Low back pain prevention tips

Low Back Pain prevention tips given by Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge VA.  These tips should help you prevent some general low back issues that lots of people experience.  Visit us at Doroskichiropractic.com for other blog tips and to schedule an appointment.

Low back pain is very common and I see it all the time in my office.  One of the common things I hear is something completely benign caused it.  Granted we see a lot of traumatic injuries that you would assume would cause low back pain.  Digging a hole, falling off the roof, working doing repetitive twisting… and on and on.  The ones that catch the patient off guard is sneezing, reaching in the back seat of the car, bending to pick something off the floor. ..  These are the injuries that always make the patient scratch their head.  Unfortunately, it is not the event that really caused the injury.  It is the 4 weeks of back stiffness that they ignored before the injury.  Usually when I ask they go yea it was stiff, or yea I just had a long car ride, or I put in new baseboards BUT it was ok after that.  Odds are it really wasn’t but you were just dealing with it. 

When your low back is tight for a long period of time it is a ticking time bomb.  The muscles are continually pulling on the pelvis and lumbar joints until that one weird movement and the entire thing falls apart.  Unfortunately, this injury is harder to fix then the guy who fell off the roof, mainly because the rest of his back hasn't had a few weeks to compensate for the low back tightness. 

Here are some daily stretches you can do to keep your back stretched and relaxed so the muscles function correctly.

1. Knee to Chest

Lie on your back, flex your knees up and do a pelvic tilt so you press your lower back flat to the floor.  Slowly and gently pull your right knee to your chest at a slight angle towards your left shoulder.  Hold for 5 seconds and release back to the bent position.  Then repeat with the opposite leg.  Do this 10 times in alternating fashion.

2. The Deep Squat

Stand up straight with your arms folded across your chest. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing out slightly.  Squat down as far as you can, keeping your heels on the floor. As you squat ensure your weight goes into your heels and not your toes. For a full range of movement, your bum should sit down by your heels and your head should be tall and looking forward. Perform the exercise slowly when lowering down, giving yourself time to keep control and lower all the way – or as far as your range of movement will allow.  Pause for a count of two at the bottom of the squat, allowing your groin area to relax. Your knees should be directed slightly outwards in alignment with your feet. Keeping your knees out, squeeze your gluteals and stand up out of the squat.  Only go as far as you can without any pain. As you perform the exercise regularly you will slowly but surely be able to achieve greater flexibility.  Do this for 2 sets of 10.

3. Downward Dog

Place your hands and feet on the floor, shoulder-width apart, knees bent and hips high.  Your heels should be off the floor at this point. Relax your head and neck so you are looking towards your knees.  Do a pelvic tilt so your lower back is arched and your spine is straight.  Now straighten your arms and pull your shoulder blades together. Straighten your knees as well.    You may lose the arch in your low back but don’t allow your lumbar spine to flex.  This will require a good abdominal squeeze to maintain the lumbar arch.  Hold for 30 seconds and relax.  Repeat 5 times. 

4. Spine twists

Sit down with your legs loosely crossed. Pull your back up tall and stick your chest out so that you are sitting upright with perfect posture. Fold your arms across your chest.  Tighten your abs so that your pelvis is stable. Then slowly turn your head and shoulders to one side. Turn as far as you can and you will feel the stretch in the rib area. Hold the end position for a count of two and then turn across to the other side and repeat.  Perform two sets of 10 repetitions each side.

Do not force any of these exercises and if you feel any discomfort stop.  Keeping your low back stretched will help you prevent some low back injuries but routine chiropractic visits with these stretches can help prevent the big injuries.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Easy tips to avoid neck pain!

Tips given by Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge VA.  Dr Doroski is the only Chiropractor in Woodbridge Virginia with a diplomate in Chiropractic Neurology.

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If you have neck pain sometimes the easiest thing you can do to fix it is visit us at Doroski Chiropractic in Woodbridge Va.  Once here we can help you with most neck complaints and give you some good ideas on how to avoid it in the future.  Some are very easy, some are just commonsense and others just involve regular follow through.  

Proper neck posture, a simple matter of good body mechanics, can offer you protection from neck pain. Here are suggestions from the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and other experts that can help prevent the misuse or overuse of your neck:

Don't sit in 1 place for a long time. If you're stuck at your desk, place items around your office so that you are forced to get up or stretch to retrieve them.

Maintain good posture for your neck. Adjust your desk chair so your hips are slightly higher than your knees. Your head and neck will then naturally assume the correct position. When traveling, place a small pillow or rolled up towel between your neck and the headrest.

