Posts by OConnor
Generating Wellness in the Workplace
What workplace wellness means to us
At our office in Westwood, we see far too many bodies ravaged by the stresses of the workplace. Whether it be mental or physical, and it is usually both, stress is at the root of every workplace malady. And it is not in the employer’s best interest to help you out of this hole- indeed, it costs too much of their money and resources to provide you with the toolkit you need to succeed in feeling happy. This is ironic because happier, healthier workers are the most productive and beneficial to a given company. As employers slowly come around to this way of thinking, the impetus is still upon the individual to keep themselves healthy despite the demands of their job. At OFW Chiropractic, workplace wellness refers to a working environment where the individual feels they are able to easily access the things they need to feel well- from nutrition to exercise, ergonomics and everything in between, a happier worker starts with a better workplace.
The Importance of Seeking Treatment After an Auto Accident
There is no manual on how to act in the wake of an auto accident
In the wake of an auto accident, there are seemingly infinite questions to answer; if you are not seriously injured, it can be easy to forget that you still did suffer a trauma while dealing with police, insurance parties and the good intentions of family and friends. But here is the golden rule: your health is the most important thing. And while it may not appear or feel as though your injuries are significant, it is important to realize that you could be under the influence of shock, your body’s natural coping mechanism that can mask the severity of symptoms.
We urge everyone who has been in auto accident, if they feel even the slightest injury, to please go to a hospital and get yourself checked out! Internal injuries do not always present themselves right at first, which means that having precautionary scans could save your life! And the only way to tell whether these are necessary is by seeking medical attention. The old maxim better safe than sorry has never been more applicable than the period of time following an auto accident.
Why We Use the Activator Method
Why we use the Activator Method
Traditional, manual chiropractic adjustments are known as “high velocity low amplitude (HVLA) thrusts.” And while these adjustments provide the bulk of the treatments we provide at our office in Westwood, we also specialize in a variety of other techniques to help you get the exact treatment you need. The Activator Method is one of these techniques; it seeks to provide a similar treatment to the HVLA thrusts of manual adjustments, but using a specifically-calibrated tool. Read on to find out why the Activator Method is steadily becoming one of the preferred alternative treatment methods for people interested in improving their spinal health.
Effective Treatment for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)
TOS refers to a group of disorders that cause pain and dysfunction in the upper body. As the condition’s prevalence is on the rise, it is important that we take note of its causes so that we can more effectively treat the condition at its source.
The space between the collarbone and the first rib is called the thoracic outlet, a complex network of nerves and blood vessels that become compressed. The most common causes of TOS include:
- Traumatic injury
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Anatomical deficiencies
- Poor posture
- Pressure on the joints
Symptoms range from mild to severe, including numbness and tingling in the upper extremities, pain in the neck and shoulders, and weakness in the extremities. So how do we go about diagnosing and treating TOS?
Finding Your Center of Gravity
Why is the center of gravity (COG) so important?
Center of gravity is an important player in the game of balance and stability. Many people treat balance as a purely subconscious function of human life- the truth is, it has too much impact in your life to treat it in such a casual manner. Knowing where your center of gravity, as well as remaining aware of it at all times, is a great way to start improving your spinal health by adding in more stability and balance. It also assists in improving posture and alignment. So without further ado, let’s locate the center of gravity.
Lower Limb Biomechanics in Athletes
Lower limb biomechanics are more important than ever for athletes
As our understanding of this complex process grows, more sports scientists are starting to apply the power of lower limb biomechanics to athletic performance. Ambulation, or walking, is so fundamental to human existence that few of us give it pause for thought. Athletes should think twice, however, as this subconscious biomechanical process offers a chance for gaining a cutting edge that should not be ignored. The process involves joints, muscles and the nervous system, and has a ripple effect that reaches the spine. A further concern for athletes is that dysfunction in the lower limbs is a signal contributor to back pain, spinal misalignment and a host of other symptoms. A biomechanical assessment of the lower limbs could be your ticket to resolving long-standing issues that have hampered your athletic performance.
The Infamous Dormant Butt Syndrome
What is the science behind this unfortunate sounding condition?
Are you chronically neglecting your butt muscles? Wipe that grin off your face because it could be the cause of lower back pain, knee pain and hip tightness. Inactive butt muscles can contribute, if not solely cause, a whole range of spinal pain and dysfunction. The problem can be boiled down to:
- Weakness in the glutes
- Tight hip flexors
These two factors can pull your spine out of alignment at the base, while your dormant, weak butt muscles fail to perform their duties of absorbing shock and supporting the spine. This allows the surrounding joints in the hips, knees and lower back to become overloaded, overstressed and, quite often, this results in injury.
Finding Neutral Posture Throughout the Day
Posture flows
Posture is a fluid struggle- you are always going to be slipping in and out of healthy spinal postions depending on your activity. But many of us are ignorant of the basics of good, neutral posture. Let’s define it quickly: neutral posture is a position of low pressure in which the spine’s natural curvature and alignment are maintained. This is difficult to achieve! Unless you are proactive at all points throughout the day, you will fall into positions that are damaging for the spine and surrounding musculature. Sitting and standing, the two most common positions we adopt throughout the day, pose the largest challenge to our postural integrity.
Standing All Day: Muscle Fatigue At Its Finest
Sitting gets all the attention, but standing all day is just as harmful
“Sitting is the new smoking,” has been proclaimed by health blogs for years now, and with good reason. But just because a certain percentage of the workforce is crossing over into an office setting doesn’t mean that other jobs cause any less pain. Standing, while causing less spinal compression than sitting, still involves between 100 and 220 kg of downward pressure to the spine depending on the activity, and that’s with good posture! Of course the solution is to vary your position frequently throughout the day but many people’s jobs pigeonhole them into sitting or standing for long periods of time.
The Deep Squat Rest: One Powerful Move for Spinal Health
Standing all day breeds a unique type of back pain
The deep, full-back ache that comes from standing all day is particularly problematic. When you stand all day, your body naturally seeks to transform from neutral posture, which is hard to maintain without the proper muscles, to something that it deems, “more comfortable.” This is an illusion that your body is good at tricking itself into; often this position of enhanced comfort includes anterior pelvic tilt, which causes an exaggerated lordotic curve in the lumbar segment. This position can cause pinching of both the intravertebral discs and the spinal facet joints which can lead to a lot of pain. One way to reverse this is to focus on reversing the anterior pelvic tilt and addressing your curvature issues. The deep squat rest can help you do just that.
Say hello to the Deep Squat Rest
This is a difficult movement to master, mostly because it challenges your balance and strength. But if you can master this movement, you will be able to give your body a huge boost. Here are some of the benefits of the deep squat thrust.
- Works to reverse anterior pelvic tilt
- Relieves tightness in the hip flexors which is a signal contributor to anterior pelvic tilt
- Alleviates pressure on the spinal facet joints by resetting curvature in the lower back.
- Strengthens core muscles that provide stability in the lower back
- Helps you maintain better posture with less pain when you stand all day.
A detailed description of how to perform this beneficial movement can be found here.
Anyone who stands a lot for a living is particularly prone to lower back pain.
Don’t let your job take an irreversible toll on your spine. Today is the best day to start taking the steps you need to keep your spine balanced and strong against the risk factors of your job and lifestyle. If you need help developing a plan that accounts for your job, your lifestyle and the condition of your spine, give our office in Westwood a call to schedule an appointment today.