Low back pain - Doroski Chiropractic Neurology, Woodbridge, VA

Your Weight and your Low Back pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 26, 2019 0 comments

What factor does your weight play in your low back pain? Putting on a few pounds really doesn’t have a significant impact on your low back complaint. Of course, the more weight you add the greater risk you have of developing a low back issue. One thing that seems to go hand in hand with weight gain is a decrease in activity. This is also a factor in developing a low back injury. Your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area wants to help you understand the links between low back pain and weight gain.

According to the American Obesity Association, episodes of musculoskeletal pain, and specifically back pain, are prevalent among the nearly one-third of Americans who are classified as obese. The American Obesity Association also reports that more obese persons say they are disabled and less able to complete everyday activities than persons with other chronic conditions.

Some of the most common obesity-related problems include musculoskeletal and joint related pain. For people who are overweight, attention to overall weight loss is important as every pound adds strain to the muscles and ligaments in the back. In order to compensate for extra weight, the spine can become tilted and stressed unevenly. As a result, over time, the back may lose its proper support and an unnatural curvature of the spine may develop.

In particular, pain and problems in the low back may be aggravated by obesity. This occurs for people with extra weight in their stomachs because the excess weight pulls the pelvis forward and strains the lower back, creating lower back pain. According to the American Obesity Association, women who are obese or who have a large waist size are particularly at risk for lower back pain.

Obese or overweight patients may experience sciatica and low back pain from a herniated disc. This occurs when discs and other spinal structures are damaged from having to compensate for the pressure of extra weight on the back.

In addition, pinched nerves and piriformis syndrome may result when extra weight is pushed into spaces between bones in the low back area.

Arthritis of the spine that causes back pain may be aggravated when extra body weight strains joints. Those patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 25 are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those with a lower BMI. The American Obesity Association recommends modest weight loss as a treatment for some types of osteoarthritis.

The effectiveness of back surgery may also be affected by a patient’s weight. Obese patients are at higher risk for complications and infections after surgery compared to patients who are not obese. For seriously overweight patients, paying attention to weight loss before undergoing back surgery may improve the healing process after surgery.

Identifying the Need for Weight Loss

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure commonly used by medical practitioners. BMI is a mathematical formula (BMI=kg/m2) that takes into account a person’s weight in kilograms and height in meters and calculates a number. The higher a person’s BMI falls on a pre-determined range of values, the higher the likelihood for obesity. Although there is some debate over the specific meaning of BMI measurements, a BMI of 30 or higher is typically considered to be obese, while a measure of 25 to 29.9 is typically considered to be overweight.

It is also important to evaluate where excess fat is carried on the patient’s body. Patients who carry more weight around their midsection are at greater risk for obesity-related health problems, such as low back pain. Weight loss for health considerations is often advisable for women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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SI joint and low back pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 19, 2019 0 comments

Sacroiliac or SI pain is one of the most common types of low back pain I see as your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area. It is a pain that is on the right or left side of your waist line. It can cause pain into your butt or leg. Chiropractic can help with this complaint once the inflammation goes down so I always preach ICE!

Chiropractic is all about expression of optimal health and living the best possible life for you. The focus, especially with doctors of chiropractic at The Joint, is about improving the overall quality of your daily life through regular spinal adjustments. An adjustment helps restore spinal movement, which allows the nervous system to function at its highest possible level. Because the nervous system controls everything we do (including breathing, blinking and swallowing), a system operating optimally is extremely valuable. One of the additional perks — the one that often brings people in — is that pain and joint dysfunction often go away. That’s like magic! Many times people are freed to return to activities they love but have struggled participating in, whether it’s skateboarding, surfing, or lifting a little one up over their head. One of the most common issues that chiropractors see is SI joint dysfunction. It’s common enough that many people know what the SI joint is, but if you don’t, don’t worry — just keep reading. I’ll go over a bit of the science and how chiropractic can play a role in resolving SI joint issues.

The Science

SI stands for sacroiliac. You have two SI joints. The joints are on either side of the sacrum and each ilium (you know this as your hip bone). They are at the bottom of the spine and connect the sacrum and ilium on each side. The main motion of the joint is a shearing motion (a sliding motion back and forth between two parallel surfaces, joint facets in this case).

