Exercise:

Exercise can be a daunting thought when you are in pain, or even if you’re not in pain!

Starting an Exercise Program

If you’re trying to start exercising, my first two recommendations are to 1 - keep it simple and 2 - get a friend or loved one to join you in your efforts.  Someone to hold us accountable or offer a little company or competition is a great motivator.  You don’t need to commit to a gym membership or buy a new bike either.  Get yourself in the habit of exercising first to find out what you really like and what you are capable of doing. 

The easiest form of exercise almost anyone can do is, walking. Walking helps:

  • Improve cardiovascular performance
  • Tone muscles of the lower body
  • Keep  your joints mobile
  • Burn calories:  ~ 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and ~ 105 if walking 4.5 miles per hour
  • Reduce the risk of heart disease


Walking just 12 minutes every other day can offer important health benefits, and progressing up to 30 minutes, five days per week will get you to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity that is recommended per week. You could do this walking 15 minutes after lunch and 15 minutes after dinner.  “Active” adults should take approximately 10,000 steps each day and wearing a pedometer is an easy way to track your progress and compare to your exercise partner.


​Stretching
Tight muscles cause shortening of the muscle tendon unit which restricts joint mobility, limiting range of motion and function, and can lead to biomechanical dysfunction, structural deformities, and injury.  By simply stretching a couple times a day we can combat the negative effects of our daily lives - sitting at a desk, driving, repetitive motions, and stress.  Even something as simple as stretching the hamstrings and trapezius muscles on a regular basis can help decrease neck and back pain.


Think of stretching like brushing your teeth we should be stretching 2 - 3 times a day and just like brushing our teeth helps prevent tooth decay, stretching helps to keep our muscles and joints mobile preventing injury and joint degeneration.


Low Back Exercises
For specific condition based exercises please call and ask for a consultation, but here are a couple low back exercises that are very effective and fairly easy to do.  Exercises and stretching should not be painful - if you ever experience any pain, numbness, tingling, or any other abnormal symptoms discontinue your routine and contact our office or your primary care physician.  


  • Prone Press Ups

Lying on your stomach, keep the pelvis and legs in contact with the floor, slowly pushing the torso off the floor and into extension using either the elbows or hands. Be sure to keep the buttocks and back relaxed, and keep the hips in contact with the floor. Hold when in a comfortable position for 10 to 30 seconds, then return to the starting position for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat 10 to 15 times.


  • ​​Bridges

While lying on your back with your knees bent and arms at side, tighten the abdominal muscles and buttocks.  Then tilt the pelvis into a neutral position and raise the pelvis off the floor.  Hold this position for 8 - 1- seconds then return to the starting position and repeat 10 - 15 times.


Other types of exercise that I frequently recommend to my patients: 

  • Yoga.  Yoga incorporates many aspects of stretching and core exercises that are so important for neck and back health.
  • Pool exercises or swimming. Especially if you are someone that has arthritis, swimming or even just walking in the pool is a great way to exercise your muscles while taking it easy on your joints.​​

Patient Forms:The buttons below will open a .pdf file you can save or print.

Patient Resources: 

You can print and fill out new patient paperwork prior to your initial visit to save time.  

Please let us know if you are able do this so we can schedule accordingly.


​If you have insurance, please bring your insurance card with you as well.

Other Information:

  • ​A Jeanie Rub Massager is what I have in the office.  You can find them online for sale at various places here is a link to one of Amazon's products.​
  • Cervical Traction Units are a great way to get relief of neck pain in the comfort of your home.  They can also be purchased on Amazon from $10 to $15.  Here are a couple I have bought and used.  Cervical Traction 1  Cervical Traction 2
  • ​Ice and Heat Protocols - coming soon...

Last Updated: 05/18/17

This page is intended for you!   I plan on updating it as questions and information are presented as well as splitting it into different pages to include more information.   If you have a question or would like to share some valuable information please feel free to contact us.  

Nutrition:

I am not a big fan of diets because there is always a new one that is better than the last.  Eating a balanced diet of nutritional food in the proper portions with the proper proportions of Proteins, Carbohydrates, and the good Fats is the best diet.  Combined with aerobic exercise for your heart, stretching, and exercise for your musculoskeletal system is the optimal way to maintain your health and weight.


I also caution people on making too many changes too fast.  Just like the newest fad diet, these changes won't last. Change one thing at a time if you are serious about changing your diet.  Substitute a glass of water for one of your daily sodas or sweet tea for a week, then keep going and see what you can accomplish.


Below are some good resources on where to start changing your diet to live a longer,  healthier more functional life.


Balanced Diet
For portions and proportions of what a balanced diet actually is go to www.choosemyplate.gov


Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Inflammation plays a major role in pain and arthritis.  An anti-inflammatory diet can decrease your body's potential of becoming inflamed.    Dr. Seaman has published articles in JMPT, Chiropractic Technique, Journal of Chiropractic Humanities, and the Journal of Sports Chiropractic and Rehabilitation. He has also written a text entitled Clinical Nutrition: For Pain, Inflammation, and Tissue Healing. Doctors who follow his nutritional programs often report improved feelings of well being, weight loss, dramatic increases in energy and significant pain reduction. 


Visit his website:  www.deflame.com

Read articles written by Dr. Seaman:  Other Articles


Water

Probably the best things anyone can do for our overall health is to drink enough water.


The old rule of thumb that most of us remember is 8 - 8 ounce glasses a day, but we're not all the same shape and size! Half of your body weight in ounces is the newer guideline.


We are mostly water so why not make sure you are whole!  

Being properly hydrated ​improves muscle tone, increases your energy level, improves lymphatic drainage, aids in digestion, decreases hunger, improves skin tone and keeps us alive!

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