Author: hyftechnologies

Back pain is pervasive among American adults, but a new and disturbing trend is emerging. Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations, and the use of overweight backpacks is a contributing factor, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). In fact, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the use of book bags or back carriers resulted in over 6,500 injuries in 2000 alone.

Over the past 10 years, the chiropractic profession is noticing a marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining about back, neck and shoulder pain. This new back pain trend among youngsters isn’t surprising when you consider the disproportionate amounts of weight they carry in their backpacks— often slung over just one shoulder. A 2002 study conducted in Italy found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks to school, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result.

Other studies have shown that slinging a backpack over one shoulder could exacerbate the curvature of the spine in scoliosis patients.

According to the ACA, preliminary results of studies being conducted show that the longer a child wears a backpack, the longer it takes for a curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself. The question that needs to be addressed next is, Does it ever return to normal?

The results of these types of studies are especially important as more and more school districts— many of them in urban areas— remove lockers from the premises, forcing students to carry their books with them all day long.

What Can You Do?

• Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
• The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
• A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.
• Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry— and the heavier the backpack will be.
• Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
• Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child’s shoulders.
• The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
• If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.

What We Can Do for You…

If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from backpack use, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In addition, doctors of chiropractic can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture and sleeping habits.

Although doctors of chiropractic (DCs) care for more than just back pain, many patients visit DCs looking for relief from this pervasive condition.

Thirty-one million Americans have low back pain at any given time (1). One half of all working Americans admit to having back symptoms each year (2). One third of all Americans over age 18 had a back problem in the past five years severe enough for them to seek professional help (3). And the cost of this care is estimated to be a staggering $50 Billion yearly— and that’s just for the more easily identified costs! (4).

These are just some of the astounding facts about Americans and their miserable backs! Is there any wonder why some experts estimate that as many as 80% of all of us will experience a back problem at some time in our lives? (5).

Because back problems are this common it’s probably going to happen to you too! Shouldn’t you find out what to do about it before it happens rather than after? Why wait until you’re hurting to learn about your treatment options?

When you’re hurting you may not give this important decision the time and attention it needs to make the best choice. Here are the facts about manipulation as a treatment for back problems:

Manipulation is one of several established forms of treatment used for back problems. Used primarily by Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) for the last century, manipulation has been largely ignored by most others in the health care community until recently. Now, with today’s growing emphasis on treatment and cost effectiveness, manipulation is receiving much more widespread attention. In fact, after an extensive study of all currently available care for low back problems, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research— a federal government research organization— recommended that low back pain suffers choose the most conservative care first. And it recommended spinal manipulation as the ONLY safe and effective, DRUGLESS form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults! (6). Chiropractic manipulation, also frequently called the chiropractic adjustment, is the form of manipulation that has been most extensively used by Americans for the last one hundred years. (7). Satisfied chiropractic patients already know that DCs are uniquely trained and experienced in diagnosing back problems and are the doctors most skilled in using manipulation for the treatment of back pain and related disorders (8). As a public service, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) urges you to make an informed choice about your back care. To learn more about the federal government’s recommendations.

References:

1. Jensen M, Brant-Zawadzki M, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in People Without Back Pain. N Engl J Med 1994; 331: 69-116.

2. Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-98.

3. Finding from a national study conducted for the American Chiropractic Association. Risher P. Americans’ Perception of Practitioners and Treatments for Back Problems. Louis Harris and Associates, Inc. New York: August, 1994.

4. This total represents only the more readily identifiable costs for medical care, workers compensation payments and time lost from work. It does not include costs associated with lost personal income due to acquired physical limitation resulting from a back problem and lost employer productivity due to employee medical absence. In Project Briefs: Back Pain Patient Outcomes Assessment Team (BOAT). In MEDTEP Update, Vol. 1 Issue 1, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Rockville, MD, Summer 1994.

5. In Vallfors B, previously cited.

6. Bigos S, Bowyer O, Braen G, et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults. Clinical Practice Guideline No. 14. AHCPR Publication No. 95-0642. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December, 1994.

7. The RAND Corporation reported from its analysis of spinal manipulation research literature that 94% of all spinal manipulation is performed by chiropractors, 4% by osteopaths, and the remainder by medical doctors.