Dysfunction

SI joint dysfunction means the SI joint is not moving the way it’s intended. Perhaps this means its range of motion is limited — either the sacrum or the ilium is literally mal-positioned and stuck — or there is too much motion. Each joint works to transfer weight from the upper body to the lower body; they are designed to allow minimal movement and they have strong ligaments and tendons that support them. The dysfunction can occur as a result of a variety of things. We live in a society in which the average person sits far too much and carries too much weight. This lack of movement doesn’t encourage proper SI joint health and function. Dysfunction can also be a result of stress from overcompensation after prior spinal surgeries. Too much SI joint movement commonly occurs in pregnant women due to ligament-stretching and laxity.

Symptoms and Treatment

As with most conditions, symptoms vary from person to person. It’s common for SI joint dysfunction to present with low back pain or pain in the buttocks. Pain can radiate down the leg or even into the front of the thigh, but generally not past the knee. SI joint pain can mimic many other causes of low back pain. Chiropractors are experts at determining the source of spine pain in patients — and caring for them, too!

Through an adjustment, chiropractors help restore motion in the SI joint and/or associated joints contributing to the problem. I’ve found that SI joint dysfunction typically responds well to chiropractic care and that pain relief can occur quickly after an adjustment. The exact treatment duration and intensity will depend on the person, their lifestyle and the degree of the subluxation.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Iliotibial Band Pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski June 21, 2019 0 comments

This injury is often overlooked and it may not be your main complaint but it can contribute to it. As your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I want to let you know about it. It can be mixed in with a piriformis complaint, sciatic complaint or just regular low back pain. Just fixing the main complaint without addressing this can cause the original complaint to linger or just come back.

Symptoms

Symptoms of ITB syndrome consist of pain on the outside of the knee, more specifically at or around the lateral epicondyle of the femur or bony bit on the outside of the knee.

It comes on at a certain time into a run and gradually gets worse until often the runner has to stop. After a period of rest the pain may go only to return when running starts again. The pain is normally aggravated by running, particularly downhill.

Pain may be felt when bending and straightening the knee which may be made worse by pressing in at the side of the knee over the sore part. There might be tightness in the iliotibial band which runs down the outside of the thigh. A therapist or trainer may use Ober’s test to assess this. Weakness in hip abduction or moving the leg out sideways is another common sign. Tender trigger points in the gluteal muscles or buttocks area may also be present.

Causes

TFL muscleCertain factors may make you more susceptible to developing runners knee or iliotibial band syndrome. A naturally tight or wide IT band may make someone more susceptible to this injury. Weak hip muscles, particularly the gluteus medius are also thought to be a significant factor.

Over pronation or poor foot biomechanics may increase the risk of injury. If the foot rolls in or flattens, the lower leg rotates and so does the knee increasing the chance of friction on the band. Other factors include leg length difference, running on hills or on cambered roads.

Treatment

Below are outlined a number of treatment options for ITB friction syndrome. See rehabilitation for more details on how the various forms of treatment might be included in a full rehabilitation program.

Rest

Rest is important to allow the inflamed tendon to heal. Continuing to run with ITB syndrome will most likely make it worse. Initially complete rest is a good idea but later activities other than running which do not make the pain worse such as swimming or cycling should be done to maintain fitness.

Cryotherapy

Apply cold therapy or ice to reduce pain and inflammation. Ice should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every hour until initial pain has gone then later 2 or 3 times a day and / or after exercise is a good idea to ensure the pain does not return. Once the inflammation has gone then potential causes must be addressed such as a tight ITB or the pain will most likely return.

Medication

A doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication such as NSAID’s e.g. Ibuprofen. This is useful in the early acute stage to reduce pain and inflammation. Long term it is not likely to be of benefit, particularly if it is just being used to mask in injury and not as part of the treatment. Always check with a doctor before taking medication in case you have contraindications which mean they could cause harm, for example asthmatics should not take Ibuprofen.

Stretching exercises

Stretching exercises for the muscles on the outside of the hip in particular are important. The tensor fascia latae muscle is the muscle at the top of the IT band and if this is tight then it can cause the band to be tight increasing the friction on the side of the knee.

