Use your legs

Lifting can be done all day without injury if you use a proper technique.  People run into trouble with repetitive lifting because they fatigue and use poor from.  Sometimes it is better to do it in multiple sets rather than try and get it all done at once.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has some tips to help you avoid injury.

Back pain and injuries from improper lifting techniques typically lead to three kinds of injuries to the muscles, vertebral discs, and joints.  Some injuries from incorrect lifting include:

Disc injury

Joint injury

Muscle injury

With improper lifting, you may experience a tear, rupture, or shift out of position of the soft cushions between your vertebrae, called discs.  If this injury does occur, the fibrous rings surrounding the soft leathery discs can bulge and even rupture.  This can cause the dislocated or ruptured disc to press against a nerve, causing pain and numbness to radiate down into you buttocks or leg.

Because of the numerous joints in your spinal column that connect all of the various bony structures, injury may occur.  A joint injury can be caused by a bad lift because it causes excessive strain on your joints, irritating tissue within them, and in some cases, locking them up.  As well, if you change position during a lift, you can place a lot of stress on your lower back muscles.  This added stress can easily strain and injure your back, usually in the form of a small twist or tear of a single muscle or group of muscles.

An important rule to remember when lifting is to never bend from your waist and then stand upright to lift an item from the ground.  Keep your back straight and crouch first by bending at the knees or hips.  This all depends on where the item is that you are lifting and allows your arms and shoulder muscles to do the brunt of the lifting, rather than your back.  Some simple lifting techniques include:

Make sure you have a place to put the object you are lifting.

If you need to turn while lifting the object, use your feet to pivot, not your back.

Your leg muscles should be the ones providing the power during your motion to stand erect, not your back.

Keep the object close to your body in order to maximize the use of your arms and shoulder muscles.

Keep your chest forward and bend at your hips, or knees, not your lower back.

When lifting, push your chest out, pointing forward.  Avoid twisting or turning during your lift as this will cause injury.

Lead with your hips, not your shoulders and keep your shoulders in line with your hips.

Don’t lift any objects that are obviously too heavy.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

That is a lot of tomatoes!

It is coming up on harvest time!  You have some last-minute weeding and watering but it is almost time to harvest 90 tomatoes all at once.  Eat 20 and give 70 away!  But it is all in the fun of the project and your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor wants to make sure you don’t get hurt.

Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to stretch your muscles before reaching for your gardening tools. The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.

A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity,” says Dr. Scott Bautch, a member of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain and stiffness.”

To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, it is important to prepare your body for this type of physical activity. The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.

Garden Fitness Stretches

Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the “no pain, no gain” rule. Stretching should not be painful.

While sitting, stretch your leg out in front of you, knee straight, and prop your heel on a step. Then lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.

Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.

While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.

Do the “Hug your best friend” stretch. Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Finally, be aware of your body technique, body form and correct posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced

After the Bulbs Are Planted

If you feel muscle aches and pains after your day in the garden, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Apply a cold pack on the area of pain for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours, and consider seeking the services of a doctor of chiropractic in your area.

Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. While best known for their expertise in treating the musculoskeletal system and their use of spinal manipulation, DCs have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Try to remember…

Proper lifting is something we always pretend we do.  In a quick moment you twist, bend, lift and say ouch!  As your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor I am obligated to tell you how to lift properly but my business relies on you not lifting properly.  Fortunately for me most read this go ohhh yea than bend, twist, lift and say ouch.

Back pain and injuries from improper lifting techniques typically lead to three kinds of injuries to the muscles, vertebral discs, and joints.  Some injuries from incorrect lifting include:

Disc injury

Joint injury

Muscle injury

With improper lifting, you may experience a tear, rupture, or shift out of position of the soft cushions between your vertebrae, called discs.  If this injury does occur, the fibrous rings surrounding the soft leathery discs can bulge and even rupture.  This can cause the dislocated or ruptured disc to press against a nerve, causing pain and numbness to radiate down into you buttocks or leg.

