Healthy Living

Avoiding injury while running or jogging

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2025-06-06T20:31:15+00:00June 5th, 2025|Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Sports & Fitness, Wellness|

Running or jogging can be a great exercise; however, it can take its toll on your body in particular your joints, increasing your chance of injuries all the way from your feet, up to your neck. To help ensure you don’t get halted because of injury, make sure you know the best styles and techniques for running or jogging.

Examine your running style

Everyone has their own unique running style. If you were to watch a group of joggers closely, you would see each person runs differently. There is no one, correct way to run, but there are ways to fine-tune your running technique to prevent injury.

Posture—Just like in all aspects of our lives, posture is very important when we run. Good posture will help release tension and reduce strain in your neck and shoulders. This can help prevent muscle fatigue. You can improve your running posture by following some simple, key principles:

Hold your head high, centered between your shoulders and keep your back straight. We have a tendency to lean forward and slouch when we are tired, but this can lead to fatigue and tightness in the neck, as well as the shoulders, back and even your hamstrings. A good rule is to always keep your focus 30-40 yards in front of you. This will force you to keep your head up.
Keep your shoulders relaxed and parallel to the ground. Do not pull your shoulder blades together. This can increase shoulder tension. We also have a tendency to rise our shoulders near are our ears as we tire while running, much like when we are cold. Drop your arms and shake them loosely if you feel this happening.
Pay attention to your arms and hands—It’s easy to imagine that our arms and hands are just along for the ride as we run. This couldn’t be farther than the truth. Your arms and hands are just as important as your legs when you run.
Keep your hands and wrists loose. This will help you avoid tension in your hands and arms, while using less energy and decrease the chance of tension working its way up to your shoulders.
Allow your arms to swing from the shoulders like a pendulum from front to back. Be careful to prevent your arms from crossing the midline of your body.
As you endurance improves and your speed increases, so should the rate at which your arms swing. Swinging your arms at a faster rate will help with your balance and will assist you with for faster leg turnover.

Don’t Over-Stride—When you extend your lead foot too far out in front of the body, it lands in front of your center of gravity creating a breaking effect, this is called over-striding. This can lead to injuries such as runner’s knee and shin splints. As runners become more experienced, their stride lengthens naturally. This is not due to overstretching the lead leg as many new runners do, but rather from increasing the forward motion of the rear leg.

If you run on a treadmill, you will naturally shorten your movements because of the length of the treadmill’s belt. This isn’t a problem, but if you decide to run outside, you may have to make adjustments to your stride.

Research has also shown that the biggest difference between healthy runners and ones that are often injured is stride variability. Your goal as a runner should be to repeat the same stride every time. In injured runners, the joint angles and motions were slightly different with each stride.

Setting manageable goals

It’s important for runners, especially new runners, to follow a training schedule that builds mileage and speed in a logical way. Starting a log to track your running successes is a good idea. Find a beginners schedule so that you can learn to start conditioning properly before implementing strength or speed training.

Over-training is one of the easiest ways to injure yourself. Break your training into small goals using a calendar that extends far out. If you only ran for 20 minutes last week, don’t try to run for an hour the next week. Your body isn’t equipped to handle the added stress yet.

How your chiropractor can help

If you’re gearing up to begin a new running or jogging regimen or have a concern about an injury you’ve sustained while being active, your chiropractor is a good place to start. Find a chiropractor near you now.

Many injuries can be prevented simply by being evaluated by a chiropractor. Your chiropractor will be able to identify problem areas, such as muscle imbalances, joint dysfunctions, or anything else that could lead to pain and injury. Running is a safe, fun and relaxing activity, that can help you trim up and condition your body. Let your chiropractor help lead you towards a successful and injury free running program. Any time you experience pain, muscle imbalance or joint restriction, see your chiropractor.

As part of your healthcare team, your chiropractor can also tell you if a pre-existing injury could be a concern for your new running plan.