Foam roller exercises

Using a foam roller on the IT band and gluteal muscles can help stretch the iliotibial band and remove any tight knots or lumps in the tendon. therefore friction on the side of the knee.

Strengthening exercises

Improving the strength of the muscles on the outside of the hip which abduct the leg will help prevent the knee turning inwards when running or walking and therefore help reduce the friction on the ITB tendon at the knee. In particular strengthening exercises for the tensor fascia latae muscle and gluteus medius such as heel drops, clam exercise and hip abduction are important.

Sports massage

A professional therapist may perform sports massage to help relax and loosen the tissues and use myofascial release techniques which have been shown to be highly effective. Self massage techniques can also be very helpful in correcting excessive ITB tightness, especially where access to a massage therapist on a regular basis is not possible.

Electrotherapy

Use of electrotherapeutic treatment techniques such as TENS or ultrasound may help reduce pain and inflammation.

Acupunture

Dry-needling techniques or acupuncture may be beneficial also. Acupuncture is performed by inserting needles of various lengths and diameters into specific points over the body and in this case around the knee joint. The needle is usually inserted, rotated and then either removed immediately or left in place for several minutes. It is thought to be beneficial in reduce chronic or long term pain.

Training modification

Errors in training should be identified and corrected. These can include over training or increasing running mileage too quickly. As a general rule a runner should not increase mileage by more than 10% per week. Running across a slope or camber in the road for long periods or poor foot biomechanics should be considered. When training starts again avoid too much downhill running.

A rehabilitation strategy which includes stretches and exercises to strengthen the hip abductors is important. In acute or prolonged cases a corticosteroid injection into the site of irritation may provide pain relief.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Should I use a back support?

in Chiropractor by Doroski March 22, 2019 0 comments

Once someone recovers from their lumbar injury, they always go into prevention mode! Which is understandable since there was nothing fun for them during the injury. The most common thing people say is should I get a brace or support. Years ago, that was the thing but now it isn’t as popular. As your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I want to share this information with you about back braces.

So let me give you some background on back braces and do they really help.

The truth is that wearing an elastic or other support around your waist to help your back may be both good and bad. And whether wearing such a back belt will prevent back problems is controversial. A new study that found workers who routinely wear these support belts while working at Wal-Mart, were just as likely to injure their backs as those who did not.(1) However, some previous studies have shown back belts to prevent injuries, such as the UCLA study conducted with Home Depot workers, which found a 1/3 decrease in back injuries due to wearing back belts.(2)

Let’s look at the scientific evidence about whether back belts might help to support the back, whether there are any risks associated with wearing them, and whether such belts should be recommended or not.

How might back belts help to support the back? They do not hold the back in, as many presume. Back belts function primarily to hold the stomach in, thus increasing intra-abdominal pressure. This has led some to refer to these belts as abdominal belts rather than as back belts. But how does increasing intra-abdominal pressure support the spine? We will briefly review the intra-abdominal balloon theory and a more modern theory.

Intra-Abdominal Balloon Mechanism

It was originally proposed by Bartelink in 1957 that increased intra-abdominal pressure would decrease the compressive load on the spine through the intra-abdominal balloon mechanism.(3) To begin with, you must think of the abdominal cavity and the abdominal organs as a squishy liquid. Then realize that the abdominal cavity becomes a closed chamber when we bear down and hold our breath, which we instinctively do when we lift heavy things. This chamber is closed on the bottom by the anal sphincter and on the top by the diaphragm. When bearing down, the abdominal contents tend to push outwards. But if we contract our deep abdominal muscles—the obliques and the transverse abdominus muscles—or we wear a thick belt, the abdominal contents are forced upwards rather than outwards.(4 p.109) This theoretically provides a decompressive effect on the lumbar spine. Since the crura of the diaphragm is attached to the first 3 lumbar vertebrae, when the diaphragm is pushed upwards, it exerts a traction force on the lower lumbar spine (L4 and L5). It was also theorized that since this balloon mechanism makes the spine more rigid, it would decrease the amount of work required of the erector muscles to prevent us from falling forwards. Kapanji estimated that this abdominal support mechanism acts to reduce compression forces on the L5/S1 disc by 30% and reduces the force required by the erector spinae muscles by 55%. (4, p.198).

