What is scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a lateral (sideways) curvature of the spine where that curvature is greater than 10% from the vertical. Less than 10 degrees may simply be the result of postural changes. Although the nervous system works to keep your spine straight, problems can occur. Scoliosis may not exist in isolation, and lordosis (abnormal curvature toward the front) or kyphosis (abnormal curvature toward the back) may also be present. The vertebrae are also often rotated.

80% of the time, the cause of scoliosis remains unknown, and this is called idiopathic scoliosis. In the other cases, the condition will be the result of some form of trauma, neurological disease, tumor, or similar. Where postural problems, muscle spasms, or leg-length inequality cause the condition, it is known as functional scoliosis, and can often be corrected. Structural scoliosis, on the other hand, is not reducible with postural changes.

Scoliosis symptoms

Scoliosis can cause pain, and impair lung function or heart function. It can also lead to psychological problems such as poor self-esteem, especially because it so often happens at an age when peer pressure is at its most powerful.

With 4 out of 5 scoliosis sufferers, the spinal curvature is less than 20 degrees, and this is not normally visible to the untrained eye. Provided these cases do not appear to be worsening, there is no great cause for alarm. However, as children and adolescents have bodies that are still growing, mild curvatures can bend by a further 10 degrees or more in a matter of months. For this reason, evaluations should be made frequently.

Scoliosis evaluation

Scoliosis is evaluated by conducting a detailed family history and a physical examination that includes postural analysis. If a curvature is detected, further investigation is required to establish if there is any obvious cause of the problem, such as a birth defects or any prior injury

X-rays are a useful tool when the curvatures are pronounced, to check more thoroughly on the structure of the spine, and if the scoliosis is impinging upon anything else. The wrist is also often x-rayed because this is used to assess the patient’s skeletal age, as a barometer of where that person is in relation to the accepted norm, and for monitoring the progression of the condition. X-rays may be needed anything from once every 3 to 4 months, to once every few years, depending on the doctor’s feelings about the possible rate of progression.

A device called a Scoliometer can be employed to monitor progression once diagnosis is certain. This measures changes in the rib humps that are linked to scoliosis, and is painless, being a non-invasive technique.

Progression in scoliosis

The vast majority of scoliosis cases are mild, non-progressive, and there is no need for treatment. This is not true for one category, though, which is young girls with a curvature of at least 25 degrees, who have not yet menstruated for the first time. As there is relatively fast growth in the year before the first period, it follows that any curvature will also progress quickly. After the first period, this slows down.

Scoliosis treatment

Traditionally, scoliosis is treatable in three ways: observation, bracing, and surgery. The first option is the most common and is not really a treatment because nothing is actually done to the sufferer, for the reasons outlined above regarding its usually non-progressive state. Bracing is normally only applicable to children whose skeletons have not fully matured whose curvatures are between 25 and 45 degrees. In progressive cases beyond 45 degrees, and/or if the function of the heart, lungs, or other vital organs may be affected, surgery becomes an option.

Today the treatment option which is showing the most promise is a combination of spinal adjustments or manipulation, therapeutic exercise, and electrical muscle stimulation. These can be especially helpful to anyone whose scoliosis is causing them spinal pain such as lower back pain, neck pain and also headaches. A general piece of advice, exercise is both advocated and well-tolerated for patients with scoliosis. Most importantly, it should be remembered that most people who have scoliosis lead their lives no differently to anyone else, however, as their spine is exposed to increased levels of strain mechanically it is important to ensure that extra efforts are made to help keep the spine healthy. Chiropractic care is a great method of ensuring spinal health.

Good computer ergonomics – our posture when we sit at our workstations – is important for children as well as for adults. According to a New York Times article, over 70% of America’s 30 million elementary school students use computers. With the IT world we live in, the 30% that don’t soon will. While this is good for the minds of these children, it can be damaging to their bodies.

Doctors of chiropractic are treating more young patients who are suffering as a result of their working at ill-conceived computer stations – ill-conceived because they are designed for adults, or because they are poorly designed for children. It is a shocking thought, but many children already suffer from repetitive motion injuries (RMI), also known as repetitive strain injuries (RSI). One such injury is the problematic carpal tunnel syndrome. Chronic pain in the hands, back, neck and shoulders are other symptoms related to bad ergonomics.

Researchers from Cornell University published a study revealing that 40% of the elementary school children under their scrutiny were using computer workstations that created a postural risk. The other 60% were found to be in the range that raised “some concern.”

