Uncategorized Archives - Dr. David Ness, Sports Chiropractor

February 7, 2023 by DrDavidNess

Lower Back Injury?

Improve core strength with the Best home exercise program – Intermediate Core Exercises

This is the third in our series of exercises you can do at home to recover from a lower back injury, relieve lower back pain, and improve lower back and core strength.

In our first 2 blog posts, we explained the different types of lower back pain, injuries, and conditions that cause lower back pain and sciatica. The exercises we will teach you today are the next step to relieving pain in your lower back and improving your core strength.

Before starting these exercises, you should have completed our beginner series of lower back exercises and core floor exercises and should be able to do 25 reps and 3 sets of each exercise without pain. This is the starting point for people who just injured their lower back or want to strengthen their back from the ground up.

When you can do these exercises proficiently, you will be on your way to living life pain-free and get back to doing things that currently hurt your lower back.

For these exercises, you will need a few pieces of equipment.

You will need an exercise ball, a set of exercise bands or tubing with a wall anchor, and a balance pad. If you want, you can substitute a chair for the ball and a blanket for the balance pad.

As with any exercise program, if you are unsure about your health or ability to do these exercises, check with your physician.

As with our beginner exercise program, start with 2-3 sets of 10-12 repetitions with a band that you can manage and work up to 3 sets of 20-25 repetitions. You can gradually increase the reps by 5 when the number of repetitions is no longer challenging. If you can’t do 3 sets of any of the exercises, start with 1-2 sets. Discontinue any exercise that causes increased pain.

Ball seated row

This exercise will increase the strength of your core and shoulder muscles. It is done on a ball, and you need to attach the band with the band anchor wedged in a closed door, on a wall, or on a doorknob with the door closed. When using a doorknob, loop the band on the doorknob outside the room you are working in, and close the door so the door can’t open, and the band is set. Position the ball about 2-3 feet from where the band is attached and sit up on the ball with good posture. Then pull the bands back while squeezing the muscles between the shoulders.

Ball back extension

This exercise will increase the strength of your lower back extensors and core. Using the same band set up as the ball seated row, sit on the ball and bend forward slightly and pull the bands in as you did in the seated row. Then while keeping your elbows in, extend your body away from the band anchor. Keep your elbows during the whole set as you go backward and return to the starting position.

Ball seated rotation

This exercise will increase the strength of the muscles that rotate your spine and core. Fix a band on an anchor as in the other exercises and sit on the ball facing sideways. You can grip the bands together like you would with a baseball bat. Sit up on the ball with good posture and twist as you pull the band across your body with straight arms. Control the motion as you return to the starting position.

Ball Crunch

This exercise will increase the strength in your core, abdominals, and hip flexors. Sit on the ball as you did in the back extension exercise but facing in the opposite direction. Pull the bands to your chest in the front to tension the bands and keep them there as you flex your body forward. Slowly control the movement as you come back to the starting position.

Half kneeling chop

This exercise will increase the strength in your core as you challenge yourself to maintain the starting position while pulling down and across your body like chopping wood. You will need a stick or dowel to attach to the end of your band and attach the band slightly above shoulder height. This exercise works best with tubing and the door anchor. Start in a half kneeling position and hold the stick or dowel. The band or tubing should be anchored to a door. You can set yourself up with the band to your side or slightly behind you. You should be pulling towards the knee that is down on the ground. As you pull the band across your body, extend the push with the top hand until it is straight.

Do you prefer a video demonstration of these exercises? Click here to access videos and printable demonstrations.

Once you have mastered these exercises, you will be on your way to having a stronger back and less back pain.

Below are affiliate links to the products needed to perform these exercises.

Stay tuned for our next set of exercises in this series of core strengthening at home to relieve back pain and improve strength.

Yours in health, Dr. Ness.