But more recent scientific evidence fails to support some of these theoretical assumptions. Such recent studies reveal that an increase in intra-abdominal pressure actually results in an increase (rather than a decrease) in compressive force on the lower spine.(5,6) And there is no decrease in the amount of work required of the lower back muscles.(7) However, by stiffening the trunk, increased intra-abdominal pressure may prevent the tissues in the spine from strain or failure from buckling. Such intra-abdominal pressure may also act to reduce anterior-posterior shear loads.(8) In other words, support for the spine is provided, without reducing compression to any appreciable degree.

Belts may also help to protect the spine by limiting the range of motion that occurs when bending or twisting, though this effect is less than expected.(9,10) However, since when the spine bends more, it is more vulnerable to injury, if these belts reduce extreme bending at all, they may be beneficial.

Are there any risks associated with wearing a back belt?

The main risk associated with wearing a back belt is that during the period of wearing it, the supportive spinal muscles—the deep abdominal and back muscles—that normally support your spine will become weaker. These muscles are less active while your spine is being artificially supported by the belt. Muscles need to be consistently exercised in order to stay strong. If these muscles become weaker, when you stop wearing the belt, you may be more likely to hurt your back. And at least one study seems to suggest this. In this study, there was an increase in the number and severity of back injuries following a period of belt wearing.(11)

Another risk associated with wearing a back belt is that it causes an increase in both blood pressure and heart rate.(12) This may pose a problem for those individuals with existing cardiovascular disease or risk factors, such as hypertension.

A third risk associated with wearing a back belt is that workers may be inclined to lift heavier objects while wearing them. These belts may be giving workers a false sense of security. This could result in an increased risk of injury.

REFERENCES:

Wassell JT, Gardner LI, Landsittel DP, Johnston JJ, Johnston JM. A prospective study of back belts for prevention of back pain and injury. JAMA. 2000; 284(21): 2727-32.

McIntyre DR; Bolte KM; Pope MH. Study provides new evidence of back belts’ effectiveness. Occup Health Saf. 1996; 65(12): 39-41.

Bartelink DL, “The Role of Abdominal Pressure in Relieving Pressure on the Lumbar Intervertebral Discs,” J Bone Joint Surg, (Br) 1957, 39B: 718-725.

Kapanji, IA. The Physiology of the Joints, Vol. III.

McGill SM, Norman RW. Reassessment of the role of intra-abdominal pressure in spinal compression. Ergonomics. 1987; 30: 1565-1588.

Nachemson AL, Anderson GBJ, Schultz AB. Valsalva maneuver biomechanics. Effects on lumbar spine trunk loads of elevated intrabdominal pressures. Spine. 1986; 11: 476-479.

McGill S, Norman RW, Sharatt MT. The effect of an abdominal belt on trunk muscle activity and intra-abdominal pressure during squat lifts. Ergonomics. 1990; 33:147-160.

McGill S. Abdominal belts in industry: A position paper on their assets, liabilities and use. Am Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J. 1993; 54(12): 752-754.

Lantz SA, Schultz AB. Lumbar spine orthosis wearing I. Restriction of gross body motion. Spine. 1986; 11: 834-837.

McGill SM, Sequin JP, Bennett G. Passive stiffness of the lumbar torso in flexion, extension, lateral bend and axial twist: The effect of belt wearing and breath holding. Spine. 1994; 19(19): 2190-2196.

Reddell CR, Congleton JJ, Huchinson RD, Mongomery JF. An evaluation of a weightlifting belt and back injury prevention training class for airline baggage handlers. Appl. Ergonomics. 1992; 23: 319-329.

Hunter GR, McGuirk J, Mitrano N, et al. The effects of a weight training belt on blood pressure during exercise. J Appl Sport Sci Res. 1989; 3: 13-18.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Back pain facts

in Chiropractor by Doroski February 15, 2019 0 comments

I guess this is the reason I see so many back complaints as your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor. 31 million Americans experience low-back pain at any given time.1 Even though it is so common there is a lot people don’t know about it. I must confess when my back has a problem and I call a chiropractic friend of mine I seem to forget the causes of back pain too. Naturally my back complaint is different than the rest of the worlds. Here are some pretty interesting facts about back pain and if you ever get back pain be sure to call.

