> Suggestions to follow during spinal correction
> General Recommendations
> Chiropractic and Posture
> Spinal Decay
> Motor Vehicle Accident / Whiplash

Suggestions To Follow During Spinal Correction

1. Avoid rubbing, pushing, or twisting to the adjusted areas after you have received your Chiropractic adjustment.

2. Avoid excessive and severe twisting and turning of your spinal column. Do not try to move beyond the normal range of motion within any given area.

3. Become aware of common movements and positions, which may put pressure on your spine. Movements such as reaching, overhead work, twisting your head to see the computer screen, excessive sitting and driving. Look within your own lifestyle to recognize your common habits and traits.

4. While lifting or bending, remember to bend knees to reduce the pressure and minimize the effects on the lower back.

5. Participate in exercises to maintain coordination and balance within your spine and body. If you feel you sure doing anything the may be causing or aiding the development of your vertebral misalignment (Subluxation), ask your Doctor of Chiropractic.

6. Ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding your health and health of your nervous system. By taking responsibility, you accept an active role in the preservation and maintenance of your health.



General Recommendations

Use of Heat

1. Do not us a hot pack, Jacuzzi or other devices within th first 3 days following an injury or onset of pain.

2. You may begin the use of a heating device once your doctor has approved it and the injury is at least 3 days in length.

3. The recommended use of heat is 20 minutes maximum in length.

4. Do not use heat if any cardiac, circulatory or other similar problem exist.

1. Do not use ice if you have allergies to it or circulatory impairment
(i.e. thrombosis diabetes)

2. Ice packs should be used for 15-20 minutes maximum at a time with 1-2 hours intervals to let the skin get back to normal temperature. Always wrap the ice pack in a thin towel or pillowcase (we sell custom made ice pack covers in the in the office).

3. Direct pressure should be applied to the injured area. It’s not effective enough just to lay the ice pack on the injured area.

4. Ice can be used immediately following an injury, muscle soreness due to exercising, or chiropractic adjustments.

5. Consult with your doctor if you have any questions.

Exercise at Home

1. You should not experience any sharp or radiating pain during exercise. If it occurs, return to a rest/neutral position and attempt the exercise once again.

2. If sharp or radiating pain continues, stop immediately until you contact your doctor or Back Care Therapist.

When performing exercise:

a. Work the muscles throughout the full range of motion.

b. Breath evenly while performing exercises. Exhale during the first or most difficult phase. Do not hold your breath.

c. With standing exercises, body alignment is critical. Square the shoulders, contract the abdominals, and relax the knees. Maintain good posture throughout the exercise. Do not slouch.

d. Do all the exercises according to the instructions provided by your therapist. Do only the number of repetitions specified.

e. Your therapist will evaluate your progress and make necessary changes in your therapy program.

f. If you have difficulties with your program, please contact your therapist immediately.

Sleeping:

1. Use a firm, level bed (water beds are not recommended).

2. Do not sleep on your stomach, this causes neck and low back strain.

3. Sleeping on your side is best.

Sitting and Driving:

1. Avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time without standing and moving around.

2. On long drives, stop, get out of the car and stretch at least every hour.

3. Use a lumbar support (e.g. pillow, “Back Hugger”)

4. If your job requires long hours of sitting, your doctor will have recommendations for you.

Other Things to Remember:

1. Don’t stand in one position for longer than 15 minutes without moving.

2. Ice should be used for the first 72 hours following any injury, not heat.

3. When working over a sink, lean against it for support, standing as straight as possible.

4. Avoid shoes with very high heels.
If you have any special demands in your job or other activities, feel free to ask your doctor about any recommendations.

Chiropractic and Posture

Posture is the window to the spine and poor posture can indicate there is a problem with a person’s spine and nervous system.

Indicators of poor posture are:
1. Slouching or forward head posture.

This posture closes down on lymphatic drainage in the neck and will cause more strain on the posterior neck muscles. It also increases the weight bearing on the discs and can lead to premature arthritis of the neck. There are many causes of these types of posture including car accidents, sports injuries, working with computers and loss of bone density.

Most people involved in automobile accidents in which the head in a whipped back and forth will suffer loss of the normal spinal curvature in the neck. When this occurs, the weight of the head, approximately 12 pounds or so, is displaced and places pressure on the discs, muscles and nerves of the cervical spine. This leads to muscle strain in order to balance the weight of the head and uneven wearing of the discs and joints of the cervical spine.

