Warm-Ups and Cooldowns

Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield is dedicated to helping our patients maintain a healthy lifestyle. One of the key elements to preventing misalignments in joints is keeping them supported with strong, flexible muscles. But if exercise is done improperly, a patient will be at greater risk for strains and sprains, which is why we wanted to remind our patients of the importance of warm-ups and cool-downs.

“Warm-ups” are meant to increase blood flow to muscles, making them less likely to tear when stretched. The way this is accomplished is through “dynamic stretches,” those that keep the body in motion while heart rate increases. Many wellness practitioners favor yoga for this reason, but other effective exercises include arm circles, lunges, leg swings, hip circles, and butt kicks.

A warm-up should last for at least five minutes. The main part of a person’s exercise regimen should last for at least twenty minutes, and a cool-down should also be done for five minutes. Static stretches, in which a person holds a pose for about half a minute, are more appropriate for the cool-down period. Athletes often design their warm-ups to target the part of their body they’re working on that day, and everybody should try to vary their routine to avoid overuse and ensure their entire body is being cared for.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.

 

Backpack Safety

Now that kids are going back to school, many of them have resumed wearing backpacks. Unfortunately, this means that many of them are also now at risk for developing back and shoulder pain. Since backpack usage is also common among adults, we at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield thought this would be an especially good time to address how to wear backpacks safely.

With two straps and the ability to distribute weight evenly across the chest, backpacks are a much better option than shoulder bags or handbags. But the straps need to be wide and padded, and the chest strap needs to be used. The straps should all be snug enough to keep the backpack positioned in the center of the upper back, not hanging down to the lumbar region. If the wearer feels pins or numbness in their arms and shoulders, the straps are too tight.

One of the biggest dangers of backpacks is that they will be overloaded. They should never weigh more than fifteen percent of the user’s bodyweight. The easiest way to avoid going above this limit is to only wear backpacks that are small. People should also avoid getting backpacks that have wheels or pull-out handles unless they will really be using those features on a frequent basis. Children will have to plan their schedules to give themselves enough time to visit their lockers and swap out books every few periods. If this is your child’s first year traveling between classes, ask them if they are doing this and whether they are experiencing any back problems.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.

 

Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common musculoskeletal problem. The good news is that it is highly responsive to conservative treatment. The bad news is that problems in the knee can cause skeletal misalignments further up the body, including in the lower back. As a holistic practice, we at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield offer a variety of treatments to help patients recover full use of their knees and keep up the health of the rest of their bodies.

The kneecap is a sesamoid bone, which means it doesn’t directly connect to the rest of the skeleton. It is located atop cartilage at the bottom of the femur and is fastened down by tendons. Knee pain is scientifically known as petellofemoral pain syndrome and it is experienced as a dull ache that develops when a person has been active or had their knee bent for a long time. It results from overuse, but athletes are not the only people who can get it. When the kneecap is out of place, it may further aggravate the surrounding soft tissue.

People experiencing outbreaks of knee pain should implement RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation). We can perform adjustments to ensure that the knee joint is aligned properly, but physical therapy may be necessary to restore the leg’s range of motion. We can also reduce inflammation and speed recovery time by performing therapeutic massages. A patient may need to put greater emphasis on low-impact exercises, such as cycling, to guard against a relapse.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.

 

Introduction to Osteoarthritis

Joint inflammation, or arthritis, can have all sorts of causes. But the most common, and one of the most common causes of pain and missed workdays in the United States, is osteoarthritis. This disease is often misunderstood to be a normal part of aging, but at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we can help patients to manage or prevent it, allowing them to live free of pain.

Within joints is a slippery substance called cartilage that cushions and lubricates bones. Cartilage is made up of protein called collagen. When the body’s wear on cartilage outpaces its ability to produce new collagen, the cartilage will become deformed and eroded. As cartilage recedes, the bones develop spurs, grind against each other, and flake off. All of these can trigger inflammation, which will put pressure on the surrounding tissues, causing a dull, throbbing pain, and further impede movement.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition. It will be worse when the joints are bearing an excess amount of weight and being used repetitively, and it is likelier to develop in joints that have recovered from a previous injury. We can realign joints and relieve pressure on cartilage by performing adjustments. Therapeutic massages can reduce inflammation and promote the circulation of fresh, nutrient rich blood. We can also use interferential current therapy to loosen up stiff joints, increasing their range of motion during therapeutic exercise.

Kosak Chiropractic is located at 1252 Travis Blvd., Suite G, Fairfield, CA, 94533. To schedule an appointment, visit Kosak Chiropractic online or call 707-426-1111.