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Back to School is Just Around The Corner..
Leave a CommentPACK IT LIGHT. WEAR IT RIGHT.
Kids think it’s “cool” to strap on their backpacks and head out to school. But if they don’t know exactly how to choose, load, lift and wear them – these all-important accessories can be a pain in the back. Literally. Not to mention the neck, head, and shoulders.
Backpacks can affect your children’s health
Carrying a heavy load that is unevenly or improperly distributed can result in poor posture; and even distort the spinal column, throwing it out of alignment. This can cause muscle strain, headaches, back, neck and arm pain, and even nerve damage.
For example, a heavy backpack, carried on one shoulder, forces the muscles and spine to compensate for the uneven weight. This places stress on the mid and lower back, and may increase the likelihood of back problems later in life.
Prevention is key
Here are a few pointers to help you help your school age children carry their load comfortably and safely.
Choose the right backpack:
Forget leather! It looks great, but it’s far too heavy. Go for vinyl or canvas. Pick a pack that has two wide, adjustable, padded shoulder straps, along with a hip or waist strap, padded back and plenty of pockets. Make sure the pack fits properly, is not too snug around the arms and under the armpits, and that its size is proportionate to the wearer’s body.
Packing it properly:
They’re not moving out! Make sure your children’s packs contain only what is needed for that day, and that the weight is distributed evenly. It’s a good idea to know roughly what each item weighs. The total weight of the filled pack should be no more than 10 to 15 per cent of the wearer’s own body weight. Pack heaviest objects close to the body, and place bumpy or odd shaped ones on the
outside, away from the back.
Putting the backpack on:
It’s a good idea to help young children with this, at least the first few times. Put the pack on a flat surface, at waist height. Slip on the pack, one shoulder at a time, then adjust the straps to fit comfortably. Remember when lifting a backpack, or anything, to lift using the arms and legs and to bend at the knees.
The right way to wear a backpack:
Both shoulder straps should be used, and adjusted so that the pack fits snugly to the body, without dangling to the side. Backpacks should never be worn over just one shoulder. You should be able to slide your hand between the backpack and your child’s back. The waist strap should also be worn for added stability.
Source: www.chiropractic.on.ca
What I Wish I’d Known About My Knees
Leave a CommentFor certain injuries, there’s little evidence that arthroscopy or steroids can help.
Many of the procedures people undergo to counter chronic knee pain in the hopes of avoiding a knee replacement have limited or no evidence to support the,. Some enrich the pockets of medical practitioners while rarely benefiting patients for more than a few months.
I wish I have known that before I have succumbed to wishful thinking and tired them all.
After 10 years of jogging, decades of singles tennis and three ski injuries, my 50-plus-old left knee emitted clear signals that it was trouble. I could still swim and ride a bike, but when walking became painful, I consulted an orthopedist who recommended arthroscopic surgery.
The operation, done with tiny incisions through a scope, revealed a shredded meniscus, the cartilage-like disc that acts like a cushion between the bones of the knee joint. The surgeon cleaned up the mess, I did the requisite postoperative physical therapy, then returned to playing tennis, walking, cycling and swimming.
Fast forward several years until increasing pain forced me off the court and X-rays revealed bone-on-bone arthritis in both knees. A sports medicine specialist suggested a series of injections of a gel-like substance, hyaluronic acid, meant to lubricate the joint and act as a shock absorber. The painful, costly injections were said to relieve knee pain in two-thirds of patients. Alas, I was in the third that didn’t benefit.
With walking now painful and my quality of life diminished, I finally had both knees replaced, which has enabled me to walk, cycle, swim and climb for the last 13 years.
Serious questions are now being raised about the benefits of the arthroscopic procedures that millions of people endure in hopes of delaying, if not avoiding, total knee replacements.
The latest challenge, published in May in BMJ by an expert panel that systematically reviewed 12 well-designed trials and 13 observational studies, concluded that arthritis and meniscal tears resulted in no lasting pain relief or improved function.