Original post from Chiropractic Association of Alberta

Healthy Summer Practices

ParallelAdmin2025-06-06T15:27:09+00:00July 19th, 2021|Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Wellness|

JULY 19, 2021 BY ROBIN VINGE

More talk about healthy summer practices…What do you do to protect your skin from too much sun once you have spent 20 minutes without sunscreen to get Vitamin D? First look at what you should avoid in a sunscreen. it is important to avoid these unhealthy sunscreen ingredients – oxybenzone, octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), parabens, phthalates, retinyl palmitate, and synthetic fragrance. Look for non-nano particle sized zinc or titanium based mineral ingredients. Look for protection against UVB and UVA rays and avoid spray sunscreens if you can. Make sure you have access to some shade if you are going to the beach so you can protect your skin and get out of the heat.

If you go overboard and get too much sun, aloe vera gel from the plant can soothe and heal your tissue if applied topically. Homeopathic remedies that you can try for sunburns include Cantharis, Urtica urens, or Belladonna depending on your unique picture of a sunburn. It is safe for you to use a 30c potency and dose five pellets 3- 6 x daily. For best results, see me for an individual consultation about your sunburn if you have one.

In terms of summer eats, cooking meats by frying, grilling, roasting or barbequeing can cause the formation of heterocyclic amines which are carcinogenic. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed when fat drips on a heat source causing excess smoke. Make sure you cut off the blackened parts of meats and any charred pieces of meat. People’s average risk of cancer goes from 1 in 500 to 1 in 50 if you are eating large amounts of muscle meat (pork, beef, fish, poultry) regularly and consistently. Marinating your meat before grilling or broiling, reduces heterocyclic amines by 90 percent. You could marinate your meat in red wine or dark beer for 6 hours or marinate in lemon juice or vinegar. Add fresh herbs or berries to increase antioxidants. Make sure you cut off fat before grilling. You can also cook meat partially before grilling; flip burgers more often or cook high quality meats rare or medium rare versus well done to make your summer barbecueing a bit healthier.

What about Hot Dogs? Look for uncured varieties that contain no nitrates. Choose varieties that say 100% beef or 100% chicken. Avoid those that contain MSG, artificial flavors/color, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup. Any type of processed meat that has been smoked, cured, salted or preserved with chemicals does increase risk of bowel cancer (hamburgers or sausages preserved with salt or chemical additives espescially nitrates). Do be mindful of your consumption of these products.

What about alcohol? The pros first- does contain antioxidants, increases HDL cholesterol. The cons- hard on your liver, causes weight gain, disrupts the gut microbiome and increases your risk of cancer with chronic consumption. Drink iced Rooibos tea. Rooibos has been shown to increase levels of glutathione in your liver which is your strongest antioxidant in your body. Drink iced green tea also for its antioxidant activity and anticancer qualities. It is important to eat foods that support liver function such as beets, artichokes, broccoli, apples, turmeric, dandelion greens, dandelion root tea (which can positively influence phase 2 liver eynzymes).

Milk thistle is a good supportive supplement for people that drink chronically. It has powerful antioxidant activity and helps protect your liver from damage by quenching free radicals. Take as directed on the label. Being mindful about all these things can create a healthier summer for you and your loved ones. Enjoy your summer!! For more specific help with your unique health, book a consultation with me at Parallel Wellness in downtown Calgary. Dr. Vinge 4032321283

Spring into Action
Gallery

Spring into Action

ParallelAdmin2025-06-06T15:27:27+00:00April 23rd, 2018|Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Wellness|

Spring into Action

Spring is on it’s way and for outdoor enthusiasts it can be easy to spring into action with plenty of activities. Whether you’re a “green thumb”, outdoor sports player, or a recreational guru it is important to take special care of your body before, during and after these activities.

Now that the white stuff is finally melting away, creating puddles and greenery, many home owners are preparing their yards for clean up and gardening. Having the “Perfect” yard or garden may be a dream for some but it is important to remember that yard work can be just as taxing as a workout or going to the gym. Did you know that yard work and gardening is the number one cause for neck or back pain in the spring and summer seasons?