8. In Risher P, previously cited.

As millions of kids get ready to go back to school, many will pull out old backpacks or purchase new ones. While the books, homework assignments, lunches, and other school gear those bags carry may be important for success in school, some experts point to backpack use as the leading cause of a growing trend in back pain among youngsters. In fact, a recent study conducted in Italy found that nearly 60 percent of children carrying heavy backpacks experienced back pain as a result.

Some states, such as California and New Jersey, have taken legislative action to reduce the weight of students’ backpacks in their school districts. However, even for residents of those states, government regulation may not be enough. Whether you are looking out for your child’s welfare or you use a backpack yourself, here are some steps recommended by the American Chiropractic Association to lighten the load.

Tips for purchasing a new pack:

• Be selective. Look for ergonomically designed packs, such as the Samsonite Chiropak, that distribute weight evenly along the shoulders and spine. Ask your chiropractor for suggestions, and have him or her look at the fit of a pack you have purchased.
• Go small. The smaller the pack, the less likely your child is to overload it with books and other materials. Look for packs that feature special compartments for different types of items— such as pencils, calculators, books, or folders.
• Select wide, padded straps. Backpacks that are designed with broader straps and ample padding are much more comfortable— and healthier.

How to use a backpack wisely:

• Lighten up. Aim for a backpack weight of no more than 10 percent of your child’s body weight. That means if your child weighs 85 pounds, her pack shouldn’t exceed 8.5 pounds. If your child is required to carry weight above that 10 percent, talk to your child’s teacher about ways to reduce the load.
• Position correctly. A properly adjusted backpack will create less stress on the back. Make sure the pack doesn’t hang too low (four inches or more below the waist) which can strain the back.
• Two is better than one. Educate your child about the importance of wearing both shoulder straps, which will distribute weight more evenly.

If you or your child experience tingling or numbness in the hands, or discomfort in the back or neck after wearing a backpack, discontinue use and seek the advice of your doctor of chiropractic.

You never know until you hurt it how much you use your lower back all day long. When your lower back is injured, every movement becomes painful. Simple actions, such as getting out of a chair or bending over the sink, become excruciating, and your daily routine becomes difficult and frustrating.

Back pain affects 60 to 80 percent of U.S. adults at some time during their lives, and up to 50 percent have back pain within a given year.1,2  Some of these problems are easily treated and never return, but in five to ten percent of patients low back pain becomes chronic and the person continues to have recurrences and exacerbations.3

Effective treatment of uncomplicated lower back pain involves treatment in a chiropractor’s office and beginning and continuing an exercise program. A recent study conducted by the Medical Research Council, a research organization based in the United Kingdom, has found that patients given a combination of spinal manipulation and exercise experienced greater improvement in back function and greater reduction in pain compared to those treated with spinal manipulation or exercise only.4

Most mechanical lower back pain is associated with tight leg muscles and weak abdominal muscles. Leg muscles need to be stretched and abdominal muscles need to be strengthened to avoid recurrences of lower back pain.
People are generally not aware of these relationships. You may know you “should be exercising”, but you may be unaware of the importance of stretching. Also, abdominal strengthening is usually the last thing a person thinks of when he or she thinks of doing exercise.

Exercise is a three-step process: stretching, exercising, and abdominal strengthening. Stretching prepares you for the work of exercise, and is done first – before anything else – gently and gradually. You may be tighter than usual on a particular day. This is not important – you should never try to stretch to where “you think you should be”. Just stretch, making sure to pay attention to what you’re doing. It’s easy to injure a muscle if you’re thinking about something else, or if you’re rushing, trying to squeeze in some stretching before dashing off to the gym.

Abdominal strengthening helps support the lower back. Spinal muscles are not designed to carry your body weight. If your abdominal muscles are weak, then your back muscles will be used to carry your body weight, and eventually you’ll have a lower back injury.

Abdominal strengthening not only helps keep your lower back healthy, but also helps maintain good posture. Postural benefits include an easy, relaxed gait; muscles that are long and supple, rather than short and tight; and an open chest that allows for easy, smooth breathing.

Your body is a machine. Everything’s connected. A lower back problem affects many other areas, ultimately. By making sure to stretch regularly and by including abdominal exercises in your gym routine, you can help ensure having a lower back that works.