Because of the numerous joints in your spinal column that connect all of the various bony structures, injury may occur.  A joint injury can be caused by a bad lift because it causes excessive strain on your joints, irritating tissue within them, and in some cases, locking them up.  As well, if you change position during a lift, you can place a lot of stress on your lower back muscles.  This added stress can easily strain and injure your back, usually in the form of a small twist or tear of a single muscle or group of muscles.

 

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An important rule to remember when lifting is to never bend from your waist and then stand upright to lift an item from the ground.  Keep your back straight and crouch first by bending at the knees or hips.  This all depends on where the item is that you are lifting and allows your arms and shoulder muscles to do the brunt of the lifting, rather than your back.  Some simple lifting techniques include:

Make sure you have a place to put the object you are lifting.

If you need to turn while lifting the object, use your feet to pivot, not your back.

Your leg muscles should be the ones providing the power during your motion to stand erect, not your back.

Keep the object close to your body in order to maximize the use of your arms and shoulder muscles.

Keep your chest forward and bend at your hips, or knees, not your lower back.

When lifting, push your chest out, pointing forward.  Avoid twisting or turning during your lift as this will cause injury.

Lead with your hips, not your shoulders and keep your shoulders in line with your hips.

Don’t lift any objects that are obviously too heavy.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Just rake it!

It is time to clean up the last of winter and get ready for summer.  Which just means mowing your lawn but it has to be done.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has some tips to safely get that yardwork done.

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.

Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.


Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.

When it’s still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you’re a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.

Wear supportive shoes. Good foot and arch support can stop some of the strain from affecting your back.

When raking, use a “scissors” stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.

Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.

If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.

Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.

Try ergonomic tools, too. They’re engineered to protect you when used properly.

If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there’s no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

At some point we will get snow!

I know it is going to be 62 on January 3 but the snow is coming.  So, start preparing now with salt and a good shovel.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor will show you how to shovel.

Typically, the arms, shoulders and back get sore and may occasionally feel pain. The cold air invigorates most people into action; however, the same cold air can numb the sensations of pain and fatigue. Unfortunately, pain is a sign that an injury has already occurred or that mechanically you are doing something incorrect in shoveling the snow. In short, there is a right way and a wrong way to shovel snow, and paying attention to your technique can make a big difference in how you feel the next day. As with any project, the prep work is the most important. The following are some quick tips on how to shovel snow smarter:

Spray your shovel with Teflon so the snow won’t stick to it. The more snow that stays on the shovel, the heavier it gets and the more chance for injury – and frustration.

Do a warm-up first. A tight, stiff body is asking for injury. A few minutes of stretching can save you a lot of pain later. When you are shoveling, don’t forget to breathe. Holding your breath makes you tight and stiff.

Layer your clothing. Layered clothing will keep your muscles warm and flexible. You can shed a layer if you get too hot. Make sure you wear gloves that cover your wrists; if your wrists get cold, your fingers, hands and arms will be cold, too.

Wear the right shoes. Choose shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of walking on hard, frozen ground.

Use the right size shovel. Your shovel should be about chest high on you, allowing you to keep your back straight when lifting. A shovel with a short staff forces you to bend more to lift the load; a too-tall shovel makes the weight heavier at the end. (Note: Save your money – don’t buy a fancy ergonomic shovel; studies have shown that in some models, the hook end is too deep. Twisting to unload a shovelful of snow with this tool may hurt your wrists.) Also keep one hand close to the base of the shovel to balance weight and lessen the strain on your back.

Timing is everything. Listen to weather forecasts so you can shovel in ideal conditions. If possible, wait until the afternoon to shovel. Many spinal disc injuries occur in the morning when there is increased fluid pressure in the disc because your body has been at rest all night.

Drink lots of water. Drinking water frequently throughout the day helps to keep muscles and body hydrated. Be careful with hot drinks like coffee or hot chocolate. Coffee contains caffeine, which has a dehydrating effect and adds even more stress to the body.