Affiliate Links to Recommended Products:

Exercise tubing with handles and door anchor 2-20 lbs – https://amzn.to/3Ew1Cfr

Exercise tubing with handles and door anchor 10-50 bs – https://amzn.to/3sMqBUiZ

Balance pad – https://amzn.to/3LrBVwJ

Physioball – https://amzn.to/3CpKHbZ

To see additional recommended items, please visit this link.

To read about other recommended exercises to improve core strength, visit my blog.

December 20, 2022 by Jeff Severson

Core Floor Exercises

This is our second in our series of exercises that you can do at home to recover from a lower back injury, relieve lower back pain, and improve your lower back and core strength.

In our first blog post, we explained the different types of lower back pain, injuries, and conditions that cause lower back pain and sciatica. The exercises we are going to teach you today are the next step to relieve pain in your lower back and improve your core strength.

Before starting these exercises, you should have completed our beginner series of lower back exercises. You should be able to do 25 reps and 3 sets of each exercise without pain. This is the starting point for people who just injured their lower back or are wanting to strengthen their back from the ground up.

When you can do these exercises proficiently, you will be on your way to living life pain free and get back to doing things that currently hurt your lower back.

As with any exercise program, if you are unsure about your health or ability to do these exercises, check with your physician.

These exercises increase your core strength by requiring you to hold the positions for time. Start with 30 seconds and try to do 1-5 reps. As you get stronger, you can increase the hold times to 1-2 minutes and work up to 5 sets.

Try to use diaphragmatic breathing during these exercises. The diaphragm is a muscle and part of your core. Start by breathing in through the nose for a 4 count, then exhaling through the nose for the same 4 count while you hold the position. Breathing this way will help you strengthen and connect to your diaphragm. Discontinue any exercise that causes increased pain.

Cobra

Start by lying on your stomach with your palms facing the floor and elbows bent by your side. Raise up your head and then trunk incrementally. Allow your arms to assist in lifting as needed. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, then lower back down and repeat 1-5 times.

Slow, deep Diaphragmatic breathing the entire time.

Superman

Start in the prone position with arms stretched above your head. Lift both legs and arms from the mat, keeping the pelvis in contact with the floor. Hold for 30-60 seconds maintaining arm and leg lift. Repeat 1-5 times, Diaphragmatic breathing

Variation

Start in superman position and lift opposite arm and leg from the floor. Alternate opposite arm and leg lifts for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 1-5 times. Diaphragmatic breathing

Planks

Start with your elbows in and hands flat on the floor with your toes tucked and push up into the plank position. Try to keep your core tight with a neutral pelvic tilt as you keep your head, shoulders, and hips in the same straight alignment. Hold for 30-60 seconds using diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat 1-5 times.

Shoulder Touches Variation

Begin in the plank position with wrists under shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Touch your left shoulder with your right hand and return to the plank position. Alternate and repeat on the opposite side. Do this for 30-60 seconds in control with diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat 1-5 times.

Forearm Plank Variation

While lying face down, lift your body up on your forearms and toes. Try and maintain a straight spine. Bring your knee to your elbow. Alternate and repeat on the opposite side. Do not allow your hips or pelvis on either side to drop. Do this for 30-60 seconds in control with diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat 1-5 times.

Side Plank

To do the side plank you must maintain hip/knee/shoulder alignment (everything on a straight plane) as you come up into a side plank, lifting your top arm towards the ceiling. Do this for 30-60 seconds in control with diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat 1-5 times.

Your bottom arm can be bent on forearm, or with a straight arm (shown). If 2 straight legs are too difficult, you can bend the bottom knee and keep it on the ground to support yourself that way!

Variation 1 – Torso rotation

Start in the side plank and then take that top arm and slowly bring it around your body and under your chest and lift back up. Do this for 30-60 seconds in control with diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat 1-5 times.

Variation 2 – Leg lift

Maintain hip/knee/shoulder alignment (everything on a straight plane) as you come up into a side plank, lifting your top arm towards the ceiling. Then slowly raise your top leg until it is horizontal to the floor. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds in control with diaphragmatic breathing. Repeat 1-5 times.

