Michael Schuneman, DC

For those of you who are familiar with chiropractic this will not come as a surprise – chiropractic is different. And what I would like to talk about most is how chiropractic has a completely different way of looking at the body compared to a traditional medical approach. I hope that by giving you a different perspective you will see why chiropractic is so much more than just for back and neck pain, which is the medical way of viewing chiropractic.

Chiropractic History

Let us start with a little history about chiropractic. Chiropractic as we know it today started in 1895, though adjusting the spine has been used by a number of different cultures for thousands of years. In fact Hippocrates, the father of medicine, is attributed as saying “Look well to the spine for the cause of disease” which sounds much more in line with chiropractic than modern medicine. In 1895 D.D. Palmer gave the first chiropractic adjustment to Harvey Lillard which helped to restore Lillard’s hearing. That’s right, the first modern chiropractic patient had lost his hearing after an accident when working where he felt a ‘pop’ in his back and it was restored after a chiropractic adjustment.

Mechanism vs. Vitalism

Modern medicine and chiropractic are fundamentally different because they are based on two different philosophies: mechanism and vitalism. So when it comes to the body, what is the difference between mechanism and vitalism?

Mechanism

Mechanism looks at the body as a machine: a very complex mechanical, electrical, chemical machine. The idea is that the whole is the sum of its parts, or in other words, to understand the body we need to continue to break it down into smaller and smaller parts. A purely mechanistic approach would say that emotions and consciousness are the result of a series of complex chemical and bioelectrical events and nothing more. This is what medicine is based on, that some ‘part’ breaks and the medicine will correct the problem from outside in.

Vitalism

Vitalism, on the other hand, is a holistic approach that says the whole is more than the sum of its parts. That there is a vital force that is not necessarily a ‘part’ of the ‘machine.’ That every part is affected by the whole and the whole is affected by every part. There is more to the body than just the physical. There is a vital force within the body that heals the body. This is what chiropractic is based on: that chiropractic adjustments help to release this vital force so the body heals.

Chiropractic and Medicine

The mechanistic view has been very helpful in understanding many of the processes in the body and has been valuable to our understanding of the body. However, it also leads to treating illness or disease by drugs and surgery, trying to ‘fix’ the part that is not working. Drugs are given to stimulate or suppress a specific action within the body because it is not working right, and if that doesn’t work replace the ‘part’ through surgery. Now I completely believe that there are times when the medical approach is needed, however, I think it overused in situations where it is not necessary.

Chiropractic takes a different approach. Chiropractic is based on the fact that the body is designed to heal itself. I as a chiropractor do not ‘fix’ or heal your body. If there is any ‘fixing’ or healing, it is your body that does it. However, this ability to heal and function properly, I call it ‘innate intelligence,’ is transmitted through your body’s nervous system, which controls all functions in your body. Now this innate intelligence can be interfered with if the nervous system is not functioning at its best. So from the chiropractic point of view, illness manifests when this innate intelligence is unable to express itself fully. When there are misalignments or improper movement of the bones of the spine, it interferes with the normal functioning of the nerves – this is what we call a subluxation in chiropractic terms. So when we have subluxations our bodies are unable to fully express their innate intelligence and in turn are unable to heal as they are designed to.

What I Do As a Chiropractor

My job as a chiropractor is to identify these areas of subluxation and through specific chiropractic adjustments help the body to restore proper functioning to the nervous system. Now I say ‘help’ the body because even with my years of training to be as specific as possible, it is the patient’s body that really knows what needs to be done. In my personal approach, I do not try and overpower or ‘force’ the body to do what I think it needs to do. I try to work with the body. I think it is pretty cool when I set up to give an adjustment and the fixation releases with just the little bit of pressure without giving a typical adjustment. Sometimes that is all the body needs to help correct itself.

Now with an understanding of innate intelligence and the function of the nervous system, to say chiropractic is just for back and neck pain is really missing the point of chiropractic. I see the purpose of chiropractic as to help the body to function at its best by allowing that innate intelligence to express itself unhindered. This is why a healthy lifestyle is so important in chiropractic because that allows your body to function at its best and helps prevent subluxations.

A Chiropractic Lifestyle

You see, the three basic causes of subluxation as expressed by D.D. Palmer the founder of chiropractic are “thoughts, traumas, and toxins.”