It is not enough to teach children how to use computers; more emphasis has to be placed on teaching them how to properly use the actual workstations. These are the formative years for an individual, mentally, emotionally and physically. Poor work habits when young can lead to serious health effects that plague that person for the rest of their life. While parents know to watch out for signs of substance abuse in their children, few have any idea of the long-term health effects that can arise from postural problems.

What can you do?

Thankfully, there are certain things you can do to lessen the chances of your child suffering painful and potentially disabling injuries:

• Make sure that any workstation in the home that is shared by both adult and child can be modified according to the user.
• Check that the top of the computer monitor is set at a height at or below the child’s eye level. You may need to remove the monitor stand to do this, or alternatively raise the child’s sitting position in some way.
• Look at the workstation chair and ensure it is correct for the child. To stop slouching and for added back support, you can place an ergonomic back cushion, a pillow or a rolled-up towel in a position that corresponds with the small of the child’s back. Make sure that the gap between the front edge of the seat and the back of the knees is two inches. A good workstation chair should have arm supports that cause the elbows to rest at an angle between 70 to 135 degrees relative to the computer keyboard.
• Check that the wrists are held in a neutral position while typing, and not angled up or down. To ensure the child doesn’t have to hold their arm out away from their body, move the mouse mat close to the keyboard.
• Achieve a 90- to 120-degree angle for the child’s knees, if necessary by installing a foot rest, or perhaps a box or a small stool.
• Ensure there is adequate lighting to reduce eyestrain, and check the monitor is not reflecting any glare. Use a special antiglare screen if necessary.
• Do not allow your child to sit for uninterrupted hours at the computer. Limit their time, and enforce breaks during which they can stretch and move about. Have them perform the following stretches: clench the hands into fists and move them in 10 circles inward, followed by 10 circles outward; place hands in a praying position and squeeze together for 10 seconds, then point them downward and do the same squeezing for another 10 seconds; spread the fingers apart, then close them one at a time; stand and have them wrap their arms around the body, turning all the way round to the left, then all the way round to the right.
• Try to have your child drink four 8-ounce glasses of water every day so their muscles and all their bodily functions are adequately hydrated. This can help avoid injury. Juices and sodas etc. are not a suitable replacement for water.
• Suggest to your child’s school and PTA that the children are educated on proper computer ergonomics, and encourage the installation of ergonomically correct workstations at the school.

If you or your child continue to suffer from computer-related pain despite your best efforts to avoid it, your next stop should be a doctor of chiropractic to prevent the injury worsening and to promote healing.

Patients under Chiropractic care experience strokes at a significantly lower rate than people who are not under Chiropractic care.

According to a report in the Journal of Vertebral and Subluxation Research, people who are not Chiropractic patients are 27,500 times more likely to suffer strokes than Chiropractic patients.

Results of this study are significant as many researchers have tried to link Chiropractic with the occurrence of stroke.

Chiropractic has also proven to be a significantly safer method of treatment than drugs and surgery. Aspirin and other NSAIDs have been linked to 80% of all ulcer-related deaths; people taking NSAIDS are three times more likely to die than those not taking the drugs.

More than 50% of all medications have serious and sometimes fatal side effects. In 1994, adverse drug reactions were responsible for 106,000 deaths.

Appendectomy procedures have a death rate of one in 74; Spinal fusion surgery has a death rate of one in 50; simple procedures such as drawing blood cause death in one of every 25,000 procedures.

An article published in In Touch Magazine noted that, “More Americans are killed in hospitals every six months than died in the entire Vietnam war; the medical death rate is equivalent to three jumbo jet crashes every day and that the disease care system may be a public health threat of epidemic proportions.”

Every form of health care can contain some risk and the media often sensationalize those risks and create fear. But what are the real numbers? The following shows a comparison between spinal manipulation, spinal surgery, and anti-inflammatory drugs (non-steroidal).

Your patients need to know these statistics.

Cervical Spine Manipulation:

Complication 2.09 per million

Death .268 per million

Cervical Spine Surgery:

Complication 15,600 per million

Death 6,900 per million

Anti-inflammatory drugs:

Serious gastrointestinal event (all ages) 1,000 per million

Serious gastrointestinal event (65 and over) 3,200 per million

Scoliosis is a general term that is used to describe a progressive spinal curvature that can affect the entire skeletal system including the spine, ribs, and pelvis. Scoliosis is often divided into two categories: idiopathic and functional. Idiopathic scoliosis often involves changes in the development of spinal bones, where the normal development of a spinal vertebra should be more square the spine with idiopathic scoliosis may be trapezoidal (shorter on one side as compared to the other). In scoliosis patients with significant changes in bone structure it is impossible to correct this type of scoliosis. However, in this case management of the scoliosis is equally important. Functional scoliosis patients will show normal development of the bony structures of the spine and the orientation of the vertebra tends to be within the normal ranges of movement. This type of scoliosis responds extremely well the Chiropractic care and can often time achieve a full correction. Identification and diagnosis of scoliosis is imperative as it can affect virtually every system of the body.

