_______________
As I write, it’s about -11 degrees Celsius outside, with snow flurries in the air….yes, I think it’s safe to say that winter is upon us.
Although I’d much prefer to associate winter with such pleasures as skiing, skating, hot chocolate, and holiday cheer, there is that sobering reality of the oft dreaded snow shoveling. But more important than being an inconvenience, shoveling can be a recipe for injury. Think about the circumstances surrounding the shoveling experience – IT’S COLD – so our muscles can be cold (unless we’re prepared and warmed up), and furthermore, we have a tendency to rush the job so that we can get back in the house (or get to work) as quickly as possible - so we’re likely to lift more than we should in a reckless manner.
With that in mind, let’s have a safe winter and keep the following shoveling tips in mind:
1. Warm-up. It might sound funny to warm-up before shoveling, but remember, shoveling is exercise. Warm-up before ANY exercise. So, go for a short walk first (5 to 10 minutes will do), or walk on the spot, and get those arms moving. These simple activities will get the blood flowing to your muscles and ready them for physical activity.
2. Dress appropriately. Wear several layers of clothing to keep your body heat from escaping. Cold muscles are muscles that are susceptible to injury.
3. Use good technique! Yes, use your knees and core strength to provide your power to push the snow. Do not, and I repeat – do not – bend at the waist and lift.
4. Minimize lifting and throwing, opting instead for pushing. Snow can be heavy – using the aforementioned good technique that maximizes leg involvement while sparing the back – focus on pushing the snow in a straight line to the side. Lifting and throwing heavy snow puts unhealthy compressive and shearing forces on the low back - do this repetitively – and the back WILL give out.
5. Pick the right shovel. Go for a light-weight push-style shovel. If the shovel is metal, apply a Teflon spray to prevent snow from sticking to it. (Snow that sticks to the shovel will weigh it down and add to the mechanical stress on your low back).
6. Take frequent breaks. No need to rush!!! If you’re worried about being late for work – it’s best to avoid the situation by preparing for it – that is to say, allow yourself extra time if you know that snow is in the forecast. If you’re panicky about being late for work, then you will rush the job, and lift too heavily, too quickly.
7. Keep hydrated. Cold weather can be deceiving in this regard , but the reality is that shoveling, like any exercise, taxes the muscles, and consequently requires hydration for proper functioning of said muscles. Preferably, we should hydrate before, during, and after shoveling with water or juice.
8. Listen to your body. If you experience chest pains or shortness of breath – seek medical attention immediately. If you experience back ache – consult your chiropractor.
When we’re adequately prepared, shoveling can be a safe and beneficial exercise for the body.
I hope you enjoy the beauty of the season.
Yours in health,
Dr. Michael Carney
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Laughter is the best medicine
Did you know that laughter has MANY positive health benefits on your body?
Here's a few:
1. Your immune system. Yes, researchers have found that laughter is associated with an improved ability to fight illness. Specifically, it has been shown that laughter can boost your immune cells, as well as your antibodies (these guys help fight off infections).
2. Blood sugar levels. We don't want these levels to be too high in the blood (high levels are associated with diabetes). Early research has found a link to higher levels of laughter and resultant lower levels of blood sugar. Nice.
3. Blood pressure. In recent studies, Dr. Lee Burk, a psychoneuroimmunology researcher, found immediate decreases in blood pressure following laughter (and, not surprisingly, increases in blood pressure following stressful siutations).
4. Cholesterol levels. Likewise, Dr. Burk and colleagues, over the course of a 12-month experiment of diabetic patients, found increases in HDL ("good") cholesterol and decreases in LDL ("bad") cholesterol in the group of patients who were assigned to the "Laughter Group" of the experiment, with no such changes found in the "Control Group". The "Laughter Group", by the way, was subjected to 30 minutes per day of self-selected comedy television.
5. Inflammation. Among other things, inflammation in our bodies can lead to damage of the endothelium (a protective lining in blood vessels), fat and cholesterol build-up in coronary arteries and ultimately...heart attacks. Cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Centre have found a significant link between inflammation and laughter. Sure enough, groups who laughed less were associated with a higher incidence of heart disease.
5. Mood. Laughter helps elevate mood and lower the levels of certain "stress" hormones in the body (namely, cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine). Chronically elevated, these hormones can have detrimental health effects on the body (including impairing your immune system functioning).