Don't sleep with too many pillows or with a pillow that's too thick.

When talking on the phone, don't cradle the phone between head and shoulder. If you're on the phone often, switch to a headset or speakerphone.

If you are reading or typing from other materials, raise the pages to eye level.

If you have corrected vision, keep your prescription current so you don't have to crane your neck forward to see clearly.

These are fairly generic tips but if you use them on a daily basis you can prevent most of the neck complaints we see in our office on a daily basis!

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Get that neck moving!

Tips given by Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge VA.  Dr Doroski is the only Chiropractor in Woodbridge Virginia with a diplomate in Chiropractic Neurology.

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Helping to prevent neck pain!

Just like anything we take pan free movement for granted.  Unfortunately as we age pain free becomes the abnormal as opposed to the normal.  So now it becomes something we need to maintain!  Visiting Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge VA is one way to achieve it.  If that isn’t possible the next thing would be to start doing some home maintenance.

Maintenance of the neck range of motion is easier than you would think and pretty basic but doing it daily makes a world of difference.  One of the main reasons for neck pain is poor posture.  So I tell all my patients to try and break up long periods of sitting at the computer.  If you get up every 45 minutes or so and do some of these stretches you can help your neck a bunch.

That being said you need to start in a good neutral postion so when you do the exercises you aren’t creating another problem.  Start with you neck squarely over shoulders with your shoulder relaxed at your side. 

Rotations. Sitting or standing, turn your head slowly to the left and then to the right as far as you can, comfortably. Hold each stretch for 10 seconds to 30 seconds.

Shoulder circles. While standing, raise your shoulders straight up, then move them in a circle around, down and back up again. Circle in both directions.

Side stretches. While standing, stretch your neck slowly to the left trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Repeat on the right side.

Resistance exercises. Place your right hand against your head above your ear and gently press, resisting the movement with your neck. Do the same with your left hand on the other side.

Head lifts. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift and lower your head, keeping your shoulders flat on the floor. Next, lie on 1 side and lift your head toward the ceiling. Repeat this movement on your other side and while lying on your stomach.

These should help you maintain a pain-free range of motion but seeing your chiropractor on a regular basis will help you maintain alignment and also decrease muscle spasms.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Strengthen your core... but how?

Tips given by Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge VA.  Dr Doroski is the only Chiropractor in Woodbridge Virginia with a diplomate in Chiropractic Neurology.

Visit us at:

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They say a strong core can help prevent low back pain…  well what is a core and how do you strengthen it?  Pretty easy to do and you don’t need a gym membership!

1.  Situps/Crunch. Lie on your back on the floor or a yoga mat.  Keep your knees bent and do a slow controlled crunch holding for 3 seconds then release.  Do three sets of 15 reps if possible.  The idea is to safely do these and work up to the 15 reps.  Rome and your core weren't built in a day.  

2.  Plank. Lie on the floor, or yoga mat, face down. Place forearms and toes on the floor, push up so only the forearms and toes remain on the floor. Tighten your hip, leg, arm, back, chest, and abdominal muscles making this a total body exercise. Keep your whole body straight from the base of the skull all the way to the heels, and keep even breathing.   Hold this position for about 30 seconds then relax on to your knees or stomach.  Rest in between sets for 60 seconds and repeat the hold for thirty seconds.  Again repeating 15 times if possible.  

3.  Arm sweep. Sit on the floor and slightly outstretch your legs "gluing" them to the floor, or bending the knees with feet flat. Sit tall, engaging your mid back to help you sit up straight. Stretch out your arms out the sides. Next, twist your body to the left so that you rotate and your right hand reaches for the left foot, and the left hand touches the ground behind you or is raised in the air behind you. Repeat on your right side. This results in a sweeping motion of your arms and twisting your body to engage the abdominal muscles and back muscles. Not as easy as it sounds but the goal is to strengthen your core not kill yourself.  Doing this in a controlled fashion and try to do 8-10 reps in the beginning.  Working up to 3 sets of 25.  

4.  Superman. Lie on the floor, or your yoga mat, face down. Reach your arms directly in front of you, reaching to the opposite wall. Straighten your legs, your heels and inner thighs together by tightening the inner thighs and glutes. Lift your arms, chest, head, legs and feet off of the ground. At this point, only your belly and hips are touching the ground (no knees or feet). Keep holding your arms, chest, head, and legs up, engaging your low-mid back muscles and your glutes, for at least 30 seconds. Then relax. Do it again for another 30 seconds. When 30 seconds in simple, increase your time by 5 seconds or more. This is an advanced position and your goal should be 15 reps.  Work up to this one.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

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Oh great it is that time of the year!!