Gardening doesn’t have to be a pain in the neck. Here are some tips so you can enjoy the fruits of your labour during these warmer months.

Stretch your stem out! Take time to prepare your body for what’s ahead. Warm up and cool down your muscles, they will thank you. You can burn 300-400 calories per hour of moderate gardening. Add a short walk and you’ll have a good overall open-air work out.

Bend your knees, lift with ease. Keep heavy loads close to your body. Keep your back straight and bend your knees when picking up and putting down loads. Avoid twisting when lifting. Ask for a hand with heavy or awkward loads. Gardening can be a great way to engage children in activity as well.

Right moves, right tools. The right moves can prevent strain on your body. Mix it up, alternate positions. Kneel to plant and weed, pace yourself. Make sure tools are the right size for you and are comfortable. There are many tools now that are designed with ergonomics in mind. Long padded handles and spring action mechanisms can reduce strain and effort.

Take a refresh break. Get up, move around, alternate tasks, do another stretch, or just sit back, relax and have a cold drink. Try to not over extend yourself, take a few brief breaks every hour. Your back will thank you!

If gardening is not your thing, perhaps outdoor sports like soccer, baseball, tennis or golf is more your avenue. If you are a parent of an avid athlete, here are some tips both of you could benefit from.

Warm up! Stretching can properly prepare your muscles and joints for the activity ahead. It can also prevent injuries and strains.

Hydration is key. Pro or not, all bodies need adequate hydration. Drink before, during and after all activity. Especially on hot summer days.

Proper nutrition is the fuel. A good balanced diet is equally important to the activity you preform. Make sure to have a small healthy meal 1 hour before any strenuous activity, practice, or game. Proper nutrients replenish and refuel the body.

Prevention and Education. Youngsters can be fearless when it comes to risk taking and act as though they are invincible. It is important to teach your children preventative methods when preforming sports or any physical activity. Make sure your child is wearing proper clothing and has the proper equipment that fits properly.

Rest, recharge and reload. 8-10 hours of sleep is essential for the body to recharged after any moderate to high level of activity. Lack of sleep or rest can catch up with you and decrease performance and can also increase the chance of injury.

If you or your child have persistent pain or have sustained an injury seek chiropractic care immediately. The sooner the injury is treated the quicker the recovery.

Chiropractic Effective for Cervicogenic Headache

ParallelAdmin2021-01-04T23:08:09+00:00March 21st, 2018|Healthy Living|

Originally posted by ChiroNexus

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), headache pain is “extremely common,” with headache disorders—which are characterized as head pain that is repeated in nature—afflicting as many as one in 20 individuals on a daily or almost-daily basis. An additional one in seven people deal with the king of all headaches: migraines.

Another type of headache which can create an amazing amount of throbbing discomfort is a cervicogenic headache. Defined by the American Migraine Foundation as a “secondary headache” whose cause originates somewhere in the neck area even though it presents itself in the head, some research studies have found that these particular headaches tend to respond rather well to chiropractic treatment sessions.

For instance, BMC Research Notes published the results of a single-blinded randomized control trial conducted in Norway which involved 19 individuals between the ages of 18 and 70 who suffered from cervicogenic headaches. Each subject was assigned to one of three groups for a length of 17 months. The first group received actual chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy utilizing the Gonstead Method. The second group received sham chiropractic manipulations, and the third group served as a control and was simply asked to continue with their current treatment regimen, which did not include any type of manual intervention whatsoever.

Upon conclusion of the study, only 12 of the original 19 participants remained, due to either drop outs or the subject being excluded once randomization occurred. However, of these remaining individuals, those assigned to receive actual spinal manipulation reported a reduction in the number of headaches experienced both during the treatment regimen and at follow-ups conducted six months and one year post-treatment. This was particularly notable when compared to individuals assigned to the control group who reported no change in their cervicogenic headache frequency during or post-study.