October 12, 2022 by Jeff Severson

5 Exercises to Relieve Lower Back Pain at Home

Lower back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions in the United States. It is the leading cause of missed workdays around the world. It can start as early as in your teens and come and go throughout your adult life.

So, the odds are against you not experiencing lower back pain at some point in your life.

For some people, back pain can be acute and short-lived, and for others, it can be a chronic pain that has to be dealt with daily. In this blog, we will teach you five exercises that you can do at home to relieve your lower back pain.

We will explain how and why you get back pain, and you will learn how to strengthen your spine, stretch, and use the latest home care to live life pain-free.

Acute vs. Chronic Back Pain

There are two types of back pain: acute and chronic. Acute back pain can last from a couple of days up to 12 weeks (about 3 months). Back pain that has lasted more than 12 weeks is considered chronic.

To understand what causes lower back pain, you must understand your spine’s anatomy.

The lumbar spine normally consists of 5 vertebras. Between each vertebra are spinal discs that work as shock absorbers between the vertebras. The function of the spine is to protect the spinal cord.

Coming off the spinal cord between every vertebra is a pair of nerves that send messages back and forth to your brain. The spinal nerves go to your major organs, muscles, and systems that control your body.

Types of back pain:

Injuries

Injuries can happen from accidents, sports, and falls.

Sprains are injuries to the ligaments of your spine. This happens when they are overstretched, overloaded, and torn. This includes the spinal discs, which can swell (disc bulges) when injured.
Strains are injuries to the muscles and occur when they are suddenly contracted and torn or repetitively overused, causing micro-tearing.
Disc herniations, protrusions, and extruded fragments are types of injuries to discs that result in compression of the spinal cord and spinal nerves. They can cause sciatic pain, muscle weakness, and sensory disturbances (numbness, tingling, burning, etc.)

Congenital

There are many variations and deformities that can affect the spine that you can be born with. These include scoliosis, kyphosis, and excessive lordosis, which are abnormal curvatures of the spine.
Other congenital anomalies of the lumbar spine are lumbarization (when you have six lumbar vertebrae instead of 5), sacralization (when you have four lumbar vertebrae instead of 5), and spina bifida.

Degenerative Conditions

Bony arthritic changes are also known as spondylosis of the spine or osteoarthritis. This can weaken your bones and change the shape of the vertebra, spinal joints, and spinal canal.
Disc degeneration also occurs with the arthritic process. As we age, our discs dehydrate, which weakens the disc, resulting in decreased disc height and degeneration, which can lead to disc bulges and herniations.
Other conditions that affect the spine are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, osteoporosis, and osteopenia.

So now that you know a little more, let’s explain nerve pain and sciatica. Sciatic pain is when you feel shooting pain down your leg. It can go into the buttocks, the knee, and the foot. Sciatica is usually the result of disc injury or arthritic changes in the spine that compromise the space from which the nerves exit the spine.

You may have been given the diagnosis of spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis. Both problems decrease the space that the nerves have to move and cause pain via compression of the nerve. This can also cause muscle weakness and paresthesia of the lower extremity.

Extreme compression of spinal nerves can cause severe weakness in your foot muscles resulting in drop foot. Drop foot is serious and must be treated expeditiously to avoid permanent loss of strength in the foot. A rare but serious condition occurs with severe compression of the sacral nerves when bowel and bladder problems arise. This must be treated immediately by a spine care professional like an orthopedic or neurologic surgeon.

The good news is that most back pain is episodic, and even chronic cases of back pain can be helped with the proper care.

So, what is proper back care?

Proper back care is understanding how your back works, figuring out what your triggers are for lower back pain, and knowing what is causing your back pain. Knowing what you have determines how best to treat it.

For some people, it is overuse with work, sports, hobbies, or musical pursuits. For others, it is sitting too long at a desk or a car. Injuries, arthritis, improper and repetitive lifting, etc., can cause lower back pain.

