Hand, wrist, and arm pain often starts with a neck problem. When a spinal disc in your neck irritates or presses on a nerve, it can result in arm pain. Just like the power lines that bring electricity to your house, your brain and spinal cord split into individual nerve roots that deliver information to every part of your body. The nerves in your neck are specifically focused on providing strength and sensation to your head and arms.

• A bulged or herniated disc in your neck can irritate or compress the nerves that travel to your hands, arms, and shoulders.
• A recent study of people with cervical (neck) disc herniation showed improvement in over 86% of people who received chiropractic adjustments.
• Improving spinal mobility, decreasing inflammation, and improving your posture may help prevent future episodes of neck and arm pain.

A painful arm as a result of a pinched nerve in your neck very rarely requires surgery. Most people can find long-term relief with conservative care, such as chiropractic.

Getting rid of the inflammation and giving the disc time to heal are part of a complete plan we use each day to help our patients reduce their symptoms and get their lives back.

It’s estimated that tilting your head forward, even just 15 degrees, can triple the weight of your head on your neck. In fact, tilting your head forward 60 degrees can increase the stress and strain on your neck ten times over.

Repeating this forward head posture again and again over time can result in pain, stiffness, dysfunction, headaches, and more–a group of symptoms often referred to as “Tech Neck.”

The good news about postural stress and “Tech Neck” is that a few simple changes to your routine can help you reduce your risk of experiencing pain.

Here’s what you need to know:

• “Tech Neck” is the term used to describe the flexed head and neck position that occurs when looking down at your smartphone.
• Just 15 degrees of forward bending can increase the stress of your head on your neck three times over.
• Taking breaks every 15 minutes and looking up from your phone or tablet can help your body reset and give your muscles a chance to relax.

Know that reducing your “Tech Neck” symptoms involves more than just changing the angle you look at your phone. Proper ergonomics and regular stretching and exercise all play significant roles in helping you continue to enjoy your favorite devices without those nagging pains.

If you’ve been living with “Tech Neck” and are ready to take action, you’ve come to the right place! Our expert team is ready to not only help evaluate your ergonomics, but to also provide a plan of action complete with personalized recommendations that will help make it easy for you to maintain a more balanced posture for years to come.

Many schools have reduced physical education classes. Many more students have moved towards e-learning. For those reasons, it’s important to be mindful of our children’s physical activity and to encourage them to exercise more each day. And not just to benefit their physical health. In many ways, exercising each day is likely to make your child a better student! Movement triggers the release of chemical substances in the brain that enhance brain function.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the benefits of movement:

• Better Brain Function – Movement may protect your brain against degenerative changes.
• Better Stress Reduction – Exercise and movement have been shown to have an antidepressant effect that can help reduce overall stress.
• Better Memory – Regular exercise can help directly and indirectly improve recall and reasoning skills.

The research is clear. Daily movement and exercise are healthy for both your child’s body and their brain. And our posture and movement assessments are designed to help you identify any abnormal patterns, helping your child feel better and stay active so they can become the best student possible. So, if your child struggles to get enough exercise due to nagging aches and pains or less than ideal posture, we hope you’ll consider scheduling an appointment with us today. Our doors are open, and we’re here to help!

The rotator cuff is a ball and socket joint made up of three bones: your arm bone (the humerus), your shoulder blade (the scapula), and your collarbone (the clavicle). The supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons are designed to help you lift and rotate your arm. Your shoulder is one of the most dynamic and unstable joints in your body. It’s hard to ignore a torn rotator cuff because…it hurts! Signs of a tear include shoulder pain when lifting your arm, weakness, pain when lying down, or a limited range of motion.

• Shoulder impingement (the pinching or rubbing together of tissues inside a joint) has been estimated to occur in up to 10% of people involved in car accidents.
• The shoulder is one of the most complex, dynamic, and unstable joints in the body, with a complex network of bones, ligaments, and muscles.
• The risk of neck or shoulder pain seven years after a collision was three times higher for patients with initial whiplash injuries than those without.

Ignoring a shoulder injury after a car accident is not a good idea. Your shoulder is designed to move, and if you try to “let it heal” by not moving it, then you’re putting yourself at risk for a frozen shoulder. Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, is when your shoulder develops adhesions due to lack of movement. This can result in severe pain that takes months to heal. If you have shoulder pain after an accident, time is of the essence! Our team is here and can provide a complete evaluation and treatment plan for you to get moving safely and heal quickly.