Lower Back Pain in Runners

Although it is to our long-term benefit to exercise regularly, lower back pain is a common problem among runners. Many athletes, professionals as well as amateurs, experience soreness in their lower backs and hips immediately after work-outs. Over time, they may be at risk for wearing down their muscles, spinal discs, or cartilage. At Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we want to ensure all our patients are able to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is why we wanted to discuss preventive care for runners.

We have several deep muscles in our core and hips that help to stabilize our spines. When they’re strong, they restrict torque and lateral sway, and put more force into our strides. But our core muscles aren’t just the ones we see from the outside. The deep muscles linking our lower spines, pelvis, and femurs can easily become tight if we’re sitting all day, and the condition of our surface abdominal muscle doesn’t necessarily reflect the strength of the ones beneath it. 

If you experience radiating pain, you should come to our office to be treated for a pinched nerve. But if you are trying to reduce post-workout aches, you may want to try more hip stretches and core strengthening. Bridges, side-lying leg raises, and side planks are exercises that target the hip muscles connecting to the lower back. You should also try to make sure you’re getting in a twenty minute walk each day, if you work in an office setting, and making sure you warm up and cool down adequately during each work-out. If you’re unsure whether exercising is safe for you, we can help you devise a personalized work-out plan.

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.

Upper Back Pain

With all the attention neck and lower back pain get, it’s easy for upper back pain to be neglected. But although this condition is less common than pain elsewhere in the spinal column, it still affects large numbers of people. We’re dedicated to providing non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, so we want people to understand more about the causes of upper back pain and why chiropractic care is often the best approach.

Thoracic vertebrae are a bit better protected than those above and below them. There are twelve vertebrae in the thoracic region, and their mobility is limited by additional joints that connect to the ribs. Nonetheless, people can develop herniated discs, arthritis, or muscle irritation as a result of bad posture or nutrition. The upper back may also be damaged by traumatic injuries such as those sustained in a car crash. Women and older men are likelier to develop upper back pain, as are people whose jobs require them to lift things above their heads or sit for long periods.

Chiropractic adjustments can relieve stress on herniated discs and the surrounding soft tissues. We also offer massage therapy to soothe irritated muscles and reduce inflammation. Preventing a relapse of upper back pain will likely require a patient to engage in therapeutic exercises that will strengthen their back muscles, relieving pressure from the spinal column. We will also teach patients better posture to practice at the office or wherever they work, which will slow the progress of degenerative conditions and allow their joints and muscles to heal naturally.

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.

 

Lower Back Pain in Cyclists

Exercise is essential for musculoskeletal health, and cycling is a great way to strengthen your leg muscles without jostling your spine. Stationary bikes allow people to remain active even in bad weather or if they have difficulty leaving the home, and we at Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield encourage everybody to find a way they enjoy staying active. However, cyclists also suffer high rates of lower back pain. This problem is treatable and preventable, but we want our patients to understand what’s going on when they devise their exercise routines.

As with any sport, cyclists need well-fitted, functional equipment. People who inherit old bicycles or don’t properly adjust new ones often need to stretch too far forward to reach the handlebars. This would strain the lower back muscles and require a person to maintain the same posture as long as they ride, and it’s never good for people to have to maintain the same position for an extended period.

Getting a bicycle properly fitted is essential, but not sufficient for preventing back pain. We often emphasize the need for a strong core, and it’s true of cyclists, as well. When a cyclist gets tired, the hip muscles supporting their lumbar spine weaken, allowing its joints to wear by swaying side-to-side. Some simple core exercises include bird-dogging and planking, but people already experiencing lower back pain should consult with us to determine what is safe. We can also relieve their pain through massage therapy and electric muscle stimulation, which will reduce inflammation, and by adjusting their lumbar vertebrae to their proper position.

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 Spondylolisthesis

One of the reasons that lower back pain is so common is that it can be caused by several conditions. Spondylolisthesis is a complicated word for describing a relatively simple concept: a vertebra that has slipped forward. At Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we can diagnose spondylolisthesis and work with patients to relieve their pain in a non-addictive manner. But it’s important for patients to be aware of the possibility they have spondylolisthesis so they’ll know to take their pain and rehabilitation seriously.

Vertebrae are made up of a large flat body with an arch in back and facets for attaching to the other vertebrae above and below. Between the vertebrae bodies are spongy discs that act as shock absorbers. The facet joints contain cartilage and are lubricated by a fluid called synovium. As a person ages, their spinal discs tend to become dehydrated, and the lining of their facet joints may wear down and become inflamed. In this condition, it’s easier for a vertebra to slip out of place and compress nearby tissues, causing soreness. Although any vertebra could slip, the vertebrae of the lumbar region, or lower back, are the ones at greatest risk. When they’re out of place, they may compress the sciatic nerves, causing shooting pains or numbness down the legs.