So, when you first start to get back pain and have an acute injury, the common treatment of R.I.C.E., which is an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation for sprain and strains. Most minor strains should resolve within a few weeks. Sprains will take longer to heal.

Sprains and strains that don’t resolve within a few weeks should prompt you to see a PT, chiropractor, or other sports medicine professional. Of course, you don’t have to wait for it to get better on its own. Seeing someone right away will decrease your healing time.

What else can you do on your own?

Stretching and Home Care

You can stretch your back, hips, and legs, relieving tight muscles. You could use a Foam Roller, The Stick, Hypervolt Massage gun on the back, hips, and legs to loosen your muscles and prevent inflammation from turning into scar tissue. You could do core and stability exercises to strengthen the injured area to recover and prevent future injury.

Click here for our beginner core strengthening program that can be done after an injury to the lower back.

For disc injuries that do not respond to the above measures, traditional chiropractic care or physical therapy may respond to non-surgical chiropractic spinal decompression therapy or at-home Teeter Inversion Table therapy. Both therapies stretch the spine to reduce the pressure on your nerves and discs.

Non-surgical chiropractic spinal decompression is done in a chiropractor’s office. While using an inversion table is done at home. In-office spinal decompression therapy is more effective than home inversion table therapy because it is more specific about where the traction is applied.

When doing in-office spinal decompression, the patient is harnessed to the table at the ribcage and then to the bottom of the table with another harness around the pelvis. This directs the decompressive forces only to the lumbar spine.

The home inversion table holds you by the ankles, and when you invert, everything below the ankles stretch. This includes the knees, hips, pelvis, and lower back. You can improve the effectiveness of the home inversion table by using an Inversion Table Harness Belt that attaches to the foot / ankle portion of the inversion table.

So let us talk about exercises that can safely strengthen your spine after an injury or disc and nerve condition.

Core and stabilization exercises are recommended for persons with acute or chronic back pain. The exercises I will present to you today are the first exercises you should master after an acute or chronic injury. They are part of a 4-part program I designed to strengthen your back and relieve pain safely after injury.

Start by doing 10-12 reps and 2-3 sets of each exercise and gradually work up to 3 sets of 25 reps. After mastering this set of exercises, you can move on to our next series.

These will be discussed in future blog posts.

A link to a pdf of these exercises and our video are below.

Follow along with our beginner core exercise video on YouTube.

Beginner core exercises start with the pelvic tilt. Understanding how to pelvic tilt will allow you to get to the posterior pelvic tilt (pelvic neutral) position which is the preferred position for the following exercises. Pelvic neutral is halfway between the arched position and the de-arched spine position.

In the case of acute lower back injuries, you may feel pain in one or both directions of the pelvic tilt exercise. Try to do what you can and don’t force too much, and stay within a pain-free range.

Pelvic Tilt

You start the pelvic tilt exercise with a relaxed lower back, the knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor. In this position, there is a space under your lower back. Try to simultaneously contract your butt and abdominal muscles to push your lower back towards the floor and flatten the area under your lower back. This puts you into posterior pelvic tilt. Then relax and repeat this maneuver as you breathe into your chest.

Crunch

The crunch is started in the posterior pelvic tilt position. The knees are bent, and the feet are flat on the floor. With your arms by your side or crossed on your chest, you lift just enough to get your shoulder blades off the floor. Do not lift all the way. Hold for 5 seconds. This will strengthen your upper abdominal muscles.

Glute Bridge

The glute bridge starts in the posterior pelvic tilt position, with the knees bent and feet on the floor as close to your butt as you can. Lift your butt off the ground and hold for 5 seconds, then repeat. Do not raise your butt higher than your knees.

Side Plank

The side plank starts lying on your side with your knees bent. Lift your body on your forearm and knees. Try and maintain a straight spine. Your neck, shoulders, hips, and knees should be in a straight line.

