Reprinted with permission from the Ontario Chiropractic Association.

Did you know that at least half of pregnant women experience back pain? And 10% of those report discomfort severe enough to disrupt their daily routines. The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your back during pregnancy.

What causes pregnancy-related back pain in the first place?

When pregnant, it’s normal to gain more than 30 pounds. This extra weight places considerable stress on your back, feet, ankles and knees. As your baby grows, your core abdominal muscles become stretched and may not be able to stabilize your posture as well as they did before.

In the third trimester, levels of a hormone called “relaxin” increase by a factor of ten. Relaxin loosens your joints to allow the pelvis to accommodate the enlarging uterus. These loose joints force the muscles of the back and pelvis to work overtime to keep you upright and balanced, which may lead to back pain.

Try these tips to help minimize your risk of back pain:

Exercise

Exercise can go a long way to increase muscle support for an aching back. A health care practitioner should always be consulted before starting a new exercise regimen. Low impact cardiovascular activities, such as swimming, walking, or stationary cycling can help relieve pain and maintain fitness.

Sleep Position

Sleep on your left side to reduce the pressure of your uterus on the large blood vessels in your abdomen, optimizing blood flow to both you and the baby.

Pillow Position

Place a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower back when sleeping on your side.

Support Your Body

With the added weight, support has never been more important. Wear flat, supportive shoes and use a lumbar support pillow in your chair at home or work. If you sit at a computer or desk, walk around for a few minutes each hour.

Take Breaks

Take frequent, short breaks with your feet elevated. Adequate rest restores your energy and gives your back a chance to relax.

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

Chiropractors are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. Your chiropractor can treat aches and pains, as well as build customized stretching routines and whole-body wellness strategies in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment. Consult with your chiropractor or find one near you.

Chiropractors have a role to play in their patient’s general well being and self care. One way that chiropractors do this is through maintenance care.

Most people associate a visit to the chiropractor with injuries like whiplash, thrown backs and other kinds of pain that require immediate treatment. That is only one part of a much bigger picture.

What is maintenance care

The goal of maintenance care is to maintain optimal function and movement, keep your body balanced and to prevent future injuries.

“Think of it like when you go to the clinic for an annual check up.” Explains Dr. Taylor Cooksley. “When you go to your chiropractor for maintenance care, they will assess your posture, movement and general musculoskeletal health. This kind of care is beneficial for everyone, not just people who are physically active.”

Based out of the Brentwood Chiropractic Clinic in Sherwood Park, Dr. Cooksley regularly sees patients of all ages for acute and maintenance treatment.

“When we examine younger patients, we can monitor how their bones are developing and ensure their movement patterns are correct and normal. When we see senior patients, we often work to keep our patients mobile and help prevent future falls and injuries.”

Maintenance care goes hand in hand with self care

The end goal of maintenance care and self care is the same: to ensure you are healthy. Maintenance care focuses your physical well being, which is one part of the bigger picture of your health.

“Good self care and health is a balance between looking after your physical health, as well as your emotional health and mental health.” Says Dr. Cooksley.

It isn’t hard to incorporate self care into your day. Maintenance care, getting restful sleep and eating well are just a few ways to keep you at your best. Dr. Cooksley maintains her own self care in a number of ways.

“I include deep belly breathing throughout my day to help calm my mind and relax tension from my muscles. I also try to get at least 20 to 30 minutes of physical activity a day, something I recommend to all my patients.”

Maintenance care extends beyond the chiropractic clinic

A maintenance and injury prevention-style treatment plan is unique to each patient, just like self care. After an assessment, chiropractors work with their patients to set health goals and make recommendations on treatments. Often, patients are able to fulfill these recommendations independently.

“It’s common for chiropractors to teach their patients stretches and simple exercises to build into their lives,” Says Dr. Cooksley. “These activities can help build strength, loosen stiff muscles and joints, improve your quality of movement and help break unhealthy movement habits we get into during our daily life.”

Maintenance care does not mean you will need to visit your chiropractor forever

“We are here to support you when you want to change your activities or lifestyle and need new tools to get you to your goals.” Explains Dr. Cooksley.

