AMI Chiropractic Clinic Blog

Fixing Low Back Pain Bottom Line: Restrictions and limited mobility of your lower back may be causing your pain. If your low back doesn't have a full range of motion, then you are setting it up for future injuries. Bending forward and back (flexion/extension), side bending (lateral bend), and turning side to side (rotation) are the three movements that make up a full range of motion. You have to use it, or you'll lose it. Neglecting your lower back and not actively improving and maintaining a full range of motion can cause restrictions, reconditioning and increase your chance of injury. Why it Matters: The care given in our practice is specifically designed to address both aspects of improving your range of motion, segmental, and global. That means our chiropractic adjustments work the specific joints of your spine that are "stuck" or restricted. This begins the process of improving your range of motion and often provides quick relief from ...

The Top Causes of  Low Back Pain Bottom Line: It's been estimated that over 90% of us will deal with low back pain at some point in our life. So, you may be wondering why. What causes most of us to deal with lower back pain? How we move our body, previous injuries, and the habits we do (or don't do) each day can play a huge role in either increasing or decreasing your risk of an aching back. Why it Matters: Low back pain occurs when joints of your spine become overloaded beyond normal limits. This can happen in an instant (lifting heavy weight incorrectly) or can happen over a long period (poor posture, too much sitting). Most of us try to remember to use proper posture when lifting heavy items. But, did you know the risks associated with sitting? Researchers have recently discovered that long periods of sitting may be as harmful as smoking. Extended periods of sitting increase your risk of back pain by de-conditioning the muscles supporting your spine...

How Heavy Is That Backpack? Bottom Line: Even though an iPad can store an entire library worth of books, most children still attend each day carrying an oversized and overweight backpack filled with heavy textbooks. While it may not seem like a big deal, recent studies have shown that carrying the weight of a typical backpack is one of the top reasons why children suffer with back pain. A vast majority of children wear rucksacks every day that, on average, weigh 15 lbs or more. That’s a heavy bag for a small child! Over time the stress of the load can result in back pain, a rounding of the shoulders and postural changes. The spinal compression caused by a heavy school bag often has children leaning forward to compensate, which begins a vicious cycle of postural issues, compensation and pain. Here are a few key facts: Up to 30% of kids may suffer from back pain due to carrying a heavy backpack. Limiting the total weight of the backpack to less than 10% of yo...

TECH NECK Bottom Line: Smartphones and tablets have quickly become a part of our everyday life. Many kids spend hours per day messaging with friends and playing the latest games. Often, it’s done with their neck bent forward, shoulders rounded, and arms holding the phone up in front of their eyes. New research has shown this type of awkward position can lead to a painful condition called “Tech Neck.” Why it Matters: Recently, Scientific Reports published a shocking paper which found a “horn” growing off the back of the head of kids who spent a great deal of time on their cell phones and tablets. This extreme variation of Tech Neck is suspected to be caused by constant pressure placed on the back of the head (the occiput) when the head is bent forward and chin is tucked. The excessive force can result in calcification of the soft tissue, which can start to look like a “horn” growing out of the back of the head! Did you know… Kids may be spending up to 140...

Is Your Phone Causing Tech Neck? Bottom Line: Staying connected to friends and family, catching up with emails, reading the latest news, watching our favourite TV episodes and playing games can come at a price! As a society we are spending to much time looking down at our mobile phones. Screen time may be anything from 1, 2, 3 hours or more depending on your use. Let's face it, a lot of these hours are spent in an awkward forward head posture that experts have begun to call 'tech neck'. A 'tech neck' can result in neck and upper back pain, stress and tension, headaches, spinal disc issues, and even trapped nerves. Here at the AMI Clinic in Bedford we work with people who are experiencing these symptoms associated with a 'tech neck'. We offer advise our patients on how poor posture using a mobile phone can lead to dysfunction and symptoms abd advise on how simple stretches, using the correct posture  and postural exercises can ...