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Easing Back Pain With Pool Exercises

Houston Chiropractor Comments: As the summer heat rises, people find ways to spend more time in the pool. In addition to being relaxing and a great way to unwind, it also offers ways to help ease your back pain.

The easiest exercise to perform in the pool is walking. You can walk across the pool or you can walk in place. The water will help to support your weight and give you a little extra balance. Once you are comfortable with walking for 10 minutes, you can add some lunges or even begin to jog.

Once you are comfortable going forward, you can work additional muscles by going side-ways and by going backwards.

Another exercise is to either use a kickboard or to hold on to the side of the pool and kick. While doing this, try to keep your back straight and to engage your core muscles. Try to work up to being able to do this for 60 seconds and then rest.

In the shallow area of the pool, try and do some deep knee bends or squats. You can also use the stairs of the pool or place a chair in the water. Try to keep your back straight and squat down like you would be sitting in a chair. Try to not lean forward while doing this. The goal is 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

You can also work your stomach and core muscles. Stand with your back against the side of the pool with your arms spread wide out of the water. Begin by slowly raising your leg one at a time as high as you can with your leg straight. When that gets easier, you can slowly raise both legs while trying to keep your core engaged by trying to pull your belly button towards your spine. The goal is 3 sets of 10 repetitions. 

Finally, you can do modified push-ups by either using the side of the pool or the stairs / ladder. Concentrate on keeping your back straight while touching your chest on the pool and then fully extending your arms. The goal is 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

These are the basic motions. Once these are easy, try adding different movements. Almost all motion is good, just add new motions gradually.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston,     TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Is Yoga Always Safe?

Houston Chiropractor Comments: After patients become pain free, they usually ask “What can I do to stay well?” Just like the dentist will tell you to “brush and floss” to prevent dental problems, doctors of chiropractic will tell you to “stretch and exercise”. While there are several different ways to do this, yoga is a very popular method.

There are 11 main types of yoga. Some are very strenuous, some relaxing and some are more meditative. The most common form is hatha yoga. This is a good place for beginners.

As you go thru the different physical postures of yoga, you need to be aware of any physical limitations that you have. Different yoga postures put strains on different areas. Even gentle, low-impact yoga carries risks, as with any exercise routine. The most common injuries are overuse complaints such as tendonitis or sprain / strain injuries. As with any type of exercise, people should gradually increase the amount and duration that they do. People with a history of carpal tunnel complaints should be careful with upward and downward dog poses to minimize the wrist strain. Patients with osteoarthritis should watch how much pressure they put on specific arthritic joints. People with a history of osteoporosis should watch their bending and twisting.

Some people are too flexible or hypermobile. These patients need to concentrate on strengthening the muscles around the joint instead of increasing the flexibility. They should concentrate on holding the postures longer or doing a form of power yoga.

The key to doing yoga safely is to concentrate on how you feel more than how your pose looks. If your downward dog is hurting your shoulders and not stretching out your hamstrings and calves, you need to change your posture. A good yoga instructor will help you to make modifications that don’t cause pain. If your instructor will not help you to make modifications to be pain free then you should find a different instructor.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

What are the Dangers of Over treating?

Houston Chiropractor Comments: Treatment of illnesses and injuries is like Goldilocks and the 3 bears, it can be too much, too little or just right. As doctors we try and get people well and alleviate their symptoms with the correct treatment. Thru the years we learn what generally works and what doesn’t. If patients are not responding the way that we think they should we try a different therapy or modify their home care instructions.

As someone who has been a doctor of chiropractic for 30 years, I have seen different types of therapy, exercises and spinal adjustments be recommended thru the various schools and post graduate education courses. Starting in the early 1990’s with the Mercy Guideline’s, chiropractors have used a variety of different guidelines to help come up with an appropriate treatment plan. Some of these guidelines were good, such as the Official Disability Guidelines (ODG) and some were not as good, such as the Council on Chiropractic Practice’s Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG). The good guidelines review all of the available research and help us understand when to use different therapies appropriately. This helps to prevent using a therapy because it is convenient, but not appropriate. When I began my practice 30 years ago, it was common to tell patients to take a week off of work and use bed rest. Now this is discouraged. Patients in the past had passive therapies done to them such as ice/heat or electrical stimulation for 8 or more weeks. Now we know that after about 2 weeks the benefits from those therapies are limited and that the patient should begin active therapies such as exercises and stretches. Cases of bulging discs of the cervical or lumbar spine that would take 3-4 months when I first began practicing now consistently resolve in 2 months or less.

