LOW BACK RE-ALIGNMENT - HOW DOES IT WORK?

Low back pain (LBP) is such a common problem that if you haven’t suffered from it yet, you probably will eventually. Here are a few facts to consider:  1) LBP affects men and women equally; 2) It is most common between ages 30-50; 3) Sedentary (non-active) lifestyles contribute a lot to causation; 4) Too much or too little exercise can result in LBP; 5) A BMI around 25 is “ideal” for weight management, which helps prevent LBP; 6) Causes of LBP include lifestyle (activity level), genetics – including, but not limited to, weight and osteoarthritis; 7) Occupation; 8) Exercise habits, and the list can go on.

Let’s next look at how an adjustment is done.

When spinal manipulation is performed in the low-back region, the patient is often placed in a side lying position with the upper leg flexed towards the chest and the bottom leg kept straight. The bottom shoulder is pulled forwards and the upper shoulder is rotated backwards at the same time the low back area receives that the manipulation is rotated forwards. This produces a twisting type of motion that is well within the normal range of joint motion. When the adjustment is made, a “high velocity” (or quick), “low amplitude” (a short distance of movement) thrust is delivered often resulting in “cavitation” (the crack or, release of gases). So, WHY do we do this?

Most studies show that when there is back pain, there is inflammation. In fact, inflammation is found in most disease processes that occur both within and outside the musculoskeletal system. We know that when we control inflammation, pain usually subsides. That is why the use of “PRICE” (Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate) works well for most muscle/joint painful conditions. We have also learned that IF we can avoid cortisone and non-steroidal drugs (like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.), tissues heal quicker and better, so these SHOULD BE AVOIDED! If you didn’t know that, check out:

MASSAGE ALONE IS NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER

Often we get calls from people who are looking for a massage. When the receptionist queries their problem often the person is in pain and thinks that a massage will sort it out. The receptionist then explains that osteopaths do massage but they also look for the root cause of the problem.

What do I mean by this?

Often I see people who have back or neck issues which are persistent and some have had massage therapy which has helped but short term. The reason for this is that the spinal mechanics are altered. If the muscles in the back or neck become tight or spasm they will have an effect on the areas where they run to or from, namely the joints in the spine. Also if the joint becomes locked in position known as a “facet lock” this will cause the musculature around the area to contract.

In this situation the muscle is held tight, massage may give some temporary relief but if the joint is not released the tightness and pain will return. Therefore both the muscles and the affected joints need to be worked on in order to achieve total resolve.

So if you are suffering aches and pains then don’t delay and give us a call on 0871260384 and let us get you back on the road to recovery.

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HAVE you NOTICED A NEW buzz WORD IN HEALTH RECENTLY ? text neck

Children and teens are especially at risk for suffering symptoms of text neck.


Peter one of our Spine-health registered osteopaths, mentioned he is seeing more and more patients with this condition, so I asked him a few questions about this new spine health concern.

Below you’ll find my questions in bold, with his answers following.

What is text neck?

Text neck is the term used to describe the injuries and pain sustained from looking down at wireless devices for too long. The symptoms associated with text neck are:

I believe, as some studies suggest, text neck may lead to the early onset of arthritis and the potential for decreased lung capacity. Of course, text neck does not occur only from texting. For years, we've all looked down to read. The problem with texting is that it adds one more activity that causes us to look down more than in the past. This is especially concerning because young, growing children could possibly cause permanent damage to their spines as they grow.

How often do you see cases of text neck in your own practice?

Studies suggest that 79% of the population, ages 18-44, have their cell phones with them for 22 hours per day. Most of my clients fall in this age range, so I see several cases each day. Recently, a patient came in complaining of severe upper back pain. He woke up and was experiencing severe, acute, upper back muscle strain. I told him I believe the pain is due to the hours he was spending hunched over his cell phone: Diagnosis text neck.

How do you treat text neck?

Prevention is key. I instruct patients to hold their phones at eye level as much as possible. I also remind them to take breaks from their phones and laptops throughout the day. It is also important to practice good office ergonomics.

I also recommend a series of core exercises to help strengthen neck and back muscles. These exercises can help mitigate some of the effects text neck.

Finally, we come up with a comprehensive treatment plan which includes regular adjustments, massage therapy, and cold laser therapy.

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF A SPINAL TRANSPLANT! NEITHER HAVE WE. TAKE CAE OF THE ONE YOU HAVE!

Our Osteopath, peter best explains: Let's face it. Work can be a pain. Between deadlines, abrasive coworkers and budget cuts, the full-time office life often threatens to squelch even the cheeriest of employees. Now new research is proving what many of us have suspected for years -- work can be a literal pain, too. Back pain in the workplace is a common occurrence, and yet few workers (and even fewer employers) know what to do to combat it beyond the occasional five-minute stretch at the water cooler.

It's easy to make light of something we are usually able to just mentally push past, but the truth of the matter is, desk life is accelerating damage and even death to our bodies, and our work culture must be revamped in order for many to get out alive.

