The Science Behind Cracking Your Knuckles

We've all heard the familiar pop of cracking joints. Some people find great satisfaction in cracking their knuckles and other appendages, while others are supremely irritated by the noise. Regardless of your reaction, the science behind the sound may surprise you!

A joint can be defined as any point of contact between bones. Each one of your joints has a joint capsule between these two bones that helps to cushion the joint; this capsule is sealed in a kind of vacuum seal. When a joint is cracked gas is removed from the joint capsule, which is what makes the popping sound. The sound comes from the release of the gas, not from contact between bones. Here's what the release of gas in a joint crack looks like in an MRI: 

Studies show that the best way to pop your knuckles is using traction; when cracked correctly, a finger should not be bent or extend past its normal range of motion. To crack a knuckle using traction, simply pull the finger away from your palm. When done incorrectly (bending the fingers against the palm) or too often (more than 10-12 times per day), cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis. However, done the right way (with traction and just a few times per day) cracking your joints can actually help to prevent arthritis!

The pops you may hear during a chiropractic adjustment come from the release of gas between a joint, just like when you crack your knuckles. Inside your spine there are over 76 joints; that’s a lot of possible popping!

To learn more about joint cracking, see this Youtube video by Vox, or this article from the Cleveland Clinic.

Kittens & Chiropractic

Holding any tension in your neck or back? Getting adjusted can help you rest just as easy and relaxed as Minnie!

Elevate Health Chiropractic Explains Infant Adjustments

Why take your infant to be adjusted? To begin with, babies have suffered a great deal of stress on their body during birth. A current study shows that 90% of newborns suffer some degree of trauma during birth, including strain on the neck and cranial areas. If these imbalances are left uncorrected, they can have serious implications on the newborn's health later in life.

Dr. Paul Samuel, DC, recommends bringing your newborn to be adjusted within the first 4 months of their life. The first year of life is the period of greatest growth for a baby's spine; the spine grows by 50% just in this year! The spinal curves that make up a well functioning spine are also formed within the first year of life.

Adjustments help optimize the function of the nervous system, which controls growth and development. Removing subluxations in this critical system helps boost a baby's health growth. Some symptoms that may indicate that your child is experiencing an imbalance and could benefit from an adjustment include reflux/frequent spitting up, colic, difficulty nursing, and balance issues. A recent study of infants in chiropractic treatment shows that 94% of babies adjusted by chiropractors showed a successful rating after just two weeks.

Some parents may fear that a chiropractic adjustment is too strenuous a procedure for their newborn; however, treatments for newborns are very gentle. Very light touches are used to correct misalignments. Chiropractors can also use cranio-sacral massage to open up sinuses and ear canals. Chiropractic care helps ensure that your infant's skull will grow and develop evenly, preparing them for a lifetime of wellness.

Be Good to Your Body at Work!

The average American adult spends eight hours a day sitting down. Research links prolonged time spent sitting with a variety of detrimental health effects, including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, obesity, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer (see the Mayo Clinic's article here). Sitting for too long also slows your brain's function, strains your neck, and can damage your discs (see this article).

It's important to try to reduce time spent sitting, but people who are employed in offices may find it difficult to reduce time at their desk. Experts suggest several ways to counteract the stresses of sitting, including sitting on something wobbly such as an exercise ball to engage your core muscles, walking around for a few minutes every hour, and alternating between sitting and standing at your work station.

We know how challenging it can be to find time to get up and out of your desk chair, so we've assembled a guide to four easy exercises you can do right at your desk! These stretches will help reduce tension, soothe stiffness, and increase your body's performance. Be good to your body, even at work!

Elevate Health Chiropractic wishes you a happy New Year!

It's a brand new year! Hoping everyone had a fun & safe holiday. As we start 2017, here are five good reasons why chiropractic care should be included in your New Year's resolution! 

#chiropractic #health #wellness #newyearnewyou

Deflaming with Nutrition

South Burlington chiropractor Dr. Paul Samuel has some tips for you on how to deflame your diet and reduce inflammation! Eating anti-inflammatory foods helps boost your health and wellness and keeps your body functioning at optimum levels. We at Elevate Health Chiropractic will be adding more information to this continuing series on eating healthy so be sure to check back in! #health #wellness #chiropractic #burlington #vermont

www.elevatehealthchiropractic.com

(802) 557-8568

Get Your Best Night's Sleep

What is Text Neck?

For the average American, their smartphone is an essential part of their life, and is by their side nearly constantly. 79% of the population between the ages of 18 and 44 have their cell phones with them almost all the time. The average time spent communicating on a smart phone per day is 132 minutes (or 2 hours, 12 minutes). For reference, that's nearly as much time as the average American spends per day commuting to and from work, cooking meals, and caring for their family, combined (see articles 1, 2, 3). Four out of five Americans check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up.

