Tag Archives: Exercise

Risk Factors for Postpartum Low Back Pain

1 Dec

It’s estimated that as many as 50–70% of new mothers experience low back pain and
related disability, which can hinder their ability to carry out daily activities such as household
chores, self-care, and meeting the physical demands of infant care—including feeding, lifting,
and carrying. When severe enough, these physical limitations can contribute to stress, anxiety,
and postpartum depression, further interfering with the mother’s ability to bond with her
newborn and diminishing her overall quality of life. What are the underlying causes of
postpartum low back pain?
Interestingly, some risk factors may be present even before conception. Research
suggests that being overweight or obese, physically inactive, or exposed to occupational risk
factors such as whole-body vibration, poor ergonomics, and frequent lifting can set the stage for
low back pain both during pregnancy and after delivery. Women with a prior history of low back
pain are also at elevated risk for symptoms during and following pregnancy.
As the baby grows, the center of mass shifts forward in the body. To compensate, the
pelvis tilts anteriorly and the lumbar spine increases in lordosis, placing added stress on the
lumbar intervertebral disks and facet joints. The stretching of the abdominal muscles can reduce
spinal stability, while hormonal changes that prepare the pelvis for childbirth can increase joint
laxity, further affecting stability in the lower spine and pelvic region. To compound these effects,
expectant mothers may experience fluid retention, deconditioning from reduced activity, sleep
positions that strain the lower back, and psychosocial factors such as stress and anxiety that
heighten pain perception.
Childbirth itself can also contribute to postpartum low back pain. The physical effort of
pushing during delivery can strain the lower back, and the hormonal changes that allow for
ligamentous laxity during pregnancy may persist afterward, leaving the spine more susceptible to
mechanical stress. In cases of cesarean delivery, factors such as spinal anesthesia, post-surgical
immobilization, and prolonged bedrest can further delay recovery and exacerbate pain.
Unfortunately, it’s a common misconception that postpartum low back pain will simply
resolve on its own. In reality, studies suggest that up to 1 in 5 new mothers with low back pain
will develop chronic symptoms lasting a year or longer. While some risk factors for postpartum
low back pain are beyond a woman’s control, others—such as maintaining an active lifestyle,
avoiding prolonged inactivity, and seeking chiropractic care to help restore proper joint motion
and function in the lumbar spine during and after pregnancy—can play a key role in prevention
and recovery.
Brent Binder, D.C.

4909 Louise Dr. Suite 102 Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 (717) 697-1888

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Monthly Pain Relief Update: Neck Pain / Headaches

28 Jul

Text Neck Syndrome and Chiropractic Care

Neck pain is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and after low back pain, it’s the second most common reason people seek chiropractic care. In the past two decades, a new contributor to neck pain has emerged: text neck syndrome, a condition linked to prolonged use of smartphones and other digital devices.

Text neck syndrome results from spending excessive time looking down at a screen. In more clinical terms, it’s caused by sustained neck and head flexion, which places strain on the muscles and soft tissues at the back of the neck. For every inch the head moves forward from its neutral position, the neck muscles must support approximately ten pounds of additional force—similar to how it’s harder to hold a bowling ball with your arm extended than when it’s held close to the body. Over time, the body adapts to this strain by altering posture, such as rounding the shoulders or altering the curves of the cervical and thoracic spine. These postural changes can impair range of motion and negatively affect joint health, increasing the risk of chronic neck pain and related conditions.

What’s especially concerning is that text neck syndrome is common among younger individuals. A history of neck pain in young adulthood is a known risk factor for more severe neck problems later in life. Research involving university students around the world has found that between half and two-thirds report signs of text neck. The risk is further increased among individuals who are overweight, physically inactive, and those who spend more than three hours each day engaged in sedentary leisure activities.

To reduce the risk of developing text neck syndrome and the neck pain that may come with it, experts recommend limiting time spent on electronic devices; taking regular breaks to stand, stretch, and walk around; holding devices at eye level; increasing physical activity; reducing sedentary behavior; maintaining a healthy weight; managing stress; and following an anti-inflammatory eating pattern, such as the Mediterranean diet.

For those already experiencing neck pain associated with device use, chiropractic care may offer relief. In addition to in-office manual therapies that help restore joint movement and reduce muscular tension, chiropractors can provide guidance on exercises to retrain the muscles of the neck, chest, and upper back, which may help correct postural faults and reduce the likelihood of recurring pain.

Pain Relief Chiropractic

painreliefcare.net

Mechanicsburg, PA

 (717) 697-1888

We are watching your back!

