The research supports chiropractic care!

Research Supports Chiropractic Care

Scientific research is showing what millions of chiropractic patients already know. Chiropractic adjustments take less time and the benefits last longer. Chiropractic adjustments are safe. And chiropractic care costs less and results in fewer lost workdays. These findings are supported by studies conducted by the U.S. government, by state and foreign governments, by medical doctors, and by private corporations, as well as by doctors of chiropractic themselves.

                              

Spinal Manipulation Is Safe and Effective for Treating Low Back Pain

The following studies have found that spinal manipulation is more effective than other treatments for low back pain:

• The RAND Study. In this independent, ongoing study by RAND, an expert panel of doctors of medicine and doctors of chiropractic reviewed 35 years of research on spinal manipulation. They agreed that this is an appropriate and effective treatment for many kinds of low back pain. A second study by a panel of chiropractors agreed with the finding of the first study.
• The AHCPR Guidelines. A panel of doctors of medicine and other health professionals developed these federal guidelines in 1994 for the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Based on a review of current research, the study recommends treating acute low back problems with spinal manipulation by a trained professional.
• The Manga Report. This 1993 Canadian research study examined the effectiveness of chiropractic management of low back pain. The panel of health experts found that spinal manipulation by chiropractors is more effective, less costly, and often safer than medical treatment for low back pain.
• The Meade Studies. The British Medical Journal published 2 studies comparing medical treatment to chiropractic care for low back pain. The 1990 study found that patients seen by doctors of chiropractic were better within 6 months and remained better over a 2-year period. In the 1995 study, improvement was 29% greater after 3 years of chiropractic care.
• The Virginia Cost Assessments. A 1992 study compared the cost of chiropractic care to other medical treatments for common back problems. The researchers found that chiropractic care had the lowest per-visit and total treatment costs. Another Virginia study found that chiropractic care is effective and economical.
• The Florida Study. This 1988 study of more than 10,000 workers with back-related injuries found that those who received chiropractic care returned to work almost twice as fast as those who received medical treatment. Chiropractic care was also less than half the cost of medical treatment.

Research Supports Chiropractic for Other Conditions

Other research studies are showing that chiropractic is safe and effective for treating a number of conditions.

• Headaches. A 1995 clinical study of patients suffering from tension headaches found that 6 weeks of spinal manipulation by chiropractors was an effective treatment. It relieved pain longer and with fewer side effects than treatment for the same period with antidepressant medication. A 2001 Duke University report confirmed that spinal manipulation can improve headaches relating to neck pain or dysfunction. Other studies are looking at the effectiveness of chiropractic care for other kinds of headaches, as well as neck pain.
• Colic. A 1989 Danish study of infants with colic (prolonged crying for no clear reason) found that spinal manipulation greatly reduced symptoms in 94% of the babies. This was after an average of only 3 treatments over a 2-week period. Medication, changes in diet, and other treatments had failed to reduce symptoms in these newborns.

Research Continues

More and more clinical trials and studies are being done on chiropractic adjustments. This research will show whether chiropractic is a safe, effective alternative to medical treatment for conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, and ulcers.

Last Annual Review Date: Mar 20, 2007Copyright: 2000-2010 The StayWell Company, 780 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.

Resistance Training May Help Strengthen Bones

Historically, weightlifting/strength training has been limited primarily to the young, athletic population seeking to improve performance. However, the benefits gained from resistance training can extend beyond the playing field to the maintenance of bone strength, thus impacting the performance of everyday activities.

This review of the literature discusses the influence of progressive resistance training on bone density. The authors evaluated study results from the past 10 years, focusing on cross-sectional designs and longitudinal studies. They paid particular attention to potential differences in the effects of resistance training vs. aerobic exercise or weightbearing physical activities. 

Literature results were discussed in terms of various potential variables influencing bone gain/loss, including:

* long-term training among active older men;



* female athletes and bone density;

* weightlifters vs. skiers vs. cyclists; and

* resistance training in premenopausal women (see the study in the Women's Health section of this issue). 

The research reviewed suggests a positive association between resistance training and bone mineral density in young and older adults, with the effects being specific to the working muscles and the bones to which they attach. The authors note that "although aerobic exercise and weightbearing physical activity are important... resistance training exercise seems to have a more potent impact on bone density." 

Layne JE, Nelson ME. The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1999:31(1), pp25-30.