"Text neck" is the term used to refer to the neck and upper back pain caused by the pressure put on your neck when you're looking down at your phone, tablet, or other device. Text neck symptoms include upper back pain, a dull ache at the base of the neck, neck tightness or pain in the shoulders. The human head weighs an average of 10 pounds; for every inch your head tilts farther forward, the pressure on your neck is doubled. At a 45 degree angle, the pressure on your spine is approximately 49 lbs (see diagram). This could make you feel like your head is much heavier than it really is and lead to fatigue.

To avoid text neck, make sure to raise your phone or laptop screen to your line of sight, rather than looking down at it. Keep your head back so that your ears are aligned above your shoulders and avoid craning your neck forwards. To help strengthen the muscles in the back of your neck, try this exercise: place your hands behind your head and interlace your fingers; press your head backwards into the pressure from your hands. Alternatively, press your head backwards into your headrest while driving. Both of these exercises will help improve the symptoms of text neck. Above all, try to be conscious of your posture and the angle your neck is being held at; a few days of practicing good posture can make all the difference!

Rake leaves safely & effectively!

Fall is here in Vermont, and with it comes mountains of leaves! Here are some tips we've assembled to help you rake safely and effectively. 

Hoping your raking goes smoothly and your leaf-pile jumping is supremely satisfying!

#vermont #health #wellness

Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Did you know that over 27 million Americans seek chiropractic treatment every year to help boost their health and wellness? Here's a few reasons why!

Straighten Up!

We love this video created by the World Federation of Chiropractic and  UCL Medical School MDs Comedy Revue Society! Check out their super creative spin on Taylor Swift's "Shake It Out" and remember to straighten up!

For more advice on how to promote wellness and spine health check out our website or our Facebook page, or give us a call at (802) 557-8568. 

Promoting health & wellness while biking

Biking is a great, healthy way to get around! We love that it's a part of the culture here in Burlington, VT, and we want to make sure people here and around the country are biking in a way that protects their spine and low back. Check out these tips and see the infographic below from the Canadian Chiropractic Association, and stay safe and healthy while enjoying your biking experience!  

If you are experiencing any low back pain and would like to schedule an adjustment, or want to learn more about protecting yourself & reducing pain, give us a call at (802) 557-8568.

Bike on!

Wellness for back to school!

As school swings into full gear, make sure you and your loved ones are taking care to protect yourselves from back pain! About 30% of children in school report pain due to carrying heavy/ill balanced backpacks (for more information, see this article)

Check out this helpful list of tips from the American Chiropractic Association to help reduce backpack related pain!

As always, if you have any questions or want to learn more check out our website www.elevatehealthchiropractic.com or give us a call at (802) 557-8568! 

#vermont #healthyliving #wellness #backtoschool

Win a free massage from our wellness partners: Body Therapy at Elevate Health Chiropractic

Elevate Health Chiropractic is excited to announce 

massages are now available in our office! 

We are raffling off a one-hour custom massage with our new wellness partners Body Therapy! The drawing will be live on 9/20/16. Like or share this post on our Facebook page to be entered to win, or comment below on this post. 

Give us a call at (802) 557-8568 for more information or to schedule an adjustment, or check us out at www.elevatehealthchiropractic.com

 Stay #healthy and #balanced #VT!

Chronic Inflammation - What your Chiropractor can do

Chronic inflammation can be the cause of many long-term health conditions.

Inflammation in itself is not harmful. In fact, it’s a normal and healthy attempt by the body to preserve itself. Inflammation helps remove harmful debris like irritants and pathogens from the body so that the healing process can begin. The problem begins when regular inflammation becomes chronic. At this point, the body creates more inflammation in direct response to the existing inflammation—a cycle that can have dire consequences.

What Causes It?

Chronic inflammation is caused by an imbalance in the immune system. Your acquired immune system develops over time via exposure to our environment, and the more successes it has, the stronger it becomes.

That’s why it’s important for us to avoid taking unnecessary antibiotics—learning to fight bugs and allergens makes our acquired immune system stronger. In addition, certain foods and lifestyles can increase the risk of chronic inflammation.

Not getting enough rest, too much stress and a high carbohydrate diet are just a few ways you increase your risk of chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation can also be the result of the body’s inability to eliminate the cause of acute inflammation or an autoimmune response where the immune system mistakes healthy tissue for unhealthy pathogens.

How can my Chiropractor help?

Studies have shown that adjustments help reduce the production of two inflammatory cytokines, which can reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Chronic inflammation responds very well to lifestyle changes. Your chiropractic team can talk to you about how to begin an anti-inflammation diet that’s filled with nutrient-dense, low calorie foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat and fish. Supplements like vitamin D and magnesium may also provide relief from chronic inflammation.

Set up an appointment today by stopping by or calling at (802) 557-8568. Visit our website at www.elevatehealthchiropractic.com, or Like us on Facebook.

