Skeletal muscles attached to the arms, legs, neck, back, and trunk bones are voluntary and consciously controlled. Weakness or inability to control these muscles can signal a health issue like a neuromuscular disorder or electrolyte imbalance. Can recognizing the symptoms can help healthcare providers develop effective treatment programs?
Voluntary Muscles
Voluntary muscles are the skeletal muscles that attach to bones and control movement of the limbs, head, neck, and body under an individual’s conscious control. Skeletal muscles are controlled by neuromuscular signals from the brain that communicate with individual muscle fibers and cause them to contract.
Difference
Voluntary muscles are skeletal muscles that contract and relax under conscious control.
These muscles attach to bones and regulate movement of the body.
Involuntary muscles are not under conscious control.
Involuntary muscles involve automatic internal processes needed for survival, like controlling blood vessels and organs like the heart, lungs, and digestive system.
They contract and relax automatically and receive signals from the autonomic nervous system, which regulates internal bodily functions.
Voluntary
Voluntary muscles are skeletal muscles that comprise 40% of the body’s weight and 50% to 75% of the body’s proteins. These muscles can convert chemical and mechanical energy to cause voluntary muscle contraction and movement. (Trovato F.M. et al., 2016) Skeletal muscle comprises fascicles or bundled units of multiple muscle fibers or muscle cells. Each muscle fiber consists of a cross-banded structure further divided into myofibrils containing thick myosin and thin actin myofilaments, which give the muscle its stripe appearance, and the structure gives the characteristic striated structure. (Trovato F.M. et al., 2016) Muscle contraction occurs when these myofilaments move closer together, stimulated by the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from nerve cells that communicate with the muscle fiber.
Involuntary
The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary muscles, regulating their contraction and relaxation. This system also controls the activity of organs and blood vessels for essential daily functions, including breathing, circulation, digestion, heartbeat regulation, and urination. Most involuntary muscles are composed of smooth muscles. Smooth muscles do not have the striated structure of skeletal muscles and consist of sheets or layers of smooth muscle cells. When the autonomic nervous system stimulates these muscle cells to contract by releasing hormones or other chemical signals, smooth muscle cells shorten through the movement of actin and myosin myofilaments. Involuntary smooth muscles include the blood vessel walls, diaphragm, intestines, and bladder. (Webb R. C. 2003) One exception of an involuntary muscle is the myocardium, or heart muscle. The myocardium comprises a specialized cardiac muscle cell found only in the heart. Cardiac muscle is striated like skeletal muscle but is controlled by the autonomic nervous system and pacemaker cells, causing it to contract automatically and rhythmically.
Weakened Voluntary Muscles
Skeletal muscle diseases, neuromuscular disorders, and other causes can weaken muscles. Neuromuscular or skeletal muscle disorders affect the nerves that send electrical signals to voluntary skeletal muscles to control movement. When the nerves are damaged, communication between the nerves and muscles becomes disrupted. This can result in significant muscle weakness, atrophy, and loss of function. Most neuromuscular disorders are genetic or caused by issues with the immune system. Nerves communicate with muscles through the release of neurotransmitters at the neuromuscular junction, which is the space between a nerve cell and muscle fiber. Neuromuscular disorders can damage the nerve or the neuromuscular junction. Neuromuscular disorder symptoms can include: (Cleveland Clinic, 2023)
Numbness and tingling
Muscle weakness
Muscle twitches, cramps, or spasms
Muscle pain
Muscle atrophy
Decreased coordination
Balance problems
Drooping eyelids and double vision from eye muscle weakness.
Difficulty swallowing due to weakness of the pharynx.
Difficulty breathing due to weakness of the diaphragm.
Common Neuromuscular Disorders
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis – ALS
More commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, it is a genetic disorder that results from hardening of the spinal cord.
It causes damage to the nerves that control muscles and voluntary movement.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
This is a class of peripheral nerve disorders that cause muscle weakness, atrophy, and loss of sensation, most commonly in the legs and feet.
It is a genetic disorder caused by a gene mutation that damages myelin, or the insulating sheath that surrounds all nerves and supports the conduction of electrical signals.
