Holiday Survival

Holiday Survival

Chiropractors get asked all the time about ways to prevent injuries.  Well with shopping season upon us here are some survival tips from your Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia Chiropractor.

The holidays seem to come earlier and earlier every year -- and along with them, the stresses and strains of frenzied holiday shopping. Take a stroll through your local mall, and you'll already see symbols of the approaching holiday season -- from Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations to notices of blowout sales. As your muscles tense with each passing day, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) asks, "Are you ready for the holiday shopping challenge?"

"Our bodies have the capacity to do a little more than we normally do," says Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the ACA's Council on Occupational Health. "But our bodies do not adapt very well to doing a lot more than we normally do. Since the added demands of this season can stress the capacity of our bodies, we need to do everything we can to help ourselves. Eat right, drink plenty of water, stretch, exercise and take a few minutes to slow down and reflect on what the season is all about."

So relax and enjoy the holidays! Dr. Bautch and the ACA encourage you to consider the following tips to help keep you and your loved ones healthy, happy and safe this season.

Treat Holiday Shopping As An Athletic Event

Stay hydrated! Drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water a day. (Coffee, tea, soft drinks and alcohol are dehydrators. Don't substitute them for water.) On shopping days, you may need to drink even more water.

Be sure to stretch before and after a long day of shopping. When you are stressed-out, your muscles are less flexible than usual.

Wear shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of walking on those hard shopping mall floors.

Make sure your clothing is as comfortable as possible. It's a good idea to wear layers, because you may be going from a cold environment (outdoors) to a warm environment (indoors).

Leave your purse at home. Wear a light fanny pack, or if necessary, a light backpack instead. Pack only those items that are absolutely essential (driver's license, credit card, etc.).

If you start to feel some pain, nip it in the bud. Apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

"During the holiday season, we're running at absolute maximum capacity, which can lead to stress and even depression," says Dr. Bautch. "We need to stretch and stay hydrated to increase our capacity, so we are not overwhelmed by the activities of the season."

Plan Frequent Breaks Into Your Shopping Day

During a day of heavy shopping, most people should take a break every 45 minutes. Those with less stamina may even need to take breaks more frequently.

If possible, obtain a locker. Lockers can help cut down dramatically on how much you have to carry around. You can take a load off by scheduling trips to your locker into your breaks.

If your mall or shopping center doesn't offer lockers, try to plan trips to your car. Don't carry around more than is absolutely necessary at one time.

When taking breaks, try to eat light foods. A salad and some fruit is a much better option than a burger and fries.

Skip the coffee break! Coffee and sodas contain caffeine and sugar, which add even more stress to your body. Pass on the designer coffee at the java stand and keep drinking water.

"We actually need to eat better than normal during the holiday season," explains Dr. Bautch. "On average, people gain five to six pounds during the holidays. And heart attacks occur more often during the holidays as well. Eating a heavy meal and then running out on an exhausting shopping trip can be very dangerous."

Shopping With Children

If at all possible, DO NOT bring children along on a holiday shopping trip. Most children simply do not have the stamina for such an event, and you and your child will only become frustrated with one another. Don't add this type of stress to an already stressful situation.

Try to split "child duty" up with a spouse or another parent. They'll watch your kids while you shop, and vice-versa.

"Shopping with children is just a bad idea," says Dr. Bautch. "If your hands are loaded with shopping bags, you may not be able to hold your child's hand, which could increase the chances he or she might wander away from you. Take whatever steps necessary to not have to bring your child along."

Wrapping Your Gifts

Since there is no "ideal" position for wrapping gifts, the most important thing to remember is to vary your positions. For example, try standing at a table or countertop for one package, sitting on a bed for another, sitting in a comfortable chair for another, etc.

Do not wrap packages while sitting on the floor. Wrapping packages while sitting on a hard floor can wreak havoc on your posture, and should be avoided.

Always stretch before and after you wrap gifts.

"When wrapping presents, it's a good idea to 'stretch the opposites,'" says Dr. Bautch. "In other words, if you are leaning forward when wrapping your gifts, stretch backward when you are done."

