Side Sleeping

        Patients often ask if they must sleep on their backs, for the sake of their necks, even though they are more comfortable on their sides. The answer is a qualified “No.”

It depends on the pillow you use under your head and neck.  A pillow that adequately supports your cervical curve and maintains your spine in proper alignment is essential for healthy side sleeping.

I recommend an orthopedically designed pillow. I am a side sleeper, and this is what I use. I have orthopedic pillows in my office for my patients, and although the particular configuration may not be comfortable for a small percentage of patients, it works beautifully for most.

Side sleeping is OK if you have the right pillow.

Bunions

      Bunions commonly form at the base of the big toe, as a result of abnormal biomechanical stresses in the foot. The body's autonomic response to these stresses is to build extra bone in the enlarging joint.

     A fallen arch, especially if combined with pronation of the foot (bending inward of the inside of the foot), can cause development of a bunion. The process is slow, and may not be noticed until the toe starts to hurt, or shoes don't fit well.

    Problematic changes in our body's biomechanics can develop at any age, and are almost always a complex interplay of forces and effects.

    Bunions can be treated effectively without surgery. Here is my treatment plan:

    As an Advanced Proficiency Rated ACTIVATOR chiropractor, I check the status of the arch, assess for pronation, and check & adjust all the joints of the feet. I advise the patient if orthotics are necessary to support the feet, and I prescribe exercises to strengthen the arch.

    Prescription orthotics may be needed, but patients can usually start with a good over-the-counter orthotic, properly fitted.

    Every aspect of my treatment plan is designed to relieve or counteract the stresses that caused the bunion. I have found this approach successful many times in my practice. 

A Distorted Rib Cage

  Did you know that your whole rib cage can get torqued, or twisted? I often see this when a patient has been sick with a cough, has fallen, or has lifted something in an imbalanced way. 
      Recently a patient who had fallen off her motorcycle complained of shortness of breath, discomfort with deep breaths, and a “sense of pressure” at the level of her diaphragm.
      I found her rib cage distorted---ribs on one side stressed upward, while ribs on the other side were stressed downward. After correcting this, I found several ribs jammed at the spine, and some likewise in front at the sternum, which needed gentle adjustments to release the pressure at the articulations.
     Gentle adjustments high in the abdomen, at the level of her diaphragm, finished bringing her relief and restoring her breathing to normal.

One Leg Shorter

 

     Leg length inequality can be due to an anatomical short leg---one leg literally shorter due to an anomaly or after a (healed) fracture in the leg---or due to a  functional short leg. 

  A functional short leg means one leg is shorter due to disturbances or aberrance in one’s frame (bones & joints). This could be a distorted, tilted pelvis, misalignments in the spine, etc. The sum total of the imbalances & disequilibrium in the frame results in one leg shorter than the other.

  I commonly see a functional short leg in my practice; it is obvious as soon as the patient is on the adjusting table. After full-body balancing via Activator Chiropractic, the patient’s legs are even again. 

A Shallow Fit, A Joint "Complex"

         Unlike the hip joint, which has the tight fit of a "ball-and-socket," the shoulder is more like a "ball-and-saucer"---the fit is more shallow. While this allows for a wider range of motion, it also makes the shoulder more vulnerable to misalignment or dislocation.

The shoulder is made up of several interacting articulations; it is not just one joint; it is a joint “complex.” The upper bone of the arm, the humerus, articulates with a shallow “cup” that is part of the scapula. Another projecting part of the scapula makes a joint with the outer end of the collarbone.

Many ligaments and muscles connect & attach to parts of the shoulder complex. These also contribute to the multiplicities of motion of which our shoulders are capable. But, like the “ball-and-saucer,” they contribute to the vulnerability of the shoulder to injury. 

As an ACTIVATOR Chiropractor, I am trained to evaluate the multiple parts of the shoulder complex, and to make precise adjustments as needed to relieve pain and restore normal function.