Exercise of the Week- Lumbar extension – “lazy cow

Difficulty: Beginner to Moderate
(Consult your chiropractor before engaging in this or any other exercise.)

Start: On hands and knees. Be aware of position of spine – start
with a neutral spine or a flat back.
Exercise: Allow spine to sag toward floor, bringing lumbar
spine into full extension. Also extend neck by bringing chin up
toward the ceiling. Hold for 10-15 seconds.

 

Exercise of the Week Calve Stretch Variation 4

 

Difficulty: Easy

Start: Standing on a stable box, or a step. Use handrails or a wall
for balance.

Exercise: Place one foot behind you so heel of that foot extends
past edge of box/step. Lean into back foot, allowing heel to drop
below height of box/step.

Keep knee straight to focus on gastrocnemius muscle, or bend knee to focus on soleus muscle.

Hold for 30-60 seconds. Switch sides and repeat 2X per side

Exercise of the Week Calf Stretch, Variation 2

Difficulty: Easy
(Consult your chiropractor before doing this or any other exercise.)

Start: Standing behind a chair, or in front of a wall. Place hands on backrest or wall for balance.

Exercise: Place one foot behind other. Keeping heel on floor, bend knee and lean hips forward.

You should feel tension behind lower leg, close to ankle. Hold for 30-60 seconds, relaxing muscles of lower leg. Switch sides, and repeat 2X per side.

Exercise of the Week-Calve Stretch

 

Variation 1
Difficulty: Easy
(Consult your chiropractor before doing this or any other exercise.)
Start: Standing behind a chair or in front of a wall. Place hands on
backrest or wall for balance.

Exercise: Bring one foot behind as far as possible, keeping heel
on floor and knee straight.
You should feel tension behind lower leg, close to knee.
Lean hips toward chair or wall to increase lengthening effect.
Hold for 30-60 seconds, relaxing muscles of lower leg. Switch
sides, and repeat 2X per side.

CHIROPRACTIC FROM HEAD TO TOE – SHOULDER PAIN

 

How can chiropractic help with my shoulder pain?

The shoulder is a very unique and complex joint. It is the only articulation in the body whose stability is granted primarily by muscular balance instead of being held together by the
integrity of its ligaments. Have you ever heard of the ROTATOR CUFF? This is the collection of four shoulder muscles that help perform this function: namely the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the teres minor and subscapularis.

In addition, there are multiple bones that come together to make up the shoulder joint: the humerus (upper arm), the scapula (the shoulder blade) and the clavicle (the collar bone).
Therefore, problems with the alignment of any of these bones will directly affect shoulder function, potentially leading to dysfunction and painful symptoms in this joint.

Finally, many nerves lead to the shoulder, influencing motor control of the shoulder and providing sensory feedback from the shoulder to the brain. The main source of these nerves is the cervical spine (the neck). So, how can your chiropractor help when you have a shoulder problem?
Just like every other joint in the body, the shoulder works best when all its moving parts are in proper alignment.
As you will discover below, the most important factor contributing to the proper function of the shoulder is the alignment of your spine, with each major area of the spine contributing in a significant way to the health of your
shoulder.

First and foremost, since nerves connected directly to the shoulder originate in your neck, the cervical spine is the first area your chiropractor will check when you have pain in your
shoulder. Vertebral subluxations in your cervical spine can cause impingement or irritation of joints, nerves and soft tissues. If the subluxation in your neck is irritating a nerve, you may experience motor (muscle) or sensory (skin) deficits related to this subluxation.
Your chiropractor can test the integrity of your shoulder muscles to see if a muscle weakness correlates to the same vertebra level as the subluxation in the neck or, your chiropractor may notice that your pain patterns follow the specific pathway that mirrors the dermatome of a sensory nerve from your neck. If either or both of these are present, a cervical subluxation is likely the cause of your shoulder problem.

Second, since your shoulder blades rest on the ribcage, alignment of the thoracic spine and the ribs are also influential for proper shoulder function.
One of the most common causes of shoulder impingement is poor posture, which in turn may be caused by upper back misalignment. When the upper back is too rounded, for example,
shoulder blade position is altered and the shoulder joint will shift forward. If this ‘slumped’ posture exists, over time this may contribute to muscle imbalance around the shoulder, leading to
stress and strain. Rotator cuff strain is a common complaint related to poor posture in this area. Thoracic subluxations can be both the cause, and the effect, of this problem.