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Kinesio Tape Blog

Here is a little from the Kinesio Tape blog about Linkin Park and how the tape is allowing him to continue with his career.

The band Linkin Park is currently touring to promote their new album, "A Thousand Suns."   A couple of weeks ago they played a characteristically high energy gig at New York's Madison Square Garden. Check out the videos and photographs of frontman Chester Bennington with blue Kinesio Tape on his left neck and back. The tape is highly visible on his neck, back and part of his shoulder in the later part of the concert video after he takes off his jacket. It is said that Bennington, who was recently hospitalized struggles with chronic back conditions, and Kinesio Taping could be a key to continuing his career. Some are calling Bennington injury prone, but he just seems like a guy who loves performing and doesn't hold back. The band had to cancel some appearances this year due to Bennington's health issues, but he looked in good form at the Garden and in the concert video, which aired on the Fuse network February 18th.  The tape is clearly visible in the video of "When They Come For Me" currently featured on the band's website, linkinpark.c om.

The best kept secret on weight loss!

Eat Less.  

Top ten tips to prevent back pain.

Top ten tips to prevent back pain that you can start TODAY!

1. Maintain a healthy diet and weight
2. Remain active-under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.
3. Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest.
4. Warm up or stretch before exercising or other physical activities, such as gardening.
5. Maintain proper posture.
6. Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
7. Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.
8. Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.
9. Quit smoking.  Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.
10. Work with your doctor of chiropractic to ensure that your computer workstation is ergonomically correct. 

Sitting a lot even if you exercise every day can decrease your life expectancy.

A new study debunks the theory that an hour of exercise a day is all you need to live a long life. Turns out, people who spend more time sitting during their leisure time have an increased risk of death, regardless of daily exercise.

American Cancer Society researchers tracked the activity levels and death rates in more than 123,000 healthy men and women for 13 years. They found women who spend over six hours a day sitting during leisure time (watching TV, playing games, surfing the web, reading) were 40 percent more likely to die sooner than women who spend less than three hours sitting. Men who spend more time sitting have a 20 percent increased risk of death. Essentially, those who sit less, live a longer life than those who don't.

Several factors come into play when figuring out “why” sitting may take years off your life.

The first may seem like common sense. The more time you spend sitting, the more likely you are to passively eat snacks or consume high calories drinks resulting in unhealthy weight gain. But this isn’t always the case. Sedentary obese and normal weight Americans had similar increased risk of death in the study.

Prolonged time sitting suppresses your immune system, which may increase the risk of cancer and other diseases. And your blood isn’t circulating as it should when you’re sedentary for long periods of time. When blood doesn’t flow thru your veins up to your heart, it could lead to dangerous blood clot. It also has metabolic consequences – increasing your resting blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Researchers say the metabolic effect may explain why the association was strongest for cardiovascular disease mortality in the study.

The study, published in the American Journal of Epidemology suggests, “public health guidelines should be refined to include reducing time spent sitting in addition to promoting physical activity.”

So as you keep your brain stimulated with your smart phones, video games and gadgets, wireless apps and paperless books – walk around or stand up while playing your favorite game. You may add years to your life.

Prevent Headaches Before They Happen!

Recently in Yoga Journal there was an article about how to prevent a headache before they happen.  Often times we can feel a headache coming on before they happen.  A lot of us keep our stress in our neck or jaws, which causes tension. This can then lead to a decrease in circulation leading to a headache.  

Yoga Journal gave some simple stretches to do to prevent a headache from coming on.  

While seated, interlace your fingers and place your hands on the back of your head.  Allow your head and arms to relax forward and your chin to travel toward your chest.  The weight of your head and arms, combined with gravity, will begin to release your neck and reduce or eliminate your headache.  

And as the column reminds us, and ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.  

Reach for a healthier back.

Gravity. A poorly fitting chair. The emotions you feel during the day. Bad posture. Stress.

These are all things that can create compression in your lower back. And, as we all know, with compression comes pain. But you can reduce compression and relieve pain at any point during the day with this simple exercise.

Sit comfortably on your chair with your knees open to hip distance and your feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath in and stretch your arms up overhead. Interlace your fingers and turn your palms towards the ceiling, pressing your sitting bones down while reaching up. Keep your arms straight alongside your ears and turn to the right, feeling the stretch on the left ribs and hip. Take five deep breaths, then switch sides.