“Sitting is the new smoking” has become quite the buzz phrase lately, as numerous sources show the correlation between spending hours sitting at a desk and risk of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. It’s a scary thought, considering so many of us are bound to our desks and chairs for hours upon hours while we work, commute or even to relax — when our bodies were never meant to do so. From brain fog, lack of focus, drop in metabolism, poorer circulation and breathing, muscle imbalances and degenerating posture, the effects of sitting have truly become the “silent killers” of today. As humans, we are primed to move. Yet urbanization, technology, and workplace norms have resulted in our physical stagnation. We have become sedentary, physically inactive creatures, and this comes at a cost. Being in practice for over 20 years, I too have seen the shift in recent years from patients experiencing neck and back pain from physical labor and strains from over-activity to now experiencing chronic pain, stiffness and lack of mobility from sitting for far too long daily. The worst part is, most of the damages acquired from sitting for too long are not reversible by Read more…
Can You Prevent Arthritis? Is it truly possible to prevent arthritis? The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is also known as degenerative joint disease. It is experienced by 80% of people over 50 years of age and can begin in the teenage years. It brings with it pain, deformity and the tendency to limit joint movement throughout the body. Unfortunately, it usually does not announce its arrival. Rather, it comes on subtly, often with morning joint stiffness appearing as the initial symptom. From there, it progresses, becoming increasingly painful, especially with activity. For many people, the assumption is that it is impossible to prevent arthritis of this kind. They feel that osteoarthritis is just a normal part of aging and that it goes hand in hand with normal “wear and tear” on the body. They also believe that nothing can be done about it. Improve Your Understanding to Prevent Arthritis Understanding how osteoarthritis is caused, can help provide solutions in how to prevent it. Osteoarthritis is caused by an improper function (or motion) of the involved joints. When joints begin to move improperly, 90% of the time it causes no sensation. As a result, joint degeneration occurs, Read more…
Are you a weekend or Summer warrior? You know…someone who spends their weekdays behind a desk and their weekends running marathons, gardening for hours on end, building a deck or cycling across the city. While you may think that you can get away with saving your physical activity for the weekend, think again! In Canada, 35% of injuries occur during participation in some type of sport or exercise and studies show that weekend warriors are actually at a greater risk of developing an injury. Especially, warriors who are over the age of 30 and are not making time to exercise during the week. Weekend and summer warriors have a tendency of doing too much, too fast and that’s what puts them at extra risk for injuries like muscle sprains and chronic tendonitis. To avoid injury, it’s best to break your physical activity into smaller, more frequent sessions. Yes, this also goes for activities like gardening, building a deck or even house cleaning! Listen to your body. If certain activities cause your pain or discomfort like neck pain, back pain or joint pain, consider hiring someone to help get the job done. When it comes to exercise, consider a workout Read more…
Benefits of Chiropractic Care and How It Can Help Support Your Health
WHY SHOULD YOU SEE A CHIROPRACTOR? AFTER EXPERIENCING ACCIDENTS OR TRAUMA A car accident or simple fall can cause severe stress on one’s neuro-musculoskeletal system, this can affect movement and function. A fall, even as a young child, can cause or contribute to future health problems. Thankfully, seeing a chiropractor can help with such injuries. It is possible to not only find relief but also prevent other health issues that may arise later on in life. IF YOU ARE COMPETING IN SPORTS Even though sports benefit the body by giving it exercise, these activities can also put stress on our spines. The vast majority of elite teams and athletes worldwide would not dream of competing without first experiencing chiropractic adjustments. Research shows that chiropractic care increases athletic performance by 17%! Are you an athlete who has been putting up with aches, pains or other injuries? If you see a chiropractor, you could experience an alleviation of your symptoms, and a boost to your competitive edge. TO EASE PREGNANCY Pregnancy is a time of hormonal changes that can “loosen” ligaments, when the body is preparing for birth. This, coupled with added weight, can put increased stress on the neuro-musculoskeletalal system. Women Read more…
Two Natural Ways to Relieve Foot Pain
Approximately 75% of Canadians will experience some form of foot problem during their lifetime. Are you one of the 75% of people suffering? This week’s blog addresses two natural ways to relieve foot pain. Common Causes of Foot Pain Your feet are a complex system of 52 bones, 66 joints, 214 ligaments and 38 tendons and muscles. Even the smallest imbalance in your feet can cause pain. Fortunately, there are solutions but before we get into those let’s chat about some of the most common causes of foot pain. 1) Plantar Fasciitis Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It occurs when the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone. The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that spans the sole of the foot and provides shock absorption while walking. Those with plantar fasciitis will usually exp erience pain in the morning, when they first step out of bed. The pain will usually improve over the day, with only a dull pain persisting. 2) Metatarsalgia Metatarsalgia results in a sharp pain in ball the foot, which is given its shape by the rounded ends of the metatarsal bones. The pain can feel like Read more…
5 Things You Can Do to Relieve Shoulder Pain
