I thought I’d send out a quick blog about a stretch I often do with my patients that really helps temporarily deal with the discomfort of lower back pain. It’s called the ‘figure 4’ stretch. You sit in a chair and bring one foot/ankle up on the opposite knee – hence the figure 4 (neat huh? 
) . Place your same side hand/elbow on the knee with the leg that is off the ground and apply a downward pressure. While doing this, bend forward until you feel a good stretch – you’ll feel the pull in the leg and lower buttock region but the stretch sneaks in, because of the pelvic rotation, and helps with those lower back muscles as well. (always do stretches on both sides to keep equal flexibility!) FYI – If any of that creates pain stop immediately, should be a good ‘stretch’ feeling. So next time you are feeling some tension in your low back at home or work, try this stretch and see how you feel!
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School starts next week – can’t believe the summer is over already! As you’re preparing your kids for school you may have heard the phrase ‘backpack safety’ thrown around. I’ve always thought this is a strange saying….didn’t know backpacks could be dangerous! ☺ But in all honesty, this phrase is meant to cover the appropriate way for your child to utilize a backpack without strain to their muscles/bones and prevent postural issues. Here are the four tips for healthy backpacking:
1. Choose a backpack that’s size doesn’t cover more than your child’s shoulders to the small of their back.
2. The maximum weight in a backpack shouldn’t be more than 15% your child’s body weight.
3. Teach your child to squat and lift their backpack with their legs instead of bending over and slinging all that weight with a twisting motion. (You’d be surprised how many kids I’ve seen in our office because of this exact mistake!)
4. Finally, make sure your child uses both shoulder straps to distribute the weight evenly over their shoulders.
I hope these little tips help your children have a happy first day at school and keep them feeling good and not having stressed out, tired muscles like all of us adults always have! ☺
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Well, it’s that time of year again! The back-to-school sales are being advertised, the supply lists are out…..and those dreaded physical forms you have to deal with. You know why schools always require these – to save there you-know-whats legally if anything should happen, right? Well, I guess in part that is true, of course, but there’s really a bigger, more important reason for those. And here it is….it’s for the SAFETY of your CHILD! Who knew, right? You set up the appointment, dragging your kid into the office for something that takes like 5 minutes, paying for yet another thing for your child to go to school….it’s easy to see why parents tend to just chalk up the physical as another thing to ‘deal with’. But these physicals that seem so quick and unnecessary, are actually a way to check your child’s health and ability to withstand the rigors of physical activity. From listening to the integrity of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems (fancy words for heart and lungs ☺ ) to checking muscle strength, nervous system reactions and even eyesight, all of these little components are so important to make sure your child is prepared and healthy. A school physical needs to be performed by a physician, physician assistant, chiropractor or nurse practitioner. At Axis Family Chiropractic, we value your child’s health and have signed off on many school physical forms. So give us a call today if your child is ready to get their physical done – $25 physical exams!
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So my blog today is going to be a little more specific than it has been in the past. I have a patient that has received some great help through nutritional support and I’m too excited to not talk about her experience! So this patient, we’ll call her ‘Mary’ to protect confidentiality, came in to see me about 4 months ago. On the functional blood chemistry nutritional questionnaire Mary checked off feeling tired and sluggish, tingling sensations radiating down her arms and legs, frequent headaches, depression and frustration with her weight and diet. I sent her off for her blood work and it came back with clear signs of hypothyroidism (where the thyroid doesn’t produce enough hormones to help with metabolism and many other things in the body). So we talked about a game plan – Mary started with the 3 week detox program (where she lost a total of 17 lbs!) and then we began the nutritional protocol for hypothyroidism. 3 months later Mary came back – she’d lost 10 more lbs and was now not considered ‘obese’, she had no headaches, no tingling and was feeling much better and alert. I sent her for her blood work again and…..all of her thyroid markers were great! Isn’t that amazing?! I think there is such a place for medicine but when we can help our bodies naturally and allow them the ability to ‘heal’ without introducing foreign chemicals that will cause other reactions (aka side-effects) that is the greatest health there is!
** Always consult your primary care physician for any medical intervention!
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So for the fortunate ski lovers, it’s the season for packing up the gear and heading to the slopes. I’ve heard there can be nothing better then the fresh air and freedom as you make your way down that powdery white. I say ‘heard’ because I was never a snow bunny myself. My first experience was a spring break in college, and I quickly learned my future Olympic gold medal in snowboarding was going to have to be a dream unrealized…The joy of skiing also brings with it accidents from falls and spills, and for those expert skiers out there, accidents from avoiding people like me on the slopes! Although the snow can help cushion the blow, falls still play havoc on your back and spine. If you’ve recently had a skiing adventure (or fall for anything other reason really!) call today and we’ll check to make sure that beautiful snow leaves you with nothing more than good memories!
