Keeping Kids & Teens Active and Vital with Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors treat children and teenagers for a wide variety of health problems, from back and neck pain to posture imbalances to acute musculoskeletal injuries. Children and adolescents constitute a significant number of patients in chiropractic offices. Because of the family-oriented nature of many chiropractic clinics, chiropractors are in an excellent position to provide appropriate care throughout the lifespan, including during those formative years of childhood and adolescence. 

Back and neck pain are common health complaints among children and adolescents and recent studies have indicated that low back and neck pain is becoming increasingly common in children and adolescents, which suggests an increase in degenerative musculoskeletal conditions in future adults. 

Another study published in the journal Spine notes that the prevalence of low back pain increases sharply in the early teen years and that by the age of 18 (girls) and 20 (boys) over 50 percent experience at least one bout of low back pain. There is a clear role for chiropractic in reducing or preventing back and neck pain in children and teens through targeted treatment approaches and education about the importance of posture and other musculoskeletal health topics.

Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center has experience treating children of all ages for pain-related issues resulting from lack of activity, over-activity leading to injury, poor posture or other musculoskeletal conditions.  If your child is complaining of headaches, back, neck, or other kinds of pain, make an appointment to see the doctors at Atlantic Chiropractic and Wellness Center so they can work with your child to keep him or her active and vital.

(386) 492-4881  or visit us on the web at www.atlanticchiorfl.com

The Health Costs of High Fashion

For years, women have worn high heels to add inches to their height, to make a “fashion statement” or to accentuate a long lean leg. All this fashion NONsense has wreaked havoc on women’s spines, necks, legs and backs.
Ask most women why they wear high heels and they might respond, “They complement my outfit,” or “They make me look taller.” Ask these same women if these shoes are comfortable and most will respond with a resounding “NO!” What they may not understand is that wearing these types of shoes can alter the forward curve in the spine, causing the pelvis to tip forward. This affects the body’s ability to maintain its center of gravity. Because of this, wearing high heels can actually increase your risk of falling!
When I see a woman walking down the street with high heels and a two-ton bag, I want to stop her and make her aware of what she is doing to her body.
Your legs are an important part of your musculoskeletal system. When you stand bare-footed you have the best opportunity to balance yourself. Your hamstring muscles along the back of your legs are taut and both parts of the pelvis are stabilized. But by raising your heel, you shorten and actually weaken these crucial support muscles.
Aside from all the stress you place on your spine by wearing high heels, they can also cause damage to your feet, such as corns, calluses and bunions that can last for a lifetime. They can even change the shape of your foot!
The solution? Wear flat shoes or lower heels with the proper arch support as often as possible. And if you’re concerned about the long-term effects that wearing heels may have had on your spine, mention it on your next visit.