Welcome to The Reading Chiropractor’s blog. Here you will be able to keep up to date with what is going on with the latest health, fitness, medical research, treatment and much much more…
Do you know someone who is suffering with neck pain, always using modern technology, on their smartphone or tablet?
Do they complain of neckpain or have you noticed their posture changing whilst using these devices?
Could they be suffering with text neck?
Text Neck
Read more in this article below about Chiropractic and Text neck (or tech neck) symptoms, and mobile phone injuries resulting in an adolescent who overuses modern technology:
The good health and impressive athletic performance displayed by Johnson in his 2015 victory of the British Open Golf can, in part, be attributed to the care he receives from doctors of chiropractic (DC).
“Over the years, chiropractic care has become a foundational health care element offered to amateur and professional athletes, including golfers, to help alleviate pain and prepare the body for peak athletic performanceâ€
“Zach has been receiving chiropractic care his entire life,†states Dr. Johnson, a graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, who notes that his son continues to receive regular adjustments while on and off the PGA Tour. “Throughout his professional career, Zach has relied on chiropractic to help prevent, manage and treat the wide array of injuries that athletes are susceptible to, and to help keep his body functioning at its best.â€
Doctors of chiropractic are specifically trained to provide hands-on care that helps to improve range of motion, flexibility, muscle strength and other key performance factors, as well as counsel on nutrition, exercise and lifestyle choices. Today, PGA Tour chiropractor Dr. Van Biezen travels with Zach Johnson and several other professional golfers, including 2015 Masters Tournament and U.S. Open winner, Jordan Spieth.
“Over the years, chiropractic care has become a foundational health care element offered to amateur and professional athletes, including golfers, to help alleviate pain and prepare the body for peak athletic performance,†states Dr. Van Biezen, a graduate of Parker University. “Regular chiropractic care helps to maintain proper postural balance, reduce the risk of injury, and improve recovery time and overall health.â€
To help raise public perception of the profession, Zach Johnson and Jordan Spieth have individually agreed to participate in the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP’s) targeted ad campaign, “Champions of Chiropractic,†which showcases high-profile celebrities and their DCs endorsing chiropractic care. With growing evidence on the dangers of short and long-term pain medication, the chiropractic profession is the largest health provider group offering non-pharmaceutical care with a record of cost savings and high patient satisfaction scores.
At the Reading Chiropractor we are strong believers in the benefits of short frequent simple exercise such as walking, cycling and swimming. This can help when suffering with aches and pains, but also in the prevention of such symptoms.
Research by the British Chiropractic Association has found that a stroll could help with back pain
Many of us spend at least 10 hours a day sitting at a desk or lounging on a couch, leading to a “sedentary epidemicâ€.
Research by the British Chiropractic Association lays bare the extent of back ache among Britons.
It finds 56 per cent of people older than 55 say sitting still for too long is the biggest cause of back pain with 27 per cent admitting to daily agony.
The crisis is costing the economy billions of pounds in sick leave with 31 million working days lost last year due to back and muscle problems.
However, the situation is largely self-inflicted with many of us sitting for too long at our computer screens in bad posture.
The BCA says walking could be a cheap and effective cure for millions. It is less strenuous on the joints than other forms of exercise and helps maintain bone density, it says.
Even adding just a few minutes walking to daily routines — such as taking the stairs instead of the lift — could provide relief from the pain.
Chiropractor Tim Hutchful says: “As you age it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and the sooner you commit to being more active the better.
“Consider taking up a new sport that will give gentle exercise while keeping you moving and flexible or, quite simply, start walking more.â€
Hitting 50 is the age when millions notice a loss of fitness and begin to put on weight, placing added pressure on the spine, joints and muscles.
Carrying extra pounds can lead to pain in the upper, middle or lower back causing health problems.
In your sixties it is common to experience degeneration of the joints, discs and other spinal tissues with osteoarthritis affecting the back.
Our increasingly sedentary lifestyles are believed to be leading to an epidemic of back pain that has seen 2.5 million people suffer daily agony.
Complaints of back and neck pain are up 10 per cent on last year.
But simple adjustments, such as sitting correctly at work and in the car can produce relief.
Workers should also take regular breaks and stretch regularly. Drinking water instead of tea or coffee also helps by keeping the body hydrated.
The BCA advises people to walk so the heel strikes the floor first, allowing the foot to act as a shock absorber and helping to propel the person.