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Well, it’s that time of year again where the eggnog flows, the desserts are aplenty, and those tasty dishes are at every holiday party… Then the aftermath is the typical new year resolution to ‘lose weight’. What if this new year you made the decision instead to cleanse all the junk and toxins out of your body and help you be healthier? (And, wonder of wonders, lose weight as a by-product!) At Axis Family Chiropratic we have a tried and true detoxification program that we stand behind. It’s a 21-day commitment where you utilize certain supplementation and whole foods to help cleanse and purify the body to give you increased energy, healthy digestion and weight maintenance. I’ve seen this detox program help countless patients get rid if symptoms like headaches, eczema, etc and overall feel and look healthier. Ask about it today!
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Whether it’s during the season or in the off-season, Chiropractic care is becoming the competitive advantage that many football athletes are now seeking. When your body is in better alignment and your nervous system is finely tuned, all pistons are firing!!!! This leads to better performance, fewer injuries and quicker recovery. A research study conducted by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, published in the journal of Chiropractic research and Clinical Investigation, 1991, indicated chiropractic care might improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a two week period. The report also concluded that chiropractic-adjusted athletes reacted faster, had better coordination, and executed fine movements with improved accuracy and precision – amounting to an overall better quality performance on the football field. Athletes have special needs and here at Axis Family Chiropractic, we understand the specific nature and requirements needed to help you perform optimally, so call today!
Check out the following links about Chiropractic and football:
http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/NEWS_superstar_football_player_depend.htm
http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/NEWS_college_football_team_benefits.htm
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That’s a pretty bold statement! It almost begs the question that if that’s really true, why isn’t every pregnant woman in America (or the world for that matter!) running to their chiropractor…? I believe what is really meant by this statement is that as labor progresses and the pelvis is opening, baby is dropping, etc. – a mother that has been under regular chiropractic care has a better chance of these motions happening a little easier (remember the adjustments were meant to keep motion in the pelvis).* And then don’t forget the increased bloodflow to the uterine area, which I believe to help with recovery time. This being said, I’m going to honestly have to say from my personal birthing experience…it hurt A LOT. And it was long (18 hours I believe). But I was able to have a natural birth like I’d planned, and without any back labor – perhaps chiropractic gave me that. And I also noticed that I was able to move around quite easily and with very little soreness even a few hours after the birth. I’m telling you this because I don’t think there’s a magical ‘cure’ for labor pains, but I do believe in giving yourself and your little one the best chances of health and comfort, and overall that’s why I believe whole-heartedly in these four truths of pregnancy and chiropractic.
*In a study performed, 84% of patients receiving chiropractic manipulation reported relief of back pain during labor and delivery. There was significantly less likelihood of back labor when spinal manipulative therapy was administered during pregnancy. (“Back pain during pregnancy and labor”. Diakow PR, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics, 1991: 14(2): 116-118.)
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/86014/the_effects_of_chiropractic_care_during.html?cat=52
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If your reading this section because you are in this predicament, you’ve probably already searched on the web and found that chiropractic is a common recommendation to help with turning a breech baby. It’s a special technique called the Webster technique – and has an 84% success rate! Now, technically, this type of adjustment doesn’t claim to actually ‘turn’ a breech baby, but to allow proper alignment and loosening of tightened ligaments in the pelvic region that sort of naturally gives the baby room to turn. There’s no surgical intervention or ‘external cephalic version’ (ouch!) with this technique. I’ve seen some wonderful results for fearful mothers. It’s worth a try…
*The official definition of the Webster technique by the ICPA (International Chiropractic Pediatric Association) is as follows: “The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and adjustment that reduces interference to the nerve system and balances maternal pelvic muscles and ligaments. This in turn reduces torsion in the uterus, a cause of intra-uterine constraint of the baby and allows for optimal fetal positioning in preparation for birth.”
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Chiropractic care does many things to help you and your baby during the pregnancy. The chiropractic adjustment keeps pressure off the nerves of the lower back, which supply the uterus, and increases blood flow to the area to give your baby the best living environment possible. It also works in prevention of stress from some of the aches and pains before they can start – to allow you a state of peace and calm for your baby. And the realignment from an adjustment helps keep you properly balanced throughout the changing process of your protruding belly while also giving motion to your pelvis to allow room for your growing baby. As a mother of a little girl, I can personally say that having routine chiropractic care during my pregnancy prevented any back pain as well as helped relieve periodic headaches I would get with those wonderful changing hormones! So just remember, regular chiropractic visits keep you, your body and your baby healthy!
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/chiropracticcare.html
Check back for –
Truth 3: Chiropractic can be utilized to help a breech presentation during labor
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