Proactive Care

Proactive Care and Chiropractic

chriscrimmins.com

Proactive health care is where you take an interest in your health. Instead of only seeking help and advice when something is wrong, you will do everything you can to avoid these medical complaints. We all know how to live healthily, but few people actually listen to this advice.

Most modern medicines are reactive. This means that treatments will only be used if a disease is detected. Curing medical conditions is all well and good however preventing them happening in the first place would be ideal.

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Back to Health offers a wide variety of services dedicated to the prevention of some common complaints.

Maintaining regular chiropractic care is seen as proactive care. Clinical experience suggests that individuals with chronic conditions such as degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) or recurrent neck pain, back pain or headaches may experience less frequent and less severe symptoms when under regular chiropractic care. This also applies to individuals in highly stressful situations and those who experience repetitive physical and postural strain from their daily activities. Proactive care is also very beneficial to an athlete as it aids in overall performance. The Olympic athletes undergo a proactive approach! 

Proactive behaviour is also cost-saving. For example, maintaining and fixing something while it is still working will save the cost of buying a new one once it’s broken after neglect.

"It is a lot easier to maintain your HEALTH than it is to regain it."

Book your appointment today with Dr. Rodwin and be proactive.

Orthotics

bioped.com

Our feet are often the last things to hurt! Our body is so amazing in the way it will change the way we walk to prevent us from having sore feet. By the time the feet “hurt” we have exhausted the compensating ability and the feet are now sore. Symptoms often are noticed in the knees, hips and back far earlier than the feet. If your foundation is off the whole body (kinematic chain) above is affected. 

Orthotics are quite often used for patients who experience pain, however they are an excellent device that can provide preventative measures for future biomechanical issues that develop over time due to misalignment. Orthotics will help to align and protect your knees, hips and back, not just your feet. The orthotic support at your feet will also help your adjustments hold better from your chiropractor. If your body is under strain because the “foundation” is off compensation will occur. Prevention goes a long way! 

Please book your orthotic assessment appointment with Keri-Lyn Dudgeon today!

Proactive Care: Reasons to see your massage therapist!

mylermassagetherapy.com

The most common mentality with health care is: when there is a problem I will fix it. For the most part, it is only when we are in pain or are experiencing some sort of physical ailment that we seek out advice from our doctors or health care practitioners. This mentality however can sometimes get us into trouble and can cause health problems that will most likely take time to treat and won’t be an overnight remedy. Being proactive before pain is present or before an injury happens is one of the best ways to stay healthy for long term gain.

If you think of the human body as a very elaborate car, it’s not that hard to imagine the many things that can cause it to wear down faster. We want something that we put good money and resources into to last – thus we maintain it constantly. We get the oil renewed, the tires rotated; even internal cleaning can prolong the life of a car. We don’t do these things because the car is broken down already; we take these steps to prevent possible problems in the future. So why is the human body so different? We can maintain our bodies with regular massage therapy, making healthy lifestyle choices, and being constantly aware of our body and what it is telling us. By doing so you can help your body be less susceptible to injury, illness, and pain, and increase your ability to move and have vitality.

Book your appointment with one of our registered massage therapists today! 

Naturopathic Medicine and Proactive Care

bendnaturopath.com

Naturopathic medicine emphasizes a proactive care approach: allowing you to make positive and direct changes in the areas of your health over which you have control. 

Given that many medical conditions are preventable and controllable, every health care interaction with a naturopathic doctor includes support that addresses this simple fact: you can greatly affect your own health. The premise is simple: an individual who has access to a Naturopathic Doctor who provides you with systematic information and skills to reduce health risks is more likely to eat healthy food, engage in physical activity, reduce substance use, become increasingly aware of their impact on the environment, and spend their money in a more health conscious way. These risk reducing behaviors can dramatically decrease the incidence of preventable disease and chronic conditions.

When your health issues fail to resolve, usually this either means the underlying cause is not being treated or there is something missing from your treatment plan. It’s always helpful to get a second (or third, or fourth…) opinion, and a Naturopathic Doctor is trained to look at your health from all perspectives. If you’re wondering why you’re still exhausted despite taking iron supplements, exercising four times a week and getting 8 hours of sleep; a ND can probably help!

Book an appointment with Dr. Van Zeyl and learn more about Naturopathic Medicine.

The Shoulder

How the shoulder works!

The shoulder is made up of three bones: the scapula (shoulder blade), the humerus (upper arm bone), and the clavicle (collarbone).

The rotator cuff connects the humerus to the scapula. The rotator cuff is formed by the tendons of four muscles: the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis.

Tendons attach muscles to bones. Muscles move the bones by pulling on the tendons. The rotator cuff helps raise and rotate the arm.

As the arm is raised, the rotator cuff also keeps the humerus tightly in the socket of the scapula. The upper part of the scapula that makes up the roof of the shoulder is called the acromion.