Multiple Sclerosis – MS
MS causes degeneration of the myelin sheath surrounding nerves, decreasing the impulses along the nerves to muscles.
It can result in muscle weakness, which is often more severe on the dominant side of the body.
There are different forms of MS, but the condition is often progressive and gets worse over time if left untreated.
Muscular Dystrophies
These are genetic diseases characterized by gradual loss of motor function, muscle weakness and atrophy, walking gait problems, progressive respiratory failure, and cardiomyopathy.
There are nine types of muscular dystrophy, all caused by genetic mutations.
Myasthenia Gravis
This is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation throughout the body.
An autoimmune disease occurs when the immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake.
With myasthenia gravis, the body produces antibodies that attack the receptors for acetylcholine, reducing the body’s ability to contract muscles.
This leads to muscle weakness, atrophy, and fatigue.
Myopathies
These are diseases of muscles that cause muscle weakness and atrophy.
Depending on the type, they may progress and get worse over time.
Electrolyte Imbalances
Muscle weakness can result from altered sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium levels.
Always seek immediate medical attention for any sudden, unexplained muscle weakness. Individuals who experience skeletal muscle weakness should discuss the type and duration of symptoms with their doctor, specialist, physical therapist, or chiropractor, as this might be a sign of a medical condition such as a neuromuscular disorder. Working with a chiropractic team can help expedite healing. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic works with primary healthcare providers and specialists to develop a personalized treatment program through an integrated approach to treat injuries and chronic pain syndromes, improving flexibility, mobility, and agility, relieving pain, and helping individuals return to normal activities. If other treatments are needed, Dr. Jimenez has teamed up with top surgeons, clinical specialists, medical researchers, and rehabilitation providers to provide the most effective treatments.
Chiropractic Massage Therapy
References
Trovato FM, I. M., Conway N, Castrogiovanni P. (2016). Morphological and functional aspects of human skeletal muscle. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol., 1(3), 289-302. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk1030289
Webb R. C. (2003). Smooth muscle contraction and relaxation. Advances in physiology education, 27(1-4), 201–206. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00025.2003
The lumbosacral plexus is located on the posterolateral wall of the lesser pelvis, next to the lumbar spine. A plexus is a network of intersecting nerves that share roots, branches, and functions. The sacral plexus is a network that emerges from the lower part of the spine. The plexus then embeds itself into the psoas major muscle and emerges in the pelvis. These nerves provide motor control to and receive sensory information from portions of the pelvis and leg. Sacral nerve discomfort symptoms, numbness, or other sensations and pain can be caused by an injury, especially if the nerve roots are compressed, tangled, rubbing, and irritated. This can cause symptoms like back pain, pain in the back and sides of the legs, sensory issues affecting the groin and buttocks, and bladder or bowel problems. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic can develop a personalized treatment plan to relieve symptoms, release the nerves, relax the muscles, and restore function.
Sacral Plexus
Anatomy
The sacral plexus is formed by the lumbar spinal nerves, L4 and L5, and sacral nerves S1 through S4.
Several combinations of these spinal nerves merge together and then divide into the branches of the sacral plexus.
Everybody has two sacral plexi – plural of plexus – one on the right side and left side that is symmetrical in structure and function.
Structure
There are several plexi throughout the body. The sacral plexus covers a large area of the body in terms of motor and sensory nerve function.
Spinal nerves L4 and L5 make up the lumbosacral trunk, and the anterior rami of sacral spinal nerves S1, S2, S3, and S4 join the lumbosacral trunk to form the sacral plexus.
Anterior rami are the branches of the nerve that are towards the front of the spinal cord/front of the body.
At each spinal level, an anterior motor root and a posterior sensory root join to form a spinal nerve.
Each spinal nerve then divides into an anterior – ventral – and a posterior – dorsal – rami portion.
Each can have motor and/or sensory functions.
The sacral plexus divides into several nerve branches, which include:
Superior gluteal nerve – L4, L5, and S1.
Inferior gluteal nerve – L5, S1, and S2.
