Text Neck: A Real Issue and How Chiropractic Care Can Help by 100% Family - December 17, 2015

If you haven’t heard about Text Neck yet, this has become a new buzzword in the health industry to

describe a very common issue that impacts people today. Text neck is a condition that formed when you

overuse your neck, back and shoulder muscles by keeping yourself in a hunched over position, typically

the position that occurs when you spend a lot of time looking down and forward, such as you would when

looking on a mobile device. When you keep yourself in this position, it can cause serious strain on the spine. Text Neck is

more than just a cautionary tale that parents can use to keep their kids off their phones, it is a real issue and something that

can cause daily pain and discomfort as well as life-long damage to your spine. While Text Neck is a real and serious issue,

the good news is it is also one that can be improved with chiropractic care, if you take the time to visit your chiropractor

and get the assistance that you need.

Important Facts on Text Neck Before you start learning about some of the ways chiropractic care can help Text Neck, it

is important to realize some of the most startling facts about this condition. If left untreated, long-term forward neck

posture can lead to disc herniation and pinched nerves. It can also impact the natural curve you are supposed to have in

your neck. If you look at the x-rays of a healthy individual without Text Neck, you will see a nice subtle curve in their

spine. Someone with Text Neck will instead have an alarmingly straight spine that does not have this important curve.

The reason the neck changes so much when it is in this position, is that the average adult head weighs between 10-12

pounds, and when you tilt that head forward and down to look at your phone you are increasing the gravitational pull on

your neck and applying a great deal of pressure to this delicate area of your spine. This force is the equivalent of 60

pounds of extra weight.

Many people who suffer from Text Neck will start to feel pain, discomfort and tightness in their neck, shoulders and

upper back. However, this condition also applies extra pressure to your nervous system, meaning it can lead to pain and

discomfort all over the body and it can be causing issues in your arms and hands, in your low back and lead to headaches,

and other serious health issues.

Visiting Your Chiropractor For Help Text Neck is a serious issue and one of the first things that you can do to start

combating the signs of Text Neck is to start improving your posture. Work on keeping your back straight, your shoulders

back and try to maintain a neutral spine when using technology. This not only applies to mobile devices, but e-readers,

tablets, laptops and computers as well.

Remember, when you visit your chiropractor and they tell you that you have damage from your posture, or Text Neck, it

won’t necessarily be a quick fix to restore the curve in your neck and get you to be pain free. The damage you have done

has been from hundreds of hours of keeping your head in this position. A problem that has been building this long, won’t

be fixed in a matter of minutes. However, if you are willing to put the time into visiting your chiropractor on your

recommended healthcare plan, you can get the assistance you need to restore your neck and start living the pain-free life

you deserve!

JANUARY 2018 NEWSLETTER

What Is A Foam Roller, How Do I Use It, And Why Does It Hurt? Self-myofascial release, also known as “foam rolling,” has transformed

from a once mysterious technique used only by professional athletes,

coaches, and therapists to a familiar everyday practice for people at all levels of fitness. Recent information, technology,

and affordable products have introduced an increasing array of training and recovery methods to the average person.

Self-myofascial release is a fancy term for self-massage to release muscle tightness or trigger points. This method

can be performed with a foam roller. By applying pressure to specific points on your body you are able to aid in the

recovery of muscles and assist in returning them to normal function. Normal function means your muscles are elastic,

healthy, and ready to perform at a moment’s notice.

Do I Have Tight Muscles or Trigger Points?

Trigger points are specific “knots” that form in muscles. They are unique and can be identified because they will refer

pain. Pain referral, for our purposes, can most easily be described as the pain felt when pressure is applied to one

area of the body, but the pain is felt or radiated in another area.

Why Am I Doing Something That Hurts?

For many, deep tissue massage is easy to understand. Ideally someone is able to work out the knots in your muscles, and it

is commonly known this process may be uncomfortable and at times painful. Self-myofascial release provides the user

the ability to control the healing and recovery process by applying pressure in precise locations, because only you

can feel exactly what is happening.

