Correct lifting is something that can prevent you from straining your back and having to possibly go to the chiropractor in order to obtain relief. There are many ways to lift heavy objects wrong and this in turn really can destroy your back over time, so proper lifting is the best way to prevent back pain and injury.

          The steps for proper lifting are:

          1.) Plan ahead before lifting – Make sure that your path is clear and you know where you are going. This will reduce the risk of you making awkward movements while lifting.

          2.) Lift close to your body – Making sure that you keep the object close to you will center you weight and make the object much easier to carry than if you were to hold it away from yourself.

          3.) Feet should be shoulder width apart – Positioning your feet correctly will make sure that you’re balanced and sturdy. Having your feet too close together will throw off your balance and too wide will make it hard to walk.

          4.) Bend your knees and keep your back straight – Keeping your knees bent will help you with strain on your knees and keeping your spine straight will also prevent injury and stress.

          5.) Tighten your stomach muscles – By tightening your muscles in this area you are preventing stress on your spine.

          6.) Lift with your legs – Your legs are a lot stronger than your back muscles, so the choice of which to use is clear.

          7.) If you are straining, get help – there is no reason that you should be able to ask for help if you are lifting something that is too heavy for you.

          8.) Wear a back belt or back support – A back belt can help you maintain good posture while lifting, so it is a good idea to have one available.

By following these techniques you should be pain free and safe when lifting. To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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          If you are a parent who has children then this post applies to you and your family. Chiropractic isn’t only for adults; its safe practices can also apply to children. Think about stretching and keeping your kids from being in one position during the day; whether it be when they are playing video games, watching T.V., playing sports, or sitting in the car for extended periods of time. These are all things that most parents are aware of and they try their best to keep their kids from starting off with posture problems.

 There is one thing that parents could possibly not realize when their little ones (or high schoolers) go trotting off for school in the morning; their backpacks. Those usually weightless items can become quite overburdened at time and this is when they become strenuous on the child’s back. Most of the time parents don’t realize how heavy their child’s backpack is because they don’t have to handle it. Your child gets their backpack on in the morning, not you, and takes it off at night.

 Your child’s backpack shouldn’t weigh over 10% of their body weight. This is just too much strain on the back and after time it could potentially create a problem with your child’s posture. There is not a clear solution to this problem because sometimes students just have a lot of books they need to carry home; but by making sure that you go through a child’s backpack and clean out all the unnecessary things that sometimes collect throughout a child’s backpack. Keeping your child’s backpack as light as possible will help keep your child injury free. To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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          Now here’s something that you wouldn’t think would go together; chiropractic and gaming. In what way could these things two things be related, you ask? Just think about how long most people spend playing video games every day. Now take that number and relate it to those people that spend excess amounts of time on gaming systems. Sitting in front of the T.V. for extended periods of time can put stress on your spine and neck. There is nothing wrong with playing video games except for the fact that most people don’t take the time out of the game to do proper stretching and take breaks.

          By properly stretching before you start playing a video game you can prepare yourself to either be sitting in the same position for a long time or, in the case of Wii, be moving around quite a bit. Either way, taking the proper precautions before you begin is going to make sure you aren’t sore when you stop. If you are playing any type of video game you should also take periodic breaks in order to stretch out your spine and keep your body performing at its optimum levels. Too many people who play video games are coming out of it with back pain and poor posture to not take breaks. Hitting the pause button isn’t as hard as it seems and you can always take a short break and come back to it later.

          Practicing safe gaming and stretching before and during your gaming is the best way to prevent any injuries from taking place. This is extremely beneficial for those people who tend to play video games quite often or almost every day. Practice your safe gaming. To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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          Keeping yourself in a healthy state is the best way to prevent injury and then having to go to the doctor’s office (whether it be a chiropractor or a general practitioner). There are a few simple things that you can do in order to keep yourself healthy while doing everyday tasks:

          - When carrying a heavy briefcase or bag, make sure that you place the strap on the opposite side that the bag rests. This way the weight is more evenly distributed through the body rather than on one side.

          - If you work at a job where you are sitting in one spot all day it is important that you take breaks every so often in order to stretch yourself out. By taking a walk or stretching you are helping avoid postural or spinal stress.

         - Lifting objects is a topic that you’ve probably heard much about and that is because it is important! When lifting heavy objects make sure that you lift properly (with your legs, not your back) and avoid twisting while lifting something, this can cause extreme strain on one’s back.

         - The last tip that I have for you is one that you most likely haven’t thought about; crossing your legs. If you constantly cross one of your legs over the other it can misalign your spine so be careful of this.

 By keeping these simple thoughts in mind you can prevent injury and live a healthy and pain free life. There are many other things that you should practice in order to get the most potential out of your life. By consulting a chiropractor you can learn more about safe practices for everyday living.

