Being Prepared for Winter

In Minnesota we have extremely unpredictable weather, especially in the winter. Here are some tips for being prepared for whatever comes your way. Every Minnesotan should have a winter kit in their car. This kit should include; jumper cables, a bag of sand or cat litter to help with traction, a blanket, a first aid kit, a flash light, snacks, water, batteries and chargers, hand and feet warmers and a shovel, brush and scraper. In addition if you plan to venture out during extremely cold or snowy weather no matter the distance, wear a warm winter jacket, winter boots, hat, scarf and gloves. Also double check you have a fully charged cell phone, an up to date insurance card and a drivers license with you. This way if you have car troubles or get into an accident you are prepared. 

If you are in an accident no matter how minor, stay on the scene and call 9-1-1. Move to a safe area if you can. Double check you are okay and if anyone else involved is okay, stay calm. If another car is involved exchange information with them, document the following: name, address and phone numbers of all the drivers and passengers involved, the license plate number, make and model of each vehicle involved, the vehicle operators driver license number, insurance company and policy number. Some other information you might want to get is the names and phone numbers of any witnesses and the names and badge numbers of the police officers who responded. You should also document the damage. Take photos of the accident scene and vehicle damage. Even if no one is hurt you should still file a police report and report the claim to your insurance company. 

If you are injured after an accident and perceive your injuries to be a medical emergency, go to the emergency room. Otherwise, if you are sore or injured make an appointment to see your chiropractor. Sometimes injuries from a car accident aren't immediately present. The bottom line is, if the weather is extremely bad and you have the ability to stay home, stay home. If you do have to drive, be prepared, pack your car accordingly and dress for the weather. Drive safe! Go the speed you are comfortable with and make sure you are leaving enough room in front of you. If you are in an accident stay calm and follow the steps above. To find out more ways to keep you and your family healthy and safe, visit our website at oxborochiro.com. 

By Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A.

Benefits of Yoga

With the holidays just around the corner, this time of year can be stressful. With events for family and friends every weekend until January it can be hard to find time to decompress. Make time for yourself this holiday season and give yoga a try! 

Yoga has significant physical and mental health benefits. Some of the physical benefits of yoga include increased flexibility and balance, increased muscle strength and tone, improved respiration and increased energy. All of these things can help reduce the risk of falls in the elderly. Yoga can also help with weight reduction, cardio and circulatory health and improved athletic performance. According to health line, studies show that yoga may reduce inflammatory markers in the body and help prevent pro-inflammatory diseases. Health line also says that in combination with a healthy lifestyle, yoga may help decrease the risk of heart disease.

In addition to all the wonderful physical benefits that yoga offers there are substantial mental benefits as well. Yoga is a great way to manage stress. The American Osteopathic Association says that “Stress can reveal itself in many ways, including back or neck pain, sleeping problems, headaches, drug abuse, and an inability to concentrate,” says Dr. Nevins. “Yoga can be very effective in developing coping skills and reaching a more positive outlook on life”. Yoga has been shown to ease stress and lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Several other studies have also shown that yoga is a safe and effective way to relieve anxiety, depression and promote healthy sleep patterns. 

So if this holiday season you are feeling a little stressed give yoga a try! To find out more ways to keep your family healthy and happy visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com. 

By: Julia Jacobson, Office Manager

Oxboro Family Chiropractic, P.A. 

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-benefits-of-yoga#section8

https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga/

The Benefits of a Massage

Massage therapy is much more than just relaxation – it can be very beneficial for a number of different conditions! Seeing a massage therapist on a regular schedule can produce long term results and help with a variety of issues.  Massage therapy can:

• Stretch and work out tight or weak muscles.
• Reduce stretch marks and scar tissue by promoting tissue regeneration.
• Improve range of motion and low-back pain.
• Help alleviate spasms and cramping of the muscles.
• Reduce migraine intensity.
• Help lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• Improve joint flexibility.

Massage can bring excellent benefits to your overall health, and can be a great addition to your regular healthcare routine.  

To learn more about massage therapy at Oxboro Family Chiropractic click here!

 Or visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com

Good Body Mechanics For Gardening

If you plan on gardening this spring here are some little things to keep in mind with your body mechanics. 