A few interesting facts about back pain:

Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010.

Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.

One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.2

Experts estimate that as much as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their lives.3

Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic—meaning they are not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer.

Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain—and that’s just for the more easily identified costs.4

What Causes Back Pain?

The back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments and muscles. You can sprain ligaments, strain muscles, rupture disks, and irritate joints, all of which can lead to back pain. While sports injuries or accidents can cause back pain, sometimes the simplest of movements—for example, picking up a pencil from the floor— can have painful results. In addition, arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can cause or complicate back pain. Back pain can also directly result from disease of the internal organs, such as kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots, or bone loss.

Manipulation as a Treatment for Back Problems

Used primarily by DCs for the past century, spinal manipulation has been largely ignored by most others in the health care community until recently. Now, with today’s growing emphasis on treatment and cost effectiveness, spinal manipulation is receiving more widespread attention.

Spinal manipulation is a safe and effective spine pain treatment. It reduces pain (decreasing the need for medication in some cases), rapidly advances physical therapy, and requires very few passive forms of treatment, such as bed rest.5

In fact, after an extensive study of all available care for low back problems, the federal Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality) recommended that low back pain sufferers choose the most conservative care first. And it recommended spinal manipulation as the only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults.6

A well respected review of the evidence in the Annals of Internal Medicine pointed to chiropractic care as one of the major nonpharmacologic therapies considered effective for acute and chronic low back pain.7

More recently, research has shown that there is strong evidence that spinal manipulation for back pain is just as effective as a combination of medical care and exercise, and moderate evidence that it is just as effective as prescription NSAIDS combined with exercise.8

A patient information article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2013 also suggested chiropractic care as an option for people suffering from low back pain–and noted that surgery is usually not needed and should only be tried if other therapies fail.9

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) urges you to make an informed choice about your back care. To learn more about how the services of doctors of chiropractic may help you, review the results of recent research studies and contact a doctor of chiropractic in your area. Search ACA’s database of members to find a doctor of chiropractic near you.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain

Maintain a healthy diet and weight.

Remain active—under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.

Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest.

Warm up or stretch before exercising or physical activities, such as gardening.

Maintain proper posture.

Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.

Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.

Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.

Quit smoking. Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.

Work with your doctor of chiropractic to ensure that your computer workstation is ergonomically correct.

References:

Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69-116.

Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-98.

Ibid.
In Project Briefs: Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team (BOAT). In MEDTEP Update, Vol. 1 Issue 1, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville, MD.
Time to recognize value of chiropractic care? Science and patient satisfaction surveys cite usefulness of spinal manipulation. Orthopedics Today 2003 Feb; 23(2):14-15.

Bigos S, Bowyer O, Braen G, et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults. Clinical Practice Guideline No.14. AHCPR Publication No. 95-0642. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December, 1994.
Chou R, Hoyt Huffman LH. Nonpharmacologic therapies for acute and chronic low back pain: a review of the evidence for an American Pain Society/American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline. Ann of Internal Med 2 Oct. 2007;147(7):492-504.
Bronfort G, Haas M, Evans R, et al. Evidence-informed management of chronic low back pain with spinal manipulation and mobilization. Spine. 2008;8(1)213-225.
Goodman D, Burke A, Livingston E. Low Back Pain. JAMA. 2013; 309(16):1738.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Avoiding low back pain while sleeping

in Chiropractor by Doroski January 4, 2019 0 comments

It isn’t as if we have tons of opportunity to sleep, so when we do let’s make the most of it. The biggest complaint I see as your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area is low back pain while sleeping. There are some ways o minimize this complaint if not take it away all together.

Back pain can make it tough to get a good night’s sleep. At the same time, how you sleep may make things worse — while certain sleep positions put strain on an already aching back, others may help you find relief.

Although back pain and sleep problems are linked, the connection isn’t well understood. “There is not a lot of science behind sleep as a major cause of back pain,” says Santhosh Thomas, DO, MBA, a spine specialist with the Cleveland Clinic and associate medical director of the Richard E. Jacobs Medical Center in Avon, Ohio.

