How Does Arthrostim® Adjusting Work?

As technology advances, so do chiropractic techniques. Instrument adjusting has become the fastest growing form of chiropractic manipulation due to its ease of use for the chiropractic practitioner and the safety to the patient. It can take quite a bit of effort to perform a proper chiropractic adjustment, and most chiropractors can attest to having suffered any number of shoulder, back and wrist injuries from treating patients over the course of their practice.

An Arthrostim® adjustment involves the use of one of these special instruments. It has an appearance similar to a drill, and is held in a similar manner. What it does is produce a speedy thrust and recoil motion, similar to the way a chiropractor uses their hands to adjust the vertebrae in your back. The benefit of the instrument is that it performs this high-velocity, low-amplitude motion 12 times per second, and is targeted to a very small area. The force of the thrust radiates through the joint and the tissues that surround it, releasing trigger points that are often the cause of muscle spasms.

As opposed to traditional chiropractic adjustment techniques, use of the Arthrostim® does not cause the same popping and cracking noises in the joint that can make some people feel uneasy. It is a gentle, mechanical method of easing the joints back into alignment that is basically an extension of the chiropractor’s hands. Your chiropractor can exert just the right amount of pressure needed by adjusting the force of the thrust up or down from merely a few ounces all the way up to 40 pounds, and it works on a wide range of body areas, not only on the spine.

Several studies have shown that instrument adjusting is just as effective as traditional chiropractic techniques for easing pain and increasing range of motion in patients who have sought chiropractic care. Its speed, gentleness and accuracy are also recommended for populations that may have trouble with the use of traditional chiropractic techniques, such as children and the elderly.

The Arthrostim’s® movement stimulates the patient’s special sensory nerve receptors, called proprioceptors, which are responsible for detecting the proper motion and alignment of the body’s muscles and joints, signaling that all is well; however, at the same time it avoids stimulating the nociceptors, the sensory nerve receptors responsible for sending pain signals to the central nervous system.

The use of instrument adjusting, such as with the Athrostim®, allows for fewer side-effects and less post-treatment muscle soreness. If this seems like a form of treatment you may be interested in, contact our office and schedule a consultation today.  Dr. Rivano uses the Athrostim® on patients who simply cannot tolerate a manual adjustment or are apprehensive about manual manipulation.  He has remarkable results with this technology and has helped thousands of people in his community of Florham Park, NJ.  He can be reached at (973)845-6282 or via email appointmentrequest@rivanochiropractic.com.

Many doctors specializing in sports medicine are reporting increasing numbers of young patients in their practice with repetitive use injuries. One sports medicine expert at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Dr. Amy Valasek, reports that approximately half the sports injuries she sees are due to overuse, as opposed to the more commonly known sports injuries such as sprains, fractures and concussions.

A far cry from the days of informal baseball games in the neighbor’s backyard, an estimated 30 million to 45 million children in the US are involved in organized sports that involve intensive training throughout the year. Experts believe that there is greater specialization in one sport at a younger age, and the training programs have become more demanding. In addition, children often return to practice before an injury has fully healed and are not sufficiently trained in injury prevention.

Because the bones of children and young teenagers are still growing, they are particularly susceptible to overuse injury. Thus, experts advise avoiding specializing in a single sport before the age of 14. Most of these injuries are seen in children who perform multiple seasons of one sport rather than those who vary the athletic activities they practice.

Overuse injuries of the shin and knees are most common to runners; football and baseball players usually have elbow and shoulder injuries; cheerleaders, skaters and dancers are prone to ankle injuries; and gymnasts often deal with wrist injuries due to the continuous force exerted on this part of the body.

Prevention of injury is of course the best form of treatment, and Dr. Valasek says it’s important to perform warm-ups and whole-body stretches before any training session. The American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness advises that children practice no more than five days per week, taking one day off from any organized training. They also advise a break of two to three months to recover between seasons and heal any injuries they may have sustained during the training season.

Often misunderstood to be a diagnosis, sciatica is actually the term for a collection of symptoms, the most pronounced of which is low back pain combined with pain that extends through the buttocks and down one leg. It is one of the most common forms of low back pain and, as such, is regularly treated by chiropractors.

