Learn More About Low Back Pain and Sitting Here

How Does Sitting Cause Lower Back Pain?

Pressure on Lumbar Discs from sitting!

Pain can arise from the joints, muscles and nerves in the lower back. Sitting can become problematic for multiple reasons. The pressure placed on the discs in the lower back are highest during sitting. This increase in pressure can irritate discs that are bulged or herniated, and cause aggravation of the nerves associated with those spinal levels.

Lumbar Muscle Spasm and pain!

Prolonged sitting can also cause muscle spasm that can lead to pain. The increased strain placed on the spine can bother many muscles in the lower back, including the QL and the lumbar paraspinal musculature. When the body is inactive and the muscles do not move, they can spasm and cramp. Sitting for longer than an hour keeps the muscles inactive and they can start feeling tight. Prolonged positions are not good for our muscles – our bodies were made to move – so taking frequent breaks to stand, walk or stretch is very important!

Pain From Sitting All Day? See How Oakville Chiropractic can help!

Tight Hip Flexors from sitting too much!

Sitting can also cause lower back pain by causing the muscles in the front to be in a shortened position. The hip flexor muscles include the psoas muscle an the rectus femurs (one of the four quad muscles). The psoas muscle attaches to every level of the lumbar spine and into the inside aspect of the upper thigh. The rectus femoris muscle attaches from the front of the pelvis into the knee. When the hips are flexed (as they are with sitting) the hip flexor muscles are in a shortened position. Standing up causes these muscles to lengthen, and if they’ve gotten too comfortable in a short position they can spasm and cause discomfort in the lower back.

Check Out Our Hip Flexor Stretches Here

Stretches for Lower Back Pain From Sitting

Glute Stretches for low back pain.

Laying on your back and pulling your knees in towards your chest can feel great after a prolonged period of sitting.  This movement helps to pull the spine into the opposite direction as sitting.  It helps to lengthen the muscles of the lower back and glutes (which are often sources of lower back pain!)

Hip Flexor Stretches for back pain!

Sitting keeps our hip flexor muscles in a shortened position.  When these muscles are short, and then we try to stand up, they can become very uncomfortable and cause lower back pain.  Hip flexor stretching should be a consistent part of a stretching routine for any person who sits at a desk all day! 

Exercises for Lower Back Pain From Sitting!

Cat Cow for low back pain from sitting!

These classic yoga poses help to keep the spine mobile.  After sitting all day, it is so important to get the spine moving.  These simple exercises help to improve mobility through the lower back, and encourage movement in a safe way!

Find More Chiropractor Approved Core Exercises Here

Plank – to strengthen your core!

The plank is a classic core exercise that can be modified from beginner to advanced levels.  The plank exercise activates the deep core musculature and helps to build a strong and stable core.  Strong core musculature is the key to protecting and stabilizing the lower back and helping prevent lower back pain. 

How To Prevent Lower Back Pain From Sitting

1. Proper Chair – your spine will thank you for investing in an ergonomic chair.  Supporting your lower back properly while you sit can make a world of difference!  Everybody is different, so trying the chair before you buy is always a good idea.  Find a chair that is adjustable, so that it can be tuned to fit you! Desk ergonomics are so important!
2. Take Breaks!  This is so important.  Sitting for 6-8 hours a day is not healthy for your lower back.  You need to take breaks.  Get up.  Stand.  Go for a short walk.  Set a timer on your phone if you need to be reminded to move!
3. Build a Strong Core – Strengthening is the best way to keep our lower backs healthy.  Maintaining strong core musculature helps to protect the lower back, even when it is in a vulnerable position (like prolonged sitting!)

Book A Chiropractic Appointment

Working from home has really started taking its toll. Sitting for 8 hours a day with a makeshift office set-up with less-than-optimal chairs and desks is putting extra strain on spine and causing text neck. Since Covid, our Chiropractic team has had a huge increase in text neck patients coming to our Oakville Chiropractor clinic. Maintaining good posture throughout the day can be difficult, and by the end of the day most people are slouched over their computers trying to get the last bit of work done and start suffering from neck pain. Over this last year, with more people working from home and spending more time than ever on the computer, our Oakville chiropractic clinic has seen an influx of neck and upper back pain otherwise known as text neck.

What constitutes good posture vs bad posture? Our Oakville chiropractors say that there isn’t really a hard and fast rule about posture, but there are some general guidelines that can help align your spine into a more optimal position. Parents, check your kids posture today, if they have the signs of text neck, get them in for an examination today!

Neck Posture and Text Neck Oakville Chiropractor

One of the easiest posture flaws to observe is a head/chin that falls too far forward. This is called an ‘anterior head carriage’ or text neck, and it can result in a whole list of postural strains and pains. An anterior head carriage can result from a dysfunctional mid back posture, straining to look at a computer screen, constantly hanging the head to look down at a phone etc. This is becoming the new normal for kids coming to the clinic complaining of everything from headaches and pain to breathing problems and sleeping issues.

An anterior head carriage or text neck creates strain through the muscles that are too long in the front of the neck and short, tight muscles at the base of the skull. The muscles in the front of the neck, called your SCM, can lengthen and become inactive. This can lead to the muscles becoming inactive and developing trigger points, which can refer pain into the front of the head and neck. On the other side of the body, the suboccipitals that are located at the base of the skull, are forced into a shortened position and can also start to refer pain behind the eyes and into the forehead – creating a headache.