Experts do believe, however, that people with sleep problems experience more problems with back pain. “Sleep deprivation is known to affect mood and functional ability and negatively impacts perception of pain,” Dr. Thomas says. Pain in turn can affect the quality of your sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation, leading to a lighter sleep state and more frequent waking throughout the night.

What’s more, there’s a relationship between the severity of pain, overall mood, and the ability to function — and a good night of sleep can improve all these symptoms, at least temporarily, according to a study published in the November 2016 issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Worst Sleep Positions for Back Pain

Some sleep positions can put added pressure on your neck, shoulders, hips, lower back, knees, and even your heels, all of which can lead to pain, Thomas says. There’s no one-size-fits-all sleep position to kick back pain, but you can try a few tricks to get it under control so that you can sleep more soundly.

The most common offender? Sleeping on your stomach. “Typically, sleeping on your stomach can flatten the natural curve of your spine, putting some additional strain on your back muscles,” Thomas says.

Plus, stomach sleeping means that your neck is rotated, which can actually result in neck pain or back pain between your shoulders, says Paul Grous, a physical therapist and spine specialist with Penn Therapy & Fitness in Woodbury Heights, New Jersey.

Don’t worry about keeping your body in the same position all night. It’s normal for you to move around a bit while you sleep, and that’s a good thing because a little movement can help ease pressure on your back. “Any sleeping position has the potential to amplify back pain if you maintain it for too long,” Thomas says.

Grous adds that the real culprit may not be sleep position but your daily activity — or a lack of it.

“My opinion of the biggest causative factor for back pain in our population is the amount of time we spend sitting during waking hours,” he says. “We sit too long and we don’t sit properly — we sit slouched with our backs rounded.”

During daylight hours, try to vary your posture as much as possible, and practice good posture when standing and sitting to help ease back pain at night.

Sleep Positions That Help Relieve Back Pain

First, you’ve got to be comfortable to get a good night’s sleep. Thomas suggests making a few simple modifications to your regular sleep position to help take a load off your back:

If you’re a back sleeper: Put a pillow under your knees to allow your spine to maintain its natural curve.

If you’re a stomach sleeper: Put a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis to ease back strain.

If you’re a side sleeper: Draw your legs up slightly toward your chest and sleep with a pillow (a full body pillow can be comfortable) between your knees.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Making a proper bed choice

in Chiropractor by Doroski September 28, 2018 0 comments

Some mornings I used to wake up and look at my bed and try and figure out what it did to me. I thought I was being nice to it… clean sheets, climate-controlled area, no one jumping on it yet it seems to be mad at me. Of course, any back pains I advise you see your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor. Getting a new bed may help what I am fixing on you in my office. Here are some bed buying tips that may help you decide on what you buy.

Lower back pain: Patients suffering with low back pain (LBP) most often prefer beds that are firmer. One study purported that hard beds should be the first choice for LBP sufferers, but if that did not help, then they should try waterbeds. The recommendation is not that they should sleep on a rock-hard bed, but rather, that they need support. A firmer bed prevents the low back from sinking deeply into the bed and irritating the facet joints. Higher-end luxury beds can provide plenty of support along with comfortable padding, while lower-end discounted beds can provide the firmness, but with less comfort.

Upper back and neck pain: Patients who are suffering from upper back and neck pain often prefer softer or plushier bedding. The plushier cushioning in the bed allows the head and thoracic area to sink into the bed to support the cervical area. A pillow-top mattress, or one with softer foams, padding and quilting, can be a good recommendation. There are also several types of pillows that can provide extra support for the neck.

Arthritis and fibromyalgia: Patients suffering with multiple painful joints often prefer bedding with cushioning that disperses the weight across the greatest body surface. Frequently, such patients also have spinal complaints. Balancing cushioning with proper support for the spine requires a higher-end mattress. Since fibromyalgia is related to stress levels, it also is important to review pre-sleep rituals with patients to help relax them before going to bed.

Stomach sleepers: Sleeping on the stomach in a soft bed can stress the thoracolumbar spine. The weight of the belly and pelvis also compress the bedding. To provide support to the stomach, pelvis and thoracolumbar areas, a firmer mattress is necessary.