Third, although it may seem unlikely, alignment of the lumbar spine is also important when it comes to shoulder health. Why? For two main reasons:
1) the lower back curve sets the posture of the rest of the spine. If the lumbar spine is curved too much or too little, the thoracic and cervical curves will be directly affected, which in turn can affect the shoulder;

2) one of the larger muscles of the upper torso, the latissimus
dorsi, connects to the arm near the shoulder and then at its other end to the lower back and pelvis through the thoracolumbar fascia. Therefore, lower back alignment can affect the function
of the shoulder, and vice-versa.
With a spine free of subluxations, your shoulders have the best chance to move properly, be positioned properly, and, as a result, to be pain-free. Chiropractic adjustments, aimed at removing vertebral subluxations from all areas of your spine, are one of the most effective tools you can use to keep the stress and strain away from your shoulders.
So, the next time you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders, call on your chiropractor to lighten the load!

How Does Breakfast Impact Your Health?

You have no doubt heard the old saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but aside from providing calories for energy, what are the other benefits of eating a morning
meal? Research conducted on breakfast in the last decade shows how it may affect obesity, cravings, and nutrient intake. Breakfast also appears to influence the type of foods we select
to consume during the rest of the day.

What Science Says

According to a 2011 survey about 10 to 12 percent of people in North America skip eating breakfast. Breakfast research has focused on a number of questions, including…
• Can breakfast lower your risk of
disease?
• Do breakfast eaters snack less than
breakfast skippers?
• Does eating breakfast help control
body weight?
A study conducted in France showed people who consumed one quarter of their daily calories at breakfast were more likely to skip fatty food items and boost their levels of vitamins and
minerals compared to breakfast skippers. As well, the authors commented that “…breakfasts and cereal consumption were associated with lower serum cholesterols” in the breakfast eating group.
An advantage of eating a breakfast cereal rich in fiber is it lessens the risk of heart disease. Soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream, and makes you feel fuller longer, so you often cut your overall daily calorie count. Breakfast cereals made from whole grains is a great way
to increase your fiber intake, which should be about 1 ounce (25 to 30 grams) each day. Studies show that people who reach these levels of fiber intake slashed their risk of heart attack
from 25 to 35 percent.

A similar study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, revealed people who regularly ate whole grain breakfast cereals had a lower risk of heart failure.
As well as fiber, one study showed that eating sufficient protein at breakfast can help you feel full. Research conducted at the University of Missouri used MRI scans on human test subjects,
and the scans revealed a protein focused breakfast reduced brain signals controlling food “motivation and reward-driven eating behavior.” A protein heavy breakfast may curb snacking and assist people in losing weight more easily.
The medical journal Pediatrics conducted a study on adolescents and discovered over a five-year period teens that consumed a daily morning meal were more likely to eat healthier, be more physically active, and have a lower body mass index (BMI) than teens that skipped breakfast.
Another adolescent study was initiated “to examine the association of breakfast and cereal intake with body mass index (BMI) and consumption of nutrients” by girls.  The researchers found that girls regularly eating cereal was “related to increased intake of fiber, calcium, iron, folic acid, vitamin C, and zinc, and decreased intake of fat and cholesterol…eating cereal was predictive of lower BMI.”

“Would You Like to See the Dessert Menu?”

One of the most surprising breakfast studies came out earlier this year.
Researchers in Israel found that having dessert after a well-balanced 600 calorie breakfast of protein and carbohydrates
actually helped dieters to lose weight and keep those extra pounds
from returning. The study published in the medical journal Steroids followed obese participants for 32 weeks and discovered that those people who added a dessert (cookies, cake or
chocolate) lost an average of 40 lbs (18 kilograms) compared to the participants who did not include sweets. What can explain this unusual result? The lead researcher noted that avoiding
sweets completely can actually make psychological cravings stronger.
Restrictive diets work initially, but as times goes by many dieters become weary of the depravation and return to snacking on sweets throughout the day.
A researcher commented: "…the group that consumed a bigger breakfast, including dessert, experienced few if any cravings for these foods later in the day."
* * *
When it comes to eating a well rounded breakfast, you should include servings of whole grain, fruit or vegetables and a healthy source of protein. These choices will help deliver the energy to start your day, keep you feeling fuller longer, and prevent unhealthy snacking. Have questions about your diet? Ask your
chiropractor!

Exercise of the Week

Lateral Flexion + Forward Flexion

Difficulty: Easy to moderate
(Consult your chiropractor before doing this or any other exercise.)

Start: Sit upright in chair.

Exercise: Place one hand on top of head, with fingers pointing
down toward opposite shoulder, behind ear (image 2). Then, allow
neck to relax as weight of arm pulls head and neck gently forward and to opposite side (image 3). Chin should be pointing down toward knee, and you should not feel pain in this position. Drop shoulder on side you feel the stretch. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Switch sides, and
repeat 2X per side.