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Back Packs Safety – Back to School and 14 Helpful Tips

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BACKPACK1It is not a secret that heavy back (BP) packs for school children are the leading cause of lower back and shoulder pain. I have seen too many children in my almost ten years of my practice suffering from this problem unnecessary. About 40,000,000 students go to school every day. It is crucial that every child carries their schoolpacks properly in order to avoid neck, lower back and shoulder pain.

Make sure the backpack is the right size for your child. The proper size is equal to 75% of your child’s back, meaning the space between the waste and the shoulder blades.
* A child’s back pack weight should never exceed 15% of their body weight according to The Congress of Chiropractic State Association. So this little chart should be helpful.
50 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 7.5 pounds
80 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 12 pounds
100 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 15 pounds
130 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 19.5 pounds
150 pound child carrying copacity should be no more than 22.5 pounds
* Choose a backpack with padded shoulder straps that sit on both shoulders. BP with one strap such as messenger bags distribute all the weight on one shoulder instead of evenly on both shoulders. Also, bak pack without padded shoulder straps can cause pressure on the nerves that surround the child’s armpits.
Safety tips on how to avoid backpack injuries

  1. Wear both shoulder straps evenly to properly distribute BP weight.
  2. Get the correct size BP for your child.
  3. The BP should not extend below the lower back. Bigger is not better.
  4. Lighten the load and put the heaviest items in the BP first keeping them the closest to the body.
  5. Lift the BP with your legs and not with your back and place it on one shoulder strap at a time.
  6. Do not leave BP on the floor to avoid someone tripping on them.
  7. Choose a quality BP that has wide well-cushioned shoulder straps with a lumbar support/padding.
  8. Talk to teachers about reducing the need to bring home textbooks or if at all possible have an extra set for home use.
  9. Bend at the knees.
  10. Using both of your hands, check the weight of the BP.
  11. Never sling the BP onto one shoulder and avoid swinging the BP.
  12. Use both shoulder straps at all times. Make them snug but not too tight. Carrying on one shoulder can cause long-term neck, shoulder, back, and postural problems.
  13. Use the stabilizing waste strap if the BP has one present.
  14. Look for signs that BP is poorly fitted or overloaded on a daily basis. A couple signs that the BP is overloaded or not being worn properly is pain, red marks from the  straps, or poor posture.

Being a Safe Backpack Advocate

School’s authorities and children’s  parents must work together in resolving heavy BP issue. The following things can be done by school’s authorities:

  1. allowing students more time in between classes to use lockers
  2. purchasing paperback books
  3. implementing school education programs about safe backpack use
  4. purchasing books on CD-ROM or putting some curriculum on the school’s website, when possible

Adjustment of the backpack would be necessary if one of the following things happened:

  1. Your child struggles to get the BP on or off have back pain and  lean forward to carry the BP
  2. If your child has back pain or numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, talk to your family doctor, chiropractor or physical therapist.

Some  Facts were taken from The Founders of  Backpack Safety America International TM. Visit them at www.backpacksafe.com

The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) endorses the use of Air Pack brand backpacks which are available at www.airpacks.com

Please Leave some comments with your favorite back to school story!

Chiropractic Rehabilitation and 4 Stages of Soft Tissue Healing

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The healing process is divided into four broad stages which are not mutually exclusive and overlap considerably.1ST PICTURE2

1. Initial vascular reaction – Active Swelling

2. Inflammatory response – Passive Congestion

3. Proliferative phase – Repair

4. Remodeling 

Wound healing refers to the body’s replacement of destroyed tissue by living tissue (Walter & Israel 1987). It comprises of two essential components whose differentiation is based on resultant tissue: Regeneration and Repair.