Maintenance care can include teaching patients stretches, helping to monitor existing physical conditions, nutritional counselling and providing advice to empower patients.

“A good chiropractor wants to give you the tools to become self-sufficient and in control over your aches and pains, not have you rely on his or her services for the rest of your life.”

How do I know if chiropractic is a good choice for me?

It’s important to keep in mind that self care requires different tools to successfully support your health. Chiropractic is a great way to keep your body flexible and relieve pain, and it fits well with other kinds of self care activities.

The best way to determine whether chiropractic care is for you is by having a conversation with a chiropractor. Depending on your needs, your chiropractor may work with another health care professional, or refer you for a different kind of treatment.

“Seek out health-care professionals that are dedicated to helping you live a healthier, happier life. That may be a chiropractor, and it may be massage therapists, acupuncturists, nutritional counsellors and physiotherapists,” Suggests Dr. Cooksley.

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

Maintenance care can help prevent pain and keep your joints functioning to the best of their ability but injuries can still happen. If your pain is persistent, seek advice from a chiropractor.

Chiropractors are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. Your chiropractor can treat aches and pains, as well as build customized stretching routines and whole-body wellness strategies in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment. Consult with your chiropractor or find one near you.

Written in partnership with The Sleep Help Institute.

Age, an old injury, and a failing mattress are only a few of the many sources of sleep-disrupting pain. But no matter the cause, the result is the same: sleep deprivation.

Any time you find yourself getting fewer than seven hours of sleep, your body changes the way it functions. The brain, immune system, and even your appetite and metabolism change as you lose sleep. And, the more sleep you lose, the more intense the effects become.

Given how impactful a lack of sleep can be, the best way to improve your sleep is to be proactive and incorporate pain management into your bedtime routine.

Be Proactive with Your Bedtime Routine

Some commonly-used tools to help manage pain include over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen, but there are also topical ointments and lotions with ingredients that distract your brain from or dull the pain as well.

Hot and cold treatments can also be of benefit in helping relieve pain and promote relaxation. Heat brings blood to an injured area and promotes healing while cold reduces swelling. You can alternate between the two or focus on one or the other, depending on your pain needs.

The process of finding the right combination can be frustrating but don’t give up. For people living with chronic pain, there is no one-size-fits-all and it takes trial and error to find the best combination to help improve sleep.

Sleep is a biological necessity you can’t do without. In the long run, it’s worth the effort to find the pain management behaviours, bedtime routine, and sleep positions that work for you. Although your aches and pains may not disappear completely, establishing a healthy sleep routine may help reduce your pain and improve your quality of life.

Something that can be just as helpful is building a sleep routine by developing healthy sleep habits. Your behaviours help shape your sleep patterns and prepare you for bed so consider building some healthy sleep habits. Consider trying some of the suggestions below.

Build Healthy Sleep Habits

Start with a bedroom that’s wholeheartedly devoted to sleep

The brain can be a funny thing. If you have gym equipment or electronics such as a television in the bedroom, your brain can get mixed signals and ramp up activity when you’re ready for bed. Reserve your bedroom space both mentally and physically for sleep. If you want to further improve the conditions then block out light, lower the thermostat, and use a white noise machine to reduce distracting sounds.

Make bedtime a priority

It’s easy to put off going to bed to scroll through social media one more time, watch one more episode on Netflix, or send an email before bed. We’ve all done it! But your body needs the predictability of a regular bedtime.

The brain will adjust the start of your sleep cycle based on your preferred schedule. By going to bed at the same time each night—even weekends—you schedule your sleep cycle so that your brain releases sleep hormones at the same time every night and strengthens your response to those hormones.

Stretch before sleeping

Taking a few minutes to stretch your body before getting into bed can help you get to sleep and wake up with less pain. You can use a set routine or build a program specific to your body’s needs. Target areas in the body where you hold tension or there’s pronounced “tightness,” such as your neck, shoulders, back or hips. When you stretch slowly, you should feel tension in your muscles, but never pain. Stretching as little as two to three times a week can improve your flexibility and make a pronounced impact on pain. Stretching regularly also helps you maintain a normal range of motion, which is important for preventing injury as you move throughout the day.