Thoughts

How we think and see the world affects our body and our health and can either prevent or lead to subluxations. When we are constantly thinking negatively and are stressed we become subluxated.

Traumas

Traumas are probably the most obvious causes of subluxation. When we take falls, bumps, jolts, or have even minor repetitive physical stresses, they can lead to subluxation. This is also why it is important to have children checked because they are constantly having little falls and accidents which can lead to subluxation, but pain may not develop until months or years later.

Toxins

And finally toxins – what we eat and expose our bodies to also has a big impact on health. When we eat healthy and minimize our exposure to harmful substances we give our bodies the best chance to stay subluxation free.

I hope this has given you a bigger perspective of chiropractic. If this makes sense to you, don’t delay and get in to be checked and start on the path to a healthier and more fulfilling life.

I thought I would mix things up a little bit today and do something a little bit fun. Here are 5 fun facts about your body. I hope you enjoy.

1. You Have More Bones as a Child Than as an Adult

You may already know this, but as a child you actually have more bones than an adult. How does this work? Well there are several bones that, as we grow, end up fusing together. An example is the sacrum which forms the base of the spine, and, in a child, is made up of several individual segments. But as we reach adulthood those individual segments fuse together to become one bone.

2. The Sartorius Muscle is the Longest Muscle in the Body

The Sartorius muscle is the longest muscle in the body. It attaches to the outer part of the front of the pelvis (anterior superior iliac spine) and the inner part of the knee (medial to the tibial tuberosity). It helps the leg to flex and rotate at the hip and knee joints, like when a man typically crosses his legs. It is also known as the tailor’s muscle.

3. That Little Groove Under Your Nose is Called a Philtrum

Not much else to say about that, but now you know.

4. The Largest Organ of the Body is Actually Your Skin

We usually think of our organs as being inside us, and most are, however the skin qualifies as an organ as well. And when it comes to size it is the largest organ of the body.

5. You Are A Little Taller in the Morning than At the End of the Day

When you first get up in the morning, the discs between the bones of the spine are a little bit bigger. As you are upright throughout the day it compresses some of the fluid out of the discs and they shrink a tiny bit. Now the difference is not big, only about a centimeter or so total.

I hope you have enjoyed these 5 fun facts about your body. And if you have other questions about your body or health, feel free to contact me. I love helping people learn more about their bodies and achieve their health goals.

I read an article today with the headline “1 in 25 patients gets infection in hospital” on cnn.com. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe there will always be a need for hospitals but they literally get people sick. The information comes from research estimates from hospital stays in 2011. The article states that “Patients acquired some 721,800 infections at hospitals that year” and “Of those infected, about 75,000 died, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” though the research did not look at how often death resulted from the infection. (1)

The article does state that things overall are improving.

In 2002, there were an estimated 1.7 million health care-associated infections and 155,668 infected-patient deaths. In 98,987 of those deaths, clinicians said the patient’s infection actually caused or contributed to death.(1)

Well that is nice, but approximately 75,000 people a year dying from an infection that they got at the hospital is still terrible. Think about it, if any other product or service were responsible for that many deaths in a year there would be absolute outrage. Yes, I understand that going to the hospital is a little different because people usually go when they are terribly ill or have life-threatening issues. However, this is a case where receiving care at the hospital is doing harm. Now there may be many reasons these infections might happen, and I truly believe that many doctors and nurses are doing their best with what they have. But it is still not acceptable. But what can you do about it? Adopt a healthy lifestyle that makes it less likely for you to need to go to the hospital in the first place.

Whether you realize it or not, YOU are in charge of your health! So what can you do to stay healthier? The answers are probably not surprising. You can eat healthy—eating a variety of minimally processed foods is best. If you don’t know what it is made of, you are probably better off not eating it. You should also get regular exercise. You don’t need a gym membership to exercise. Our bodies are designed to move, and research is continuing to build that a sedentary lifestyle is killing us. You should get adequate sleep and reduce your stress. We would do well to understand that going 24/7 is not what are bodies are designed to do.

