As the beginning of the school year approaches we are always looking forward to our children doing well in school. We make sure they have their books packed away in their backpacks and ready to be taken to classes the next day. We make sure they bring home their books and do their homework at night. But during all of this bookwork transfer, are we overlooking a subtle yet serious threat to our child’s health? What we may be overlooking is a threat to our children's spine more sinister than any fall off the swing set.

Recently scientists have begun to examine the effects of carrying heavy backpacks full of books. What they have discovered is that carrying heavy backpacks may pose a serious threat to your child's spinal development. A team of researchers at Auburn University has studied 421 students and found that backpacks carried with one-strap promoted lateral spinal bending and shoulder elevation. Additionally, they noted carrying a backpack promoted significant forward lean of head and trunk resulting in abnormal strain of muscles.

“While carrying a backpack to school every morning may seem harmless enough, it can cause painful back and neck problems and injuries for students who do not pack or carry their backpacks properly. It can also lead to long-term health problems. As a chiropractor, I am acutely aware of short-and long-term concerns this may produce,” says Dr. Scott Dubrul of Powersource Chiropractic. “Most people equate their health to how they feel and parents reflect that same status upon their kids. They rely on the presence of pain symptoms to decide whether or not their children are healthy and free of sickness,” says Dr. Dubrul. “But they may be overlooking their child’s postural pattern as a gateway to their child’s health.”

The scientists from this study stated that the average backpack represented 17% of the child's body weight. If we apply this standard to adults, it would be the equivalent of the average 150 pound adult carrying a 26-pound backpack. This would explain why 67.2% of the subjects suffered muscle soreness, 50.8% suffered back pain, 24.5% suffered numbness, and 14.7% suffered shoulder pain. The researchers went on to conclude that the daily physical stresses associated with carrying a backpack on one shoulder significantly alters the posture and gait of the youth. 

“Basically what researchers are finding is that subtle, daily physical stresses to the spine in the form of weighted loads like backpacks can cause hidden stresses to the body, specifically in the form of postural imbalances,” states Dr. Dubrul.  “And posture affects and moderates every function from breathing to hormonal production. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by poor posture.”

The authors of the Auburn study also state that the effects of weight bearing induced stress is a serious issue when considering children and youths who are experiencing physical growth and motor development.

So what can a parent do to help reduce the sheer physical load on their child’s spine if a backpack must be used? If your child does use backpacks to carry books Dr. Dubrul recommends that you reduce the physical stress associated with carry backpacks by doing the following:

1. Make sure that the weight of the backpack does not exceed more than 15% of the child's total body weight. This is especially important for children in grades 1-4.

 2. Avoid using backpacks or athletic bags that have only one strap.

3. Ensure that children wear both straps on their shoulders to distribute weight evenly. This will significantly reduce book bag carrying stresses.  

4. Use the waist belt at all times  

5. Use of a roller bag is best if there are not a lot of stairs in the school. 

6. Have a spinal evaluation by a chiropractor to determine if any structural problems are present.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS is the largest single cause of death in infants from 2 weeks to 1 year. Approximately 6,000 babies die every year. This affects 2 / 1,000 births. SIDS usually occurs between 2 and 4 months but it can happen from 1 week to 12 months. 90% of SIDS occurs in the 1st 6 months. It occurs more in frequently in winter and usually between midnight and 6 AM.

In Europe, stomach sleeping was discouraged as it increased SIDS. Finally in1992, the medical profession in the US finally realized that stomach sleeping increased SIDS. SIDS decreased by 40%.

The question can be asked, “Why did stopping stomach sleeping decrease the incidence of SIDS so dramatically?” The easy answer is that it stopped the child from getting into a position from suffocating. But is that the end of the story? Research and knowledge of how the body works shows that there is more to the story that, if applied, could possibly decrease SIDS dramatically.

In 1979, Gilles, discussed infantile alanto-occipitalinstability and its relationship to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. He found that 10 out of  11 of SIDS deaths had atlas inversion or C0- C1 extension malposition. (A technical way of saying spinal misalignment.) The 11th had ligament damage accounting for the death.

In 1991 Schneier did flexion and extension X-rays on 50 babies who had died from SIDS. All of the cases had atlas inversion, which is an extension malposition of the occiput and the atlas. This basically means that the skull is jammed down on the first vertebra or spinal bone in the neck. This area protects the brain stem which is responsible for heart rate and regulation and breathing.

Is it possible that the misalignment creates an interference to the brain stem function, causing an inability for the baby to breath properly, especially when lying on their stomach with their head turned to one side?

It seems plausible and while more research needs to be done to confirm this as a true cause, doesn’t it make sense to have your child’s spine evaluated for misalignment immediately after birth?

Based upon my years of clinical experience and study,  I think it makes perfect sense.

Powersource Chiropractic treats a variety on conditions, some of which present with no symptoms. Call Dr. Scott Dubrul at 805-781-9155 today to have your child’s spine evaluated for the presence of any malpositions or read further on Why Your Child Should Have Chiropractic Care.

You are probably aware of the fact that your brain, spinal cord and nerves make up your nervous system. You probably also know that this system runs all of the systems in your entire body. But, were you aware that if your spine becomes stuck and misaligned, it begins to irritate and interfere with your nervous system?

For over 100 years now, Doctors of Chiropractic have been correcting these misalignments and seeing magnificent changes in their patients. In a study known as the Windsor autopsies, Dr. Henry Windsor M.D. found that autopsies of over 77 cadavers showed that in areas of minor curvature of the spine, there was damage to the nerves and damage to the organ systems associated with those nerves nearly 100% of the time. More current research shows that spinal misalignments called vertebral subluxations affect the nervous system and create chronic stress within the body, causing all kinds of problems.

