Neck pain is one of the most common health complaints, and a leading source of disability worldwide. Its burden has risen over recent decades, and many experts link the increase to long hours spent looking down at phones, tablets, and computers. One factor that often comes up in this conversation is the natural curve of…
Waking up with back pain is a common complaint, and the good news is that it is usually not a sign of anything serious. Morning back pain is often the result of stiffness from lying in one position for hours, and it typically eases as you move and warm up through the day. Sleeping is…
Pain is one of the most universal human experiences, yet it is widely misunderstood. We tend to assume pain is a simple, direct readout of tissue damage: more damage means more pain. The reality, backed by decades of research, is far more interesting and far more hopeful. Pain Is Not a Direct Measure of Damage…
Core exercises inevitably come up when someone struggles with back pain or wants to strengthen their spine. Back injuries are among the most common orthopedic injuries, happening often in gyms and workplaces – and unfortunately, when people hurt their backs, they frequently turn to movements, stretches or core exercises that do more harm than good….
Core training is valuable, but not every popular core exercise is kind to your lower back. Some of the most common moves load the spine in ways that can aggravate the very back pain people are trying to prevent. Here are three to reconsider, and better alternatives. 1. Full Sit-Ups Traditional sit-ups repeatedly flex the…
It might seem strange that your digestive system could have anything to do with aching joints, but research into the gut and the immune system has uncovered some genuinely interesting connections. The link is real, though it is more nuanced than some headlines suggest. The Gut-Joint Connection A large portion of the immune system lives…
Back pain, both acute and chronic, is something nearly everyone deals with at some point. Up to 80% of adults experience low back pain at least once in their lives, and it is surprisingly common in children as well. Because pain is so difficult to measure objectively, treating low back pain is one of the…
One of the most common questions chiropractors get is why cracking your back produces that distinctive sound. In short, the sound is the release of gas bubbles within a joint. Scientists have imaged and even mathematically modeled this: when the bones are pulled apart, there’s a sudden drop in pressure inside the joint, and that…
For decades, a daily low-dose aspirin was widely viewed as a simple way to protect the heart. More recent evidence has changed that picture significantly, and the guidance for many people has shifted. What Changed Major guideline bodies now advise against routinely starting daily aspirin for primary prevention in most healthy adults, particularly older adults,…
Rounded shoulders are one of the most common posture habits, driven by hours at desks, on phones, and behind wheels. While posture is more flexible and less fragile than we once thought, persistently rounded shoulders can contribute to neck and shoulder discomfort and limit how well the shoulder moves overhead. Why Shoulders Round Forward It…