Who hasn’t had neck pain at one time or another? What’s more, many of us have experienced on-going neck troubles at some point during our lives. Looking at human anatomy, it’s no wonder pain strikes us so often in this vulnerable area. While the neck structure gives us an amazing range of movement with which to see our environment, it also leaves us prone to injury of the muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. But by making regular visits to the chiropractor, paying attention to posture and doing regular stretching and strengthening exercises, our necks can be pain-free.

Frequent chiropractic adjustments help prevent neck pain from occurring in the first place, but some everyday activities such as poor posture during watching TV, using a computer, reading a book or talking on the phone can easily trigger neck pain. Here are a few tips for avoiding neck pain throughout your day:

• Pay attention to your posture. Check with your chiropractor for guidelines to help improve your everyday posture.
• Do not read hunched over a desk or table. Prop reading material at eye level.
• If you spend long periods on the phone at work or home, consider using a headset rather than cradling the phone between your head and shoulder.
• Don’t crane your neck to see a poorly placed computer monitor. Place the monitor at eye level, square to your shoulders if possible.
• Ask your chiropractor to show you neck exercises to strengthen weak areas or relax tight muscles.

Neck pain that won’t go away or keeps coming back can signal a more serious underlying problem such as a subluxation or degeneration in the joints (such as what occurs with arthritis). If you experience neck pain that doesn’t abate within 24 hours, seek the advice of your chiropractor for diagnosis and treatment.

Traveling can be rough on the body. Whether you are traveling alone on businessor on your way to a sunny resort with your family, long hours in a caror an airplane can leave you stressed, tired, stiff and sore.

“Prolonged sitting can wreak havoc on your body,” says Dr. Scott Bautch, immediate past president of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Even if you travel in the most comfortable carrier opt to fly first class, certain pressures and forces from awkward positions can result in restricted blood flow. One of the biggest insults to your system from prolonged sitting is the buildup of pressure in the blood vessels in your lower legs. Contracting and relaxing the muscles helps the blood flow properly.”

Dr. Bautch and the ACA suggest the following tips and advice to fight the pains and strains of travel before they occur.

Warm Up, Cool Down

Treat travel as an athletic event. Warm up before settling into a car or plane, and cool down once you reach your destination. Take a brisk walk to stretch your hamstring and calf muscles.

In the Car

• Adjustthe seat so you are as close to the steering wheel as comfortablypossible. Your knees should be slightly higher than your hips. Placefour fingers behind the back of your thigh closest to your knee. If youcannot easily slide your fingers in and out of that space, you need tore-adjust your seat.
• Considera back support. Using a support behind your back may reduce the risk oflow-back strain, pain or injury. The widest part of the support shouldbe between the bottom of your rib cage and your waistline.
• Exerciseyour legs while driving to reduce the risk of any swelling, fatigue ordiscomfort. Open your toes as wide as you can, and count to 10. Countto five while you tighten your calf muscles, then your thigh muscles,then your gluteal muscles. Roll your shoulders forward and back, makingsure to keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road.
• Tominimize arm and hand tension while driving, hold the steering wheel atapproximately 3 o’clock and 7 o’clock, periodically switching to 10o’clock and 5 o’clock.
• Donot grip the steering wheel. Instead, tighten and loosen your grip toimprove hand circulation and decrease muscle fatigue in the arms,wrists and hands.
• Whilealways being careful to keep your eyes on the road, vary your focalpoint while driving to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and tensionheadaches.
• Take rest breaks. Never underestimate the potential consequences of fatigue to yourself, your passengers and other drivers.

In an Airplane

• Standup straight and feel the normal “S” curve of your spine. Then userolled-up pillows or blankets to maintain that curve when you sit inyour seat. Tuck a pillow behind your back and just above the beltlineand lay another pillow across the gap between your neck and theheadrest. If the seat is hollowed from wear, use folded blankets toraise your buttocks a little.
• Checkall bags heavier than 5-10 percent of your body weight. Overheadlifting of any significant amount of weight should be avoided to reducethe risk of pain in the lower back or neck. While lifting your bags,stand right in front of the overhead compartment so the spine is notrotated. Do not lift your bags over your head, or turn or twist yourhead and neck in the process.
• Whenstowing belongings under the seat, do not force the object with anawkward motion using your legs, feet or arms. This may cause musclestrain or spasms in the upper thighs and lower back muscles. Instead,sit in your seat first, and using your hands and feet, gently guideyour bags under the seat directly in front of you.
• Whileseated, vary your position occasionally to improve circulation andavoid leg cramps. Massage legs and calves. Bring your legs in, and moveyour knees up and down. Prop your legs up on a book or a bag under yourseat.
• Do not sit directly under the air controls. The draft can increase tension in your neck and shoulder muscles.