Are you getting the picture?
Now, I'm not saying that laughter is the cure to all of life's ailments. In fact, the researchers of these studies are quick to point out that larger scale studies are needed before drawing any type of conclusions from them. Fair enough.
But perhaps, in addition to making good lifestyle choices (like regular exercise, healthy eating, not smoking, getting enough sleep, for example), we could remember to not take ourselves too seriously. To take time to enjoy the simple things in life. And yes, to laugh a bit more.
With that in mind, have a good laugh watching this bit of hilarity from Ellen Degeneres and David Beckham:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsuvCozVaRI
You're welcome.
Here's a few:
1. Your immune system. Yes, researchers have found that laughter is associated with an improved ability to fight illness. Specifically, it has been shown that laughter can boost your immune cells, as well as your antibodies (these guys help fight off infections).
2. Blood sugar levels. We don't want these levels to be too high in the blood (high levels are associated with diabetes). Early research has found a link to higher levels of laughter and resultant lower levels of blood sugar. Nice.
3. Blood pressure. In recent studies, Dr. Lee Burk, a psychoneuroimmunology researcher, found immediate decreases in blood pressure following laughter (and, not surprisingly, increases in blood pressure following stressful siutations).
4. Cholesterol levels. Likewise, Dr. Burk and colleagues, over the course of a 12-month experiment of diabetic patients, found increases in HDL ("good") cholesterol and decreases in LDL ("bad") cholesterol in the group of patients who were assigned to the "Laughter Group" of the experiment, with no such changes found in the "Control Group". The "Laughter Group", by the way, was subjected to 30 minutes per day of self-selected comedy television.
5. Inflammation. Among other things, inflammation in our bodies can lead to damage of the endothelium (a protective lining in blood vessels), fat and cholesterol build-up in coronary arteries and ultimately...heart attacks. Cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Centre have found a significant link between inflammation and laughter. Sure enough, groups who laughed less were associated with a higher incidence of heart disease.
5. Mood. Laughter helps elevate mood and lower the levels of certain "stress" hormones in the body (namely, cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine). Chronically elevated, these hormones can have detrimental health effects on the body (including impairing your immune system functioning).
Are you getting the picture?
Now, I'm not saying that laughter is the cure to all of life's ailments. In fact, the researchers of these studies are quick to point out that larger scale studies are needed before drawing any type of conclusions from them. Fair enough.
But perhaps, in addition to making good lifestyle choices (like regular exercise, healthy eating, not smoking, getting enough sleep, for example), we could remember to not take ourselves too seriously. To take time to enjoy the simple things in life. And yes, to laugh a bit more.
With that in mind, have a good laugh watching this bit of hilarity from Ellen Degeneres and David Beckham:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsuvCozVaRI
You're welcome.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The role of sit-ups in spinal stability
There’s a common notion in existence that suggests that sit-ups can help stabilize the spine and, therefore, help prevent back pain.
In fact, I’ve had dozens of patients proudly profess that sit-ups are in their daily exercise routine as part of their own self-made back care program.
So the question is – what is the role of sit-ups in helping to prevent back pain?
It’s a good question – an important question. Fortunately, it’s a question that has been well-studied, and answered beyond any reason of doubt. One of the leaders – if not THE leader - in spinal mechanics in the world is Dr. Stuart McGill, a professor of biomechanics at the University of Waterloo.
In Dr. McGill’s studies, it was found that regular straight-legged sit-ups put approximately 3500 Newtons of force (or about 730 lbs) of compression on the spine per sit-up. (By the way, we don’t want to have excess compression on our spines as it will lead to injury). To put those figures into perspective, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has set a limit of compressive force on the spine for any action in the workplace to not exceed 3300 Newtons.
In other words, a single sit-up places more (damaging) compressive force on the spine than the legally maximal limit allowed in the workplace!
In an effort to counter this, some people have recommended substituting bent-leg sit-ups for straight-legged sit-ups, with the theory essentially being that the bent leg will take pressure off of the spine, and will, thus, reduce the compressive force on the spine. Guess what? This was studied too, and the compressive forces were found to be similar to that of the straight-legged sit-ups. Not good.