2. Forward tilt of the pelvis causing anterior weight bearing, and increase in the lumbar lordotic (curvature) and associated muscle weakness.

This can lead to chronic lower back pain, muscle pain, sciatica, leg weakness, lower extremity circulation problems and much more. The abnormal spinal weight bearing associated with this type of posture can lead to premature spinal arthritis of the joints and discs.

Chiropractors are experts at analyzing posture and spinal problems. They are trained in the art of detection. A doctor of chiropractic searches for the problems that exist underneath poor posture. Analyzing spinal curvatures and alignment, the doctor searches for the problems that contribute to the postural pattern.

Posture Analysis:

Analyzing posture from the front, we look for changes in the stance.

1. The outward turning of one or both feet.

2. The alignment of the knees.

3. The leveling of the hips or pelvis.

4. The height differences across the shoulders

5. The tilting of the head and neck.

From the side:

1. The forward tilting of the pelvis.

2. The forward head translation.

3. The increase in the spinal curvatures.

All of these changes add up to changes in the spine.

Gait:
We also observe a person while walking to see if there are any gait abnormalities.
Gait, or the walking cycle, is an important indicator of how improper foot alignment affects spinal posture.

As mentioned above, posture is the window to the spine. Distortions in spinal alignment are indications of vertebral subluxation. The vertebral subluxation is a misalignment of the spinal vertebra effecting the spinal joints and discs causing changes in nerve function and irritating the spinal musculature. Chronic Subluxations lead to spinal disc and joint arthritis. Subluxation affects the function of the nerve and any area of the body supplied by that nerve. Multiple subluxations can affect multiple organs, glands and system of the body leading to ill health.



Spinal Decay

Spinal decay is a degenerative process that worsens with time. If neglected or simply ignored, this crippling condition quietly progresses, without obvious symptoms and signs.

Your body adapts to uncorrected spinal stress by depositing calcium into affected joints. As in the body is trying to mend a broken bone, it attempts to repair the malfunctioning spinal joint by joining the two segments together.

Like a rigid cast, muscles tighten and connective tissues attempt to “splint” the abnormally functioning spinal joint, reducing and preventing normal movement and setting the stage for fusion.

The first phase of spinal decay is revealed as a loss of proper spinal curve or significant reduced ability to turn and bend.

The second phase of decay is the result of the body’s attempt to stabilize and “splint” the malfunctioning spinal joint.
***As with high blood pressure or cancer, pain or other obvious symptoms are often absent.

In the third phase of spinal decay, the integrity of the spine has become permanently compromised. The associated neurological damage can contribute to some of the chronic health problems seen in the elderly.

**As with tooth decay, early detention of spinal decay can help avoid painful symptoms and permanent damage**

Motor Vehicle Accident /Whiplash
Hyperflexion-Hyperextension Injury of the Cervical Spine

Most whiplash injuries occur while you are sitting stationary in your car. Don’t be misled by the minimal damage to your car. People react much different than glass, plastic and metal. Don’t minimize your own injuries because your car has sustained little or no damage. A whiplash injury can straighten the neutral C-shape curve in the neck stretching the spinal cord. Symptoms can appear months and even years later. Pain may localize to shoulders and middle back region. Pain may increase with movements of the neck. Pain is often relieved by laying down and increase with weight bearing. An immediate chiropractic examination is essential. Specific chiropractic adjustments, because they can help restore proper motion and position of individual bones, can help assure proper healing.

Why do I have pain in my shoulders, arms and hands
Because the nerves to the shoulders, arms and hands exit the spine through the injured area of the neck, numbness and tingling are also common. Even lower back pain can be a result of the injury.

Why did my headaches start more than a week after my accident?
Whether you’ve been in an motor vehicle accident, trip and fall, stressed at work or overexerted yourself in the garden, your body is constantly adapting to the environment. When your capacity to adapt is exhausted, symptoms can appear. This can take days, weeks, moths or years to occur.

References:
Croft AC: Mild traumatic brain injuries after motor vehicular accidents, Dynam Chirop, March 1994.
Fauci A, et al: Harrison’s principles of internal medicine, ed 13, New York, 1996, McGraw-Hill.
Gatterman M: Chiropractic management of the spine related disorders, Baltimore, 1990, Williams and Wilkins.