Heels: Not Food for The Sole

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, gonstead chiropractic, posture, pregnancy, stress, texting | No Comments

“Do the best you can until you know better – then when you know better, do better.”

“Beauty is pain” has been a saying among the female population for a long time but does it have to be? An individual does not have to experience a traumatic event to cause back issues. Spinal issues can be caused simply by wearing poor daily footwear such as heels, flip flops, and flat shoes. The Spinal Health Institute reports that 72% of women wear heels.  When it comes to heels, the human foot is not equipped with the right biomechanics to wear heels consistently that are over an inch high, and it is a frequent cause of back pain in women as well as causing issues in the knees and hips.

Wearing heels causes one’s weight to shift to the balls of their feet initiating unnecessary pressure in the foot joints not allowing proper motion in the foot. Our joints are meant to be mobile and lubricated so when they are in a fixed position, let alone an unnatural fixed position, issues will begin to occur in the foot. When wearing heels, the pelvis can be tilted forward applying stress in the calves, quadriceps, and glute muscles as well as increasing the curvature of the lower spine which decreases proper biomechanics of those spinal joints leading to pain and discomfort down the road. There’s a time and a place for heels but wearing heels less often to allow the body to operate how it is supposed to would be beneficial in

Flat shoes are no stranger to causing issues as well. Since there’s no arch support in flat shoes, the plantar fascia which contributes to arch support can lead to plantar fasciitis. If flat shoes are worn often enough, the knee joints can become affected and lead to arthritis. Flat shoes as well as flip flops can cause internal rotation of the legs which creates misalignment of the hips.

Know better, DO BETTER!! Get checked and stay healthy!

https://www.avogel.co.uk/health/muscles-joints/back-pain/why-shoes-could-be-responsible-for-your-back-pain/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/news/best-worst-shoes-back-pain/

Sports Performance With Chiropractic

By | inflammation, kids chiropractic, stress, texting | No Comments

                Neuromuscular fatigue aka exercise-induced muscle weakness and reduced power are not only detrimental to athletic performance but also increases the risk of sports-related injuries. These factors are brought about by neuromuscular mechanisms in which our brain and spinal cord control how much our muscles contract and reflex responses or how fast our muscles respond to something. By optimizing these factors, athletic performance is likely to be improved.

                Lucky for athletes receiving chiropractic care it has been shown that chiropractic adjustments alters many of the brain functions that control muscle reflexes, muscle endurance, muscle strength, and “muscle memory” (creating muscle patterns). (Herzog et al. 1999; Niazi et al. 2015; Kelly et al. 2000; Lersch et al. 2005; Haavik Taylor and Murphy 2007; Hillermann et al. 2006; Botelho and Andrade 2012).

                In a study performed by Lykke et al., 11 elite Taekwondo athletes were evaluated on muscular strength. In the study, the force during the push-off phase of walking was evaluated and following an adjustment this force was increased. In the control intervention, in which the participants did not receive an adjustment, their force decreased over time. Following the adjustment intervention force increased!

                This study supports the growing research that indicates chiropractic adjustments impact motor control and training. Chiropractic care can benefit patients by improving muscle performance which then affects sports performance, strength training, and other activities.

They’re Not Growing Pains

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, kids chiropractic, texting | No Comments

Read on to learn more from Dr. Haavik and “growing pains”. Click on the Link!

Did you know that what we call growing pains aren’t actually associated with growing? 1

We know very little about growing pains apart from that some children get sore arms or legs at the end of the day and they usually wake up feeling better.

21st Century Epidemic – “text-neck”

Our children are experiencing more pain than ever before.5 Pain in kids is often associated with low levels of physical activity 6 and our kids are less active now than ever before.7 One reason for this inactivity is many children now spend between 5 to 8 hours a day on their smartphones and handheld devices! Text neck results in changes in the bones, ligaments and muscles that support the head and causes postural changes and pain in the neck and other related areas.4

