Archive for the ‘Health Articles’ Category
Welcome to Chiropractic Life and Wellness Center's Health Articles Archive. Here you can learn more about Chiropractic Life and Wellness Center, Chiropractic, and Dr. Brandon Chorney, today's choice for Chiropractors in New Fairfield, CT. Read Dr. Brandon Chorney's Chiropractic Health Articles for the health of it.
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Feb 14, 2013 | Health Articles
Few people understand the true importance of maintaining good posture. Despite our hearing about it on a pretty regular basis, why it matters and how to achieve it remain a little murky for many. Why good posture matters Good posture is more than standing up straight. You have posture when you stand, walk, sit, kneel,...
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Feb 12, 2013 | Health Articles
Even if you love fashion, you must know that it’s a pretty fickle beast. What’s in one day is passé the next. You spend hundreds on an item in March, and then wouldn’t be seen dead with it in May. But the worst of it is the toll it can take on you physically. No one said fashion had to be practical or comfortable, and those considerations are the last things on a fashion designer’s mind.
The truth of fashion is that it caters to a world that doesn’t really exist. Who’d walk out onto the street in a six-foot high hat and eight-inch heels? But even many of those toned-down items that make it into the high street stores aren’t really suitable for everyday wear. All it takes to cause pain and potentially long-term problems is to venture out too many times in high heels with a heavy bag slung over one shoulder. The legs, the back, the shoulders, spine and neck can all suffer in your pursuit of fashion.
High heels are the worst culprits in the line-up because they so badly alter a person’s natural balance, throwing all sorts of stresses and strains into vulnerable parts of the body. It is not just the feet that suffer in high heels. The dynamic equilibrium enjoyed by a well-balanced body is ruined by high heels, and unnatural compensations take place in the body, with new movements, alignments and restrictions.
In a nutshell, high heels increases the normal forward curve of the spine and also tip the pelvis forward. The body’s center of gravity shifts as a result. Standing bare foot allows a person to be perfectly balanced, as nature intended, with the hamstrings supporting the pelvis as they should. High heels, on the other hand, encourage the hamstrings to shorten.
It is the same with clothes that are too tight; movement is restricted, changed, and the body has to compensate. But second in the guilty line-up is heavy bags, purses, backpacks or briefcases, and the people who load into them far too much stuff. A bag that weighs more than 10% of your body weight causes the body to become imbalanced, especially when it is carried over one shoulder or in one hand, because the natural tendency is to lift up the carrying shoulder and lean the body to the opposite side to compensate. The legs and arms then become less coordinated and the spine curves towards the weight-bearing shoulder.
Less serious is the practice of carrying a hefty wallet in your back pockets. Less serious perhaps, but more insidious in the fact that many people will not even give it a second thought. However, this can cause discomfort over a day, especially if you are sitting on it for part of the time because the muscle will be dented by the article, causing pain.
It may be hard, but you need to forgo certain fashions for the sake of your health, where those fashions are detrimental to your health. Keep in mind the following when choosing clothes, shoes and accessories.
- Choose comfortable shoes. When you go out in high heels, try and take a pair of flats with you to swap into if you become uncomfortable. If you want to wear high heels at work and you walk to work, take the heels in a bag and walk in flat shoes instead.
- If a shoe feels uncomfortable when merely standing, walking in it will be infinitely worse.
- Choose supportive shoes that have sufficient cushioning to make walking easy.
- Whatever shoes you are wearing, take regular breaks from sitting to stretch out the hamstrings.
- Don’t wear clothes so tight that they restrict your physical movements.
- Select a bag that allows you to carry it distributed evenly on your body, rather than over one shoulder. The strap should therefore be padded and long enough to place over the head.
- If the bag is on one shoulder or in one hand, swap it frequently from one side to the other to share the burden.
- Remove any unnecessary items from your bag to make it lighter.
- Keep often-used items to hand rather than in your back pocket to prevent having to twist to get them.
- Remove your wallet from your back pocket when sitting or driving for any length of time.
- Suit your clothes to your everyday activities.
Remember that you can be stylish and healthy at the same time, and that shunning the latest fashion to protect your health is actually the coolest thing you can do.
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Feb 7, 2013 | Health Articles
Traveling in any mode of transport can be physically demanding. Even if the final destination is a luxury holiday, getting there can leave you tired, stressed and in pain. Sitting down for too long can cause significant problems for the body. No matter how comfortable the seat or surroundings, pressures build and blood flow is...