Sports and Chiropractic Care

Photograph by: Philip Montgomery, The Ultimate Scrum, for the New York Times

  Have you been suffering from a sports related injury? Are you looking for ways to improve your endurance and mobility at the gym or on the team? Chiropractic care may be just what you're looking for!
  Sports and exercise are great ways to keep healthy, but there are often risks involved. Most often, excessive training, inappropriate training methods or perilous exercise equipment can be a cause of injury. However, structural abnormalities and muscle imbalances/weakness can also be culprits leading to injury, including the ankles, knees, elbows, shoulders or spine.
  Chiropractors are trained to assess, diagnose and manage sports-related injuries as part of their core competencies. In fact, through a comprehensive history and physical examination, chiropractors can help determine the cause of pain and dysfunction as well as recommend an appropriate plan of management.
  Conservative care offered by chiropractors, dependent on the injury and mechanism, may include joint manipulation and mobilization, soft tissue therapies, adjunct modalities, rehabilitation and individualized exercises and lifestyle advice to restore proper function, enhance healing of damaged tissue and reduce pain.
  Give us a call or visit our South Burlington office to schedule an adjustment today with Dr. Paul Samuel. Stay strong and elevate your health! Don't forget to like us on Facebook!
www.elevatehealthchiropractic.com (802) 557-8568

What is Chiropractic care?

If you haven’t visited a chiropractor before, you might be missing out. Millions of people around the world have experienced the incredible benefits of chiropractic care.

One of the best things about chiropractic care is it’s a drug-free and surgery-free path to healing naturally.

People have reported chiropractic benefits help to improve:

• Back pain
• Headaches
• Ear infections
• Neck pain
• Arthritis and joint pain
• Scoliosis
• Asthma
• Blood pressure
• Healthy pregnancy
• Organ function
• Surgery prevention

There are a lot of misconceptions about chiropractic practices and how chiropractors are trained. In fact, did you know many chiropractic programs also incorporate an entire year of PhD-level advanced nutrition training?

However, most of the benefits of seeing a chiropractor come from getting a chiropractic adjustment.

Dr. Paul Samuel can provide adjustments, nutritional and supplemental care, and a drugless approach to pain management. Elevate your health, and get adjusted today by calling (802) 557-8568, or stop by our South Burlington office.

Stay strong and balanced!

New Partnership: Elevate Health Chiropractic and Body Therapy

South Burlington chiropractor, Dr. Paul Samuel DC at Elevate Health Chiropractic llc, is excited to announce massages are now available at our office. We have been serving exceptional chiropractic care to the greater Burlington and Shelburne areas for the past 2 years, and during this time, we have been searching for the right massage therapist to join our team. This August, we are happy to announce Body Therapy LLC, with DeAnna Bevilacqua, has recently become a part of our wellness family and will be offering services specializing in deep-tissue, Swedish, and Thai massage. Check out her website: 
http://bodytherapyllc.massagetherapy.com/home (518) 331-6380

To commemorate this special occasion, we are raffling off a 1-hour custom massage with our new partners Body Therapy! The drawing will be live on 9/20/16, and entries can be made via Facebook. Like this post to be entered once, or share for 2 entries. Give us a call for more information or to schedule an ‪#‎adjustment‬.
Stay ‪#‎healthy‬ and ‪#‎balanced‬ ‪#‎VT‬! www.elevatehealthchiropractic.com (802) 557-8568

Hamstring Stretch for Low Back Pain

Seated Chair Hamstring Stretch for Low Back Pain Relief Video:

Gardening, camping, and even a family cook-out can be causing you some serious pain! Take a look at this simple hamstring stretch you can do at home or at work to help alleviate pain in the lower back. Don't let a stiff, aching back get in the way of your summertime adventures! Stop by our office or give us a call at (802)557-8568 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Paul today.

Good posture is good for our mental health

Our emotional and mental states depend on our posture. With smartphones, tablets, and computers becoming a more prevalent part of our daily lives, it's important to be aware of the short and long term damage our precious devices can be causing us.
Here are some great tips on restoring proper posture (see the Huffington Post article here):

• Stretch your chest, roll back your shoulders

• Strengthen the upper back with planking

• Work on your back’s flexibility and your spine’s mobility

• Stretch the hip flexors (tight hip flexors cause hip and back pain)

• Work on strengthening your glutes with squats

• Stretch your hamstrings and calves (forward bend, knees slightly bent)

• Get adjusted for optimal posture

Regular adjustments help keep your spine healthy and flexible. South Burlington chiropractor Dr. Paul Samuel, at Elevate Health Chiropractic can advise you on your posture, and recommend stretches and exercises to maximize your health and lifestyle! ‪#‎VT‬ ‪#‎posture‬ ‪#‎chiropractor‬ #Burlington #wellness