The sciatic nerve – is the largest nerve of the sacral plexus and among the largest nerves in the body – L4, L5, S1, S2, and S3
The common fibular nerve – L4 through S2, and tibial nerves – L4 through S3 are branches of the sciatic nerve.
Posterior femoral cutaneous nerve – S1, S2, and S3.
Pudendal nerve – S2, S3, and S4.
The nerve to the quadratus femoris muscle is formed by L4, L5, and S1.
The obturator internus muscle nerve – L5, S1, and S2.
The piriformis muscle nerve – S1 and S2.
Function
The sacral plexus has substantial functions throughout the pelvis and legs. The branches provide nerve stimulation to several muscles. The sacral plexus nerve branches also receive sensory messages from the skin, joints, and structures of the pelvis and legs.
Motor
Motor nerves of the sacral plexus receive signals from the brain that travel down the column of the spine, out to the motor nerve branches of the sacral plexus to stimulate muscle contraction and movement. Motor nerves of the sacral plexus include:
Superior Gluteal Nerve
This nerve provides stimulation to the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and tensor fascia lata, which are muscles that help move the hip away from the center of the body.
Inferior Gluteal Nerve
This nerve provides stimulation to the gluteus maximus, the large muscle that moves the hip laterally.
Sciatic Nerve
The sciatic nerve has a tibial portion and a common fibular portion, which have motor and sensory functions.
The tibial portion stimulates the inner part of the thigh and activates muscles in the back of the leg and the sole of the foot.
The common fibular portion of the sciatic nerve stimulates and moves the thigh and knee.
The common fibular nerve stimulates muscles in the front and sides of the legs and extends the toes to straighten them out.
Pudendal Nerve
The pudendal nerve also has sensory functions that stimulate the muscles of the urethral sphincter to control urination and the muscles of the anal sphincter to control defecation.
The nerve to the quadratus femoris stimulates the muscle to move the thigh.
The nerve to the obturator internus muscle stimulates the muscle to rotate the hips and stabilize the body when walking.
The nerve to the piriformis muscle stimulates the muscle to move the thigh away from the body.
Conditions
The sacral plexus, or areas of the plexus, can be affected by disease, traumatic injury, or cancer. Because the nerve network has many branches and portions, symptoms can be confusing. Individuals may experience sensory loss or pain in regions in the pelvis and leg, with or without muscle weakness. Conditions that affect the sacral plexus include:
Injury
A traumatic injury of the pelvis can stretch, tear, or harm the sacral plexus nerves.
Bleeding can inflame and compress the nerves, causing malfunction.
Neuropathy
Nerve impairment can affect the sacral plexus or parts of it.
Neuropathy can come from:
Diabetes
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Certain medications – chemotherapeutic meds
Toxins like lead
Alcohol
Metabolic illnesses
Infection
An infection of the spine or the pelvic region can spread to the sacral plexus nerves or produce an abscess, causing symptoms of nerve impairment, pain, tenderness, and sensations around the infected region.
Cancer
Cancer developing in the pelvis or spreading to the pelvis from somewhere else can compress or infect the sacral plexus nerves.
Treatment of the Underlying Medical Condition
Rehabilitation begins with the treatment of the underlying medical condition causing the nerve problems.
Cancer treatment – surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation.
Antibiotic treatment for infections.
Neuropathy treatment can be complicated because the cause may be unclear, and an individual can experience several causes of neuropathy simultaneously.
Major pelvic trauma like a vehicle collision can take months, especially if there are multiple bone fractures.
Motor and Sensory Recovery
Sensory problems can interfere with walking, standing, and sitting.
Adapting to sensory deficits is an important part of treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery.
Chiropractic, decompression, massage, and physical therapy can relieve symptoms, restore strength, function, and motor control.
