joint in the elbow.  Adjustments on the cranial head are very helpful with common elbow injuries.

If you are suffering from any type of extremity injury, most chiropractors will have treatments that will help you recover.

Author:  Michelle Caron

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Chiropractic and Whiplash

Many Minneapolis auto accident injuries do not show symptoms until weeks or even months after the crash. However, even without symptoms, internal damage to the musculoskeletal system and soft tissues can happen immediately. At Lyn Lake Chiropractic our chiropractors and entire wellness team have helped thousands of Minneapolis - St. Paul patients safely recover from whiplash and other auto injuries. 

One of the most stressful events in life is dealing with the issues that occur after an auto accident. The first thing a person thinks about after the crash is the car. Most people are not aware that some injuries are not detected for months or even years. It is absolutely imperative that anybody that is in an auto accident immediately go see a Doctor trained in soft tissue injuries.
 

Quick read more or view full article border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: Helvetica, Arial, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Whiplash is the common name given to the injury where there is a hyperextention (increased backward motion) and hyperflexion (increased forward motion) of the cervical (neck) spine and is also known as Acute Soft Tissue Neck Sprain.

When whiplash injury occurs, the soft tissues – the tendons, ligaments and muscles – which support the head and neck become stretched out of their natural range of motion and torn.

The muscles and ligaments of the neck contract in order to prevent excessive motion and protect you from further serious injury such as a neck fracture or spinal cord injury.  This is called a stretch reflex (myotatic reflex).

More simply put, the head is dramatically thrust forward and backward. Car accidents (rear-end collisions) are usually the cause whiplash injuries.

Although whiplash is most frequently the result of a rear-end collision, whiplash can occur in several other situations including:
 

* Tipping accidents

* Bicycle accident and motorcycle crashes

* A direct blow to the face, neck, head, or back (usually from playing sports)

* Diving into shallow water

* Roller coasters that hyper-extends the neck or causes it to be snapped suddenly and violently in the wrong direction. Head, neck, and back injuries, and even whiplash are commonly reported amusement park injuries.

 

Symptoms of whiplash include headaches; visual disturbance; neck pain and stiffness; restriction of movement; and shoulder, neck, or arm pain. These symptoms may or may not be felt immediately. It is estimated that most whiplash injuries are not felt for several hours, days, and in some cases even five years after the original injury.

Whiplash Injuries and Chiropractic

Studies are clear that whiplash patients make a faster, less painful recovery, return to work and could return to activities faster and are the most satisfied when utilizing chiropractic when compared to covering up the symptoms with medications that have negative side effects that interfere with being able to think and ultimately, reduce productivity.

Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments Ease Whiplash Pain

Whiplash and whiplash-associated disorders is a common affliction in the United States with up to 42% of patients exhibiting long term symptoms, and that if they are still symptomatic after three months there is about a 90% chance that they will remain so. Most treatments used in dealing with this ubiquitous problem have not been shown to be effective by rigorously controlled scientific studies. The one exception to this finding is Chiropractic.
 

Chiropractic has been a blessing to millions of people suffering from neck and whiplash problems, saving many sufferers from unnecessary drugs and surgery.

Even if you are not in pain following a whiplash incident, it is important to receive prompt attention to your injury, as the structural balance of your neck and spine is important to your health. We can assist in your recovery by correctly adjusting your neck and/or spine so it has the chance to heal properly.

Please just take the time and get checked out by a chiropractor soon.

 

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