Thursday, September 22, 2011

It has been an exciting week for me!!!
I was featured as a highly rated chiropractor on the 'page of happiness' in the September 2011 issue of the Angie's List magazine. My study on the Cox Chiropractic treatment of lower back pain which remained or developed after spinal surgery, was published in a leading chiropractic journal. This paper was also described as a 'paper of great clinical value' by Dr. James Cox and was the featured paper in the August edition of Dr. Cox's 'Clinical Pearls'. Chiropractic Care Millennium Park also won the 2011 CMUS Talk of the Town Award for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction.



And, from Angie's List

Chicago chiropractors give relief to many...

Date Published: August 19 2011
by Michael Schroeder

Angie's List member Garry Parks of Buffalo Grove couldn't find relief fast enough after badly straining his back last summer doing yardwork, and decided to visit highly rated chiropractor Ralph Kruse Jr. at Chiropractic Care in Chicago. He got in the same day and hasn't looked back since the first adjustment. "I haven't had any issues all year," Parks says. "I'm like, wow."

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Chiropractic Management Of Postsurgical Lumbar Spine Pain

Kruse, RA; Cambron, J: Chiropractic Management Of Postsurgical Lumbar Spine Pain: A Retrospective Study Of 32 Cases. Journal Of Manipulative And Physiological Therapeutics 2011;34(6):408‐412

Objective: Although chiropractic manipulation is commonly used for low back pain, applying this procedure to the patient with post lumbar spine surgery has not been adequately studied.

The purpose of this retrospective chart review is to report on the results of chiropractic management (including Cox flexion distraction technique) of patients with postsurgical lumbar spine pain to determine the change in reported pain based on surgical type.

Methods: Ten years of patient files from one chiropractic practice were electronically screened for lumbar spine surgery occurring before presenting for chiropractic care. Of the 58 patients with a postsurgical diagnosis, 32 files contained all pertinent components for this study including treatment with Cox flexion distraction manipulation (in addition to adjunct procedures) for at least 2 weeks and pretreatment and post‐treatment pain measures using the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS) that ranged from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain imaginable).

Results: A change was observed in the mean pretreatment and post‐treatment NPS pain scores of 6.4 to 2.3, a reduction of 4.1 of 10. The mean number of treatments was 14, with a range of 6 to 31. When stratified by surgical type, the mean change in pain was most remarkable in patients who underwent a surgery that combined lumbar discectomy, fusion, and/or laminectomy, with an average NPS pain reduction of 5.7 of 10. No adverse events were reported for any of these postsurgical patients.

Conclusions: The results of this study showed improvement for patients with low back pain subsequent to lumbar spine surgery who were managed with chiropractic care.


32 CASES OF POST SURGICAL CONTINUED PAIN WERE TREATED WITH COX FLEXION DISTRACTION MANIPULATION (IN ADDITION TO ADJUNCT PROCEDURES) FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS. PRETREATMENT AND POST TREATMENT PAIN MEASURES USING THE NUMERIC PAIN SCALE (NPS) SHOWED A REDUCTION OF 4.1 OF 10 NPS VALUES WITH A MEAN NUMBER OF 14 TREATMENTS. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SHOWED IMPROVEMENT FOR PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN SUBSEQUENT TO LUMBAR SPINE SURGERY WHO WERE MANAGED WITH COX FLEXION DISTRACTION CHIROPRACTIC CARE

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Monday, September 12, 2011

Tips for a Healthy Spine

Tips for a Healthy Spine

A healthy spine is an often overlooked and essential part of a healthy lifestyle. People who suffer from back pain, particularly if it is long-term, are generally less healthy than those who do not. In fact, back pain costs are staggering not only financially, but also in terms of lost time from work and because of psychosocial problems that arise during the healing process associated with long-term back pain.

Unfortunately, approximately 80-90% of the population suffers from spinal pain at some point. People who are overweight or obese, and who smoke, lift heavy objects, or had a previous episode of back pain, are more likely to experience back pain.