Three months after the procedure, fewer than 15 percent of patients experienced at best “a small or very small improvement in pain and function,” effects that disappeared completely within a year. As with all invasive procedures, the surgery is not without risks, infection being the most common, though not the only, complication.
Furthermore, the panel added, “Most patients will experience an important improvement in pain and function without arthroscopy.” That, in fact, was the experience of a friend who, at about age 70 and an avid tennis player, consulted the same surgeon who had operated on my knee years earlier. My friend was told he has a torn meniscus that could be reparied arthroscopically, but he chose not to have the procedure. Instead, after several weeks of physical therapy, the pain had subsided, he returned to the court and has been playing without recurrence for at least eight years.
“Arthroscopic surgery has a role, but not for arthritis and meniscal tears,” Dr. Reed A.C. Siemieniuk, a methodologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and chairman of the panel, said in an interview. “It became popular before there were studies to show that it works, and we now have high-quality evidence showing that it doesn’t work.”
Arthroscopic surgery can sometimes be useful, he said, citing examples people with traumatic injuries and young athletes with sports injuries. My son Erik is a case in point. When he was 23, Erik was playing basketball when he sustained a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in one knee that was successfully repaired arthroscopically. He’s been playing tennis and basketball on that knee without pain for the last 24 years.
The panel noted that about one-quarter of people older than 50 experience knee pain from degenerative knee disease, a percentage that rises with age. Arthroscopic procedures for this condition “cost more than $3 billion per year in the United States alone,” the report stated, suggesting that it was a near-complete waste of money.
Other common interventions include steroid injections into the knee. These can reduce painful inflammation, but if used repeatedly, steroids can speed the development of arthritis in the joint. A study published in May in JAMA by researchers at Tuffs Medical Center found that the injection of corticosteroid every three months over two years resulted in greater loss of knee cartilage and no significant difference in knee pain compared to patients who received a placebo injection.
The value of the other procedure I had, injections of hyaluronic acid has somewhat better research support for patients with knee pain. One large study, published last year in PLOS One, included more than 50,000 patients treated with one of more courses of these injections and compared them to more than 131,000 patients who had no injections.
For those who underwent five or more courses, the injections delayed the average time to a total knee replacement by 3.6 years, whereas those who had only one course averaged 1.4 years until knee replacement, and those who had no injections had their knees replaced after an average of 114 days.
Dr. Siemieniuk conceded that treatment for degenerative knee arthritis can be “frustrating for both doctors and patients” because there is no clear answer as to what will help which patients.
Until there is better evidence, he suggested the following approaches that are known to help keep many patients out of the operating room:
- If you are overweight, lose weight. The more you weigh, the more pressure on your knees with every step and the more they are likely to hurt when walking or climbing stairs.
- Pay attention to the activities that aggravate knee pain and try to avoid those that are not essential, like squatting or sitting too long in one place.
- If the pain is bad enough, take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) or an NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like ibuprofen or naproxen,
- Probably most helpful of all, undergo one of more cycles of physical therapy administered by a licensed therapist, perhaps one who specialized in knee pain. Be sure to do the recommended exercises at home and continue to do them indefinitely lest their benefits dissipate.
- Consider consulting an occupational therapist who can teach you how to modify your activities to minimize knee discomfort.
– The New York Times, July 4, 2017. Jane E. Brody. “Well – Personal Health: What I Wish I’d Known About My Knees.” Pg. D5
Quick and Easy Stretches to Prevent Golf Injuries
Leave a CommentThe strain and effort required to play golf should never be underestimated. Forgetting to warm up can cause unnecessary injury and an unwanted visit to a health professional. Here are a few easy stretching techniques that can be done in 5 minutes to help you get in the game without the pain.
Stretches to Optimize Back Health
Leave a CommentNearly 8 in 10 Canadians Have Used Alternative Medicine: Survey
Leave a CommentCanadians are increasingly utilizing complementary and alternative medicine – such as chiropractic care, massage therapy, yoga and acupuncture – according to a new survey by Frazer Institute.