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Cranio-Cervical Flexion Exercises for Chronic Neck Pain

13 Mar

Chronic neck pain is defined as pain persisting for longer than three months in the area between the base of the skull (occiput) and the upper thoracic region, specifically up to the T3 level of the thoracic spine. For many patients, chronic neck pain arises from the accumulation of microtraumas to the tissues in the neck and surrounding regions, often coupled with postural faults. Over time, these issues can lead to muscle imbalances and increased strain on the soft tissues that support the head.

When examining patients with chronic neck pain, chiropractors often observe weakness in the deep neck flexor muscles, which are critical for stabilizing the cervical spine. Strengthening these deep muscles is often a key goal for recovery. Unlike the superficial neck flexor muscles, the deep neck flexors cannot be voluntarily contracted in the same way. Instead, we must inhibit the superficial muscles to engage the deeper ones.

Here’s a simple exercise to strengthen the deep neck flexors: lie on your back, tuck your chin slightly, and lift your head while keeping your eyes forward. Hold this position for ten seconds. Initially, this may be challenging, but with consistent practice, it becomes easier. Once you can hold the position for ten seconds, you can progress by increasing the duration, adding sets with brief rest periods, or applying resistance by pressing your hands against the front of your head. Your chiropractor may recommend additional or alternative exercises tailored to your specific needs. To make this routine easier to incorporate into your day, consider doing these exercises before bed or in the morning.

Your doctor of chiropractic may also have you perform these exercises during office visits as part of your treatment plan. In one study involving 58 chronic neck pain patients, researchers found that cranio-cervical flexion exercises led to greater improvements in neck range of motion and pain intensity if they were performed immediately following the application of manual therapies to improve the mobility of the upper cervical spine. This suggests that restoring cervical spine mobility may be a necessary first step to maximize the benefits of cranio-cervical flexion exercises.

This finding highlights the advantages of a multimodal treatment approach for managing chronic neck pain. By combining the strengths of different therapies, such as manual therapy and targeted exercises, patients can benefit from their synergistic effects, potentially achieving faster and more effective relief.

Pain Relief Chiropractic

4909 Louise Drive, Suite 102

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

painreliefcare.net

Member of Chiro-Trust.org

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all healthcare concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

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Chiropractic Treatment for Lumbar Disk Herniation

10 Dec

The annulus of the intervertebral disk is comprised of tough, dense, and strong cartilaginous fibers that protect the nucleus within, which facilitates the movement of the spine. If the structure of the annulus is compromised, the nucleus can leak into or beyond the annulus, a condition that may be classified as a disk herniation, protrusion, extrusion, or sequestration. In the event a disk herniation in the lumbar spine places pressure on a lumbar nerve root, an individual may feel pain down into the leg, which is called lumbosacral radiculopathy or sciatica. Absence a red flag—infection, fracture, cancer, and cauda equina syndrome (loss of bowel and/or bladder control)—that may necessitate immediate emergency and/or surgical intervention, what treatment approach may best serve a patient with a newly diagnosed lumbar disk herniation?

In 2022, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study that looked at outcomes of more than 11,000 patients under age 49 with a newly diagnosed lumbar disk herniation, half of whom received initial treatment from a doctor of chiropractic. While the authors of the study note that additional studies are needed, their analysis revealed that lumbar disk herniation patients whose first choice of treatment is chiropractic care are significantly (up to two-times) less likely to undergo lumbar diskectomy in the following two years than disk patients who initially seek out a different healthcare provider.

It should be noted that treatment guidelines generally advise conservative treatment approaches, which include chiropractic care, before consulting with a surgeon. However, another study published in 2022 found that, among a group of 144 patients who underwent back surgery, 60 (41.7%) did not receive any conservative treatment in the six months before their procedure. A 2021 study that looked at questionnaires completed by 3,724 adults revealed that the majority of respondents believe that surgery is always needed for a disk herniation, which is inaccurate.

For the management of a lumbar disk herniation, doctors of chiropractic will typically employ a multimodal approach that includes spinal manipulative therapy, mobilization therapy, soft tissue therapy, and exercise training. Chiropractors may also offer additional services such as traction or non-surgical decompression that can benefit such patients. If the patient does not experience improvement in their pain and disability or their condition worsens, they may be referred to an allied healthcare provider to explore other treatment options.

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New Study Suggests When To Exercise To Lose More Weight.

6 Mar

Exercise stimulates appetite?  New Research says… WRONG!

This has been a hot topic for a very long time.  In fact, it’s quite possible that cavemen and cavewomen were debating this while sitting around the campfire chomping on Mastodon burgers. The question is:

What’s The Best Time Of Day To Work Out?

Okay.  Fine.  Cave people had a few more important things to worry about like food, shelter, and getting eaten by Saber-Toothed Tigers.