In spite of these findings, some might counter by suggesting that the pay-offs of working the abdominal muscles outweighs any risk of injury. This is completely wrong for multiple reasons. Firstly, you should note that Dr. McGill and colleagues have measured the muscle usage patterns of various abdominal muscle groups in response to many different abdominal exercises. It turns out that the sit-ups (both straight-legged and bent –knee) are not any better at working the core musculature than other measured exercises. In fact, for some important abdominal muscles, the sit-up exercises are less effective. So the “pay-offs” of these exercises are not even that good anyways.
If we couple the fact that the sit-ups are not especially effective at training the important core musculature with the proven truth that they put an exceedingly high compressive force on the spine, then you understand where I am going with this – sit-ups are bad news. Under no circumstance will I recommend them.
I was recently at a seminar in which Dr. McGill spoke. He reminded the delegates that it’s not so much that the compressive forces of sit-ups on the spine MAY cause an injury, rather, it’s that they, in fact, WILL cause injury. The only question is – when.
At some point, with enough repetitive compressive force is applied to the tissues of the spine, it will give out. Guaranteed.
In future postings I will discuss real “core stability”. I will describe what it is, as well as why it is important and necessary. Further, since I have already shot down the usage of sit-ups in any exercise program, I will discuss some GOOD core exercises – exercises that have passing grades in the scientific literature. These are exercises that will help prevent injuries, rehabilitate existing conditions, help you perform daily tasks comfortably and safely, and enhance sports performance.
Stay tuned.
In good health,
Dr. Michael Carney
In fact, I’ve had dozens of patients proudly profess that sit-ups are in their daily exercise routine as part of their own self-made back care program.
So the question is – what is the role of sit-ups in helping to prevent back pain?
It’s a good question – an important question. Fortunately, it’s a question that has been well-studied, and answered beyond any reason of doubt. One of the leaders – if not THE leader - in spinal mechanics in the world is Dr. Stuart McGill, a professor of biomechanics at the University of Waterloo.
In Dr. McGill’s studies, it was found that regular straight-legged sit-ups put approximately 3500 Newtons of force (or about 730 lbs) of compression on the spine per sit-up. (By the way, we don’t want to have excess compression on our spines as it will lead to injury). To put those figures into perspective, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has set a limit of compressive force on the spine for any action in the workplace to not exceed 3300 Newtons.
In other words, a single sit-up places more (damaging) compressive force on the spine than the legally maximal limit allowed in the workplace!
In an effort to counter this, some people have recommended substituting bent-leg sit-ups for straight-legged sit-ups, with the theory essentially being that the bent leg will take pressure off of the spine, and will, thus, reduce the compressive force on the spine. Guess what? This was studied too, and the compressive forces were found to be similar to that of the straight-legged sit-ups. Not good.
In spite of these findings, some might counter by suggesting that the pay-offs of working the abdominal muscles outweighs any risk of injury. This is completely wrong for multiple reasons. Firstly, you should note that Dr. McGill and colleagues have measured the muscle usage patterns of various abdominal muscle groups in response to many different abdominal exercises. It turns out that the sit-ups (both straight-legged and bent –knee) are not any better at working the core musculature than other measured exercises. In fact, for some important abdominal muscles, the sit-up exercises are less effective. So the “pay-offs” of these exercises are not even that good anyways.
If we couple the fact that the sit-ups are not especially effective at training the important core musculature with the proven truth that they put an exceedingly high compressive force on the spine, then you understand where I am going with this – sit-ups are bad news. Under no circumstance will I recommend them.
I was recently at a seminar in which Dr. McGill spoke. He reminded the delegates that it’s not so much that the compressive forces of sit-ups on the spine MAY cause an injury, rather, it’s that they, in fact, WILL cause injury. The only question is – when.
At some point, with enough repetitive compressive force is applied to the tissues of the spine, it will give out. Guaranteed.
In future postings I will discuss real “core stability”. I will describe what it is, as well as why it is important and necessary. Further, since I have already shot down the usage of sit-ups in any exercise program, I will discuss some GOOD core exercises – exercises that have passing grades in the scientific literature. These are exercises that will help prevent injuries, rehabilitate existing conditions, help you perform daily tasks comfortably and safely, and enhance sports performance.
Stay tuned.
In good health,
Dr. Michael Carney
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Introducing Dr. Stacey Clarke
We are very proud to announce the addition of Dr. Stacey Clarke to our health care team.