There are also a group of muscles that sit along the vertebra in the front of the neck collectively called the deep neck flexors. These muscles can become very inactive and can further perpetuate discomfort caused by this issue. The deep neck flexors are very important postural muscles. They need to be activated to help hold your head up all day long. When they are working effectively, they help take some of the load off the traps, scalene and levator muscles. The ‘deep neck flexors’ can be activated through simple chin tucking exercises. These exercises will help correct anterior head carriage and strengthen the muscles of the cervical spine.

How To Improve Neck Posture and stop Text Neck

Get Adjusted

Our chiropractors can help make sure your joints move to the best of their ability. The neck is often the area that suffers most from poor posture, and the discomfort can be very debilitating. Poor posture isn’t something that just happens overnight. It is the result of prolonged stresses and positions that reinforce our shoulders and heads to fall forward.

How can adjustments help? Adjustments help to promote movement through the spinal joints. When the joints move as freely as they are supposed to, the spine can rest in a healthy, neutral position. When the spine is neutral, less stresses are put through the joints and that results in less pain and discomfort.

Learn More About How To Correct Posture

Posture Exercises

Stretching and strengthening the neck is one of the best things you can do for your posture. Most people spend hours everyday hunched forward over their computers and cell phones. Posture exercises are designed to help encourage the muscles backwards, into the opposite direction. The exercises we recommend most often also focus on the deep muscles which will help take strain and stress off the bigger, more outer muscles.

Try Our Neck Stretches Here

DEEP NECK FLEXOR EXERCISES

Strengthening the deep flexors of the neck will help support the head and take some of the pressure off the outer muscles (like trapezius, which often gets too tight when it has to do too much work). When the deep muscles that support the spine are strong and work to the best of their ability it takes a lot of the postural strain off the bigger, outer muscles that can end up taking the brunt of the stress.

POSTURE SPECIFIC EXERCISES

There are also specific exercises for the muscles between the shoulder blades that will prevent the shoulders from slouching forward. These exercises target the middle and lower fibres of the trapezius, rhomboids and lats to help keep the spine upright and prevent it from falling too far forward. These exercises can be progressed gradually to help build the strength required to support an optimal posture.

MidBack Posture

Everyone wants to avoid having a hunched mid back. Nobody wants to be that old man/lady thats bent so far forward they’re looking at the ground. The thoracic spine is heavily influenced by your day-to-day activities. All the time spent on screens (iPads, computers, cell phones) creates rounded shoulders and a forward posture that in turn affect how the neck and lower back function.

Improve Your Midback Posture With These Exercises

Our mid back should naturally have a little bend, but when that bend becomes excessive it is called a hyperkyphosis. This rounding of the mid back forces our neck into a more unnatural position that increases strain on the muscles of the head and neck. When the thoracic spine is forced into a forward position it can create a feeling of tightness and stiffness. This is where a chiropractic adjustment can feel SO GOOD. One or two adjustments through the middle back (in women, often that bra-line level) can alleviate the stress and tension felt through the spine.

How To Improve Midback Pain

Get Adjusted

Getting adjusted is one of the best things you can do for your mid back. If you’ve never been adjusted before, the middle back is a very easy place to start. Its a painless adjustment that offers a lot of relief. Chiropractic adjustments are quick, shallow thrusts through restricted joints that can help restore joint movement to their full potential. This helps to improve mobility and relieve pain.

New patients will often ask our Oakville chiropractors if the sound of an adjustment is their bones cracking. The answer is no. Definitely not. The sound associated with an adjustment is gas being released from the joints. Being adjusted often feels like tension is being released and everything has been decompressed. Our spines were made to move. Adjustments help ensure that they can move optimally.

Exercise

Adjustments are great, but the best thing you can do for yourself is to keep moving. The adjustments are helpful to get stiff joints moving – but the exercises play an important role in keeping everything moving afterwards! There are a number of exercises that are really helpful in promoting movement through the thoracic spine, but we will just highlight a few!

Try Some Posture Exercises From Our Oakville Chiropractor!

CAT CAMEL

This exercise is really simple and helps move the spine in alternating directions. This is a popular yoga based exercise that move the spine through alternating flexion and extension movements. It will provide a feeling of being stretched and help the joints feel more loose.

FOAM ROLLING FOR THORACIC SPINE

Foam rollers can be one of the most versatile tools for help keeping your body mobile. Using a foam roll to promote extension through the mid back can be a great home exercise to alleviate mid back pain. We spend so much of our time being hunched forward – the foam roll will help push our spine in the opposite direction.

THORACIC MOBILITY EXERCISES

Thoracic mobility exercises are designed to encourage movement through the middle back. After you spend 8 hours a day in a static position, these exercises will move the spine in the opposite direction and keep you moving!

Book An Appointment Today

For those not overly familiar with the conservative therapy world, acupuncture may seem a little bit like hocus-pocus voodoo, or a very outdated practice. Let us assure you, that could not be further from the truth! Until more recently (we’re talking the last 10 or so years) there was not a lot of high-quality evidence to support the use of acupuncture for migraines. Now there is.

While acupuncture originated as a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the type of acupuncture practiced by Dr.Jenn at our Oakville acupuncture clinic is a version modified to fit the principles and practices in the western world. The acupuncture points are the same in both versions, but the theory is a little bit different. The TCM practitioners use acupuncture to balance energies within the body for migraine headaches. The contemporary medical acupuncture approach is slightly more direct, inserting the needles into muscles, joints and/or around nerves affected in the injury, such as neck, scalp and fascial area for migraine.

Can Acupuncture Really Help Migraine Headaches in Oakville?