While this is a rather small sample size, highlighting the need for more research to be conducted in this area, the study’s findings suggest that, for patients struggling with cervicogenic headaches, chiropractic treatment is definitely better than no treatment at all. This is true both short and long term as positive effects are likely to remain long after the sessions have ceased.

Additionally, although headache pain is among one of the most common pains experienced by adults worldwide, that doesn’t mean that people must simply manage their way through it. By engaging in regular chiropractic care, some headaches can be effectively treated at the source. Cervicogenic headaches are one of them, making this treatment method beneficial for patients seeking a reduction in head pain, and an increase in life satisfaction.

Cervicogenic Headache. (October 24, 2016). American Migraine Foundation.
Chaibi A, Knackstedt H, Tuchin PJ, Russell MB. Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache: a single-blinded, placebo, randomized controlled trial. BMC Research Notes 2017;10:310.doi:10.1186/s13104-017-2651-4

Written by: Michael Melton on March 7, 2018.

Your Feet May be Causing Your Lower Back Pain

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2020-12-09T17:21:07+00:00October 31st, 2017|Healthy Living|

Originally posted by the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors

Can’t seem to find an answer as to why your back is aching? The answer might lie right below you … your feet.

It’s easy to assume aches in pains in our backs are originating from where you are actually feeling it. So if your back hurts, it must be coming from an issue within your back, right? This is not necessarily the case. Everything in our bodies is connected through tissue and our nervous system.

How are my feet inter-connected to my back and why does this cause me pain?

Your body has three main shock absorbers: your feet, your knees and your spine. The shock of walking, running, jumping etc. is first felt by your feet. If your feet can’t handle the shock, it passes the impact absorption to your knees. When your knees are ill-equipped to handle the shock it passes the absorption to the last stop on the chain, your back. Your back will eventually fatigue and begin to cause you pain, especially if there is a misalignment in the lower region or the pelvis.

Why can’t my feet handle the shock in the first place?

Most of the problems associated with our backs caused by our feet are simply because of the surfaces we walk on. Our feet were designed to walk on grass, sand, dirt, mud and other natural terrain. Human innovation has brought us cement, tile, wood, etc. which are actually detrimental to the health of our feet and in turn our back. Natural terrain is suited to the shape and structure of our feet. This causes our arches to be supported and causes the muscles, ligaments and tendons of the foot and ankle to work in a supportive fashion.

How can I prevent this cycle of pain?

Shoes- Find the right kind of shoe to support your foot type. If you have flat feet or have a minimal arch, shoes that have a good amount of cushioning or stability will work best to absorb the shock.

If you have a pronounced arch, “Minimal” shoes are a specialized option to consider. These shoes are designed to promote the foot striking the ground with the front or middle of the foot rather than the heel.

Sorry folks, there are no high-heels on the planet that are going to do anything good for your feet or back, so try and wear them as sparingly as possible.

Chiropractic adjustment – A visit to your chiropractor can do wonders. First, they will check the joints in your feet and ankles are working properly. Your chiropractor will perform an examination, which could include examining your feet, analyzing your gait and posture, requesting an x-ray and checking your shoes for improper wear.

If it’s determined that your feet are the cause of your back pain, your chiropractor will develop a program, which may include an adjustment of the foot to stabilize your postural foundation and to help relieve related stress/pain to the rest of your body.

Custom Orthotics – Your chiropractor may also suggest individually fitted, orthotic arch supports if they’ve determined your feet to be the cause of your back discomfort.

Orthotic arch supports are heat moldable plastic shoe inserts designed to support the arch on the inside of the foot. Orthotics also help in realigning your foot’s ankle joints and bones.

For more blogs and information like this, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Chiropractors as Part of the Opioid Reduction Strategy in Canada

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2021-01-04T23:07:06+00:00September 27th, 2017|Healthy Living|

Originally posted by the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors

It is hard to live in Canada and not be aware of Canada’s current Opioid Crisis. An estimated 2,000 Canadians are dying annually from prescription opioids. Our country is facing a national crisis. Currently, Canada is the second highest consumer of prescription opioids in the world. Evidence points to back pain and other musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions as one of the key drivers.