We’ll use a combination of imaging and tactile tests to determine whether a patient is suffering from spondylolisthesis. It is common for more than one vertebrae to be displaced. Treatment options may include chiropractic adjustments to realign the joints and anti-inflammatory treatments such as electric muscle stimulation and therapeutic massages. Long-term bed rest is not usually recommended, since it would allow the back muscles to atrophy. Instead, we’ll advise the patient on therapeutic exercises that will allow the back muscles to take more pressure off the facet joints and spinal discs. The patient may also want to switch to impact-free aerobic exercise, such as swimming.

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.

 

Back Pain in the Office

With so many people staying seated most of the time, it’s no wonder that back pain is so common. Maintaining any position for too long causes muscles and tendons to seize up, but office workers, especially, tend to sit in a way that puts excessive stress on their joints and soft tissues. At Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we utilize a variety of complementary, non-invasive treatments to restore people to health. But to prevent back pain from returning, they need to know how to sit properly.

The best posture to hold when seated is one that allows most of your musculoskeletal system to remain aligned. When seated at a desk, you’ll want your chair to be at a level that allows your thighs to be perpendicular to the floor while your feet are flat on the ground. Your elbows should also be slightly elevated, allowing you to reach straight forward to your mouse and keyboard. Your computer monitors should be at eye-level when you are sitting straight, and you should sit as far back in your chair as you can, with your back resting on the back cushion. Above all, you want to avoid slouching forward or backward, and to not have anything in your back pockets.

But even the best posture is unhealthy when a person doesn’t move around enough. People should stretch every half hour and get out of their chairs to walk around at least every ninety minutes. Most people are advised to get in at least twenty minutes of aerobic exercise a day. Stretching out the hips and legs will help reduce strain on the lower back, as will increased core strength. If a person is currently suffering pain, we can help to diagnose their condition and provide treatments, including massage therapy for soft tissues and chiropractic adjustments.

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.

 

Spinal Compression Fractures

It’s no surprise that bones become more vulnerable to breaking with age. But what may come as a surprise is that compression fractures can result from weaknesses in the bones themselves. Small breaks in the front part of the vertebrae are often the reason for older people’s decreased height and stooped posture. At Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we want to help our patients avoid the painful consequences of compression fractures, which is why we provide lifestyle medicine as well as pain relief.

When a person has osteopenia, their bones aren’t regrowing fast enough to replace the material that naturally breaks down. If their osteopenia has progressed into osteoporosis, their bones have lost enough material to have a honeycomb-like pattern of gaps. This makes them likelier to suffer small fractures from shocks or jostling as they go about their daily lives, and the accumulation of these fractures can result in the spinal column partially collapsing. Older women are especially at risk for osteoporosis, although it also occurs in men, and spinal fractures often go undiagnosed because their location makes them difficult to see with x-rays if the technicians aren’t specifically looking for them.

We can determine whether a patient should be treated for a compression fracture by doing a manual examination, along with imaging tests and ruling out other causes of pain. Treatment includes bracing while the spine heals and physical therapy to improve the strength of the muscles supporting the spine. We’ll also provide patients with nutritional counseling to improve their intake of calcium and Vitamin D, which will strengthen their bones and slow further bone loss to osteoporosis.

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.

 

Spinal Spurs

Spinal spurs are a common problem. These abnormal growths of bone tissue in the vertebrae are a frequent occurrence as people age, and if they’re positioned badly, they can contribute to joint inflammation and compressed nerve roots. But although spurs can fuel vicious cycles of inflammation and abnormal bone development, they don’t usually require surgical treatment. At Kosak Chiropractic in Fairfield, we provide pain relief that is minimally invasive and will position the body to function better in the future.

 Bone spurs develop at locations of inflammation. When a person has osteoarthritis, the cartilage that cushions the joints connecting the vertebrae wears away. As a result, the spinal joints become inflamed by rubbing against each other, and spurs develop that limit their mobility. Spurs can also develop when the discs between vertebrae are damaged. As the disc becomes less able to cushion the vertebrae and their connecting soft tissues, the soft tissues are subjected to additional wear and become inflamed. This allows spurs to develop at the point where the ligaments connect to bone.

Spurs can be identified through imaging tests such as x-rays. We’ll also ask patients to undergo range-of-motion tests so we can determine if there’s nerve blockage or muscle fatigue. Treatments focus on reducing inflammation and restoring range-of-motion. We’ll use chiropractic adjustments to relieve pressure on the spinal joints and electric muscle stimulation and ultrasound to loosen muscles and ligaments. We can also employ massage therapy to push old blood out of inflamed areas and allow nutrient-rich fresh blood in. Lastly, therapeutic exercises will keep the back muscles strong, providing better support to overburdened spinal joints.

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.