Sciatica takes its name from the sciatic nerve, which branches out from the lower part of the back and stretches down the entire back of each leg as far as the foot. Deriving from a number of spinal nerves, the left and right sciatic nerves are the largest nerves in the human body. The compression or pinching of either sciatic nerve (or the nerves at the root of the spine) is the cause of sciatica, and this can occur as a result of a number of different medical conditions.

The pain that occurs with sciatica is the single most important factor in differentiating it from other kinds of low back pain. Although the pain may begin in the lower back, sciatica is also felt further down in the buttocks, the back of the thigh, the lower leg an even into the foot itself. The left and right sciatic nerves are rarely affected at the same time, so pain that occurs in only one leg is often a reliable indicator that someone has sciatica.

Sciatic pain is often described as shooting like electricity or burning like fire rather than a dull ache. A tingling or prickling feeling may also occur, often accompanied by numbness and/or weakness in the leg, just as when the leg ‘goes to sleep’ after you have been sitting on it for a while. A combination of pain and weakness can also be felt in the same leg. Sufferers of sciatica usually report that their pain tends to be better when they are lying down or walking and worse when standing or sitting.

The level of pain experienced in sciatica can range from moderate discomfort to severe pain, depending on the nature and severity of the underlying condition. In the worst cases, the degree of shooting pain or weakness in the leg may prevent standing and walking altogether. The frequency of symptoms may also vary from occasional through intermittent to ever present.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms then it would be wise to arrange a visit to your chiropractor. They can examine you properly to determine if you do have sciatica, what is causing it, and the appropriate treatment options for your case. Leaving a condition untreated can lead to a worsening of symptoms, so getting an early diagnosis could save you a lot of aggravation and pain.

Getting pain relief from sciatica is not terribly complicated but determining the correct diagnosis is the first step in treating it.  Using ice at home is always a good idea in the initial acute phase of symptoms of sciatica.  Treatment options with a chiropractic physician may include a combination of the following; spinal manipulation, mechanical traction, cold laser therapy, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, and the use of Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Treatment (EPAT) along with soft tissue therapy such as Active Release Techniques.  Do not wait weeks or even days for a resolution without intervention because this may certainly compound the issue leading to greater suffering needlessly.

Dr. Rivano has treated thousands of patients with “sciatica” type symptoms with incredible results.  He is a leading chiropractor in Florham Park, NJ with an outstanding track record to help neck and back pain sufferers.  If you are suffering or know someone that is suffering with sciatica in the Florham Park area then you must contact his office at (973)845-6282 or click here to schedule an appointment:  http://rivanochiropractic.com/appointment.php.

It is estimated that up to 300 million tablet computers such as the iPad may be sold by 2015, which seems entirely possible, given their ubiquitous appearance on trains, in cafes, and even at the supermarket. It has already been shown that frequent texting on your mobile phone can cause problems with neck pain, but those who use their tablet for everything from surfing the internet to watching full-length movies may be in for even more pain. Commonly referred to as “iPad neck,” increasing numbers of people are showing up in their chiropractor’s office with neck pain and stiffness due to the use of this device.

The results of a study published in Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation, found that the use of tablet computers was associated with greater head and neck flexion than traditional desktop computers and that placing the tablet higher on a table and using a case to put the tablet at a more optimal angle could help prevent neck and shoulder problems.

Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Microsoft Corporation studied 15 volunteers who were regular users of tablet computers. The subjects performed simulated tasks on an Apple iPad2 and a Motorola Xoom, during which the posture of the head and neck, the subjects’ gaze angle and gaze distance were measured by a three-dimensional infrared motion analysis system. They surfed the internet, wrote e-mails, watched movies and played video games.

Each tablet came with its own proprietary case that enabled users to set the tablet at different angles. The Apple case allowed for 15° and 73° tilt angles, while the Motorola case allowed angles of 45° and 63°. Greater flexion of the neck was found with the iPad2 when used in its case. Not surprisingly, tablets set at the least perpendicular angle caused greater neck and head flexion than when the subjects used a desktop or laptop computer. Head and neck posture only began to approach a neutral position when the tablets were set in their cases at the Table-Movie angle in which they were closest to perpendicular.