Sciatica Secrets Revealed
References
Dujardin, Franck et al. “Extended anterolateral transiliac approach to the sacral plexus.” Orthopaedics & traumatology, surgery & research: OTSR vol. 106,5 (2020): 841-844. doi:10.1016/j.otsr.2020.04.011
Eggleton JS, Cunha B. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Pelvic Outlet. [Updated 2022 Aug 22]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557602/
Garozzo, Debora et al. “In lumbosacral plexus injuries can we identify indicators that predict spontaneous recovery or the need for surgical treatment? Results from a clinical study on 72 patients.” Journal of brachial plexus and peripheral nerve injury vol. 9,1 1. 11 Jan. 2014, doi:10.1186/1749-7221-9-1
Gasparotti R, Shah L. Brachial and Lumbosacral Plexus and Peripheral Nerves. 2020 Feb 15. In: Hodler J, Kubik-Huch RA, von Schulthess GK, editors. Diseases of the Brain, Head and Neck, Spine 2020–2023: Diagnostic Imaging [Internet]. Cham (CH): Springer; 2020. Chapter 20. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554335/ doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-38490-6_20
Norderval, Stig, et al. “Sacral nerve stimulation.” Tidsskrift for den Norske laegeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny raekke vol. 131,12 (2011): 1190-3. doi:10.4045/tidsskr.10.1417
Neufeld, Ethan A et al. “MR Imaging of the Lumbosacral Plexus: A Review of Techniques and Pathologies.” Journal of Neuroimaging: official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging vol. 25,5 (2015): 691-703. doi:10.1111/jon.12253
Staff, Nathan P, and Anthony J Windebank. “Peripheral neuropathy due to vitamin deficiency, toxins, and medications.” Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.) vol. 20,5 Peripheral Nervous System Disorders (2014): 1293-306. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000455880.06675.5a
Yin, Gang, et al. “Obturator Nerve Transfer to the Branch of the Tibial Nerve Innervating the Gastrocnemius Muscle for the Treatment of Sacral Plexus Nerve Injury.” Neurosurgery vol. 78,4 (2016): 546-51. doi:10.1227/NEU.0000000000001166
The function of the arm is to allow for movement of the wrist and hand. Various muscles initiate the arm’s actions, large muscles flex and extend, pronate and supinate, and the more sensitive muscles allow fine motor control. Lifting capacity and grip strength come from the arm muscles, making them essential for all types of activities. Because of the many functions and jobs the hands and arms do, added stress is placed on them. Arm discomfort symptoms, radiating pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling are common conditions. Chiropractic care can relieve injury symptoms and restore mobility and function.
Arm Discomfort Symptoms
The muscles of the upper arm, the biceps, and the triceps, control the movement and positioning of the elbow joint, and the muscles of the forearm control the wrist and hand. There are 30 bones from the top of the arm to the tip of the finger that include:
The humerus in the upper arm.
Ulna and radius in the forearm.
Carpal bones in the wrist.
Metacarpals and phalanges make up the hand and fingers.
The joints allow movement between the bones and are stabilized by ligaments and joint capsules.
Symptoms
Discomfort or Radiation
Symptoms vary based on the severity of the injury but commonly include.
Numbness and tingling in the elbow, forearm, or hand can develop.
Pain sensations often radiate to other areas.
Causes
Individuals that work with their hands related to work, home tasks, sports, or hobby activities, such as construction workers, hair stylists, store cashiers, graphic artists, automotive technicians, carpenters, painters, butchers, and more, have an increased risk of injury and developing chronic conditions. Work that involves manually cutting, writing, typing, gripping, operating motorized tools, hair clippers, working with animals, etc., makes the arms susceptible to injury from the constant stress on the ligaments. Common overuse injuries affecting the upper extremity include:
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
These conditions involve the nerves of the forearm.
Prolonged or repetitive bending or flexing of the wrist or elbow can generate swelling pressure that compresses the nerve/s.
Symptoms include numbness, coldness, tingling, and/or weakness in the hand and fingers.
Tennis, Golfer, and Pitcher Elbow
These conditions involve the inflammation of the tendon structures surrounding the elbow joint.
Repeating the same motion over and over causes damage.
This leads to tenderness and pain inside and surrounding the elbow.
De Quervain’s syndrome affects tendon structure in the wrist.
Swelling near the base of the thumb.
Individuals have difficulty grasping objects.
This is common for landscapers, gardeners, and sports where constant gripping is involved.
Tendonitis
Tendons attach muscles and bones
The condition causes tendon inflammation, presenting pain in the area around single or multiple joints.