Headlines related to chronic pain and fentanyl overdose are rising in frequency and urgency. Many chronic pain patients have been universally mismanaged by all health professions even with the best intent and the best minds clamoring for solutions.

Chiropractic can be a piece in the puzzle in the development of an effective opioid reduction strategy. By providing prompt access to effective health care options, like chiropractic care, evidence suggests that we can reduce reliance on opioids to treat acute and chronic MSK-related pain.

In fact, new guidelines released by the Canadian Medical Association Journal, recommend a coordinated multi-disciplinary healthcare team, which includes chiropractic, be used to help manage pain and avoid the dependency of opioids.

Albertans and all Canadians deserve earlier access to conservative chiropractic care for their MSK health issues before they become chronic pain sufferers. It is now understood that current solutions in the pain management of non-cancer conditions affecting the MSK system (bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles and joints) have become too reliant on opioids.

Chiropractic is a safe, evidence informed option to treating chronic pain, and our high patient satisfaction levels make chiropractic a popular option for patients looking to address pain and improve function.

Federal and provincial governments are widely recognizing the crisis that exists with opioid addiction and overdose. The Canadian Chiropractic Association (CCA) has engaged in months of advocacy with the federal government and other health professions to build awareness and understanding that available evidence points to back pain and other MSK conditions as a leading reason for opioid prescribing. We have also had the opportunity provincially to discuss how conservative treatment options like chiropractic can contribute significantly to the health care of Albertans who suffer from pain.

As the national media discuss the link between over-prescribing and the opioid crisis, it appears that the public needs the expertise of chiropractic services more than ever.

For more blogs and information like this, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Chiropractic Care and Chronic Medical Conditions

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2021-01-04T23:06:52+00:00August 29th, 2017|Healthy Living|

Chiropractic care can be helpful for a variety of chronic, or long-lasting, medical conditions. These include spinal issues, sciatica, chronic pain, headaches, and many others. But what about non-orthopaedic chronic medical conditions – diseases that do not primarily affect the bones, joints, and connective tissue? These problems include diabetes, heart disease, mental illness, lung disease, etc. Is it safe to have chiropractic treatments if you suffer from any of these conditions?

Keeping Everyone on the Same Page

Whether you have chronic medical conditions or are completely healthy, it is important to keep your entire healthcare team apprised of your situation. This means letting your primary care physician, chiropractor, dentist, surgeon, and other specialists know your complete medical history as well as any changes. All of your medical providers should be informed of your medication types as well as dosages and frequencies, hospital admissions, surgical procedures, allergies, and other medical information.

Only by having complete information will your chiropractor and other healthcare providers be able to make informed decisions for your effective treatment and safety. For instance, your chiropractor may elect to delay spinal manipulation if you’re still healing from a surgery. You should always defer to their experience and expertise if they feel that a treatment may carry a safety risk.

However, you should know that chiropractic treatments are generally safe, even for patients with chronic illnesses. Still, let your primary care physician and any specialists know before you seek chiropractic therapy.

A Look at Two Conditions

Let’s examine two widespread chronic conditions – type 2 diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Type 2 diabetes usually appears in adults and is a systemic disease, meaning it affects your entire body. The primary symptom is high blood sugar, but this can cause other issues like increased thirst and urination, greater susceptibility to heart disease, and diabetic neuropathy – shooting pain and numbness in the hands and feet.

There is currently no evidence that standard chiropractic treatments can worsen type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, while it is not likely that chiropractic can improve the main staple of diabetes – high blood sugar – treatments may be able to help with the symptoms of neuropathy. As always, inform your endocrinologist and primary care physician that you wish to receive chiropractic treatments, and also let your chiropractor know that you’re diabetic, as well as updating them on your blood sugar control and symptoms.

COPD is a common disease among smokers and former smokers, though it may affect non-smokers as well. It manifests mainly as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Patients with COPD may have reduced lung volumes and sometimes require supplemental oxygen.