The researchers recommended that tablet users place the devices on a table and at the steepest viewing angle possible to avoid neck and shoulder pain. However, they cautioned that this configuration might cause problems for the arms and wrists, which in this configuration are not optimally placed for input and can lead to problems of their own.

If you just cannot conceive of giving up your iPad, in addition to reducing the amount of time you spend using it, consider seeing your chiropractor on a regular basis. Chiropractic care has been shown to be more effective in treating neck pain than using pain medication. A chiropractic adjustment can realign neck vertebrae and take the pressure off compressed nerves, bringing relief in a gentle, natural manner and allowing you to use your tablet more comfortably.

Rivano Chiropractic Health Center, LLC

One of the most frequent causes of lower back pain is, interestingly enough, due to common bad posture habits. When individuals sit for long periods of time, often hunched over (for example, to view a computer screen), they unconsciously tighten their hip muscles and simultaneously relax or “turn off” their gluteus and abdominal muscles. This is due to the principle of reciprocal inhibition, in which one muscle in a related pair of “push-pull” muscle groups shortens and tightens, the other extends and relaxes. (Think about your arms – when you flex your biceps muscles, your triceps muscles relax, and vice-versa.) Human bodies were designed to function best when standing and walking, so unfortunately when people sit for extended periods of time (for example, almost a full work day for those with “desk jobs”), and over a period of years, their hip flexor muscles and lower back muscles can become permanently tightened, while their gluteus and abdominal muscles become permanently weakened and lose muscle tone.

This results in a condition called Pelvic Crossed Syndrome (PCS), first identified by Czech physician Vladimir Janda. (It is often also called Lower Crossed Syndrome, to distinguish it from a related but very different disorder called Upper Crossed Syndrome.) PCS is what is known as a “silent” disorder, in that it takes years to develop, and initially displays no symptoms. Instead, the symptoms develop slowly, and include increasing curvature of the lower spine, a forward tilt of the pelvis, and overly tight hip, hamstring, and lower back muscles. These conditions can over time manifest in a myriad of more serious conditions, including lower back and knee pain, migraines and tension headaches, respiratory problems, fibromyalgia, and more.

Fortunately, PCS can be effectively treated by a chiropractor. Following an examination and diagnosis of PCS, your chiropractor can undertake a treatment regimen that includes chiropractic adjustments to the hypomobile sacroiliac joint and lumbar spine to relieve the structural imbalances that have developed. At the same time they may use massage, electro- stimulation, and other techniques to relax the overly tight muscle groups, and prescribe exercises to strengthen the muscle groups that have been weakened.

The treatment may take some time (several months), because muscle imbalances like PCS develop over time, and require time to be restored to their proper state of balance. But with a conscientiously applied program of chiropractic and rehabilitative care, the combination of manipulation, stretching and exercise can reverse the muscle imbalance and restore freedom of movement and normal muscle strength. Many patients report relief from their symptoms of back and leg pain very quickly, and over time notice marked improvements to their posture. This enables them to walk and exercise more easily, and to thus continue to strengthen the muscle groups that have become weakened over the years.

As with all chiropractic treatment, the therapies used to treat Pelvic Crossed Syndrome are holistic, in the sense that as your spine and posture become more normalized, so does your overall health and sense of well-being.

Chronic foot pain is absolutely no fun at all, and can destroy your enjoyment of life. One of the most common causes of foot pain – one that affects nearly two million people yearly in the U.S. – is plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament that connects the heel bone (calcaneous) and the toes. This ligament is composed of thick strong fibrous bands of tissue, and runs along the entire bottom of the foot. It stretches and contracts with every step or movement, and may become inflamed when tiny tears occur in the tissue.

The most common symptom of planar fasciitis is a burning or aching pain on the bottom of the foot, often near the heel, where this ligament attaches to the heel bone. It is often experienced in the mornings and the pain is usually the most intense, because the ligament has had time to rest and relax during the evening, but then tightens up and becomes painful again when we put pressure on it by standing or walking. The pain tends to decrease with activity, but may recur after periods of walking or standing. Half of people diagnosed with plantar fasciitis say that their pain is constant; 90% say that it hurts when they press on the area around the heel.