TISSUE INJURY CAUSES RESTRICTION OF MOTION DUE TO: SOFT TISSUE SCAR FORMATION

  1. Inflammation & Swelling
  2. Pain
  3. Muscle Spasm 

THE MAJOR GOALS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE:

  1. Relieve Pain
  2. Promote Full Healing
  3. Restore & Maintain Full Function
  4. Reduce the Likelihood of Re-Injury
  5. Prevent Accelerated Degeneration 

Chiropractic Care Should Continue Throughout the Repair Stage. It Take Longer For Tissues to Heal & Normal Function to be Restored Than it Takes for Pain Relief. Pain Relief is not the Only Goal.  Chiropractic Helps:

  1. Restore Normal Motion, Function & Biomechanics
  2. Improve Alignment of New Connective Tissue
  3. Prevent Shortening of Scar Tissue & Chronic Stiffness
  4. Restore & Maintain Flexibility of Ligaments & Muscles
  5.  Restore Normal Muscle Tone
  6. Promote Quicker, More Effective Healing
  7. Restore & Maintain Normal Sensation
  8. Reduce the Risk of Re-Injury and Degeneration 

STAGES OF SOFT TISSUE HEALING

 

STAGE I: ACTIVE SWELLINGMUSCLE SPASMMUSCLE SPASM.21

  1. Swelling Occurs for 12 to 72 hours
  2. Motion is lost and pain increases 

Goals of Care: Minimize pain and swelling

Care:

  1. Rest & Support of Injured Area
  2. Ice to Block Swelling, Pain, and Spasm 

STAGE II: PASSIVE CONGESTION   

Fluid trapped in tissues restricts motion, causes pain, & delays healing. Begins by second to fourth day

Goals of Care for Passive Congestion:

  1. Remove fluid
  2. Pain Relief
  3. Begin to restore range of motion 

Care:

  1. Chiropractic Adjustments Help
  • restore motion
  • block pain
  • restore normal sensation
  • relax tight muscles
  • remove swelling
  • accelerate healing
  1. Heat and Cold to Remove Fluid
  2. Controlled Motion Exercises
  3. Physical Therapy helps in Some Cases
  4. Acupuncture Can Help With Pain Control 

STAGE III: REPAIR

Beginning 5 days after injury, scar tissue is made for up to 6 weeks.  RELAXED MUSCLES OF THE SPINE

Lack of motion causes excess scar tissue in dense patterns disrupting normal function causing:

  1. Excess Scarring
  2. Chronic Stiffness
  3. Limited Range of Motion
  4. Poor Biomechanics
  5. Chronic Pain
  6. Weak Muscles & Ligaments
  7. Loss of Normal Sensation
  8. Poor Nutrition
  9. Increased risk of Re-Injury
  10. Accelerated Degeneration 

If Motion is Restored & Maintained, Tissues Heal in a Much More Functional Way.

Coals of Repair Stage:

  1. Restore Normal Range of Motion
  2. Restore Sensation
  3. Promote Full Healing
  4. Relieve Pain 

STAGE IV: REMODELING 

Connective tissue remodels for better strength & flexibility. This often takes 3 to 14 week but may take up to 1 year with severe injury.  SOFT TISSUE HEALING

Chiropractic Helps Achieve these Goals:

  1. Improve & Maintain Motion & Flexibility
  2. Restore & Maintain Function
  3. Reduce Chronic Pain
  4. Reduce Risk of Re-Injury & Degeneration

This Post was based on Dr. Malik Slosberg’s Research.

13 Facts for Chiropractic and Wellness Care

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VERY COOL CHIROPRACTIC GRAFITTIIn medicine, there are different ways to treat a patient. Some go for a surgery and this is usually the case when the patient’s problem cannot be resolved by other means. Surgery is the last resort with any injury or chronic pain. Some go for physical therapy while others prefer the chiropractic treatment. Many people utilize chiropractic services on a daily bases. However, how many people understand the theory scientific explanation behind chiropractic treatments. The philosophy in chiropractic care is that our body has the ability to heal itself without any medications. Our body naturally has the capacity to heal. It is also said that every few years, we get a completely new body. Our skin shed to make way for new skin and so do our organs but it does take awhile and with this knowledge we know that our body can really heal itself. It is the human spine that forms the foundation of our body and when it’s in the right position and there are no hindrances to it, we are at our best shape both in mind and body. The goal of chiropractic treatment is to achieve healing by regulating and maintaining a stable condition for our body.

