School’s in session which means every afternoon the streets of Doylestown are filled with running packs of high school athletes.
They run to get in shape for their sports no matter the weather — even in the 90+ degree days we had recently.
But the biggest concern isn’t the heat in the waning days of summer but sports related injuries they’re likely to take on through the season.
Concussions are the most common injury. According to this report from the National Academies, High school players are almost twice as likely to suffer a brain injury while playing as a college player. The reasons are many and vary from lack of protection, various levels of physical maturity – this is a big one — to lack of knowledge among the coaches and parents.
Another common injury is to the spine. You know when a football player bends his head when tackling or blocking? This flexes the cervical spine and bypasses its shock absorbing capacities. The result is strain on the cervical spine and surrounding muscles.
Knee injuries and concussions are common in soccer. The uneven playing surface (and falling) may be to blame on the wear and tear on the knees. Obviously, the concussions can come from bouncing a soccer ball off one’s head.
How Do You Combat These Sports Related Injuries?
As with most things, education and good habits are a good place to start. It’s hard to believe in today’s hyper vigilant society but there was a time when football players didn’t wear helmets – oh right – they still don’t in rugby.
Obviously, making use of the protections available are good practices. So are mixing up the training styles so muscles don’t get over worked. However, the fact is, when you’re training 15+ hours a week, you’re putting a lot of pressure on your body.
Regular stretching will help prevent sports-related injuries as well as using good form. Both of these your student athletes should be getting at school.
However, chiropractic treatments can also keep your child in tip-top shape. The reason is because chiropractic care “puts back” what gets knocked out of alignment in sports practices and games. That relieves pain naturally because your bones and muscle tissue are where they need to be instead of one pushing up against the other.
Plus, keeping your body properly aligned can maximize your output because your immune system is boosted.
If your child is already suffering with a sports related injury, chiropractic care can help with immediate and long-term pain since it’s designed to focus on the spinal column which affects everything else in your body.
Dr. Jeff McQuaite is a Doylestown chiropractor conveniently located directly across from CB West. His warm and approachable style is sure to set your student athlete at ease. You can take advantage of his new patient special here.
One of the biggest chronic pains of the 21st century is neck and shoulder pain.
Frankly, it’s not surprising. Most of us spend hours a day hunched over computers and mobile devices. Compound that with sports injuries and/or other types of injuries (like whiplash) and it’s kind of amazing more of us don’t walk around like Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Three Ways to Ease Neck and Shoulder Pain
1. An ergonomic desk set up can help relieve shoulder and neck pain that’s brought about because of poor posture.
Think about it.
If you have a desk job, you probably hunch your shoulders and jut your neck out (sounds attractive doesn’t it?).
Fact is, that’s the typical computer posture and creates huge amounts of stress and tension in your upper body because your spine is out of alignment. This then comes as no surprise to find that some people may check out sites like SnackNation (if medical marijuana is the route worth taking), in the hopes of finding an alternative way of managing these pains. As CBD is said to help with chronic pain and various other ailments, this may be something worth considering, especially if the pains are showing no signs of improvements even after visiting a doctor.
This can cause great pain for some office workers. They decide to enjoy something similar to pure pulls to ensure that they can manage their pain effectively.
Good posture keeps your head (and neck) in a vertical position so your head, neck, and spine all flow together seamlessly. Just like a smooth river without any obstacles. If you sit with your neck jutting out, you’ve created an obstacle. Even though you may not feel it, your neck and spine now have to work harder to keep your head balanced.
Add rounded shoulders and upper back and you probably find you have lots of tension in your upper back.
All of it prevents oxygen from flowing freely through your body which means you feel more tired. It also causes neck and shoulder pain.
Getting regular chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, and an ergonomic desk set up will help you feel better. TMS & Brain Health in California deal with issues that people face in terms of mental and physical health, if you are a chronic pain sufferer checking them out to see if they can help you, may benefit your physical health.
2. Stretch – Take breaks throughout the day and incorporate some gentle stretching.
You don’t have to look like the office loony to feel benefits. Even simple shoulder and neck rolls can help loosen the knots in your upper back. Use a resistance band to help stretch your muscles. You can hold it in front of you with both hands and pull it gently – like taffy.
Next, hold it over your head and tug on either end so it stretches.
Combine those with checking your posture and straightening up throughout the day and you’ll be on your way to releasing tension and building strength.