Dr. Clarke has returned to her home town of Lindsay after ten years of university schooling that earned her a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, and ultimately, her doctor of chiropractic degree.
In addition to starting having a general chiropractic focus, Dr. Clarke has a special interest in pediatrics, pregnancy, and sports rehabilitation.
Bringing Dr. Clarke into the fold also allows us to offer evening and Saturday services to our patients. We feel that this is a significant advantage to those patients who may have difficulty getting to our office during regular Monday to Friday business hours, or to those who injure themselves on the week-end and require immediate treatment.
We are thrilled to have someone of Dr. Clarke's skill and passion for helping others join our team.
Dr. Clarke is now accepting new patients - please contact the office for a consultation.
In good health,
Dr. Carney
Dr. Clarke has returned to her home town of Lindsay after ten years of university schooling that earned her a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree, and ultimately, her doctor of chiropractic degree.
In addition to starting having a general chiropractic focus, Dr. Clarke has a special interest in pediatrics, pregnancy, and sports rehabilitation.
Bringing Dr. Clarke into the fold also allows us to offer evening and Saturday services to our patients. We feel that this is a significant advantage to those patients who may have difficulty getting to our office during regular Monday to Friday business hours, or to those who injure themselves on the week-end and require immediate treatment.
We are thrilled to have someone of Dr. Clarke's skill and passion for helping others join our team.
Dr. Clarke is now accepting new patients - please contact the office for a consultation.
In good health,
Dr. Carney
Welcome...
Welcome to the blog of Dr. Carney and Kawartha Therapeutic Centre.
I'm excited to make this type of forum available to patients, and to the public in general. We are in an age where consumers/clients/patients are seeking greater access to information and, I believe, greater access to their health care providers.
Indeed we are in the age of information. However, with "information" coming at us in all directions, it can be tough to decifer reliable from unreliable information. I won't be arrogant and suggest that I am the ultimate answer to the reliability question - but I do plan on using this forum to provide sound, evidence-based information to questions in the field that I have expertise in.
I will endevour to use this tool to discuss common questions that I hear of in the office relating to health and injuries, as well as topics that you specifically ask me to talk about. So feel free to e-mail me your topics of interest (kawarthatherapeutic@gmail.com). Of course, I cannot answer specific questions relating to YOUR condition, as this would be irresponsible of me to do so without taking a proper medical history and performing a thorough physical assessment. However, I am happy to discuss healthy living concepts and injuries in a general manner, current health trends, nutritional concepts, or any topics in the exercise and fitness world.
If I'm not qualified to weigh-in on a particular subject, I'll let you know.
As mentioned, it is my intention to discuss topics in an "evidence-based" fashion. That is to say, I won't be firing off my 2 cents about a health-related matter if I cannot support it with solid evidence from reputable journals.
I will also use this forum to let you know of any news, events and happenings at the office that may be of interest.
Yours truly,
Dr. Carney
I'm excited to make this type of forum available to patients, and to the public in general. We are in an age where consumers/clients/patients are seeking greater access to information and, I believe, greater access to their health care providers.
Indeed we are in the age of information. However, with "information" coming at us in all directions, it can be tough to decifer reliable from unreliable information. I won't be arrogant and suggest that I am the ultimate answer to the reliability question - but I do plan on using this forum to provide sound, evidence-based information to questions in the field that I have expertise in.
I will endevour to use this tool to discuss common questions that I hear of in the office relating to health and injuries, as well as topics that you specifically ask me to talk about. So feel free to e-mail me your topics of interest (kawarthatherapeutic@gmail.com). Of course, I cannot answer specific questions relating to YOUR condition, as this would be irresponsible of me to do so without taking a proper medical history and performing a thorough physical assessment. However, I am happy to discuss healthy living concepts and injuries in a general manner, current health trends, nutritional concepts, or any topics in the exercise and fitness world.
If I'm not qualified to weigh-in on a particular subject, I'll let you know.
As mentioned, it is my intention to discuss topics in an "evidence-based" fashion. That is to say, I won't be firing off my 2 cents about a health-related matter if I cannot support it with solid evidence from reputable journals.
I will also use this forum to let you know of any news, events and happenings at the office that may be of interest.
Yours truly,
Dr. Carney
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