But, if you are trying to lose weight and get in shape TODAY, then the answer to this question may be VERY important to you.

If you are like most people, you have very limited time.  So, you want to get the maximum results from exercise that you can in as little time and with least effort possible.

The good news is that a few recently published research papers may have some answers…

The first is a study published in the October issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

This research out of Brigham Young University (BYU) shows that 45 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise in the morning actually reduces a person’s motivation for food.  This is contrary to the common belief that exercise STIMULATES appetite.

According to BYU: Professors, James LeCheminant and Michael Larson, measured the neural activity of 35 women while they viewed food images, both following a morning of exercise and a morning without exercise. They found their attentional response to the food pictures decreased after the brisk workout.

“This study provides evidence that exercise not only affects energy output, but it also may affect how people respond to food cues,” LeCheminant said.  The report went on to say, “The 45-minute exercise bout not only produced lower brain responses to the food images, but also resulted in an increase in total physical activity that day, regardless of body mass index.”

One thing of interest was that the women did not eat more food on exercise days than non-exercise days.  In other words, they did not eat more to make up for the calories burned from working out.

“The subject of food motivation and weight loss is so complex,” Larson said. “There are many things that influence eating, and exercise is just one element.”

What About Peak Performance?

There are studies that show the AFTERNOON is the best time for peak performance.  One study published in Sports Medicine in 1995 revealed that, “Performance of physical activity is generally improved in the afternoon or evening, compared with morning.”

Even more important are the results from a study published in Medical Science Sports Exercise in 1998 that found: “These results demonstrate that there is temporal specificity in training to increase work capacity in high-intensity exercise. Greater improvements can be expected to occur at the time of day at which high-intensity training is regularly performed.”

In other words, training at the same time every day yields the best results in regards to performance.

 

Here’s something to keep in mind…  The last two studies mentioned concern performance (strength, speed, etc.)  The first study done at BYU is about appetite and potential weight loss. Once again, science does not give us the clear-cut answer we are looking for.

So, What’s The Bottom Line?

Make an exercise plan and exercise regularly.  That is the number one priority.  Clearly, any workout is better than none.  But, TRY to workout at the same time every day.

These studies used small sample sizes and it is very possible that not everyone fits into these results.  For example, some people are morning people.  They jump out of bed at 5:30 every day cheering.  For others, that is torture.

So, is it possible that these two types of people have different peak performance times?  One early and the other later?  Yes, it is. Once again, try it out for yourself.  Just be consistent and give it a valid shot.  Don’t try something for a week or two and think it did not work. Exercise, weight loss, and athletic performance simply do not work like that.  Neither does health.

All of these things take consistency.  You must do the right things… long enough…  and “long enough” is for the rest of your life.

Sometimes reality can be a little harsh, but the alternative is much worse.

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An Important Message From The Most Famous Chiropractor You’ve Probably Never Heard Of.

24 Feb

There is a very famous person you probably do not know was a Chiropractor.  Here is a quote from one of his shows… let’s see if you can guess who it is…

“You know this is a nation of tired people.

“Everyone is tired.

“Everyone is suffering from that disease I like to call pooped-out-itis.  

“People wake up in the morning they are tired.  They go to bed at night they are tired.  They are tired throughout the day.  And life doesn’t hold much is store for anyone when you are tired all the time.  

“Now let’s find out why people are tired.

“#1 LACK OF EXERCISE.

“#2 EMPTY CALORIES.

“#3 NERVOUS TENSION.”

Know who it is?  It was Jack Lalanne (yes, he was a Chiropractor) and this quote was from the 1950s!  Jack was far ahead of his time. It’s no wonder he was able to perform all those incredible feats of strength and lived to be 96 years old.

Here’s the best part (and how this ties into this month’s newsletter)…

On the same video we pulled the above quote from, Jack says (in reference to something he was reading), “The doctor emphasized the importance of physical exercise.  There is evidence to show that hard physical work is good for us, but moderation and consistency is important.  We ought to play 3 holes of golf every day and not 18 of golf all at once.”

Jack went on to say, “Try to get a few minutes of exercise every day rather than to get a whole lot every once in a while.”

In this month’s Health News & Views, there is information from a new study that says strenuous exercising may be bad for your heart.  It seems that Jack Lalanne had one of the keys to health and success back in the 50s:  Consistency and Moderation.

Eat right, get proper rest, reduce stress, exercise moderately… and do it all CONSISTENTLY.  In other words, be the tortoise, not the hare!

There are no quick fixes.  But, there are long-term solutions  So, start right now.

Watching Your Back,

Dr. Brent Binder

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