Exam study…it’s exam time again for VCE students, university students and high schoolers. As a chiropractor who has done 5 plus years of university study and copious number of exams, Dr Shaun from Waverley Chiropractic Centre has a wealth of knowledge on studying. Here are 5 simple tips to keep you in tip top shape during the exam period.
A few simple tips to get you through:
1. Stay active. Break up your study with a bit of exercise. Go for a walk, a quick run or dance around the house (not recommended if studying in the library)
2. Good posture. Maintain good posture to help relieve tension that builds up. A firm seat with good lumbar support or a small cushion. Feet slightly raised off the ground on a small box/platform and your desk slightly angled up towards you.
3. Keep your spine aligned. Keeping your spine and nervous system functioning well is key. A chiropractic adjustment may help sort out some tension you are feeling. A good functioning nervous system may keep you sharp during study and exams.
4. Regular breaks. 40-45 minutes of study is ideal with a 10-15 minute break. It will keep you focused and more efficient with your study.
Poor posture due to excessive screen time is a contributing factor to neck pain. To illustrate that point, on the weekend I was at a local park with the kids not from the chiropractic clinic in Mount Waverley. A family group of two young kids, parents and a grand parent came walking across the park and sat on a park bench. I initially thought that’s nice to see the whole family unit outside enjoying the park.
Unfortunately they then proceeded to spend the next 20 minutes
on their phones or devices looking down playing games etc! We had to leave so I’m
not sure how long they were out in this wonderful park playing on their
electronic devices. How sad!
Family enjoying a local park…all on their phones!
Neck pain and poor posture often go hand in hand. With the
increased use of electronic devices and screen time people of all ages are
getting into static, hunched, forward head positions for long periods of time, resulting
in increased muscle tension and tightness in the joints of the neck and upper
back. What’s called ‘Tech Neck’ these days.
Part of the problem is that we aren’t getting outside as
much as we used to. Kids are stuck inside on their devices and unfortunately
looking for adults for inspiration is no good as they are also head down on their
devices.
As a chiropractor this is what we are up against. Hours of
screen time leading to poor posture, neck pain, headaches, upper back pain etc.
Tech neck and even worse ‘Digital Dementia’ where the brain doesn’t think for
itself anymore due to sensory overload from too much screen time.
And so even when we get people outside to enjoy the local
parks, they stay chained to their phones. For your neck and your kids, go and
enjoy our local parks but keep off your phones.
With half of Australians not sufficiently physically active, residents of Mount Waverley are being encouraged to ‘Get Spine Active’ and take control of their spinal health this World Spine Day.
Celebrated each year on 16 October,
people from around the world come together to raise awareness about spinal
disorders and empower others to take charge of their spinal health.
An annual initiative of the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health, World Spine Day is accompanied by the 2019 theme ‘Get Spine Active’ and local chiropractor Dr Shaun Beovich from Waverley Chiropractic Centre believes there is no better time to spread this important message.
“Being physically active can greatly help your spinal health by strengthening your muscles and easing the pressure on your spine,” Dr Beovich said.
While the ‘Get Spine Active’ theme aims to focus on the benefits of exercise and daily movement for maintaining health, Dr Beovich says it’s important to think about how all daily habits can affect your spine.
“World Spine Day is a perfect
opportunity to ask yourself, ‘am I making the right choices for my spinal
health?’ If not, then it’s time to make those changes and if needed seek
professional help to get you started.”
‘Get Spine Active’
will focus on common physical activities including running, swimming,
weightlifting and cycling, with the aim of encouraging all Australians to
incorporate one of these activities or other healthy habits into their everyday
lives.
Other forms of physical activity can include
stretching, walking and taking small
breaks during your workday. To help Australians get started on improving their
spinal health, the Australian Chiropractors Association has developed the
Straighten Up app designed to help improve posture, with a 3-minute stretching
exercise program. They have
also created the Just Start Walking app to help encourage Australians to
experience the benefits of walking and also allows you to track and map your walks so you can monitor your
progress and improvement.
Waverley Chiropractic Centre is encouraging their community of Mt Waverley to Get Spine Active this World Spine Day and take the correct steps to improve their spinal health.
Chiropractors are well placed to
assess and manage disorders of the musculoskeletal system and offer solutions
and advice regarding your existing spinal health issues or how to improve your overall spinal
health.
To book an appointment with your local ACA chiropractor, book online at Waverley Chiropractic Centre or call (03) 9581 2624.