Sticking needles in a painful area may seem counter-intuitive. Migraine headaches can be completely debilitating. They have a huge negative impact on quality of life. So what do you have to lose? Try acupuncture!  You’ll be shocked at how painless it is.

Read How Acupuncture Can Help Migraine Pain

What types of differences can you hope to experience from starting acupuncture treatment for migraines? The biggest benefit is a decreased frequency of migraines. In fact, scientific studies have showed that acupuncture treatment may be just as beneficial as some common preventative medications that are often prescribed to migraine suffers! Acupuncture can help decrease the frequency of migraines by up to 50% in some cases!

In the healthcare world, we rely a lot on research to direct our practice. So when research proves that a certain therapy is beneficial, it really excites us healthcare geeks. The efficacy of acupuncture treatment was tested, in multiple studies, against no acupuncture and commonly perscribed prophylactic medication, and guess which one was found to be the most effective? You guessed it – acupuncture! 

Learn About Acupuncture Treatment with Dr. Jenn

Despite being practiced for hundreds of years, the ‘proof’ that acupuncture works is relatively new. Practitioners have been successfully treating all sorts of conditions with needling techniques for a long time, and many have clinical experience that has proved the technique to be effective. Only recently has acupuncture been recommended as a first-line treatment of migraine to compliment other conservative treatment options

Acupuncture is safe, and does not come with the side effects that medication does. It is extremely cost effective, with most insurance plans cover the acupuncture provided by Dr. Jenn at our clinic. Acupuncture treatments can often be directly billed to most insurance providers.

How Does Acupuncture Work to Improve Migraines?

There are a number of ways that acupuncture improves migraine symptoms:

• Pain Relief :  Acupuncture can trigger the release of endorphins (our body’s natural painkillers!)
• Improved Blood Flow :  The insertion of needles will immediately start to enhance circulation to the affected areas.  This stimulates and focuses the healing response on where it needs to be!
• Muscle Relaxation :  Increased blood flow into muscles helps to alleviate tension, which are often a source of migraine pain.
• Stress Reduction :  Acupuncture helps to regulate the nervous system, which is beneficial to migraine sufferers.

Oakville Acupuncture Session for Migraines with Dr. Jenn Garven

Your first medical acupuncture appointment will involve both assessment of your injury and treatment.  Dr. Jenn will work with you to find the most comfortable position to sit or lay in while the needles do their work! 

Acupuncture treatment for migraines at Nottinghill Family Wellness Centre typically involves the insertion of 8-20 needles. Each injury/condition is unique, and the acupuncture treatment will be tailored to each individual patient. Acupuncture is a pain-free experience. Our patients often describe a small prick, or feeling of mild pressure as the needle is being inserted, but once the needles are inserted to the required depth they don’t cause any discomfort at all.  During an acupuncture treatment needles will typically remain inserted for 12-15 minutes.

Read About Acupuncture For Migraine Here

For migraine headaches, the specific points used are located in the head, neck, shoulders, scalp and hands.  There are some acupuncture points located at the base of the skull that provide excellent relief of migraine pain.  Needles are inserted around the suboccipital muscles that are often responsible for causing pain behind the eyes and in the temple region.  Releasing these muscles via acupuncture is highly effective for relieving migraine-related pain. 

It may be surprising to learn that one of the most powerful points for alleviating headaches is located in the hand.  This one needle can relieve headache pain immediately for some people.  It’s a true headache powerhouse!

Electroacupuncture is a variation of acupuncture that applies electrical stimulation to the needles, which helps to boost the therapeutic effect and often provide a superior result. Each treatment is provided while keeping patient comfort as a top priority.  For migraine headaches a minimum of six treatments is recommended. Migraines are a chronic condition, and those type of conditions take a little bit of time to influence.

Book Your Acupuncture Appointment

What is a 5 Minute Text Neck Exercise Routine:

Our Chiropractic Team see this condition most frequently in teenagers and young adults, but anyone who spends significant amounts of time staring down at their phone can develop neck pain from this very poor posture.  Many people often associate neck pain with old age, but the truth is that most high school students experience neck pain or discomfort at some point.  Students nowadays spend the majority of their time on their phones or other devices to complete their homework and use social media. This causes them to look down on their device for long periods of time, which leads to the development of Text Neck. If your text neck pain was exacerbated by a contact to head, check out our concussion protocols and treatment options including acupuncture.

What Is Text Neck?

The neck is a complex, coordinated structure made up on bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, fascia and nerves.  Our Oakville Chiropractor says the neck is built for mobility.  Our necks allow for more rotation than any other part of the spine, but with that increased freedom of movement comes an increased vulnerability.  Additionally, our neck’s are supporting the bowling ball we call a ‘head’.  All the muscles, bones and nerves work in harmony when the neck and head are held in a healthy, neutral posture.  When the head and neck are moved from those ‘ideal’ postures, problems start to arise.  The term ‘Text Neck’ was coined by an American chiropractor, and refers to the neck pain and damage caused by looking own at a cellphone (or other electronic device) too frequently and for too long.

This condition is a result of overstretching of the muscles behind the neck and shortening of the muscles in the front. It can also lead to extra wear and tear of the cervical spine.  ‘Text neck’ is the close relative of ‘upper crossed syndrome’. 

In a healthy, aligned posture, the average head only exerts about 10-12 lbs of force through the muscles of the neck.  Moving the head forward by only 1 inch increases the forces exerted onto the spine by 6 times!  In children, the size of their head is larger in relation to their body size than adults.  This fact, combined with the fact that they have an increased propensity to spend their free time on an electronic device, makes them more susceptible to developing this condition. 

What is the best treatment for Text Neck?

