Chiropractic Articles

This Month's Article:

Is your back ready to Seek the Peak?

Discover how you can get ahead of last year’s pace!

The Grouse Grind is not only one of the most popular trails in the Lower Mainland, but in North America too. Chances are that as a resident of the North Shore you have scrambled up the roots, rocks and stairs perhaps dozens of times. What a great feeling it is to leave our slouched positions behind at the office and hit the trail before the sun sets!

Slouched positions? We should pause for a moment to consider whether hours spent sitting slouched, be it at the computer or in the car, could set us up for potential problems on the trails.
What happens to our spines when we slouch? Typically the normal curve in the lower back (called a lordosis) will flatten out or even become reversed. The pelvis (or more accurately the infamous sacro-iliac joints) will rotate into extension (backwards), and the upper back will become rounded too.

Well, so what? That all straightens out when I stand up, right? Perhaps not.

Consider this: Do you remember the first day of your first office job? The chances are it was quite a while ago and let's say on that day you did indeed slouch. When you stood up to go home your spine most likely did return to it's preferred position. Now be honest: how many years ago was that? The point is over time the spine loses flexibility and gradually those poor postural habits become permanent. Our spines are supposed to have "S" shaped curves, not "C"-shaped.

Back to the Grind! Somewhere between the quarter and the half way marks is where I bet many of us start to focus on that ache in the lower back. Now, if your spine was better conditioned and optimal posture and biomechanics were achieved, how much more efficiently would you climb?

If your goal is to reach your full potential this summer hiking, biking, running or any sport, chiropractic care should be considered not only to fix problems once they occur, but to prevent them. One of the many things a chiropractor will do is restore proper function and flexibility to your spine. By restoring function to the joints, the chiropractic adjustment will not only allow you to more easily "seek the peak" but will increase your vitality and longevity too.

 

Taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate?

There are several types of cartilage in the body, but the most common is called hyaline cartilage.

Hyaline cartilage is found on the surfaces of movable joints, and its primary function is to minimize friction between moving bones. The cells of hyaline cartilage are called chondrocytes, and these cells are busy building new materials to keep the cartilage healthy.

But how is this important? Won’t my body take care of this on its own?

The answer is yes, but it could always use some help. Unfortunately hyaline cartilage does not have any blood vessels. This means that the cartilage cells have to rely on individual joint compression and decompression for the much needed nutrients to reach them.This mechanical process is achieved through our activities of daily living. Therefore, in order to
maintain healthy joints and cartilage, it is important to live an active lifestyle!

But how will my Chiropractor help? Can’t I just do regular exercise?

Well exercise is excellent, but some- times specific joints need a little bit more. These joints may have become tight or restricted over time, despite regular exercise. The job of the Chiropractor, therefore, is to determine which joints are restricted from their normal motions and to correct this. Sometimes a gentle mobilization is all that is needed in order to achieve great results!

Once your joints are moving properly again, vital nutrients such as glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate will be able to move more easily to the cartilage’s chondrocyte cells. This will promote optimal health in your joint cartilage, and maximize the benefits you receive from your glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements.

For more information you can visit www.whychiropractic.ca for interactive graphics that help understand the importance of motion and spinal health.

 

Reference: Junqueria, Carnerio, Kelley. (1998). Basic

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