Because so many people suffer from spine pain, it’s important for you to try to keep your spine as healthy as possible. Following simple posture, lifting, and healthy lifestyle guidelines can help you keep your back in good shape.

The American Chiropractic Association recommends the following spinal health tips:

Standing

• When standing, keep one foot slightly in front of the other, with your knees slightly bent. This position helps to take the pressure off your low back.
• Do not stand bent forward at the waist for prolonged periods of time. The muscles in your low back become deconditioned in this position, which may lead to pain.

Lifting

• At all times, avoid twisting while lifting. Twisting is one of the most dangerous movements for your spine, especially while lifting.
• If the item is too heavy to lift, pushing it is easier on your back than pulling it. Whenever possible, use your legs, not your back or upper body, to push the item.
• If you must lift a heavy item, get someone to help you.

Sitting

• Keep your knees slightly higher than your hips, with your head up and back straight.
• Avoid rolling your shoulders forward (slouching).
• Try to maintain the natural curve in your low back.

Reaching and Bending

• When reaching for something above shoulder level, stand on a stool. Straining to reach such objects may not only hurt your mid-back and neck, but it can also bring on shoulder problems.
• Do NOT bend over at the waist to pick up items from the floor or a table.
• Instead, kneel down on one knee, as close as possible to the item you are lifting, with the other foot flat on the floor and pick the item up.
• Or bend at the knees, keep the item close to your body, and lift with your legs, not your back.

Carrying

• When carrying objects, particularly if they are heavy, keep them as close to your body as possible.
• Carrying two small objects—one in each hand—is often easier to handle than one large one.

Healthy Diet and Exercise

• While the proverbial jury is still out, we suspect that extra weight puts undue strain on your spine. Keep within 10 lbs. of your ideal weight for a healthier back.
• “Beer belly” is likely the worst culprit, as it puts unwanted pressure on the muscles, ligaments and tendons in your low back.
• The most efficient and effective way to reduce weight is by eating a sensible diet and exercising regularly.
• Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, particularly if you have a health condition.

Sleeping

• Sleeping on your back puts approximately 50 pounds of pressure on your spine. Other positions may be better.
• Placing a pillow under your knees while lying on your back cuts the pressure on your spine roughly in half.
• Lying on your side with a pillow between your knees may also reduce the pressure on your back.
• Never sleep in a position that causes a portion of your spine to hurt. Most often, your body will tell you what position is best.

Quit Smoking

Smokers have more spine pain than nonsmokers, and they also heal more slowly when they have an episode of back pain because the chemicals in tobacco smoke restrict the flow of blood to the tissues in and around your spine.

While following these instructions is no guarantee that you’ll be free from back pain for your entire life, it can certainly reduce your risk of developing it. These simple steps will help you keep your spine in good shape, making you a healthier, happier person.

Visit the ACA Site, click here

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Friday, September 2, 2011

Tennis, Anyone?


Tennis is commonly considered an elite game, thanks to the country clubs that once provided the vast majority of tennis facilities. The combination of both high- and low-exertion levels of the game, however, can bring not only a unique exercise experience, but also tremendous health benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart attack. Follow these tips to avoid injury when serving up a game.

• Choosing a racquet - The grip of the racquet should be thick enough for your hand to fit around it without having your thumb and fingers overlap one another and the hitting area should be 105 square inches or smaller as an oversized racquet will tend to catch the ball on the extreme edge and this can twist your hands and wrists beyond their normal range of motion.
• Selecting a court – Find a tennis court with a surface that has some give, such as cushioned surfaces or even grass.
• Learn proper form – As a beginner take lessons to learn good tennis habits and proper form, which will help take the pressure off your wrists, spine and hips.
• Warm up – Before jumping right into your first serve, take a minute to rotate your legs, shoulders, hands and elbows in a slow, circular motion.
• Drink lots of water – When playing tennis, avoid drinking sodas because your body must use more water to push them out of your system than they put into your body.

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