3. Combine Chiropractic and Massage Therapy – The chiropractic treatments “puts everything back where it belongs” in terms of your bones, tissues and ligaments and the massage helps the re-acclimate to where they’re supposed to be so they stay put.
This usually takes a few sessions but some patients have said it made a huge difference.
Your Spine Is Designed to Move
Whether you bend, sit, or twist, your back (and everything it’s connected to) work together to make your movements happen.
Within the 26 bones that form your back are a maze of nerves, tissues, and ligaments that provide cushioning, support and flexibility.
When you think about it, it’s kind of amazing.
The cervical vertebrae are 7 bones that make up your neck. They can shift position a millimeter due to a fall or even repeated motion (like when you spend hours hunched over a computer) and when that happens, you can hurt!
Maybe it doesn’t seem like a big deal but when a bone is out of alignment – even the tiniest bit – it can press on an adjacent nerve. You’ve heard of something “getting on your nerves” – this is the literal manifestation.
If you suffer with chronic neck and shoulder pain, see your chiropractor about discovering the underlying cause. Maybe it stems from an old accident or it’s your current habits. Whichever it is, an Xray can take a “snapshot” of what’s going on in there and your chiropractor can recommend a treatment plan.
After all, aren’t you ready to feel good again?
If you’re Doylestown, Pa, Dr. Jeff McQuaite offers a new patient special. Stop in and feel the difference.
Neck pain can come in many forms. Stress, poor posture, even sleeping at an awkward angle can all affect how your neck feels.
A chiropractor for neck pain can help you find the reason for your chronic pain and work on healing it.
Here are a few of the reasons for neck pain:
Long hours sitting at a computer. Most people don’t realize they jut their heads out slightly which puts unusual pressure on your neck and shoulders. An ergonomic work area may be the solution.
Head bent over texting – A human head weighs about 8 pounds, that’s the weight of some bowling balls. You’ll reduce pressure on your neck and shoulders if you text with the phone at eye level rather than bent over it. It takes a little getting used to, but hey, you got used to texting in the first place, right?
Whiplash – If you’ve been in a car accident, you may suffer from whiplash. That’s the moment when your head is slung forward and back at a rapid rate and often happens upon impact in a car crash.
Your bed/pillow – Have you checked your pillows? If you’ve slept on the same pillows for years, mix it up with a different type. Try a firmer one or a softer one – opposite from what you’ve been using. Or, you might try a combination. One patient with neck pain uses a slightly firm pillow under a super soft one that supports her neck.
Injury – Sports can take their toll on your body and it’s pretty common to have neck pain especially from rough sports like football and soccer.
When you see a chiropractor for neck pain, you’ll experience relief from the pressure of your bones pressing on your nerves or muscles. The reason you have pain is due to inflammation and mis alignment. Your Doylestown chiropractor, Dr. Jeff McQuaite will Xray your neck area to determine the cause of your pain and prescribe a treatment plan.
If you ignore your neck pain, you may find yourself getting frequent headaches or feeling pain in other areas like your wrists or forearms. The reason is everything is connected. Since chiropractic treatments focus on realigning your spine — including your neck — it takes the pressure off neighboring nerves so you feel better.
Why not book an appointment with a chiropractor for neck pain and see how you can feel relief?
Bucks County is blessed with a wealth of good chiropractors. How do you find the right one for you and your family? Like any medical provider choosing the best chiropractor in the villages comes with a mix of skill, location/hours and personal “fit.”
How to Find a Chiropractor? Here are 5 Questions to Ask.
1 How long have you been practicing? In my case, I grew up in a chiropractor family. My father was a chiropractor, my sister and my brother-in-law. You can imagine the family conversations. Personally, I have over 20 years practicing here in Bucks County. That means I’ve had plenty of experience.
2 Do You take X-Rays before Recommending Treatment? Yes. An X-ray is a good starting point because it shows what’s going on inside your body. If you’re suffering from neck pain, an X-ray will give a close up view of your skeletal framework. This can show that a bone is pressing on a certain nerve or give insight into your posture. It is never a bad idea to get a second opinion, check out Sterling Heights Chiro if you’re interested.
That helps your chiropractor decide what chiropractic techniques will work best for you.
3 Do You take Continuing Ed Classes? Like everything, new information provides new insights and it’s important to keep up. I’ve taken courses in treating auto and work comp injuries, physiotherapy, nutrition, spinal decompression, pediatrics, exercise, sports rehab and chiropractic research.
