Strong abdominal muscles may actually prevent you from incurring a back injury, since these muscles are so critical to maintaining your spine's position, as well as assisting you with lifting. Strong abdominals can also lower, minimize, or avoid back pain from excessive strains, help your body deal

While many have heard of it, few know very much about it. Yet acupuncture is one of the oldest healing arts in the world, practiced centuries ago by ancient Chinese as a method of curing a host of ailments. Today, Americans make as many as 12 million visits per year to acupuncture practitioners, according

Adjustments Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be a safe and effective alternative treatment for pain and injury. Chiropractors perform 95 percent of all adjustments in the world to correct the subluxations, or misalignments, of the vertebrae in the spine. Chiropractic adjustments are performed

Before the early 1970s, seat belts and shoulder restraints were not standard equipment in automobiles. And it wasn't until 1985 that the first airbags began appearing in cars. The positive impact those two innovations have had on the reduction of spinal cord injuries cannot be underestimated. In fact,

Ankle pain can be caused by something as minor as an ill-fitting shoe or as major as an injury. Many kinds of ankle pain originate on the outer, or lateral, side of the ankle. People with ankle pain often complain about difficulty walking or participating in sports. Some types of ankle pain are constant

In general terms, arthritis is a gradual breakdown or deterioration of the joint spaces in your musculoskeletal system. According to some experts, 8 out of 10 Americans over the age of 55 suffer from one form of arthritis or another. In many cases, arthritis can become so painful and debilitating, simple

Did you know that people lose 20 to 40 percent of their muscle (and along with it their strength) as they age? Our population is aging rapidly as a result of the huge baby boom in the 1950s and 1960s, followed by declining birth rates in the succeeding decades. Thanks to remarkable advances in medicine

In recent years, chiropractic medicine has shown some promising results in caring for children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also commonly referred to as attention deficit disorder, or ADD. Although drugs, such as Ritalin, have demonstrated some effectiveness in treating ADD,

Lower back Lie flat on your stomach. Raise one arm at a time. Hold for 5 counts, then slowly lower. Do 20 repetitions for each arm. Try raising one leg at a time. Hold for 5 counts, then slowly lower. Do 20 repetitions for each leg. Advanced versions of this exercise involve raising both legs or arms

Back injuries are sustained in a myriad of ways and some people are more likely to develop back pain and injury than others are. Some people incur back injuries from doing seemingly nothing; a simple twist or turn the wrong way in bed, for example, could cause a vertebra to go out of alignment. Others

Eighty percent of Americans experience one form of back pain or another during the course of their lives. More men over the age of 45 are disabled by back pain than any other condition. It is the third most common reason for surgeries. Because of this, people complaining of back pain cannot be easily

In recent years, evidence has come to light that we are placing our children at risk for debilitating muscle and joint injuries from overloaded backpacks, a staple among elementary and high school-aged kids. Overloaded backpacks: Cause the shoulders to round, leading to poor posture later in life Distort

Since most of us spend at least a third of our lives lying down, a good quality mattress goes a long way in avoiding a whole host of musculoskeletal problems later in life. In addition, a quality mattress will help you get a good night's sleep, which most health practitioners agree is essential to a

One of the main causes of pain and disease in the human body can be traced to improper alignment of the vertebrae in your spinal column. This is called a subluxation. Through carefully applied pressure, massage, and manual manipulation of the vertebrae and joints, pressure and irritation on the nerves

The act of birth is both a joyous and traumatic event. Few people realize how traumatic birthing can be on an infant's spinal cord. Even under the best of circumstances with highly trained and competent physicians, a baby's nervous system can incur damage while traveling through the birth canal. Often,

As we get older, the discs and the joints of our spines and other bony structures undergo changes; some of these changes are degenerative in nature. While degeneration occurs even in the healthiest of people, it can be encouraged by a number of things such as poor nutrition, an injury, or bad posture. Bone

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressive and sometimes painful joint disorder caused by a compression of the median nerve of your hand. The compression causes swelling, which exerts pressure on the nerves. Carpal tunnel syndrome is probably the most common source of wrist pain. Symptoms may include soreness,

