Category Archives: Prevention of Back Pain

Mar 27

Prevent back pain in the garden this Spring

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Prevent back pain in the garden this spring by Olivia O Leary D.C BSc Hons Chiropractic

If you are like many of our clients at Gorey Family Chiropractic you may have been trying to get out after the winter to start the spring planting, cut the grass or tidy up after a long winter.

Now that SpringPrevent back pain sunshine has finally arrived in Wexford here are a few tips from our chiropractors at Gorey Family Chiropractic to help make your spring gardening and DIY safe, healthy and enjoyable. However if like some people you are office or car bound by week and therefore a bit of a  weekend warrior type a few precautions to avoid back pain or other injury may be helpful!

I have noticed here in practice that a long winter restricts some client’s physical activity levels often leading to spinal stiffness and lack of physical condition. This lack of exercise can lead to our back’s, hips and muscles becoming stiff and weaker over the winter. So if you also sit at a desk all week and then attack some vigorous gardening all in the one go, it may unfortunately become a a recipe for disaster!

We can end up using muscles and joints and neural pathways that have barely moved all week and are not used to extended periods of physical activity. Another common problem of  trying to do everything all at once also may leave you exhausted, sore and fed up. There’s a better way!

Give these handy back friendly tips a try:

1.     MPrevent back pain in the Garden with Gorey Family Chiropractorake sure you have all the correct tools and equipment you need before you start. This makes sure you are adequately equipped and avoids unnecessary back or muscle strain due to lack of correct equipment for the task in hand just when you are in the middle of something.

 

2.     Do some stretching or warming up before you begin. This may seem silly but it gets your muscles and joints moving and prepares them for the activities to follow. It’s a well known fact that stretching helps flexibility and helps prevent injury so take a little time to give your body a chance to warm up.

3.    If yoPrevent back pain in the garden this springu are tackling a big job break it down. Make sure you allow yourself time for regular breaks every half hour to hour which is particularly important also with tasks that are repetitive like weeding hoeing. Back pain is often triggered by repetitive hoeing or weeding without a taking a break. A break may be 2 or 3 minutes to sit down or to do some stretching if you feel stiff.

 

4. Using the right moves can go along way to enabling you to plant and rake without the ache. Positioning your body correctly reduces strain on muscles and joints. Remember to keep you back straight and bend your knees. When weeding try to use a mat to ease knee joint pressure.

5.    Drink plenty of water.  Keeping hydrated helps muscles, joints, nerves and our brains to keep functioning well.
6.    Get help. For bigger jobs or those involving heavy lifting make sure you have some help to avoid back pain.  Having help makes lifting safer for your back and quicker to complete the bigger tasks.
7.    Actions such as digging, raking and sweeping which involve bending and twisting at the same time can place a lot of pressure on the joints muscles and discs of the lower back. If there is already some instability in these structures it can increase your risk of damage, so be extra careful with these movements.
8.    Think about your Maintenance! Come in and get your spine , muscles and nerve function checked and treated if necessary by our Gorey Family Chiropractic team BEFORE beginning your next project to help your  stability, function and strength and decrease your chances of back pain or other aches and pains.

GOREY FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC: SUPPORTING YOUR RECOVERY, MAINTAINING RECOVERY AND PREVENTING INJURY

Our specialist Chiropractic team are trained and hold extensive experience both in Ireland and the U.K  in the diagnosis and treatment of back pain, neck pain, nerve and disc disorders as well as treating and managing sports injuries and conditions like osteoarthritis.

On site x ray is offered and for your convenience all of our Gorey Family Chiropractic team are registered with VHI, Glo, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers including the GAA Scheme.

For further information contact info@chiropractor.ie or call 053 94 83338.

Mar 18

Prevent back pain in the garden this spring

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Prevent back pain in the garden this spring by Olivia O Leary D.C BSc Hons Chiropractic

If you are like many of our clients at Gorey Family Chiropractic you may have been trying to get out after the recent storms to start the spring planting, cut the grass or tidy up after the storm damage.

Now that SpringPrevent back pain weather has finally arrived in Wexford here are a few tips from our chiropractors at Gorey Family Chiropractic to help make your spring gardening and DIY safe, healthy and enjoyable. However if like some people you are office or car bound by week and therefore a bit of a  weekend warrior type a few precautions to avoid back pain or other injury may be helpful!

We notice here at at the Clinic that the recent weather conditions haven’t helped back related matters with lot’s of clients struggling to get normal exercise done. This is also coming off the back of the winter where many people get precious little outdoor exercise at all. This lack of exercise can lead to our back’s, hips and muscles becoming stiff and weaker over time. So if you also sit at a desk all week and then attack some vigorous gardening all in the one go, it may unfortunately become a a recipe for disaster!

We can end up using muscles and joints and neural pathways that have barely moved all week and are not used to extended periods of physical activity. Another common problem of  trying to do everything all at once also may leave you exhausted, sore and fed up. There’s a better way!