Progressive scoliosis has traditionally been treated via surgical rods that fuse the spine. However, this does nothing to address the many biological and physiological aspects of scoliosis. In fact, invasive surgical procedures are typically only expected to arrest the scoliotic progression but often fail to achieve this minimum expected result.

There are many methodologies within chiropractic that are designed to assist the patient with scoliosis. Depending on the type and progression of the scoliosis the treatment results may vary from arresting spinal curvatures progression to fully correcting it. Similar to orthodontic braces for correcting the position of teeth, chiropractic methods will include exercises, stretching and in some cases traction to help restore the spine to a normal or as close to normal as possible alignment.

Chiropractic care is vital component to successfully treating scoliosis and is typically administered 2-3 times per week during the first 12 months of treatment.  Thereafter, the frequency of chiropractic care is often reduced in accordance with the patient’s overall response.

Chiropractors work with the patient that has scoliosis to achieve improved health overall, while addressing the scoliosis rather than just treating the scoliosis. This multi-faceted approach has shown the greatest results in long term success in managing scoliosis. Be sure to discuss with your chiropractor the various methods which are available for improving scoliosis to find the method that will work best for you.

When you are ready to start a new exercise regimen there are always plenty of new-fangled machines to help you get started and to make your exercise easier. The strange machines, contraptions and weird exercise routines promise to make your exercise easier and with faster results. To the person that loves a new gadget or the sound of making exercise easier these tend to have great appeal, however, a quick look in their closet will tell you that the gadgets soon become an ornament for gathering dust. The thing you should first considered is simply getting back to basics in terms of your exercise. It doesn’t cost anything, you don’t need to go anywhere special to do it, and it’s really the best thing for those just getting started. What is it?

Walking. Plain old walking may sound a bit too basic but it’s been keeping people fit since growing legs became all the rage. That’s a long time ago.

What are the Benefits of Walking?

All you need to go walking is the will to do it, a little time, and a decent pair of shoes. There’s no excuse for a sedentary life when walking is one of the best forms of exercise. You can walk anywhere, and it provides the following benefits, and many more:

• Walking improves cardiovascular fitness
• Walking tones the muscles of the lower body
• Walking increases your metabolic rate to help burn more calories
• Walking reduces the risk of heart disease
• Walking has a lower risk of injury to your joints compared to jogging and running

How to Choose Your Walking Shoes?

You’re not on the catwalk when you go out walking, so don’t be swayed by the latest fashion. Simply choose a pair of shoes that will provide the best comfort and support.

• Make sure the shoes fit properly. Check that the ball of your foot rests where the front of the shoe bends with each stride.
• The soles should have plenty of cushioning to absorb the impact.
• Shop late in the day or following a workout when your feet have swelled to their largest, and wear the type of socks you will be walking in.
• Try to have a wander around the store in your chosen shoes for at least 10 minutes to make sure they feel right.
• Make the store detective following you even more suspicious by walking faster and faster.

The life of a walking shoe varies, depending on their usage – the weight of the person wearing them, for example, or the terrain tackled. As a rough guide, experts consider replacements should be considered at between 300 and 500 miles.

Getting Going

Before beginning any new exercise routine, always consult with your doctor. Assuming the all-clear, 12 minutes walking every other day is a reasonable target at first, and even that will confer health benefits. Your aim should be to increase to 30 minutes, five days a week. As the actual pace of walking will affect how much exercise is really taken, experts tend to agree that adults need to be taking 10,000 steps a day to be labeled “active”. A pedometer will tell you how you’re measuring up.

Tips to help you keep going:

• Let your arms move naturally and freely. If your right arm is swinging in synch with your right leg, something is very wrong.
• Don’t stoop, drop your head or look down as you’re walking as this accentuates your neck curve and throws your weight off.
• Walk without any leg weights or wrist weights and without holding dumbbells. Keep them as a separate exercise routine.
• Don’t be put off by a little soreness in the thighs and calves in the early days. Anything worse or more persistent, go and see your doctor of chiropractic.
• Keep up a good brisk pace as though you’re heading somewhere quite important. Too slow, and your cardiovascular system will not enjoy the full benefits.

Which Surface?