There are many potential causes of plantar fasciitis. Overuse during exercise or physical activity is one of the most common, and athletes who run, jump, or perform other repetitive movements that put pressure on the feet are prone to this condition.  Standing for long periods of time on concrete or very hard surfaces may be very provocative and elicit ongoing symptoms.  We were not designed to stand on such highly dense man-made materials for long periods of time.  Albeit, it is the norm in our society.   It may also be caused or aggravated by arthritis and diabetes, especially in the elderly. Interestingly enough, one of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis is wearing the wrong shoes. Shoes with little or no arch support or that provide insufficient support or cushioning can put strain on the tendons and, over time, cause plantar fasciitis. Improper footwear is even more likely to be a cause if you have flat feet, high arches, overpronation, or underpronation. Being overweight also places additional strain on your feet that can lead to this condition.

Whatever the cause, plantar fasciitis can take all the fun out of walking or even moving around easily. More important, it is a condition that should be diagnosed and, if present, treated early, before it becomes more serious. Traditional medical treatment of plantar fasciitis tends to focus on reducing the pain (via anti-inflammatory medications such as Ibuprofen or more serious pain relievers) and alleviating pressure on the heel. Unfortunately, this regimen does not address the potential causes of the disorder. For many, chiropractic manipulation of the feet and related joints (in addition to traditional approaches such as the use of ice packs and avoiding for a time the movements that seem to exacerbate the pain) may help to restore a proper range of motion, and thus remove the cause of the problem.

In addition, chiropractors – especially those who specialize in sports medicine – may be able to analyze patients’ gait (how they walk or run) and thus prescribe better footwear (or orthotics to wear inside their current shoes) that will help both to relieve pain and prevent future occurrences of it.  In my office I use various modalities depending on the onset of the condition and the motivation of the patient to resolve the symptoms.  In many cases a conservative measure is to correct the insufficiencies of the foot with custom orthotics but only after treating the condition with a device known as an EPAT or Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Treatment.  This is the most advanced and highly effective non-invasive treatment method cleared by the FDA. This proprietary technology is base on a unique set of pressure waves that stimulate the metabolism, enhance blood circulation and accelerate the healing process. Damaged tissue gradually regenerates and eventually heals. This non-invasive office based procedure represents a breakthrough treatment option for a broad range of musculoskeletal conditions.   There are many exercises and lifestyle changes that can be performed at home that can also help, such as stretching and self-massage performed in the evenings and mornings. How quickly these therapies may provide relief depends of course on each individual case, but relief can be found.   For further information and to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rivano please call (973)845-6282.  Our office is located in Florham Park, NJ right on Columbia Turnpike.  Or, simply fill out the contact information on this link http://rivanochiropractic.com/appointment.php.

Elbow Bursitis Causes and Treatment Options

While we are usually unaware of the bursae in our bodies, when one of them becomes inflamed, the pain is hard to ignore. A bursa is a pouch filled with a small amount of lubricating fluid that provides cushioning between a bone and a tendon, ligament, muscle or skin, which allows them to slide smoothly over the bone as it moves. Bursae are located wherever tissue and bone meet. When the tissue of the bursa becomes swollen and inflamed it causes bursitis.

Though bursitis can occur anywhere in the body where bursae are located, the most common areas are the shoulder, hip, knee and elbow. Elbow bursitis is one of the more common types of this disorder and is common among students and tennis players. Though this may seem an unusual combination of people at risk for this condition, it makes sense when you realize that bursitis can be caused by excessive repetitive motion (as in hitting a tennis ball, vacuuming or hammering, for example) or putting frequent pressure on the bursa (like when a student leans on their elbows at their desk).

A traumatic injury to the area, such as in a fall or a car accident, can also lead to bursitis. If bacteria get inside the bursa via a wound, an infection may result, leading to heat, redness, fever, chills, swelling and pain, and excess fluid will collect in the bursa, causing a large bump to form around the elbow (think of Popeye). Additionally, those who suffer from gout, diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis are at greater risk of contracting the condition.

