Stretching: Easy, Relaxing and Free! by Kitchener Chiropractor

Stretching: Easy, Relaxing and Free!

Whether you’re in a park or the comfort of your own home, stretching is ideal for people of every age.

It may be the most important and the most beneficial exercise there is. It also happens to be the cheapest and the simplest, requiring exactly no equipment or floor space and zero special clothes.

It’s stretching.

You may have known that stretching increases flexibility, allows for easier movement and better balance. But did you know it relieves low-back pain, reduces muscle soreness, promotes relaxation, improves posture, agility and athletic performance? It also reduces tension, improves circulation, reduces anxiety, stress, and fatigue, improves mental alertness, decreases the risk of injury, makes your work easier, tunes your mind into your body and flat-out makes you feel better naturally!

5 Stretching Tips

Stretching conditions the muscles for exertion and exercise, making every muscle movement more efficient. Sound interesting? Ask us for a list of stretches that can help your spine at your next visit and then apply these simple rules:

1. Always warm up your muscles for at least five minutes prior to stretching–good warm-ups include jogging in place, slow biking and jumping jacks.
2. When you start, never bounce or bob. Not only is this less effective than simply “holding” the stretch, but it can also be very dangerous and lead to injuries.
3. Always perform each stretching exercise in a slow, controlled manner and hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
4. Stretches should feel slightly uncomfortable to “feel the stretch” in the muscles, not the joints. There should be no acute pain.
5. Always complete each stretch for both sides of your body or limb in the same way.

Wondering what else you can do to improve your health and wellness? Be sure to subscribe to our blog to catch the latest updates.

Chiropractic Improves Posture - Chiropractor Kitchener, ON

Posture

From the front, the ears, shoulder and hips should be even.From the side, the ear, shoulder, hip and ankle should be in alignment. 

Good posture not only affects your health, but how well your clothes fit.

What People Notice

Slumped shoulders, downcast eyes or a sagging midsection send subtle clues to others around you. Your posture is the first thing people notice about you.

Your posture often reveals underlying spinal problems such as vertebral subluxations. It harms a child’s development, impairs an adult’s mental health and compromises your health.

Thorough Examination

During our examination, we notice postural distortions such as:

• Head tilt to one side
• Forward head carriage
• Lowered shoulder
• High or rotated hip
• Unnatural stride
• Contracted leg length
• Unusual shoe wear
• Weight imbalance

Poor posture is one of the ways your body deals with stress. Notice the posture of someone who is depressed, frightened or angry! If the eyes are a window to the soul, then your posture is a window to your health!

Dr. Steven Murdoch is the proud owner of Fairway Chiropractic Centre in Kitchener, Ontario. He offers family chiropractic care at his Chiropractic office.

For more information visit our Website: www.fairwaychiropractic.net

Regular Kitchener Chiropractic Care and a Healthy Nerve System

Replacement Parts: What You Need to Know

Regular Chiropractic Care and a Healthy Nerve System

The need for hip, knee, and shoulder replacement surgery often arises when the joint in question cannot be used without causing substantial pain. The person has avoided attempts to lift the arm, bend the hip, or flex the knee. But such loss of function may not be tolerable in the long-term, and surgery may be required. For most of us, lifestyle choices could be implemented long before such a critical stage is reached. Certain courses of action can help us improve joint mobility and overall musculoskeletal function. Regular vigorous exercise, for example, consistently challenges joints and muscles, helping improve range of motion and tolerance for daily mechanical stress. Regular chiropractic care is an important part of such lifestyle choices. By helping reduce nerve interference, regular chiropractic care enables your body's master system to function at peak efficiency. The result is enhanced musculoskeletal performance and increased levels of overall health and well-being.

If you've ever been involved in a motor vehicle collision, you're probably familiar with the term "replacement parts" or "crash parts". Your auto insurance company will usually offer to repair your car using after-market bumpers, door panels, wheel assemblies, and other parts. Or, you may prefer to have the repair done with parts from the original manufacturer. Regardless of the source of the parts, your car will not be the same as it was in its original condition. It's important to bear the auto analogy in mind if a surgeon has recommended a hip, knee, or shoulder replacement as a solution to a problem of chronic pain.

The frequency of joint replacement procedures of all types is dramatically on the rise within the last 20 years.1 For example, in the United States there has been a 58% increase in total knee replacements from 2000 to 2006. There has been a 50% increase in total hip replacements from 1990 to 2002. Unfortunately, the revision rate (repeat procedures) for total knee replacement more than doubled and revision total hip replacements increased by 60% within the respective, above-noted intervals.