While it may sound dramatic, both professional statistics and the everyday experience of many office workers currently prove that back pain is an incredibly common problem in the office, and that it can often lead to more dire consequences.

How We Are Murdering Our Backs

Our bodies are not designed for a sedentary lifestyle, and yet in the face of such a technologically driven society, we often feel there is no choice but to spend generous portions of the day sitting in one spot. The average healthy person's back will take a beating from this low-energy lifestyle, leading to increased pain, stiffness and long-term problems. In other words, we prefer electronics over our physical well-being, and this needs to stop.

Our bodies are naturally designed to be active, and sedentary positions cause back muscles to tense up from supporting the rest of the body in a single stance for too long. The spine is also adversely affected and takes much longer to heal. We are unable to recover from much of this damage once it occurs, and women in particular will incur unsightly varicose veins that result in the same circulatory blockages that can cause the back pain.

Despite many companies promoting ergonomic working conditions, countless employees continue to practice poor posture and typing at their desk. This adds additional strain to the back, leading to long-term (and oftentimes permanent) damage to the lower back's ligaments. Outside of sitting all day at the office, some of us additionally sit in heavy traffic during our daily commute and also sit while eating lunch. This only adds to the stress on our back.

Finally, sitting contributes to obesity, which of course leads to undue strain on the back. Our joints and muscles are not designed to endure extra weight as the years go by, and as our bodies are aging and growing more frail, we are demanding they take on more work. It's a process that is detrimental to the whole of our systems, but often starts in the back. So, if you want to kill yourself while making a buck, consider continuing in your work routine. However if you're looking for a solution, read on.

If you already consider yourself to be particularly active,other things can cause back pain the workplace, including excessive force upon the back or repetitive movements for multiple hours.

Bu visiting archview clinic our team of professional osteopaths, physiotherapist exercise therapist and orthopaedic massage therapist will restore the curvatures you may have lost due to hours of hunching over your desk. At archview will customise a spinal corrective plane to set you on the way for a younger and more youth full spine.

BOOK ONLINEOR CALL 0871260384

DON'T LET BACK PAIN AFFECT YOUR GOLF:

If you are holding back on your swing for fear of a previous injury returning or perhaps the ache in your back is taking the enjoyment out of the round of golf then you should consider osteopathy.

Our Osteopath at DUBLIN CITY OSTEOPATH, gives tips and advice to Golfers with Back or Neck The following is some useful information on how our clinic is aware of the demands of golf on the body. 

 As peter mentions “In Recreational Golfers Injuries Usually Occur Because of” 

  •  Sporadic play with associated lack of fitness and poor motor control. 

  • Poor swing control due to lack of spinal mis-alignments, stiffness, muscle weakness & poor balance. 

  • Poor fitness leading to body fatigue by the end of a long walk up & down hills etc. over an 18-hole course.  This negatively affects fine motor control leading to swing inaccuracies causing impact injuries, overuse injuries, sprains and strains. 

 Through personally designed treatment plans, our patients at the clinic have enjoyed increase length to their drives and an improved short game.  Less or no pain from previous injuries and more energy throughout the 18 holes, and consequently more enjoyment! 

Lets see how it works and share some of our insights.

Our Dynamic Approach to Golf Biomechanics through Osteopathy 

 The Neck (Cervical Spine) This area is one of the most important for your golf game.  Good stable mechanics for the golfer’s eye-to-ball connection is fundamental in allowing the whole body swing to work correctly. 

The Mid Back (Thoracic Spine) The middle of the back or thoracic spine can make or break the golf swing.  A flexible and supple T-spine will allow for smooth swing mechanics, while restrictions( mis-alignments) will inevitably lead to poor performance and/or injury.

The ribs need to be able to expand, contract and rotate.  This allows the diaphragm to move freely.  Rotation can be restricted if the muscles between the ribs, (the intercostal muscles) are tight.  You may have felt pain in your ribs after a day of hitting balls.  This could be your intercostal muscles telling you they have worked too hard or are dysfunctioning. 

The Low Back (Lumbar Spine) Among professional and amateur golfers, low back pain has been cited as the most common golf-related injury.  

It is estimated that 10-33% of all LPGA and PGA touring professionals are playing whilst injured at any given time and that half the group will develop chronic low back conditions. In the modern swing, the golfer finishes in a lordotic ‘reversed C’ position.  This reversed ‘C’ leads to hyper-extension of the lower back which adds increased stress on the spinal joints and para-spinal muscles of the lumbar spine. Increased loads on the lumbar spine during the golf swing, together with the large forces generated by these muscles, predispose the golfer to muscular strains, spondylosis (degenerative spine conditions), and associated risk of herniated discs.  

Peter will help improve your golf biomechanics and posture thereby directly improving your golfers handicap.

Peter will identify the ‘at risk’ areas of your spine with our spinal muscle scan (semg) link to exercises to improve their game