Back Care Awareness week with Willow Brook Clinic

This week is back care awareness week (3rd – 7th October). Back care is something we should all be interested and invested in as almost all of us go through back problems at some point in our lives. Whether its a mild annoyance that comes and goes, or a debilitating condition and everything else in-between. Its why it is extremely important to care for our backs.

We have spoken with Willow Brook Clinic about how best to care for your back and maintain its good health.

 

Let’s talk about posture with Craig

Posture is important whether we are at rest, performing physical tasks or undertaking repetitive actions. Good posture and care for the skeletal system is essential for overall good health.

Be aware of your posture. Take notice of how you are holding your body and tune into those moments when you feel pain or discomfort. Pain is your nervous system warning you that something is wrong and that you need to change your behaviour.

Be conscious of your breathing. Be aware of how you breathe. If your breathing is shallow, both your nervous system and internal organ function may be compromised. A slouched, compressed posture will not allow for proper abdominal breathing.

Stretch and unload your spine. Any activity that moves your spine will contribute greatly to not only your posture, but to your general health and wellbeing. Doing Pilates, yoga, walking, swimming or Tai Chi are examples of gentle exercise that can be beneficial for your posture and overall wellness through their effect on the musculo-skeletal and nervous system.

Chiropractic care can improve the mobility of your spine and therefore have a positive effect on your posture, movement and nervous system.

These simple tips are a good starting place to help your posture:

Make sure that you stand up straight, with your shoulders back and relaxed. Pull in your abdominals, relax your knees and stand with your weight evenly distributed across your feet.

When you are sitting, make sure your feet touch the floor, your buttocks are at the back of the chair and your back is straight.

Use a headset or hold your telephone instead of using your shoulder and neck to create a cradle while you are on the phone.

If you need any more information about looking after your posture, contact a chiropractor for an assessment, advice and treatment.

For generations, children have been told to stand up and sit up straight. History tells us that this is very good advice.

 

Lower Back Pain 

Lower back pain is normally caused by overloading or overusing the joints or muscles in the lower back. The pain can vary from being localized to being referred to the buttocks and even into the legs, which can be as a result of a trapped nerve. This is commonly called Sciatica.

Chiropractors treat lower back pain by using hands-on techniques. Patients are treated according to their individual needs. After taking a history of the problem, a relevant physical and neurological examination is done. The best way forward is discussed with the patient and treatment offered can be in different forms – joint manipulation, muscle release, massage, mobilization, acupuncture and home exercises; or any combination of these.

Specific joint manipulation can be used if necessary to achieve the best results and chiropractors undertake many years of training to enable them to identify the correct type of manipulation for the problem at hand. All treatments are discussed with the patient before being undertaken.

Chiropractors manipulate specific joints between vertebrae to ease discomfort and improve movement which allow the body to repair. The joint has a capsule around it which holds gases and fluids. When a joint is moved, the gas pressure in the capsule changes making a ‘popping’ sound. It is not usually painful and pain relief can sometimes be immediate. However, if there is spasm in the surrounding muscle it may be more difficult to manipulate the joint and other treatment may be advised initially.

Chiropractic care has been shown to be extremely effective in treating lower back pain. However, as with most things, the longer you leave something, the longer it takes to get better, so do not hesitate to seek advice.

Chiropractors tend to mostly see patients with lower back problems as they are seen as ‘spinal specialists’. However, they are trained in assessing and treating many conditions including general joint and muscle pain, sports injuries, neck and shoulder problems and many types of headaches.

People of all ages can benefit from Chiropractic. Treatment is modified for younger and older patients. Currently my youngest patient is a gorgeous 4 month old and my oldest is a sprightly 93 year old!

What can Chiropractic Care do for you?

We are designed and put together differently. Some people are designed to run, some to lift and some to row. I know someone who never stops. Over the years he has helped build several houses and has fixed many cars.  He does distance bike riding. He helps with his grandkids and loves gardening.

He hit a barrier recently when he did too much activity in a short space of time, not giving himself sufficient recovery time and not stretching. Suddenly back pain was a major issue. But that did not slow him down for long. He saw his Chiropractor for immediate treatment to fix the problem and get him moving again. This was followed by a series of treatments to keep him moving, an exercise programme and a realization that he needs to be aware of his physical capabilities and how to best manage his wellbeing.

If you sometimes overdo it too, you may be wondering how you can keep your body healthy and avoid pain.

Here are some chiropractic tips to help you function well and eliminate pain promptly.

When you encounter pain, see your chiropractor for a diagnosis and early treatment to relieve the pain without drugs or surgery. Many people run into pain through stress or ‘overdoing it’, lifting heavy objects or periods of inactivity followed by too much activity.

Set up regular chiropractic appointments to maintain a healthy body balance so you can be as active as you want to be. Whatever your role, as a runner, golfer, parent or weekend warrior, regular chiropractic visits will help to keep your body ready for the next challenge. When the body is properly aligned and maintained, injuries tend to heal faster.

A competent Chiropractor will have a selection of treatment modalities in their toolkit to enable your recovery, including manipulation, massage, dry needling and myofascial release. They will give you the correct exercises for your rehabilitation and to strengthen you so that the injury doesn’t reoccur.

If you sometimes do too much too fast, let your Chiropractor provide a quick, effective diagnosis and treatment with a plan for avoiding future injuries.

Get well, stay well

To speak with Craig or a member of the chiropractic team and to book in please call 01454 625201 or email reception@willowbrookclinic.co.uk