Safe Travel For Children

• Always use a car seat in a car when traveling with children below the age of 4 and weighing less than 40 pounds.
• Askthe airline for their policy on child car seat safety. Car seats forinfants and toddlers provide added resistance to turbulent skies, andare safer than the lap of a parent in the event of an unfortunateaccident.
• Makesure the car seat is appropriate for the age and size of the child. Anewborn infant requires a different seat than a 3-year-old toddler.
• Carseats for infants should always face the rear. In this position, theforces and impact of a crash will be spread more evenly along the backand shoulders, providing more protection for the neck.
• Carseats should always be placed in the back seat of the car-ideally inthe center. This is especially important in cars equipped with airbags. If an air bag becomes deployed, the force could seriously injureor kill a child or infant placed in the front seat.
• Makesure the car seat is properly secured to the seat of the vehicle and isplaced at a 45-degree angle to support the head of the infant or child.

Household chores can be a pain in the sacroiliac. Unless you’re careful, routine activities around the home— washing dishes, vacuuming, even talking on the phone— can strain your back, including the sacroiliac area near the tailbone, and result in debilitating discomfort.

But you can protect your back by knowing the right way to go about such activities, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).

Consider lifting. It doesn’t matter whether you’re picking up your child or a heavy bucket of water, you need to do it the proper way to avoid injury.

How? Bend from the knees, not the waist. As you lift, hold the item as close to your body as possible. If you have to turn to place it, step in the direction of the turn. That way, you’re not twisting your body and straining your spine.

Back-Saving Tips

The American Chiropractic Association suggest the following do’s and don’ts for chores and relaxation:

• When you wash dishes, open the cabinet beneath the sink, bend one knee and put your foot on the shelf under the sink. Lean against the counter so some of your weight is supported in front.
• When ironing, raise one foot a bit. Place it on a small stool or a book to take some strain off your back.
• To vacuum, use a “fencer’s stance.” Put all your weight on one foot, then step forward and back with the other foot as you push the vacuum forward and back. Use the back foot as a pivot when you turn.
• While talking on the phone, don’t cradle the phone between your ear and shoulder. That can lock up the spinal joints in the neck and upper back, and cause pain. Instead, hold the phone with your hand or use the speakerphone.
• While watching television or relaxing, don’t use the sofa arm as a pillow. The angle is much too sharp for your neck.
• Use a cold pack if your back begins to hurt. Wrap an ice pack in a towel moistened with warm water. The warmth gives way to gradual cold, which likely will alleviate the discomfort. (No ice? Try frozen veggies instead.)
• If pain persists for more than a day or two or if you experience numbness, tingling or weakness in your arms or legs, see a doctor of chiropractic. A doctor of chiropractic is an expert in spinal health and can help identify and treat your problem.

From biking and hiking to walking and jogging, today’s parents are keeping fit and bonding with their babies in the process. With an array of products unheard of a generation ago— like baby carriers, joggers and trailers— even the tiniest among us are enjoying the great outdoors. But while these items can make life easier and more enjoyable for both parent and child, they can be the cause of pain and injury if not used properly. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) urges you to exercise caution and good judgment while exercising with your baby.

Biking

When biking with a child on board, use a trailer, a rolling ride-along that hitches to the back end of a bike. It is a much safer option than a carrier, a “passenger” seat that sits directly on the bike, according to Dr. Scott Bautch, of ACA’s Council on Occupational Health. Dr. Bautch prefers trailers because of their added stability. He cautions that carriers can decrease a bike’s stability, possibly causing it to topple and injure both the parent and child.

To further ensure the child’s safety while biking, keep the following tips in mind:

The trailer must be equipped with a harness that can be placed over the child’s body. The harness should be complicated enough that the child cannot unhook it or wiggle out of it.