Use proper posture. When you do shovel, bend your knees and keep your back straight while lifting with your legs. Push the snow straight ahead; don’t try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Try to shovel forward to avoid sudden twists of the torso and reduce strain on the back. The American Chiropractic Association recommends using the “scissors stance,” in which you work with your right foot forward for a few minutes and then shift to the front foot.

Take your time. Working too hard, too fast is an easy way to strain muscles. Take frequent breaks. Shovel for about five minutes at a time and then rest for two minutes.

See your chiropractor. Gentle spinal manipulation will help keep your back flexible and minimize the chance for injury. If you do overdo it, your chiropractor can help you feel better and prevent more injury.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Bend at your knees!

We all do it!  In a rush just quickly bend over and twist to grab something and bam, something bad just happened.  Those may be hard to avoid but knowing how to lift properly can help you in the long run.  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has some tips on proper lifting.  In the event the BAM happens give us a call.

 

Back pain and injuries from improper lifting techniques typically lead to three kinds of injuries to the muscles, vertebral discs, and joints.  Some injuries from incorrect lifting include:

Disc injury

Joint injury

Muscle injury

With improper lifting, you may experience a tear, rupture, or shift out of position of the soft cushions between your vertebrae, called discs.  If this injury does occur, the fibrous rings surrounding the soft leathery discs can bulge and even rupture.  This can cause the dislocated or ruptured disc to press against a nerve, causing pain and numbness to radiate down into you buttocks or leg.

Because of the numerous joints in your spinal column that connect all of the various bony structures, injury may occur.  A joint injury can be caused by a bad lift because it causes excessive strain on your joints, irritating tissue within them, and in some cases, locking them up.  As well, if you change position during a lift, you can place a lot of stress on your lower back muscles.  This added stress can easily strain and injure your back, usually in the form of a small twist or tear of a single muscle or group of muscles.

An important rule to remember when lifting is to never bend from your waist and then stand upright to lift an item from the ground.  Keep your back straight and crouch first by bending at the knees or hips.  This all depends on where the item is that you are lifting and allows your arms and shoulder muscles to do the brunt of the lifting, rather than your back.  Some simple lifting techniques include:

Make sure you have a place to put the object you are lifting.

If you need to turn while lifting the object, use your feet to pivot, not your back.

Your leg muscles should be the ones providing the power during your motion to stand erect, not your back.

Keep the object close to your body in order to maximize the use of your arms and shoulder muscles.

Keep your chest forward and bend at your hips, or knees, not your lower back.

When lifting, push your chest out, pointing forward.  Avoid twisting or turning during your lift as this will cause injury.

Lead with your hips, not your shoulders and keep your shoulders in line with your hips.

Don’t lift any objects that are obviously too heavy.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Bored… Go rake some leaves!

Yep we have reached this level of quarantine boredom… leaf raking.  We all know this would never take place but here we are.   Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractors has a few tips to help you do it safely!

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.

What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.

Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.

Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.

When it’s still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you’re a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.

Wear supportive shoes. Good foot and arch support can stop some of the strain from affecting your back.

When raking, use a “scissors” stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.

Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.

If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.

Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.

Try ergonomic tools, too. They’re engineered to protect you when used properly.

If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there’s no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Correct lifting technique

It is easy to say make sure you lift correctly… but what is the correct way?  Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractor has some proper lifting tips for you.  Since you are always going to be bending and lifting you might as well do it correctly.

Back pain and injuries from improper lifting techniques typically lead to three kinds of injuries to the muscles, vertebral discs, and joints.  Some injuries from incorrect lifting include:

Disc injury

Joint injury

Muscle injury

With improper lifting, you may experience a tear, rupture, or shift out of position of the soft cushions between your vertebrae, called discs.  If this injury does occur, the fibrous rings surrounding the soft leathery discs can bulge and even rupture.  This can cause the dislocated or ruptured disc to press against a nerve, causing pain and numbness to radiate down into you buttocks or leg.

