Tight hamstring can cause back pain, restricted range of motion and issue with your gait. Check out this easy hamstring stretch!
Sleep
Sleeping with Dr. James
Talk about some click bait. Now that I have you hooked, the question is “how do you sleep at night”? Are you a back sleeper? Side? Or the dreaded tummy sleeper? Do you roll around constantly because you are uncomfortable?
I hear the question all the time in my office, “What is the best way to sleep?” The simple answer is to replicate the perfect posture you would have standing up, but on your mattress. If you are a side sleeper, I recommend sleeping with a pillow that supports your head and neck with enough firmness to keep your spine in a straight horizontal line. Also put a pillow between your knees to allow a more natural posture for your hips.
If you are a back sleeper, make sure your pillow supports the natural curve in your neck. Again, you want the right amount of firmness to ensure your head is in a straight horizontal alignment with your shoulder and hips. Putting a pillow under your knees is also a good idea and will also take tension of your spine.
Tummy sleeper? STOP! It is the equivalent of walking around with her head turned to the side all day. You wouldn’t do that during the daytime so try not to at night.
Getting a good night sleep is vital to your health and happiness. Try these different techniques for a more restful night. Feel free to stop in with your pillow and let us assist you with your sleep habits.
Text Neck?
Text Neck, it’s the latest craze among our youth. It’s a lot like eating Tide Pods, but like Tide Pods, it is not good for our overall health. It won’t send you to the ER, but it does have lasting effects on the body if not corrected and treated.
Text Neck is a term that has been created to label what happens when we spend too much time bending down and looking at our phones, it’s something we are all guilty of, myself included. It’s the slouched over, staring down at your lap for hours on end. Over time, this will reduce the natural curve in our necks and transition our head in the forward position. When viewing somebody from their side, the ears/point of the shoulder/ and top of the hip bone should all be stacked on top of each other. With Text Neck, the head transitions forward past the shoulder. For every one inch the head is forward, it adds ten pounds of stress to the neck. Our average head weights 10-12 pounds. I have seen patients walk through my door with their head as much as four inches past their midline, that’s over 50 pounds of stress! This stress can cause pain in the neck, back, and shoulder regions.
Are you wondering how this can be corrected? If you or someone you know, spends a lot of time on their phone or tablet, odds are they have Text Neck. Sit in good posture, no slouching. Head up, back straight, with a long neck. If looking down at your phone, tilt your head down to view their phone, not bend at the base of the neck. You can also bring the phone up to eye level if it is comfortable to you, it will make a huge difference.
Someone with Text Neck can also lay with a rolled-up towel under their neck for 20 minutes every day to help re-gain comfort in the neck. I also recommend neck retraction exercises, where you tuck your chin back and hold for 5-10 seconds. Do 10 reps for 3 sets per day. Other exercises I recommend are rowing exercises with resistance bands and Brugger’s exercise. Brugger’s helps stretch your chest and strengthen your scapular region. See Video.
It's Golf Season!
Finally! This fluctuation of 70 degrees followed by 30 degrees is a real tease. Soon the nicer weather will be here to stay. If you are one that is itching to hit the links, follow these simple golf tips for a round with less pain afterwards.
1. Stretch! This helps with mobility and helps prevents injury.
2. Get clubs that fit your height. Swinging clubs too long or too short can injure your back.
3. Drink plenty of.... WATER! Stay hydrated. This will help avoid cramps.
4. Avoid carrying your bag. Either pull a push cart or ride in the golf cart.
5. Enjoy yourself!
Winter Olympics 2018
With the Winter Olympics underway I wanted to make a shout out to Dr. Bill Moreau. Dr. Moreau is the Head of the USA Sports Medicine Team. But another fun fact is that he is also a Chiropractor. Chiropractic care is for everyone. Not only is Chiropractic utilized to help aches and pains, relieve headaches, and allow our whole body to function properly, but it also helps our star athletes to compete at the Elite level.
New Year, New You!
Happy 2018 to you and your family. What are your goals for the new year? Whatever it may be, let us help! From weight loss to less stress, Chiropractic can play an important role in helping you achieve your goals. Ask the Doctor today how Elite Chiropractic can make your new year the best one yet. We wish you the best in 2018!
It's National Chiropractic Month!
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Join us Thursday October, 12th from 5:00 to 6:30 for ribbon cutting and tours.