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Feb 5, 2013 | Health Articles
Pregnancy exerts a significant toll on the body, and muscle strains are commonly reported. With an average weight gain during pregnancy of 25 to 35 pounds, coupled with the internal shifting caused by a growing baby, it is no surprise that pregnant women may end up in severe discomfort. Figures reveal that around 50% of expectant mothers suffer lower back pain at some point, which obviously worsens as the pregnancy progresses and the baby’s head exerts more pressure on the woman’s back, legs, and buttocks, affecting the sciatic nerve. Where lower back pain was pre-existing, these issues are even worse.
Pregnancy causes an almost immediate shift in a woman’s center of gravity, taking it forward to the front of the pelvis. Despite being designed to carry a baby, this displacement will still cause extra pressure on the joints. As the baby develops, this weight-shift forward continues, increasing the curvature of the lower back and placing an extra burden on the spinal disks.
Hormones released during pregnancy serve to counteract these changes to some degree, helping to loosen the ligaments attached to the pelvic bones, but they cannot fully compensate for the postural shifts taking place. Trips and falls at this time are quite a common hazard.
How To Help Yourself During Pregnancy
Exercise Regularly
- Safe exercise at least three times a week will help strengthen muscles and ease discomfort. A warm-up and stretching beforehand is very important, and medical advice should be sought if you did not exercise prior to pregnancy.
- Cardiovascular exercises considered relatively safe for pregnant women include walking, swimming, and stationary cycling, as they are fairly low-impact. Jogging is advisable only for women who ran frequently before pregnancy, and then only in gentle form and after consulting your doctor.
- Exercise should only be carried out in an safe area where trips and falls can best be avoided. Heart rate should be kept below 140 beats per minute, and each period of strenuous activity should not exceed 15 minutes.
- If you notice any unusual symptoms, such as bleeding, dizziness, nausea, weakness, blurred vision, swelling, or heart palpitations, stop exercising straight away and consider seeking medical advice.
The Basics for Your Health & Safety
- Flat, sensible shoes are the order of the day. Heels worsen any postural imbalance and make a fall more likely.
- Bend at the knees, not from the waist, when picking things up, especially small children. If possible, avoid heavy lifting entirely and never turn your head when you lift.
- Rest up! Sleep when you need to, or sit down and elevate your feet for a while, and don’t be afraid to ask for help to ease your workload.
The Ergonomics of Pregnancy
- Take pressure off your lower back by sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees. There are specially designed full-length pillows for this purpose. Lying on the left side improves blood flow and helps the kidneys flush out toxins.
- If your work involves lots of computer time, ensure your workstation is ergonomically designed. The top of the monitor screen should be below eye level, and placing your feet on a small stool will take some pressure away from your legs and feet. Get up and walk around every 30 minutes.
Nutrition
- As a way to reduce nausea and keep hunger at bay, small meals every four to five hours is preferable to three large meals a day. Foods high in carbohydrates and protein are good for snacking, and a handy supply of saltines can help ward off morning sickness.
- In order to reduce the chances of neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, it is recommended that you supplement with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, both before and during pregnancy. However, always check with your doctor before supplementing to verify the safety of the products you intend taking.
How Your Doctor of Chiropractic Can Help
- Discomfort in pregnancy is made worse if there are any pre-existing imbalances in the pelvis or elsewhere. A doctor of chiropractic has the skills to detect these issues prior to pregnancy and minimize the problems for you. Their help and advice will also ensure you take all possible steps to prevent neuromusculoskeletal problems after childbirth.
- It is the experience of many pregnant women that chiropractic adjustments reduce the severity of lower back pain. These adjustments are safe for both mother and baby and are an especial boon to those women who are keen to avoid pain medications while pregnant. A doctor of chiropractic can also provide advice on other important areas, such as nutrition, ergonomics, and exercise.
- Moving beyond childbirth, help from a chiropractor is still important to tend to any joint problems that may arise as the ligaments loosened during pregnancy tighten up again over a period of around eight weeks. Joints left untreated as the ligaments readjust can lead to problems with muscular tension, headaches, rib pain and shoulder pain.
by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Jan 31, 2013 | Health Articles
Two months before the 2003 New York City Marathon, Sean Combs, “Puff Daddy,” decided he was going to complete the 26.2 mile course through Manhattan. After barely making it through a two-mile training session, Combs realized he needed help. He called upon Drew DeMann, DC, MA, CCSP, his “personal sports physician.” DeMann provided Chiropractic care...
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by Dr. Brandon Chorney | Jan 29, 2013 | Health Articles
A 78-year-old man was suffering from increasing pains he described as “achy low back pain” for two years and had progressively worsening pain in his legs that he described as “sharp, electric and crampy.” An MRI showed severe degenerative lumbar (low back) stenosis. Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a condition resulting in narrowing of the...
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