A bursa is located between the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons. A bursa is a lubricated sac of tissue that cuts down on the friction between two moving parts. Bursae are located all over the body where tissues must rub against each other. In this case, the bursa protects the acromion and the rotator cuff from grinding against each other.

In order to know if you have injured your rotator cuff you should have it examined by a Doctor of Chiropractic. They will ask questions about your medical history, your injury, and your pain. Then they will perform a physical examination of the shoulder. The physical exam is most helpful in diagnosing a rotator cuff tear. A complete tear is usually very obvious. 

X-rays won't show tears in the rotator cuff. However, the Doctor of Chiropractic may want you to have a shoulder X-ray to see if there are bone spurs, a loss of joint space in the shoulder, or a down-sloping (hooked) acromion. These findings are associated with tears in the rotator cuff. An X-ray can also show if there are calcium deposits in the tendon that are causing your symptoms, a condition called calcific tendonitis. Further studies may include: an ultrasound and/or an MRI.

The shoulder is a joint than can be treated with a combination of many different treatments.  The treatment types are dependent on the injury.  These can include – the Interferential current machine, acupuncture, massage therapy, active release, and chiropractic to restore the joint motion, stretching, strengthening, and modifications to activities.

The shoulder joint is very complex and works with the shoulder blade, neck and upper back to co-ordinate movements.

The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles that ‘cuff’ the shoulder.  These muscles can be injured due to different factors.

 The shoulder
• A complex structure:  3 Bones, 3 Joints which attach it to the mid back and arm, 5 Ligaments, over 30 Muscles, 4 Bursa, 3 capsules.
• 75% of North Americans will experience shoulder problems requiring care at some point.
• The shoulder joint comprises the part of the body where the humerus attaches to the scapula.  The shoulder refers to the group of structures in the region of the joint.

The shoulder joint is made up of 3 bones: Collarbone (clavicle), Shoulder blade (scapula), Upper arm bone (humerus) 

• The bones of the shoulder are held in place by: muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
• Ligaments attach shoulder bones to each other, providing the main stability for the shoulder. The front of the joint capsule is anchored by three glenohumeral ligaments. 
• Tendons are tough cords of tissue that attach the shoulder muscles to bone and assist the muscles in moving the shoulder.
• There are 30 muscles providing movement and support for the shoulder complex. 
• The muscles that are responsible for movement in the shoulder attach to the scapula, humerus, and clavicle. The muscles that surround the shoulder form the shoulder cap and the underarm. 
• The capsule is a watertight sac (soft tissue envelope) that encircles the glenohumeral joint. It is lined by a thin, smooth synovial membrane. 
• Three main nerves begin together at the shoulder: the median nerve, the ulnar nerve, and the radial nerve. These nerves run under the collarbone and are known as the Brachial Plexus before they divide.
• The shoulder movement occurs as a result of all these structures and from the use of the ribs, thoracic spine, neck and even the elbow.  Often unresolved shoulder problems are a result of the other areas involved not being treated.   

Scapular-thoracic motion

• Scapular activity during shoulder motion is critical for normal shoulder function – shoulder moves 2/3 of the movement and the scapula the other 1/3 motion. 
• The scapulo-thoracic motion is the movement between the scapula (shoulder blade) and the thoracic spine. 
• The scapula moves with the shoulder in many daily and athletic activities. Anytime you raise your arm up this motion occurs!
• It is often over-looked in shoulder problems and that is one reason they do not resolve properly.

Low back versus hip pain

Some thoughts on low back pain from Andrew Bouchier, RMT, ART:

Not long after last week’s snowfall I was reminded of a problem I frequently encounter at work.

The weekend brought several inches of snow to be cleared from my driveway and I took my shovel to it as soon as it stopped falling. Removing the powder snow was no problem. I’ve done it all before and felt fine when I was done.

The next morning, after the city plow cleared my street, I promptly shovelled away the ridge at the foot of the driveway. The slush and ice was heavier so the task was harder but I thought that everything went well. I was wrong.

Late that evening, just as I was getting up from the couch, I felt a stabbing in my low back. It was surprising but not alarming. As a massage therapist I often treat clients who suffer a sudden onset of back pain. Sometimes they’ve been doing heavy yard work. Sometimes they’ve been packing and moving. Sometimes they’ve been shovelling snow..

After some quick self-examination (after all, I am a massage therapist) my suspicions were confirmed: My problem wasn’t back pain. It was hip pain. I had managed to overwork my gluteus maximus muscle, a.k.a. my “glute max”.

Muscles are engines within the body which enable us to produce movement. Every movement that we do is the result of the work of one or more muscles. The gluteus maximus is a large (i.e. powerful) muscle whose main task is hip extension. Extending our hips is how we lift, and that’s what I was doing - and overdoing - when I was shovelling my driveway.

Is your low back painful? To shed some light on the problem, try this:

• Press firmly into your side and then downward to the top of your hip. This is the iliac crest. It’s the upper edge of your pelvis.
• From there, trace the iliac crest back towards your lumbar spine and when you’re halfway there, press downward. This will be the upper edge of your gluteus maximus.
• From there, press in (it may be uncomfortable but the muscle won’t be harmed). How does it feel?
• Now, move your contact upward above the iliac crest and press into the muscles of your low back. How do they feel? 