Releasing trigger points helps to reestablish proper movement patterns and pain free movement, and ultimately, to

enhance performance. Utilizing stretching alone is not always enough to release muscles tightness, which is why foam

rollers have thrived on the mass market. Imagine a bungee cord with a knot tied into it and then envision stretching the

cord. This creates tension, stretching the unknotted portion of the muscle and the attachment points. The knot, however,

has remained unaltered.

Foam rolling can assist in breaking up these muscle knots, resuming normal blood flow and function. The goal to any

corrective or recovery technique is to get you back to the point of normal functioning, as if nothing was ever

wrong. When was the last time you trained like you were a teenager, going hard without a second thought, and injuries

were something that only happened due to physical trauma like a 250lb linebacker hitting you?

What Causes Trigger Points and Tight Muscles?

Both have the same contributing factors including training, flexibility, movement patterns, posture, nutrition, hydration,

rest, stress, and other lifestyle factors. Our bodies learn to compensate for what we throw at them every day, but we

can exceed our ability to recover via too many intense workouts, poor posture, and other lifestyle factors.

How Does Self-Myofascial Release Work?

Deep compression helps to break up or relax tight muscles and adhesions formed between muscle layers and their

surroundings. Imagine you are tenderizing your own muscles. They should be soft and supple like a baby’s

muscles. However, if our muscles are not taken care of properly we can experience loss of flexibility, adhesions, and

painful movement.

The deep compression of self-myofascial release allows normal blood flow to return and the restoration of healthy tissue.

The body naturally wants to be healthy and strong, but sometimes an extra boost is needed to achieve optimal muscle and

tissue health

Jeff Kuhland Coach MovNat, Mobility & Recovery

DID YOU KNOW… HEALTHYWAYS Utilizes Foam Rollers in Our Therapy Department!

Patient of the Month

Congratulations to Kim L., January’s Patient of the Month! We are excited to present

Kim with a Free 30 Minute Massage and a restaurant Gift Certificate as a special thank

you for being an exemplary patient. We look forward to naming each of you as patient of

the month!

Patient News & Tidbits

We had an awesome time at the Holiday Party and are very thankful to all of those who were able to attend.

Congratulations to all of our 12 Days of Christmas Basket Winners: Erica B., Titus M., Barb E., Rebecca F.,

Lauren Z., Bev T., Kevin L., Roy W., Amy R., Judy E., & Tina L.! Hope you enjoy all of your treasures!

A Great Big Thank You!!! To all of you who were so generous in donating toys and money to Children’s Hospital of

Pittsburgh. We are thrilled to have such a large donation to bring to the children who are in the hospital this

Christmas!

Our Deepest Sympathy to Mandy C. and her family on the passing of her mother. You are in our thoughts and

prayers.

Time to Purchase new Orthotics 10% OFF during the month of January!

“Honesty pays, but it doesn’t seem to pay enough to suit some people.”

~ Kin Hubbard

Welcome New Patients

Chris J. referred by Chris R. Thank You!

Vivienne O. referred by Leah O. Thank You!

Christina A.

Eliza F. & Matthew F. referred by Rebecca F. Thank You!

Steve M. referred by Sherry M. Thank You!

Morgan N. referred by Lori S. Thank You!

Helen S.

Dominic R.

Sherry M.

Erin K.

{Pre-register at front desk or call (724) 444-6644, space is limited}

Purchase a 6 Class package for ONLY $60.00 (single classes $12.00 per class)

Instructor: Kimberly Hanley, RYT200

January’s Product of the Month

Be prepared to be amazed by your own ability!

Learn proper body alignment, breathing techniques,

and a better way to move.

Bring your own yoga mat. Dress comfortably.

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Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system. We usually think of bacteria as something that causes diseases. But your body is full of bacteria, both good and bad. Probiotics are often called "good" or "helpful" bacteria because they help keep your gut healthy.

Probiotics help move food through your gut. Researchers are still trying to figure out which are

best for certain health problems. Some common conditions they treat are:

Irritable bowel syndrome, Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Infectious diarrhea (caused by viruses, bacteria, or parasites) Antibiotic-related diarrhea

There is also some research to show they help with problems in other parts of your body. For

example, some people say they have helped with:

Skin conditions, like eczema, Urinary and vaginal health, Preventing allergies and colds,& Oral health

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