It’s likely that most people who walk recreationally will, for the sake of convenience, just leave their house and walk a few blocks before returning. Concrete isn’t the ideal walking surface, but it can be mitigated by a highly cushioned pair of shoes. A better option is to walk on grass for the extra give, although you have to watch for uneven spots and dips and irresponsible dog owners. The best choice would be the cushioned or rubberized tracks that recreation centers sometimes have, as these are both smooth and soft.

The Cause of Pain and Injury

Walking is a low-impact activity that’s unlikely to cause injury unless you walk into a lamppost. It’s therefore probable that any pain you do feel while out walking is being triggered by a pre-existing problem. It’s also likely that the root cause of the pain will not reside in the area where you are actually experiencing the pain. In other words, the injury is systemic rather than isolated or regional. Pain felt in the knee or the hips, for example, may be the result of a problem with the foot or ankle, and every step taken is throwing more imbalance up through the whole system. Unless rectified, this can continue until you may end up with pain in the back or elsewhere.

If such a situation does occur, with unexplained pain in places that don’t seem to make sense, a visit to your doctor of chiropractic is in order. Chiropractors are trained to track down and identify the source of your pain, then devise a treatment plan specifically geared to your personal circumstances.

As springtime gets under way, weather warms up and leaves turn green, many people will spend more time outside planting bulbs, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your body may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety.

Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to stretch your muscles before reaching for your gardening tools. The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.

“A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity,” said Dr. Scott Bautch of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain and stiffness.”

To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, it is important to prepare your body for this type of physical activity. The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.

Garden Fitness Stretches

• Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the no pain, no gain rule. Stretching should not be painful. o While sitting, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.
• Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.
• While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.
• Do the “Hug your best friend.” Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Finally, be aware of your body technique, body form and correct posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced.

When the Bulbs Are Planted…

If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Apply a cold pack on the area of pain for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours, and consider chiropractic care.

Your sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in your body, and runs from the lower back, down through the buttock, and all the way into the lower leg, where it controls the muscles in that area. It also provides sensation to the thighs, legs, and the soles of the feet. When the sciatic nerve becomes irritated for some reason and causes pain, this pain is known as sciatica. Sciatica refers to the various symptoms associated with the irritation, and does not give any indication as to the root cause of the irritation.

Much of the low-back and leg pain reported is sciatic pain, and it is most evident in the age bracket of 30 to 50 years old. It is more commonly a result of general wear and tear, rather than an injury.

Symptoms of sciatica

The most obvious giveaway that you are suffering sciatic pain is when it follows the route of the sciatic nerve, as previously described, and is typically apparent only on one side of the body. However, there are variations in how exactly that pain is felt, including tingling, aching or burning. It depends on where the sciatic nerve is being affected. Some patients may also feel pins-and-needles in the toes or foot, or muscle numbness/weakness in the affected leg or foot

More often than not, sciatica first manifests slowly, then increases in intensity, often being accentuated after sitting or bending, or sudden movements such as sneezing or coughing.

Diagnosis of sciatica

This starts with your doctor of chiropractic taking a complete patient history. Your descriptions of where the pain is, how it is felt, when it began, and which activities cause you most pain, are all important in helping to form a diagnosis. It is also necessary to undergo a physical and neurological examination, with a particular focus on your spine and legs. Your ability to perform certain activities will be monitored to assess your sensory strength, muscle strength, and reflexes, and any pain resulting from these activities.

Diagnostic imaging, such as x-ray, MRI, or CT scan may be ordered by your doctor of chiropractic if it is felt there may be more at play, such as a serious underlying problem. This may happen if there is no improvement in symptoms following 6 to 8 weeks of conservative treatment.

Treatment options for sciatica

Conservative care, including chiropractic treatment, is a very effective solution for most people suffering sciatic pain. As there is an array of possible causes of sciatica, treatment plans will be individually tailored depending on what your chiropractor finds in your particular case. When we talk about “conservative”, it refers to the absence of surgical procedures or medication. Instead, chiropractic seeks to rectify spinal problems, thus restore spinal movement and reduce the inflammation that’s causing the sciatica. Treatment may include spinal manipulation and adjustments, the application of ice/heat therapy, ultrasound, use of a TENS machine, and rehabilitative exercises.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

To protect your back, improve your spinal health, and guard as best you can against sciatica developing in the first place, follow these tips:

• Follow a healthy diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Practice proper posture
• Avoid too much inactivity or bed rest
• Quit smoking
• Lift things safely, using good body mechanics

Kids love to play sports today just as they always have done, but these days the variety of sports on offer is huge. It is so easy to indulge their passion that, in the fun of it all, the importance of proper conditioning and healthy nutrition may be overlooked by parents and kids alike. Without these two elements, performance will not be as keen as it might be, and the chances of injury will be much higher.

