AMI Chiropractic Clinic Blog

EXERCISE IS THE BEST MEDICINE Bottom Line: Nearly every major risk factor for chronic disease can be lower with as little as 15 minutes of moderate exercise per day. As you age, the cells in your body can become damaged, your metabolism slows down, and you lose muscle strength. Daily exercise has been shown to actually slow down the typical aging process. The catch is that if you aren’t exercising consistently, you may be unknowingly accelerating the aging process and increasing your risk of chronic disease. Why it Matters: Even 15 minutes of exercise per day can lower your cardiovascular risk. Activities like walking, swimming, and yoga are great choices to start with. Being aware of your cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure numbers are important. Keep in mind that many of those numbers can be improved without medication. Simply adding daily exercise into your life can make a tremendous impact on your overall health and well-being. Regular exerci...

Spinal Traction: Reducing Pain Through Movement Bottom Line: At a glance, spinal traction may look like an unusual trype of treatment. Though at first it may seem strange, the relief it can help provide is remarkable. Spinal traction offers relief from neck and back pain by reducing the pressure on spinal discs and nerves. Many people use spinal traction as a way to enhance the results they receive with their care ihere at the AMI Clinic. Why it Matters: Spinal traction is a form of decompression that is used to treat conditions such as herniated discs, sciatica, pinched nerves, and degenerative disc disease. Traction devices typically use a small force (manual or mechanical) to draw two spinal bones, or vertebrae, away from each other. The increased space between the bones can reduce the pressure in the disc and on the spinal nerves. ·          Spinal traction has been shown to be effective at reducing the pain associat...

Stretch Your Way to Better Health Bottom Line: Stretching each day is an integral part of improving your overall health. Even if you’re not an athlete, stretching provides important benefits for both your mind and body. Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to stretch. Knowing the differences, and understanding the proper technique will help you stay more energized throughout the day and can also improve the flexibility of your joints. Why it Matters: The days of “static” stretching are long gone. Static stretching, or bouncing as you stretch, can cause injuries and pain. Health experts now recommend dynamic stretching, which can release muscle tension, increase energy levels, and improve the delivery of nutrients to your muscles. Dynamic stretching should be performed at least 2-3 days a week for a minimum of 10 minutes per session. Benefits of Stretching include: Improved Flexibility - stretching can enhance your flexibility by keeping...

DEVELOPING A HEALTHY CHILD Bottom Line: “It takes a village to raise a child.” You’ve probably heard that quote in the past, and there is a lot of truth behind it. During childhood and adolescence, our bodies and minds grow at an unprecedented rate and set the foundation for the rest of our life. Our development is forged through the challenges and new experiences we encounter growing up. Top researchers have discovered that our experiences around food, movement and exercise play a massive role in our future health and even our susceptibility to disease processes as we age! Why it Matters: Developing a healthy child isn’t easy. The ease of modern living includes everything from food delivery to instant downloads of the latest video games. Yet, if you’re like me, there still never seems to be enough time!   It can be challenging to encourage healthy habits for ourselves and our kids. However, a little bit of effort today can pay huge dividends down the roa...

GROWING UP WITH GOOD POSTURE Bottom Line: “Sit up straight!” We’ve all heard it before, but many people aren’t aware that poor posture as a child can create health challenges later in life. Rounded shoulders, swayback and a hunched upper back are all postural imbalances that place a tremendous amount of stress on the spine. The muscles supporting your spine consequently must work harder to support your body weight which can result in pain. These types of abnormal postures have been linked to everything from depression to decreases in energy and headaches to carpal tunnel syndrome. Why it Matters: Poor posture is usually caused by what kids aren’t doing instead of what they are doing. If your child is on their phone or playing a game on their tablet, they probably may not be moving and stretching very often. One of the most important things you can do to encourage good posture is to set a timer and have them stretch and change positions every 15 minutes. This...

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...