1. Chiropractic Care Focuses on Health and Optimal Function

  1. Chiropractic offers a holistic approach
  2. The patient is the center of care, not a disease or symptoms
  3. The goal of care is to achieve a more effective life, to restore & maintain full function & well being

The Continuum of Health:

       ↑      Optimal Health                                                                                    

↑      Fitness           

↑      Good Function      

●      No Symptoms  

↓      Minor Symptoms/Dysfunction

↓      Moderate Symptoms/Dysfunction/Pathology

↓      Sever Symptoms/Pathology/Disease

↓      Death

2. Health  is More Than the Absence of Symptoms, Health is Viewed in Positive Terms of

  1. Human Potential
  2. Quality of life
  3. Optimal Function
  4. Resistance to disease
  5. Vitality
  6. Strenght
  7. Endurance
  8. Balance
  9. Coordination 

3. Patients and Chiropractors Work Actively Together to Maintain HealthPATIENT AND CHIROPRACTIC4

  1. Health care is a dynamic process & a cooperative effort
  2. Patient education & self-care are important goals
  3. Patients are empowered to take responsibility & control of their own health

4. Symptoms Don’t Tell the Whole Story:NECK PAIN2

  1. Many problems arise gradually & symptoms appear only when problems are advanced
  2. Wellness care helps detect & correct problems at an early stage by restoring & maintaining normal function & biomechanics
  3. Good functioning muscles & joints are healthier & more resistant to injury, illness or degeneration. 

5. Chiropractic Care Focuses on a Natural Approach

  1. Chiropractic uses natural & conservative methods to promote the body’s own healing capacity
  2. It encourages healthful living: good nutrition, exercise, stress management & posture. 

6. Regular Chiropractic Care Helps

  1. Restore & Maintain full range of motion
  2. Promote full function
  3. Improve biomechanics
  4. Optimize performance & coordination
  5. Maintain joint stability
  6. Induce a sense of well-being & relaxation
  7. Improve nutrition to discs & other joints
  8. Reduce the risk of injury & degeneration 

7. Motion and Nutrition of Discs and JointsINTERVERTEBRAL DISC

  1. Chiropractors check the spine regularly to evaluate the motion of joints
  2. Good motion is essential for the health & nutrition of discs & joints because it permits the exchange of nutrients, fluid & waste
  3. Without movements, discs & joints may degenerate quickly
  4. Motion also reduces the formation of fibrosis (scar tissue)
  5. Fibrosis occurs in motionless joints & can lead to stiffness & degeneration 

8. Loss of Motion Can Occur Without Pain or Symptoms

  1. A chiropractic exam can detect disturbed motion & mechanics whether there are symptoms or not
  2. Through adjustments & exercises, motion and nutrition can be restored & maintained 

9. Coordination and Control of Muscle Tone, Balance and Joint StabilityMUSCLE AND SKELETON

  1. Restricted, painful injured or degenerated joints transmit information to the nervous system which is not harmonious with input from other muscles & joints
  2. This disturbs coordination, fine motor control & joint stability
  3. Chiropractors identify such joints and use adjustments & exercises to help normalize sensory input, function & motion
  4. This improves agility, balance, coordination, stability & fine motor control 

10. Joints Can Have Disturbed Biomechanics Without Pain or Other SymptomsSPINE

  1. Disturbed biomechanics can:   a) Alter load distribution, Increase risk of injury, b) Accelerate degeneration, c) Reduce optimal performance
  2. Chiropractors identify such joints & by adjustments, help restore normal biomechanics and load distribution
  3. This helps optimize function & may reduce the risk of future problems or injuries 

11. Well-Being and RelaxationHAWAII

  1. In daily life we are exposed to many stresses that can make us tense
  2. This tension can be stored in our bodies
  3. Chiropractors check for signs of tension & by adjustments, help relax muscles, restore motion, & reduce stress
  4. Relaxation & a sense of well- being are very common results of chiropractic care 

12. As a partner with Exercise and SportsBALETT DANCERS

  1. Chiropractic care isn’t a substitute for exercise but a valuable partner that can help enhance its benefits
  2. Joints with good biomechanics, relaxed muscle tone & stability will benefit the most from exercise & be the least likely to be injured 

13. Chiropractic and Athletic PerformanceMICHAEL PHELPS

  1. Many athletes seek regular chiropractic care because  they find it improves their performance & reduces the risk of injury
  2. Some studies suggest chiropractic can improve athletic  ability, agility, balance, kinesthetic awareness, power & speed reaction time.

 This post was based on Dr. Malik Slosberg’s research.

Question: What is Your Opinion About Wellness?  What is Your Definition of  Wellness?