The simple fact is that although your body may appear to be a machine, it is rather an exceedingly complex entity whose whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. Thinking of your body as a machine may be a useful metaphor, one that may aid considerably in medical practice. But the metaphor is not the reality, and forgetting this crucial distinction may lead to substantial and possibly irremediable problems for a patient. Manufactured joints are never as good as your actual physiological structures, no matter the quality of the replacement components.

Of course, there are many circumstances in which joint replacement is indicated and provides great benefit for a patient. However, such procedures should probably be a last resort and never considered standard of care. A best practice would be to reserve joint replacement for situations in which pain is unrelenting and the person has failed several forms of conservative care.

Optimally, in most cases measures are available to avoid such radical outcomes. The best steps for each of us to take is to begin ongoing programs of regular vigorous exercise and healthy nutrition.2,3 Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sufficient rest will assist all our physiologic systems to achieve peak levels of performance. By making such beneficial lifestyle choices, we help diminish the likelihood of chronic, debilitating pain and loss of function. As a result, we help ourselves avoid the need for replacement parts.

1Singh, JA: Epidemiology of Knee and Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review. The Open Orthopaedics Journal 5:80-85, 2011
2Marley J, et al: A systematic review of interventions aimed at increasing physical activity in adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain--protocol. Syst Rev 2014 Sep 19;3(1):106. [Epub ahead of print]
3Tanaka R, et al: Effect of the Frequency and Duration of Land-based Therapeutic Exercise on Pain Relief for People with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Phys Ther Sci 2014 Jul;26(7):969-75. doi: 10.1589/jpts.26.969. Epub 2014 Jul 30

Questions? Concerns? Give us a call at (519) 748-5535 and put your mind at ease.

Or

Visit our website: www.fairwaychiropractic.net

Chiropractor kitchener discussing benefits of walk

Why Not Walk?!

Bring a friend, a dog, or both to help you enjoy the exercise benefits walking provides.

You’ve frequently heard about the health benefits of walking, but unfortunately, many of us see it as a boring activity that we do alone. However, there are a number of ways to make walking fun, lose weight and reap some wonderful health benefits!

Fun you say? Yes, fun! Consider these suggestions:

• Get a friend to join you – Exercise is always more fun when you have a friend along – and you may not even notice how far you’re gone or how long you’ve been walking when you’re engaged in conversation.
• What about Fido? Stop letting your dog out the back door and put him/her on a leash – then let him/her take the lead and just try to keep up! You’ll both get more fit.
• Make it a game – Take an uncharted path or walk until you see five “For Sale” signs. Play a new game every day.
• Walk to the music – Take along an MP3 player and walk to the music. Speed it up to a fast song and slow it down a bit to a ballad.
• Window shop while you walk – not only will you save money – you’ll get some great exercise as well!
• When it gets too cold or hot – head to an indoor shopping center to walk. Walk along each level and take the stairs – no escalators – that’s cheating!
• “Read” a book while you walk – get an audio book and you’ll be looking forward to each day’s chapter as you get in shape.
• Change the times when you walk so it’s not so routine – morning sunrise one day, lunch break another or after dinner.
• Give yourself a reward – monetary or other – to make walking rewarding as more than just exercise!

Walking can be fun and great exercise to relieve stress, to lose or maintain weight and to give yourself a feeling of accomplishment. And if you’re able – walk to our practice for your regular chiropractic appointments to stay healthy physically, mentally and emotionally.

Questions? Concerns? Give us a call at (519) 748-5535 and put your mind at ease.

Or

Visit our website: www.fairwaychiropractic.net

Silence Those Sinuses! - Chiropractor Kitchener, Ontario

Silence Those Sinuses!

While it’s not specifically a treatment for sinus headaches, many report improvement with chiropractic care.

You know the feeling…your head is congested and your face hurts. You press on your cheeks and there’s pain – the pain that can only come from an inflammation in your sinuses. And then…there’s the headache that usually accompanies the sinus congestion. Let’s face it – you feel downright miserable.

Sometimes the symptoms of a migraine and a sinus headache can be confused, however, sensitivity to light and sound and nausea generally accompany migraines.

Symptoms of a sinus headache may include:

• Pressure and pain in the areas of the forehead, eyes and cheeks
• Nasal congestion and stuffiness
• A yellow or green discharge from the nose
• Extreme tiredness
• Chills and fever
• Swelling in the face

Natural remedies that may alleviate some of these symptoms include using a nasal saline (salt) rinse or spray, breathing moist air to help drain nasal passages, avoiding cigarette smoke and drinking plenty of water.

A visit to our practice may also help. Many have reported improvement with chiropractic care. Restored nerve communications to the head and neck can often help reduce sinus pressure and improve sinus drainage. It is a safe and natural alternative to prescription and over-the-counter medications that may leave you feeling fuzzy-headed and tired, or that may produce additional side effects that only address symptoms, rather than the cause of your discomfort.