Back pain is now so common the BCA has devised a three-minute exercise routine that can be viewed at http://bit.ly/straightenup
People of all ages can be affected by symptoms of neck and back pain, and due to an increase in sedentary lifestyles and decreased exercise, it would appear that aches and pains are on the increase, especially amongst younger people.
“Many people are completely unaware that staying in the same position can cause unnecessary strain on the back.
“Sitting causes up to twice as much pressure on discs on the spine as standing so, as a nation, we’re vulnerable.
“Your back is always hard at work – even when you think you’re relaxing. So ensuring you move and stretch regularly will help to keep your back on track.â€
The Reading Chiropractor treats people of all ages, call us to see if we can be of help on 01189 394040.
Every year on October 16th people from around the world join together to raise awareness on World Spine Day as part of the Bone and Joint Decade’s Action Week. The @World_Spine_Day (WSD) theme for 2014 is “Straighten Up and Moveâ€, focusing on the importance of proper posture and movement in maintaining good spinal health- help promote WSD by sharing a #spineselfie!
Raise awareness about spinal health and spine disorders within the interdisciplinary health care community and amongst public policy decision-makers and the general public;
To provide an opportunity for and encourage ongoing discussion about the burden of spinal disorders; and
To promote an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to easing the burden of spinal disorders.
Spinal disorders, such asback pain,neck pain, scoliosis and disc disease, to name a few are common, and they can have a profound effect on a person’s overall health, impacting a person’s ability to work, to enjoy everyday activities and even disrupting healthy sleep patterns.
Research has demonstrated that poor postures and inactivity can contribute to the development of back pain and other spinal disorders.
The good news is that many of these common problems can be easily avoided!
To help mark World Spine Day, participating health care providers and organizations around the world will provide important information, tips and tools to help prevent many of these spinal disorders.
Backcare awareness week is a campaign to put the spotlight on prevention of back and neck pain, spreading the word on ‘good posture’ and ‘stress free’ living for a healthy back. This year the focus is on office workers. About 7.6 million working days were lost due to work-related back pain and other musculoskeletal disorders from 2010 to 2011 according to an NHS study. visit the website at: http://www.backcare.org.uk/blog/backcare-awareness-week-2014/
At theReading Chiropractorwe support backcare awareness week and strongly advocate and advise all our patients of the benefits of the advice mentioned below.
Advice includes:
Stand, Sit and Move at your desk
Stretch your back at your desk at least every half hour
Set your workstation just right
Ergonomic furniture, a hype or a necessity?
Use headsets and stop straining those neck muscles!
Take regular breaks especially if you work long hours
With more than three quarters (77%) of people surveyed say they are currently experiencing back or neck pain or have done in the past. Nearly a quarter (24%) say they suffer on a daily basis. With 44% of respondents pin sitting as a pain trigger, It seems modern lifestyle could be to blame; 82% of those surveyed say they spend up to six hours a day sitting in front of a computer screen and almost one in five (19%) spend more than 4 hours a day watching TV. Today, as part ofBackCare Awareness Week (6-12 October)the Reading Chiropractor and the BCA is warning that inactive lifestyles could be causing unnecessary pain and is encouraging the nation to make small adjustments to daily routines, to help improve their back health.
Breakdown of a sedentary day: • 73% spend more than six hours sleeping • 28% spend over six hours sitting • 33% spend between two and six hours looking at a laptop or tablet • 49% spend between two and six hours watching TV or a film • 82% spend up to six hours a day sitting in front of a computer screen
Doctor Who starts again this weekend and sees a new Doctor for the new season. Read the article below (published in the telegraph) how the BBC has a chiropractor on standby for oldest Doctor Who.
Peter Capaldi, 56, reveals that professionals are on standby if he injures himself and tells how he refused to flirt with his young sidekick
At 56, he is the oldest Doctor Who since William Hartnell, and it seems bosses at the BBC are somewhat concerned.
Peter Capaldi, the 12th Time Lord, has revealed that the corporation has a chiropractor on call should he injure himself during any particularly vicious fights with Daleks.
He has been battling the cyborgs since January ahead of the new series of Doctor Who which is set to air on the BBC in August.
Despite his good health – he gave up drinking years ago – bosses are sufficiently concerned to have the chiropractor at the end of the phone and a paramedic on site.