As with type 2 diabetes, a search of the published literature reveals no instances of adverse COPD patient effects with chiropractic therapy. In fact, several randomised, controlled studies found that COPD patients sometimes benefited from manual spinal manipulation delivered by a qualified chiropractor in the form of increased lung capacities, better lung function, and greater exercise capacities.

Despite these results, again, you should consult with your pulmonologist or family doctor before undergoing chiropractic treatment if you have COPD. Be sure to also let your chiropractor know about your COPD and overall health.

Keeping It Green: 8 Benefits to Getting Fresh Air While You Exercise

ParallelAdmin2025-06-06T15:28:49+00:00May 15th, 2017|General, Health, Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Living, Wellness|

Originally posted by Canadian Chiropractic Association

Getting any type of exercise is good for your body, but did you know there are specific benefits to taking your workout outside? Not only is it a great way to boost your activity in the Spring, it’ll also help boost your mood.

Here are a few of the main benefits to getting exercise in a natural environment:

You can move faster. When you’re walking or running outside, you can better control your pace. Often, you end up moving a little faster than you would indoors on a treadmill.¹
It’s easier. When the effort of exercise participants was studied comparing indoor to outdoor walking, participants not only moved faster, they reported the exercise also felt easier to complete.¹
It’ll alter your perception. Since your perception of effort is lower when you’re in a green environment, it gives you the opportunity to push harder without your perception changing. When an activity is perceived as easier, it’s also perceived to be more enjoyable.¹
You’ll increase your enjoyment. When you’re exercising outside you’re often engaging with other people. This has been shown to increase enjoyment of the activity and how often you participate, since you have social motivation behind you.¹
You’ll feel revitalized. Studies have shown that doing physical activities in a natural or green environment can help improve feelings of revitalization. You also feel more positively engaged.¹
You can improve your self-esteem. Exercising in green environments have also been linked to improved self-esteem and reducing negative moods such as tension, anger, and depression.¹
It’s better for your physical health. Studies have shown that outdoor environments, particularly green spaces, support better physical health both subjectively and objectively. That means that your sense of well-being, heart health, immune system, and recovery time are all positively affected by your green environment.²
It’s also better for your mental health. Work out outside to improve your general mental health, psychological well-being, anxiety, stress, or depression. Both your well-being and perceived well-being benefit from taking-in natural spaces.²

To help get you going, here are a few green activities you can try:

Plant trees
Go hiking
Canoe or kayak
Explore natural parks (or take advantage of the free 2017 Parks Canada Discovery Pass)
Go for a bike ride
Play tennis
Sign up for an outdoor fitness class or boot camp
Join a recreational sports leagues for soccer, ultimate Frisbee, or flag football

Whatever activity you choose, don’t forget to keep it green. For more information on what exercises are right for you, you can ask a chiropractor.

References

Gladwell VF, Brown DK, Wood C, Sandercock GR, Barton JL. The great outdoors: How a green exercise environment can benefit all. Extrem Physiol Med. 2013; 2(1): 3. doi: 10.1186/2046-7648-2-3.
Triguero-Mas M, Dadvand P, Cirach M, et al. Natural outdoor environments and mental and physical health: Relationships and mechanisms. Environment International. 2015; 77: 35-41. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.01.012.

Chiropractic Tips for Gardening

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2021-01-04T23:06:02+00:00March 31st, 2017|Healthy Living|

Originally posted by the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors

As the weather warms, many Albertans will be dusting off their spades and unraveling their hoses in anticipation for a spring and summer full of gardening.

As peaceful and relaxing as gardening can be, it’s undeniable that it brings with it a lot bending, twisting, reaching and pulling. Your back, upper legs, knees, shoulders, and wrists can all become affected while gardening and it’s important to take the necessary precautions before, during and after enjoying your favourite hobby.

Stretch
Before you even head outside with your favourite gardening attire, give your muscles a good stretch. As with any activity that will put stress of strain on your muscle, it’s imperative to stretch because warm muscles will work more efficiently and be less likely to be injured. The Straighten Up Alberta program is a great place to start if you are looking for an effective way to stretch and warm up before digging.