• A screen that covers the front of the trailer will add an extra line of protection against stray pebbles and other flying objects.
• Be sure to select a trailer that has large, bicycle-style tires, which will add stability and ease to your ride.
• Protect your child’s head with a sturdy, adjustable helmet that can be sized to fit properly. If the helmet rests too high, it will expose part of the child’s head, leaving it susceptible to injury.
• >Bike only on smooth surfaces for optimal control.
• Only an experienced rider should attempt to bike with a child on board at all. And even then, the rider should practice with a ride-along trailer for two weeks before riding with a real child— in an effort to get a feel for the strength and coordination necessary to maneuver the bike.

Jogging

If you wish to go for a jog and bring your child along for the ride, the baby jogger is your best option. A baby jogger is a rolling pushcart that a parent can jog behind, using handlebars to maneuver. Here are some rules of thumb to consider:

• Make sure the handlebars of the jogger are both large and adjustable, so that they fit comfortably into your hands for complete control. The handlebars should be kept as upright as possible.
• Handbrakes and a locking mechanism are a necessity.
• Look for a jogger with a good shoulder harness to keep the child secure.
• Large, bicycle-style tires offer more control and stability.
• A screen over the front of the jogger adds to its safety by deflecting stray flying objects.
• Jog only on smooth surfaces.

Walking or Hiking

Backpack-Style and Front-Side Baby Carriers

For parents who prefer walking or hiking with their little ones, a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier could be for you. Dr. Bautch cautions, however, that there are risks involved with carrying an infant on your back in a backpack-style carrier. “The cervical spine of a child less than one year old is not fully developed. It is important at that age that the head does not bob around. The backpack-type carrier is not ideal because the parent cannot watch to make sure the child’s head is stable. A front-side carrier is better for a very young child,” explains Dr. Bautch.

Dr. Bautch also urges you to think about the following:

• A backpack-style or front-side carrier decreases a parent’s stability when walking or hiking. It is critical that a parent gets into shape before attempting to use one of these products.
• Since these carriers will change the feel of walking or hiking quite a bit, they should not be used by beginning walkers or hikers.
• If using a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier, make sure to select one with wide straps for your shoulders and waist. This will help distribute the carrier’s weight evenly. The shoulder straps should fit comfortably over the center of your collarbone.
• The carrier should include a harness to keep the child stable.
• Once you place the child in the carrier, check to make sure there is no bunching of material against the child’s body, particularly on the back, buttocks and spine. Isolated, uneven pressure like this can produce pain.

Baby Slings

The “baby sling” is becoming more and more popular for its versatility of positions and comfort. But if you wish to use a baby sling, keep in mind that it is intended only for very young infants and follows these tips:

• A baby can become very hot inside the sling, so be mindful of the temperature around you. Also, make certain the baby’s breathing is clear and unobstructed by the sling’s material.
• Never run or jog while carrying a baby in any backpack-style carrier, front-side carrier or baby sling. A baby’s body is not adjusted to the cyclic pattern that is a part of running and jogging. This motion can do damage to the baby’s neck, spine and/or brain.

Take Care of Yourself

Finally, don’t forget about your own health and comfort. When lifting a child to place him or her into a trailer or jogger, exercise caution. Don’t bend from the waist, but begin in a 3-point squat and implement a two-stage lift that consists of a) pulling the child up to your chest and then b) lifting straight up with your leg muscles. Stay as close to the car seat or trailer as possible and place the child into it without reaching, stretching or twisting. The further the child is from your body, the more strain you will place on your spine and musculoskeletal system.

Thirty-five year-old Tracy had tried everything: monitoring her cycles through body temperature, over-the-counter fertility predictors and finally, fertility-enhancing drugs and in vitro fertilization. But after three years of trying, she still wasn’t pregnant. She began to think she was “too old” to have a family, though she was seemingly in great physical shape.

Tracy is not alone. Thousands of women go to fertility specialists each year. “After fertility treatments fail, many women are told ‘no’ [about having children] because of their age,” says D’arcy Brown, DC. But chiropractic may offer hope. At least one recent study showed that, after receiving chiropractic care, previously infertile women were much more likely to become pregnant (Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 2003). And while reasons behind chiropractic’s success in treating infertility aren’t certain, there are a number of possibilities why it may work.

