Posts Tagged ‘Tips’
Friday, May 7th, 2010
Mom’s work harder than pretty much anyone, and their backs often pay the price. This Mother’s Day, why not do something practical for her, which will help save her back throughout the year. Here are 5 things you can do for your Mom’s back this Mother’s Day:
-Invite your mom to pick a day, and help her organize her closet- putting the most frequently used items at non-bending, non-reaching height. Get her a back-of-the-door shoe bag (Target $9) to get her shoes off the floor so she won’t have to bend all the way to the floor first thing in the AM to get at them.
-If it is geographically possible, pick one day a week when you can take a good long walk with your Mom. As always, if you rest- you rust, so getting out there will help burn a few calories, mobilize your spine and other joints, and give you an opportunity to reconnect.
-If your Mom is like mine, her refrigerator is full of all kinds of stuff she doesn’t even remember is there- forcing her to stand hunched by the fridge door hunting for what she actually needs. Grab a bag and ditch everything in there that’s not been used in more than a while, anything you cannot identify, and anything you don’t anticipate using (The folks at IKEA had you pretty well convinced that lingonberry jam would become a part of your daily breakfast!) When the stuff you don’t want is gone, give some thought to organizing what you do want in ways that make sense, and minimize the deep bending.
-One of my favorite tips- one which I cannot stress enough: If your Mom carries a briefcase, handbag or purse, encourage her to take a moment and purge the contents of anything that she doesn’t absolutely need. My briefcase routinely accumulates so much extra junk- and that junk weighs a LOT. DECLUTTER!
-If the weather is good this Sunday, take a few minutes, and wash your Mom’s car. Honestly, when is the last time she did it?
My best wishes to all of the Moms out there- I hope you all have a fantastic Mother’s Day.
-Andy
To my beautiful wife, Donna- Happy Mother's Day!
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, Ergonomics, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Mom, Mother's Day, Neck Pain, Tips
Posted in Announcements, Tips | No Comments »
Friday, April 30th, 2010
dubrow
Today, Matt Dubrow, D.O. presents his ‘One Thing.’ His recommendation, to stretch first thing in the morning, is a great one. You are far more likely to injure your back in the morning before you have adequately warmed up, than at any other time during the day. You would be surprised how many people throw their backs out while sitting on the edge of their bed putting on a pair of socks! Thank you again Matt!
I have asked stretching expert Jorden Gold to provide a follow up to this post, and give us his 3 best first-thing-in-the-morning stretches. Look for that post early next week.
Thanks for visiting,
Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, dubrow, kirschner, Low Back Pain, matt dubrow, one thing, stretch, stretching, Tips
Posted in stretching, The One Thing, Tips, Videos | No Comments »
Friday, April 16th, 2010
Sciatica is one of the most nagging types of pain you can have- it is like a toothache in your leg! Here’s a simple self-stretch you can do to help alleviate it, but before I share it, you should probably understand a little about sciatica…
Sciatica is a blanket term for pain associated with the sciatic nerve- the nerve which exits your spine between L5 and S1, and innervates part of your leg. Irritation of the sciatic nerve can cause pain which radiates down the back of the leg. If pain radiates down the front or side of the leg, you are talking about a different nerve.
Now, there are a few things which can irritate this nerve, most predominantly a bulging or herniated disc, or compression of the nerve by the piriformis muscle. It is this piriformis spasm or piriformis syndrome which is the focus of this stretch. Lets talk about the anatomy for a moment.
The sciatic nerve goes down the back of your leg, through your buttocks, where it passes beneath the short, thick piriformis muscle. The space through which this nerve traverses is kind of small, so when the piriformis is in spasm, or contracts- it reduces the size of the space through which the nerve travels- and compresses or irritates it, causing sciatic pain.
For this stretch, find a comfortable chair without too much padding, and which allows you to sit evenly with good lower back support. Take the painful leg, and cross it over the other, with the ankle resting on the knee of the non-painful leg.
Slowly lean forward with your upper body, resting your arms on your legs, until you feel the beginning of the stretch and then go just a little further. Hold this position for a few seconds, then return to a neutral position.
Repeat this a few times each session for 2-3 sessions a day. Give it a shot- you may surprise yourself how much this simple stretch can help. This stretch should not exacerbate your discomfort. If it does, it is possible that your pain is coming from a different source. If your pain lasts more than a couple of days, and you haven’t had it accurately diagnosed- you should definitely see your physician.
Be well, and have a fantastic weekend!
-Andy
I am on a serious Alphonse Mucha kick- I think I may start Summer painting early this year.
Tags: anatomy, andrew kirschner andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, kirschner, Low Back Pain, pain, piriformis, Sciatica, Tips
Posted in Low Back Pain, Sciatica, stretching, Tips | No Comments »
Friday, April 16th, 2010
We almost all have a tendency cross one leg predominantly over the other when we are sitting (If I don’t think about it, I almost always have my right leg crossed over my left.) Lower back pain, and sciatica can be worsened by a pelvic shift one way or the other. In much the same way I ask you to switch the side you carry your handbag or briefcase- try alternating which leg you cross, if you do cross your legs at all. This will help to even things out.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, kirschner, Low Back Pain, sciatic, Sciatica, Tips
Posted in Low Back Pain, Sciatica, Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D. | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Your body mechanics are such that you place yourself at higher risk for back injury when pulling a heavy object rather than pushing. If you must pull, try to utilize the most stable base you can- utilizing your legs rather than your back.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, kirschner, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, pain, Sciatica, tip of the day, Tips
Posted in Ergonomics, Low Back Pain, Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D. | No Comments »
Monday, April 5th, 2010
Today, I answer one of the most frequently asked questions in my practice: After all of the treatments, adjustments, therapy- why am I still in pain?