Read More About Text Neck Here

Do Cell Phones Really Cause Neck Pain and Text Neck?

You might be reading this and think to yourself ‘I’m sure this is an exaggeration’ or ‘I don’t use my phone often enough to cause this pain’.  Our Oakville Chiropractic team bets you’d be shocked to learn how many hours a day you really spend on your devices.  Iphone users have the unpleasant option of tracking their screentime, right down to how many times a day you pick up your phone, to what applications you open first after picking it up.  Looking at your screen time tracker can be depressing, and we bet you’d be shocked with how much time you’re really spending looking down. 

Studies have shown that close to 80% of the population between the ages of 18 and 44 have their cell phones with them all the time.  They have it accessible to them all day and they sleep (ringer on) with the phone on their nightstand or in their bed with them.  We are so dependent on our electronics these days, that 23 billion texts are sent worldwide everyday.  The average American spend 5.5 hours a day on their phone, with millenials spending closer to 5.7 hours a day on their phones.  This statistics are crazy.  If you spent 5 hours a day exercising you’d be sore the next day.  So making your neck work too hard for 5.5 hours a day, and repeating that bad posture everyday, is asking for trouble. 

It’s no wonder our chiropractors are seeing more and more neck pain of ‘insidious onset’.  Patients will come in and be unsure of why they are experiencing tension, pain and headaches.  A few quick questions about screen time and work habits can quickly identify the true cause of the discomfort.  It comes as a shock to a lot of people!

What are Symptoms of Text Neck?

• Stiff, uncomfortable neck
• Upper back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Weakness in the neck, arms and back
• Headaches
• Radiating Pain (pain travelling from neck into shoulder and arm)

Don’t stress!  There are a few ways to help prevent and alleviate text neck.

What is the Anatomy of Text Neck?

Learn More About Text Neck Here

How Can You Prevent Text Neck?

Prevention is always the best option. The difficult thing about prevention of this condition are (a) some people don’t even realize how often they’re looking down at their phone and (b) sometimes its unavoidable. There are some simple tips to try and monitor electronics usage.

• Monitor your usage through an app. IPhones now have this feature built in.
• If you are working on a project, or are busy at work, set an alarm on your phone for every 1 hour. Get up from the desk or spend some time stretching. Don’t spend longer than 1 hour looking down (ideally work intervals shouldn’t be longer than 20-30 minutes, but we know taking micro-breaks at work can be hard).
• Raise the phone. It might look uncool to hold your phone up at eye-level, but your neck will be happier.
• Mix some stretching into your day. Squeeze the shoulder blades together, look upwards, extend the arms behind you slightly. Try to undo all the hours spent hunched forward looking down at your phone.
• Control your kids’ screen time. We apologize in advance for the whining that may occur when you take their iPad away, but their developing spines need a break from looking down all the time. We can’t emphasize enough how important this is!

Text Neck Treatment in Oakville:

If you have spent a few late nights at the office, or you’re studying hard at school, you’ll be at risk of developing text neck. Even without work demands, most of us spend a lot of our free time on our phones. All you have to do is take one quick look around our waiting room to see how dependent we are on our phones. Dr. Steve yells at at least 5 people a day for their poor texting posture.

What is the Best Chiropractic Treatment for Text Neck?

When the muscles are dysfunctional, like they are with text neck, the joints can also become stiff. An adjustment from our Oakville chiropractor will allow all the joints to work at their full potential. Having the neck adjusted will help the joints move to their full range of motion without any restrictions. Healthy joints are designed to move, and a quick adjustment will ensure the joints move as freely as possible. Another great target area is the mid and upper back. Looking down at a cell phone for multiple hours a day created and increased kyphosis. In other words, it rounds out the middle of the back to created a hunched forward appearance. Chiropractic adjustments to the middle back help alleviate stiffness and make you feel like you can sit up straight again. If you’ve ever felt like your back is so rounded that you can’t sit up straight even if you tried, get an adjustment! Your back will feel amazing! To further help in preventing text neck injuries, especially in children our chiropractor recommends these text neck and upper cross syndrome stretches.

Chiropractors are also extensively trained to treat the soft tissues. Muscles contribute significantly to the discomfort associated with text neck. Our chiropractors will use techniques to stretch and release tight muscles. Muscle release techniques are like targeted massages to the problematic muscles. These techniques involve applying pressure to tight muscles while stretching. Grafton is another technique used to treat the soft tissue. This involves using a tool to break up tight muscles and fascia. Both techniques are effective at relieving pain and improving range of motion.

Oakville Acupuncture for Text Neck:

Sustained poor postures results in some muscles having to work overtime. Our Oakville Acupuncturist has had a large increase in text next cases over the last 3 to 4 years. With the head hanging forward, looking down at a phone, the muscles in the back of the head and neck have to constantly be active in order to support the weight of the head. When the head it upright, all the muscles contribute to maintain a neutral posture. When the head hangs down, the muscles have to work overtime to provide the necessary support. Similar to the way your quads can feel sore after a tough workout at the gym, the neck can feel sore after prolonged poor posture.

Acupuncture can help stimulate the nerves and ‘wake up’ inactive muscles. Acupuncture can also alleviate tight muscles and get rid of trigger points that form in affected muscles. If you getting headaches from your text neck check out these acupuncture treatment. For these reasons acupuncture is the perfect treatment option! It addresses both problems, and can effectively resolve both issues! If you’re unsure about whether it is the right choice for you, come in and talk to Dr. Jenn about it!