To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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Wheeled Shoes Raise Safety Concerns, Say Chiropractors

          With the popularity of wheeled shoes on the rise, doctors of chiropractic are expressing concerns about safety, both for the children who use them and others who must dodge children skating in crowded shopping centers and parks.

          The shoes, most recognized by the dominant brand name, Heelys®, resemble normal sneakers but have removable wheels in the heels. Although parents have purchased more than 4 million pairs of the popular shoes, some malls and schools have banned Heelys® due to safety concerns.

          “Parents should be concerned about Heelys® and other wheeled sneakers because of the potential for head, wrist, elbow and ankle injuries due to falls, as well as the possibility of injuries due to altered gait patterns,” says Dr. Steven Conway, a member of the American Chiropractic Association from Athens, Wis. “When wearing the shoes on a surface that isn’t skatable, children must walk on their toes. This altered gait forces their posture into unnatural positions, and if worn regularly for walking, this could potentially cause strain on growing bodies, especially in the foot, ankle and lower back.”

           Conversely, when skating in the shoes, children are forced to put their weight on their heels. By doing so, they can easily lose their balance, putting them at a higher risk for falls and resulting injuries to the back of the head, elbows and wrists. Because many children consider Heelys® to be shoes rather than athletic gear, they fail to wear the proper safety equipment - which can be especially dangerous when children fall on slick tile or cement surfaces.

          The American Chiropractic Association offers the following safety tips when wearing Heelys® and other brands of wheeled shoes:

           - Always wear the proper safety equipment including helmets, wrist guards and protective pads.

           - Use the shoes for recreation only - not for regular wear - and always remove the wheels when walking in the sneakers.

          - Do not allow children to wear the shoes in crowded malls, near busy streets or other areas where collisions with other pedestrians - or worse yet, automobiles - could occur. Urge children to be aware of their surroundings and mindful of fellow pedestrians.

          - Remind children to be aware of how their bodies feel. Pain is the first sign of a problem.

          - If an injury does occur, remember RICE - rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Ice the injured for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the ice for about an hour and reapply. Using ice will help reduce the pain and inflammation.

         - If your child continues to feel soreness, pain or muscle strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic. Chiropractors are trained to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system and can provide advice on sports training, nutrition and injury prevention to young athletes.

*This article was taken from the American Chiropractic Association at http://www.amerchiro.org/press_css.cfm?CID=2266

 - To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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          If you’re experiencing back or neck pain you may think that there isn’t anything that you can do other than go to a chiropractor and get it treated by a professional. Although this is the best course of action there are some other aspects that you can take a look at in order to help reduce the pain that you are feeling. One of the main things that you can look at is your bed. Yes, your bed is something rather important in the way your back and neck feels during the day. Using the best mattress and the best pillow for your body is going to bring immediate results and show you that with the proper tools you can help your body stay functional.

          The first thing you have to look at is your mattress; you should be receiving support for your entire body uniformly all the way through. If you have any parts of your body not touching the mattress when you lay flat this is your first indication that the mattress is not giving you enough support. If you feel any pressure on your hips or lower back when you lay down, that is another indication that your mattress is unfit to support you while sleeping. In order to shop for a good mattress you should really give it a test run. Lying down on a mattress in the store is going to be the best way to find out if it is going to work for you. Keep in mind that you should lay on it for about ten minutes to make sure that you are comfortable on it.

         Another thing to be sure of is that the bed is large enough for you and, if need be, your partner. Having a bed that is big enough for you to lay out and roll over without disturbing the other person in the bed is going to make sure that you are getting quality sleep. The last thing that most people don’t realize is that their pillow should also be looked at. Having a pillow that doesn’t support your head and neck is the reason for neck pain in some cases. A good thing to look for is if you put your hand or arm underneath your pillow, you can tell that you are not getting enough support. Find a pillow that is comfortable and supports you like it should. Happy shopping!

To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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There are a lot of concerns drifting around about the possibility of chiropractors causing their patients to have strokes when doing an adjustment. Although there have been a few cases of patients going to their chiropractors and shortly afterwards suffering from a stroke, there isn’t a lot of evidence to connect the two. This has become a rising issue in the chiropractic world and many people have been demanding an answer. A popular journal, “Spine”, which focuses on the study of the spine, has completed an experiment on this issue to clear things up once and for all.

 The experiment was to investigate the association between chiropractic and VBA (or Vertebrobasilar Artery Stroke). The results were that there is no association between chiropractic and stroke and that in no way does chiropractic cause stroke in any patients. The only association that was found was that patients suffering from beginning symptoms of stroke may have gone to their chiropractor for relief right before their stroke. This study shows that there is no risk for stroke when going into a chiropractor’s office for treatment and that you shouldn’t be worried about a chiropractor inadvertently causing you to have a stroke after treatment.