One final thing is regular chiropractic care. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics in 2007 showed those using chiropractic and other alternative medicine approaches used had fewer in-hospital admissions and fewer hospital days. The data came from an independent physicians association (IPA) whose primary care physicians were complementary and alternative health practitioners, many being chiropractors. The results of the study are as follows:

Clinical and cost utilization based on 70,274 member-months over a 7-year period demonstrated decreases of 60.2% in-hospital admissions, 59.0% hospital days, 62.0% outpatient surgeries and procedures, and 85% pharmaceutical costs when compared with conventional medicine IPA performance for the same health maintenance organization product in the same geography and time frame.(2)

So while hospitals will always be necessary, you are better off not needing to go there. You decrease your chances of needing to go there by making healthy choices like eating healthy, getting regular exercise, getting adequate sleep, reducing stress, and getting regular chiropractic care. If you are interested in learning more about chiropractic give my office a call. I work with people just like you to reduce their stress, relieve their pain, and improve their quality of life for years to come.

References

1. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/health/hospital-infections/index.html?hpt=he_c1
2. Sarnat RL, Winterstein J, Cambron JA. Clinical utilization and cost outcomes from an integrative medicine independent physician association: an additional 3-year update. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2007 May;30(4):263-9.

Occasionally I talk to people that think chiropractic and massage therapy is basically the same thing. I have heard others say that if you have one the other is not necessary. I think there is some confusion in the minds of those not familiar with chiropractic and massage therapy. In today’s post I want to share my views on chiropractic and massage therapy, why one cannot replace the other, and why they work so well together.

While some of the benefits of chiropractic and massage therapy such as relaxation, improved blood and lymph flow, muscle relaxation, and improved movement may be the same, the two are far from the same.

The purpose of chiropractic is to remove subluxations. A subluxation is when the bones of the spine are not aligned or moving properly and results in nerve interference. Nerve interference does not allow the body to function at its best and can be responsible for any number of health problems. Nerve interference also affects the body’s natural ability to heal. Chiropractors help the body to remove subluxations through chiropractic adjustments, typically specific thrusts done by hand at precise locations along the spine.

The purpose of massage–as I understand it–is also to support the body in healing. This is accomplished through releasing tensions and stresses in the body, mostly in the muscles through a number of techniques typically involving stroking, kneading, or other movements of the soft tissues. This has many beneficial effects on the body such as helping improve circulation, relieving muscle aches and pains, reducing stress, and improving overall well-being to name a few.

While massage can help improve motion and even affect the alignment of bones, it does not address subluxations. And while chiropractic can relieve tensions and stresses in the body through removing subluxations, there are tensions within the muscles and other soft tissues that can only be relieved through massage. Both chiropractic and massage therapy are natural approaches to help the body feel and function better, but I hope you can recognize the differences. In my mind, claiming chiropractic and massage therapy is the same is the equivalent of saying that all doctors do the same thing, all scientists do the same research, all sports require the same skills, or foods are the same.

While chiropractors can do massage and I personally work a fair amount with soft tissues to address issues there, I know a highly trained massage therapist can do things that I cannot do. I respect what massage therapists can do and their expertise with what they do.

So why does chiropractic and massage therapy work so well together? I think it is because they are both natural means to help the body heal and they truly complement each other. I know that someone who has a massage is usually easier to adjust and they tend to ‘hold’ their adjustments longer. At the same time, someone who is adjusted before getting a massage typically relaxes more and responds better to the massage.

In closing, chiropractic and massage therapy are not the same, and one cannot truly replace the other. They both work together wonderfully to help the body function and heal better!

This caught my eye in the health news today. Apparently the FDA just approved a new battery-powered headband to help with migraine headaches. An article on nydailynews.com states “Migraine sufferers now have a drug-free solution for their splitting headaches.”  The product is called Cefaly and is meant to be worn 20 minutes or less each day. Apparently the approval is based on a study done in Belgium on 67 migraine patients, and those who used the product had “significantly fewer” migraines but did not have their migraines eliminated or have the migraines they did have any less severe. The Cefaly works by sending “a low electrical current to stimulate the cranial nerves associated with migraine pain.” It should now be available to be prescribed in the US to patients 18 and older.

Now I think it is great that there are more drug-free options for migraine sufferers. However, there have been many drug-free “solutions” for migraine sufferers in the past, some of which help and others that don’t. Chiropractic is an excellent example of a drug-free approach that actually helps migraine sufferers. Migraine headaches are still not well understood, but it is thought they have to do with the activity of nerves in the head or face and possibly with blood flow within the head. I have personally seen subluxations – improper movement and/or alignment of the bones of the spine that result in nerve stress – in the neck, especially upper neck, in migraine sufferers. I have also seen improvements in migraines when these subluxations are corrected through chiropractic care. This is not something that is commonly talked about in mainstream medical circles, but I have seen and know of many, many headache sufferers that have been helped through chiropractic care, including migraine sufferers.