Acupuncture involves the insertion of thin needles through the skin at specific points along neural pathways. This stimulation will affect the muscles those nerves innervate, and can help decrease muscle tone and decrease pain. There are also certain points in the body where it is safe to stimulate the muscles directly, and inserting a needle into a tight muscle can help it release. Acupuncture will also promote blood flow to the area which helps speed up the rate of healing.

What are the best Stretches for Text Neck?

Stretching is a simple way to relax the neck and shoulder muscles. In fact, our chiropractors at Nottinghill Family Wellness Centre recommend incorporating a few easy stretches into your daily routines to prevent/get rid of neck pain. Stretching the neck helps to improve posture, increase blood flow, and increase flexibility. The following stretches are chiropractor-approved and are very effective, if followed correctly. For a complete list of neck stretches click here!

Relief Position for Text Neck

When taking a break from your desk or your phone, Brugger position will help stretch tight muscles and activate other muscles that become inactive after prolonged poor posture. Sitting in a hunched position also compresses the diaphragm, and Brugger’s position will help encourage the diaphragm to expand as much as possible. To try this position, pull the shoulder blades back, look straight ahead, hang your arms by your side and turn your palms to face forward. Hold this position for a minute or two.

Watch A Video on Brugger’s Position

What are the Best Chiropractic Exercises for Text Neck?

Strengthening the deep muscles in the neck is an important part in fixing text neck. When all the muscles are strong, and activate at the right time, the neck functions optimally and is less likely to cause pain. A strong neck helps maintain good posture, helps move the neck efficiently, and helps keep the joints and muscles pain-free!

Click Here for Oakville Chiropractor Approved Treatment for Text Neck

Not all neck exercises are created equally. The exercises that help strengthen the deep muscles of the neck are often the most effective at helping improve poor posture and neck pain. When the outer muscles are tight and overactive, the deep muscles in the neck can shut off. When these muscles shut down, it creates a vicious cycle that makes the outer muscles work even harder! The bottom line is that strengthening those deeper muscles can be the trick to making sure all the neck muscles are balanced and pulling their own weight. Chin tuck exercises are a great starting point. These exercises have many modifications, variations and progressions to help increase the strength of the deep neck flexors while keeping it pain-free.

Text Neck Treatment FAQS

1. What is text neck?

Text neck is a group of posture changes and symptoms that occur do to looking down at our phones or laptops. It is characterized by rolled shoulder, anterior head posture, pain in the neck, headaches and nerve pain going down the arms.

2. How can I treat text neck pain?

The best treatment for text neck is getting off your phone or setting up your computer station with a more ergonomic approach. A chiropractor or physiotherapist would be the best practicioners to treat text neck.

3. What is the treatment for text neck?

Text neck treatment encompasses a combinatino of treatment including IFC, Graston, ART, Shockwave Therapy, Acupuncture and Manual Chiropractic Adjustments.

4. How can I prevent text neck?

Get off your phone and change the position of your computer. You need to start training your muscles and posture and getting treatment if you sit a computer all day or are on your phone for more than an hour a day.

5. Can my child get text neck?

Almost 100 percent of kids in Canada are suffering from some level of text neck since Covid. So yes, your child can get text neck and to be honest they probably already have it.

6. Can text neck be corrected?

Yes, caught early enough text neck can be corrected. But if you wait to long, it might be too late or take a very long time to get your posture back to “normal”.

7. Does a chiropractor or physiotherapist treat text neck?

Both chiropractors and physiotherapists are great at treating text neck. A chiropractor might be favored in most instances as they will manipulate the bones of your neck.

8. What happens if I don’t correct my text neck?

A life time of issues with posture, headaches, stress, anxiety and overall pain.

9. How come I never had text neck when I was a child?

Cell phones and laptops are relatively new. Today’s jobs have people on the computer more than ever. Working from home on a lap top and not a proper setup. Today’s kids are on their devices from 1 to 8 hours a day. All this ads up and causes text neck.

10. Does shockwave therapy help with text neck?

Yes, Shockwave Therapy combined with manual chiropractic adjustments are the gold standard for text neck.

Our Oakville chiropractors are constantly preaching the importance of good posture.  Posture is the position we hold our bodies while standing and sitting.  Good posture refers to positions that align our spines in a way that keeps them neutral, and creates as little tension between muscle groups as possible.  Maintaining a good posture also helps keep the ligaments, that hold our bones in efficient orientations, to do their jobs properly without being constantly stretched into positions that lengthen them and make them less effective.

Learn more about the best chiropractic practices for posture here.

We have probably all had our mother’s tell us to sit up straight, but is there really any harm to slouching?  Yes.  When our muscles are being held in lengthened positions (think your midback, when you round your shoulders and hunch over your phone) it causes excess strain that can leave them weaker.  Similarly, poor posture can keep other muscles in shortened positions and cause them to become uncomfortable and tight. This combination of events can be described as ‘upper cross syndrome.‘  Our bodies are happiest when they are held in neutral positions and all the muscles work harmoniously together.  

Looking for Chiropractic Approved warm-up exercises before you hit the links ? Check out these Glen Abbey Golf Club approved warm up exercises you need to do before every golf round.

What exercises to perform for posture

Poor posture is a bit of an epidemic in the technology-forward world we live in today.  Many people spend hours hunched over their phones and computers for a large portion of the day.  Other factors that can contribute to poor posture include stress, obesity, pregnancy and improper ergonomics.  The good news is that poor posture can be corrected!  Dr. Steve and Dr. Jenn have put together some simple stretches and exercises to help undo the effects of poor posture and keep your spine and muscles as happy as possible! Exercise combined with chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue release and acupuncture, our doctors will have you feeling better in no time. Need a little reminder to maintain good posture? 