“Alternative treatments are playing an increasingly important role in Canadians’ overall health care, and understanding how all the parts of the health-care system fit together is vital if policymakers are going to find ways to improve it,” said Nadeem Esmail, Fraser Institute senior fellow and co-author of “Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Use and Public Attitudes: reports released in 1997, 2006 and 2016.
The 2016 survey involved 2,000 interviews with a randomly selected sample of adults aged 18 and older. Respondents were asked about their health condition, their use of conventional medical services, and whether they had tried any alternative medicines for their health conditions, the Fraser Institute report said. Survey respondents were also asked about their views on health, health care, medical care and public policy.
The survey found more than three-quarters of Canadians – 79 per cent – have used at least one complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) or therapy some time in their lives. That’s an increase from 74 per cent in 2006 and 73 per cent in 1997, when two previous similar surveys were conducted.
In fact, more than one in two Canadians (56 per cent) used at least one complementary or alternative medicine or therapy in the previous 12 months, an increase from 54 per cent in 2006 and 50 per cent in 1997.
Canadians are using those services more often as well, averaging 11.1 visits in 2016, compared to fewer than nine visits a year in both 2006 and 1997.
The most popular complementary and alternative treatments used by Canadians in 2016 were massage therapy (44 per cent), followed by chiropractic care (42 per cent), yoga (27 per cent), relaxation techniques (25 per cent) and acupuncture (22 per cent.)
In total, Canadians spend $8.8 billion on complementary and alternative medicines and therapies last year, up from $8 billion (inflation adjusted) in 2006.
Interestingly, the survey finds a majority of respondents – 58 per cent – support paying for alternative treatments privately and don’t want them included in provincial health plans. Support for private payment is highest (at 69 per cent) among 35-to-44 year-olds.
” Complementary and alternative therapies play an increasingly important role in Canadians’ overall health care, but policy makes should not see this as an invitation to expand government coverage – the majority of Canadians believe alternative therapies should be paid for privately,” Esmail said.
Vitamin D Helps Manage Chronic Conditions: Studies
Leave a CommentAccording to a digital journal press release, recent studies suggest that vitamin D could be a safe, effective and inexpensive treatment for chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain and fatigue as well as heightened sensitivity to pressure. The affliction also causes stiffness, sleeping disorders, an inability to concentrate and anxiety or depression.
There is currently no cure for fibromyaligia and prescription medications can be costly and come with undesirable side-effects.
Recently, researchers have found that women who suffer from fibromyalgia characteristically have lower levels of vitamin D in their blood stream. Dr. Florian Wepner at Orthopedic Hospital Speising in Vienna, Austria, led a research team that conducted randomized controlled trial of 30 women who suffered from fibromyalgia and had low vitamin D levels.
Half of these women were placed in a treatment group, in which their vitamin D intake was raised to normal levels for a period of 20 weeks. The other half of the women received no change in vitamin D levels.
The results, which were monitored throughout the trial process and then again 24 weeks after the trial had concluded, indicated women who received higher levels of vitamin D in their blood stream showed substantial improvements in physical functions, less morning fatigue and a significant reduction in pain levels. Wepner’s study was published in the February 2014 issue of Pain journal.
Vitamin D has also been found to benefit those suffering from multiple sclerosis, a central nervous system disease that negatively affects muscle control and strength, balance, vision and cognition.
Dr. Alberto Ascherio of Harvard School of Public Health in Boston led an international research team to study the effects of increased vitamin D on the progression of multiple sclerosis within early-stage patients.
The study, which has been published in the march 2014 issue of JAMA Neurology, found that of the 465 patients followed, those with adequate levels of vitmain D in their blood streams reported 57 percent fewer new brain lesions, 57 percent fewer relapses and 25 per cent lower increases in legion masses than their vitamin D-deficient counterparts.
Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative central nervous system disorder, were also eased by an increase of vitamin D. Dr. Amie Peterson’s research team at the Veterans’s Administration Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, conducted a study on 286 Parkinson’s patients, 61 of whom also suffered from dementia.