Chiropractic Care Can Help

If you experience pain or discomfort as a result of holiday shopping, consider a visit to your doctor of chiropractic. Your doctor of chiropractic can help alleviate your pain naturally, so you can enjoy the holiday season as it was meant to be.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a diagnosis that can be a bit scary when you first here it.  People imagine all sorts of deformities associated with that diagnosis.  As a chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area it is my job to fully explain the diagnosis so the patient has a better understanding.  Once you understand the diagnosis in most cases it isn’t as bad as you imagined.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis affects 5 to 7 million people in the United States. More than a half million visits are made to doctors’ offices each year for evaluation and treatment of scoliosis. Although scoliosis can begin at any age, it most often develops in adolescents between the ages of 10 and 15. Girls are more commonly affected than boys. Because scoliosis can be inherited, children whose parents or siblings are affected by it should definitely be evaluated by a trained professional.

What is scoliosis?

Because we walk on 2 feet, the human nervous system constantly works through reflexes and postural control to keep our spine in a straight line from side to side. Occasionally, a lateral (sideways) curvature develops. If the curvature is larger than 10 degrees, it is called scoliosis. Curves less than 10 degrees are often just postural changes. Scoliosis can also be accompanied by lordosis (abnormal curvature toward the front) or kyphosis (abnormal curvature toward the back). In most cases, the vertebrae are also rotated.

 In more than 80% of cases, the cause of scoliotic curvatures is unknown; we call this condition idiopathic scoliosis. In other cases, trauma, neurological disease, tumors, and the like are responsible. Functional scoliosis is often caused by some postural problem, muscle spasm, or leg-length inequality, which can often be addressed. Structural scoliosis does not reduce with postural maneuvers. Either type can be idiopathic or have an underlying cause.

What are the symptoms of scoliosis?

Scoliosis can significantly affect the quality of life by limiting activity, causing pain, reducing lung function, or affecting heart function. Diminished self-esteem and other psychological problems are also seen. Because scoliosis occurs most commonly during adolescence, teens with extreme spinal deviations from the norm are often teased by their peers.

Fortunately, 4 out of 5 people with scoliosis have curves of less than 20 degrees, which are usually not detectable to the untrained eye. These small curves are typically no cause for great concern, provided there are no signs of further progression. In growing children and adolescents, however, mild curvatures can worsen quite rapidly—by 10 degrees or more—in a few months. Therefore, frequent checkups are often necessary for this age group.

How is scoliosis evaluated?

Evaluation begins with a thorough history and physical examination, including postural analysis. If a scoliotic curvature is discovered, a more in-depth evaluation is needed. This might include a search for birth defects, trauma, and other factors that can cause structural curves.

 Patients with substantial spinal curvatures very often require an x-ray evaluation of the spine. The procedure helps determine the location and magnitude of the scoliosis, along with an underlying cause not evident on physical examination, other associated curvatures, and the health of other organ systems that might be affected by the scoliosis. In addition, x-rays of the wrist are often performed. These films help determine the skeletal age of the person, to see if it matches an accepted standard, which helps the doctor determine the likelihood of progression. Depending on the scoliosis severity, x-rays may need to be repeated as often as every 3 to 4 months to as little as once every few years.

 Other tests, including evaluation by a Scoliometer™, might also be ordered by the doctor. This device measures the size, by angle, of the rib hump associated with the scoliosis. It is non-invasive, painless, and requires no special procedures. A Scoliometer™ is best used as a guide concerning progression in a person with a known scoliosis—not as a screening device.

 Is scoliosis always progressive?

 Generally, it is not. In fact, the vast majority of scolioses remains mild, is not progressive, and requires little treatment, if any.  In one group of patients, however, scoliosis is often more progressive. This group is made up of young girls who have scolioses of 25 degrees or larger, but who have not yet had their first menstrual period. Girls generally grow quite quickly during the 12 months before their first period and if they have scolioses, the curvatures tend to progress rapidly. In girls who have already had their first periods, the rate of growth is slower, so their curves tend to progress more slowly.

What is the treatment for scoliosis?

There are generally three treatment options for scoliosis—careful observation, bracing, and surgery. Careful observation is the most common “treatment,” as most mild scolioses do not progress and cause few, if any, physical problems. Bracing is generally reserved for children who have not reached skeletal maturity (the time when the skeleton stops growing), and who have curves between 25 and 45 degrees. Surgery is generally used in the few cases where the curves are greater than 45 degrees and progressive, and/or when the scoliosis may affect the function of the heart, lungs, or other vital organs.