When there is subluxation of the neck – especially the upper neck – the body is in a state of dysfunction. This dysfunction affects the nerves in the head and neck area and very possibly can change blood flow to the head and change the way pain signals are felt and processed. If you know someone who suffers from headaches, have them checked by a chiropractor to evaluate for spinal subluxation.

Reference

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/battery-powered-headband-approved-prevent-migraine-article-1.1718897

Really?!? Can chiropractic make you run faster and jump higher? Before we get right to that question, it is interesting to note that the majority of professional athletes utilize chiropractic care. Why? Is there something they know that you don’t? Many athletes have been quoted as attributing at least some of their success to having a good chiropractor. But is it just anecdotal or is there some scientific evidence that chiropractic can help you perform better as an athlete?

To be completely honest, there has not been a lot of scientific studies on the subject. But all the studies that I have been able to find have shown positive results. So what studies have been done? Here are a few that I have found. The most recent I found has to do with vertical jump height in young female athletes. Twenty-two handball players with ankle joint dysfunction were randomly divided into an adjustment group or sham adjustment (control) group. After once-a-week treatments for 3 weeks, the adjustment group increased their mean vertical jump height by 1.07 cm while the control group only had an improvement of 0.59 cm.(1)

Another study looked at hip extension ability and running time in young male runners. Seventeen male runners between the ages of 17 – 20 years were randomly divided into an adjustment group and control group. The adjustment group received chiropractic care focusing on the hips and pelvis once a week for 3 weeks. Hip extension as well as a 30 meter run with a running start was measured before and after the 3 week study period.  The adjustment group showed significantly greater hip extension after the study than the control group. The adjustment group also had some time improvement in the 30 meter run but it did not reach statistical significance, but this may be from the small number of participants. (2)

And one more study done back in 1991 recruited 50 athletes from across a variety of sports and randomly assigned them to a chiropractic or control group. All participants were evaluated using a number of tests to show athletic ability that would be minimally affected by cardiovascular and strength training. The chiropractic group was adjusted and seen as frequently as determined by the chiropractor for 6 weeks. At 6 weeks, both groups were reevaluated. While the control group did have improvements on most of the athletic tests, the chiropractic group had improvements on all tests, and for all but one test, improvement to a greater degree than the control group. The chiropractic group went on to receive an additional 6 weeks of care and had further improvements. (3)

While all of these studies were relatively small it is interesting to see the positive effects of chiropractic care. I personally have seen similar improvements in movement and ability to function and those improvements were in regular people, not just in athletes. So yes, there is some evidence that chiropractic care may help you run faster and jump higher, but more research still needs to be done. However the best way to find out the benefits of chiropractic is to come and try it for yourself.

References

(1) Hedlund S, Nilsson H, Lenz M, Sundberg T. Effect of chiropractic manipulation on vertical jump height in young female athletes with talocrural joint dysfunction: a single-blind randomized clinical pilot trial. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2014 Feb;37(2):116-23.

(2) Sandell J, Palmgren PJ, Björndahl L.  Effect of chiropractic treatment on hip extension ability and running velocity among young male running athletes.  J Chiropr Med. Jun 2008; 7(2): 39–47.

(3) Lauro A, Mouch B. Chiropractic effects on athletic ability. CHIROPRACTIC: The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation 1991 Jan; 6(4): 84-87.

I recently had a parent talk with me about w-sitting. If you are not familiar with the term “w-sitting,” it refers to a sitting position much like kneeling except instead of having the legs and feet directly under the body they are out to the sides, giving the legs the shape of a “W”. You have probably seen this before to some degree or another but may not have known it had a specific name. Today I wanted to write a little about why I recommend avoiding the w-sitting position. I hope you find the information interesting and useful.

W-sitting tends to be seen more commonly in children, and it is not just because they tend to be more flexible than adults. One thought for w-sitting in children is that it is an adaptation by children due to poor core stability. W-sitting does give a wider base of support and requires less core stability to stay sitting upright than other ways of sitting. However w-sitting then does not allow for greater core stability to be developed. And poor core stability can affect coordination as well as making back and other injuries more likely. If w-sitting becomes a habit that continues into adulthood, it can even lead to permanent changes in the alignment of the legs.