Common types include wrist tendonitis, pitcher’s shoulder, and swimmer’s shoulder.
Tendon Tears
Overuse and frequent stress from continuous motion can wear tendons to the point of partial or complete tearing.
Rotator cuff tears in the shoulder are often caused by overuse wearing down.
Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic and massage therapy can rehabilitate arm injuries, restore function and reduce arm discomfort symptoms. Treatment includes:
Ice or heat treatment.
Manual therapy – soft tissue massage and trigger point alleviation.
Joint mobilization.
Taping or bracing support.
Rehabilitation targeted exercises.
Work and sports modification training.
Training on upper extremity overuse, practicing caution, and knowing when to seek professional medical help.
Shoulder Pain Rehabilitation
References
Bass, Evelyn. “Tendinopathy: why the difference between tendinitis and tendinosis matters.” International Journal of therapeutic massage & Bodywork vol. 5,1 (2012): 14-7. doi:10.3822/ijtmb.v5i1.153
Cutts, S et al. “Tennis elbow: A clinical review article.” Journal of Orthopaedics vol. 17 203-207. 10 Aug. 2019, doi:10.1016/j.jor.2019.08.005
Hoe, Victor C W, et al. “Ergonomic design and training for preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb and neck in adults.” The Cochrane Database of systematic reviews vol. 2012,8 CD008570. 15 Aug. 2012, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008570.pub2
Konijnenberg, H S et al. “Conservative treatment for repetitive strain injury.” Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health vol. 27,5 (2001): 299-310. doi:10.5271/sjweh.618
Luger, Tessy, et al. “Work-break schedules for preventing musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders in healthy workers.” The Cochrane Database of systematic reviews vol. 7,7 CD012886. 23 Jul. 2019, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012886.pub2
Pitzer, Michael E et al. “Elbow tendinopathy.” The Medical Clinics of North America vol. 98,4 (2014): 833-49, xiii. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2014.04.002
Verhagen, Arianne P et al. “Conservative interventions for treating work-related complaints of the arm, neck or shoulder in adults.” The Cochrane Database of systematic reviews vol. 2013,12 CD008742. 12 Dec. 2013, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008742.pub2
Zaremski, Jason L et al. “Sport Specialization and Overuse Injuries in Adolescent Throwing Athletes: A Narrative Review.” Journal of athletic training vol. 54,10 (2019): 1030-1039. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-333-18
Mindful eating involves paying attention to what and how individuals eat, helping to become more aware of the body’s natural hunger and satisfaction cues. The process can help individuals become aware of the reasons behind their hunger and help to reduce cravings, control portion sizes, and develop long-term healthy eating habits.
Mindful Eating
It’s easy to rush through meals and snacks without pausing to enjoy the experience while refueling the body. Like meditation, individuals focus on what they are eating, how it smells, tastes, and the bodily sensations experienced. It is a way of checking in with the mind and body throughout a meal or snack. Mindful eating puts the individual in touch:
Hedonic hunger – emotional, stressful, conditioned, celebratory, etc.
Benefits
Individuals do not have to go all-in but can adopt some principles of slowing down and tuning into the body to improve health. Benefits include:
Better Digestion
Slowing down and chewing food properly makes it easier to digest.
Improved Nutrition
Fast foods can cause a feeling of sluggishness and bloating.
Eating nutrient-packed meals provides more energy.
Improved nutrition means improved immune system health.
The awareness reinforces making healthier choices.
Satisfaction After Meals
Rushing to finish a meal means not enjoying the flavors and texture factors that can generate a sense of fullness and satisfaction.
Training the mind and body to be truly satisfied with meals and snacks leads to less stress and less craving.
Healthier Food Relationship
The body needs food physiologically for fuel and nourishment.
Individuals also develop emotional attachments to food associated with experiences and memories.
Addressing all aspects and influences in food relationships allows individuals to become more aware of their learned behaviors, perceptions, emotions, and mindsets.
Identifies behaviors that are not beneficial so the individual can work to improve them.
Improved Cardiometabolic Health
Mindful or intuitive eating has been shown to improve:
Blood sugar levels in pregnant women.