Side-lying sleepers: An estimated 73 percent of the population sleeps on its side. Plush mattresses are often recommended to side-lying sleepers because they provide the best way to maintain the natural shape of the spine and the curves of the hips and shoulders while sleeping. Plush bedding will cradle the body and help disperse the weight of the body across the maximum surface area, instead of creating pressure points at the hips and shoulders. Special pillows also may be necessary to support the neck in a position parallel to the ground.

Seniors: Most seniors grew up sleeping on extremely stiff beds, because that was what manufacturers made at that time. Having slept on firm mattresses their entire lives, many prefer firmer bedding, even if their health conditions indicate that plushier bedding would be better. Some education may be necessary to convince an older person of the need to change mattresses.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Use a ball instead of a chair

in Chiropractor by Doroski September 21, 2018 0 comments

Most low back injuries I see as your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor are from office workers. It defies some logic because you would think the guy swinging an axe all day would be the one in pain. Most of the problems come from the muscles getting weaker and poor postures when sitting. So a standing desk can be an option but a therapy ball is also a good way to keep your core strong and still be able to sit for part of the day. Here are some benefits of the stability ball from the AFPA.

1.) Burn Extra Calories

As a personal trainer, you may not spend a large portion of your day sitting. However, many of your clients may sit for eight or more hours a day. That’s where you come in. While you probably focus on form and stance during each session, part of being a successful personal trainer is integrating your knowledge and expertise beyond the gym. You must be willing to go the extra mile and offer advice that your clients can take home with them. If your client is interested in replacing the office chair with a stability ball, remind him or her of the added bonus: extra burned calories.

2.) Relieve Back Pain

While you will have to focus on maintaining good posture while sitting on the stability ball, you won’t be as hunched over as you could be sitting in an office chair. But the truth is, sitting on a stability ball isn’t going to bring miracles or completely alleviate any pain you are experiencing. However, with regular exercise and stretching on a stability ball, you may be able to relieve some of the pain you are experiencing. We’ll take a closer look at those options below.

3.) Tone Core Muscles

While we already discussed the negative impacts that sitting in a chair can have on your core strength, did we mention that switching to a stability ball can also help you to sculpt and tone those stubborn abs and obliques? With a stability ball, you are no longer relying on the back of the chair to keep you propped up. Instead you must engage your core, which of course leads to an increase in your core strength. Looking for an extra challenge during the workday?

4.) Induce the Inspiration to Stretch

Maybe it’s just us, but it’s rather difficult as a trainer to sit on a stability ball without taking a break or two during the day to stretch out and relieve some tension. As we stated earlier in the post, the stability ball can relieve some strain you may experience in your back. It can also provide added support when you want to get a deeper stretch that you may not have been able to perform otherwise.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Is my weight causing my Low Back Pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 20, 2018 0 comments

Does my weight cause my low back pain? I hear this a lot as a Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area. Many aren’t aware that the weight can be causing the low back pain. Although there haven’t been any direct studies that show excess weight cause low back pain we do know that the excess weight puts you at a higher risk for joint pain and muscle strain. Excess weight can also cause fatigue and shortness of breath. This can lead to a decreased exercise level which can weaken the low back leading to pain as well.

According to the American Obesity Association, episodes of musculoskeletal pain, and specifically back pain, are prevalent among the nearly one-third of Americans who are classified as obese. The American Obesity Association also reports that more obese persons say they are disabled and less able to complete everyday activities than persons with other chronic conditions.

Some of the most common obesity-related problems include musculoskeletal and joint related pain. For people who are overweight, attention to overall weight loss is important as every pound adds strain to the muscles and ligaments in the back. In order to compensate for extra weight, the spine can become tilted and stressed unevenly. As a result, over time, the back may lose its proper support and an unnatural curvature of the spine may develop.

In particular, pain and problems in the low back may be aggravated by obesity. This occurs for people with extra weight in their stomachs because the excess weight pulls the pelvis forward and strains the lower back, creating lower back pain. According to the American Obesity Association, women who are obese or who have a large waist size are particularly at risk for lower back pain.

Obese or overweight patients may experience sciatica and low back pain from a herniated disc. This occurs when discs and other spinal structures are damaged from having to compensate for the pressure of extra weight on the back.

