BACKPACKS: Pack it light and wear it right!

School kids today not only have a lot on their minds, statistics show that they are also carrying a heavy load on their backs. 

A recent poll indicates that 76 per cent of Ontario Chiropractors agree that overloaded backpacks are a leading cause of back and neck pain in many of their school aged patients. 

The long-term implications of carrying a heavy backpack are poor posture,  neck and arm pain as well as irritation of the spine, joints and muscles. 

To avoid problems, start by choosing the right backpack.  Make sure the backpack is made of lightweight material, has two wide, adjustable shoulder straps that do not cut into the arm, contains a waist belt, several individual pockets, a padded back and is proportionate to the child’s body size.

The load in a backpack should not exceed 10 percent of the child’s body weight for elementary aged school children and 15 percent for those in secondary school. And the contents should be evenly distributed with heavy items packed closely to the body. 

When putting the backpack on, a child should place the backpack on a table or chair, bend at the knees and lift with the legs while putting on one shoulder strap at a time. Before your child walks out the door remind him or her not to wear the bag on one shoulder and to adjust the straps so the bag fits comfortably close to the body. 

Having your child checked by a Chiropractor may be your first step  in adding a preventative approach to your family’s healthcare.

What you get out of Exercising

Investing in 20-30 minutes per day of aerobic exercise may be a great start toward great health. 

Aerobic exercise is defined as physical exercise that intends to improve the efficiency of the cardiovascular system in absorbing and transporting oxygen. Aerobic exercise includes prolonged movement of large muscles in your hips, legs and arms that affects your hearts and lungs. 

 You will notice changes in your cardio (heart) pulmonary (lungs) fitness within weeks of starting.  Your body will also release endorphins, natural pain-killers that increase your sense of wellbeing. 

Regardless of your athletic ability, age, weight and gender aerobic exercise is good for you.

Aerobic exercise is a stress placed on the body that is actually good for you and will make your body stronger and more efficient.

Regular exercise can:
·        Reduce health risks including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke, osteoporosis (especially weight-bearing exercises)
·        Help you maintain a healthy weight
·        Ward off viral illness by stimulating your immune system
·        Keep your arteries clear (decreasing LDL or ‘bad fat’ and increasing HDL ‘good fat’)
·        Strengthening and increasing efficiency of your heart
·        Boost your mood

Another way to help keep your spine healthy is by visiting your Chiropractor.

To learn more about how a safe, gentle and scientific, Chiropractic adjustment could TRANSFORM your health contact us.  If you are interested in a complimentary consultation, CALL The Family Chiropractic Centre, 519-837-1234. 

 I’m Dr. Dan Vitale, educating you to help you educate others !

How to keep from Shrinking as you Age

by Dr. Brent Lipke DC

Your spinal bones begin to deform, your discs swell then shrink, your ligaments, tendons and muscles harden and weaken. What is happening?  Your spine is degenerating!

Spinal degeneration, like tooth decay is often a painless process.

Along with spinal damage, your nerves, and internal organs can also be affected.  You have less ability to deal with the stresses of life, you lose energy, and you may even lose height.

Spinal stress often causes the spinal bones to misalign, irritating the surrounding nerves, bones, discs and ligaments causing them to degenerate prematurely.

The earlier it is identified, the greater the chance that Chiropractic can reduce, halt or even reverse spinal degeneration by improving spinal function and posture.

To learn more about how a safe, gentle and scientific, Chiropractic adjustment could TRANSFORM your health contact your chiropractor.  If you are interested in a complimentary consultation, CALL me at The Family Chiropractic Centre, 519-837-1234. 

I’m Dr. Brent Lipke, educating you to help you educate others !

Feeling Stressed? Then this article is for you.

Avoid stress?  Impossible!  To be alive is to be under stress.  We can either grow, thrive and heal in the face of stress, or be reduced to dullness and disease.  The way we react to stress can be more important than the stress itself. 

Feeling Stressed?

There are three stages we go through when under stress.  First is the alarm reaction where stress hormones are released during a “fight or flight” response.  If the stress remains the stage of resistance occurs where our muscles tense up and blood pressure increases.  If the stress continues then the stage of exhaustion occurs, ultimately leading to disease.

Chiropractic focuses on removing nerve stress from our bodies as we live in a world of chronic stress.  This allows us to adapt better, heal better and get the most out of life!

To learn more about how a safe, gentle and scientific, Chiropractic adjustment could TRANSFORM your health contact your chiropractor.  If you are interested in a complimentary consultation, CALL me at The Family Chiropractic Centre, 519-837-1234. 

I’m Dr. Brent Lipke, educating you to help you educate others !

Stiff, Sore Neck and Headaches? Time to Sit up and Read

The Importance of Good Posture by Dr. Dan Vitale

 

Maintaining proper posture not only allows your joints to move freely through their ranges of motion, it also allows your organs to work more efficiently. For example, your bowels will function better, your heart pumps your blood correctly and your lungs fill with air properly.

 

The importance of good posture can not be overemphasized.

 

Poor posture is often caused by muscle imbalances. Some muscles are too tight and become shortened. This will cause other muscles to become permanently elongated and weakened. When this happens in the spine area it pulls your vertebrae out of alignment.

The chiropractors, here at Family Chiropractic Centre will know this is happening in your spine and with your focus on improving your posture and your adjustments we can help balance out the weak and shortened muscles and assist those muscles which have elongated (stretched).

How important is good posture

These effects are often experienced by people who work all day in front of a computer. 

The rounded shoulders (shortened check muscles and continually elongated mid-back muscles) and forward drawn head position (tightness in the back of the neck and lengthening of the muscles in the front of the neck) lead to all shorts of pain patterns, discomfort, tightness and often headaches.

Once we have stabilized your spine through your adjustments you will be taught to use the cervical traction unit to assist you in restoring the proper balance to your neck muscles thereby restoring the proper curve (the “arc of life”) to your neck.

 

This will assist in keeping your “information highway” (flow of information from your brain to the rest of your cells, tissues and organs) working at its peak.

 

If you are suffering from a tight, sore neck or experience headaches often, give us a call at 519-837-1234 and set up an assessment appointment to determine how we can help you feel better.

 

In our next post we will share some tips on how to improve your posture.

Family Chiropractic Centre