Consider what you need to get comfortable

A pillow between the knees can often help hip or back pain. If you’re a side sleeper, you may be able to tolerate sleeping on your back with a body pillow behind you to take the pressure off your shoulders. Memory foam mattress toppers or therapeutic pillows are other options that can relieve pain. Many people find that sleeping on a mattress that’s worn out or too soft can exacerbate back pain, while sleeping on a mattress that’s too firm can exacerbate hip and shoulder pain. Make sure that your sleep surface is the right fit for you, and consider getting a new mattress if you think you need one.

Meditate before bed

Our final suggestion. It can be part of your bedtime or morning routine. Meditation has been shown to reduce the anticipation of pain, which may reduce the perception of pain itself. Mindfulness meditation can even trigger the body’s relaxation response, which may reduce your heart rate and blood pressure.

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

Stretching before bed is an effective way to decrease pain but sometimes it’s not enough. If your pain is persistent, seek advice from a chiropractor.

Chiropractors are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. Your chiropractor can treat aches and pains, as well as build customized stretching routines and whole-body wellness strategies in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment. Consult with your chiropractor or click here to find one near you.

Let’s be honest; no matter what our commitments to keeping active are, the weather outside can have some powerful vetoing powers on those plans. In fact, it’s not uncommon for people to find themselves passing up their regular walk around the block in favour of avoiding cold or nasty weather. Unfortunately, trading out activity for catching up on Netflix is far from what the doctor orders.

Keeping exercise as a part of your routine is not only good for us. It’s necessary to maintain bone and joint health. In fact, regular activity is proven to help minimize the potential for strains and sprains, as well as help prevent degenerative bone, cartilage and joint diseases.

We connected with Dr. Judy Forrester, a chiropractor based in Calgary to gain some insight.

“Your bones and joints need the healthy stresses activity provides. Moving and using your joints keeps them lubricated It allows your bones to age gracefully. It even helps your body absorb and distribute dietary minerals.” Dr. Forrester explains.

“One of my very senior patients captured this idea with the phrase, ‘they can’t bury me if I keep on moving.’ In short, keeping active helps your bones stay healthier longer.”

But how do you balance staying active with avoiding cold or nasty weather?

Consider a Different Routine for Different Seasons

“Shifting into winter activities is about your mindset. You will be successful with staying active if you adapt your exercise routines to the season.” Says Dr. Forrester.

“Many people want to slow down in winter when instead, they can just switch to new routines. For example, if you’d rather avoid going outside, download your favourite yoga app or try the free stretching program at Straighten Up Alberta. You can even set up an in-home gym. They don’t have to be expensive; you just need some resistance bands and small weights.”

If you are going to go outside, Dr. Forrester recommends taking extra care to dress for the weather and the activity.

“Use layers you can shed or don to help maintain a steady, warm body temperature and with gradual warming up and cooling off. If it’s rainy or slippery outside, choose your footwear carefully to prevent falling.”

Find Out What Activities Best Suit You and Your Physical Capabilities

It is always a good idea to consult with a health care professional who is familiar with your physical capabilities when you’re starting a new routine or testing you physical abilities. Your chiropractor is one of your best resources for building physical activities and exercise regimes.

“No one knows your musculoskeletal system like your chiropractor. Chiropractors are also best-suited to understand the biomechanics of your body. If you’re a naturally flexible person, how so and in which joints? Do you like to swim? Do you prefer gyms? Pools? Arenas?” Dr. Forrester says.

Chiropractors know how to adjust and treat your body, and they know how to prescribe activities that will work with you instead of against you.

Tailor Your Workouts to Suit You

The most important thing you can do once you have an idea of what you can and want to do is to tailor your exercise for your needs.

“If you’re used to running or cycling during the summer months, you can easily adapt to winter weather with a treadmill or stationery bike. However, don’t forget to account for how the change in environment may affect your warm up, cool down and stretching regimes.”

