With temperatures dipping, local trees have sprung to life in shades of yellow, orange, and red, while the cool autumn breeze has strewn the leaves on our lawns.  Before you suit up to go out and gather the colorful foliage, I have a few precautions for you to bear in mind.

Playing in the Leaves is Fun, Raking Can Be More than a Chore

Raking leaves is one of those one-sided, repetitive activities that could upset the usual, happy balance in our backs.  Muscles in our back fire in unison to maintain our posture and allow us to do work, but toil in a manner that overworks one side, and this could lead to a real stiff back.

• First, beware working predominantly on one side of the body, like when raking, digging, loading the dishwasher, placing groceries in your car, or putting a child into a car seat.  If you are raking or digging, try to periodically switch the side of your body, where you are working. If you are raking, specifically, alternate between raking front to back and side to side (across your body), to prevent any one group of muscles from fatiguing.
• Split loading activities like packing the car’s truck or bagging those colorful leaves into separate squatting and bending movements.  Avoiding motions that simultaneously twist and bend the low back can help you steer clear of back pain.  Bending and rotating at the same time puts the spine in a position of weakness and increases the chances of injury – this is the mechanism that leads to many disc injuries.
• When bending or lifting, bend your knees to lift with your legs.  The legs are the strongest muscles in your body and using the legs can save your back.

If you should happen to upset the delicate balance of muscles, joints, ligaments and tendons that allow for all our movements, remember I’m here at Matthews Chiropractic Center to help make everything work better again.  And, if just the thought of raking your leaves makes your back ache and pain-free is not your status quo, then chiropractic care could be your remedy.

This past Saturday, October 24, I volunteered as part of the medical crew for Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Charlotte. Representing Matthews Chiropractic Center, I provided chiropractic adjustments to many sore and weary walkers.  These inspired women had walked 26 miles on Saturday and were planning to walk 13 miles more on Sunday.

I hope that my adjustments helped them rest easier and prepare for the last leg of their walk.  What wonderful efforts the walkers made to expand awareness, fund raise, and demonstrate their support through 39 miles of walking over two days to combat breast cancer.

Visit the Avon Foundation site to learn more and show your support.

When taking history from patients who present with new low back pain, I often find that they could have limited the severity of their injury. Especially injuries that have muscle spasm as a major component. Muscle injuries can be very painful, make it difficult to move, and can cause spinal joints to move improperly or become immobile. These are some of the most common injuries that I see in the office. Weekend warriors, do-it-yourselfers, spring cleaners, and those who work in the yard are all at risk.

Pay Attention to What is Causing Your Pain

Muscle injuries can often become worse within 12 to 24 hours, so when we feel some minor pain, pulling, or tightness this could be the signal to back off. If your are working and lifting or move incorrectly and feel a twinge of pain or something pop, then stop and take it easy. Those who soldier on and figure that it will be okay, many times are the same folks who come crawling in wondering what caused their pain.

Treat With Heat Later, Not First

While it initially feels good and often loosens in the short term, using heat (heating pad, hot bath/shower, hot tub) should be avoided within the first 48 hours after an injury to the low back. If your pain is strong and you are having a hard time finding a comfortable position, try to lie on your back (on a firm surface) with your knees bent. Some patients are comfortable lying on a couch with their legs hanging over the arm (bent knee position).

Some basic tips to follow:

1. Do not use heat
2. Apply ice for 20mins each hour (paper towel between ice & skin)
3. Avoid strong or excessive (painful) stretching
4. Rest in a comfortable position, try to walk slowly periodically
5. Present to Matthews Chiropractic Center for chiropractic care

Cardiovascular disease including heart disease and stroke is the nations leading killer among men and women. We all know the risks related to hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure. That is why I am delighted to find research is being done to quantify the benefits of chiropractic therapies. A recent reporting in the Journal of Human Hypertension (May 2007) found that correcting a misalignment in the spine was able to reduce and maintain lower blood pressure.

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