Stretches for a Healthy Back

Posted on May 21, 2018 by admin

Flexibility isn’t something everyone thinks of when they consider their overall health. If you want to go about your day pain-free and without your body holding you back, however, taking some steps to improve your flexibility may help.

Whether you are getting out of bed, sweeping the floor, or grabbing the cereal box from the top shelf, your level of flexibility is a huge factor in how easy or difficult the task is for you. The muscles in your back, specifically, play a role in all of these daily activities and dozens more.

Since flexibility is one of those things you lose if you don’t practice, incorporating stretching into your everyday routine is essential. So, to keep your back muscles happy, here are a couple of stretches to practice a few times per week.

The Pretzel

Called either “the pretzel” or “side twist,” this stretches your internal and external obliques, piriformis, and erector spinae.

Follow these steps to do The Pretzel:

Sit on the floor (or yoga mat) with your legs next to each other and extended down away from your body.
Keeping your torso upright, flex your right knee. Cross it over your left leg and place your right foot on the floor to the outside of your left knee.
Twist your torso to the right, positioning the back of your left elbow against the outside of your right knee.
Place your right hand on the floor, palm down, 12 to 16 inches behind your hips.
Keeping your buttocks on the floor, use your right knee to hold the left elbow in place while twisting your head and shoulders to the right until you feel a stretch.
Repeat the stretch on the other side by placing your left foot on the outside of your right knee, and your right elbow against the outside of your left knee.

Lying Knee to Chest

This stretches your gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and erector spinae muscles.

Six steps make up this stretch:

Lie on your back with your legs next to one another, extended down away from your body.
Flex your right knee and hip to elevate your right thigh towards your chest. Your knee should be just above your hip.
Grab the back of your right thigh underneath your knee.
Keep your left leg down on the ground in the starting position throughout the stretch.
Use your arms to pull your right thigh further towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the target muscles.
Repeat the stretch with your other leg.

Stay Flexible, Stay Healthy

Whether you are trying to improve your tennis swing or just put your groceries on the top shelf a bit more easily, keeping flexible — like all aspects of health and fitness — affects your everyday quality of life.

If you are interested in promoting back health through yoga, check out these yoga poses to combat back pain. When a few stretches in your living room are not enough to get the job done, however, Spencer Chiropractor is ready to help you keep moving. Call us at (253) 874-9001 or visit our Contact page.

Three Ways To Improve Back Health If You Work A Desk Job

Posted on April 6, 2018 by admin

Many Americans work in stationary jobs. Whether you’re implementing healthcare services or developing software, sitting at a desk for hours at a time can take a toll on your health. If you are interested in finding a few ways to combat back pain from sitting for long periods of time, you’ve come to the right place. Here are a few ways to keep you back healthy even if you need to sit for long stretches of your day.

Choose Your Furniture Wisely

If your job requires you to sit down for hours on end, it’s important to have comfortable and functional office furniture. Having chairs that are at the wrong height or not supportive can aggravate your body when you use them for long stretches of time. Finding a good office chair that gives your body good support and ensuring it is at the right height for your desk is a great way to fight this. You may also consider a standing desk!

Get Moving

Keeping your body in motion is another good strategy for fostering your back health. Finding ways to incorporate activity into your day can be great for your back. This may mean making time for a brisk walk during your lunch break and getting into a fitness routine you can stick to. Incorporating some weight-bearing exercises or yoga poses to combat back pain can also be a good strategy!

[Related: Top Five Worst Jobs for Back Pain]

Visit A Chiropractor

Choosing a good chiropractor can do wonders for your back health. Spencer Chiropractic takes a holistic approach to spine health where we not only focus on your back but on your full-body health. Having a chiropractor on your side can help ease your pain and keep your spine in line to ultimately feel happier and healthier.

Sitting at a desk for multiple hours per day can take a toll on your health but it doesn’t have to. Be sure to incorporate a few of the above practices into your routine to reduce pain and foster back health!

4 Simple Spring Wellness Tips

Posted on March 12, 2018 by admin

Spring will soon have sprung, bringing with it blue skies and warm sunshine. Inspiration and motivation come easy when the weather cooperates and mood-boosting natural Vitamin D is plentiful—but how can you best channel that renewed verve? Here are four spring wellness tips to keep you on top of your game mentally, physically, and emotionally. All three points matter, because all three points are connected.

Get Moving

You can go all in with a strict exercise regimen and tailor-made goals you want to hit, or you can simply go for a brisk walk every couple of days for a chance to smell the flowers and enjoy the sun (lather up with SPF, of course!). Whatever level of intensity is right for you, there are 9 proven benefits you can enjoy from just a minimum of three 30-minute walks per week:

Improved sleep
Increased interest in sex
Better endurance
Stress relief
Improved mood
Increased energy and stamina
Reduced tiredness / increased mental alertness
Weight reduction
Reduced cholesterol and improved cardiovascular fitness

Schedule Maintenance Visits with Your Healthcare Provider

Whether it’s time for that seasonal checkup with your allergy specialist, a routine adjustment with your chiropractor, or a massage therapy session, stay on top of your personal health maintenance. Schedule those appointments well in advance. This is especially important for people who suffer from springtime ailments, as doctor visits and regular chiropractic treatments can do wonders to ease seasonal symptoms such as allergies.