The bursa of the elbow lies just behind the point of bone called the olecranon (which is why it is technically referred to as olecranon bursitis). As the inflamed tissue of the bursa stretches and fills with excess fluid, it reduces the amount of space around the joint, so it becomes more difficult for the joint to move, and causes feelings of pain and stiffness.

The first treatment for bursitis is RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). Rest the elbow as much as possible, being sure to keep as much pressure off it as possible. Elbow pads can be used to cushion the elbow, if necessary. Reduce swelling by applying ice and wrapping an elastic bandage around the elbow, and keep your arm elevated above your heart. You can take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) to help decrease inflammation and reduce pain, and your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if the bursa is infected.

In serious conditions excess fluid is removed via aspiration, where a needle is inserted into the bursa so the fluid can be drawn out. This is an in-office treatment and a sample of the fluid may be sent to a lab to be checked for infection. In rare cases, surgery may be recommended to remove the bursa entirely, but this is only when the bursitis has not responded to other conservative treatment and the condition has been prolonged. More conservative measures such as chiropractic therapy are far safer and effective as a fist line of defense in these situations.  Modalities such as cold laser therapy, ultrasound, electrotherapy, instrument assisted soft tissue therapy and Kinesio Taping Technique are an effective way to remove the inflammation and swelling without any side effects or risk of infection.    Elbow bursitis generally heals in a matter of weeks or months, depending on its severity.  Seeking care from your chiropractor should be the first step in initiating care for your bursitis.  A proper evaluation should be performed to rule out any pathology and care should be given as soon as possible to expedite the healing process.  If you or anyone you know suffering with elbow pain please feel free to contact Dr. Anthony Rivano at (973)845-6282 or click on this link to contact the office via our online form http://www.rivanochiropractic.com/contact.

Chiropractic for Acute Back Pain

Acute or sudden onset back pain can be due to a number of causes. It’s easier than one thinks to sprain or strain the tendons, muscles and ligaments that support the spine, especially if we are out of shape. While sports injuries are common, sudden onset back pain may also be a result of just bending over to pick something up off the floor. It should be understood that while bending over to pick something up off of the floor may have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back it was not that action in and of itself that truly caused the acute back pain in the first place.

Weakened muscles may suddenly go into spasm from performing the simplest movements. If you have a sedentary lifestyle or are carrying a few extra pounds, that can weaken the structures supporting the back, which can lead to acute back pain. There are multiple reasons for your back to just “give out” suddenly. You can rest assured that if there was no direct trauma then the cause of the condition was something that was precipitating for a very long time. If your spinal discs, muscles and ligaments are chronically unbalanced, it can lead to a misalignment in your spine and create the perfect conditions for sudden onset back pain.

Another common cause of acute back pain is a vertebral compression fracture due to osteoporosis. This type of fracture can happen at any time, even simply from sneezing, coughing or rolling over in bed, if the osteoporosis is sufficiently advanced. Acute back pain usually follows a vertebral compression fracture, which happens when the front part of the vertebrae collapse, making the vertebrae wedge-shaped. The acute pain from this type of fracture usually lasts for 4 to 6 weeks, when it becomes a more chronic type of aching pain.

Chiropractic therapy has been proven to be an effective tool in treating and reducing acute back pain, and does so in a safe and cost-effective manner. Conventional medical treatment for acute back pain has not been as successful. In fact, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, which is a research organization sponsored by the federal government, recommended that adults with acute lower back pain first seek treatment using chiropractic spinal manipulation, as it is safe, effective and doesn’t require drugs.

A study published in the December 2010 issue of The Spine Journal found that patients who were suffering from acute lower back pain had positive results after treatment with chiropractic manipulation, as opposed to no improvement in the control group who were treated with pain medication and physical therapy. The researchers reported that after 16 weeks, “78% of patients in the UC [conventional treatment] group were still taking narcotic analgesic medications on either a daily or as needed basis.” And that “treatment including CSMT [chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy] is associated with significantly greater improvement in condition-specific functioning.”