“How often you should be exercising depends upon the individual and a variety of factors, from age to other existing health issues. I recommend a little exercise every day, as opposed to 2 or 3 times a week to my patients. This makes it more manageable to stay active and create a habit of exercise,” suggests Dr. Forrester.

And If All Else Fails…

“Stretch, stretch, stretch… did I mention stretch?”

If you take nothing else from this blog, this is the one thing Dr. Forrester wants you to remember.

“Stretching is the most important activity you can do for optimizing musculoskeletal health. When I teach patients stretches and they ask me how long they should do it for, my response is always ‘Every day for the rest of your life.’”

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

Stretching and gentle exercise are great ways to stay active and decrease discomfort but sometimes it’s not enough. If your pain hasn’t subsided after a few days, seek advice from a chiropractor.

Chiropractors are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. Your chiropractor can treat aches and pains, as well as build customized stretching routines and whole-body wellness strategies in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment. Consult with your chiropractor or click here to find one near you.

Additional Resources

How to Build the Perfect Home Gym

Setting Up a Home Gym

How to Dress for Winter Exercise

Perfect Layering for Winter Workouts

Straighten Up Alberta: Free Stretching Program

Nothing chases the chill out of the bones and warms the heart during the winter months quite like kindness. For many people, this is the time they begin looking at ways of spreading a little cheer. At the beginning of fall, chiropractors, their clinics and their patients collected new sock donations from Lethbridge to Grand Prairie for our annual Toasty Toes Sock Drive.

They were not only successful in collecting these donations; they collected past the initial goal of 25,000 pairs to a total of 25,625.  Donated to the United Way and Wood’s Home, these socks will go a long way in keeping Albertans experiencing homelessness warm. An additional bonus for participating clinics was the opportunity to win a $500 donation and blog spotlight for a charity of choice from the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors. This year’s winner is the Powers & Jans Centre in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

For the clinic team, choosing a charity was easy.

“The Santa Claus Fund has been making Christmas better for families in our community for over 30 years. They have shown to be good stewards of the donations they receive and are worthy of our support,” explained Dr. Jans.

The Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund is a cause the Powers & Jans Centre supports and keeps in mind every time winter rolls around.

“Every Christmas season, our office decides on a local charity to support. Because of their invaluable service, the Santa Claus Fund is always one of our prime considerations. In the past, we collected toys in the clinic, which is an activity our patients like to participate in. Other times, we went as a group to wrap and deliver gifts. We are happy to support them again this year with the donation prize we won.”

A $500 donation may not seem like a lot of money but for a family going through tough times, it can mean the difference between whether or not they can have a Christmas at all.

Deanna Doerksen, Executive Director of the Santa Claus Fund, puts it into context.

“Donations like this help us stock our shelves with toys and gifts and ensures there is holiday food on the table for our families. The donation from the chiropractic clinic will go towards our grocery voucher program, which allows all our local families have a hot Christmas meal.”

The Santa Claus Fund not only provides gifts and meals; they provide them in a way that gives families dignity.

“Christmas is a time for community, generosity and kindness. We want our participants to feel embraced by those values and the true ‘Spirit of Giving’,” explains Doerkson.

“Our Christmas operation is based out of a warehouse called the ‘Holiday Home’.  Families come into the Holiday Home and apply for assistance, which is granted based on financial situation.  Once approved, participants are then welcome to come in and choose gifts for their children. Each child receives 2 gifts, a book, a stuffed animal as well as a board game for families as we believe it is important for families to play together”

“Then, when the families leave, they leave with a voucher for the local grocery store so they can buy food for a Christmas meal.”

The Powers & Jans Centre will be visiting the Holiday Home themselves and are hoping others feel encouraged to support the Santa Claus Fund.

“If you have the ability to give a few dollars or volunteer your time, this is an organization that is worth supporting.” Dr. Jans says.

Thank you again, to all the chiropractors who participated in the Toasty Toes Sock Drive.

The Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors is proud to support this cause, as well as the hard work and community effort of chiropractors across Alberta.

The Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund accepts donations throughout the year and will be providing their Holiday Home services and crisis assistance throughout November and December.

When is the last time you said, “I love my spine”? Usually, declarations of endearment like that would follow something unique, like an extraordinary feat of strength. On October 16, Canadians across the country are invited to say just that and celebrate World Spine Day by embracing the skeletal system that’s had their back throughout their lives.

Many back problems come from a common cause – poor posture stemming from poor body mechanics. You’re probably not surprised to hear it but those hours spent sitting at a desk, hunched over a smartphones and bending over and lifting with your back can add up. Fortunately, turning back the clock on the different ways we build poor posture is a lot easier than you think. In fact, you may already be doing things that help to protect your health.

First off – check your posture!

It is important to note that optimal spinal health can look different from person to person but here is one quick way to examine your posture:

Stand against the wall. Your head, upper back and backside should all be touching the wall. If holding this position is uncomfortable, it is likely that you have poor posture.

If you’re like most people, there is probably some room for improvement.

Spinal health is personal

Signing up for a yoga class may be out of your comfort zone, but there are things you can do from the comfort of your own home to love your spine.

• Try stretching! Stretching as little as three times a week can have a dramatic affect on relieving pain and improving flexibility. The stretching program on straightenupalberta.com is free and provides stretches and tips for both adults and kids.
• Take a look at your furniture. We spend a lot of time sitting and lying down; make sure your furniture is ergonomically friendly and right for you. You can get started with our blog posts on taking a look at the drivers seat in your car, picking the right bed and adjusting your desk at work.
• Get educated! There is no shortage of resources available to help you make little changes in improving your posture and boosting your spinal health. Try some of these:
  • In honour of World Spine Day, the Canadian Chiropractic Association has developed an educational booklet to empower Canadians like you to love your spine. You can download it here on their website.
  • The ACAC Blog, Everyday Chiropractic, is a great place to start learning about spinal health (in our humble opinion). Try starting with Protecting Your Back at Home, Protecting Your Back at Play and Protecting Your Back at Work.

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

It’s important to listen to your body when it starts to hurt. Stretching and gentle exercise may help some conditions but if your pain hasn’t subsided after a few days, seek advice from a chiropractor.

Chiropractors are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. Your chiropractor can treat aches and pains, as well as build customized stretching routines and whole-body wellness strategies in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment. Consult with your chiropractor or click here to find one near you.

Across the province, clinics have opened their doors to patients, colleagues and community members alike in a shared goal: helping Albertans who are experiencing homelessness and joblessness to stay warm during the frigid winter season.

How are they doing this? Through collecting warm, new socks.

Socks are easy to take for granted. They are often the first garments we put on before heading out for the day but we don’t spend a lot of time thinking about them or talking about them. For most of us, it is equally easy to forget how painful and harmful cold temperatures can be to your feet. It may seem like a simple gesture, but a single warm pair of socks can mean the difference between whether or not a person gets frost bite in extreme weather conditions.

“We started participating in Toasty Toes because it’s something simple we could do as individuals and as a clinic that would make a difference.” says Dr. Amy Heilman. Dr. Heilman and the West Lethbridge Family Chiropractic Clinic is participating in the Toasty Toes Sock Drive for the third time.

“There are so many needs and causes in the world; so many people who could use your help that you can feel overwhelmed and forget that there are small things you can do right now.”

Over the years, the sock drive has benefited from the clinic and chiropractors’ efforts, but it has also helped bring them closer to the community they serve in unexpected ways.

“We’ve been surprised and delighted by the generosity of our patients and sock drive donors. We expected a pair of socks or two but often, our patients will turn up with a pack of 20 socks.” recalls Dr. Heilman.

“It’s like the sock drive became a tradition. We have a patient who brings in socks every single year without fail. In fact, that’s how we discovered that we had forgotten to sign up for Toasty Toes last year! He brought in his sock donation without any prompting from us.”