Doctor’s should try and get patients well as quickly as possible and then give them the correct tools (stretching and exercises) to stay well. When patients are over treated or treated with inappropriate therapies they run the risk of becoming injured, disabled or developing a dependence on their physician. Patients do not need to depend on a doctor to stay well. A good doctor who is treating the patient with the appropriate care or therapy wants to get the patient well and then give them the correct home care instructions so that they don’t need care forever.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!  

Benefits of a 2nd Opinion

Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: As a practicing chiropractor for almost 30 years, I have learned a lot about treating patients. I have also learned that I don’t know everything. No doctor does. That is why we continue to read. We continue going to continuing education seminars. We continue to talk to our peers.

When I first started seeing patients while I was in chiropractic school I always asked the staff doctors how they knew the correct diagnosis or why a treatment worked differently on various patients. After I graduated I was blessed to work in a great practice where I could see patients with a variety of complaints that required different treatments. The doctors were able to see things with the patients that I couldn’t. When I started my own chiropractic practice I was able to discuss cases with other doctors or refer the patient for a test or examination to get a different perspective on how to get the patient well.

Now that I am one of the “older” doctors in the area, I get asked the questions. I get to have students come to the office to watch and learn. I get medical and chiropractic doctors sending patients to our office to see if I can figure out a different treatment protocol. I get to do independent medical examinations to determine what treatment is needed or what the impairment is. I get asked to review files to determine what the appropriate care is. I get to give back and help educate the next generation of doctors.

It is always beneficial to get a 2^nd opinion when a patient isn’t responding as quickly as they should based on prior case experience. Having a “second set of eyes” examine the patient or review the file helps make sure that nothing is missed or overlooked. It is imperative that doctors realize that they don’t know everything and that we do miss and overlook things. If a patient is not responding in the appropriate time frame, get a 2^nd opinion from another doctor. Our patients deserve it.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Danger of OTC Drugs

Do you know the dangers of over-the-counter drugs? Over-the-counter drugs send nearly 200,000 people to the hospital each year. Chiropractic care is a safe alternative to using OTC or opioid drugs for pain relief. Call us today to schedule your chiropractic visit.

Benefits of a Good Night Sleep

Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: People ask why I always suggest proper stretching, a good mattress and the correct pillow to help live a healthy life. There are several reasons why. Mainly, they all help you get a good night sleep. This is different than just getting more sleep. The benefits of a good night sleep are numerous.

The first benefit of getting a good night sleep is that it helps to decrease the inflammatory proteins in your body. This helps minimize your risk of a heart attack while helping to reduce your general “achiness”. Another benefit is that it helps you live longer. There is a big difference between getting 6-8 hours of quality sleep instead of 8+ hours of poor quality rest. Studies have shown that you will live longer with the proper amount of quality rest.

An additional benefit is that it can help lessen irritability. This occurs by helping to control depression and anxiety. This helps lead to emotional stability. It also helps lead to easier weight loss. A proper rest will also improve your memory. This helps with learning new things and utilizing all of your acquired skills.

A final benefit of a good night sleep is that it helps minimize accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2009 that being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single-car run-off-the-road crashes due to the driver’s performance, even more than alcohol.

Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!

Happy 10th Anniversary Lydia!

Happy 10th Anniversary to our office manager Lydia. She has been a blessing for us.

Celebrating Our 27th Anniversary

We opened our doors in 1990. Today we’re celebrating our 27th anniversary. Thanks to all of our patients and friends in the Clear Lake Area. We’re looking forward to many more years to come.