Birddog Alternate Arm / Leg

In a quadruped position with your hands under your shoulders, your knees under your hips, and a neutral pelvic tilt, slowly lift your leg and opposite arm and straighten them as you lift them. When returning your arm and leg down, please do not touch the floor; instead, bring your elbow towards your opposite knee and lift and then lift and straighten them again. Then set them down on the floor. Next, perform on the other side and repeat.

Dead Bug

Start with the posterior pelvic tilt pushing your lower back into the floor. Bring your knees up to 90 degrees over your hips and feet parallel to the floor. Raise your arms up straight over your shoulders. Then while keeping your lower back pushed into the floor, extend 1 arm overhead while straightening your opposite leg out to the floor. Repeat on the other side.

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May 2, 2021 by DrDavidNess

What You Need to Know About Sitting While Working and in School

It’s no big secret that exercise is good for you. Many articles and books have been written and studies completed on the subject of physical fitness. However, lately it’s been discussed as to whether that five mile run or spin class is really enough. Is our work or school environment undoing any positive effort we put into staying healthy?

The short answer is YES. Human bodies were not built to sit for long periods of time. Our twenty-first century workplace — working behind a desk, typing on the computer, endless video conferences — unfortunately stacks against us to keep us on our… well, not our feet.

There are four harmful results on a person’s body that stem from sitting at work or in school all day.

Sitting for many hours each day takes a toll on our backs.

Working at a desk for many hours a day causes employees and students to stay in one position for an extended length of time. This puts a great deal of pressure on their backs. Over time, painful back and neck problems can develop and, if left untreated, continue to worsen.

Sitting also takes a toll on our waistline.

Obesity is at an all time high in the United States, and at least a good chunk of the reason is our sedentary lifestyle. Sitting for a long period (8 or more hours a day) decreases our metabolism, causing us to burn fewer calories. Excessive time at our desks can end up packing on the pounds.

Sitting can increase the chance of developing a life-threatening disease.

Studies show individuals with sedentary jobs have more health problems than their active counterparts. Cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes are both examples of health issues that arise more often in people who regularly sit down most of the day.

Sitting can cause premature death.

This may sound melodramatic, but it’s true. As we talked about above, sitting for prolonged periods of time puts you at greater risk of diseases that may end up killing you. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, “found people who sat for over 11 hours a day had a 40% greater risk of dying within three years from any cause than people who sat less than 4 hours a day.”

So, what should a sedentary office person do to improve their health and decrease the risk many hours of daily sitting causes?

Get on your feet! Schedule times during the day to stand up and walk around. If you can’t remember to do it, add an alarm on your cell phone. Even a couple minutes on your feet every hour will help balance prolonged sitting. Dr. Ness recommends getting up to stretch for 1 minute 1-2 times per hour. It is impossible to undo 8 hours of sitting by stretching 1-2 times per day.
Learn to sit correctly. When you must sit, make certain your chair isn’t causing more damage. Select a chair that is height and angle adjustable. The seat should support your lower body, and the back should fit the curves of your spine. Special bonus points go to chairs with lumbar support and that rock.

What else can I you do to reduce back and neck pain?

Visit your chiropractor. Back problems brought on by a job behind a desk are not going to magically go away, and can get worse over time. Make a chiropractor appointment, get examined, and work to correct the issue.
Invest in a standing desk. A growing trend is to turn a sitting job into a standing job. Desks that are taller have the ability to keep you on your feet longer, which will provide many health benefits in the long run.

Good health is one of our greatest assets, and it pays to protect it. By understanding the risks of a sedentary working environment, we can be proactive in increasing activity and promoting our individual fitness.

When you or a loved one needs more insight on how chiropractic can guide you toward a healthier lifestyle, give Dr. Ness a call. We’re here to help!

Dr. David Ness is a certified sports chiropractor practicing in NY since 1988. Dr. Ness is the official chiropractor for the football team at United States Military Academy at West Point since 2015.

October 30, 2017 by DrDavidNess

Adult 6 week core strengthening class

Do you have a stubborn back injury? Is your spine weak? Are you trying to prevent back and/or spine injuries?