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in Woodbridge, VA. Few Chiropractors in Woodbridge Virginia have continuing education diplomates and Dr Doroski is the only Chiropractor of Neurology.  

Giving tip to help you with yard work

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Ahhhhh spring time!  Birds are chirping, grass is growing and the days are longer.  The bird is chirping at 6 AM by your window, the grass is making your eyes water and due to the long days you can see the mess your lawn is in and your neighbors looks great!!!  Now it is time to start planting those flower beds and gardens.  Just do it… smart!

So here are some tips to reduce your risk of overdoing:

1  Bending over and reaching forward.  There isn’t a worse position for your low back.  It has to be done to get the job done just mix it up.  Long periods like this is bad for your low back!  Take a few breaks the flowers will wait.

2  When you can… squat.  It helps keep the natural curve of your back and takes the pressure off the very bottom of your back.  Use your hips to pivot rather than bend at the back.    

    

3  If you follow proper lifting and break up the time you are beinding and your back still isn’t ok… ICE.  No heat.  So many people come in and tell me about how they hurt there back gardening or bending and they put heat on.  Now it is worse…  Thing to remember is your injured the joint or the muscle and now it is inflamed.  Well you just put heat on something inflamed so it swells more…  Common mistake but imagine you twisted your ankle and put it in a bucket of hot water. 

4  If you are still sore after icing give your local chiropractor a call.  Odds are if it hurts you have disrupted the joint alignment and icing all the time won’t change that.         

Some pains in the buttock can be fixed!

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

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Piriformis syndrome is a muscular disorder that can compress the sciatic nerve causing radicular symptoms into the buttock and along the course of the sciatic nerve.  

When the piriformis muscle shortens or spasms due to trauma or overuse, it can compress or strangle the sciatic nerve beneath the muscle. Generally, conditions of this type are referred to as nerve entrapment or as entrapment . 

Some people are more susceptible then others.  Runners and bikers are at a high risk.  People who sit for long periods tend to have a greater risk.  I always advice my patients to get up and move around every 45 minutes or so.

1  First thing to do to fix it is stop the offending activity.  If it is running take some time off.  Long periods of sitting make a conscious effort to get up more.

2  After a few days of resting start a hip rotator stretching routine.  Do it several times a day for the best response.

3.  Hydrate!  The more hydrated your muscles are the less likely they are to sapsm.

4  Visit your local chiropractor.  Some other issues can be involved.

Plantar Fascia

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Home Treatments

Initially rest.  Sounds easy but for runners it isn’t that easy.  Next is ice for 15-20 minutes 4 -5 times a day.  Put your foot up and ice it...   Using arch supports in your shoes and doing stretching exercises may also help to relieve pain. 

If your medical Doctor hasn’t given you a reason not to use NSAIDS talk with him about getting some.  Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen (i.e. Motrin or Advil) and naproxen (i.e. Aleve), are often used to reduce inflammation in the ligament.

Medical Treatments

If home treatments and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs don’t ease the pain, an injection of a corticosteroid directly into the damaged section of the ligament can be given. Your doctor can do this in his or her office. Your doctor may use an ultrasound device to help determine the best place for the injection. Corticosteroids can also be administered on the skin of your heel or the arch of your foot, and then a painless electrical current is applied to let the steroid pass through your skin and into the muscle.

Physical therapy is an important part of treatment for planter fasciitis. It can help stretch your plantar fascia and Achilles tendons. A physical therapist can also show you exercises to strengthen your lower leg muscles, helping to stabilize your walk and lessen the workload on your plantar fascia.

If pain continues and other methods aren’t working, your doctor may recommend extracorporeal shock wave therapy. Sound waves are bombarded against your heel to stimulate healing within the ligament. This treatment can result in bruises, swelling, pain, and numbness, and has not been proven to be consistently effective in relieving symptoms.

The most dramatic therapy, used only in cases where pain is very severe, is surgery. The plantar fascia can be partially detached from the heel bone, but the arch of the foot is weakened and full function may be lost. Another surgery involves lengthening the calf muscle, a process called gastrocnemius recession.

Braces and Supports

Night splints are another treatment that can help stretch your calf and the arch of your foot. Night splints are a type of brace that holds your foot in a flexed position and lengthens the plantar fascia and Achilles tendon overnight. This can prevent morning pain and stiffness.