On the other side of the province in Grande Prairie, Dr. Jennifer Adams-Hessel at the Northwest Wellness Clinic shared similar sentiments.

“In small towns like this, word of mouth is crucial in getting people on board but once people know what’s happening, everyone turns out.” Dr. Adams-Hessel says.

This is the Northwest Wellness Clinic’s first year participating in the drive and they have become community leaders amongst their colleagues in the Toasty Toes effort.

Although they are the only Grande Prairie clinic officially signed up for Toasty Toes, multiple clinics in town are accepting sock donations. At the end of September, Northwest Wellness Clinic’s office manager plans to go out and collect the donations from chiropractic clinics across town and then take them to the United Way.

“I’m from Toronto,” explains Dr. Adams-Hessel, “so I grew up seeing lots of community outreach and shelters for people who are experiencing homelessness to rely on. Grande Prairie doesn’t have that to the same extent. These kinds of community clothing drives fill that gap.”

In order to help fill that gap, the Northwest Wellness Clinic has set a goal of 1,000 socks and hopes to hear what other clinics have set as goals.

“We’re sort of aware that our neighbours are doing things but once we hear the numbers, it’s easy to get excited. It’s really encouraging!”

While most clinics have yet to publicly announce how many socks they currently have, the ACAC is aware that one clinic in Alberta has already raised over 10,000 socks. The provincial goal set for this year’s Toasty Toes Sock Drive is 25,000 socks and we look forward to announcing the final count after the sock drive concludes.

Step up and join in the Toasty Toes Sock Drive

Grande Prairie or Lethbridge may not be the place you call home, but there may be a clinic participating in Toasty Toes in your own neighbourhood. You can find a list at the bottom of this page about the sock drive.

Bring in your new, warm sock donations to a clinic close to home between September 1 to October 1 and help make sure everyone has warm feet this winter.

Let’s face it: the long hours spent sitting for class, hunched over a computer or bent over homework isn’t good for anyone. Whether you’re preparing your child for the new school year or you yourself are heading back to the classroom, there are some things you should keep in mind about two everyday items every student uses; backpacks and handheld devices.

Backpacks and messenger bags have often been at the centre of student health conversations since they can easily contribute to injuries. Carrying an overweight backpack unevenly or improperly can result in a number of different issues, including poor posture, joint pain, muscle strain and headaches.

And, while handheld devices have only joined the conversation on student health recently, they have just as significant an impact on spinal health. It’s estimated that for every inch forward that you crane your neck, an additional 10 pounds of pressure is being applied to your neck. That adds up fast and can harm your spine in several ways, from hunched shoulders to poor posture and headaches.

As spinal and musculoskeletal system experts, chiropractors are acutely aware of how damaging this can be, especially on young, developing bodies.

Here are two information-packed infographics, full of chiropractor-approved ways you can plan ahead and respond to school demands through creating healthy lifelong habits.

Pack it Light, Wear it Right

Tech Neck

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

If you or your child already have recurring aches and pain, it is important to consult with a health care professional. Chiropractors are trained to assess, diagnosis and treat musculoskeletal health throughout the body; not just the spine.

Additionally, chiropractors are proficient at treating all age groups, including children, and can provide advice to help bodies of all ages function at their optimum level. Consult with your chiropractor or click here to find one near you.

For more news and tips, visit us on Twitter or Facebook.

Introducing the defending WPCA Pro Tour World Champion

It may be no surprise that professional athletes include chiropractic treatments in their busy lives to keep in tip-top competition shape. As sponsors of this year’s World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) Pro Tour, we had the opportunity to connect with the defending WPCA Pro Tour World Champion, Kurt Bensmiller and learn a little about how and why he incorporates chiropractic care in professional chuckwagon racing.

Kurt Bensmiller has been racing chuckwagons for more years than he hasn’t. A successful chuckwagon driver, Bensmiller just turned 35 and he’s been racing for 18 years now. Although the racing season is a relatively short four months, preparation starts early.

