Fitness Advice for 2010!
Friendswood Area Chiropractor Comments: The New Year is upon us and if you are like most, you could be eating a little better and exercising a little more – and smarter! Who hasn’t been a little lazy and eaten a few things they shouldn’t over the holidays?
Or maybe you’d like to start eating right and exercising for the first time – and want to do it right…injury free. Either way, the free information below will be very helpful and valuable to you. And it is FREE! There is a list of 9 great websites you can go to and get all kinds of information about exercise, eating right, staying healthy naturally and more. Isn’t it great to have good, free information right at your finger-tips to make things so much easier? And whether you are a rookie beginner or a seasoned pro, it is always a good idea to get a pre-injury evaluation with us. This helps detect any minor problems you may have that can become major issues if an exercise program is started or escalated. To get your pre-injury evaluation, simply call my office at 281-286-1300 and Lydia or Kelsey will schedule the time that works best for both of us.
9 Websites To Help You Lose Weight,
Be Healthier And Feel Wonderful In 2010
- Workoutz.com – Tons of great free workout videos – with new videos and advice added all the time.
- Fitnessonline.com – Free topics include: Lose weight, build muscle, eat healthy, pregnancy fitness, fitness calculators and free newsletters.
- Mercola.com – One of the most visited natural health sites on the internet.
- Fitnessmagazine.com – Healthy recipes, weight loss, health, beauty.
- Crossfit.com – Effective and fun training for beginners up to professional athletes.
- Bodyrock.tv – Videos for women interested in having a serious beach body by summer!
- Menshealth.com – Provides information and tips on fitness, health, career, relationships, nutrition, recipes, weight-loss and muscle building.
- Nutritiondata.com – Tons of free nutrition tools and information.
- Videofiness.com – Fitness video reviews, forums to discuss and meet like-minded people, video exchange.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
How to Prevent Low Back Pain
While 80% of us will suffer a severe back pain episode at some point in our lives, most of us at any given time should be more concerned about preventing or aggravating back pain, rather than resolving a set-back. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are two aspects to prevention of back pain: keeping strong and flexible, and avoiding mistakes during movements.
As far as exercise is concerned, nothing is more beneficial to the spine than walking. Remember that your spine is your “core,” and the core is activated with fast-paced walking. Most of us don’t think of how the spine is affected with walking, instead focusing on the legs. Make walking part of your daily routine. Walk a few blocks or across town to run an errand, rather than getting into a car for these short trips. Park a few blocks away when you have to use the car, so that you can get in a few minutes of walking. Some of us spend five minutes circling in a parking lot just to get a space close to the front door or we get frustrated when we can’t find a space close to the gym! In contrast to sitting, which increases pressure on our disks, walking strengthens muscles and dissipates the pressure on our lower disks.
Keep the back flexible through slow stretching in all of the different ranges. Tight muscles at the back of the thighs-the hamstrings are an often neglected area that affects the lower spine tremendously. To stretch these muscles, stand upright and put on foot on the back of a chair or sofa. Slowly bend forward and hold this position for 30-40 seconds. It should cause a tight burning pain at the back of the leg. It should not cause a shooting pain down your leg, or increase pain in the lower spine. If it does, then see a doctor of chiropractic (DC) immediately. When the hamstrings are flexible, this allows the pelvis to rotate forward when you bend over. If the hamstrings are not flexible, then the lower spine will bend too much to accomplish any lifting task.
The second aspect to preventing back pain is avoiding mistakes, such as lifting with your back, instead of your legs. This is especially true if an object is very heavy. Sometimes the object is light, but we lift in an awkward position, standing with most of our weight on one leg, then bending and twisting, such as getting grocery bags from a back seat, or moving and positioning a child safety seat. Especially avoid twisting motions of the lower spine while bending over. Also, use one of your hands to help brace your spine, which will decrease the pressure on your disks.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Five Exercises to Help Your Neck Stay Pain-Free
The neck is the most flexible part of your spine and just like any other area of the body, movement exercises and good posture is important to maintain its health. Neck pains can be brought on or aggravated by how you treat this vital structure. We often neglect our neck when it comes to exercises, focusing instead on our legs or heart. So try these helpful hints and incorporate them into your daily routine courtesy of your local Houston chiropractic clinic.
Moving your neck slowly through all its ranges is key. It is important to do pure movements rather than combinations, rolling the neck around like a ball and socket joint (such as the hip or shoulder) is to be avoided. Instead, flex the neck forward until your chin touches the top of your chest. Then, slowly bend your neck backwards, chin to the sky. These movements should not cause pain if they are done slowly and you have no pre-existing injury.
The next movement is side bending and is accomplished by trying to bend either ear towards the shoulder. Do this in front of a mirror so that you keep your head straight looking forward. Note whether you can do this same amount to each side.
The last movement is rotation. Simply rotate your chin slowly so that you are looking over one shoulder. None of these movements should cause pain or make you dizzy. If they do, then it’s a sign you have a neck injury.
An important aspect of neck function is how the shoulder girdle influences neck posture and motion. Try rolling your shoulders forwards and backwards, stretching slowly, to help ease tension at the neck. General exercises such as fast paced walking or hiking are important for your neck too. Remember, your spine is the core of your body and walking is one of the least “injury-producers,” something you can keep up well into your later years.
Lastly, make sure your neck posture is kept upright when you are talking on the phone, driving, reading, doing other tasks, or sleeping. A very small pillow is usually best for sleeping and neck support pillows are available to help maintain the normal forward arch of the neck. A small pillow will allow your head to ease back, relaxing the muscles at the back of the neck. Water based pillows will allow you to have a pillow that is perfect for you.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!