His predecessor, Matt Smith, was 28, whereas other recent Doctors include David Tennant, 34, and Christopher Eccleston, 41.
A BBC spokesman denied that having a chiropractor available had anything to do with Capaldi’s age, and said that all his predecessors had been given the same treatment.
In a statement they said: “Being the Doctor involves lots of stunts and action sequences, including hanging from harnesses for long periods of time. All our Doctors have found chiropractor appointments helpful.”
To read the original article from BBC News Health, Click here.
Low back pain affects 44% of the UK population and many millions of people worldwide
Paracetamol used to treat acute lower back pain is no better than a dummy pill, research in the Lancet suggests.
The largest trial to date suggests the drug does not improve recovery time or provide greater pain relief than a placebo.
The study questions whether paracetamol should remain a first-choice drug on most national guidelines.
But experts caution anyone considering a change of medication should seek medical advice.
“Start Quote
Paracetamol does not work for every type of pain, nor does it work for every personâ€
End QuoteDr Andrew MooreChurchill Hospital, Oxford
About 26 million people suffer from lower back pain each year in the UK, and it remains a leading cause of disability worldwide.
Sleep quality
Researchers studied more than 1,650 people across several primary care centres in Australia, who had experienced back pain for six weeks or less.
A third received regular doses of paracetamol
A third took the drug as needed
A third were given a dummy pill (placebo) for one month
Paracetamol did not reduce the intensity of the pain, nor did it improve sleep quality. And scientists found there was no difference in recovery time for all three groups – an average of 17 days.
Lead author Dr Christopher Williams, from the University of Sydney, said: “The results suggest we need to reconsider the universal recommendation to provide paracetamol as a first-line treatment.”
‘Remain active’
The researchers say the mechanisms behind lower back pain may differ to those in pain felt in other conditions such as headaches, toothaches and post-surgery discomfort – where there is evidence that paracetamol can provide relief.
And as people in the trial recovered more quickly than those in some previous studies, they suggest the advice and reassurance provided during their trial may be more effective than medication.
Dr Andrew Moore, a senior researcher at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, who was not involved in the research, told the BBC: “Paracetamol does not work for every type of pain, nor does it work for every person.
“There has been evidence emerging for some time that paracetamol does not benefit most people with chronic back pain for example.
“And I’m willing to bet in 10 years’ time national guidelines will have changed.”
However, the researchers were unsure what to recommend instead due the side-effects of some anti-inflammatory pain killers and say people should discuss their options with their doctor.
Prof Roger Knaggs of the British Pain Society, told the BBC: “Despite how common paracetamol use is, this is a question that hasn’t been studied in such a rigorous way before.
“For people who feel no benefit, there are alternative strategies. They should speak to their pharmacists or doctors and discuss any side-effects of other medication.”
Prof Christine Lin, an author on the study, said: “Other ways to ease back pain include remaining as active as possible and avoiding bed rest.”
It is a common misnomer that low-back pain is normal during pregnancy, however this is not the case. Often underlying problems will lead to pains around the low-back, pelvis and pubis and once these problems have been addressed the symptoms disappear. At the Reading Chiropractor we enjoy treating patients during pregnancy, the benefits and outcomes of which can be dramatic. Pregnancy should not be something to fear and suffer throughout, it should be largely pleasurable, as you build your bonds with your imminent arrival.
Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up
Low back pain in pregnancy is common and research evidence on the response to chiropractic treatment is limited. The purposes of this study are:
to report outcomes in pregnant patients receiving chiropractic treatment;
to compare outcomes from subgroups;
to assess predictors of outcome.
Methods
Pregnant patients with low back or pelvic pain, no contraindications to manipulative therapy and no manual therapy in the prior 3 months were recruited.
Baseline numerical rating scale (NRS) and Oswestry questionnaire data were collected. Duration of complaint, number of previous LBP episodes, LBP during a previous pregnancy, and category of pain location were recorded.
The patient’s global impression of change (PGIC) (primary outcome), NRS, and Oswestry data (secondary outcomes) were collected at 1 week, 1 and 3 months after the first treatment. At 6 months and 1 year the PGIC and NRS scores were collected. PGIC responses of ‘better’ or ‘much better’ were categorized as ‘improved’.