Inflammatory markers in postmenopausal women.
Lipid and blood pressure in overweight adults.
Food Consumption Health
Put away electronics and set aside time and space for eating only.
Eat in a setting where you are relaxed.
Eating in the car, in front of a computer while working, or on the phone doesn’t give full attention to the eating process and, as a result, can cause the individual to eat more or eat foods that are not healthy.
Sit down and take a few deep breaths before starting the meal.
If emotions are running high and are geared towards eating, see if you can acknowledge and express those emotions rather than eat through them.
This will help the digestive process and get the most out of the meal.
Eat a palette of colors, sample various salty, sweet, spicy, and umami/savory flavors, and take in the food with all the senses.
Not eating a variety of flavors at a meal can cause a feeling of missing something that can lead to unhealthy cravings.
Eat with others, as sharing food can enrich everyone involved and help focus on the experience, not the amount of food consumed.
Chew thoroughly, as digestion begins in the mouth, where enzymes are secreted in saliva to break down food.
Not properly chewing and making the food smaller can cause indigestion and other digestive problems.
Listen to your body and recognize when you have had enough or want more.
Waiting five minutes before getting another serving can help the body become more attuned to hunger and fullness cues.
Eat Mindfully
References
Cherpak, Christine E. “Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate And Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function.” Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.) vol. 18,4 (2019): 48-53.
Espel-Huynh, H M et al. “A narrative review of the construct of hedonic hunger and its measurement by the Power of Food Scale.” Obesity science & practice vol. 4,3 238-249. 28 Feb. 2018, doi:10.1002/osp4.161
Grider, Hannah S et al. “The Influence of Mindful Eating and/or Intuitive Eating Approaches on Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review.” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics vol. 121,4 (2021): 709-727.e1. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2020.10.019
Hendrickson, Kelsie L, and Erin B Rasmussen. “Mindful eating reduces impulsive food choice in adolescents and adults.” Health psychology: official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association vol. 36,3 (2017): 226-235. doi:10.1037/hea0000440
Morillo Sarto, Hector, et al. “Efficacy of a mindful-eating program to reduce emotional eating in patients suffering from overweight or obesity in primary care settings: a cluster-randomized trial protocol.” BMJ open vol. 9,11 e031327. 21 Nov. 2019, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031327
Nelson, Joseph B. “Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat.” Diabetes spectrum: a publication of the American Diabetes Association vol. 30,3 (2017): 171-174. doi:10.2337/ds17-0015
Warren, Janet M et al. “A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviors: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms.” Nutrition research reviews vol. 30,2 (2017): 272-283. doi:10.1017/S0954422417000154
The lower back core muscles initiate and control movement and posture. Total body movements start at the pelvis and are carried out by the low back and abdominal muscles. These core muscles provide control and stability when moving. When the body is not moving, standing and sitting posture habits (healthy and unhealthy) develop based on how an individual controls/holds their pelvis posture. The lower back muscles are in constant demand for performing repetitive motions or forceful actions. The muscles become chronically tight and sore, joints and nerves get compressed, and bones and connective tissue stay in a stressed state, causing intense pain and damage to the body’s structure. These problems can result from muscle memory, the nervous system’s operating procedure to make movements automatic.
Muscle Memory
The nervous system controls the movement and contraction in the muscles and constantly reinforces and learns new movement patterns to become more efficient through muscle memory. However, this learning process allows for the development of healthy muscle habits and unhealthy muscular habits. An example is sitting using a slouching posture. The nervous system will store that posture data and subconsciously contract the abdominal and pectoral muscles, so the slouched posture takes over. Because of the continual usage and compromised postures, various muscles start to tighten up. Individuals are typically not aware of the gradual tightening until stiffness, soreness, and pain sets in. Tight muscles pull the skeleton in awkward ways that cause body misalignments, causing:
Individuals develop unique muscle patterns and tension levels throughout the body due to repetitive daily activities, stress responses, injuries sustained, and physical activities. Muscle memory issues can contribute to chronic back pain and sciatica. Unhealthy muscle memory causes the muscles not to return to their natural state but to the awkward position and makes that the natural state. Healthy muscle memory leads to instant reflexes that make movements smooth and effortless.