“Training begins late-winter or early-spring,” Bensmiller tells us; nobody grabs a horse, hitches it to a wagon and goes out. “We do a lot of work getting ourselves and our animals ready. Just like hockey, you practice and train, and hopefully we’re all ready to go throughout the season.”

Chiropractic Care in a Busy Season

Once the season starts, things really pick up. So, where does chiropractic treatment fall into his and other drivers’ busy routines?

“Teams have chiropractors at the venues across the province,” explains Bensmiller. “During our really busy parts of the season, teams have chiropractors for themselves and their horses going night and day.”

“I don’t know too many drivers that haven’t gone for an adjustment. My main outrider was just in my trailer telling me he got adjusted before our latest race.”

Professional chuckwagon racing doesn’t come without it’s bumps, bruises, and breaks and chiropractic care is a valuable tool that helps address these injuries. Bensmiller believes chiropractic treatment is vital to remaining competitive on the circuit.

“Shoulders, hips and knees are big issues in the sport. Of course, the back too. If you’re not lined up properly, you can really hurt yourself. The horses will pull on the reins like they usually do, whether you’re injured or not.” Bensmiller says. “You can’t let injuries slide, hoping it gets better. If things get out of whack or you get knots in your back, it can be difficult to even walk out from the stables. If you’re not aligned right, driving can be a very tough event to compete in. I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Keeping the Team in Competitive Shape

While Bensmiller is a ferocious competitor on the track, proper chiropractic care factors into his everyday life as well.

“Getting chiropractic treatment isn’t isolated to the racing season –  we work with the animals year-round. Treatments help with work at home in the yard, feeding the animals, going to the grainery et cetera. Chiropractors know that when something is out – if you’re not right, life can be tough.”

Bensmiller even provides care from an animal chiropractor to his equine athletes, “All of my horses receive chiropractic treatment as well. I have horses that receive regular adjustments and others just like humans, only need an adjustment from time to time.”

The WPCA Pro Tour kicked off at the end of May in Grande Prairie and winds its way through the prairies and western British Columbia through late-August, when it wraps up in Rocky Mountain House. To learn more about the tour, its teams and the schedule visit the website to keep up to date.

If it hurts, see a chiropractor.

Whether you’re a competitive chuckwagon driver or an enthusiastic fan in the stands, it’s important to listen to your body when it starts to hurt. If your pain hasn’t subsided after a few days, seek advice from a chiropractor.

Chiropractors are highly educated and specially trained musculoskeletal experts. Your chiropractor can also give you nutritional advice and whole-body wellness strategies in conjunction with your chiropractic treatment. Consult with your chiropractor or click here to find one near you.

For more news and tips, visit us on Twitter or Facebook

You don’t have to be a chiropractor to know that our backbones are some of the most important bones in our bodies. They protect our spinal cord and for most people, they keep us walking straight and tall. For a person with scoliosis, however, the spine can also be the source of a number of challenges.

While scoliosis is a common condition, affecting 1 in every 25 people, there is not a lot of awareness about the condition. In recognition of this month being Scoliosis Awareness Month, we are taking this opportunity to shed some light on scoliosis and how chiropractic can provide support and relief to those who have it.

What is Scoliosis?

Scoliosis is a common spinal deformity in which the spine develops with one or more abnormal curves. While most cases of scoliosis are mild, severe cases can require surgery to prevent the condition from worsening. Depending on how badly the spine is misaligned, symptoms of scoliosis can include uneven posture, pain, reduced flexibility, difficulty breathing, organ damage and in severe cases, death.

Who can get it?

Anyone can get scoliosis. The most common type of scoliosis, idiopathic scoliosis, generally develops in children and more often in girls than boys. There are a number of factors that can prompt scoliosis to develop, such as neuromuscular conditions, birth defects and old age but there is uncertainty about what causes idiopathic scoliosis.

Who can screen for scoliosis?

A physician, chiropractor or other healthcare professional can assess whether or not you have scoliosis.

Scoliosis care

There are three main components to scoliosis care; assessment, diagnosis and treatment.