Join Juli Colotti Exercise Physiologist and Dr. David Ness as they put together a 6 week program to help strengthen your core strength and stability. All exercises can be modified, and are intended for people coming off of injuries or dealing with current injuries.

Come learn the proper way to exercise and strengthen your core and improve your spinal stability.

Class space is limited to 10 people. The price is $80 for all 6 weeks.

September 29, 2017 by DrDavidNess

Why Shin Splint Sufferers Should Consider a Sports Chiropractor

Whether you are an training for a marathon, avid exerciser, an exuberant shopper, or a small child chaser, you have probably felt tightening and burning in your shin at one point in your life. Sometimes, the pain stops when the activity ceases, but other times the pain remains. If shin pain continues bothering you, it may be time to face the fact you have shin splints.

The shin is a bone located in the front part of your lower leg. Shin splints commonly occur in athletes who have intensified or changed their training routines. They also show up in regular people who have changed or added activity to their routine. Shin splints are usually the symptom of underlying biomechanical imbalances in the kinetic chain in addition to the above.

The lower leg muscles and shin bone (Tibia) has a lot of responsibility during exercise, as it absorbs the shock of the steps, raises the toes, and support the arch of the foot.

A few main culprits play a part in shin splints:

failing to stretch or foam roll properly before and after exercising
walking or running on hard surfaces, like pavement
wearing the wrong type of shoes during activity
over-exerting the body with strenuous activity & over training
skipping periods of rest between exercise
muscular imbalance and poor biomechanics

Individuals who perform any type of exercise should take appropriate measures to alleviate the above risk factors of shin splints. If you notice pain and soreness in the front part of your lower leg on the bone, know how to treat this injury properly.

If rest and ice aren’t doing the job and you’re still suffering pain, it’s time to see a doctor. A thorough exam and possibly an x-ray will diagnose the problem.

Sports Chiropractic care is a powerful choice for treating shin splints and reducing their recurrence. Five significant ways a sports chiropractic treatment benefits those suffering from shin splints are:

Reduction in pain

Chiropractic is proven to relieve the pain associated with bodily injuries and medical conditions, including shin splints. Sometimes one visit is enough to relieve the pain, other times the pain decreases over a series of appointments. Being able to diminish a high degree of pain down to a manageable level is possible for shin splint patients through chiropractic.

Full body alignment improves body biomechanics

The premise behind chiropractic is that it treats the body as a whole, and, in doing so, promotes healing and health to the injured or diseased areas. A chiropractor may work on your neck to help your calf. With shin splints, he or she may align your spine and joints to lessen the impact of activity on your shins. Again, the entire body is treated in order to create the best environment for health restoration.

Manual therapy like Active Release Techniques or Graston Technique.

Breaking up scar tissue, adhesions, and inflammation in the calf is key to a full recovery. Failure to treat the injured muscles with manual therapy may result in a reoccurrence of the injury.

Treating shin splints is a common procedure for chiropractors. Common practice is to adjust the calf, ankle, and foot to stretch and increase blood flow to the area.

Drug free treatment option

A primary benefit of chiropractic care is it requires no over-the-counter or prescription drugs. Individuals who suffer from stomach issues, or simply prefer to avoid drugs, find chiropractic visits a productive alternative to manage pain and promote healing.

Strengthening, Stretching and Foam Rolling

Once you are diagnosed with shin splints your doctor should prescribe therapeutic exercises, stretching, and foam rolling to help heal the injury and prevent it from coming back.

Chiropractors don’t just treat the spine. Your Doctor of Chiropractic will set an overall plan of attack for optimal recovery when dealing with shin splints.

It’s routine for sports chiropractors to alleviate the pain of shin splints. Identifying the cause of the problem and prescribing the proper treatment via adjustments, manual therapy, stretching and strengthening exercises the individual will recover faster. Pre and post activity foam rolling for the lower extremity will prevent scar tissue build up. These exercises further expand on the positive effects of the chiropractic therapy.