Chiropractic Care can interpret the Pain Cycle in Kids

Text neck results in changes in the bones, ligaments and muscles that support the head and causes postural changes and pain in the neck and other areas.4 It can even cause eye problems and problems with breathing and circulation.4 Parents need to be aware of this major public health problem and be proactive about helping their children. The best place to start is by limiting screen time and encouraging physical activity. A research study looked at the benefits of chiropractic care for kids with recurrent headaches. Headaches in kids are very common8 which is a real problem, and kids with frequent headaches suffer from higher levels of stress and depression. Just like so many other types of pain, kids who suffer from headaches often go on to become adults who suffer from severe headache syndromes.8 Many things can cause headaches in kids, from poor food choices through to trauma on the sports field or playground.8 But, one other very important cause of headaches in kids is prolonged static posture – a scientific way of describing text neck. A group of researchers wanted to find out whether chiropractic care might help break the headache cycle in kids with recurrent headaches. So they did a study with almost 200 kids aged between 7 and 14 who suffered from at least one headache per week. They split the kids up to either receive chiropractic care for four months or fake chiropractic for four months. What they found was the kids in the chiropractic group had significantly fewer headaches than the kids in the control group and they felt better too. Almost half of the kids in the chiropractic group reported that their headaches had improved during the study which was a really good result for those kids! This study shows how chiropractic care can help interrupt the pain cycle in kids2,3 Remember though that chiropractic care isn’t just about treating pain. Chiropractic care is all about improving the communication between your brain and body so you can function at your optimal potential. It’s also good to know that chiropractic is known to be safe for kids and babies.9,10 So, make sure your child’s spine and nervous system are in great shape by taking them to see your family chiropractor and give them the best possible start in life.

Disclaimer and References

This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be professional advice of any kind. Haavik Research Ltd encourages you to make your own health care decisions based on your own research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. © Haavik Research 2021 chiroshub.com 1. Lehman PJ, Carl RL. Sports Health 2017;9(2):132-38. 2. Aartun E, et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2014;15:187. 3. Kjaer P, et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2011;12:98. 4. Fares J, et al. Surg Neurol Int 2017;8:72-72. 5. Nieswand V, et al. Curr Pain Headache Rep 2020;24(10):62. 6. Kędra A, et al. Eur Spine J Epub 2020/08/28. 7. Tremblay MS, et al. Health Rep 2010;21(1):7-20. 8. Lynge S, et al. Chiropr Man Therap 2021;29(1):1 9. Todd AJ et al. J Manipulative Physiol Ther Epub2014/12/03. 10. Doyle MF.Clinical Chiropractic 2011;14(3):97-105.

• Dr. Heidi Haavik BSc(Physiol) BSc(Chiro) PhD • Dr. Kelly Holt BSc, BSc(Chiro), PGDipHSc, PhD • Dr. Jenna Duehr BChiro, BHSc(Nursing), MHSc

Chiroshub.com

3 Affects Occurring On Your Spine Due To The “I” Hunch

By | posture, texting | No Comments

3 Affects Occurring On Your Spine Due To The “I” Hunch

Your Spine Dislikes Gadgets

Your spine is prone to continual stress every single day.  Your spine is specifically designed for two important functions.  Its top priority is to protect the most important structure within your body… the central nerve system (brain and spinal cord).  Secondly, the spine is designed to withstand stress, such as gravity, that is applied every single day.  In this day and age the TOP stressor that plagues our body is “The Gadgets”.  Cellphones, iPads, Kindle’s, etc.  When we continuously look down at gadgets, our entire spinal structure is under constant stress.

#1 – The Reverse Neck Curve Begins

Postural deviations that start in childhood and are left undetected and uncorrected will generally lead to bigger problems when those children become adults.  The more children are looking down at gadgets from earlier ages, the greater significance of cervical curve changes.  These changes are not for the better.

#2 – Your Spine Is Working Overtime

Having your head in a forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine.  This can pull the entire spine out of alignment – Rene Cailliet, M.D.  When we focus on the immediate we only focus on the cervical spine.  When in reality the entire spine will have to work over time.  This means that constant muscle tension, knots, and irritation will be existing all over the spine due to the imbalance in the neck area.

#3 -Your Spine Creates Unnecessary Stress

Constant forward head lean will put automatic stress on the central nerve system (CNS).  When you begin to alter your spinal curvature due to repetitive stress, this will result in a variety of health problems.  Why?  Without proper spinal support, the spinal bones will create tension and stress on your CNS.  Repetitive head lean is equivalent to adding an extra 60lbs of pressure on your spinal column…which means 60lbs of undo stress on your CNS.

Everyone has had poor posture at some point.  It only becomes a problem if you decide not to do anything about it.  Checking your posture and getting your spine checked for subluxations enables your body to adapt to the constant stress.

#getchecked