The more I stay up-to-date, the more I can help you.
4 Do You Offer Payment Plans? Flexible payment plans are perfect if you’re not insured or your insurance doesn’t cover chiropractic care. Chiropractic care is an affordable health solution and we take cash, check and some credit cards.
We also have a very affordable “family” rate that allows any of your family members to receive regular care. That way, your family can feel better together.
5 Do You Take Insurance? Luckily, insurance companies are starting to recognize the benefits of chiropractic care. Studies show chiropractic care can save a bundle when it comes to preventive healthcare.
Now that it’s golfing season here in Bucks County, you may find yourself playing a round or two at The Bucks Club or Pinecrest or one of our many other local golf courses. If you’d like to improve your golf game – injury free – you may find preventative chiropractic care beneficial.
After all, it’s no fun to sit out golf rounds due to back pain.
It’s no surprise that golfers often experience back pain. Swinging a golf club at speed of 65 mph or more twists your body in an unnatural way. Most golfers go in for the “power swing” emulating the pros but they’re not in shape and don’t warm up well before hitting the green. Many people also use wedges. The combination sets you up for injury. It pulls your ligaments, tendons, and muscles in this area and can end your golfing career if you’re not careful.
You can golf as much as you want, so long as you are in shape and go to your chiropractor regularly. It’s now so easy for people to practice golf as well, as they can easily practice in their own homes using a golf simulator if they wanted. However, even though it’s now a lot easier to practice golf, the important thing is that you stay in shape so that you don’t cause an injury to yourself. You will want to make sure that you are in the best health every time to take a swing at a golf ball.
Not only are PGA golfers in better shape than most amateur golfers but Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, and 2015 Masters Champ Jordan Spieth all see chiropractors to prevent injury. It’s important that you do take care of yourself, just like Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk, and Jordan Spieth, as you will want to make sure that you can enjoy golfing as much as you can. It’s also important to take care of yourself if you are planning on going on a golfing holiday at some point in the future.
Why Chiropractic Care Can Ease Your Golf Back Pain and Improve Your Game
A 2009 study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine conducted a study with 43 golfers divided into random groups. One group practiced stretching exercises while the other group stretched and received chiropractic treatments.
After four weeks, the group who’d stretched and received chiropractic care were able to hit the ball farther faster than the group who’d only practiced the stretching exercises.
When you think about it, it makes sense. After all, regular chiropractic care keeps your body in alignment which helps your back and shoulders stay loose so you have greater range of movement. That means your body is ready to hit the ball faster. It also means you have less chance of experiencing “golf back pain” because your muscles aren’t too tight.
How It Works
Traditional chiropractic care – like that practiced by Dr. Jeff McQuaite – conducts Xrays first to see “what’s going on inside.” Those will show why you’re having pain. Often your muscles are out of alignment and pressing on nerves. Other times, bone can be rubbing against bone. Maybe you’ve got a slipped or herniated disc. There are many reasons why you could be in pain.
Once the problem is clear, he’ll perform a series of adjustments on your back, neck, and shoulder area to re-align your body and get you back on the golf course quickly.
In addition to regular chiropractic care, stretch your arms and shoulder well before you go out. A series of arm swings and a couple of sets of shoulder shrugs will help. After your round, take a few minutes and stretch again.
Take care of yourself so you can enjoy the Bucks County golf season. After all, winter will be here again before you know it.
Let me guess, you’re eager to experience natural pain relief and get off the roller coaster of meds.
Am I right?
Maybe your chronic pain hasn’t responded to prescription medication or you’d rather try a natural pain relief approach.
Chiropractic care may be the right fit for you. Recognized by millions of happy patients and venerable institutions like Harvard Health, regular chiropractic treatments can relieve your pain.
And it does it naturally.
Chronic pain like sciatica, carpal tunnel, or even headaches are caused by inflammation which is your body’s healing process. Basically, when you have pain, it’s your body sending you a message that there’s a problem.
Of course, your body also takes action to heal the pain.
Think back to the last time you had a paper cut. You know how it’s red and throbs around the cut? That’s your body’s white blood cells rushing in like the firefighters to save the day. Like the fireman will release the water hose on a burning building, your body releases chemicals to kill any potential infection. That works great in case of broken bones and yes, even paper cuts. After all, you don’t want to get a nasty parasite.