Learn More About Workplace Ergonomics HERE

When it comes to completing a stretching program, our Oakville Chiropractors say some muscles can be easily forgotten.  Stretches for muscles of the neck, lower back, quads and hamstrings are well known and often included in pre and post workout programs.  But what about the calves?  These muscles help us walk, stand, run and jump, so they should be given a little TLC as well!

What are the Calf Muscles

There are two main muscles that make up the muscle group collectively known as the ‘calf muscles’.  The gastrocnemius is the main bulk of the muscle that you can easily grab with you hand at the back of your lower leg.  This muscle attaches just above the knee and inserts into the heel.  The fact that the muscle crosses two joints means it can contribute to two motions, flexing the knee and pointing the toes.  Your soleus lays underneath the gastrocnemius.  The soleus is a one joint muscle, and contributes to pointing the toes.  The soleus is the workhorse when it comes to maintaining a standing posture. Learn more about the anatomy of the calf.

The calf muscles can be responsible for pains in the knees and the feet.  Conditions like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, shin splints or even knee pain can be due to tight calf muscles!  Having tight calves will alter walking mechanics, and can even start to cause problems in the hips and lower back if left untreated.  Simple daily lifestyle factors like wearing high heels or sitting all day (and therefore leaving the calves static) can lead to tightness and discomfort. 

Doctor Approved Calf Stretches

Our Oakville Chiropractor has put together a list of different variations of calf stretching to try.  These stretches can all be modified to stretch both the gastrocnemius and soleus.  Any of these stretches completed with a straight knee will stretch the gastrocnemius.  If you want to stretch the soleus, simple add a slight bend to the knee to target the deeper muscle!  If you have any questions, ask Dr. Steve or Dr. Jenn for advice on how to get the best stretch! 

Knee injuries are incredibly common.  Our Oakville chiropractor has put together a mid-level exercise program for people who are, or have previously, experienced knee pain.  No matter the cause of the knee pain, strengthening the knee is indicated in the management of most knee conditions. 

Knee Exercises and Treatment

Muscle imbalances often play a big role in knee pain.  When the muscles that cross over the joint aren’t working in harmony, it can cause the bony structures of the knee to glide in less efficient and more uncomfortable ways.  Trauma to the knee, as often seen in football or soccer, can cause ligament injuries and a resulting instability within the knee.  Strengthening these injuries is crucial to a full recovery.

If you are experiencing knee pain, our Oakville chiropractor can help get you back to the activities you love.  After a thorough assessment our chiropractor will provide hand-on treatment to address muscle tightness and joint restrictions, IFC to manage pain, acupuncture for neuro-modulation of the knee and exercise prescription to stretch and strengthen the affected knee. 

Download Free Beginner Knee Exercises 

The knee is a hinge joint, therefore it primarily moves in two directions.  Flexion and extension are the two main movements of the knee but there is a slight amount of rotation that happens at the knee joint as well.  Knee pain can be caused by trauma, mechanical issues, arthritis, or autoimmune diseases.

Slips, twisting on a planted foot, muscle imbalances, direct trauma to the knee and overuse injuries are common mechanisms of injury.  Common symptoms of knee pain include swelling, stiffness, weakness or instability, popping, clicking or locking.  In younger populations conditions like patellofemoral pain syndrome, patellar tendonitis, and ligament injuries are observed.  In older populations, meniscus tears and osteoarthritis related pain are more common.     

How many times have you watched an athlete take a huge hit and not return for the rest of the game? Or watched your child get crushed into the boards at hockey? Concussions in youth are becoming all to familiar at our clinic.  Our Oakville chiropractors are seeing more concussions then ever before. These days, with athletes being bigger and stronger than ever before, it happens regularly.  NHL athletes have to spend a few minutes in the quiet room since the program was implemented in 2011.  The NFL has had a  specific concussion protocol to protect their athletes since 2009.  However, its not just contact sports that result in concussions.   Our chiropractors get Volleyball players who get smacked in the head with balls all the time, more often during practice than in a game. Baseball pitchers can get hit in the head with a ball hot off the bat.  Athletes who slip and fall during their sport can experience whiplash and a resultant concussion.  The mechanisms of injury can differ, but if the head get whipped or impacted, a concussion may result.   Think you or a loved one might have a concussion ? Get in today to see our Chiropractors.

Learn more about Concussion and Treatment HERE

What Is A Concussion

Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries, and they (unfortunately) have cumulative effects.  Concussions are caused by blows/impact to the head and/or body that cause the head to aggressively jerk back and forth.  These injuries cause the brain to knock against the skull and this sets off a whole cascade of changes in the brain.  Our brains are surrounded by a fluid that protects them from softer impacts, but when the forces get to be higher the protective cushion does not work as well.  Suffering from vertigo after a hit to the head? Check out our Vertigo treatment options in Oakville.

How to ice an injury can be found HERE !

When a concussion occurs, there are some structures in the brain that swell and break.  Blood vessels contract and create a decrease in blood flow.  The chemicals of the brain become unbalanced and start to wreak havoc on how the brain functions.  It can be a real mess.  Get in early and often to see our Oakville Chiropractor for Concussion treatment before its too late.

These injuries will temporarily affect brain functioning.  The symptoms can be quite widespread and don’t always follow a linear path to recovery.  Sometimes a concussed individual feels fine, but when they are forced to pay attention and focus, symptoms can worsen.  It is important that the symptoms are never disregarded, because this is an injury that can’t be fixed by ignoring it.