Give these handy back friendly tips a try:

1.     Make sure you have all the correct tools and equipment you need before you start. This makes sure you are adequately equipped and avoids unnecessary back or muscle strain due to lack of Prevent back pain in the Garden with Gorey Family Chiropractorcorrect equipment for the task in hand just when you are in the middle of something.
2.     Do some stretching or warming up before you begin. This may seem silly but it gets your muscles and joints moving and prepares them for the activities to follow. It’s a well known fact that stretching helps flexibility and helps prevent injury so take a little time to give your body a chance to warm up.
3.    If you are tackling a big job break it down. Make sure you allow yourself time for regular breaks every half hour to hour which is particularly important also with tasks that are repetitive like weeding hoeing. Back pain is often triggered by repetitive hoeing or weeding without a taking a break. A break may be 2 or 3 minutes to sit down or to do some stretching if you feel stiff.

Prevent back pain in the garden this spring

4. Using the right moves can go along way to enabling you to plant and rake without the ache. Positioning your body correctly reduces strain on muscles and joints. Remember to keep you back straight and bend your knees. When weeding try to use a mat to ease knee joint pressure.

5.    Drink plenty of water.  Keeping hydrated helps muscles, joints, nerves and our brains to keep functioning well.
6.    Get help. For bigger jobs or those involving heavy lifting make sure you have some help to avoid back pain.  Having help makes lifting safer for your back and quicker to complete the bigger tasks.
7.    Actions such as digging, raking and sweeping which involve bending and twisting at the same time can place a lot of pressure on the joints muscles and discs of the lower back. If there is already some instability in these structures it can increase your risk of damage, so be extra careful with these movements.
8.    Think about your Maintenance! Get your spine , muscles and nerve function checked and treated if necessary by our Gorey Family Chiropractic team BEFORE beginning your next project to help your  stability, function and strength and decrease your chances of back pain or other aches and pains.

GOREY FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC: SUPPORTING YOUR RECOVERY, MAINTAINING RECOVERY AND PREVENTING INJURY

Our specialist Chiropractic team are trained and hold extensive experience both in Ireland and the U.K  in the diagnosis and treatment of back pain, neck pain, nerve and disc disorders as well as treating and managing sports injuries and conditions like osteoarthritis.

On site x ray is offered and for your convenience all of our Gorey Family Chiropractic team are registered with VHI, Glo, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers including the GAA Scheme.

For further information contact info@chiropractor.ie or call 053 94 83338.

Sep 03

Back to School Without Back Pain

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Gorey-Family-Chiropractic-Clinic-300x199-1As we return to school this week, what school bag has you or your child chosen? The correct choice can encourage good spinal health and minimise strain on your child’s developing spine.

It may be easy to overlook the significance of some of the necessary choices such as school bags and footwear and how this can affect a child’s developing body and spine not only in terms of an aching back from a heavy school bag but sometimes more seriously affecting their concentration, learning and overall brain function.

How does that work? Well, a school bag that is too heavy, too big or too small and/or carried incorrectly can cause postural changes that place irritation throughout the spine and nervous system (which includes the brain and spinal cord) causing symptoms including back pain in children.

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Leaning to the side to balance a shoulder bag creates unnatural curves in the spine which potentially causes childhood & adolescent back pain

Leaning forward to manage the excess weight and size places pressure on still developing spinal bones (vertebrae). Repeatedly carrying a bag on one shoulder only causes a sideways shift in the body leading to scoliosis (curvature of the spine) which as a condition can cause difficulty in breathing and can in some cases cause chronic back pain.

Forward head posture can also occur, placing strain on the nerves supplying the arms, chest and lungs and also on the brain stem, which controls a large number of bodily and cognitive functions.

Researchers have found that the weight carried in back packs is often 30 to 40% of a child’s body weight despite recommendations that schoolbags should not exceed 10-15%. In a recent study it was found that children carrying bags weighing more than 10% of their body weight have been found to have poorer lung function.

 SCHOOL BAG GUIDELINES

•    Make sure that the back pain has wide padded adjustable straps.
•    A bag with individualised compartments helps distribute the weight of the contents more effectively.
•    Urge your child to carry the bag on both shoulders.
•    Make sure the backpack weighs no more than 10% of the weight of your child when full.
•    The back pack should be carried on both shoulders fitted snugly against the back rather than hanging off it. This means it shouldn’t hang more than 4 inches below the waistline of your child whilst on.

•    Encourage your child to adopt and upright posture rather than a rounded shoulder one and urge caution removing and putting on backpacks. Keep the trunk of your body stable and avoid excessive twisting to avoid back strain and back pain.

 Warning signs for parents to look out for:

  • Changes in posture when wearing the backpack, leaning forward etc,
  • Struggling when putting on or taking off the backpack;
  • Complaining of back, neck or shoulder pain (please don’t ignore complaints of back pain in your children. It is NOT just growing pains and should be taken seriously and assessed properly)
  • Neurological signs such as tingling and numbness in the arms and hands, or headaches.
  • Red marks on the shoulders

Keeping an eye on your child’s school bag and watching out for early warning signs of developing back pain or back problems can help your child to have a successful and happy year this year and every year in school.