Results found that those with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood streams, including those with dementia, tested higher on areas of verbal fluency and verbal memory as well as reported lower levels of depression. The study was published in the September 2013 issue of the Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.
The work done by these researchers prove there are safer and more natural alternatives to prescription medications, and that in the case of fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease natural treatment methods should be given more consideration.
Canadian Chiropractor (July/Aug 2014) pg. 12 “Nutrition: Vitamin D helps manage chronic conditions: studies”
Surgery May Not Benefit Tennis Elbow Patients: Study
Leave a CommentSurgical approaches to treating tennis elbow may not offer additional benefits to patients, according to research presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Specialty Day in San Diego. The study, a randomized, double-blinded clinical trial, explored patient responses to a common surgery aimed at repairing a damaged elbow, compared to a placebo procedure.
The study analyzed 13 patients who underwent surgery to remove a degenerated portion of their extensor capri radialis brevis (ECRB), compared to a group of 13 who received an incision over their lateral elbow and no further repair. Patients included had experienced symptoms of tennis elbow for more than 6 months, and attempted at least two non-surgical treatment approaches such as physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, or splinting/bracing, but had no symptom relief over that period.
“Our data shows both groups experienced significant improvements in pain measures by 26 weeks after surgery, including frequency of pain with activity,” commented lead author Martin Kroslak from the Orthopaedic Research Institute in Sydney, Australia. “Further, these results were consistent or improved after one to four years of follow-up, with no significant difference between the two groups at any point.”
Patients were required to completed questionnaires, indicating symptoms including pain frequency and severity with activity and rest, during sleep, and also difficulty picking up objects or twisting motions. Frequency of elbow pain during activity was the primary outcomes measure for each group. Both groups were treated with the same rehab, including ice application, stretching, and strengthening rehab program within two weeks of surgery. At two-and-a-half-year follow-up, 22 patients completed a questionnaire and 11 returned for exam.
“Managing chronic tennis elbow is a challenge for a large portion of the active population,” noted Kroslak.
“Our research demonstrates the challenges in outlining a treatment plan for these patients, and the continued work to be done in developing both surgical and non-operative approaches.”
– “Surgery may not benefit tennis elbow patients: study.” Canadian Chiropractor. June 2017: 7. Print
Arthritis sufferers lack physical activity: study
Leave a CommentResearch has shown that people with arthritis who engage in regular activity or exercise report fewer limitations in their day-to-day lives. However, many of those who suffer from arthritis feel that the struggle of their daily lives is exhausting enough on its own and therefore do not participate in additional physical activity.
Dr. Monique Gignac, a senior scientist and associate scientific director at the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), led a study with eight focus groups involving 24 women and 16 men ranging in age from 29 to 72 years, in order to look at the relationship between arthritis, work and personal life roles. All study participants have been recently employed and had either osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis.
“They pointed to the fatigue that resulted from juggling the demands of arthritis, employment and personal life as an important barrier to physical activity,” says Gignac, who is also affiliated with the Arthritis Community Research and Evaluation Unit at the Toronto Western Research Institute. “For many, arthritis threatened their ability to hang on to their jobs, so jobs were given priority over exercise when it came time to deciding where to put their energy.”
Gignac found that although study participants were aware of the benefits of physical activity and exercise in relation to their arthritis, they didn’t know when or how to go about implementing physical activity or exercise in their lives. This issue was exacerbated by the episodic and unpredictable nature of arthritis pain.
“They just didn’t know if physical activity would make things better or worse, or what activities they should do or for how long,” she said.
Couple this fear with the anxiety people have about being forced to take time away from work due to their pain – an option the majority of study participants found unacceptable as they cited work as their first priority.
“We need to find ways to help working adults with arthritis tailor their physical activity in light of changing pain, energy and fears of exacerbating their symptoms,” said Gignac.
(Canadian Chiropractor – July/August 2014. Pg. 8 “Workplace”)
What is Acupuncture ?
Leave a CommentACUPUNCTURE: WHAT IS IT?
Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and to improve functioning. This is done by inserting needles and applying heat or electrical stimulation at very precise acupuncture points.