Children should eat a balanced diet, one that includes fruits and vegetables, breads and cereals, milk and dairy products, and meat, fish, and eggs. Minimize starchy foods, such as crackers, pasta, pretzels and potato chips. About calcium and children's bones Your child's intake of calcium and the long-lasting

When all of your body's inter-related systems, including your musculoskeletal, nervous and vascular systems are in balance and functioning properly, your body possesses a remarkable knack for healing itself. This state is called homeostasis. Stress, accidents, sports injuries, even overexertion, can

Chiropractors diagnose and treat a broad range of physical conditions in patients with muscular, nervous, and skeletal problems, especially the spine. Chiropractors make use of conventional diagnostic tests, such as X-rays, MRIs, and lab work, as well as specific procedures that involve manipulation

In spite of its long recognition by the medical community and the government as a safe, proven, and effective treatment, many people today still have misconceptions about chiropractic care. Daniel David Palmer, who is known as the father of chiropractic, bore the brunt of criticism for creating this

Corsets, braces and splints are used in chiropractic treatment. A common application of braces is used to treat children with idiopathic scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. Back braces are recommended only for children (girls between the ages of 11 and 13, and boys between 12 and 14 years old). The

Many of us are familiar with the terms "slipped disc" and "herniated disc." But few people outside the medical profession truly understand how critical their spinal discs are. Without discs, our vertebrae would grind against each other and our spines would collapse under the strain. A whole host of things

Education The educational requirements for chiropractors are similar to that of medical doctors. In general, chiropractors must complete four years of undergraduate study from one of the nation's 17 accredited chiropractic colleges. During the first two years of study, students receive classroom and

If you experience pain in your elbow, chances are very good it was incurred in an injury or physical activity, such as exercise or sports. Here's a look at some types of elbow pain: Golfer's elbow – A type of elbow pain that originates near the inside part of the bony protrusion. A tear or rupture

Because the body's nerves are electrical conductors, medical professionals have long held that stimulating nerve endings with small electrical currents can produce beneficial results. The theory behind electrotherapy as part of chiropractic care is that such stimulation to affected nerves and muscles

Ergonomics is part science, part art. It involves choosing and working with devices that minimize or even eliminate undue strain on our joints and muscles. For those of us who work in an office (or a home office), we're confronted with many opportunities to work in conditions that place our spinal cord,

Exercise and other kinds of physical activity can go far in keeping your body strong and healthy, able to fight disease and ward off injuries from pulling, pushing and lifting. A healthy and fit body also generally recovers faster from injury and pain. In general, there are three basic types of exercise:

Exercise therapy is a form of chiropractic treatment used to help manage pain, rehabilitate damaged soft tissues (such as muscles, ligament and tendons), and restore normal range of motion and function. Such therapy has been shown to alleviate pain, improve overall muscle strength and range of motion,

Patients whose problems were not answered by surgery sometimes call upon chiropractors for help. It is unfortunate they did not consult with a chiropractor before surgery to determine whether their pain or other symptoms would be addressed without drugs or surgical intervention. That said, as many as

Make sure your body is properly conditioned when doing outside work. Warmed-up muscles will be less likely to tighten up or snap when under the strains of bending, pulling, pushing, reaching, or stooping. You can warm up by taking a brisk walk or doing simple stretching exercises, such as knee-to-chest

Chronic headaches and migraines afflict many Americans. The severity of pain can go from mild and intermittent to episodes of debilitating throbbing, unrelenting agony, as well as nausea. Relief comes from a variety of means, including over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs, rest, and ice/heat

While ice therapy is used to reduce swelling, heat therapy is used to relax the muscles and increase circulation. Both kinds of therapy help reduce pain. Heat therapy is often used in patients who have chronic or long-lasting pain. Heat therapy can involve many kinds of methods, from simple heating pads,

Heel pain, like ankle pain, can be caused by something as simple as bad shoes or an injury. But more often than not, heel pain is associated with problems with the nerves, tendons, and ligaments of the foot. The repetitive pounding of one's heel on hard surfaces, to which women who wear high heels can

For centuries scientists, physicians, and even philosophers have long believed that the body's spinal cord is at the root of many ailments that have nothing to do with back or neck pain. But the birth of the chiropractic profession was not to occur until the late-19th century September 18, 1895, to be