If you are one of the many people dealing with shin splints, don’t despair! Consider Dr. David Ness for your treatment option or in conjunction with other modes of treatment. Within a few visits, you will experience pain reduction, and enjoy a decreased risk of ever dealing with painful shin splints again.

Dr. David Ness is a sports chiropractor practicing in NY since 1988, and New Paltz, NY since 2002. Dr. Ness is in his 3rd season as the team chiropractor for Army West Point Football. Dr. Ness has over 13 years experience working with college athletes and runners. Dr. Ness uses Active Release Techniques, cold laser, and therapeutic exercise & stretching programs to provide quick relief to patient’s suffering from shin splints.

August 30, 2017 by DrDavidNess

8 Wonderful Ways A Healthy Diet Benefits Your Life

It’s hard to turn on the television or cruise the internet without being bombarded with headlines about “Americans don’t sleep enough” or “one third of adults are obese.”

While stress, heredity, and smoking are all factors that play into a person’s well being, one of the biggest is a healthy diet. Choosing to eat healthy benefits the body in a number of key areas. Still gobbling up the pizza and slurping down the diet soda, unconvinced? See if these eight points about a healthy diet change your mind.

1. Strengthens and improves muscle function

Healthy muscles carry us where we want to go. The right foods, along with proper exercise, build and maintain muscle mass, maintaining strength and mobility.

2. Promotes a longer life

Feeding your body what it needs can add years to your life. Reducing stress is one way to promote health, and a healthy diet is another. Foods rich in minerals and vitamins build up every cell in your body, preparing it to fight illness and stay alive longer.

3. Enables richer years

An individual who is healthy maintains a higher level of physical activity and brain function than their less healthy peers. A stronger body provides a richer life with more unique experiences.

4. Makes you prettier

If you won’t eat healthy for your insides, maybe a better outside will motivate some dietary changes. We all want to be physically attractive. Healthy foods contribute to clear skin and shiny hair that no amount of high priced beauty products provides. Fueling the body with rich omega fatty and other healthy foods nourishes skin, hair, and nails.

5. Makes you smarter

Research shows certain dietary choices power up your brain to function at a higher level, and help everyday brain function. Introducing “brain foods” into your diet aid with memory retention and problem solving skills.

This is one of the best reasons to commit to a healthy diet of vitamin-rich foods, as a healthy brain allows a much more active and independent lifestyle, from working longer to being able to drive.

6. Decreases your injury risk

A high-functioning body with strong bones and muscles maintains balance, handles heavy loads, and holds up under stress better than its weaker counterparts. Muscles and bones lacking calcium and protein over time grow weaker.

This, unfortunately, causes the body to be less stable and more prone to injury. Falls, slips, and twists end up with more serious injuries if a person’s body isn’t strong and healthy.

7. Fights bad genes

If you are already worried about the cancer that runs on mom’s side or the heart attack risk that runs on dad’s side, take heart. While you can’t change your DNA, you can use a healthy diet to combat some of your genetic disposition to disease.

Ingraining a healthy diet into your life, as well as exercise and regular doctor checkups, helps minimize the risk of falling victim to your family’s predisposed illnesses.

If you end up with an illness, whether or not from heredity, a healthy diet….

8. Prepares you to fight illness

A nutrient-rich diet boosts a person’s immune system to be able to fight off infection and illness. When a person falls victim to a disease or other medical condition, their diet helps them fight it off so it hopefully doesn’t get worse and is cured quickly.

A healthy diet is integral to a long, happy life. Deciding to eat healthy and maintain that commitment consistently may seem like a big change in lifestyle at first, but it will benefit you and your loved ones in ways that are practically immeasurable.

Dr. David Ness is a sports chiropractor practicing in NY since 1988, and New Paltz, NY since 2002. Dr. Ness serves has served as the official chiropractor for the Army West Point football team since 2015.

