Blog
Become a Better Tennis Player with Chiropractic
Tennis is one of the best sports for improving physical fitness with a low risk for injury
That being said, some studies estimate that up to 65% of players will still suffer some form of injury in a given year. These injuries are primarily due to repetitive trauma: because you perform the same motions over and over, certain parts of your body receive more stress than others. And while local injuries are bound to occur, this repetitive trauma can also have systemic repercussions; the repetitive movements involved in tennis can cause muscular imbalances and misalignment in the spine. At Bay Area Spine Care Office, we focus on repetitive injury prevention and body balance to help tennis players feel their best on the court.
The Posture Game: Protecting your Spine During the Information Age
Does your posture change with the times?
At Bay Area Spine Care Office, we argue that posture is more important than ever. With more people transitioning into white collar jobs, and more entertainment options shifting onto screens, the importance of posture has taken on a new significance. There is no disputing that as a whole, Americans are more sedentary than ever; we live in an age that is conducive to inactivity. And while 21st century lifestyles remain brutal for the spine, it is awareness that is the make or break factor. You have the power to take control of your posture and use it to establish a culture of spinal health and wellbeing in your own life.
Spinal Disorders are Fitness Disorders
When back pain interferes with fitness
While your spinal joints might not be what they were when you were young, you don’t have to accept back pain as a foregone fitness conclusion. But the solution is certainly not to ignore it! Far too many people choose to just grin and bear workout-related back pain. From taking anti-inflammatories, to religiously using ice and heat, they will go to lengths to ease the pain, but never question the true source of their pain. Lack of alignment in the spine is a signal contributor to fitness-related back pain. The spinal and postural disorders which develop as a result of poor alignment can influence your workout by causing pain and altering the biomechanical way in which you exercise.
Become a Better Golfer with Chiropractic
Chiropractic understands the unique biomechanical demands of golf
Many people write off the sport of golf as a fitness nonentity. In reality, it is a much more involved sport than it seems, as it provides a completely unique mix of movements that presents both benefits and challenges for your spine. From a physical perspective, golf is a sport of twists and turns, bends and bobs, all of which provide gentle conditioning for the moving parts of the body. Depending on the type of player you are, it is also a sport in which you carry a heavy bag on and off for long distances. It is no wonder there is a high incidence of back pain in the golf community- read on to find out about the challenges facing golfers and how we help at Bay Area Spine Care Office.
Increasing Productivity the Natural Way
What does “crunch time,” mean for your spine?
The first thing that goes out the window when we put our nose to the grindstone is awareness of our spinal health. Our posture goes to pieces; tension begins to accumulate in our muscles; in the end, all that matters is meeting the deadline. We may reach the deadline, but what did we sacrifice in the process? Walking away from work, reeling with muscle spasms and neck pain, we ask ourselves: is there a better way of going about this? The answer is yes, and it starts with the simple concept of comfort.
Tight Hip Flexors Wreak Havoc with your Posture
Sit-heavy lifestyles result in weak glutes and tight hip flexors
Among the myriad ill-effects of sitting too much, weak glutes and tight hip flexors are two linked factors that cause the problems you feel first. We often treat people whose spinal health is compromised at its very base; weak glutes and tight hip flexors harm spinal health in the following ways:
- Compromise spinal stability and contribute to pelvic misalignment
- Increase the pressure on the lower back by weakening the spine’s supportive network of muscles.
- Contributes to muscular imbalance which can pull the spine out of alignment
- Make maintaining good posture difficult, if not impossible.
The Many Problems Caused by Pinched Nerves
The insidious nature of pinched nerves
Pinched nerve is a blanket term that refers to many types of radiculopathy, the scientific term for irritation or injury of a nerve that causes feelings of pain, numbness, tingling and weakness. Radiculopathy occurs near the root of the nerve, where it exits from the spinal cord. When muscles, bones, cartilage or tendons impinge upon the nerve, pain and dysfunction is a likely outcome. A further facet of radiculopathic pain is that it radiates; it can be felt in other parts of the body than its origin.
Searching for Signs of Spinal Misalignment
Your spine is made to move
It is a conglomerate of spinal motion segments, each with a subtly different role in aiding your body’s movement. But the important part is that your spine is made for movement, something for which it rarely gets enough credit. Yes it is a stabilizing force, but that stabilization is essential to life- the lumbar vertebrae work to support the weight of the upper body and prevent excessive movement from causing injury. Likewise, the cervical vertebrae provide for range of motion in the head and neck, while stabilizing the weight of the head in relation to the rest of the body. The thoracic vertebrae, for their part, are important influencers in the upper body’s range of motion, including: flexion, extension and rotation.
A Case of the Mondays Solved by Massage
Massage is powerful
Massage, and more specifically massage therapy, is a very broad term that refers to myriad methods which aim to provide the same end benefit: mental and physical relaxation. The art, and science, of massage involves manipulating soft tissues and muscles with various motions and varying pressure, in order to:
- Release tension from the muscles
- Improve circulation to reduce muscular pain
- Boost immunity to fight off illness and injury
But there is also a mental health benefit; a professional and experienced set of hands in a peaceful setting can do wonders in terms of soothing away anxiety. Many of our patients report a calming effect that lasts for days after the massage, helping them sleep better and recoup more natural energy.
Posture is Power: Make it Your Health Ally
Why we put posture first
Posture underpins everything we do at Bay Area Spine Care Office. It´s role in wellness is essential and as such, your posture is indicative of your spinal health. That´s why every new person we meet receives a full physical examination that evaluates:
- Balance
- Range of motion
- Movement
- Posture
Static postural analysis helps us determine your postural shortcomings including deviations and compensations in the musculature which can contribute to spinal degeneration and pain. Once we have a clear picture of how your posture is influencing your spinal health, we tailor it down to your particular lifestyle: are you seated most of the day, working at a computer; are you on your feet, bending over frequently? Your lifestyle determines your posture, yes; but your posture determines how you feel as a result of your lifestyle.