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How Do Concussions Occur?

Concussions are one of the most common injuries in sport.  In today’s society they are being talked about more often, with injuries suffered by athletes in the NHL and NFL shedding light on the impact these injuries have on daily life, and the potential negative consequences they can have long term. 

Just because sport is a common cause, doesn’t mean it’s the only cause.  Bicycle accidents, car accidents, severe whiplash injuries, falls and physical fights can all cause concussions.  Any time the head or body is impacted enough to shake the head, there is a possibility of concussion. 

Read More About The Latest Information On Concussions

Concussion Symptoms

Our Oakville chiropractors treat athletes and people who have been in car accidents every day.  Concussion injuries can range from mild to severe, and they are not injuries that should be messed around with. In our experience, concussion symptoms are wildly misunderstood.  Some symptoms of concussion include:

• Headache
• Noise Sensitivity
• Tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears)
• Blurry Vision
• Double Vision 
• Balance and Coordination Difficulty
• Trouble Focusing on TV screens/Tablets/Phones
• Sleep Disturbance
• Fatigue
• Short Term Memory Problems
• Mood Changes
  • Sadness
  • Anger
  • Quickly Fluctuating Emotions
• Difficulty Concentrating

Concussion Management Oakville

Managing a concussion can be really frustrating.  Even when the individual feels like they have recovered, trying to get back to regular activities can be a challenge.  Our Oakville Chiropractic clinic works across all levels of the medical community to keep both the doctors and the patients informed. Concussions affect the brain, and we need our brain for every single thing we do.  It’s a tough body part to rest, and rest is what’s needed the most.  The guidelines also recommend that you mix in some light physical activity.  Not an intense 5km run, but some easy cardiovascular exercise where you’d be able to maintain a conversation and not be completely out of breath.

Returning to work and play can be difficult.  Following a period of rest, that can be determined as a collaboration between you and your doctor, the return to activity should be gradual and should always respect the symptoms ( ie – if you go back to work and you feel terrible afterwards, you need more time off). 

Loud noise and bright light can over-stimulate the brain and leave a concussed person feeling sick.  Screen-time should be limited.  Reading should be limited.  Concentrating and problem solving should be limited.  Anything that makes the brain work too hard…you guessed it…should be limited.   

Sleep can be disturbed, but sleep is really important!  Try to manage your bed time, keep the sleep routines the same and avoid caffeine to ensure your brain gets the sleep it needs.  Focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet.  Recovering from a concussion can be pretty boring, especially for teenagers who live off of sports, video games and TV.  Remember that a concussion is a brain injury, and not something that should be taken lightly! 

Treatment Options for Concussion in Oakville

At Nottinghill Family Wellness Centre we have many options for treatment. Our chiropractors, Dr. Steve and Dr. Jenn, have a number of different treatment options to help relieve the muscle and joint pain that can be related to a concussion injury.

Chiropractic Concussion Treatment

Concussion injuries involve a blow to the head or neck, so they often go hand-in-hand with injuries to the neck. The muscles and joints can become sore, restricted and tight. Our chiropractors are experts in dealing with spinal pain from sport, and therefore chiropractic is an excellent option for the neck and/or whiplash experienced after a concussion injury. Spinal adjustments and mobilizations can help get stiff joints moving again. It will help your head and neck feel lighter, and help restore your full range of motion.

Chiropractic appointments will also include the use of electrical modalities to help relax tight muscles and ease pain. In addition, hot and cold therapy can be applied to help reduce inflammation, relieve pain and promote healing.

Our Oakville chiropractors will also prescribe some home exercises to help get you better faster! Neck stretches will help you regain your range of motion and help decrease headache frequency. Specific neck exercises will help strengthen your neck and get you back to your normal routine quickly!

Acupuncture Treatment for Concussion

After suffering a concussion, muscles in the back of the head and neck can become very tight. We treat these injuries at our Oakville acupuncture clinic all the time! Whiplash injuries can be suffered in conjunction with a concussion, and acupuncture is a great option for treating neck pain. Inserting needles into sore and tight musculature can help them relax, and can significantly reduce pain. Acupuncture treatment for whiplash injuries is included as part of a regular chiropractic visit, and can be an excellent option for improving function and eliminating pain caused by a head injury.

Headaches are also a common occurrence with a concussion. If the headaches are caused by the joints of the head and neck, or by the muscles around the head and neck, acupuncture can help treat those headaches too! In addition to treating the muscles directly, there are special headache acupuncture points to treat headaches specifically!

Click Here for More Information On Acupuncture For Headaches

For More Information About Concussion Management Click Here

Returning To School/Work

Not all concussions require a break from school or work, but some definitely do.  It is very important that you check with a healthcare provider before you try and return to your regular activities.  Some concussion symptoms take a day or two to show up, so don’t rush yourself back into your normal routine.  If you, or your child, needs to take some time away from school, keep in mind that even if homework is sent home, it can be detrimental to recovery.  Thinking is still thinking even if it’s not taking place in a classroom.   It may be necessary to only attend school for a half day, take breaks, have a designates quiet room to finish tasks and avoid noisy areas (like the cafeteria).

So why isn’t it a good idea to return to work/school right away?  This is your brain we’re talking about.  Injuries to your brain should not be taken lightly.  Any time you need to think, concentrate, read, follow along in a meeting or answer a question in school,  you’re using your brain.  The brain is a hard thing to rest, but rest is what it needs to recover.  If you are feeling fine, but after a work/school day are starting to feel unwell or have noticed a worsening of your symptoms, then it is probably time to take a break.