Special orthotics, or arch supports, for your shoes may help alleviate some of the pain by distributing pressure, and can prevent further damage to the plantar fascia. A boot cast may be used to immobilize your foot and reduce strain while the plantar fascia heals. A boot cast looks like a ski boot and can be removed for bathing.

You hear do pool exercises for your low back... but what are they.

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1  Begin your workout by warming up the muscles with a cardiovascular workout. Start in the area of the pool that has waist-deep water. Begin walking back and forth through the area, while swinging your arms as you would if you were walking on land.

You will get some resistance when you swing your arms. Although it may not feel as comfortable as walking on land, it is important to focus on creating a swinging motion for proper body mechanics and balance.

2  Walk in the water for 5 to 10 minutes. If you feel comfortable with the motion and want an extra challenge, move to chest-deep water after 5 minutes. You will feel an increase in resistance.

A cardiovascular workout treats back pain in a similar way as walking. It stretches and strengthens muscles throughout your back and legs. It can also lead to weight-loss, which can reduce the painful pressure on nerves, discs and muscles.

3  Extend your cardiovascular workout by putting on an aqua belt, a large foam belt that snaps around your waist. Move to chest-deep water and begin water jogging. In this motion, you feet will not touch the ground, but you will swing your elbows and run in place.

Focus on each footfall being heel to toe, rather than toe to heel. This will mimic a natural walking or jogging motion, helping you strengthen muscles that you use in daily walking. You will move along very slowly in the water.

Water jog for 5 to 15 minutes, and stop when you start to feel muscle fatigue.

Use your other equipment to help you increase resistance while deep water walking or jogging. Use water webs, gloves that fit over your hands, to increase resistance and muscle tone as you swing your arms. Use water weights as you swing your arms while water jogging.

4  Do leg kicks. Keep 1 leg on the ground with the knee slightly bent. Contract your stomach muscles and slowly raise the opposite leg as high as it will go. Slowly lower it back down.

This exercise will stretch and strengthen your thighs. Repeat it 12 to 15 times, and then turn around and repeat it with the opposite leg. It is important to be slow and deliberate with your movements so that you do not add to your back pain.

To increase resistance, tie a water noodle around your water shoe and repeat the exercise. Your foot will become more buoyant and more difficult to move deliberately in the water.

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What to ask before starting a work out program

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Before you start an exercise program, there are a few things your need to figure out:

What are your goals? 

Lose weight… Increase cardio performance…   But if you’re of a certain age or have certain cardiovascular risk factors, you may need to see your physician before beginning a program that involves vigorous (as opposed to moderate) aerobic activity.

Here’s how exercise intensities are typically defined:

Low-to-Moderate

Something you can do for about 60 minutes.  Usually included in the 60 minutes is a slow gradual warm up leading to brisk pace.

Vigorous

Name says it all.  Usually after 20 minutes of this type of exercises fatigue starts to set in.  Heart rate and breathing significantly increased. 

Are you planning to participate in vigorous activities and are a man over 45 or a woman over 55? You should receive a medical exam first. The same is true for individuals of any age with two or more coronary artery disease risk factors. If you’re unsure if this applies to you, check with your physician.

Now the standard questions you need to ask yourself:

A “yes” to any one of the following questions means you should talk with your doctor, by phone or in person, before you start an exercise program. Explain which questions you answered ‘’yes’’ to and the activities you are planning to pursue.

1  Have you been told that you have a heart condition and should only participate in physical activity recommended by a doctor?

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2  Do you feel pain (or discomfort) in your chest when you do physical activity? When you are not participating in physical activity? While at rest, do you frequently experience fast, irregular heartbeats or very slow beats?

3  Do you ever become dizzy and lose your balance, or lose consciousness? Have you fallen more than twice in the past year (no matter what the reason

4  Do you have a bone or joint problem that could worsen as a result of physical activity? Do you have pain in your legs or buttocks when you walk?

5  Do you take blood pressure or heart medications?

6  Do you have any cuts or wounds on your feet that don’t seem to heal?

7  Have you experienced unexplained weight loss in the past six months?

8  Are you aware of any reason why you should not participate in physical activity?

If you answered “no” to all of these questions, and you passed the first round of questions, you can be reasonably sure that you can safely take part in at least a moderate-intensity physical-activity program.

But again, if you are a man over 45 or a woman over 55 and want to exercise more vigorously, you should check with your physician before getting started.

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