Friday, June 24, 2011

Continuing to learn and keeping your mind active keeps you younger, longer. See how. http://ping.fm/Bx6Ol

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Most people don't get enough minerals in their diet. Find out if you're one of them. http://ping.fm/ksZcu

Get Your Neck In Gear!

Headaches and neck pain image.
Your neck has a big job to do!
Anyone who has experienced cervical (neck) pain knows that it can be a real pain in the neck! Consider the fact that the cervical spine, consisting of only seven vertebrae, is responsible for supporting your head which can weigh as much as a bowling ball. No other region of the spine is more mobile or more prone to injury.
Mobility in the neck is measured through range-of-motion testing that includes three distinct tests:
  • Flexion – measured by ability to touch chin to chest
  • Extension – measured by tilting your head backwards
  • Lateral flexion – your ability to touch each ear to your shoulder
Various injuries and/or conditions are responsible for neck pain and can restrict range of motion. These include:
  • Whiplash from a car accident - the head can be violently thrust forward and backward beyond its normal range of motion, resulting in muscle pain and stiffness.
  • Degenerative conditions - occur as a result of the aging process, such as osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease.
  • Poor posture and obesity – forward head carriage can cause the muscles in the neck to contract and stiffen.
  • Spinal fractures, tumors or infections - can be serious and require immediate attention from a medical specialist.
According to a research study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (2001, pp.552-555), chiropractic adjustments can significantly improve cervical range of motion. As obvious as that may appear to those who regularly receive chiropractic care, limited range of motion plays a major role in many health problems that usually improve with chiropractic adjustments.


Neck Pain Shoreview Dr Douglas Yost 651-484-0151

Monday, June 20, 2011

Do you have any idea how many steps you take each day? Could you even guess? http://ping.fm/ERADh

Friday, June 10, 2011

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Is Back Pain Heredity?


Heredity Factors of Back Pain

Is Back Pain Heredity?

Could the 
susceptibility to back pain be passed on to our children? It’s worth a 
chiropractic checkup.
Could the susceptibility to back pain be passed on to our children? It’s worth a chiropractic checkup.
You understand that back pain may result from multiple causes, including improper lifting, trauma and emotional distress, but can hereditary factors also play a role in back pain?
Certain spine conditions appear to be passed genetically from generation to generation. These include:
  • Scoliosis – Abnormal spinal curves that run side to side, rather than front to back curves. Heredity is responsible for a 25% greater chance of developing abnormal spinal curves.
  • Degenerative disc disease, disc herniation – A difference in the chemical properties of some people’s disks may render them more prone to fragmentation or herniation, conditions that trigger back pain.
  • Osteoarthritis – Caused by the erosion of cartilage in spinal joints as a result of the aging process. A genetic predisposition for this condition is often passed down from the mother’s side of the family.
  • Osteoporosis – Loss of bone mass that tends to occur mostly in older, post-menopausal women – the result of decreased estrogen production.
  • Spondylolisthesis – A defect in a vertebra that may cause the vertebra to shift forward, out of alignment with the rest of the spinal column. This condition may result from a fracture and a genetic abnormality may predispose someone to a thin vertebra in the lumbar spine.
  • Obesity-related back pain – Extra body weight adds undue pressure to the spine and increases the amount of pain associated with any existing back condition.
  • Psychiatric-related back pain – Although the pain is real, it is caused by emotional and mental factors such as anger, guilt, resentment, fear and anxiety. The mind-body connection is very powerful and often personality traits and emotional issues are passed down to one’s children.
Prevention of back pain resulting from these conditions is easier if you are aware that older family members suffer from them in the first place. It is best to avoid activities that add stress to your spine. Routine chiropractic check ups can help to identify problem areas that need to be addressed and can often help support these common genetic predispositions.


Sports Chiropractor Shoreview  651-484-0151