Gardening can be very physically and mentally therapeutic. Physically it can burn up to 340 calories an hour while also mentally unwinding. It is very important to use proper body mechanics when you are doing gardening tasks. Lifting and pulling weeds can really cause damage to the body if not done properly. Using good body mechanics can reduce the risk of injury. So I will give some insight on some things that you can do to reduce the risk and make gardening a delightful experience. You should take 5-10 minutes to stretch and warm up muscles especially the hamstrings,quadriceps, back and the shoulders. Try not to do too many repetive moves such as bending and twisting which can increase strains on the muscles and joints. If you can use a knee pad when kneeling that also helps to reduce risk of injury. Make sure to drink lots of water while you are you gardening. Always make sure you take the time to enjoy being outside in the sunshine and fresh air as that will help with your mind body and soul. If you use these tips you will have less injuries and have a beautiful garden. At any point while doing this if you feel too stressed or winded you should take a short break so insure you don't do any real damage to your muscles. Otherwise enjoy your gardening in the spring. To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.

http://physicaltherapyptc.com/good-body-mechanics-with-gardening

Chiropractic Care

There are multiple benefits for seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis. Chiropractic treatments can be used for a wide range of people from infants to senior citizems to improve overall health. In a study done in 2012, it was found that spinal manipulations performed by chiropractors were more beneficial than mediciations for acute neck pain. Another study completed in 2013 showed that patients who suffered from neck pain showed more improvement with chiropractic visits and paid less overall for their treatment. Chiropractic treatments can save more than 50 percent in drug costs in some circumstances.

Typically, chiropractic care can help treat the root cause of an issue rather than just treating symptoms. Treatments can help with acute injuries, and it is also important to maintain ongoing treatments to prevent future injuries. If you find yourself in a work injury or auto accident, chiropractic care can help injuries sustained from these situations. Massage therapy is a beneficial complementary therapy to chiropractic care and typically the massage therapist and chiropractor can work together to find a treatment plan that is most beneficial for the patient. Chiropractic treatments are less invasive than surgery and typically patients report few, if any, side effects. Adjustments can help improve your posture by aligning the spine. Oftentimes, neck pain can be caused by sitting at a computer desk or tilting your head forward to look at a phone. When poor posture becomes predominant in daily life, the pressure put on the neck can increase to ten pounds per inch that someone is out of the correct posture. Chiropractors focus on the body as a whole rather than certain areas of the body, which brings a more holistic approach to overall health. 

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of chiropractic care, please visit our website www.oxborochiro.com.

Source: https://paindoctor.com/benefits-of-chiropractic-care/

Inflammation and Your Health

Chronic inflammation can be a source of many health issues for many Americans.  Yet, many people don't truly understand what inflammation is, how it works, and what they can do to reduce its effects when it's not functioning properly.

Inflammation is a natural body response to injury or cellular damage.  It involves multiple biochemicals, immune cells, and other mediators in the body and, when triggered, utilizes the blood stream to reach its target destination.  When working properly, inflammation helps to break down and clear out damaged cells and tissues, help eliminate the pathogen or irritant that triggered the initial inflammatory response, and even initiate repair of the damaged tissue.  This results in the typical redness, heat, and swelling.

Without inflammation, our body's would be vulnerable to pathogens and increased destruction of our body tissues.  On the other hand, when inflammation becomes  chronic or results because of an immune system disorder inflammation can be a cause to pain, allergies, digestive issues, autoimmune disease symptoms, arthritis and even some cancers.

So how can we help our bodies reduce excess inflammation?  One easy way in acute injury is to ice.  Ice is a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, helping to reduce heat and swelling in an injured area.  This is why icing a sprained ankle works so well, or why athletes sit in ice baths after hard training that results in micro-damage to muscle tissue.  Using ice for twenty minutes on covered skin can help reduce the lingering, painful effects of inflammation and speed recovery.

Nutrition is also a powerful ally in fighting inflammation.  A 2004 study found that obese patients having a healthful, balanced diet that helped with weight loss also significantly reduced inflammatory biochemicals, and did more to reduce inflammation than exercise or physical activity.  Some of the foods that have been found to reduce inflammation are fish, like salmon, dark green leafy vegetables, like kale, celery, and blueberries.

Supplements can help with inflammation as well.  Daily supplements with omega-3 fatty acids are the most common form of anti-inflammatory supplementation.  Other herbal or natural supplements, like turmeric and glucosamine sulfate,  have been found to reduce inflammation, but you should always consult with your doctor or pharmacist prior to adding these to your diet to ensure that there are no other medication interactions.

Finally, there are many services and treatment options at Oxboro Family Chiropractic that can help with inflammation.  Cold laser therapy is a pain free, comfortable treatment that has been shown to reduce inflammation in treatment areas to reduce pain and speed healing.  Chiropractic adjustments have also been found to decrease heat and inflammation from joint spaces in a 2006 research study.  Acupuncture also has been found to locally reduce inflammatory biochemicals after needling an injured area.