Assessment: This is composed of a screening to determine if a patient has scoliosis, and if they do, how severe. A scoliosis screening is a non-invasive physical exam that can take as little as 30 seconds. The healthcare professional examines the patient’s body for any signs of uneven posture or irregular curves in the spine.

Diagnosis: Once a scoliosis of the spine is detected, healthcare professionals can begin conversations about ongoing monitoring, and treatment. Ongoing monitoring of scoliosis is a critical component of scoliosis care.

Treatment: The primary goal of scoliosis treatment is to maximize the mobility and function of the patient’s body. The abnormal curves associated with scoliosis can cause stresses on weight-bearing joints. This can cause pain throughout the patient’s body, not just the spine. Some examples of treatments include bracing, exercise and chiropractic adjustments. Very severe cases of scoliosis may require surgery to correct the curve.

Scoliosis and Chiropractic

With a condition that causes the backbone to develop abnormally, it begs the question of whether or not chiropractic treatment is safe and effective. Dr. Brian Gushaty, Registrar of the Alberta College and Association of Chiropractors provided the following explanation about how chiropractic can help.

“With their educational background, chiropractors are especially well-equipped to work with individuals with scoliosis,” Dr. Gushaty says. “They can assess and safely treat people with scoliosis. They can also monitor the scoliosis, order x-rays and refer patients directly to a medical specialist when necessary.”

How can chiropractic help people with scoliosis?

Chiropractors spend over seven years studying how to assess, diagnose, treat and prevent problems of the spine and musculoskeletal (MSK) system (joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves). This educational background can make them ideal healthcare providers for the management or co-management of conditions like scoliosis.

Chiropractors can provide support to patients on a number of different fronts, from lifestyle counselling to alleviating pain and restoring levels of mobility. Here are three specific ways that chiropractic treatment is beneficial:

1. Expertise in monitoring scoliosis.

In some cases, the scoliosis can worsen and cause additional challenges to a patient’s quality of life. A chiropractor has the ability to track the progression of the scoliosis, which is especially important in adolescents. Since their bodies are still growing, there is a chance that their scoliosis will become more severe during growth spurts. If this is identified, chiropractors can refer directly to the appropriate medical specialist.

2. Treatment for functional support.

“Functional support refers to other related conditions that may present in relation to scoliosis, not just the treatment of the spine,” Dr. Gushaty explains, “For example, a patient with scoliosis may experience more discomfort in one side of their hip due to an uneven posture. Chiropractic treatment can alleviate that pain and support full function of these other joints.”

3. Direct referral to medical specialists when appropriate

Chiropractors regularly work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. If a chiropractor notices a condition worsening or if their patient requires specialized care, they will refer them to other professionals in the medical community who can provide additional support or optional treatment.

If you have scoliosis and are interested in trying chiropractic, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Let the chiropractor know that you have scoliosis and any prior treatment you have received.

In most cases, the adjustments are nearly identical to what a patient without scoliosis will receive, but special consideration is given to immobilized parts of the spine and weight-bearing joints.

“Your chiropractor will be able to treat you more efficiently and effectively if they know ahead of time that you have scoliosis,” says Dr. Gushaty, “In addition, patients who have had corrective surgery and have implants in their spine will need to have their treatments customized to fit their needs.”

• Ask about the chiropractor’s approach to treating scoliosis and their relationship with related medical professionals.

Asking this question will help you understand what kinds of treatment the chiropractor can offer you and will demonstrate their understanding of scoliosis management. You will also be able to determine whether they have the resources to refer you directly to the appropriate medical specialist if you require specialized treatment.

• Listen to the chiropractors’ recommendations for care.

Recommendations should sound sensible and include specific re-evaluation intervals. Re-evaluation is important because it will help track whether the scoliosis is progressing. It also helps ascertain whether the patient is gaining function and eased ability to perform daily activities.

For more information about how chiropractic can change pain and help people with scoliosis, consult with a chiropractor, or click here to find one near you.

Resources

http://www.scoliosissos.com/news/post/scoliosis-awareness-month

https://www.srs.org/patients-and-families/common-questions-and-glossary/frequently-asked-questions

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=hw72376