Washington Park Chiropractic

By: Amanda Miller, LMT

As the use of computers increased, so have back and neck discomfort; the hallmark pain associated with having a desk job.  The reason for this common problem is that it is not natural for humans to sit in the same position for prolonged periods of time, let alone all day.

Sitting in front of the computer desk for long hours can increase muscle stress and put pressure on the spine.  Sitting with a rounded back does several things to cause injury and/or pain.  Rounding your spine forward (slouching) when sitting holds your muscles in a longer than normal position, which weakens them.  It can also slowly degenerate your discs, the little cushions between your back bones, and push the discs outward to the back.  This is how discs can bulge.  Holding your neck tilted forward for much of the time, or angled back with the chin jutting forward may also mechanically harm discs.  Even without disc involvement, soft tissue pain from slouching is uncomfortable.

Here are a few things to be mindful of that may help you to alleviate some of the discomfort associated with sitting in the same position for long periods of time. Read the rest of this entry →

By: Dr. Jake Simpson, DC

Here at Washington Park Chiropractic we routinely see children for chiropractic care.  The children we see range anywhere from a few days old, up through their high school years.  Turns out, we are not alone in treating children with chiropractic; it was just a couple weeks ago when I was watching the five o’ clock news and they had a great story about the rise in chiropractic care among children.  Parents and fellow healthcare professionals are starting to see the same benefit commonly seen when treating adults with chiropractic is also seen in children.  In fact from my personal experience with treating children, they often respond better!  Parents are seeking chiropractic for their children for conditions ranging from Colic, to common musculoskeletal pain and injuries.  I’ll try and answer a few questions parents may ask about children and chiropractic.

What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic was founded on the important relationship between the spine and the nervous system.  One of the most basic ideas in chiropractic is that dysfunction in the spine or other joints can lead to dysfunction with the nervous system and other major systems in the body.  When we relieve the dysfunction in the spinal joints and surrounding muscles, the nervous system can then function the way it was intended – The spine and nervous system are intricately related due to the fact the spinal cord descends through the spine. Read the rest of this entry →

By: Ashley Bennett, LMT

The low back is an area that many people have issues with.  If you think about the spine and what all it does, you realize the lumbar spine (low back) has the hardest job.  The lumbar spine has to support the majority of our organs with no help from any other bones; the soft tissue then lends a hand for support. 

The Anatomy of the Low Back:

This area has five main muscles/structures known as the guide wires (just like a bridge).  The muscles are quadratus lumborum(QL), rectus abdominus (6 pack muscle), psoas (hip flexor), transversus abdominus (part of the obliques), and finally the thoracolumbar aponeurosis(connective tissue on the lumbar spine).  If you imagine these structures working like the cables of the brooklyn bridge then you already understand that if one of these structures is not doing its job, the whole structure’s strength is compromised which can then affect the vertebrae and discs. 

How I can help:

As a massage therapist I will do a structural analysis to see where your body is holding your stress.  Once that is established, I can start releasing the hypertonic tissue.  The key is always balance.  Sometimes you feel the pain in your back but the problem can be in the front.    Read the rest of this entry →

By: Amanda Miller, LMT

Stress is a natural part of life, but what is stress? Cortisol is a steroid hormone, produced by the adrenal gland and it is released in response to stress. It is important that the body’s relaxation response be activated so the body’s functions can return to normal following a stressful event. Unfortunately, the body’s stress response is activated so often that the body doesn’t always have a chance to return to normal, resulting in a state of chronic stress.  Prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream have been shown to have negative effects, such as impaired cognitive performance, suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia, decreased bone density, decrease in muscle tissue,  higher blood pressure, lowered immunity and inflammatory responses in the body, slowed wound healing, and increased abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body.

Lowering stress is important to your overall health and well-being.  Try these simple tips during your hectic day to give yourself a mini break, lower stress, and quiet your mind.

Turn your shower into a relaxing ritual.

Keep your speedy suds-up-and-rinse routine, but add a small pampering element to upgrade an everyday shower into a spa experience.  Trade your plain old soap for a rich body wash (pick a fragrance that reminds you of a favorite place).  Or try a scented shower infuser.  Toss a tablet on the tub floor; as it dissolves in the water, it will fill your bathroom with its aroma.  Take a couple deep breaths to calm your nervous system and ease stress.

Read the rest of this entry →

By: Ashley Bennett, LMT

This is normally the time of the year we reflect on our health and personal improvements. This is also when there is a huge influx of people in the gyms.  Sometimes when I am at the gym and I see the amount of people I think of ways to get out of there as quickly as possible to avoid the crowd.  One thing I never skip on is stretching.  Stretching should be an integral part of your daily routine.

Benefits of Stretching:

• Stretching increases flexibility. Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring.
• Stretching improves range of motion of your joints. Good range of motion keeps you in better balance, which will help keep you mobile and less prone to falls — and the related injuries — especially as you age. When your body loses full range of motion the femur (thigh bone) is not moving any fluid around in the socket so the rest of the joint is not getting the full amount of nutrients needed to keep the cartilage healthy.  
• Stretching improves circulation. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Improved circulation can speed recovery after muscle injuries.
• Stretching can relieve stress. Stretching relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress.

Read the rest of this entry →

By: Amanda Miller, LMT

Each year, I try to set some goals for the following months.  This year, I want to focus on being able to quiet my mind in times of stress (which I could have used these past couples of months after two turbulent and terrifying flights).  I am starting to meditate more, and read about relaxation and meditation techniques. My hope is that the next time I am in a stressful situation (on or off an airplane), I’d be able to relax more, and quiet my mind.  I’ll share some of the things I read about bringing awareness to the body, and calming the mind.

Awareness

In all the texts that I’ve read, the first step to calming the mind seems to be awareness of breath and body.  The aim is to become aware of the breath as it enters and leaves the body by concentrating on the rise and fall of the abdomen and the sensation of the breath passing through the lips or nostrils.  When sensations of quietness, stillness and peace eventually occur, hold them as best you can and experience them as fully as possible.  When distracted, always return to the breath.

Read the rest of this entry →

By: Ashley Bennett, LMT

There is something to say about having a positive attitude.  I know the days I wake up and want to stay in bed don’t normally turn out to be stellar days.  There has been research done with water about the impact of positive and negative words.  It is called messages in water, this shows that when a positive word like love is written on the outside of the water bottle the crystals in the water are beautiful and when a negative word like hate is written the crystals are ugly and sparse.  This proves positivity can bring positive things in your life.  

Water Crystalizing

I suggest even if you are in pain or do have a lot going on in your life to make a conscious decision to be positive.  This is a struggle for most of us, there is always the talk around the water cooler that doesn’t always have the most positive undertones.  So strive to make your internal and external dialog more positive and see how your attitude is different during this stressful holiday season.

By: Ashley Bennett, LMT

Some people question the need for massage therapy in their lives, others question of how often.  Should I make it a priority?  Do I have enough money?  Others only get massages on special occasions.  The list goes on and on.  For those of you that are not sure how often or why you should be getting massage I found an article that may clear things up for you.