By Dr. Robin Armstrong, Vancouver Chiropractor at Qi
It is an epidemic keeping workers off the job, increasing the strain on the medical system, and a contributing factor to depression. It’s low back pain. This might sound like the beginning of a ‘downer’ article but the good news is spinal manipulation, conventionally known as chiropractic, has been shown to be extremely effective in the management of acute (new) and chronic (old) low back pain.
Last year, the American College of Physicians published their clinical guidelines in the Annals of Internal Medicine regarding treatment of low back pain. They recommended the use of non-pharmacologic (without drugs) therapy with proven benefits. Top of the list for both acute and chronic low back pain, was spinal manipulation, or chiropractic adjustments.
Chiropractic has been studied time and time again and shown to be extremely effective at managing and treating the pain and dysfunction associated with low back pain.
Do you have questions about how you might benefit from chiropractic? Call our Vancouver office to ask.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Robin Armstrong - Chiropractic ~ Active Release Technique ~ Custom Foot Orthotics ~ Rehabilitative Exercise
Get Active - Older people can prevent heart flutters with light exercise
A recent study in Circulation Journal found that adults over the age of 65 can prevent atrial fibrillation - an irregular heart rythm- by light exercise.
Researchers followed 5,400 adults over 12 years, who entered the study without arrythmia in their heart. Those participants who reported walking at least 60 blocks per week were 45% less likely to be diagnosed with an irregular heart beat compared to those who walked less that 5 blocks per week.
Pace also played a role. People who walked at 3-5 kilometere per hour had a lower risk that those who walked more slowly. Interestingly, high intensity exercise didn’t lower the risk of atrial fibrillation.
The researchers concluded that walking at least 12 blocks per week at a modest pace (3km/hour) would prevent a quarter of all cases of atrial bibrillation.
More incentive for you or the people you love to get active and stay active. If you are considering starting a new exercise program, or feel held back by your current aches or injuries, our chiropractor may be able to help you get back to being active.
Happy Walking,
Dr. Armstrong, Kiem, Kelly, Peter, Francessca, Dr. Adataya, and Kelsey
By Dr. Robin Armstrong, Vancouver Chiropractor and Active Release Technique Provider
- Keep your feet flat on the floor or on a stool.
- Knees should be parallel to ground or slightly below parallel.
- Your low back should be supported with a cushion or built in support.
- Recline your chair to 100-110 degrees so that the chair starts to work for you, decreasing the work for the postural muscles and decreasing the pressure in the discs of the low back.
- To see if you are the correct distance from your screen, lean back in your chair, hold your right arm out horizontally, your middle finger should almost touch the centre of the computer screen.
- Your eyes should be in line with a point on the screen about 2-3” below the top on the monitor casing (not the screen).
- Elbows bent at, or greater, than 90 degrees.
- Upper arm and elbow are as close to body as possible.
- Wrist is as straight as possible when using mouse (not deviating from side to side).
- Head and neck are as straight as possible, no rotation, flexion, or extension required when in working position.
- Neutral shoulder position (not shrugged near ears).
- Centre yourself to the ‘B’ on the key board .
- And most importantly, take frequent breaks!
Wishing you a healthy workstation,
Your team at Qi Integrated Health: Dr. Armstrong, Kiem, Francessca, Dr. Adatya, Kelly, Peter
Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis. It causes biochemical changes that may contribute to the destruction of joints, a team of U.S. researchers has found.
The work,done in mice, show that compounds produced when mice process pain signals from injured joints may damage cartilage, the tough elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones.
Until relatively recently, doctors and researchers believed the breakdown of cartilage that causes osteoarthritis was solely the result of wear and tear and part of the aging process.
Researchers used genetically engineered mice to learn more about the interleukin 1 beta chemical’s role in osteoarthritis. When they turned up the production of the chemical in the jaws of animals with the disease, they found higher levels in the pain processing centre of the spinal chord as well.
When they turned up levels of the chemical in their spines, they detected a corresponding spike in the injured joints. This suggests there is “crosstalk” between the spine and the joint.
When the researchers shut down this signalling pathway with drugs, both the pain and the arthritis went away, perhaps because pain normally triggers the release of other chemicals that cause inflammation. If inflammation had continued unabated, it might have led to further joint damage, researchers speculated.
With the inflammatory process halted “the joint had a chance to heal.”
Early pain treatment could have a beneficial effect and perhaps limit damage in potentially arthritic joints. Chiropractic, accupuncture, massage therapy, and natural remedies can all help you deal with pain and inflammation naturally. You can avoid the long term side effects of pain on the joint, and know that you are using safe, non-invasive treatments to achieve it.
Healthy News from your Qi Interated Health Team,
Dr.Armstrong, Kiem, Peter, Francesca, Kelly and Dr.Adatya.
Researchers have found a possible link between the use of the pain medication acetaminophen (sold as Tylenol) in early childhood and the later development of asthma, nasal allergies and eczema.
For the study, the researchers asked parents or guardians of children aged 6 to 7 to complete a questionnaire.They were asked if the children were given acetaminophen-based medications and whether the kids later developed asthma or other symptoms.