Chiropractic will relieve back and sciatica pain by inducing deep muscle relaxation that releases endorphins. The soreness and tension will be massaged, and mechanical decompression if necessary. Massage and stretching will help retrain muscle and movement memory, along with exercises to reinforce the retraining.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
References
Campbell, James N, and Richard A Meyer. “Mechanisms of neuropathic pain.” Neuron vol. 52,1 (2006): 77-92. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2006.09.021
Wilder, David G et al. “Effect of spinal manipulation on sensorimotor functions in back pain patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.” Trials vol. 12 161. 28 Jun. 2011, doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-161
Being physically fit does not mean training for a triathlon. Regular light exercise/activity is all that is needed. Just going for a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood or playing a 20-minute game regularly is highly beneficial to your health. And the more active you are the better for your health.
Skating
Bicycling
Jogging
Swimming
Walking
Playing
Regular Activity
Whatever the activity, so long as you get at least 20 minutes of exercise a day will go along way in the future. Regular activity/exercise can help prevent diseases and injuries, which include osteoporosis.
Nothing crazy, just begin to work some activity little by little into a routine. One way is after some sitting work/schoolwork once the brain has had enough is the perfect time to go outside and move around. Do some chores that require physical movement, like vacuuming, sweeping, hanging laundry, etc and turn it into a workout.� A daily routine of light to moderate physical activity strengthens and maintains the body by helping to:
Build healthy bones, muscles, and joints
Control weight
Build lean muscle
Reduce overall body fat
Prevent the development of high blood pressure hypertension��
Here are a few suggestions on how to get 20-30 minutes of daily exercise/activity.
Try an online fitness class.
Check out your local gym for online to see what classes are available.
Family time can become a fun activity/exercise time.
Take a walk with the family, as many are already doing, play basketball, soccer, or other favorite sport together.
Invite friends to be physically active online, maybe playing a workout video game and workout together.
If regular physical activity is difficult or you have a medical condition,�consult your doctor to recommend the appropriate amount of physical activity and exercises that are safe�to perform. But if you are a healthy person, but have not exercised for a while then try for 30 minutes of physical activity a day to keep you healthy and strong.
Core Exercises That Help With Back Pain
Here are some examples of abdominal exercises that can help develop strong abs and help with back pain prevention. These exercises and the number of repetitions are only suggestions. Talk to your doctor before trying these exercises, and remember to listen to your body. If it doesn’t feel right, stop right away.
Elbow Planks
Lie down on your stomach with your body straight.
Elbows should be at 90-degrees and close to the body’s sides.
Rest the forearms on the floor and interlace the fingers.
Gently push your body up using the forearms.
Don’t’ let the back fall/drop.
Stay straight.
Engage the core muscles during the entire movement.
Hold this position for 30 seconds, release, and repeat 3 times.
Do this once a day.
Crunches
Lie on your back with the knees bent and the feet flat on the floor, about hip-distance.
Interlace the fingers of your hands behind your head with the elbows out wide.
Inhale and then as you exhale, use the abdominal muscles and not the neck muscles to slowly raise the head, neck, and back off the floor.
Inhale and slowly lower the upper body back to the floor, and repeat.
Try for 3 sets of 10 crunches every day.
Push-ups
Lie down on the stomach so your body is straight.
Place the hands on the floor a little higher/further than the shoulders.
The hands should be wider than the shoulders.
Lift your body so that you’re balanced on the hands and toes.
Maintain a straight back, lower your body to the floor, and slowly bend your elbows until at 90 degrees.
Push back up using arm strength, upper back, and chest muscles, and repeat.
Try for 3 sets of 10 every day.
Once the body becomes stronger, you can go for more reps.
Doing these along with other core exercises you will notice your core strength leading to overall and optimal body strength. Other exercise forms that can help develop core strength while keeping the spine safe are yoga and Pilates. A good idea is to work with a physical therapist/chiropractor that can create a specifically targeted exercise plan that involves core strengthening and flexibility exercises to keep the spine healthy and help maintain proper posture.
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