Body Mechanics
Gardening is full of repetitive motions, which, over time can cause you a whole host of problems. Below are different problem movements to avoid during your time enjoying your garden:

One of the most pertinent things to think about when it comes to gardening is to reduce amount your body is twisting. Avid gardeners know that there is a lot of twisting to reach the space around you. A good rule of thumb to follow is to squarely face whatever you are working on to reduce twisting. To go along with this, never over reach; move to the job and keep moving to be close to your work.

If you are going to be a lot of digging, keep your elbows partially bent. Without proper technique when preforming a repetitive movement like digging you may end up developing tennis elbow.

You should be trying not to reach above your shoulders when watering your potted plants. A sturdy ladder is your best friend when it comes to keeping work below shoulder level. Putting constant stress on your shoulders by constant reaching above can cause a shoulder impingement or another type of rotator cuff injury.

Avoid pinching and pulling repetitively with your finger and thumb. This usually creeps up when using pruning scissors. If you are going to pruning or using a similar motion, hold objects with a light grasp or pinch, avoid a tight sustained grip.

Tools
Believe it or not, the shovel, spade, rake, etc., you are using could be the direct cause of your discomfort. It is important to buy tools that are appropriate for your size. Try out your gardening tools before you purchase them to make sure handle size, length of spindle, and weight are right for you.

It’s also important to make sure tools meant for digging are kept sharp as that will reduce the amount of effort needed to move your dirt.

Visit Your Chiropractor
If you’ve injured yourself flexing your green thumb or are interested in strengthening or injury prevention, go see your chiropractor. Doctors of Chiropractic are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. If you experience back pain related to spring activities, consult your chiropractor.

For more blogs and information like this, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Food for Thought: Nutritional Counselling in Chiropractic Practice

Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors2021-01-04T23:05:48+00:00February 28th, 2017|Healthy Living|

Originally posted by the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors

We all know nutrition is an essential part of a healthy, active lifestyle. It’s been engrained in us. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” ““You are what you eat.” What may seem foreign to you though is how nutrition and chiropractic go hand-in-hand. The promotion of healthy lifestyles is an important goal of chiropractic care. Nutrition is a great example of this.

Proper nutrition is essential in keeping your musculoskeletal (MSK) system operating to its full potential. If you are seeking chiropractic care to recover from an injury or just to maintain musculoskeletal health, nutrition becomes even more important.

Watch Your Caloric Intake
Although it has almost become cliché to talk about caloric intake, the foods you put in your body can go a long way in prolonging an MSK issue or putting extra strain on your muscles or joints. The more high caloric foods you eat, the more weight you’re going to gain.he more weight you gain, the more pressure your muscle or joints come under. It’s simple logic really, that most don’t think about.

Tailored Diets
Your chiropractor has the education and expertise to tailor a diet or suggest foods that can directly address your injury or lifestyle.

For instance, those suffering from pain in a muscle or joint may be given an anti-inflammatory diet that avoids foods like white bread, French fries. These foods are recognized as a foreign invader by the body, leading to an increase in inflammation as well as a host of other problems.

Lifestyle nutrition is also something your chiropractor can assist you in. If you or your child are into athletics a diet rich in complex carbohydrates is essential to provide the energy source to fuel your intense training and competition. Your chiropractor can assist you in developing a meal plan to meet your needs.

Chiropractic Expertise in Nutrition
Your chiropractor has received the training necessary to provide you with nutritional advice in conjunction to your chiropractic treatment. Students on the road to becoming DCs will receive classes in physiology, biochemistry and nutrition as part of the core curriculum. Together with other courses that focus on a healthy lifestyle and whole-body wellness strategies, your chiropractor can be an excellent resource to assist you in your quest for healthy choices and better all-around health.

Many chiropractors also choose to further their education in the field of nutrition as well, through post graduate programs and advanced education.

For more blogs and information like this, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.