The problem comes when your body keeps dousing these chemicals in a troubled area. Then you get chronic inflammation which is problem that research indicates leads to serious health conditions like heart disease
Some people find that taking pain relief supplements could help ease the pain for a while but you probably don’t want to become reliant on them.
How Chiropractic Care Provides Natural Pain Relief
Chiropractic treatment has the goal of eliminating the causes of chronic pain because it’s your chiropractor’s job to keep your body in alignment. When your body is aligned, you’re not putting undue pressure on certain muscles or nerves.
Yet, your habits – posture, sitting, and even sleeping – can work against you and keep you in pain. Think about how many hours a day you spend hunched over a computer – that creates a huge amount of tension in your neck and shoulders.
No wonder you feel tense!
When your chiropractor adjusts your spine, he or she is putting quick pressure on specific vertebrae to help them return to their rightful place. That means the adjustment takes the pressure off your nerves so they aren’t screaming in pain.
Also called “spinal manipulation”, your chiropractor is careful to only adjust one spinal joint at a time while keeping the others still.
Whether you’re suffering from headaches, low back pain or other problems, regular chiropractic care can be the key to natural pain relief. Dr. Jeff McQuaite in Doylestown, Pa. treats children and adults. Have you seen his new patient special?
Should You Go with Chiropractic Care or Traditional Medicine?
Most people suffer with low back pain at some point in their lives. You’re probably one of them. Maybe you suffer from low back pain because you sit too long or you’ve had an injury. You might be coping OK after an injury but it’s still important to get help with the costs of your care by enlisting someone like this personal injury lawyer springfield il, if you’ve been injured by someone else. Then at least you have less to worry about as you handle your back pain. In some cases the back pain can be incredibly debilitating, rendering it painful to sit or stand for even short periods of time. From taking medication to ease the pain and seeing a chiropractor, to using something as simple as a meditation cushion for back pain, hopefully you find a solution to help manage these symptoms a lot better than before. It can be a lot of anyone to deal with, but it is important to know that there is pretty much a solution to anything you’re going through.
Back pain affects nearly everyone at some time. Ford Motors found employees� back pain cost the company $80-$90 million a year, mostly from disability payments.
It�s clear this is a problem.
If you�re suffering with low back pain, you may have tried steroid shots, loaded up on pain meds and you may be considering surgery. Yet, before you head into surgery, you may want to take a step back and review other options first. There�s mounting evidence that an integrated approach of massage, acupuncture and chiropractic care can help you faster and more effectively. Australia has so many great physiotherapists, Healthfix Physios in Sydney get you back to health faster, so if you are ever in Australia and fancy taking care of your body then they are the best people to get in contact with!
Even many doctors say back surgery typically takes weeks or months of recovery time and doesn�t often work.
On the other hand, a natural approach like chiropractic care can relieve your low back pain quickly and effectively. A recent study in the prestigious journal Spine reported that study participants experienced better results with chiropractic care for their low back pain. They could move easier and decreased their pain with the first treatment in some cases.
Traditional Medical Approach to Low Back Pain
The traditional approach is to recommend regular steroid shots. The idea is that the epidural steroid injections reduce inflammation. In some patients they work just fine. In others, they don�t work at all.
Sometimes, doctors recommend surgery. That�s a process that can leave you bedridden for weeks as you recover. And, it still doesn�t get rid of the pain.
An Integrated Approach
Meanwhile, evidence is piling up that for many patients, using acupuncture, massage and chiropractic treatments may offer more relief.
In a 2009 paper presented at a the Institute of Medicine Summit says healthcare saved millions on unnecessary back surgeries when people used chiropractic care.
In Doylestown, Pa, Dr. Jeff McQuaite treats patients with low back pain.
Crash! Do you hear the sounds of metal on metal or feel the impact of a car crash first? No matter which, a car accident can cause you to feel achy the next few days even if you’re not hurt. It can also jerk your neck severely which causes whiplash. It is one of many unfortunate side effects of being in a car accident.
Did you know long hours at the computer can hurt your neck? If you spend hours looking down at a monitor (rather than straight ahead) you’re putting 10-12 pounds of strain on your neck because that’s how heavy your head is. Imagine hanging a bowling ball (or two) around your neck, that’s the equivalent of what you’re doing when you spend hours looking down at a monitor.
What neck injury treatment will alleviate your pain? Massage can help and over the counter painkillers like Ibuprofen (in the short term). For long term pain relief, chiropractic treatment can reduce pain because your chiropractor will re align your spine (including your neck) which takes the pressure off nearby nerves.