Fairway Chiropractic Centre -:

Dr. Steven Murdoch is the proud owner of Fairway Chiropractic Centre in Kitchener, Ontario. He offers family chiropractic care at his Chiropractic office.

For more information visit our website: www.fairwaychiropractic.net

The Right Kind of Pain by Chiropractor in Kitchener, Ontario

The Right Kind of Pain

Listen to your body!

How often have you heard the expression, “No pain, no gain”? It can apply to many life situations, including exercise to shape up, tone or drop weight. But when pain is severe or prolonged, you gain nothing and stand to lose a lot!

There are a number of tips to help you stay safe to avoid workout injuries. Some of them include:

• Warming up – Warm muscles are far less likely to tear than cold ones. So, if you’re going out for a run, walk a bit first, then trot before you go into full running mode. Stretching your muscles, especially the ones you’re going to be using, also helps you to avoid injury.
• Cooling down – The same is true when you end an exercise session. You can’t just automatically stop when you are finished with your workout because this may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Using running as an example- slow down to a walk again before you just stop your exercise. It’s also important to stretch out those muscles again.
• Staying hydrated – Water, water, water! Drinking water before, during and after a workout replaces fluids lost from sweating and exertion, especially important in warm or hot weather.
• Taking it easy – You can’t expect to run a marathon your first day out. Start slowly and build in terms of time spent and exertion level for your workouts. For example, if you’re engaging in weight training, you don’t want to start with the heaviest weights; you want to start small and gradually increase weight levels.
• Listening to your body – Don’t continue your workout if suddenly you find yourself in pain. Your body is trying to tell you something. Ignoring it can only make it worse, so stop whatever you’re doing and give your body a few days to recover before starting up again.
• Making sure you’re wearing the right shoes for the exercise – This is really important to reduce the impact of the exercise on your body, particularly your ankles, shins, calves, knees and other joints.
• Learning the proper technique for the workout – Make sure you know the proper technique for any new workout routine you are attempting for the first time. Correct technique is as important as warming up to avoid injury.

The decision to exercise is an important one for your overall health – as important as diet/nutrition and regular chiropractic care – to keep your nervous system fit and healthy. Just remember to start out slowly, don’t overdo it and stop if you feel any type of pain, in order to avoid serious injury. And… if you do experience any pain, be sure to let us know.

Questions? Concerns? Give us a call at (519) 748-5535 and put your mind at ease.

Or

Visit our website: www.fairwaychiropractic.net

Hypertension Hope - Chiropractor Kitchener

Hypertension Hope

A new study shows chiropractic care can have a significant influence among those with high blood pressure.

Have you been diagnosed with hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure? If not, would you even know you had it? Do you know what the symptoms are? Usually there aren’t any – that’s why it’s called the “silent killer.” Many people discover they have it through some catastrophic, life threatening, and often fatal event, such as a stroke or heart attack.

Those who do have symptoms generally experience headaches, blurred vision, and dizziness – and these symptoms may lead them to their medical doctor where hypertension is diagnosed after a blood pressure check.

Since one in four adults are diagnosed with high blood pressure, this is a condition that requires careful and frequent monitoring, especially if there is a family history of the disease.

Causes of hypertension? The list is extensive – and emotional stress, obesity, genetics and kidney failure rank high on that list. However, other conditions such as substance abuse, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, pregnancy, high cholesterol, thyroid disorders and certain prescription medications may also contribute to its onset.

Treatment for high blood pressure usually includes one or more of the following – medication, exercise, diet therapy, smoking cessation, reducing alcohol consumption and weight loss.

However, the results of a promising new study recently appeared in the Journal of Human Hypertension, WebMD, Science Daily and on a number of television news shows. The study was conducted by George Bakris, MD, director of the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago Medical Center, and Marshall Dickholtz, Sr., DC, of the Chiropractic Health Center in Chicago.

Fifty participants with diagnosed high blood pressure participated in the study; 25 received specific adjustments to the first vertebra of the spine, known as the atlas. The other 25 received “sham” adjustments (placebo). Immediately after, the 25 who received the “real” adjustments experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure, while those who received the sham adjustments showed no change. The results remained the same eight weeks later.

It is also notable that although participants took no blood pressure medication during the eight-week study, the “real” atlas correction had the effect of two blood pressure medications taken in combination.

Finally, chiropractic is getting some notable press from the medical community and with good reason. When you address causes of illnesses, rather than just alleviate symptoms, through spinal corrections that “free” up the nervous system to work as it is intended, real miracles occur.

Fairway Chiropractic Centre -:

Dr. Steven Murdoch is the proud owner of Fairway Chiropractic Centre in Kitchener, Ontario. He offers family chiropractic care at his Chiropractic office.

For more information visit our Website: www.fairwaychiropractic.net