The results revealed that children who received acetaminophen for the treatment of fever in the first year of life were, on average, 46 per cent more likely to develop asthma by the age of 6 or 7, compared with infants not given the medication.
What’s more, the use of acetaminophen during the first year was associated with a boost in the risk of rhinoconjunctivitis (nasal allergies) by 48 per cent and eczema (a skin condition) by 35 per cent.
The risks were highest among those children who were treated the most frequently with acetaminophen.
Substituting another over the counter medication such as Aspirin would not be appropriate as this has been linked to a condition known as Reye’s Syndrome.
Alternatives to over the counter medication such as traditional Chinese medicine, or homeopathic remedies from your naturopath may be a more viable alternative to help bring down fever or relieve pain by treating the source of the problem.
Call the clinic and ask about our pediatric treatments. Depending on your child’s condition we will direct you towards the appropriate practitioner. All our practitioners have additional training in treating children (chiropractic, traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathic medicine and massage therapy).
Healthy News from your Qi Interated Health Team,
Dr.Armstrong, Kiem, Kelly, Dr. Adatya, Francesca, and Peter
*Only stretch when you are warm - either after your run or after a warm up of 5-10 minutes. Hold each stretch for at least thirty seconds, and always stretch both sides.*
The Gas Pedal
To stretch the calf muscles (gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis posterior, flexor hallucis, and flexor digitorum), go to a wall. Lift your toes up and move your heel closer to the wall so that your fore foot is pressing into the wall like you press into a gas pedal, keeping your leg straight. Let the acceleration take hold and lean your body into the wall until you feel a stretch in the back of your calf. The gastocnemius muscle is the largest of the calf muscles, the closest to the surface and the only muscle to cross the knee. To take the gastrocnemius out of the equation and go deeper into the calf, bend your knee with your foot and body in the same position.
The Curler
In many of us, our hip flexor muscles (namely psoas major and minor, rectus femoris of the quadriceps, and sartorius) become quite tight due to all of the sitting during our days. If we are also runners, the hip flexors come into play with every stride as we bring one leg forward, and the other must extend back. If we have limitations in our hip flexors, we may have limitations in the length of our stride. To stretch the hip flexor group step forward into a lunge with one leg, allowing the rear leg to trail, imagining gliding along the ice as you throw your curling rock (my apologies to readers outside of Canada, for more information on what the heck I am talking about see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling). Allow your pelvis to sink towards the earth but keep the hip points of your pelvis pointing forward.
Thread the Needle
In runners, the muscles of gluteus area (buttock) have a very important function. Since running requires you to repeatedly stand on one leg during the stride, the glute group provides stability to the hip joint and pelvis, enabling the pelvis to stay level and provide balance to your stride. Lying on your back with both knees bent, feet flat on the floor, pick up your left foot and cross it over the right thigh just below the knee (when looking at your thigh). Using your hands or a strap/belt/tie reach through the hole, like thread through a needle eye, wrapping around the right thigh and pull the thigh towards you. Keep your head relaxed on the earth and energetically (i.e. without using your hands) imagine your left hip opening and your shin moving towards perpendicular to your right thigh.
The ITB Curtsey
The Iliotibial Band (ITB) is a band of connective tissue that runs from your hip to your knee. It has a close relationship with the outside quadricep muscle of the thigh as well as the gluteus muscles of the hip. In runners, the ITB can come under tesion due to the repeated flexion and extension of the knee and hip, which can sometimes lead to friction between the ITB and the underlying muscles or bone. To lengthen the right ITB, begin your curtsey by stepping your right leg behind your left. Hitch your right hip out to the right to deepen the stretch. You may also incorporate a side stretch by reaching overhead with your right hand, away from your right hip, opening into the Quadratus Lumborum muscle of the trunk.
The Rubber Ankle
There are a number of muscles in the front and side of the shin that are involved in the running gait. As we run our foot moves from eversion (outward facing of the sole) to inversion (inward facing of the sole) as well as pronation (ankle shifting inward) to supination (ankle shifting outward). To stretch into the outside of the shin, sitting with legs extended, reach down from the inside of the foot and wrap your fingers around the outside of your foot. Using your hand, move the foot so that the sole is facing inward stretching into the outside of the shin. To add a stretch into the front of the shin, point the toes lengthening the muscles of the front compartment (tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum, extensor hallucis).
Happy Running! - From Dr. Armstrong, Kiem, Peter, Kelly, Dr. Adataya, and Francessca - your team at Qi Integrated Health.
Canada’s Physical Activity Guide recommends 60 minutes of physical activity every day to stay healthy or improve your health. This can include everyday activities like light walking, easy gardening or stretching! As you progress to moderate activities like brisk walking, swimming or biking, it is recommended to do atleast 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week. Staying active is a great way to improve your health and decrease your stress! It does wonders for your circulatory system, lungs, joints, bones and posture.For more information, please see Canada’s Physical Activity Guide at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/pau-uap/paguide/index.html