Looking to relieve shoulder pain? Keep reading… The shoulder is a complex joint that is located at the intersection of the humerus (upper arm), clavicle (collarbone), and scapula (shoulder blade). These 3 bones are held in place by a network of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Despite its large range of motion, the shoulder is not very stable, which puts it at an increased risk for injury. In fact, shoulder injuries are so common that 1 in 10 people experience shoulder pain in their lifetime. What Causes Shoulder Pain? It could be as simple as a slip or fall, an injury while playing sports or plain old overuse. The pain may be caused by: • A fractured bone • An injury to tissues around your joint, like a ligament (bone connector), tendon (muscle-bone connector), or muscle • Damage to the cartilage cushion inside the joint Whatever the cause, shoulder pain is just that – a pain. Since shoulder pain can make life miserable, people often overdo it with pain medication. Though medication may temporarily mask pain, one must keep in mind that it does nothing to resolve the cause of the pain. Without addressing the cause – the pain will almost always come back. So, Read more…
Simple Ways to Relieve Tendonitis Pain
Swimmer’s shoulder Jumper’s knee Pitcher’s shoulder Tennis elbow You’ve probably heard one of these terms at some point or another. Though each term refers to a different body part, all refer to a common ailment: tendonitis. Tendonitis is caused when tendons (the thick cords that join your muscles to your bones) become irritated or inflamed. Any tendon can develop tendonitis, but most of time it occurs in the shoulders, elbows, heels and wrists. What are the Symptoms of Tendonitis? Tendinitis is known to cause acute pain and tenderness that often makes moving the affected joint difficult. Those experiencing tendonitis will usually feel a dull ache that is concentrated around the inflamed joint. The pain will often increase when that area is moved or if it is touched, and oftentimes swelling is present. What Causes Tendonitis? Tendinitis can be a result of: • an injury • repetitive movement • aging • disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis) That being said, the most common cause of tendinitis is repetitive action. Athletes or sport’s enthusiasts are often at a higher risk for developing tendonitis. Especially, those who play tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball, where the same actions are repeated over and over again. Those Read more…
Chiropractic Care and Women
In honour of International Women’s Day, we at Sante Chiropractic and Wellness decided to devote this blog to women and Chiropractic. In todays world we like to promote equality between women and men in all aspects of our lives. There are a few things that will remain different between both genders, specifically when it has to do with our bodies. Ladies Only Women have the incredible capacity to get pregnant and give birth, something men cannot do. Yes, it is true science is evolving and there may come a day when we re-visit this idea but for the purpose of this blog we will keep it to how a womans body naturally was designed for pregnancy. Pregnancy is a wonderful thing and does not necessarily need to be painful or difficult. Many pregnant women have benefited from chiropractic care during their entire 40 week gestation period. It can help as the body goes through changes and help on the day of the delivery. A recent study showed that women receiving chiropractic care during their pregnancy have a 24% shorter labor time for a first pregnancy and 39% shorter for a second or third one. Also, the studied revealed the need for analgesics during Read more…
Arthrosis or Arthritis – What’s the Difference?
Arthrosis or Arthritis, these words look alike however they have two different meanings. Many people are not sure what the differences are. Some professionals don’t even bother explaining the difference anymore, resulting in even more confusion. I will try to give some clarity between these two words, so in the future you’ll know how and when to use them. Let’s start by a little bit of etymology (word origins) The word arthritis comes from arthri- (joint) and –tis for inflammation. On the other hand the word arthrosis comes from arthr- (joint) and –osis for abnormal. This doesn’t help explain the difference but sometimes it’s helpful to know where words come from. Two words same meaning Arthrosis is also known as Osteoarthritis. Both words are used interchangeably to describe the exact same condition. To help you remember try thinking of “O” for Arthrosis and Osteoarthritis. So what is the difference Arthritis is not a specific condition; it is actually a regrouping of multiple conditions affecting the joints including arthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout and many others diseases you’ve probably never heard of. Some arthritic disorders can even affect the skin like psoriatic arthritis. So what is the big deal if Read more…
As chiropractors, we come across a lot of patients who self diagnose and sometimes come up funny stories It’s sciatica… I know my brother had the same thing. It’s just normal headaches everybody has them. I don’t know how it happen, I swear I was doing NOTHING! Must be age. I’m getting old. One of my favorite: ”I don’t think it’s my joint’; it’s my muscles causing me pain”. Muscles would be the only cause of pain, according to a number of our patients. In a neuro-musculoskeletal disorder, the part ‘’musculo’’ represents only a third of the word and the same goes for an actual physical problem. In fact, there is rarely one thing causing your problem, it is often multifactorial. Let me explain, What is Pain? It is nothing more than the interpretation of a sensation by your nervous system. So, without nerves we could not feel the pain… We could also not feel anything else, move, breath, think, react, or just live. Pain is a sign of alarm to let you know something is wrong in your body. From there you have the choice to listen to it or to ignore it. Fun fact: Pain transmission in your Read more…