Which is more tender? Generally, if the glute max is the most - or only - tender muscle, you’re probably suffering from the same problem I had. While it may be painful, it’s also fairly benign and not hard to remedy. On the other hand, there are other sources of real low back pain that may require more elaborate treatment. Talk to us at Back to Health!

Taking Care of Your Joints

You are the best asset!

We go about our daily lives, awaken in the morning after a night’s sleep, get ready for work, stand in the kitchen, sit on a couch or chair, read the paper, go on our blackberry or other type of electronic device, laptops and home work stations, drive/walk/bus to work or school, sit at a desk all day, exercise and then come home make dinner and go to bed.  

nof.org

Do you ever think of how your body is aligned during all of these daily activities? We do! A large portion of patient care at Back to Health Wellness is understanding how you make use of your body during and night the day. We ask that you read on and learn how to be your own investigator and on how you keep your body aligned during the day and at night.       

Let us first understand the way in which our bodies work. If you maintain your body in a ‘neutral’ or normal alignment this will have the least amount of force exerted on your body.
This alignment allows the least amount of force or pressure to be placed on the joints, nerves, muscles, ligaments (attach bones to bones) and tendons (attach muscles to bones). Wow, would that not be great for our bodies to allow them to feel good! Often patients do not know how to achieve this. Read on and we will explain how! 

Proper Sleeping Techniques
Wow, did you know there is a technique for sleeping? I did not until I went into chiropractic and realized how many people hurt themselves while sleeping! A week does not go by without someone coming in and stating, “Something funny happened in my sleep." It is not funny when they are in pain.  

drposture.com.au

Here are some things to think about for ergonomics of sleeping: do not sleep with your arm above shoulder height, do not place it under your pillow (this indicates that your pillow is too low for you), you should sleep on your back or sides and not your stomach (this is very hard on the neck, back, shoulder and knee joints and causes arthritis over  time), sleep with your body not twisted, you can use a pillow between your knees when you are on your side and a pillow under your knees when you are on your back, and your arms should be in a relaxed position and the wrists should not be bent.

The age and type of your mattress makes a difference as well.  The majority of mattresses only last 10-12 years. When looking for a new mattress look for a medium one that offers support.  If you go with a coil mattress ask for the greatest coil count, this gives you the greatest support.

Your pillow is important too! This normally last up to 2 years, if you have a water pillow they normally last 5 years. 

Feather pillows are not advised as they do not offer support; people normally fluff them up and the fluffing does not last long once you fall asleep. If you use a feather pillow try a water pillow instead as they are the same type of support system. 

1800mattress.com

Back to Health has loaners for pillows if you want to borrow one ask at front reception.

Feet are the foundation for the rest of the body!

americanfoot.com

Did you know that the average person walks about 250,000 miles in their lifetime? When a person weighing 165-170 pounds walks an average of 7.5 miles a day they will carry 500 tons a day on each foot! Your feet are remarkable pieces of equipment--they must act as rigid levers to propel the body forward and also act as a shock absorbers during the their initial contact with the ground. Their complex structure allows your feet to perform these functions very well; however, they are obviously subject to tremendous stresses, making them and the other body parts associated with walking the targets for many possible problems. 

If the alignment is off at the foundation the rest of the body will be under strain as well.  80% of people over the age of 20 will pronate (inward rotation after heel strike). This can cause strain on the plantar fascia of the feet, knees and even the hips and lower back. This is why we complete a gait analysis with all of our new patients. If the foundation is an issue it needs to be addressed by supporting with orthotics. These can sometimes be off the shelf or custom made.  

Proper Lifting & Bending Over Techniques and Proper Work Station Ergonomics

Lifting Techniques:
Never bend your back to pick something up, Hold the object close to your body, Don't twist or bend, Keep your eyes up, Plan ahead before lifting, Lift close to your body, Feet shoulder width apart, Bend your knees and keep your back straight, Tighten your stomach muscles, Lift with your legs, Do not lift and twist your torso, instead turn your whole body, Wear a belt or back support, get help if the load is too heavy.

home-health-care-physical-therapy.com

Ergonomic Techniques:
Have your monitor at eye level (your eyes intersect the middle of the screen), The monitor(s) should be straight ahead of you and not off to the side, Use a keyboard tray, Have your wrists straight and not bent up or down, Rest your wrists, The back of your chair should be slightly tilted back and the seat should be slightly up – as if you are reclining a bit (least amount of pressure on the lower back and hips), Use a foot stool.   

kaizer.ind.in

Ergonomic Assessment:
Send pictures to Dr. Barbara Rodwin of yourself at your workstation and she can make recommendations!

Send the following:
Two from the side          
One of the top part of you including the monitor, the other of the bottom part of you including your feet. 
One from behind
Showing your head and the monitor.