Some helpful tips follow the video. Enjoy!
WhyIstillhavepain
Here are some things to pay attention to in your spine lifestyle. Addressing these few things may go a long way towards helping you to find relief. Take a look at these:
1) Make sure your workspace is as ergonomically optimized as possible. Good chair, good organization of work related materials, etc…
2) Get regular sleep. Optimize your sleep environment- supportive mattress, dark room, quiet. Don’t consume caffeine within several hours of your bedtime.
3) Get regular exercise, and exercise properly- maintaining an optimal body composition will help take the strain off of your back. Good form will ensure that you are working the correct muscle groups, and prevent you from harming yourself further.
4) Minimize the weight of the items you carry with your. Dump out the contents of your purse or briefcase and get rid of everything you don’t really need.
5) Make sure your car is as spine friendly as possible; Adjust seating and controls for easy, unstrained reach. Add a lumbar support (a rolled up t-shirt will do.) Set your mirrors so you aren’t cocking your head one way or another.
6) Consume plenty of water daily. This helps to eliminate cellular waste from your system, and allows you to heal and function more efficiently. Take a few minutes, several times a day to do some relaxing, restorative deep breathing exercises.
7) And as always, use a headset while you are on the phone- Cradling your phone between your ear & shoulder is one sure way to wreck your neck!
A good place to start is to pay attention to those areas where you spend the most time. Invite your partner to pay attention as well- sometimes an objective second party set of eyes will notice things you will not.
Be well!
-Andy
Victoria & Albert Museum, Kensington, London
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, back, back health, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, chronic pain, health, lifestyle, muscle spasm, neck, Neck Pain, pain, Sciatica, spine, Tips
Posted in Announcements, Ergonomics, Fitness & Exercise, General Health Information, Tips, Videos | No Comments »
Monday, March 29th, 2010
Here is a fantastic post from Terri Trespicio’s blog. Terri is a writer/editor for Martha Stewart’s WholeLiving magazine, as well as the host of the Body & Soul show on Martha Stewart Radio. You should definitely check out her excellent blog and radio show.
Here is a recent post Terri did on decluttering your home. She offers some great tips and suggestions for using/reusing different common items in your home to help cut down the clutter. I know this isn’t a ‘back pain’ piece strictly speaking- but is a great entree into the concept of a back friendly home.
Look for some excellent ways to make your home more back friendly here on BackWords- The Back Together Blog.
Be Well,
Andy
One of the many, beautiful murals you may run into while strolling through Old Quebec City.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, Ergonomics, Martha Stewart, Neck Pain, Terri Trespicio, Tips, WholeLiving
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Monday, March 22nd, 2010
If you have been dealing with back pain, have you ever spoken with someone who has a similar condition? If you have met with people with similar spinal issues, you may have noticed that many people experience pain in different ways, and that different folks have different pain tolerances.
An article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes a gene which has been identified as SCN9A which plays a role in how you tolerate pain. Researchers found this gene was ‘underrepresented’ in patients suffering from rare conditions where patients don’t sense pain, and that it was over active in patients who had hypersensitivity to pain.
Now this news is probably not real comfort to you if you are hurting at this very moment. But clearly, there need to be other factors which can influence how you experience pain, otherwise you wouldn’t have ‘good days’ and ‘bad days.’
Here are just a few thoughts on getting more ‘better days.’…
-If you stick around this blog long enough, you will know what a big role I feel psychology has in how you feel. More and more studies cite the importance of the mind-body connection. Knowing this, take a few minutes out of each day to improve your psychology- this can come from meditation, a hobby, reading- doesn’t matter what- JUST DO IT!
-Regular exercise will keep your body ‘lubricated’ and as close to peak as possible. Take a few moments out of your day to work on your fitness.
-Maximize the quality of your sleep. Good sleep gives your body a chance to recharge and recuperate- both physically and mentally.
-Give yourself time for good social interactions- both with your partner/spouse and with friends. These interactions help solidify your feelings of worth and participation in community- key positive emotions.
These are just a sampling of the things you can do. Check back here often for more tips, and if you have specific questions or comments about your personal situation send ‘em in- as always, your contributions are what keep this place interesting!
Be well!
-Andy
My father & I with the late, great Oscar Peterson- the greatest jazz pianist ever.
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, back, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, gene, genetics, kirschner, Low Back Pain, psychology, research, studies, study, Tips
Posted in General Health Information, Studies & Research, Tips | No Comments »
Monday, March 15th, 2010
Any time you have bodywork done, be it Osteopathic treatment, Massage, Chiropractic- it doesn’t matter what- be sure to consume plenty of water that day. Manipulation of the soft tissue can stimulate areas of the lymphatic system, releasing all sorts of cellular waste. A healthy amount of water will help flush those waste products out of your system.
Be well!
-Andy
Tags: Back Pain, body work, bodywork, chiropractic, lymphatic, massage, Neck Pain, osteopathic, tip of the day, Tips, treatment
Posted in Tip o' the Day/ B.T.T.o.D. | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
See your family doctor regularly for general check ups- there are some conditions that cause back pain and have nothing to do with your back. Some of these conditions are serious- and they can involve almost any of your internal organs. Early intervention can often mean the difference between relief and a catastrophe.
If you have new-onset pain which lasts more than a few days, see your doctor right away- particularly if your pain does not have a clear cause (like you’ve been gardening or moving furniture all week!)
Many people develop back pain, and believe they will ‘work through it’ or that it will simply go away. Don’t fall into this trap, and you will save yourself lots of aggravation.
Thank you for stopping by!
Best,
Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, checkup, checkups, doctor, kirschner, pain, tip, Tips
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