If you have any concerns about your child’s bag, back pain or any unexplained pains that your child is complaining about, please free to consult one of our specialist Chiropractic Association of Ireland team for a thorough professional evaluation and assessment.

Our Gorey Family Chiropractic Team are covered by VHI, Aviva, Laya and other Irish Insurers as well as under the GAA scheme. For an assessment please contact 053 94 83338 or alternatively email an enquiry to info@chiropractor.ie

Mar 14

5 Tips to Keep your Spine Healthy

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by Olivia O Leary D.C BSc Hons

Learn simple tips to keep your back happy and healthy.

Up to 90 percent of the Irish population will suffer back pain at some point in their lives. A little preventive effort could go a long way to reducing your chances of suffering from debilitating back pain.The team at Gorey Family Chiropractic provide comprehensive care and education concerning the back, muscles, nerves and joints allowing you to enjoy life to the fullest.

These nerves, muscles and ligaments from your spine provide support to your entire body, which is why a healthy back is so important to your overall health & wellbeing.

5 spine-healthy tips

1. Practice good posture by standing, walking, sitting, lifting and lying in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments.

2. Maintain a weight that is appropriate for your height and frame.

3. Take part in strength, stretch and aerobic programs to improve your fitness level, make you more resistant to injury, and speed recovery if you are injured.

4. Wear shoes that are well balanced, flexible and comfortable or supplement your shoes with custom made Orthotics to improve alignment from the feet up if your arches are fallen.

5. Stop smoking, as smokers experience more spine pain and heal more slowly.

 

Gorey Family Chiropractic; Here to Support your Recovery

Feel free to contact our Gorey Family Chiropractic Clinical Team at info@chiropractor.ie or 053 94 83338 if you are an existing patient with any questions or if you are a new patient with neck, low back pain, sciatica or disc problems seeking diagnosis and treatment.

For your convenience all our clinical team is registered with VHI, Glo, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients of Gorey Family Chiropractic to claim reimbursement from a wide range of Private Health Insurers. We are also covered under the GAA Injury Scheme.

Opening Hours Mon 8-7, Tues 9-5, Wed 8-7, Thurs 9-5, Fri 8-7

 

Feb 27

How to Lift Correctly to Avoid Injuring Your Back

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by Olivia O Leary D.C BSc Hons Chiropractic

One of the most frequent topics we regularly cover with our patient’s  in the treatment room at Gorey Family Chiropractic as well as in the Spinal Health Class is how to lift correctly. Correct lifting technique really is essential in preventing back pain as well as facilitating a recovery from back injuries.

A few simple steps and you will dramatically cut down the chances of hurting your back whilst lifting.

Correct Lifting Technique:

Start in a safe position

Before you lift a heavy object, think through your task. Decide where you’ll place the object and how you’ll get it there. If an object is too heavy to lift safely, find somebody to help you.

To lift an object from the floor, stand as close to the object as possible. Then kneel, resting one knee on the floor. Don’t lift from a standing position with your waist bent or your knees locked.

Maintain the natural curve in your lower back

With one knee resting on the floor, tighten your core muscles — including the muscles in your abdomen, back and pelvis — and lift the object between your legs. Maintain the natural curve in your lower back, and don’t hold your breath. Be careful to hold the object close to your body. Rest the object on your knee as you prepare to stand.

Use your legs
As you stand, maintain the natural curve in your lower back and keep your core muscles tight. Use your leg muscles — not your back — to lift the object.

Let your legs do the work
As you stand, be careful to hold the object close to your body. Maintain the natural curve in your lower back, and keep your core muscles tight. Use your leg muscles — not your back — to lift the object.

Do’s and Don’ts of Safe Lifting

  •  Tuck in the chin to keep the back as straight as possible while lifting.
  •  Lift with the strong leg muscles.
  •  Ask for help with the heavy, awkward items.
  •  When possible, use mechanical equipment to move heavy items.

Don’t

  •   Use your back muscles to do lifting.
  •   Try to lift an item that is too heavy or awkward.
  •   Twist your body while carrying an object.

 

Gorey Family Chiropractic Spinal Health Class

If you are one of our existing Client’s, have you been for your complimentary Spinal Health Class at the practice? Filled with information to help you make a faster recovery and maintain your back in good shape  in the longer term it covers everything from lifting postures to exercises to mattresses. If you haven’t been it runs every fortnight at the practice  on a Monday or Wednesday evening after clinic finishes. If you haven’t been you’re missing out!

For your convenience all of our Chiropractic team are registered with VHI, Aviva and Laya Healthcare allowing clients claim reimbursement from a wide range of private healthcare Insurance providers.

Opening hours Mon 8-7, Tues 9-5, Wed 8-7, Thurs 9-5, Frid 8-7

For further information on the above topic or to make an appointment feel free to contact Gorey Family Chiropractic Clinic on 053 94 83338 or email us at info@chiropractor.ie