So if you find yourself suffering from sudden onset back pain, consult with your chiropractor, who can determine the cause of your pain and provide safe, effective treatment so it doesn’t become chronic. As a Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician I see many acute patients with low back pain. It is interesting to note that many acute low back pain sufferers first seek care at their primary care physicians’ office only to be given a prescription for anti-inflammatory medications or narcotic pain relievers. If the allopathic medical model referred to chiropractors in these circumstances the majority of patients seeking relief from their condition would find the true cause of their symptoms and return to their pre-injured state much sooner. Most chiropractors will look for the underlying cause of the condition that ails you. Seek a board certified chiropractor that addresses not only the area of your complaint but looks for the imbalances that may have caused the condition in the first place.

Dr. Anthony Rivano is a Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician located in Florham Park, NJ. He can be reached at (973)845-6282 to schedule a consultation. Or, feel free to fill out the form at this link: http://www.rivanochiropractic.com/contact

Is Staying Connected a Real Pain in the Neck? It’s time to get healthy with Technohealthy!

Dr. Anthony Rivano to Participate in Public Health Awareness Campaign

The world is getting smaller thanks to modern technology; but unfortunately, aches and pains are growing as a result. This fall, Dr. Anthony Rivano a chiropractic physician in Florham Park, NJ and other doctors of chiropractic (DCs) across the country will highlight ways to stay connected without pain during National Chiropractic Health Month in October. This year’s theme – “Get TechnoHealthy!” – focuses on how the public can remain healthy while toting the gadgets they love or working long hours in front of a computer.

The excessive use of mobile devices and poor posture while sitting in front of a computer can lead to neck, back, shoulder, wrist and even thumb pain, in addition to other musculoskeletal issues. The problem is becoming so widespread that earlier this year a spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said that musculoskeletal injuries remain one of the biggest workplace health and safety problems in American industry.

“People will be relieved to learn that they can enjoy technology without experiencing pain,” says Dr. Rivano. “Our bodies are utilitarian and made to move – not to maintain the same stooped-over posture for long periods of time or to repeat the same motions endlessly. The good news is that there are things we can do to prevent pain and injury. There are natural non-invasive approaches to treating aches and pain, such as chiropractic care, that don’t involve drugs or surgery.”

To celebrate National Chiropractic Health Month, Dr. Rivano offers these tips to help lessen the physical toll of technology:

When using devices such as smart phones and PDA’s that have small keyboards, avoid typing for more than three minutes without a break.
Keep messages short and simple; abbreviate as much as possible.
Practice using other fingers for typing, especially when thumbs hurt.
Don’t slouch when texting, remember what your mother always said, “Sit up straight”!
Keep wrists upright, straight and close to the body when holding a device.
Don’t bend your neck excessively when texting; tuck your chin in instead and look down.
Turn your devices off on the weekends (or at least Sunday)!
Get outside, exercise and enjoy nature, too! Balance is key to staying healthy.
For more tips on proper use of technology and good health, visit www.TechnoHealthy.com.

Sponsored by American Chiropractic Association, National Chiropractic Health Month is a nationwide observance held each October. The event helps raise public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, whole-person, patient-centered approach to health and wellness.

Dr. Anthony Rivano is a Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician located in Florham Park, NJ. He works with weekend warriors, families, healthcare professionals, and elite athletes. He has been in private practice in Morris County for over four years proudly serving the local Florham Park community. For more information about Rivano Chiropractic Health Center, LLC and Dr. Anthony Rivano and how he can help you achieve better overall health and wellness, please visit http://www.chiropractorflorhampark.com, email drrivano@rivanochiropractic.com, or give us a call at (973) 845-6282.

How many people realize how significant poor posture can be to your overall health?  It’s a topic that gets dismissed by most people including the health care community at large.  I am certain that chiropractors are by far the leading authority on this subject.  However, it has come to my attention after seeing hundreds of patients that have previously seen other chiropractors that they are never made aware of their poor posture and muscular imbalances.  This can have a long term negative impact on the overall health and function of the body as a whole.

