Back pack Safety

Back pack Safety

This is taken from the Alberta College of Chiropractors website http://www.albertachiro.com/site/public_service_programs

Kids and backpacks just seem to go together. Whether sending them off to school, to a sporting event or for a sleepover with a friend, chances are they are be bringing a backpack. But carrying a heavy load unevenly or improperly can result in poor posture and even distort the spinal column, causing muscle strain, headaches, neck and arm pain, and even nerve damage. At out clinic we see many children with mid back pain, lowback pain, headaches, and even scoliosis aggravated by carrying an overfull back pack.

More than 50 per cent of young people experience at least one episode of low back pain by their teenage years. Alberta’s chiropractors offer the following tips to ensure your child’s pack doesn’t become a pain in the back:

Pick it Right

·         Choose a bag made of lightweight material, such as vinyl or canvas.

·         Pick a bag that has two wide, adjustable and padded shoulder straps, along with a hip or waist strap, a padded back and plenty of pockets.

·         Ensure the bag is proportionate to body size and no larger than needed. The top of the pack should not extend higher than the top of the shoulder, and the bottom should not fall below the top of the hipbone.

·         Explore other options like bags with wheels and a pull handle for easy rolling.

Pack it Light

·         The total weight of the pack should not exceed 10 to 15 per cent of the wearer’s body weight (depending on age).

·         Make sure the backpack contains only what is needed for the day or activity.

·         Spread the weight throughout the pack.

·         Pack the heaviest items close to the body.

Wear it Right

·         Both shoulder straps should always be used and adjusted so the pack fits snugly against the body. You should be able to slide a hand between the backpack and the wearer’s back.

·         The pack should sit two inches above the waist.

·         Never allow your child to sling a backpack over only one shoulder.

·         The waist strap reduces the strain on the back and transfers some of the load to the hips.

Dr. Joelle Johnson is a member of the ACAC and focuses on children’s health issues in her office Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, T4R 2C3 403-347-3261
www.family1stchiro.ca

4 Ways Chiropractic Care Benefits Athletes

4 Ways Chiropractic Care Benefits Athletes

The Olympics are in full throttle in Rio and athletes are in peak performance with extensive training and kept in tip top shape with Chiropractic care. Usain Bolt is one the most decorated athletes on the Olympic track. The 6 time Gold Medalist has not become the fastest man in the world without a few setbacks. Bolt as a young man suffered from scoliosis. As he grew the curve got worse. This lead to injury every season, and in turn made the young Usain to make a choice. Use a back brace or take the risk of dangerous surgery to correct the abnormal curvature of the spine. 

Usain Bolt used Chiropractic Care not only to recover more quickly from injuries, but also to enhance his performance while healthy. Like Usain Bolt athletes use Chiropractic Care as an essential part of their strategy to remain healthy whilst competing. Here are 4 reasons athletes get adjusted and why you should too:

Punishment the body takes in sports

      In sport there is consistent twisting, compression and jarring of the spine. This may lead to spinal misalignment, resulting in subluxations and irritation of the nervous system. In turn further interfering with optimal function of the athlete.

Better Balance

       Chiropractic care restores proprioception, doing so this balances the athletes’ entire body by connecting the nerve terminals in the muscles and tendons. Removing nervous systems disturbances and allowing the communication of the CNS (Central Nervous System) to flow freely between brain and parts of the body being used in competition.

Increased Flexibility

       In order for Olympic athletes’ to perform at a top level, spinal joints need to be in proper alignment. This allows for flexibility during and after events.

Improved Movement

       Studies have shown that individuals who received Chiropractic care had an increased range of motion and response time compared to those not under Chiropractic care (Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics).

In conclusion, Chiropractic care helps with both high impact and low impact athletes. For high impact athletes such as football, hockey or lacrosse, Spinal Adjustments lowers the risks of injury and increases performance. For low impact athletes such as golf, tennis or bowling routine adjustments can help relieve the strain that’s being placed on the athletes’ body. Chiropractic care is non invasive, drug free, natural way to treat many ailments that often plague Olympic athletes today.

Dr. Elton Clemence D.C.

Dr. Elton Clemence practices at Family First Chiropractic located at 142 Erickson drive in Red Deer. Call us today to book an appointment (403)347-3261 or visit us at www.family1stchiro.ca

CranioSacral Therapy

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is based on the theories of William Sutherland, D.O., and an osteopath from the early 1900s. It was further developed by another osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics. He later founded the Upledger Institute, the national center for CranioSacral Therapy.

CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. 

CranioSacral is named for the cerebrospinal fluid that flows up and down the spinal cord from the cranium (head) to the sacrum (tailbone). As it slowly flows, it creates a rhythm throughout your body. The therapist assists this rhythm to self-correct dysfunctions in your body. Where there is a dysfunction, the rhythm is “stuck” and you feel pain, immobility, tension, etc. This can occur anywhere in the body. The cause is usually the result of a recent or past physical or emotional trauma. The therapist uses a very gentle, non-invasive light touch, generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, to locate the “stuck” areas and to assist the return of the healthy rhythm to these areas. As this occurs, there is a deep feeling of relaxation, more freedom of movement, and less pain. It is very quiet and passive. You remain fully clothed for this therapy. This is a very relaxing technique because it works with the fluid that nourishes all the nerves in your spinal cord.
By complementing the body's natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to increase resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including:

• Migraine Headaches 
• Chronic Neck and Back Pain 
• Motor-Coordination Impairments 
• Colic 
• Autism 
• Central Nervous System Disorders 
• Orthopedic Problems 
• Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries 
• Scoliosis 
• Infantile Disorders 
• Learning Disabilities 
• Chronic Fatigue 
• Emotional Difficulties 
• Stress and Tension-Related Problems 
• Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders 
• Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
• Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Post-Surgical Dysfunction

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.