Dr. Brown, who practices in Aspen, Colorado, believes proper alignment works in several ways to increase the likelihood of becoming and staying pregnant. Chiefly, improper alignment of the cranial, spinal, and pelvic bones can hinder the nervous system, which controls a woman’s reproductive system, causing imbalances and hampering her ability to get and stay pregnant.

Distortions of the sphenoid bone in the skull- which can result from passage through the birth canal or from accidents later in life- are particularly problematic, says Brown, since misalignments there can affect the cranial nerve and pituitary gland. The pituitary gland is the regulator of a number of hormones important to fertility, including the follicle-stimulating hormone, estrogen, and progesterone. If any of these are out of balance, explains Brown, it can be very difficult to get pregnant.

Like Tracy, many of the patients Brown sees for infertility have tried everything. They come to chiropractic as a last resort. Brown first talks to them about their menstrual health history, noting signs of imbalance, which have often been problematic since the onset of menstruation, including heavy cramping, mood swings, and missing periods. “We balance the body [through chiropractic],” says Brown. Patients receive a combination of chiropractic and craniosacral adjustments, three times a week to start. After adjustments start to hold, patients visit once or twice a week.

How long should chiropractic take to work? Not long, says Brown. “We give it three months. Often women will become pregnant in the third or fourth month of treatment.” Brown has an impressive 75 percent success rate so far. Unless there have been serious compromises to reproductive health, he says, such as a history of extreme athletic activity or substance abuse, chiropractic may set the stage for a successful pregnancy for women like Tracy.

You’re pregnant! Congratulations! Your body’s changing-wondrously, marvelously. One unexpected and unwelcome change may be lower back pain. Recent studies suggest that two-thirds of pregnant women experience lower back pain.¹

These statistics seem reasonable. The weight of the growing baby, plus the weight of the placenta and amniotic fluid, create an unbalanced load in front of the lower back. The result is irritation of spinal ligaments, muscles, and tendons, causing pain, muscle spasm, and loss of mobility.

Of course, some cases of pregnancy-related back pain have specific medical causes. Uncommon conditions such as pregnancy-associated osteoporosis, septic arthritis, and inflammatory arthritis may need to be considered.²

That said, the vast majority of cases of back pain in pregnancy are mechanical in origin.

Your doctor of chiropractic will perform a complete examination and determine the correct course of treatment, if appropriate. Once you’re feeling better, you can begin

stretching and doing safe, gentle exercises that will help prevent recurrences of lower back pain. The goal is to strengthen your lower back and minimize the mechanical effects of pregnancy.

The best method of preventing back pain in the first place is being fit. This includes healthy nutrition, gaining a moderate amount of weight, and regular exercise. Your obstetrician will likely recommend vitamin and iron supplements and will monitor your weight. The average healthy woman gains between 25 and 35 pounds during the course of her pregnancy.³

Let’s fast forward a few years. Your newborn is now a toddler. Parents know that if you have kids, stuff happens. You bend over to place a bulky car seat in your car. Then you place your child in it. And then, you bend over to remove the car seat from your car. If you’ve gone to the mall, kids want Daddy or Mommy to carry them. Pick them up, cart them around, put them down again.

What’s a parent to do? It’s not like you can avoid any of these activities. Your kids are kids – it’s up to you to do stuff for them. The answer lies in regular exercise. “But how will I find time to exercise, when there already isn’t enough time to do the things I need to do?”

That’s a tough question, but if you recognize the benefits, you’ll make the effort to make the time. Forty-five minutes or an hour per workout, three or four times a week, will be plenty. And, once you’re in the habit of exercising, you’ll notice it’s easier to lift your kids, easier to bend over, easier to carry them. It’s easier because you’re

fitter and stronger. And healthier. And, surprisingly, you’re having more fun.

¹Pennick VE, Young G: Interventions for preventing and treating pelvic and back pain in pregnancy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 18(2):CD001139, 2007.
²Sax TW, Rosenbaum RB: Neuromuscular disorders in pregnancy. Muscle Nerve 34(5):559-571, 2006.
³Jain NJ, et al: Maternal obesity: can pregnancy weight gain modify risk of selected adverse pregnancy outcomes? Am J Perinatol 24(5):291-298, 2007.