For more information on inflammation, pain, and what we can do to help you, call to schedule an appointment. www.oxborochiro.com


Sources
Niklas, BJ, et al, 2004: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/79/4/544.short
Song, XJ, et al, 2006: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161475405003246

Treatment of Concussion

Recent research performed at Oxboro Family Chiropractic focused on treating acute concussion symptoms with chiropractic adjustments and acupuncture.  In this study, the patient was having daily symptoms of headache, pain, dizziness, and shooting pain into the arms.  The symptoms were intense enough to be effecting the patient's daily activities, including work.

Treatment consisted of chiropractic adjustments, trigger point therapy of the neck and upper back musculature, and acupuncture localized in the shoulders, upper back, neck, head, and feet.  The patient's symptoms fully resolved after 8 treatments over 2.5 weeks and remained resolved at the time of a follow-up exam 2 months later.

This study suggests that chiropractic adjustments, muscle therapy, and acupuncture can be a successful treatment method to quickly reduce, if not resolve, concussion symptoms.  For more information about this study and if this treatment is right for you, contact our office.

Source:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Gergen+DM%5BAuthor%5D

For more information visit our website at 

www.oxborochiro.com

Snow Shoveling Techniques to Prevent Low Back Injuries

Snow removal is one of the most common causes of back injuries during the winter.  

Using the wrong body mechanics can put high amounts of stress on the lower back.  This undue stress can cause variations of muscle strains and possibly more serious injuries such as disc herniations.  The following five snow removal tips can help to avoid low back injuries.

1.  Pick the right snow shovel. 
An ergonomic shovel can help minimize some of the effort needed to shovel snow.  A shovel with a curved or adjustable handle will minimize bending of the back and focus primarily on slight knee bending.

2.  Warm up thoroughly. 
Cold, tight muscles are more prone to injury than warm, flexible muscles.  Before you start shoveling make sure you warm up for about five to ten minutes by stretching the low back and hamstrings as well as a light walk.

3.  Pace yourself. 
When shoveling, stick to small amounts at a time instead of large piles of snow.  Also take periodic breaks every 10-15 minutes or if you feel like you are overworked.  Take this opportunity to stretch out the major muscle groups which include shoulders, low back, and legs.

4.  Use ergonomic lifting techniques. 
When possible push snow to the side rather than lifting it.  When lifting is necessary make sure to:

Bend at the hips with the chest pushed forward, and lift with your legs.

Always face the object you intend to lift.

Keep loads light.

Avoid twisting by pivoting your whole body.

Keep heavy loads close to the body.

Walk the snow to a different area rather than tossing.

Keep hands about 12 inches apart when gripping the shovel.

5.  Keep your feet on the ground. 
Slippery conditions can lead to slipping and/or falls causing muscles strains in your low back.  Using sand or salt and wearing boot with good traction can also to help minimize slippery conditions.

If injuries still occur while shoveling make sure get ice on the injured area immediately for twenty minutes to help minimize the inflammation from setting in and contact your local chiropractor immediately.  Chiropractic treatments along with muscle work and stretches can help you get back to health quickly and efficiently.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/snow-shoveling-techniques-prevent-low-back-injuries

For more information, visit our website at

www.oxborochiro.com 

Tips to Prevent Injuries While Skiing or Snowboarding

Tips to Prevent Injuries While Skiing or Snowboarding
Most injuries can be prevented with proper warm techniques, properly fitting equipment, and knowing proper skiing techniques.  Often times fatigue following a long day of skiing as well as bad judgments can also be blamed for mistakes that cause injuries.  Here are a few tips to help avoid possible injuries:

1.  Proper Instruction:  Instruction from professionals can help educate snowboarders or skiers on correct warm up and cool down techniques, how to properly fit the equipment to the individual, and proper skiing etiquette and techniques.

2.  Appropriate equipment:  Equipment that is not fit appropriately such as bindings that are too tight or too loose can cause upper and lower leg injuries if used on rough terrain.  Protective equipment such as helmets, wrist guards, knee pads, and even hockey breezers can also help prevent both bone and soft tissue injuries.

3.  Awareness:  Most injuries occur after lunch and/or when fatigued.  Remaining hydrated as well as taking periodic breaks can help to keep the body and mind refreshed so the proper skiing or snowboarding techniques are performed.

Most injuries can be prevented but with any sport there is always a chance there will be a spill or possibly  injuries.  Some sporting injuries can include inflammation of the muscles, aches and pains to the spine and extremities, and a decrease in range of motion from tight muscles.  These types of injuries are treatable with chiropractic care.  Chiropractic adjustments to the spine or extremities along with soft tissue work and stretches will help you get back on the slopes quickly.

Reference:
http://www.multicare.org/home/news/article/doctor-offers-tips-to-avoid-injury-while-skiing-and-snowboarding

For more information visit our website at:

www.oxborochiro.com