Tag Archives: how to correct posture

Jun 12

6 Exercises you need to know for neck pain

Posted on by

6 Exercises you need to know for neck pain by Olivia O’ Leary D.C BSc Hons Chiropractic

Doing regular of exercise is important for so many reasons, but in this situation let’s look at how it can help the neck. Our necks do an an often underrated, difficult job, holding up and back our heads, which in itself weighs a little bit more than a bowling ball. This job becomes increasingly harder if we spend our days at a computer or in the car or carry ourselves badly letting our head sit out in front of our neck.

Getting the right exercises done will help keep the head over the neck and help get the shoulders back into correct position. Getting your stabilising neck muscles stronger helps to support the spine and helps reduces stress to the static structures like the discs and the facet joints which can’t get escape the postural strain otherwise.  Doing these exercises regularly can go a lot of the way to preventing neck pain and if you suffer from neck pain, it’s all the more important to take the pressure off your neck  by helping to support and strengthen the neck muscles. If you have an existing neck problem it is prudent to mention that these exercises must be done at the appropriate time of recovery and seek advice if you are not certain.

1. Chin Tuck
neck pain exercises gorey family chiropracticThe Chin Tuck can help reverse forward-head posture by strengthening the neck muscles.
This exercise can be done sitting or standing. Start with your shoulders rolled back and down. While looking straight ahead, place two fingers on your chin, slightly tuck your chin and move your head back (image at left). Hold for 3-5 seconds and then release. Repeat 10 times.

Tip: The more of a double chin you create, the better the results:-)) Try to do 15-20 repetitions holding for 10 seconds.

2. Wall Angel
Stand witexercises to improve postureh your back against a flat wall with your feet about four inches from the base. Maintain a slight bend in your knees. Your muscles in your backside, (the glutes), spine and head should all be against the wall.

Bring your arms up with elbows bent so your upper arms are parallel to the floor and squeeze your shoulder blades together, forming a letter “W” (image at left). Hold for 3 seconds.
Next, straighten your elbows to raise your arms up to form the letter “Y.” Make sure not to shrug your shoulders to your ears. Repeat this 10 times, starting at “W,” holding for 3 seconds and then raising your arms into a “Y.” Do 2-3 sets.

3. Doorway Stretch

6 exercises to reverse bad postureThis exercise loosens those tight chest muscles!
Standing in a doorway, lift your arm so it’s parallel to the floor and bend at the elbow so your fingers point toward the ceiling. Place your hand on the doorjamb.

Slowly lean into your raised arm and push against the doorjamb for 7-10 seconds. Relax the pressure and then press your arm against the doorjamb again, this time coming into a slight lunge with your legs so your chest moves forward past the doorjamb for 7-10 seconds (image at left). Repeat this stretch two to three times on each side.

4. Hip Flexor Stretch

6 exercises to reverse bad postureKneel onto your right knee with toes down, and place your left foot flat on the floor in front of you.
Place both hands on your left thigh and press your hips forward until you feel a good stretch in the hip flexors.
Contract your abdominals and slightly tilt your pelvis back while keeping your chin parallel to the floor (image at left). Hold this pose for 20-30 seconds, and then switch sides.
The next two exercises require a resistance band: easily got off the girls at reception or order online:-))

5. The X-Move
posture exercises gorey family chiropracticThis exercise helps strengthen your upper back muscles, especially the ones between your shoulder blades (the rhomboids).
Sit on the floor with your legs extended forward. Place the middle of the resistance band around the bottom of your feet and cross one side over the other to form an “X”.
Grasp the ends of the band with your arms extended in front of you.
Pull the ends of the band toward your hips, bending your elbows so they point backward (image at left). Hold and slowly return. Do 8-12 repetitions for three sets.

6. The V-Move

YMoveAccording to a 2013 by the Scandinavian Society of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, performing this simple resistance band exercise 2 minutes a day, five times a week, will significantly decrease your neck and shoulder pain and improve your posture.
While standing, stagger your feet so one is slightly behind the other. Grasp the handles, or the ends, of the resistance band and lift your arms upward and slightly outward away from your body about 30 degrees.
Keep a slight bend in your elbows. Stop at shoulder level; hold and return.
Make sure to keep your shoulder blades down and back straight. Repeat this exercise for 2 minutes each day, five days a week.
Well done :-))
If you have existing, ongoing upper back, neck pain or headaches as well as poor posture, you may need or benefit from  consulting with your chiropractor or other appropriately qualified spinal health care professional before taking on exercises programme with your back on your own. In reality you may need assessment to diagnose what particular type of problem you have and be given exercises and possibly treatment specific to your own circumstances. If in any doubt feel free to call or email our clinic, where one of our friendly team would be delighted to advise you.

For your convenience all of our clinical 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

T : 053 94 83338  or alternatively email info@chiropractor.ie.

Gorey Family Chiropractic Clinic, Railway Road, Gorey, Co Wexford.

Mar 27

Prevent back pain in the garden this Spring

Posted on by

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.