Returning To Sports

A big portion of the concussion population is athletes.  Athletes are always eager to return to their sport.  We get it.  What some people don’t understand is that returning to sport too quickly can be really dangerous.  We aren’t keeping you away from your sport to be mean, we’re doing it because it’s in your best interest. 

If your brain is already experiencing an energy crisis, or is inflamed, a second injury can be catastrophic.  Second Impact Syndrome is a second injury to the brain that occurs before the first one has a chance to recover completely.  The scary part about this condition, is that when the brain is already more fragile than normal, it only takes a fraction of the initial impact force to cause more problems.  This can be fatal, which is why proper concussion management is so important.   

There is a very specific protocol to return a concussed athlete to their sport.  The return to any sort of physical activity needs to be gradual and the environment needs to be controlled.  For example, a concussed hockey player does not return to game play right away.  In fact, they shouldn’t even return to contact practice right away.  Physical activity needs to be re-introduced slowly.  Starting with light cardiovascular exercise and ending with return to full contact sport.  If at any stage of the re-introduction symptoms worsen, you need to return to the previous stage.  It can be a long, drawn-out, frustrating process for athletes. 

If you’re looking for more detailed information for yourself (as a parent, athlete, coach, teacher or healthcare practitioner) the SCAT 5 is a tool used to identify a concussion had taken place. The last page of the document contains valuable information. This information can help anyone identify ‘red flags’ after a concussion (that indicate the person should go to the hospital). It also details the graduated “return to work” and “return to sports” protocols that should be followed after a concussion.

Preventing Concussion

There has been lots of research in the past 10 years dedicated to finding ways to prevent concussion.  Some of the proposed changes have been major and league-wide, and some proposed changes are smaller but no less important.  Some hockey leagues across Canada have changed the rules of their sport, eliminating hitting in the younger age groups.  The NHL introduced the ‘quiet room’ in 2011 to take head injuries more seriously.  Volleyball leagues have made changes to the way they organize their hitting practice to limit stray balls from hitting an unsuspecting athlete.  Rule changes are important in both preventing and managing concussion. 

Another important factor in preventing concussion is proper equipment, and properly fitted equipment.  We know some athletic gear is expensive, and it’s way easier to put your kids in hand-me-down gear, even if it doesn’t fit perfectly.  A properly fitted helmet can be the difference between a moment of discomfort and months of recovery from a concussion.

When fitting a helmet there are a number of factors that should be considered.  Whether it is a bicycle helmet, hockey helmet, football helmet or motorcycle helmet, there are some important rules to follow…

Helmet Fit

• When choosing a size, measure around the head just above the eyebrows
• When getting fit for a helmet, make sure the hairstyle worn at the time of measurement is the same that will be worn majority of the time
• Chin strap should be centered under the chin and pulled snug

Helmet Storage

• Do not let anything lean against or on top of the helmet
• Do not paint or decorate the helmet without checking the manufacturer guidelines, this may change the integrity of the materials

Concussions are a complex issue, and it is imperative they are well managed right from the beginning. If you, or someone you know, has suffered a concussion get in for treatment and management tips right away!

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What is Sinus Tarsi Syndrome?

The sinus tarsi is a tunnel between two of your ankle bones.  This tunnel can become injured from an inversion ankle sprain, especially if the sprain was severe!  People who sprain their ankles often, or do a lot of standing/walking are more at risk for developing this condition.  Individuals who are over-pronators or have flat feet can also put extra strain on this tunnel and cause irritation.

READ MORE about acupuncture and ankles

Acupuncture Oakville: Symptoms of Sinus Tarsi Syndrome

The biggest indicator of this sinus tarsi syndrome is pain on the outside of the ankle, right in front of the lateral malleolus (the bump on the outside of your ankle).  Pain is most noticeable when weight-bearing.  The pain in this area may be accompanied by a feeling of instability in the ankle, swelling on the outside of the ankle or difficulty walking on unstable/uneven surfaces. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms please start icing your ankle after prolonged physical activity or standing.

Read More about Sinus Tarsi and Acupuncture

Acupuncture for Sinus Tarsi Syndrome Oakville

The sinus tarsi is a deep structure of the ankle.  Our acupuncturist says it’s not directly accessible to the hands of a practitioner.  This is where acupuncture can be so valuable!  There is an acupuncture point that can be inserted right into the ankle joint and affect the deep ligaments of the ankle.

More treatment options for sinus tarsi syndrome in Oakville

Inserting a needle into the joint can help flush out the inflammation and decrease the persistent swelling that is often present in individuals with this condition.  The needling techniques also help to draw blood flow to the injured area and promotes healing.  This is particularly helpful for individuals who chronically injure their ankles.  The healing response dampens over time, so inserting a needle into this area can make sure the body doesn’t forget about the injury and keeps trying to heal it!

Treating the surrounding muscles is also beneficial when dealing with sinus tarsi syndrome.  The muscles on the outside of the lower leg can become strained after an ankle sprain.  Painless acupuncture points in the outside of the leg can help stimulate these muscles and speed up the healing process.  Additionally, treating the calf muscles with acupuncture helps to stimulate the same nerves that innervate the ankle joint, and this can help to decrease pain and recovery time! If you are suffering from knee pain due to compensation from your ankle injury try acupuncture! Most of our sinus tarsi patients have had chronic ankle sprains and were improper footwear. Oakville orthotics at our clinic can help with ankle biomechanics and choosing a shoe that is supportive will improve overall foot pronation.

Learn more about acupuncture in Oakville for ankle sprains and sinus tarsi

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