My goal here is to make you aware of the 7 Simple Steps to Solving Neck & Back Pain.  Let me preface this statement by stating that it is always a good measure to see your chiropractor regarding your posture in addition to applying these 7 Simple Steps so that you are aware of how to correct them.

The typical posture seen at my office are patients that present with a mild to moderate forward head carriage, rounded shoulders, slumped and slouched appearance, and often patients with anterior pelvic tilt.  There are many causes of these imbalances.  Mostly, they are caused by adaptively deconditioned muscles secondary to chronically poor posture.  In a nutshell, that is the cause of most musculoskeletal complaints than one could possibly imagine.  The sad truth is it doesn’t get the attention that it requires to correct it so relapses almost always reoccur.

Consider the body as a dynamic mechanical piece of machinery.  It is designed in such a magnificent way that there are infinite capabilities and positions that can be attained to accomplish unlimited tasks.  If there is any disruption in the mechanics of this structure there will eventually be perpetual weaknesses and dysfunctions that will ultimately lead to injury.  You cannot impose abnormal stresses through an imbalanced machine of precision and expect there to be no consequences.  This principle parallels the exact cause/causes of the different conditions I see in my office.  This is why many people enter with acute and chronic neck pain, lower back pain, shoulder pain, and headaches.

We must supply the body with what it requires in order avoid the unnecessary wear and tear that occurs from having poor posture.  With the foregoing and following information you will be armed with a higher level of knowledge to prevent suffering from the annoying aches and pains from having poor posture.

As promised, here are the 7 Simple Steps to Solving Back Pain:

1. Be cognizant of your posture. Have someone take a picture of you standing from the front, back and side.  You will see how imbalanced you really are.
2. Visualize having an ideal posture. Before you leave the house for the day, take a good look at the pictures you have and make the correction in the mirror by adjusting your shoulders, neck, and pelvis so they are in neutral positions.
3. Implement proper ergonomics at home and work. Ergonomics will give you the proper positioning to avoid repetitive and cumulative stresses on your joints.  Visit http://office-ergo.com/ for more information.
4. Exercise Agonists and Antagonists for ideal balance and symmetry. This rule applies to just about anyone.  Using this principle will help you from becoming overdeveloped and dominate from overtraining one muscle group without addressing the others.  For example, when you train your chest muscles you should also train your back muscles on the same day to promote balance from the muscles in the anterior chain and posterior chain.  Most trainees ignore the posterior chain which leads to chronically poor posture, overuse syndromes, and pain in the neck, shoulders, and upper back region.
5. When sitting at your desk use a lumbar support. Using a lumbar support is one of the simplest techniques to do to remind us that we must maintain an upright neutral spine position at all times.
6. Sleep soundly with the right support. If you want to improve your posture while you sleep then it’s a good idea to maintain the neutral spine position even during the night.  If you are a side sleeper be sure to keep a pillow between your thighs to keep your hips level through the night.  Keep a pillow under your neck so that the neck is level with the rest of the spine.  If you sleep on your back similar principles apply.  Keep a pillow under your knees and under the small of your neck always maintaining neutral spine position and support.
7. Routine visits to your chiropractor. This doesn’t mean that you have to go to your chiropractor once a week for the rest of your life.  What it does mean is that you must keep the articulations that make up the spine moving freely so that the neutral spine position that has been mentioned previously is adequately maintained.  Pain should not be the only indicator for routine chiropractic care.  Without proper movement and muscular balance and symmetry, the vicious cycle of pain and dysfunction will be perpetual and the quality of life as you know it may diminish.

If you are looking to alleviate symptoms relating to headaches, neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, or you would like to address postural issues then please feel free to contact Rivano Chiropractic Health Center, LLC and speak with Dr. Anthony Rivano about your concerns.  He is a Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician located in Florham Park, NJ and has helped hundreds of patients overcome their aches and pains as well as enhance their quality of life under his care.  He can be reached at (973) 845-6282 or via email at drrivano@rivanochiropractic.com.  To learn more about Dr. Rivano visit http://chiropractorflorhampark.com/chiropractor-florham-park/.