Eat Your Veggies

Make sure to keep up with your daily 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables! Lots of common fruits and veggies are loaded with antihistamines and anti-inflammatory agents. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is more than just a catchy saying.

Apples help combat inflammation with flavonoids
Citrus fruits such as oranges are loaded with vitamin C, which helps with cold and allergy symptoms
Red grapes contain both antioxidants and resveratrol, both of which fight inflammation
Fish and nuts both contain vitamins and minerals which aid the immune system in fighting inflammation

Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated isn’t always as simple and straightforward as it seems. It’s all too easy to forget your water bottle at home or lose track of how many glasses you’ve consumed in a day. But there are a few quick alternatives to supplement all the chugging!

For example, start eating more watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, and celery. There are plenty of creative ways to combine these ingredients or add them to your existing breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks.

While smoothies can often break down nutrients past the point of being useful and grind down complex carbs into simple carbs (which quickly turn to glucose in the blood and become fat), sometimes a homemade fruit smoothie is just what hits the spot while boosting your hydration.

All of these efforts combine to keep you feeling your best this spring and beyond! Contact Spencer Chiropractic Center for a consultation and take charge of your wellness this spring.

How Massage and Chiropractic Combine for Better Health

Posted on March 6, 2018 by admin

When it comes to an aching back, you don’t have to choose between massage or chiropractic care, as it’s not an “either/or” option. Many people find the relief they are seeking from back pain by combining both elements into their ongoing treatment plans.

Faster Healing and Effective Results

Whether you were involved in a car accident, had a sports injury, or simply are plagued by sore back muscles, you could experience many benefits from an alignment that’s either preceded or followed by a massage. The musculoskeletal system of the back consists of bones, tendons, muscles, and soft tissue. Sometimes one or more of these components malfunction and cause limited mobility and flexibility, as well as a host of other problems, for the body’s structure.

The complementary relationship between chiropractic and massage provides patients and clients with a unique opportunity to get the most out of their treatment programs. While chiropractors focus on the alignment and motion of joints and bones, massage therapists work on getting the kinks out of their clients’ muscles. Working together, they can target problem areas and promote quicker healing.

Reasons to Combine Massage with Chiropractic

Increased Flexibility

Regardless of the order in which you get the dual treatments, there are benefits. Patients who got massages after chiropractic adjustments report greater flexibility and less muscle tension for longer periods than those who only received an adjustment or a massage.

Reduced Stress Levels

Research done in clinical studies at the Touch Research Center at the University of Miami showed that massage can reduce the levels of stress hormones in the body. This can be especially helpful when getting chiropractic alignments, as some patients who are in a lot of pain tense up before their adjustments.

Improved Circulatory Systems

Our bodies’ circulatory systems also benefit from a good massage. Getting the blood and sluggish interstitial and lymph fluids flowing normally supplies vital nutrients to injured tissue. This hastens the healing process while also removing harmful waste by-products. Doubling up on chiropractic care and therapeutic massage can help patients and clients achieve natural homeostasis.

This doubled-pronged, holistic approach to wellness is not just for those who have been injured. Incorporating massage into chiropractic care has multiple benefits for each system in the human body. Still not convinced? Here’s another argument in support of taking both treatments — it just feels good to have a relaxing massage. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with stress, that’s as good a reason as any to just relax and enjoy.

As always, if you feel like you need help managing your chronic pain, we recommend that you see a specialist. Schedule a consultation at Spencer Chiropractic Center and let us ease your discomfort and help keep you pain-free in 2019!

How to Select the Right Chiropractor for You

Posted on February 7, 2018 by admin

Congratulations! If you’ve decided to seek chiropractic treatment, you’re taking proactive steps to improve your spine, joint, and muscle health. Now it’s time to get to work on your next step: finding the right chiropractor for you. Like any professional, chiropractic specialists vary by qualifications, techniques, and demeanor, so it’s worth taking your time on this decision.

Seek Out Recommendations

One reliable way to find high-quality chiropractors, and the first step in any comprehensive search, is to ask people around you for recommendations. Check with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers for suggestions. Then see if your primary care physician or any physical therapists or specialists you already see can point you in the direction of any specific chiropractic offices they trust.

Narrowing Down the Field

Once you’ve compiled a short list of potential chiropractors, run through a few quick screening steps before you schedule an initial visit or consultation. This can make your decision clearer and easier.

Confirm Your Insurance

Check your insurance. Does your plan allow you to choose any chiropractor, or is there a list of specific in-network providers you must pick from? Once you’ve eliminated any out-of-network offices, you can do some research about each remaining chiropractor online.

Background Check

Make sure their licensing is up to date, and see if their college is accredited. A quick search may also help you find out if a given provider has been known for noteworthy issues in the past.

Some chiropractors may be affiliated with a particular hospital or professional organization. If one of the chiropractors in question does have affiliations, look into their reputations. You can also call each provider left on your list and find out if they are currently accepting new patients.

Final Considerations

Finally, some patients may prefer taking the time to talk with each chiropractic office, whether that’s over the phone or in person for a consult. This can give you a better sense of the work they do and what their attitude is like.

Ultimately, you want to feel free to be comfortable and build a positive rapport with your chiropractor. Ask them about their past experience. Find out what sorts of conditions they treat the most and what kinds of procedures they are most experienced with. Don’t forget to ask about and look for patient testimonies and surveys.

Take your time and you’re sure to find the right chiropractor for you!