Staying connected to friends and family is easier than ever with social media. The tradeoff is that your daily screen time may be 1, 2, 3 hours or more. And let’s face it, a lot of those hours online are spent in an awkward forward head posture that experts have begun to call “tech neck.” Dr Shaun from Waverley Chiropractic Centre says it may result in neck pain, headaches, spinal disc issues, and even pinched nerves.
Why it Matters:
Each day we work with people, young and old, who are experiencing the symptoms associated with tech neck. By creating a plan of care that may include stretching, adjustments, and postural exercises; we have been able to help our patients overcome these aches and pains without giving up their mobile phones and tablets.
Looking down at your phone, tablet,
or computer for long periods of time can cause muscle strains and neck pain
which is now known as tech neck.
Researchers have discovered the
angle of your head when text messaging places tremendous amount of stress on
your neck and spine.
Taking short breaks to stretch at
least every 30 minutes helps your body feel better by improving your posture
and resetting your balance.
Next Steps:
Next time you are
on the phone, stop for a moment and see if your head is creeping forward. If
your chin is tucked down and your ears are in front of your shoulders, then you
are in the forward head posture we call tech neck. It’s a good time to take a
break, stretch, and reset. If you are experiencing any pain or headaches, then
please reach out so we can work with you to create a plan to help you stay
connected without suffering from tech neck.
Science Source(s):
Head flexion angle
while using a smartphone. Ergonomics. 2015
Effects of a
Resistance and Stretching Training Program on Forward Head and Protracted
Shoulder Posture in Adolescents. JMPT 2017
Inflammation is the body’s response to infection, injury or irritation. It induces redness, swelling and pain, sometimes rendering the affected area nonfunctional.
As your body heals from an acute episode of back pain, reducing inflammation is a key to a successful recovery. Dr Shaun from Waverley Chiropractic Centre says that if you choose the right anti-inflammatory foods, not only may you be able to quicken recovery but you may be able to reduce your risk of illness. Consistently pick the wrong ones, and you could accelerate the inflammatory disease process.
Foods that cause inflammation:
Try to avoid or limit these foods as much as possible:
refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastries
French fries and other fried foods
soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
red meat (burgers, steaks) and processed meat (hot dogs, sausage)
margarine, shortening, and lard
The health risks of inflammatory foods Not surprisingly, the same foods on an inflammation diet are generally considered bad for our health, including sodas and refined carbohydrates, as well as red meat and processed meats.
Some of the foods that have been associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease are also associated with excess inflammation.
Unhealthy foods also contribute to weight gain, which is itself a risk factor for inflammation. Yet in several studies, even after researchers took obesity into account, the link between foods and inflammation remained, which suggests weight gain isn’t the sole driver.
Anti-inflammatory foods An anti-inflammatory diet should include these foods:
tomatoes
olive oil
green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
nuts like almonds and walnuts
fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges
Benefits of anti-inflammatory foods On the flip side are beverages and foods that reduce inflammation, and with it, chronic disease. In particular fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, apples, and leafy greens that are high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols—protective compounds found in plants.
Studies have also associated nuts with reduced markers of inflammation and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Coffee, which contains polyphenols and other anti-inflammatory compounds, may protect against inflammation, as well.
Anti-inflammatory diet To reduce levels of inflammation, aim for an overall healthy diet. If you’re looking for an eating plan that closely follows the tenets of anti-inflammatory eating, consider a diet which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish, and healthy oils.
In addition to lowering inflammation, a more natural, less processed diet can have noticeable effects on your physical and emotional health.
You turn your head or bend down to lift something and “CRACK”! What is it? Did you injure something? The first time that happens can be terrifying. Well, you don’t need to worry. That cracking sound is probably not a broken bone. It typically occurs in the facet joints, or knuckles, of your spinal column and it’s completely normal. Your facet joints are designed to help your spine move through a full range of motion.
Why it Matters:
The facets are little joints on the back side of your spine. Similar to your knuckles, they have a small capsule around them for lubrication and support. When a facet joint is stretched open, gas within the joint is released, making a crunch or cracking sound. The release of gas is perfectly normal and happens because of the negative pressure in the joint. Just like taking the top off a champagne bottle. Sometimes adhesions can occur in the joint making it painful to move. That is why after a chiropractic adjustment many people feel better and have an improved range of motion. Adjustments help the facet joints move more naturally with fewer restrictions.