July 19, 2017 by DrDavidNess

5 Key Ways Expectant Mothers Benefit from Chiropractic Care

Five Key Ways Expectant Mothers Benefit from Chiropractic Care

Pregnancy is an exciting, precious time in a woman’s life, full of new experiences. Unfortunately, the baby’s development brings about bodily changes that often wreak havoc on the back and joints, and end up causing pain. These issues also frequently cause issues during delivery, and increase the time it takes for the body to recover post-pregnancy.

Expectant moms benefit from chiropractic care in a number of ways. Here are five key ways chiropractic care helps alleviate the toll pregnancy takes on a woman’s body.

#1: Chiropractic keeps the spine in alignment.

Pregnancy adds significant additional weight to a woman’s body in a short amount of time. This change bears on the spine, frequently pulling it out of alignment.

When this happens, the pain can be quite severe. Chiropractic care during pregnancy works to keep the spine in alignment and all supporting tendons working optimally, to be better prepared and able to adequately support the extra weight.

#2: Chiropractic reduces need for pain relievers.

Most times, individuals experiencing moderate pain pop a couple of over the counter pain relievers and think nothing of it. However, pregnant women strive to avoid medications when possible.

Chiropractic adjustments decrease the underlying issues that cause pain, so the patient relies less on medications. Experiencing less pain as well as eliminating the need for pain killers is a win-win situation for expectant mothers.

#3: Chiropractic strengthens and repairs joints.

Pregnancy really beats up an expectant mothers joints. Chiropractic care for expectant mothers is a productive way to minimize the effect the large, protruding abdomen has on her hips, legs, and ankles.

Treating the body as a whole, chiropractic treatment works to strengthen the body and promotes healing of injured or strained areas.

#4: Chiropractic helps achieve pelvic alignment.

An aligned pelvis is critical to the birthing process, and increases the chances of being able to give birth naturally. According to the American Pregnancy Association,

“When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint. A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. This can affect the mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth.”

An experienced chiropractor can effectively align the pelvis before delivery, so the mother is able to deliver with little incident.

#5: Chiropractic increases the body’s ability to bounce back.

The healthier and stronger a woman’s body is before and during pregnancy, the easier it is to get back into shape once the baby is born. Eating right and safely exercising are effective ways to accomplish this.

Chiropractic care is also a valuable component to fitness. Expectant mothers who choose chiropractic enjoy better posture, less pain, and increased mobility, especially late in the third trimester.

This allows them to maintain exercise routines and be active longer than those suffering from back pain and achy joints. After the delivery, it’s easier to get back into a fitness routine, and into that red dress, if the new mother’s joints, back, and hips are aligned and functioning properly.

Chiropractic care can serve to reduce pain and increase the overall heath of expectant mothers, letting her relax and focus on the more pleasant aspects of pregnancy. Expecting women who commit to chiropractic care can look forward to a stronger body, the chances of a smoother delivery, and an easier recovery after the baby comes.

With over 28 years of experience Dr. Ness can help deliver quality pre and post natal care.

July 9, 2017 by DrDavidNess

Sciatica Sufferers Listen Up: Chiropractic Care Reduces Pain, Promotes Healing

Are you experiencing pain along one side of your body from your lower back down through your hip and the back of your leg? If so, you could be suffering from a condition called sciatica.

According to the Mayo Clinic, sciatica can best be described as “most commonly occurring when a herniated disk or a bone spur on the spine compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.”

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July 4, 2017 by DrDavidNess

Small Muscle Causes BIG Pain: Relieve Piriformis Syndrome with Chiropractic Care

A small muscle located deep in the buttocks, the piriformis muscle performs the essential function of rotating the leg outwards. Piriformis Syndrome is a painful condition that occurs when the piriformis muscle is tight and intrudes upon the sciatic nerve in the buttocks. Causing pain and tenderness and sometimes numbness in the buttocks, piriformis syndrome pain may also radiate down the sufferer’s leg, and in some cases, even into the calf.

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