 

 

 

 

11 Symptoms as a Sign of Warning That Your Spine is in Trouble

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spine
Three-Way Piece Vertebrae

Spine and 11 Symptoms as a Sign of Warning That it is in Trouble

There’s no other health care profession other than Chiropractic that can detect as well as treat the condition that is called as the Vertebral Subluxation Complex (VSC). In chiropractic, this is what is found to be the contributor for the spinal and other spine-related disorders.

In order to understand the VSC, it’s best to know what vertebral subluxation means. When a vertebra is not in its normal position compared to the vertebrae above or below, it is called a subluxated  vertebrae (misaligned vertebrae). When a vertebrae is misaligned, it produces a mechanical stress to the  surrounding soft tissues: discs, muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons through regular wear and tear. In effect, the patient would experience muscle spasms on the affected area, inflammation, tenderness, pain and even reduced mobility of the spine.  With the effects of the subluxation, nerve functions may also be impaired and once this happens, the communication between the nerves of our body’s organs is compromised and the optimal health as well as our well-being would be affected.

The Vertebral Subluxation Complex has 5 components. These components must all be eliminated in order for a complete and proper healing to take place.  The 5 components of the  VSC are:

  1. Kinesiopathology – which is the loss of the motion and positioning of the vertebra compared to the vertebrae alongside it.
  2.  Myopathology – which refers to muscle atrophy or spasm
  3.  Neuropathology – is the irritation or compression of the nerve tissue
  4.  Histopathology – is the localized inflammation or swelling.
  5. Pathophysiology – It is the pathophysiological change experienced after the first four components already took place.

During the first episode of VSC, the first 4 components take place. You can consider this as similar to having an inflamed tooth. With an inflamed tooth you would notice some swelling on the area of the jaw where the tooth is. Similar type of inflammation one will find on the area where the VSC occurs.  In order to get this treated, you should not rely on pain as an indicator. Even if there is no more pain on the affected area, this does not mean that the vertebral subluxation had already healed and normalized with or without any treatment. Pain is a poor indicator when the healing process is not completed even when the pain has already subsided. The 5th component, the pathology occurs when all the first four components had already occurred and this is the end result of vertebral subluxation complex when it remains untreated.

So, is there a way to avoid vertebral misalignment?  The VS have many causes which we are all exposed to on a daily basis. There are physical causes such as repetitive motions that are affecting our spine, an acute trauma to body, bad posture, bad habits at work where the workstation is not ergonomic.  Aside from the physical causes, there are also the chemical and emotional causes.  Chemical causes include poor diet and nutrition, intake of alcohol or use of drugs, chemicals in the water and the air we breath as well as ingestion of toxins through the foods we eat.  The emotional cause of vertebral subluxation is stress. Emotional stress has an impact on our physical body and health. With emotional stress, we become more prone to diseases and even injury. Sadly, we cannot really prevent vertebral subluxation and the vertebral subluxation complex that goes with it as we are all exposed to its cause every day. If you want to find out which vertebral level is subluxated, an appointment with your local  Doctor of Chiropractic would be a good start. Some of the offices offer FREE consultation and orthopedic and neurological  examination.

One might experience the following symptoms that would confirm you have a vertebral subluxation.

1. posture  imbalance

2. neck pain: sore, stiff or tender

3. back pain: sore, stiff, or tender

4. muscle spasm on the spine- tight or weak spasms

5. headaches

6. hypomobility

7. joint pain

8. stiffness

9. dizziness

10. low energy

11. poor state of health

Often times a person might not have any symptoms at all, however, it doesn’t mean one is free from a vertebral subluxation.  Again, as an example, the tooth with cavities won’t hurt unless the cavities reach the sensitive dentin layer. So it doesn’t mean that if you don’t feel any pain or numbness, you don’t have cavities. Regular evaluation of the spine is recommended to check if subluxation is present on the vertebrae.

Your local Doctor of Chiropractic knows how to correct vertebral subluxations through different techniques and procedures. Spinal adjustments are involved to correct the spinal vertebrae that suffer from subluxation. By this adjustment, the subluxated vertebra will eventually reach normal biomechanics on the vertebrae above and below and will help to restore the function of the joint. Corrected joint will maintain a proper posture of your spine.

Question: Have you ever experienced any of the 11 symptoms? What was your course of action in order to stop these symptoms?