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?
The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up in others.
The meridians can be influenced by needling the acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams, and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can therefore help the body’s internal organs to correct imbalances in their digestion, absorption, and energy production activities, and in the circulation of their energy through the meridians.
The modern scientific explanation is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones which influence the body’s own internal regulating system.
The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being.
WHAT IS MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE? IS IT DIFFERENT FROM ORDINARY ACUPUNCTURE?
Acupuncture is a very old medical art, and there are many approaches to learning and practicing it. Medical acupuncture is the term used to describe acupuncture performed by a doctor trained and licensed in Western medicine who has also had thorough training in acupuncture as a specialty practice. Such a doctor can use one or the other approach, or a combination of both as the need arises, to treat an illness.
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE?
Medical acupuncture is a system which can influence three areas of health care:
- promotion of health and well-being,
- prevention of illness,
- treatment of various medical conditions.
While acupuncture is often associated with pain control, in the hands of a well-trained practitioner it has much broader applications. Acupuncture can be effective as the only treatment used, or as the support or adjunct to other medial treatment forms in many medical and surgical disorders.The World Health Organization recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems, including:
- Digestive disorders: gastritis and hyperacidity, spastic colon, constipation, diarrhea.
- Respiratory disorders: sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, recurrent chest infections.
- Neurological and muscular disorders: headaches, facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, various forms of tendinitis, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis.
- Urinary, menstrual, and reproductive problems.
Acupuncture is particularly useful in resolving physical problems related to tension and stress and emotional conditions.
(Source: http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/For-Patients/Articles-By-Physicians-About-Acupuncture/Doctor-Whats-This-Acupuncture-All-About)
A Vacation from Back Pain
Leave a CommentFor many of us, summer is the season to burn some vacation time and hit the road. The longer days and warmer weather may make it easier to get away, but summer travel often includes cramped flights and seemingly-endless road trips. And that can take a real toll on your back—even if you don’t have a history of pain.
To fully enjoy your summer destination, you need to know how to protect your back during the journey.
Below are some simple ways you can take care of your back on the road—and in the air.
Car Trips
Car travel is back on the rise—the economy has forced many summer vacationers to accessible, domestic locales.
But sitting in a car for hours on end can put a lot of pressure on your back. Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate the strain long car rides can place on your low back:
- If your car seat doesn’t offer enough support for your low back, there are a variety of seat cushions, pillows, and other car aids on the market that are designed to make your car trip much more comfortable. If you don’t want to spend the money, simply roll up a towel and create a makeshift cushion between your back and the seat.
- Take time to stop at rest stops and towns along the way to stretch and move around. Staying in the same position for hours at a time will only exacerbate your back pain. Even spending just a few minutes doing some back stretches may make a big difference in preventing pain.
- Make sure you’re not sitting on anything (such as a wallet, money clip, or cell phone). If you are, it can aggravate back pain.
- Bring a cooler packed with ice packs to relieve pain on the road. If you need to ice your back, do so for no longer than 15 minutes at a time. Also, make sure there is a barrier, such as a towel, between the ice and your skin.
Air Travel
Roomy first-class airline seats are an unattainable luxury for most of us. If you want to arrive at your gate pain free, you should follow the guidelines below:
- Upgrade to an aisle seat—it will allow you easy access to get up and move around. On a similar note, take advantage if your airline offers special deals on seats with extra legroom.
- Focusing on your posture is essential if you want your flight to be a bearable experience. Keep both feet on the floor and sit upright.
- Bring an inflatable pillow that can be placed behind your lower back for extra support.
- Use rolling luggage and pack light. At the luggage carousel, don’t be afraid to ask for help in picking up your bags. If you are confident handling your own bags, take your time and don’t bend and twist simultaneously as you lift.
When it comes to pain-free traveling, the journey is just as important as the destination. Summer vacation should be something to look forward to, but it can be anything but enjoyable if you have back pain. Taking these precautions will help prevent pain, letting you truly enjoy your time away
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Source: (https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/back-pain/vacation-back-pain)