How to Treat Your Neck Injury with Chiropractic Treatment
Here’s a sample visit with Dr. Jeff McQuaite in Doylestown. When you come in, he’ll ask you a few questions about your neck injury and conduct an X-ray. Based on the X-ray and your medical history, he’ll recommend a treatment plan.
See, chiropractic care re aligns your spinal column and often, the primary reason you’re dealing with neck pain in the first place is that bones and/or ligaments are out of alignment.
When your neck is jerked violently about, it strains your neck muscles and tendons creating a sprain. It can even lead to a “slipped disc” in your neck because the ligaments can be torn. All of this is as painful as it sounds. Your neck will be stiff and hurt.
Like Humpty Dumpty, chiropractic care will put you back to together again. Your chiropractic neck injury treatment will soothe inflamed tendons by removing the pressure on them and your chiropractor can make recommendations on care.
If your neck pain seems to stem from logging too many hours in front of the computer or you’re suffering with “text neck”, then look at your computer set up. You likely need a more ergonomic work space. Get that sorted to take the strain off your neck and get spinal adjustments will realign your neck, spine and arm.
Your chiropractor will work out a treatment plan for you so you get the care you need. Are you in the Doylestown area? Stop by and see Dr. Jeff Mcquaite, he has a great new patient plan.
Pain and lack of mobility are classic symptoms of a frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. One of the least understood shoulder conditions; it’s characterized by a persistent pain in the shoulder joint that gets worse over time and limits your mobility.
Exact cause perplexes medical professionals. What is known is that it primarily affects women over 40 and leaves you unable to carry on everyday activities easily. It also affects those with diabetes and a recent shoulder injury more than not.
In many cases, it starts as a persistent pain in the shoulder and over a period of several months, gets worse to the point that you lose the ability to rotate your arm or stretch it out. Eventually, it will “thaw” but it can take months.
Can You Prevent Frozen Shoulder Syndrome?
Gentle exercise can help prevent stiffness in your shoulders. Start small if you’re experiencing pain. For example, you can try raising your shoulders to your ears and back. If you can do that without pain, then try gentle shoulder rolls.
Simple movements like these can help keep your shoulder mobile and you can do them daily.
If you suffer from chronic neck pain do you know the reason why? Millions of Americans suffer from neck pain for all kinds of reasons from whiplash to spending too many hours hunched over a digital device.
You might be surprised at the way you can find neck pain relief. From gentle exercises to massage therapy and chiropractic care, there are a lot of options. However, to find pain relief and manage it well, you’ll want to get to the source of the pain.
Do you know why you have frequent neck pain?
One of the most common reasons you may suffer with neck pain is because you spend the majority of your hours hunched over a computer. If that’s the case, you may need a better ergonomic setup.
Another technological pain in the neck is “text neck”, looking down at your phone for long periods. If so, trying lifting the phone (and your head) so the device is eye level.
Is your head causing your neck pain? And no, I don’t mean you “made it up.” Merely, your head is heavy. It weighs between 10-12 pounds so if you’re bending it forward for hours at a time, that’s a lot of stress on both the tiny bones in your neck and the surrounding soft tissue. No wonder your neck aches!
3 Common Reasons for Neck Pain
Computer/devices (being bent over all the time stresses your neck and upper body as you can see above.)
Sleeping on a pillow that doesn’t support your neck. It can require a few different tries to find one that works for you but many people like the memory foam type pillows.
Poor posture contributes too. By now you may be seeing a pattern in the hunched shoulders with the head jutting forward problem. If you can train yourself to stand up straight, you’ll improve your posture and even your breathing since oxygen will be able to circulate easier in your body.
Let’s face it, a lot of our habits can contribute to on-going neck pain and sometimes it only takes a few simple tweaks to find relief.
For example, by adjusting your computer monitor to eye level and improving your posture, you’ll reduce some of the strain on your neck. Ice and health therapy can help too. Use ice for the first 24-48 hours followed by heat therapy. A heating pad or one of those microwaveable rice-filled pillows will work.
If you find yourself seeking neck pain relief often, then come in for a chiropractic evaluation. Chiropractic care can relieve neck pain and we can help you assess the source. If you’re in Doylestown, Pa, McQuaite Chiropractic can help. We offer consultations and take most insurance.