  If you are suffering from symptoms of a stroke; namely any of these symptoms below then you should seek immediate medical care:

                      - Sudden difficulty speaking (slurred speech) understanding what people are saying
                      - Sudden onset of confusion or altered mental status, such as loss of consciousness, or recognizing people who should be familiar
                      - Sudden numbness or tingling on one side the face or body, or both
                      - Sudden onset of dizziness or unsteadiness, loss of balance or coordination, or both
                      - Sudden difficulty walking or standing upright
                      - Sudden severe headache
                      - Sudden severe unexplained upper-neck pain
                      - Sudden trouble with vision or sight

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U.S. House of Representatives Strengthens Eligibility for Chiropractic Benefit in Armed Forces
- Legislation seeks expanded access, overseas demonstration project

“The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a directive that orders the Pentagon to make chiropractic care a standard benefit for all active-duty military personnel. The legislation is contained in H.R. 5658, a bill authorizing defense programs in fiscal year 2009, and is based in part on recommendations from the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC).

The bill—passed by the Armed Services Committee on May 14 and the full House on May 22—also contains language allowing for chiropractic demonstration projects at overseas military locations and clarifies that chiropractic care at U.S. military facilities is to be performed only by a doctor of chiropractic.

“H.R. 5658 is a bipartisan bill that explicitly states that chiropractic is an integral component of the Pentagon’s health care delivery system, and it is the [Armed Services] committee’s intention that this language will increase access to chiropractic care at more facilities worldwide,” said ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC.

In 2000, Congress passed and the president signed a similar authorization bill, which contained language calling on the Secretary of Defense to develop a “plan” to get the chiropractic benefit to all active-duty service members. To date, there is a doctor of chiropractic at 49 military bases around the country; however, according to a 2005 Government Accountability Office report, only 54 percent of servicemen and women eligible for chiropractic care can reasonably access the benefit. This most recent legislation shelves the “plan” approach and simply states that chiropractic care is a standard health care benefit.

According to ACA sources, the House Armed Services committee also expressed concern that there were no doctors of chiropractic stationed at overseas military facilities. The language contained within H.R. 5658 allows the Pentagon to conduct demonstration projects to implement chiropractic care at these sites.

“The House Armed Services Committee is to be commended for strengthening current law. This strong statement by the committee will pave the way for expanded access to this critical component of the military health care system—both here at home and overseas,” said ACC President Dr. Carl Cleveland III.”

*This article was taken from the American Chiropractic Association at http://www.amerchiro.org/press_css.cfm?CID=2893

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          As you read more and more about chiropractic you are probably finding yourself thinking, “I think chiropractic would be a good thing to add into my life.” You’d probably also be thinking something like, “With chiropractic I could increase my enjoyment of life by reducing pain and keeping my body healthy.” If you are at this point in your thoughts then you are probably ready to find a chiropractor and get started. With so many available to you there really is no excuse for not going in and possibly finding out more about the subject from an experienced chiropractor. Not only that but if you are sure on the subject right now you can start seeing a chiropractor as soon as possible.

          Without the proper information most people usually disregard chiropractic and don’t use it in their daily lives. This is why it is so imperative that you find out as much information as you can about something that could potentially benefit your life. There is a great wealth of information available to anyone that wants to know more about the subject; all you have to do is look for it. Not only does the internet have information to look at but you can also gain knowledge from books and actually talking to a licensed chiropractor.

          There are a lot of people already using chiropractic on a regular basis and they are also another source of information. Not only is this approach probably the most logical it is also probably the most reliable. Coming from the mouth of a human being, and one that you probably know is going to have more of an effect on you that just reading some text that someone you don’t know wrote. Therefore, if you are going to gather opinions on people’s chiropractic experiences, the best people to ask would be those close to you. To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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          Posture is defined as position; the arrangement of the body and its limbs. Most people associate bad posture with back pain and they would be correct in relating the two. There is a lot that can go wrong if you have terrible posture and chiropractic can help you realign your spine and correct your poor posture. Although normal chiropractic doesn’t usually address this there are chiropractic techniques specifically built to address this common problem with many people across the world. The procedure is known as Clinical Biometrics of Posture and was developed in the 1980’s by Drs. Donald Harrison, Deanne Harrison, and Daniel Murphy.

         The technique/procedure basically is built on the theory that by applying an opposing force to the misaligned spine on a regular basis that one could correct spinal posture problems. To explain a little better you could think about bad posture and how the spine is curved in such a case. Now think about exerting a mirrored force against that curve on multiple occasions in order to readjust the spine back into its original position. This is, in a nutshell, what takes place when one decides to have this technique done to them.

         There aren’t as many chiropractors offering this as you would think. Most chiropractors focus on the relief of pain and therefore use techniques that most people are familiar with, such as the adjustment, in order to relieve these symptoms. Although the “Mirror Image Exercise” does focus on relieving pain its primary goal is to realign the spine in order to create a body that functions correctly. If this is something that appeals to you because you have poor posture, ask your local chiropractor about it for more information. To schedule a free chiro exam please visit Free Chiro Exam and schedule yours today.

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