To obtain the w-sitting position, the thighs need to be rotated inward while the lower leg is rotated outward. This position puts considerable stress on the knees and can lead to misalignments of the legs. Over time, if not corrected, the bones will adapt to the stresses placed upon them potentially leading to conditions such as increased femoral anteversion and external tibial torsion. I know those are probably unfamiliar terms, but basically they mean the femur (thigh bone) or the tibia (the big lower leg bone) actually get a twist in them. This is concerning because it can lead to further problems by changing the biomechanics of walking.

Overall, my advice is to encourage children to sit in a different position. Sitting with the legs crossed in front is a good position. It does not place any large amount of stress on the legs like w-sitting. It requires a little more core stability than w-sitting, helping to strengthen the core muscles as well. And it is usually familiar to most children and an easy position to get into. Correcting the problem usually just consists of making the child aware and encouraging them to sit differently. This is something we deal with at home with our three-year-old. When he starts to w-sit we tap him on the leg and he knows he needs to change the way he is sitting.

If you know someone who likes to w-sit, send them my way. I would be glad to evaluate their legs to see if any changes have taken place that may cause problems down the road. And if there have been some changes, I can work with them to help correct them and allow their body to function better.

Did you know February is American Heart Month? This has become much more important to me recently because a little over a year ago my mother suffered a heart attack. Luckily she is okay. But many people that have a heart attack do not end up ‘okay.’ According to the CDC, heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Part of the problem is many do not recognize the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and fail to get help early. This can be especially true of woman who can have milder or atypical symptoms of a heart attack. I would like to go over some of these signs and symptoms so that you can know and maybe help save a life by recognizing and getting immediate help to someone who needs it.

What Is A Heart Attack?

First, off what is a heart attack? Well another name for heart attack is myocardial infarction—myo means muscle, cardio refers to the heart, and an infarct is when tissue dies because blood supply to it has been compromised. So myocardial infarction is when the heart muscle, or part of it, is dead or dying because the blood supply to that area has been stopped or reduced significantly. This most often happens because of a clot getting stuck in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. While blood may be circulating through the heart, this does not directly supply to the heart itself. Blood has to leave the heart and then goes through arteries (the coronary artery being a major one) to supply the heart itself.

Major Signs/Symptoms Of A Heart Attack

Contrary to what you may see on TV or in the movies, a heart attack does not have to be a dramatic event. Not everyone experiences a heart attack by grabbing their chest or left arm and falling down. So what are the major signs and symptoms of a heart attack?

• Chest pain, tightness, squeezing, and/or fullness – People may not have what they would describe as pain in the chest but a feeling of tightness or squeezing. Many say it feels like an elephant is sitting on their chest. If pain is experienced, it can be felt in several ways–as a dull ache, sharp pain, or anywhere in between.
• Pain in the arm, shoulder, neck, and/or jaw – Pain or discomfort can also happen in the arm, shoulder, neck, and/or jaw. This may be in addition to chest symptoms or possibly without chest pain/discomfort. Most often it is located on the left side of the body, but it can occasionally be on the right side as well.
• Shortness of breath – Someone experiencing a heart attack often will have difficulty breathing or be easily ‘winded.’ It may feel like they just did heavy exercise without doing anything strenuous.
• Nausea – Feeling sick to the stomach may also accompany other symptoms. This may even cause some vomiting.
• Unusual sweating – A person experiencing a heart attack can sweat profusely even when they are not hot or doing strenuous work.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of signs or symptoms of a heart attack but they are the most common ones.

Differences in Women

So the previous signs and symptoms are the major things experienced during a heart attack. However, women have a greater tendency to experience heart attacks differently that the ‘classic’ symptoms. In general, women may have signs and symptoms that are more mild or subtle.

• Chest pain or discomfort – still is the most frequent symptom but it may be quite mild.
• Pain in arm, neck, jaw, upper back, or even abdomen – women have a tendency to experience pain different areas in addition to the classic spots, including the upper back or the abdomen. This pain or discomfort may be mistaken as indigestion.
• Weakness – a feeling of fatigue or weakness may be another subtle sign of heart attack.
• Dizziness or light-headedness – A feeling of dizziness or light-headedness is a more common symptom in women than men.