In those more competitive of sports such as football, athletics and gymnastics, the training regimes imposed upon the kids can be something they are just not ready to handle unless their bodies are fully prepared, and they understand how to guard against the possibility of potentially serious physical damage.

Warming up, stretching, strength-training, cooling down, are all necessary for kids involved in sports, but even when they choose to follow the routines, they may not have sufficient learning to follow them properly. Thus it is not necessarily the sport itself that can be injurious; it may be the preparations that cause the damage. Improper stretching or weight-lifting techniques can be fairly ruinous to a still-developing teenager.

There needs to be appropriate and professional instruction given to young athletes in both general warm-up procedures, and in sport-specific warm-up. A slow jog is not sufficient preparation for a sport which may test body parts to their limits.

Eating proper nutrition and keeping well-hydrated are also crucial to support the rigors asked of the young athlete’s body. If 8 to 10 eight-ounce glasses of water each day is recommended for a non-sporting person, the requirements for an athlete are obviously greater considering how they are taxing their systems and sweating it out. A nutritious breakfast is very important, and during match or competition days the athlete should aim to eat a healthy meal around 2 to 4 hours before their physical exertion, and within 1 to 2 hours afterwards to properly refuel the body.

It is one of the traits of youth that kids feel nothing can hurt them, but this obviously isn’t true. By following the tips below, you can ensure your child is well-prepared for whatever their chosen sport throws at them.

Your child should endeavor to:

Wear the correct equipment

• This is obviously vital in certain contact sports, such as football and hockey, which can be dangerous.
• Make sure equipment fits well.
• Alert the trainer if equipment is damaged.

Eat healthily

• Young athletes should eat a well-balanced diet and avoid skipping meals.
• Candy bars, fast food and the like should be shunned.
• Provide healthy foods at home, such as fruit and veg rather than cookies and potato chips.

Keep to a healthy weight

• Dietary rules are imposed on participants of certain sports, without which optimum performance is unlikely.
• Be watchful of your child becoming too fanatical about this and ending up losing too much weight.

Drink plenty of water

• Hydration is vital to optimal fitness.
• Teenage athletes need at least 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day.
• Younger athletes need 5 to 8 eight-ounce glasses.

Avoid soda

• Commercial sodas are massively responsible for poor health and obesity. Look at a good quality sports drink for young athletes who need a sustained source of replenishment.

Warm-up properly

• Before every event – competition or practice – the athlete should warm up. Talk to the coach if this isn’t happening.
• Jogging, jumping rope, lifting light weights are all good ways to avoid torn or ripped muscles.

Take vitamins daily

• Multi-vitamins may help a young athlete avoid a deficiency.
• B-complex vitamins and amino acids can help reduce pain after contact sports.
• Thiamine helps promote healing.
• Vitamin A is good for scar tissue.

Avoid gimmicky supplements

• Performance-enhancing supplements like creatine should be avoided in the under-18s.

Rest well

• Young athletes should get eight hours of sleep a night to avoid adversely affecting performance.
• Fatigue can appear as irritability and a loss of interest in the sport.

Chiropractic Care Can Help

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to provide treatment for the whole neuromusculoskeletal system, and are able to offer advice on appropriate training, nutrition and injury prevention.

Chiropractic has been effective in treating patients with various vision problems, as shown by the results of the studies below.

A nine-year-old female child had failed vision in both eyes; after Chiropractic treatment her vision returned to normal.

One year later, the same patient returned after being hit in the head by a ball, which left her without vision in one eye.

While under anesthesia, she received Chiropractic treatment. Upon awakening, the child’s vision had returned to normal. During the week of Chiropractic care, the patient’s vision dramatically improved and the function of the optic nerve also showed marked improvement.

In another case, a 62-year-old man lost vision in his right eye. With each Chiropractic adjustment, significant improvement was noted. And, Chiropractic was also effective in restoring the vision to another elderly patient — after his optometrist exam showed “no conventional treatment was appropriate.”

In 114 patients with vision problems, symptoms were relieved or eliminated in 83% of the cases; including the symptoms of associated blurred vision or blindness.

On the standard test-chart, 34.4% improved by six or more rows; 45.6% improved 2-5 rows; and 9-12 blind eyes regained vision. One year later, of 54 follow-up cases, 91.1% showed stable therapeutic effect.