Much like heart disease and cancer, spinal misalignments occur routinely with little to no pain, yet they begin immediately causing degenerative changes in the joints and interference to your master system. The research is clear that this interference sets your body on the road to sickness.

The fact is that you get your teeth examined, cleaned and worked on regularly. Many of you probably get your yearly physical, cholesterol, colon check-up etc. with absolutely no specific pain or perceived problem. Isn’t it time to have your spine examined and treated if need be? Do it before a crisis comes. Remember, the moment your spine misaligns, breakdown begins.

Dr. Scott Dubrul of Powersource Chiropractic can examine your spine to find out if it is in the beginning stages of becoming misaligned. Call 805-781-9155 now or to schedule a complementary consultation with Dr. Scott Dubrul. 

For most people, ginger is just an ordinary kitchen spice. However, new research from the University of Georgia has found that it might also be a great natural pain reliever. A group of researchers compared the pain-relieving properties of raw versus cooked ginger in a group of 74 volunteers with muscle pain.

The subjects consumed capsules containing either raw or cooked ginger, or a placebo for 11 days. On day eight, they were given arm weights to lift to induce muscle inflammation and pain.

The researchers found that ginger reduced pain by 25 percent as compared to placebo. They concluded, “Daily consumption of raw and heat-treated ginger resulted in moderate-to-large reductions in muscle pain following exercise-induced muscle injury.”

Reference

Black CD, Herring MP, Hurley DJ, O’Connor PJ. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Reduces Muscle Pain Caused by Eccentric Exercise. J Pain. 2010 Apr 23. [Epub ahead of print]

Posted in Health & Wellness, Herbs/ Teas & Homeopathy, Nutrition / Detoxification, Sports / Exercise / Fitness by Tina Beychok at May 20th, 2010.

Most patients seek chiropractic care primarily for pain relief. But what is chiropractic's role in regulating our nervous system? How can aligning spinal bones affect brain messages?

Brain messages govern the thousands of functions that keep a body healthy and functioning properly. When the bones are not aligned properly the healing messages do not get from the brain to the corresponding part of the body in an efficient manner. The brain contains 100 billion active neurons that store information and transmits this information to other cells and all parts of the body by way of electrical and chemical impulses that travel along the nervous system.

“All nerves in the body connect to the brain by way of the spinal column.  If the bones of the spine are out of alignment, putting pressure on the nervous system, this disrupts vital communication between your brain and all the other parts of your body”, Dr. Dubrul explains. 

By keeping the spinal vertebrae in alignment, the spinal column can no longer interfere with proper nervous system function.  Chiropractic care is specific for each patient and designed to reposition the spinal bone in order to remove spinal column pressure and restore proper body function.

This correction allows the body to resume unrestricted flow of brain messages to the affected part of the body and begin the natural self-healing process.

There are many conditions that have responded to chiropractic care using the activator instrument including headaches, neck pain, lower back pain, knee pain and sciatica or hip pain. ADD and ADHD, depression, reflux, TMJ, arthritis, numbness, carpel tunnel and scoliosis have also been seen to improve with specific chiropractic care.

How is vertebral misalignment and nerve pressure determined? If medically necessary, precise X-rays are taken to help develop a formula for correction. There are also several signs: head tilt, restricted head movement, low shoulder, abnormal spinal curvature, pelvic distortion, bilateral body weight differences, raised hip and short leg syndromes. The treatment can be done almost immediately. 

Why Should You Take Vitamin D3? As Americans, we are chronically deficient in Vitamin D3 due to the fact that we spend most of our time in doors and out of the sun. For those who do get sun, the powers that be have scared us into lathering sunscreen on which inhibits our body’s ability to utilize the sun to make the vitamin D we so desperately need. Sunscreen with an SPF of 8, for example, reduces Vitamin D3 production by 95%. The truth of the matter, you need to supplement your diet with Vitamin D3 because you are not getting enough.  

What Diseases are Associated with Low Vitamin D3 Levels? Vitamin D3 deficiency is associated with chronic muscle and joint pain, osteoporosis, degenerative arthritis, fibromyalgia, autoimmunity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and depression. In essence, low vitamin D3 levels create sickness in your body.  

How Much Vitamin D3 Should You Take?  A good rule of thumb is to supplement with 5000 IU per day during the times of year when you are unable to get 20 to 30 minutes full sun exposure on at least your arms and legs. Remember, this is sun exposure without sunscreen. Multivitamins typically contain 400 IU of Vitamin D and do not supply adequate levels of Vitamin D3. 

Where Can You Get A High Quality Vitamin D3? You can buy Clinic Vitamin D3 at Powersource Chiropractic. The product we carry is made from the best ingredients and tested for both potency and absorbability.

Pull The "Trigger" on Your Pain

Your muscles are stressed every day. This stress causes a condition called a trigger point which weakens the muscle and can cause pain in the muscle and other areas of the body. This simple exercise will help correct the problem and maintain the muscles.

Tennis Ball Muscle Work

Transitioning to Creating Sufficiency in Your Eating Plan

1. Drink More Water than you are right now. Work to drink approximately 80 to 128 ounces per day!
2. Eat some raw vegetables or fruit with EVERY meal (fruit with breakfast)
3. Increase the amount of meals per day. Work up to 5 meals per day with breakfast or lunch being the biggest meal.
4. Add the following supplements:
   1. Fish Oils: 1 – 3 grams per day
   2. Super green drink
5. Add vegetable juice every day
6. Eat Grass Fed Meats
7. Make your own salad dressing
8. For one week, measure all your food and count calories for each food group.