The proportion of patients ‘improved’ at each time point was calculated. Chi-squared test compared subgroups with ‘improvement’. Baseline and follow-up NRS and Oswestry scores were compared using the paired t-test. The unpaired t-test compared NRS and Oswestry scores in patients with and without a history of LBP and with and without LBP during a previous pregnancy. Anova compared baseline and follow-up NRS and Oswestry scores by pain location category and category of number of previous LBP episodes. Logistic regression analysis also was also performed.
Results
52% of 115 recruited patients ‘improved’ at 1 week, 70% at 1 month, 85% at 3 months, 90% at 6 months and 88% at 1 year. There were significant reductions in NRS and Oswestry scores (p?<?0.0005). Category of previous LBP episodes number at one year (p?=?0.02) was related to ,improvement’ when analyzed alone, but was not strongly predictive in logistic regression. Patients with more prior LBP episodes had higher 1 year NRS scores (p?=?0.013).
Conclusions
Most pregnant patients undergoing chiropractic treatment reported clinically relevant improvement at all time points. No single variable was strongly predictive of, improvement’ in the logistic regression model.
Article Source:
Cynthia K Peterson*, Daniel Mühlemann and Barry Kim Humphreys
Read the full research paper here: http://www.chiromt.com/content/22/1/15 This recent study shows how Chiropractic treatment can be beneficial for the treatment of low back pain in pregnancy.
At the Reading Chiropractor we are strong believers in helping you to help in getting yourself better.
Advice is key in all that we do, and we often recommend walking as a great form of exercise. It helps by: maintaining mobility, keeping bones strong, joints mobile and improving cardiovascular fitness, losing weight by burning calories, maintaining tone. Walking is a simple, cheap and easy form of exercises which most of us can do.
We recommend you aim for 15-20 minute walks, 2-3 times a day.
Read more about this in this article printed in the Daily Mail. click here:
As a nation of largely sedentary workers, we take less and less exercise. Yet one of the most simple forms is also the most effective – walking.
There is now evidence to suggest that regular brisk walks could be as good for us, if not better, than strenuous jogging.
WHAT DOES WALKING DO TO YOUR BODY?
Regular walking, like most aerobic activities, is good for you because cardio-vascular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, increasing overall fitness.
Together with diet and other exercise plans, it can also help with weight loss and tone up muscles.
Dr Craig Williams a sports science lecturer at the University of Exeter is a firm believer in the benefits of walking, and says: ‘It can improve muscle endurance as well as muscle strength, especially in the lower body.
‘It is good for bones and improves the body’s cardiovascular system. It also helps boost circulation.
‘Power-walking – keeping a brisk pace at moderate to high intensity – can burn the same amount of calories as jogging or running. So it is useful for helping with weight loss.’
And, he adds: ‘Because it is low impact, it does not have the same potential for injury as jogging. Yet it can offer all the benefits.’
Marcus Davis, an osteopath with the Harley Street Back Centre in London, agrees. He says: ‘Walking helps to drain the lower legs of excess fluid and can help prevent varicose veins through the pumping action of the calf muscles.
‘The increased supply of oxygen exercise promotes also gets rid of the waste products in the tissues.
‘And because more people are able to walk at a consistent speed than run, it is a more beneficial form of tissue-cleansing, particularly for the over-50s, for whom jogging can actually cause more problems.’
‘Walking is also better for the spine than running, as it puts less stress on the discs. Yet we were designed for constant movement, not sitting in cars or in front of computers, which causes negative pressures on our spinal cord.
‘Regular walking is excellent for spinal discs, which receive minerals and vitamins through the pumping action it causes.
‘And the best thing is that you can see results from walking reasonably quickly – although it depends on each person’s individual level of fitness, age and how often and fast they are walking.’
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU WALK?
Government health recommendations are for us to exercise for 30 minutes daily, for a minimum of five days a week. But you can split the walk into a couple of 15-minute journeys each day or make up for lost time with an extra-long walk at the weekend.
Getting off the bus earlier than you would normally, ‘walking up a flight of stairs instead of taking the lift or even a brisk walk around the block for ten minutes in your lunch break contributes to your daily walking.’
HOW TO KEEP IT UP
‘When you walk, just like any other form of exercise, your body has a chemical release of serotonin, the natural feel good chemical.
‘There is also the release of endorphins, which are happy hormones, which is why people feel on a natural high at the end of an exercise session. Remembering how you feel should be an incentive for you to keep it up.’
To read more about the benefits of walking, click here:
