El Paso, TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez takes a look at driving and how it effects the spine.
Daily, nearly 90% of journeys and 92% of miles traveled are made in autos or ground transportation (buses, trucks). On average, guys drive 44 miles as well as girls drive 34 miles each day. For many Americans, driving a motorized road vehicle is their job: truck drivers, bus drivers, ambulance and fire trucks, police, taxis etc.
Modern car and truck layouts have come a long way in their own design over the past 20 years, with better fuel efficiency, better features, better styling and better relaxation. But is there any signs that the look of contemporary bus, car or truck seats and driving might play a part in causing a few of the back injuries that plague�Americans each year?
Exactly Why Is Driving Different To Ordinary Sitting?
In case your own car is not moving, then sitting in a driving seat probably isn’t substantially different to sitting in a chair that is cushioned, but as soon as the vehicle begins moving things change. Additionally, when driving the feet are actively being used, the right foot on the gas (accelerator) pedal, the left on the brake, and in a stick-shift also on the clutch. When the feet are active they can’t be utilized to support and stabilize the reduced body when they’re put on the floor during regular sitting in a chair, as usually occurs. There is evidence the blend of those variables, coupled with the look of the car seat itself, can increase the possibility of back problems for many people.
Is Driving Linked With Back Problems?
Lab studies have examined the effects of whole-body vibration when a person is sitting in a car seat. The lumbar spine has a natural resonant frequency of 4-5 Hz , and results show that this natural frequency can be excited by lab simulated vehicle driving, and this may result in high spinal loadings in the lower back, and also this in turn could result in greater postural distress and an increased hazard of low back pain and injury.
Quite a few research studies have investigated potential associations between back and driving problems, and usually these studies have found significant consequences.
Drivers in the USA and in Sweden found that in each country 50% of those questioned reported low back pain.�
Investigation of the potential reasons for this revealed that long term vibration exposure from driving was among the greatest risk factors for neck, back and low back problems.
Gender generally seems to play an important part in the possibility of developing driving-related back problems. A survey of over 7000 Parisians found that even though severity and the prevalence of low back pain was higher in women, driving was just connected with back problems in guys. The need for driving as a risk factor improved with driving time, and was especially important for guys who drove 4 hours or more each day.
A survey of over 1400 urban transportation system motorists showed that issues using the capacity to accurately adjust the seat that was driving have significant effects on the prevalence of low back problems.
Nevertheless, it appears that driving need not consistently raise the chance of back problems.
Is There An Ideal Car Seat Layout?
Based on a comprehensive evaluation of advice from peer-reviewed scientific journals and texts, automotive engineering reports, and also the National Library of Medicine a string of requirements for the best car seat layout have been developed. Ideally, the optimal car seat should have:
1. Adjustable seat back incline (100 degrees from horizontal is ideal)
2. Changeable seat bottom depth (from seat back to front edge)
3. Adjustable seat height
4. Flexible seat bottom incline
5. Seat bottom cushion with solid (dense) foam
6. Adjustable lumbar support (horizontally and vertically adjustable)
7. Depth pulsating lumbar support to lessen static load
8. Flexible bilateral arm rests
9. Flexible seat back incline (100-degrees from horizontal is optimal
10. Flexible head restraint with pad that is lordosis
11. Frequencies between 1- 20 Hz to dampen
12. Linear front-back seat traveling to allow otherwise sized drivers to reach the pedals
13. Seat back damped to reduce bouncing of the torso in rear end impacts
Driving Safety
What To Check For In A Great Car Seat Layout When You Buy The Next Car
It is likely that most automobiles available on the market today won’t have the features listed above that are desirable in the optimal car seat all, but some will have more than others pick wisely. Pay close focus on the subsequent 5 guidelines which should help you to protect your back when you drive.
1) Car Seat Comfort
You’ve fixed this to suit your body and when you sit in the car seat does it feel comfortable. Otherwise, you will be most likely caused by then the car seat rear discomfort issues should you drive for any length of time. Rebound up and down in the seat to find out the way that it adapts vibration. Take the automobile on a test drive.
2) Car Seat Adjustments
Can you correct each of the features of the car seat you want to adjust? At a minimum you need to have the ability to adapt:
Seat space to accommodate different leg lengths
Seat height to accommodate different leg lengths
Backrest angle to sit down in either an upright or more reclined posture
You Should�Look For Other Adjustments That Are Useful:
Seat tilt to angle the front of the seat down or up so that this does not press against the back of your knees
Look for a car seat that supplies you with great low back support that can be corrected for depth (frequently the seat has an inflatable cushion) and is height adjustable
Headrest for neck support
Arms rests which are broad, cushioned and comfortable, and preferably height flexible
3) Shift Your Position
Remember to go your position from time to time. Wait until driving conditions are right to enable you to wriggle in the seat to relieve postural fatigue.
4) Take Breaks
Driving is exhausting work and to prevent driver fatigue and minimize postural discomfort it is good move around and take to pretty frequent rest breaks that enable you to stand up.
You can select a number of car seat accessories that will enhance seat comfort for you personally, from fleece covers to soften the seat to bead backrests to provide for some type of back massage while you drive. Select anything you find adds to your driving comfort.
5) Seat Accessories
You’re able to pick a number of car seat accessories which will improve seat comfort for you personally, from fleece covers to soften the seat to bead backrests to provide for some sort of back massage while you drive. Choose anything you locate adds to your driving comfort.
El Paso TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez looks at the work environment to see if it is in fact spine friendly.
While work can be a pain, it doesn’t have to cause pain. Creating your office work room in order to avoid back and neck strain is easier than you may think. Plus, rethinking your work environment is a fantastic chance to brush up on other healthy work habits as well as your posture.
Here are five ways you are able to design your office together with your back in your mind.
#1. Perfect Your Sitting�Posture
If you’re not sitting right even with the top equipment, your back will suffer. Pay attention to the situation of legs, hands, and your head when sitting. To avoid back pain, make sure to do the following:
Sit erect with your back and shoulders against the trunk of your chair
Consider using a hands free headset to stop shoulder and neck pain
Don’t slouch
Arms should rest on the armrests of your chair to avoid nerve pressure or circulatory difficulties
Keep your feet flat on the flooring�don�t cross your legs
Rest your shoulders while typing
#2. Get A Good�Chair
A good-constructed ergonomic seat to help increase your blood flow, reduce fatigue, stress, and decrease the chance of injury to your own neck and back. Getting the chair that is best is important, which means this is one product which should be tried in the store as opposed to purchasing online so you know before purchasing it, the way that it feels. Make fully sure your office chair has got the following:
A good backrest that provides lumbar support
The capability to recline (Sitting erect at a 90� angle is not good for your spine; a 100-degrees to 110-degrees angle is much better.)
Flexible height (You don�t want the seat to be overly high�your feet must be flat on the floor)
The ability to rotate or swivel, so you can easily�change tasks
#3. Invest In A Desk That Offers More Than Just Storage
One of the biggest pitfalls of a spine-friendly work routine is staying in one position for a long time. Switching between sitting and standing is the best strategy, and some desks�known as sit-stand desks or sit-to-stand desks � encourage one to mix up your position through the entire workday.
Sit-to-stand desks offer you the choice to work comfortably in both sitting and standing poses�and they been discovered to simply help burn off calories. They come in various price points and styles, and a growing variety of companies are considering this investment to boost workplace wellness.
If you�re looking to boost the ergonomic quality of a traditional desk make sure the desk is:
Secure (not wobbly)
Suitably high (generally 28″ to 30″ above the floor)
Large enough for your computer, with surface space for writing along with other jobs.
Not�so large that you have to over reach to do your work, which could cause excessive stress on the back
#4. Look At Your Computer
Since so much office work is done on computers, wherever your equipment is put can really make a difference when you are at work, in how your back feels. Try the following hints:
Tilt the keyboard down and slightly away from you for better wrist posture
Be sure your mouse is close enough so you can use it with your arms relaxed, and let it be as close to your body as possible
Set the monitor right in front of you at eye level, not off to the side, in order to avoid eye and neck strain. Adjustable monitor stands are available to find an ideal height.
If using a notebook, consider getting an external monitor or keyboard (or both). This enables each of those parts individually to move to develop a comfortable arrangement.
#5.�Take A Break
Not just a coffee break but a spine break. Stretch, take a quick walk, get the blood flowing. It�s simple to get caught up in work jobs and forget that you�ve been sitting or typing for a straight hour. Whether it�s a 15-minute walk or two-minute stretch session, occasional breaks can help revive your muscles, and perhaps you can find feel more productive, too.
You spend lots of time at work�why not take a few extra steps to develop a space that does your back a number of favors in return?
El Paso TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez looks at some exercises that are help�posture.
Prone Shoudler Arcs Can Help Strengthen Upper Back Muscles Which Hold Your Shoulders In Better Posture
By lifting a dowl or light pole up off the floor and moving the shoulder can help strengthen the muscles between the spine and shoulder blade.
Shoulders and shoulder blades which are relaxed and sit back and down instead of hunched up and slouched forward are better for your posture. Good posture can prevent neck pain, shoulder pain and headaches in the future.
Prone Shoulder Arcs
Deep Neck Flexor Training
Call Today!
For further hints and tips on postural care and general healthy living go to ccbrighton.co.uk/videos
El Paso TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez looks at how chiropractic treatment can help with joint inflammation.
If you are one of the millions of Americans with arthritis, you don�t have to suffer from painful joint inflammation.
Joint swelling is common in different types of arthritis, but arthritis can be managed with chiropractic care.
Arthritis Can Appear�Anywhere�& Symptoms Range From Inflammation, Pain & Stiffness
There Are More Than 100 Different Forms Of Arthritis & All Cause Pain In Different Ways
Arthritis was once considered a common part of the aging process and a signal that it�s time to slow down. However, according to the American Chiropractic Association, recent research and clinical findings show that there is much more to life for arthritis patients than the traditional recommendation of bed rest and medications.
The physical medicine of chiropractic adjustments which help restore the injured tissue strength and elasticity while decreasing the nerve sensitivity. With movement and function restored, excess pressure is not forced onto the joints.
According to Dr. Mike DeCubellis, owner and director of Main Street Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Downers Grove, the most effective therapies to relieve the pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis of the spine is massage therapy, electrical muscle stimulation therapy and ultrasound.
�The goal for each of the therapies is to reduce the pain and inflammation, relax the muscles tension associated with arthritis and increase the joint motion,� DeCubellis said.
Arthritis cannot be cured, but treatment from a chiropractor can prevent the damage created by the arthritis.
If a joint is out of alignment and not functioning properly, the surfaces will begin to make contact. That grinding causes inflammation, which leads to arthritis and – if left untreated – joint damage.
Your chiropractor can help you develop an exercise program that will help restore range of motion and improve flexibility and increase strength.
El Paso TX. Chiropractor Dr. Alex Jimenez takes a look at medication for joint pain and how they can make the pain worse.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are as common as candy, a staple of every home medicine cabinet and tossed casually in desk drawers, purses, and briefcases. Many people take these drugs, which include ibuprofen (sold as Motrin and Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin, at the first sign of a�headache or muscle cramps � and they are a daily ritual for many people living with arthritis.
But few people realize that NSAIDs carry a black-box warning, the strictest warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration. �Most people think that the government or FDA would not allow something dangerous on the market, especially since most of them are over-the-counter and [used] without a prescription,� says integrative medicine expert Sunil Pai, MD, author of An Inflammation Nation. �A black-box warning is the FDA�s attempt to let you know that you can end up in a casket if you are unlucky enough to suffer one of a medication�s serious reactions.�
Not only have NSAIDs been linked to a slew of serious side effects, including ulcers, hearing loss, allergic reactions and miscarriages, but they can actually worsen some of the conditions, such as arthritis, they are supposed to help.
�The scientific literature makes it abundantly clear that NSAIDs�have a significant negative effect on cartilage,� which accelerates the deterioration of arthritic joints, says Pai. �NSAIDs have no beneficial effect on [cartilage] and speed up the very disease for which they are most used and prescribed.�
Even worse, NSAIDs do not address the underlying conditions that cause pain and inflammation, such as a leaky gut, and can even exacerbate them. Stress, infections, alcohol, and a poor diet can all irritate the gut lining and lead to a leaky gut, but so can NSAIDs.
�If you use a full therapeutic dose of NSAIDs for two weeks, there is a 75 percent chance you will develop a leaky gut that doesn�t go away when you stop taking the drug, Leo Galland, MD, tellsExperience Life magazine.
6 Simple Dietary Interventions To Fight &�Heal A Leaky Gut
So, how can people with acute or chronic inflammatory conditions fight pain naturally? Some simple dietary interventions go a long way towards fighting inflammation and healing a leaky gut.
1. Try an Elimination Diet
Removing common foods that can irritate the gut, including gluten, sugar, dairy, processed foods and soy, can jumpstart the healing process. Sugar (and refined grains, which turn to sugar in the body), for example, is one of the single biggest drivers of inflammation and its downstream consequences.
When sugar cravings strike, try roasting root vegetables or sweet potatoes. Roasting concentrates the natural sweetness of the plant, but the fiber slows down sugar absorption in the bloodstream.
2. Eat Whole Foods
Michael Pollen�s recommendation � �Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.� � Is great advice when it comes to naturally fighting inflammation. Eating a Standard American Diet (SAD) � high in processed foods, unhealthy fats, and sugars � is like pouring kerosene on inflammation�s fire. Eating whole foods, rich in phytonutrients, helps put out that fire.
One fun way to eat more plants? Strive to �eat the rainbow,� or get at least one whole food from all the different colors of the rainbow each day:
Animal protein doesn�t need to be avoided if it�s grass-fed and pastured. Instead, try to reverse the ratio on your dinner plate: Make meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.
3. Supplement with Glutamine
Glutamine helps heal your gut by fueling the cells in your gut lining. You could think of it as a leaky gut superhero. �Glutamine heals the intestinal lining more than any other nutrient,� Liz Lipski, Ph.D., CCN, author of Digestive Wellness, tells Experience Life.
4. Get Your Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are natural inflammation fighters. Good whole food sources of omega-3s include wild-caught fish, grass-fed meat, pastured eggs, algae, and seeds such as hemp, chia, and flax. A high-quality omega-3 supplement is also worth considering. Even on a largely whole-foods-based, it can be hard to get the recommended daily amount of omega-3s.
5. Drink Bone Broth
Bone broth is one of the best natural sources of collagen, a protein found in abundance in our ligaments, tendons, bones, and skin. The collagen in broth is easily absorbed by our tissues and can not only help promote healthier connective tissue and ease joint pain, but it can also help heal a leaky gut. The best bone broth is homemade�but increasingly high-quality bone broth is available for purchase at cooperatives and health food stores.
6. Consider Botanical First Aid
Many plants are powerful inflammation fighters. Turmeric may be the best known and most studied.�Recent research suggests that the active ingredient in turmeric (called curcumin) has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities on par with commonly prescribed arthritis drugs like Enbrel and Humira.
A lot of other plants and plant compounds show similar activity in the body, including ginger, bromelain (an enzyme found in pineapple), capsaicin (the active ingredient in hot peppers), and ginger. Consult your healthcare practitioner before taking botanical supplements.
Once you’ve developed symptoms of back pain, you may need to visit a physical therapist. A physical therapist will then work together with the patient to help restore their original mobility and help heal their body as a whole. Moreover, the therapist can also recommend a series of methods and techniques to help the individual minimize their pain and symptoms in the future.
Physical therapy includes both passive and active treatment options. Passive treatments are helpful for helping people relax while also helping the body heal. These are referred to as passive treatments because the patient does not need to actively participate in them to experience the benefits. Most physical therapy treatment plans may begin with passive treatment while the body begins to heal, however, the goal is to ultimately get the patient to participate in active treatments. Therapeutic exercises can help strengthen the body in order to help prevent future episodes of back pain.
Passive Treatments
A physical therapist may offer the following passive treatments including:
Deep Tissue Massage: This treatment method targets chronic muscle tension and/or spasms that build up as a result of daily life stress. Muscle tension or spasms can also be caused due to strains or sprains from sports injuries or trauma from an accident. A physical therapist can apply direct pressure and friction to the affected region in order to release the tension in the soft tissues, such as ligaments, tendons and muscles.
Hot and Cold Therapies: A physical therapist can alternate between using hot and cold treatment methods for a variety of symptoms. Through the use of heat therapy, for instance, the therapist can achieve an increased blood flow, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the affected regions of the body. Good blood circulation is essential to remove waste products which may have manifested due to muscle spasms in addition to helping the patient heal. Through the use of cold therapy, for example, also referred to as cryotherapy, blood flow is decreased or slowed down to help reduce pain and inflammation from muscle spasms. Applying a cold pack to the affected region or an ice massage are common ways of applying cold therapy. Another option to cryotherapy is a spray called fluoromethane, which functions by cooling the tissues. After the application of ice to the affected area of the body, a physical therapist may help stretch the affected muscles to improve healing.
Transcutaneous nerve stimulation or TENS: A TENS machine helps stimulate the muscles through the use of electrical currents which help reduce muscle spasms by boosting the body’s production of endorphins, or the body’s natural pain killers. The TENS equipment a physical therapist utilizes can be considerably large, but smaller TENS units are available for use at home. Utilizing transcutaneous nerve stimulation can be beneficial.
Ultrasound: This form of treatment helps reduce muscle spasms, cramping, swelling, stiffness and pain by also increasing blood circulation. This is achieved by sending sound waves deep into the muscles and other tissues of the body, creating mild heat which functions to enhance blood flow.
Active Treatments
Active physical therapy treatments a therapist can perform includes guiding the patient through a series of stretches and exercises which can help improve the body’s overall strength, mobility, flexibility and stability. Each person’s physical therapy program should be specialized according to their specific needs and their type of injury or condition. Taking into consideration the individual’s specific quality of life, health and well-being, particularly for someone who has back pain symptoms, the physical therapist should develop a physical activity program which will best benefit the patient.
If needed, you may additionally need to learn how to correct your posture and incorporate ergonomic principles into your daily activities. This is all part of the “self-care” or “self-treatment” aspect of physical therapy: through physical therapy, you learn good habits and principles that enable you to take better care of your body. Your physical therapist may also suggest a personalized exercise program for you. This can help reduce the likelihood of your back pain recurring and can also improve your overall health and wellness.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
El Paso TX. Chiropractor, Dr. Alex Jimenez discusses ways�to assist you to get the care you’ll need at your next appointment. Dr. Michael J. Cooney, D.C�I�ve been treating patients with severe and chronic pain from around the corner in Rutherford, New Jersey to as far away as Australia and South Africa.
From our patient�s first reference to the past treatment office visit, the success of any pain treatment we prescribe is contingent upon us (the health care provider) correctly treating the root cause of your pain.
As the patient, just describing your intense pain or neuropathic pain is a high stakes� conversation that is �. I am able to read your medical history, attributing lab results and physician reports, however this really is secondary to understanding each patient�s pain mechanics. It is absolutely vital this is communicated to your pain management provider as correctly as possible.
For those fighting �invisible pain” such as fibromyalgia, CRPS (complex areas pain syndrome), RSD (reflex sympathetic dystrophy), diabetic neuropathy or long-term pain after cancer treatment, correctly communicating the place, frequency and depth of the discomfort can be especially demanding and emotionally taxing.
You might wish to bring this short article for your next doctor visit and go over each of the key pain description points I�ve outlined below.
I really hope your doctor will ask you these questions, but if not, you are able to behave as your own pain promoter and offer this information.
�Tell Me About Your Pain�
Based upon your medical records, we already know the reason behind your pain (injury or ailment). In order to restart your highest quality of life possible, our goal would be to remove or minimize this symptom.
Pain symptoms are private, subjective –and unique. (What Joe describes as �unbearable pain� could be considered �fairly disagreeable pain� to Mike). Through the years, I developed my own �pain diagnostic� conversation with patients to assist my team and I understand what, where, when and just how much pain patients are feeling.
I�ve outlined key points below:
Time Matters
This is key to a proper analysis. Don�t presume we know you�ve combated with this pain to get a month a year or a decade.
1.I�ve had this pain for _________________.
2.How frequently and how long does it last?
3.What ignites (flare) or lessens your pain and for how long?
Location, Location, Location
Graphic of a human body with a rear & front view (see above)
Doctors may instruct you to indicate the area/s where your pain is concentrated. They may also request that you notice a difference between pain which is on pain and the surface that’s below the surface.
The front and back of the unisex individual figure are the most identifiable, although this tool comes from the McGill Pain Questionnaire including other measurements.
Most referring physicians, regardless of their medical specialty, utilize 1 to 10 point pain scale that is simple, so�I keep everyone on the same page.
This tool comes from the McGill Pain Questionnaire including other measurements, but the front and back of the unisex person body are the most identifiable.
How Bad Is Your Pain – Measurement Tool
Simply said, take into consideration where your pain level falls the majority of the time�unless you experience extreme pain changes.
No Pain
0 � Painfree
Manageable Pain
1 � Pain is quite mild, barely noticeable. You don’t think about it.
2 � Small pain. Annoying and may have occasional twinges that are stronger.
3 � Pain distracting and is noticeable, you may get used to it and adapt.
Moderate�Pain�Disrupts Regular Day-To-Day Living Tasks
4 � Moderate pain. If you should be deeply in an action, it may be blown off to get a time frame, but is diverting.
5 � Moderately strong pain. It can’t be dismissed for more than a few minutes, but you still can manage to work or participate in some social activities.
6 � Rather strong pain that interferes with normal daily activities. Difficulty focusing.
Severe�Pain�Disabling; Debilitating, Reduces Daily Quality Of Life, Cannot Live Independently
7� Severe pain that dominates your senses and significantly restricts your capability to perform ordinary daily tasks or maintain social relationships. Interferes with sleep.
8� Intense pain. Physical action is seriously limited. Conversing requires great exertion.
9. Not able to converse. Weeping outside or moaning uncontrollably.
10� Unspeakable pain. Perhaps and bedridden delirious. Mobility may be undermined.
�My Pain Feels Like��
Most of the time, patients experience one or two consistent pain �feelings� but some can experience a variety of sensations.
The most common pain kinds are:
Sharp stabbing pain
Extreme heat or burning sensation
Extreme cold
Throbbing, inflamed tissue
Susceptibility to contact / touching
Itching
Numbness, tingling, pins & needles
Create A Pain Journal
I motivate patients or their family members to document a weeklong pain cycle till they meet with chiropractic, their pain management or alternative medicine team.
Additionally, jot down any treatments or activities�that lessen or increase your discomfort.
As an example, maybe you have discovered that hot showers or cold weather allows you to feel worse, but exercise or Epsom salt baths makes the pain more manageable.
If you come prepared with all this information, your time with all the physician can be spent focusing on next steps and also a treatment plan, rather than a lengthy Q & A review of the information supplied here.
More importantly, addressing these issues beforehand will ensure your physician receives up-to-date, higher quality information.
Consequently, your case could be assessed more quickly and a pain management plan can be placed into action to begin removing or reducing your suffering as rapidly and efficiently as possible.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