Because of the numerous joints in your spinal column that connect all of the various bony structures, injury may occur.  A joint injury can be caused by a bad lift because it causes excessive strain on your joints, irritating tissue within them, and in some cases, locking them up.  As well, if you change position during a lift, you can place a lot of stress on your lower back muscles.  This added stress can easily strain and injure your back, usually in the form of a small twist or tear of a single muscle or group of muscles.

An important rule to remember when lifting is to never bend from your waist and then stand upright to lift an item from the ground.  Keep your back straight and crouch first by bending at the knees or hips.  This all depends on where the item is that you are lifting and allows your arms and shoulder muscles to do the brunt of the lifting, rather than your back.  Some simple lifting techniques include:

Make sure you have a place to put the object you are lifting.

If you need to turn while lifting the object, use your feet to pivot, not your back.

Your leg muscles should be the ones providing the power during your motion to stand erect, not your back.

Keep the object close to your body in order to maximize the use of your arms and shoulder muscles.

Keep your chest forward and bend at your hips, or knees, not your lower back.

When lifting, push your chest out, pointing forward.  Avoid twisting or turning during your lift as this will cause injury.

Lead with your hips, not your shoulders and keep your shoulders in line with your hips.

Don’t lift any objects that are obviously too heavy.

 

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Weights or Cardio

In my search to find possibly lazier ways to work out I decided to check and see if lifting weights would burn more calories than cardio.  I determined this was based on how much I wanted to lie to myself about the effort I put in.  It is an accepted fact that running a mile burns 100 calories.  So, say you did 6 miles in an hour you burned 600 calories.  Now let’s compare that to lifting weights.  Your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area has some information from Livestrong that helps clear this up.

Strength training, or resistance training, includes lifting free weights, using weight machines, working with resistance bands and performing body-weight exercises. Although this type of exercise doesn’t burn many calories, it keeps your muscles and bones strong and can increase your metabolism, which means you burn more calories throughout the day. A total-body strength-training workout at least twice a week is vital for maintaining overall health.

Calories Burned

Most strength-training workouts burn only a modest amount of calories compared to aerobic activities. Half an hour of moderate weightlifting burns 112 calories if you weigh 155 pounds and 133 calories if you’re 185 pounds, according to the Harvard Medical School. Vigorous weightlifting burns 223 calories for a 155-pound person and 266 calories for a 185-pound person. Half an hour of body-weight exercises like pushups and pullups burn 167 calories if you weigh 155 pounds and 200 calories if you weigh 185 pounds. Perform these at a more vigorous intensity and you can burn 298 calories at 155 pounds and 355 calories at 185 pounds.

Heavier Weights

Lifting weights just 5 to 10 percent heavier than the ones you currently use may help you burn 500 to 600 more calories per strength training session. Heavier weights with which you can perform only 6 to 8 repetitions are a better option than light weights with which you can perform 12 to 15 repetitions. Using heavier weights boosts your metabolism more post-workout than using light weights.

Compound Exercises

Compound exercises, which involve multiple joints, burn more calories than isolation exercises involving just one joint, such as biceps curls. Compound exercise options include pushups, pullups, barbell squats, lunges, bench presses, military presses and deadlifts. Ideally, aim to involve as many muscles as you can in each exercise. For example, you might perform a body-weight squat with a bicep curl.

Circuit Training

A circuit-training routine that combines strength training and cardiovascular exercise can increase your calorie-burning rate. This type of circuit training involves alternating between strength training and cardiovascular exercise with no rest between each exercise. You might do strengthening for one minute then cardio for one minute. Or complete a circuit of five or six strength-training exercises, do high-intensity cardio for one to five minutes, then repeat the strength-training circuit. Always start your workout with a cardiovascular warm-up of at least five minutes.

 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link