 Spinal manipulation, therapeutic exercise, and electrical muscle stimulation have also been advocated in the treatment of scoliosis. None of these therapies alone has been shown to consistently reduce scoliosis or to make the curvatures worse. For patients with back pain along with the scoliosis, manipulation and exercise may be of help.

Most people with scoliosis lead normal, happy, and productive lives. Physical activity including exercise is generally well-tolerated and should be encouraged in most cases.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Hip Joint Pain

I hear it all the time in my office and I am guilty of misusing it as well.  Hip pain.  Patients present to my Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractic office with what they call “Hip Pain”.  I often go along with it until I understand the area they are complaining of.  Chiropractors are well versed in joint injuries and they can diagnose all of them and treat most of them.  Here is some info from the ACA on hip pain.

When the hip joint is spoken of, it is typically thought of as a vague area that may encompass anywhere from the iliac crest, the sacroiliac joint or the point at which the femur articulates with the acetabulum. The latter is the actual hip joint. Lower back pain that radiates more laterally to the pelvic area over the acetabulum, groin, and upper lateral thigh is not necessarily definitive of an L4/L5 disc syndrome. Pain in this region may also be secondary to a facet syndrome. Sometimes, pain to the lower abdominal and groin region may be a part of the symptomatology presented by a patient. The differentiation between the L/4/L5 disc and facet syndrome is that the disc with the radiculopathy will generally follow a known dermatome, while a facet syndrome follows a dermatomal pain pattern. Doctors of chiropractic usually find and treat articular lesions of the sacrum, ilium or lumbar spine, for a period of time, without cessation of symptoms or improvement of these complaints. One other consideration would be for a tear of the labrum in the hip, which may result in pain in the SI joint, gluteus area and even anterially into the groin.

Complaints in these more lateral areas are often due to a problem in an area that many doctors don’t check—the femoral head. The femoral head may need to be assessed for the need for manipulation or mobilization. This in turn may cause deep pelvic muscle spasms, which may become chronic. I believe that every day activities, from subtle movements like turning in bed to more repetitive activities like bearing more weight on a pronated foot time and time again, may cause misalignment to the femoral head. This area should be checked and adjusted for recovery, in my opinion.

Drawing upon an example from personal experience: I would open the car door and throw my right leg into the car and then sit down. I would experience a subtle “click” in the acetabulum area, followed by pain and irregular walking gait, pulling of the leg when weight bearing, causing deep spasms of the upper thigh and lower abdominal muscles, pulling the leg forward instead of pushing the leg forward, as in a normal walking gait. This caused a transition of weight-bearing muscle function to muscles not usually used in normal walking. (A compensatory walking gait is developed.) This caused me pain and spasm in adjacent muscles.

All too often, I believe that this problem is missed or misdiagnosed, resulting in unnecessary surgery, hip replacement, repetitive chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy and muscle massage, and none of them address the underlying cause of the condition.

Examination for Hip Joint Dysfunction

Place the patient in supine position, with your superior hand holding the ilium to the table with light A-P downward Force (near the ASIS) to ensure the ilium will not rise off the table during motion of the leg. Holding the ilium on the exam table, grasp the ankle and rotate the foot medially. The big toe should touch the table. Full rotation indicates no hip joint dysfunction. If the ilium rises off the table during this action, this indicates improper function of the femoral head/acetabular articulation.

Corrective Procedure

Ascertain (through the examination described above) the side of restriction. Place the patient in lateral Syms position (Syms is performed by having a patient lie on the left side, left leg extended and right leg flexed) as in a side roll. Place your superior hand under the armpit of the patient, holding the humerus and ribs, with your inferior hand reaching over the patient cupping the femoral head. Proceed with the side-roll-type procedure with this exception: The inferior hand (cupping the femoral head) is driven directly forward (anterior).

If correction has been obtained, the leg now should move freely in a medial direction smoothly and completely, with immediate Improvement of pain. Occasionally the patient may experience residual muscle soreness. Over the course of my practice, I have found that these patients have a tendency to walk around for a while with a displaced femoral head and a compensatory walk, the surrounding muscles are sprained and inflamed, and soreness may continue for days until the patient returns to a normal walking gait. Generally, I find the quicker the patient returns to a normal walking gait, the quicker the syndrome is alleviated. I feel it is important to re-address with the patient what is a normal walking gait and this may lengthen the post-correction period.

Call your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor today. 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link