In addition, pinched nerves and piriformis syndrome may result when extra weight is pushed into spaces between bones in the low back area.

Arthritis of the spine that causes back pain may be aggravated when extra body weight strains joints. Those patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 25 are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those with a lower BMI. The American Obesity Association recommends modest weight loss as a treatment for some types of osteoarthritis.

The effectiveness of back surgery may also be affected by a patient’s weight. Obese patients are at higher risk for complications and infections after surgery compared to patients who are not obese. For seriously overweight patients, paying attention to weight loss before undergoing back surgery may improve the healing process after surgery.

Identifying the Need for Weight Loss

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure commonly used by medical practitioners. BMI is a mathematical formula (BMI=kg/m2) that takes into account a person’s weight in kilograms and height in meters and calculates a number. The higher a person’s BMI falls on a pre-determined range of values, the higher the likelihood for obesity. Although there is some debate over the specific meaning of BMI measurements, a BMI of 30 or higher is typically considered to be obese, while a measure of 25 to 29.9 is typically considered to be overweight.

It is also important to evaluate where excess fat is carried on the patient’s body. Patients who carry more weight around their midsection are at greater risk for obesity-related health problems, such as low back pain. Weight loss for health considerations is often advisable for women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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What is the SI joint

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 6, 2018 0 comments

Your (my) hip is out… I say it all the time to patients and they say it all the time to me. Than we both point to that area on the back along the waist line to the right or left of the spine. Now I am pretty good with anatomy and it obviously isn’t your hip joint, it is your SI joint. It is also the cause of a significant amount of low back complaints I see in my Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractic office.

Chiropractic is all about expression of optimal health and living the best possible life for you. The focus, especially with doctors of chiropractic at The Joint, is about improving the overall quality of your daily life through regular spinal adjustments. An adjustment helps restore spinal movement, which allows the nervous system to function at its highest possible level. Because the nervous system controls everything we do (including breathing, blinking and swallowing), a system operating optimally is extremely valuable. One of the additional perks — the one that often brings people in — is that pain and joint dysfunction often go away. That’s like magic! Many times people are freed to return to activities they love but have struggled participating in, whether it’s skateboarding, surfing, or lifting a little one up over their head. One of the most common issues that chiropractors see is SI joint dysfunction. It’s common enough that many people know what the SI joint is, but if you don’t, don’t worry — just keep reading. I’ll go over a bit of the science and how chiropractic can play a role in resolving SI joint issues.

The Science

SI stands for sacroiliac. You have two SI joints. The joints are on either side of the sacrum and each ilium (you know this as your hip bone). They are at the bottom of the spine and connect the sacrum and ilium on each side. The main motion of the joint is a shearing motion (a sliding motion back and forth between two parallel surfaces, joint facets in this case).

Dysfunction

SI joint dysfunction means the SI joint is not moving the way it’s intended. Perhaps this means its range of motion is limited — either the sacrum or the ilium is literally mal-positioned and stuck — or there is too much motion. Each joint works to transfer weight from the upper body to the lower body; they are designed to allow minimal movement and they have strong ligaments and tendons that support them. The dysfunction can occur as a result of a variety of things. We live in a society in which the average person sits far too much and carries too much weight. This lack of movement doesn’t encourage proper SI joint health and function. Dysfunction can also be a result of stress from overcompensation after prior spinal surgeries. Too much SI joint movement commonly occurs in pregnant women due to ligament-stretching and laxity.

Symptoms and Treatment

As with most conditions, symptoms vary from person to person. It’s common for SI joint dysfunction to present with low back pain or pain in the buttocks. Pain can radiate down the leg or even into the front of the thigh, but generally not past the knee. SI joint pain can mimic many other causes of low back pain. Chiropractors are experts at determining the source of spine pain in patients — and caring for them, too!

Through an adjustment, chiropractors help restore motion in the SI joint and/or associated joints contributing to the problem. I’ve found that SI joint dysfunction typically responds well to chiropractic care and that pain relief can occur quickly after an adjustment. The exact treatment duration and intensity will depend on the person, their lifestyle and the degree of the subluxation.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link