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Can you remember a time before back pain? For many of us, it is a struggle just to keep the pain down, let alone achieve fulll range of motion in our spinal joints. But there was a time not long ago when we could do seemingly anything without even giving a thought to back pain.…
Why we should take the loss of muscle mass seriously At some point in our thirties, we begin to lose muscle mass slowly but steadily. This process begins to accelerate as we reach seniority, between the ages of 65 and 75. Along the way, the rate of loss is affected by how active you are:…
Sciatica is widespread in Westwood Sciatica is a widespread condition that is experienced in wildly different ways by those affected. One person may experience burning, sharp and prickly pain while another may feel only a dull aching; one person may feel it only intermittently while the other has symptoms constantly. Other characteristics of sciatica include:…
Too many traditional treatments are falling short when it comes to treating back pain That is because so many of these treatments fail to address the complexity of the back pain phenomenon. Back pain is not simply the acute effect of an injury; it is a more interconnected biological experience that takes into account your…
The first step for improving spinal health is awareness Awareness that this is the one and only spine you will get; awareness that every movement you make has an impact, for better or worse, on your spine. We often only become aware of our spine when our backs are in pain- this is indicative of…
A stiff neck is a workplace distraction Unfortunately, many of the tasks we perform while on the job directly contribute to stiffness in the neck. Few of us have the discipline to keep good posture for eight hours per day; even fewer of us have office equipment that supports good postural habits. Inevitably, we find…
Striving for neutral posture Neutral posture is defined as a position in which the body is aligned and spinal pressure is minimized. There are different versions of neutral posture depending on whether you are sitting, standing or sleeping, but the principals remain the same: maintaining the natural curvature of your spine, keeping the head balanced…
Not all sleep is equal Sleep should be a time of rest and rejuvenation but, for many people sleeping in subpar settings, it can actually be a time that contributes to a cycle of stress and back pain. Comfort of body and mind are what let us fall asleep; comfort influences feelings of calmness, which…
Stiff spinal joints limit range of motion and cause pain Whether it’s due to the chronic inflammation involved in arthritis, acute injury, or tight muscles surrounding the joint capsules, a stiff and sore spinal joint is sure to throw a wrench in your best laid plans. And that wrench often hurts- the stiffness itself is…
Your spine consists of four primary curves The cervical curve at the top of your spine consists of 7 vertebrae in a concave shape; the thoracic consists of 12 vertebrae in a convex shape; the lumbar 5 of the largest vertebrae in the spine forming a concave shape; and finally the sacral curve, consisting of…