– Cracks and pops in your back and neck are typically caused by the release of gas within the joint (like a knuckle)
– Adhesions in the joints of your spine can restrict your range of motion and contribute to degenerative changes
– Adjustments reduce the adhesions in the fact joints resulting in pain relief and an improved range of motion
Next Steps:
While many chiropractic techniques create a “cracking” or “crunching” type sound- not all do. Low-speed techniques also improve the motion of the facet joints, sometimes without any sound at all. Dr Shaun at Waverley Chiropractic Centre is proficient in a number of different techniques and will choose one that suits your needs.
And here’s a tip to share with your friends- stubborn headaches are frequently caused by irritated facet joints. If you know someone who suffers from headaches and works on a computer most of the day- their facet joints may be to blame. Share this blog with them and let them know a chiropractic adjustment may be just what they need!
Science Source:
Effects of side-posture positioning and side-posture adjusting on the lumbar zygapophysial joints as evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging: a before and after study with randomization. JMPT 2000. Neurophysiological effects of spinal manipulation. The Spine Journal 2002.
Here at Waverley Chiropractic I’m often asked about how useful that colourful kt tape is? It’s difficult to find a single sporting event where you won’t see an athlete wearing colorful tape somewhere on their body. You may have wondered what it is, and more importantly what it’s used for. The tape is called kinesio tape and was initially developed by a Chiropractor about 40 years ago. It works by stimulating proprioception, which is the medical term for knowing where your body is in space.
Why it Matters:
Your
skin is the largest organ in your body, and it’s loaded with small sensory
nerve fibers that are responsible for proprioception. Placing tape in specific
areas of your body across the skin provides sensory input that gives your brain
more information as you move. This additional information has been shown to
help improve balance, reduce pain, and support proper movement patterns.
Tape worn on the skin provides your brain with more information about
your movement patterns and can help reduce injuries and improve rehabilitation.
Taping has been shown to improve balance for up to 72 hours after the
tape has been removed.
Researchers have found taping can be more effective than postural
exercises alone to reduce neck pain.
Next Steps:
You
can think of the tape less like a brace and more like a nervous system reminder
that you wear on your skin. Not only does it look cool, but it has the
potential to support better movement, reduce pain, and limit injuries. Now the
next time you see an athlete wearing tape, you will know it’s more than just a
fashion statement!
Science Source:
Extended
use of Kinesiology Tape and Balance in Participants with Chronic Ankle
Instability. Journal of Athletic Training 2016
Efficacy
of kinesio taping versus postural correction exercises on pain intensity and
axioscapular muscles activation in mechanical neck dysfunction: a randomized
blinded clinical trial. The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
2017
As a chiropractor here in Mount Waverley I’m often asked what’s the difference between a disc bulge and herniation. The bones, discs, ligaments, and muscles of your spine are designed to help you maintain proper spinal alignment, posture, and movement. Between each set of bones or vertebrae is a small rubbery disc. These discs act as small shock absorbers for your spinal bones and nerves. They have a tough, rubber-like outer layer called the annulus fibrosis and a soft jelly-like center that is called the nucleus pulposus. As you age or encounter injuries, the curve of your spine may fall out of alignment. This can place uneven stress on your spinal column and discs, increasing the chance of having a disc break down and herniate.
Why it Matters:
A
disc herniation occurs when the outer portion of the disc ruptures (or tears)
and the soft inner portion squeezes out. This type of injury can cause pain at
the site of herniation, or sometimes the herniated disc can pinch a nearby
nerve, causing pain that can radiate down into your arms and legs. Similarly, a disc bulge occurs when the outer
wall of the disc is weakened, but the inner portion has not yet broken through.
A disc herniation occurs when the inside of a spinal disc breaks through its
outside wall.
Disc herniations often contribute to nerve compression, which can send
pain, weakness, or numbness into your arms or legs.
By maintaining proper spinal alignment, you can reduce added wear and
tear on your discs and potentially decrease the likelihood of a disc herniation.
Next Steps:
Now
that you know what a disc herniation is, be sure to stay tuned. Next week, we’ll
reveal the best ways you can find natural relief. Can you guess what type of
care resulted in over 90% of people with a disc herniation finding improvement
within the first few months? We’ll be back next week with the answer!
Science Source(s):
Columbia
University. The Spine Hospital 2018
Herniated
Disk: What is it? Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publishing 2018
