Tag: Chiropractic Research

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Pediatric Chiropractic Explained

It often comes as a big surprise to people when they find out that I adjust children, and not only children – but BABIES!!?? The question that always follows is, “Why would a child need a chiropractic adjustment?”

Health is about balance, so the first question we’ll answer is: How does a child come out of balance? Physical traumas – they are a common part of growing up and there are a number of especially common times that they may occur. Trauma from birth and childhood experiences can cause subtle misalignment of the spinal bones that can interfere with the nervous system and contribute to a myriad of health issues. As a chiropractor, I assess how your child’s spine and nervous system is adapting to the lifestyle stressors placed upon it – and if needed – perform chiropractic adjustments that gently and effectively correct these misalignments so the body can function properly. Continue reading “Pediatric Chiropractic Explained”

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Check the Neck

What does the research say about Chiropractic care and neck pain? Lets find out:

“Neck pain is often caused by mechanical disorders associated with gradual changes due to aging, or strain of the neck or arms. Pain can be localized to the cervical spine or may radiate down an arm.”

– D. Borenstein, MD & American College of Rheumatology (2006)

“A seven-year study found (chiropractic) neck adjustments to be a better choice for managing most common neck pain than many current practices. Also included in the short-list of options for relief were massage, exercise, education and neck mobilization.”

– The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders, Spine. (2008)

“Chiropractic care is better at reducing pain than taking medications like aspirin, ibuprofen or narcotics. Even a year later, there were differences between the chiropractic adjustments and medication groups.”

– Gert Bronfort, MD & The Annals of Internal Medicine (2012)

You see, if the body’s frame is in alignment, then the nervous system – the brain, spinal cord and the millions of nerves extending throughout the body – can function at its best. This postural balance leads to better body-weight distribution which improves the position of internal organs and helps protect those structures that stabilize the spine. This leads to you having more energy to think, function, heal and maintain yourself. Oh, and it will help your neck pain.

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Are Baby Carriers Good for the Spine?

Many new parents are unsure when it comes to carrying their newborn, especially when it comes to how it may affect their baby’s development. As a Structural Chiropractor, the way I look at babywearing may be a little bit different – my focus is on how it may affect the baby’s developing spine and nervous system.

Lets start with the anatomy of a newborn. As you can see in the illustration below – the spine of an infant is c-shaped – this is natural until the baby begins to hold their head up, crawl and stand which will help develop the curves we have as adults.  One of the first options parents encounter for carrying their baby is (not surprisingly) the car seat.

Research by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) shows that car seats result in  “restricted postural options which can impact your baby’s developing cranium and spine”. It seems that by keeping the spine in a c-shaped configuration, car seats can actually prevent and inhibit the natural curves from forming. In additon, babies can have a hard time acquiring adequate muscle strength to hold their heads up if they don’t get much of a chance to deal with gravity in an upright position. .Bottom line on car seats: an ergonomic carrier is superior to using a car seat when the baby is not in the car. Continue reading “Are Baby Carriers Good for the Spine?”

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Why It’s More Than a Back “Crack”

I must admit I cringe a bit every time I introduce myself as a Chiropractor and someone says “I love getting my back cracked”. The reason it is so disappointing is that “joint mobilization” (aka cracking) is the most insignificant part of what we do. In fact the only reason that anyone should receive a chiropractic adjustment is if there is pressure on their nerve system. Why? Because the nervous system controls and coordinates every aspect of your body. The millions of messages are transported from your brain down your spine, out to your organs, tissues and cells. The purpose of a chiropractic adjustment is to clear any interference in that pathway.

Just this month, we have had reports of an infertile couple conceiving, depression lifting, pain killers being thrown out, better sleep, numbness and tingling gone, sinus infections eliminated, improved digestion and better breathing. This doesn’t happen by “cracking a back”. This only happens when pressure comes off the central nervous system and the body begins to heal itself. Continue reading “Why It’s More Than a Back “Crack””
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Improve Your Golf Game with Chiropractic

Every spring and summer, patients are wondering how they can improve their golf game for the season. One word…Chiropractic. Golfers, by the nature of the game, develop asymmetrical conditions and therefore can benefit from chiropractic care. Such care can specifically help to restore balance and lay the foundation for high-level athletic performance.

Regular chiropractic adjustments can improve your game on many levels. The repetitive nature of the swing makes it critical that the muscles are at ease and the joints of the spine can be moving smoothly. Yes, eliminating low back pain helps the golf game, for sure, but improved bio-mechanical function of the body takes the game to the next level and helps shave strokes off your score.

Professional and amateur golfers turn to chiropractic care as one of the best strategies for maintaining health on and off the course and achieving the best possible performance. Household names including Tiger Woods, David Duval, and Padraig Harrington are just a few of the professional golfers who rely upon chiropractors. Lets find out why. Continue reading “Improve Your Golf Game with Chiropractic”