Women may still have ‘classic’ signs and symptoms of a heart attack but closer attention needs to be paid to other symptoms as well. In general, if you suspect you may be having a heart attack (call it intuition or whatever) have it checked out.

Chiropractic & Heart Health

As a chiropractor I know the importance of prevention. Heart disease which can lead to a heart attack is largely a lifestyle disease. So how you live has a very large impact on your chances of having a heart attack. Some things you can do to decrease your risk for heart disease include not smoking, eating more fruits & vegetables, and getting regular, moderate exercise. Regular chiropractic care also helps to keep the body functioning at its best. While I am not aware of any studies that look directly at the link between chiropractic care and heart attacks, there have been some studies that show chiropractic helps improve high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart attack. I believe regular chiropractic care can help keep you and your heart healthy. Chiropractic seeks to keep proper communication from the brain to the body by removing nerve interference. And when you have clear messages going between the brain and body, things work better. Call today. I work with people just like you to reduce their stress, relieve their pain, and improve their quality of life for years to come.

With Valentine’s Day being this week, many people are thinking about love. I wanted to talk a little bit about love and why it is necessary for a balanced and healthy life. Now I am not talking about romance, but love – caring and concern for our fellow beings, the nurturing care of a mother for her child. This is the type of love that I am referring to, and it is powerful.

There is an interesting phenomenon in child development called “failure to thrive.” Failure to thrive is basically that normal growth and development does not take place. There are several causes for failure to thrive like hormonal imbalances, organ dysfunction, poor nutrition, etc. However the interesting thing is that not having a good emotional connection with parents or caregivers is recognized as a cause of failure to thrive. In fact, babies that have food and shelter will still not develop and grow properly without a good dose of touch, such as holding or cuddling. Without physical contact babies can even waste away and die.

As far as I am aware, it is not fully understood why this is the case. We understand that lack of touch and, I would argue, love leads to stress in babies that can lead to all the other problems associated with failure to thrive. It is also interesting to note that similar problems tend to occur in the aged. I have known of many aged adults that will have their health deteriorate and pass away quickly when they feel they can no longer contribute and are no longer wanted. Whether it is having an injury that limits them, the loss of a loved one, or being put in a nursing home, I have personally seen this change in individuals.

I believe that love is an essential human need. We were designed to interact with others, and when we isolate ourselves it affects our well-being. In society today, while we may interact with many individuals through a multiplicity of means, I believe that we do not show enough love. And this at least in part is a cause for many of the societal ills that we observe today.

So this Valentine’s Day I hope that you will show some love! (And not just for your ‘significant other’) It does not have to be anything big or difficult. Take some time to call an old friend and let them know you were thinking of them. Smile and say ‘hi’ to someone that you might not know. Think outside of yourself, and see how you might serve or brighten someone else’s day. You may just be surprised at the power that love can have.

It is often surprising how little things can have a considerable impact on your life. This is also true when it comes to the health of your back.

I was shopping this last weekend and the cart that I ended up getting had a wheel that was a little stuck and did not turn very well. I really didn’t even notice at first, and as I continued it was annoying, but I didn’t think much more of it. I would have to push hard and sometimes give the cart a little jolt to get the wheel unstuck so it would turn. And of course the usual way I shop is to meander through the store weaving back and forth through the aisles making plenty of turns. After ten to fifteen minutes in the store I noticed that my low back on the right was starting to get sore and tighten up. I thought to myself “What is going on? Why is my back sore? I didn’t do anything to it recently that should be causing this kind of pain.”

After a few more minutes, it dawned on me! The problem was the cart! The wheel got stuck more often turning to the right. So I was pushing with the left hand and pulling with the right hand and twisting the back to the right using all those low back muscles to try and pull my body and then the cart to make it turn. So I was putting extra stress on my low back (and unbalanced stress at that) and my back was letting me know! Well luckily we were almost done shopping and I stopped using my back to try and turn the cart, and on Monday I got adjusted and things are doing well.

To be honest, it still surprised me that something as simple as a stuck wheel on a shopping cart could be the cause of back pain. The lesson? Don’t dismiss the little things as a cause to your back problems. If you would like help figuring out what may be the cause of your back problem and how to correct it, give me a call. I specialize in providing safe, state-of-the-art care to help heal your pain without any drug and without a scalpel.