OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

World Spine Day

October 16th is World Spine Day. Each year, people from around the world join together to raise awareness about the importance of spinal health. This event is a regular part of the Bone and Joint Decade’s Action Week. The World Spine Day theme for 2014 is “Straighten Up and Move”. The emphasis is to focus on the importance of proper posture and movement in maintaining good spinal health. Chiropractors and Occupational Therapists are the recognized experts in these very topics.

Spinal disorders, such as back pain, neck pain, degenerative disc disease and scoliosis are common within the population and they can have a profound effect on a person’s overall health. These treatable conditions can impact a person’s ability to work and enjoy everyday activities. They can even disrupt healthy sleep patterns. Most chiropractic and OT patients report that the activities of their daily lives improve under chiropractic & OT care.

Research has demonstrated that both poor posture and inactivity can contribute to the development of back pain and other spinal disorders. With their extensive study of spinal anatomy (the structure of the spine) and biomechanics (the proper movement patterns of the spine), chiropractors and OTs are the perfect choice for spinal assessments. This year’s World Spine Day theme of “Straighten Up and Move” seems to be an appropriate reminder that all family members should go for a spinal “check-up” to identify any abnormalities in the structure or the movement patterns of their spines.

The encouraging news is that many common spinal problems can be easily detected and prevented with regular visits to the chiropractor and OT.

To help mark World Spine Day, participating health care providers and organisations around the world will provide important information, tips and tools to help prevent many of these spinal disorders. Our professions have always been at the forefront of providing information, tips and tools about the prevention of spinal disorders for over 100 years.

If you have any questions regarding your family’s spinal health, or steps that can be taken to prevent the development or progression of various spinal disorders, your first port-of-call should be your chiropractor or OT. Through their training and clinical experience, chiropractors & OTs are recognised specialists in spinal health.

No one is too young or too old for a spinal check-up.

Stretch of the Month

Prayer Cat Camel

Start on all fours.

1. Prayer- Exhale as you sit back onto heels, lower head, tuck chin and reach arms out.
2. Cat- Inhale as you arch the back up and hollow out abdominals while head remains tucked. Camel- Exhale and lower abdominal and reach chin towards ceiling. Tuck chin and sit back into Prayer position.
3. Repeat 5 times.

Towards Wellness

Get a Healthy Dose of Sunshine

Let the sun shine! Just remember moderation. Guidelines for vitamin D intake suggest that a little dab of sun will do you good. Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, muscles and overall health. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the best natural source of vitamin D, but it is also the main cause of skin cancer.
A balanced approach to sunlight exposure can help you avoid vitamin D deficiency, which can have significant health effects. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but a 5-10 minutes of morning or afternoon sun will boost your vitamin D.