It’s National Youth Sports Week again. ‘Adopted to promote the values of sportsmanship, civility, respect, health, safety, fun, and physical activity among players and leaders, including parents, coaches, and officials.’
Last year I introduced this event in a post titled: Youth Sports Week which you can read HERE. In that post I mentioned that: “In today’s age of health and fitness, more and more kids are involved in sporting activities and although being part of a football, soccer, or a cheerleading team is an important rite of passage for many children. You as parents may be overlooking the importance of preventing injuries on and off the playing field in your children.”
I also mentioned that: “the majority, if not all, sports are good, provided that your children prepare appropriately.”
Why is that? Well, that’s because, since there are so many structural and physical developmental issues that need to be taken into consideration before your children engage in any type of sports, and without the proper preparation, playing any sport can end up turning into a bad experience.
I went ahead and gave you some suggestions on the proper, sport specific, warm up stretches, and strength-training exercises to help prevent sports injuries from occurring.
I then discussed the importance of proper nutrition and hydration to also help minimize the likelihood of sports injuries from happening.
I finished up with 10 tips to help ensure your child does not miss a step when it comes to proper fitness, stretching, training and rest that their bodies needs to engage in sporting activities.

This year for National Youth Sports Week, I’ve decided to give you the list of the top 10 most common sports injuries, some useful tips to minimize the chances of them from occurring , and if these injuries do indeed happen, tell you what you can do to help minimize any potential permanent damage. That way, not only will your child never miss a step and continue to enjoy all the physical activities they really enjoy doing, but also, so that your children won’t suffer from the same aches and pains you as an adult are now suffering from because of your past childhood sports injuries. All of which you will shortly read about below:

The Top 10 Most Common Sports Injuries:

1. Runner’s Knee:

Knee injuries comprise about 55% of all sports injuries. Torn ligaments and cartilage are the most common injuries. However, many knee problems are grouped into the category called ‘runner’s knee’, which includes a variety of aches and pains from a problem with your child’s kneecap. While it is common in children who enjoy running they are not the only ones afflicted by this common problem. ‘Runner’s knee’ also commonly affects children who engage in bicycling, swimming, cheerleading, football, basketball, and volleyball. ‘Runner’s knee’ occurs when the repetitive pounding and overuse leads to a misalignment that causes irritation and inflammation of the tendon below the kneecap and eventually begins to wear out the area under the knee cap and leads to a degenerative arthritis that is referred to as chondromalacia patella. Which literally means chondro= cartilage, malacia= softening, of the patella= knee cap.

2. Shoulder Injuries:

Shoulder injuries are next on the list and comprise about 20% of all sports injuries and include dislocations, sprains, and strains. Shoulder injuries are more common in children who engage in sports such as: tennis, swimming, weightlifting, baseball, and volleyball. Basically, any sports that involves a lot of overhead movement. These problems are usually due to repetitive overuse, which loosens the group of tendons and muscles that surround the shoulder, referred to as the rotator cuff, and causes the shoulder, neck and upper back to misalign. Symptoms may include pain, stiffness, weakness, and slipping in the shoulder.

3. Sprained Ankle:

Ankle sprains are next on the list and are more common in children who engage in sports such as: soccer, hockey, basketball, and volleyball. Basically, any sport that involves jumping, running, and turning quickly. These sudden movements can lead to twisting the ankle and possibly tearing tendons or ligaments.

4. Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow:

Elbow injuries are next and account for 7% of all sports injuries. Tennis elbow is caused by a degeneration of the tendon in the elbow due to repetitive impacts such as repeated backhand strokes in tennis. It results in pain on the outside of the elbow.
Golfer’s elbow, on the other hand, usually occurs on the inside of the elbow, although it can sometimes attack the outside too. The pain experienced is a result of swelling and inflammation of the area on the inside of the elbow where the forearm muscles attach to the upper arm.

5. Pulled Muscle:

The most commonly pulled muscles are the muscles behind the thighs called the hamstrings, and are more common in children who engage in sports involving running, such as: jogging, basketball, and soccer.
While the hamstrings are the most common pulled muscles, your children can pull many different muscles depending on the sport they are performing.
Not warming up properly, fatigue, lack of flexibility, weakness, and lack of proper hydration are the most common causes of a pulled a muscle.

6. Lower Back Pain:

Lower back pain is next on the list and more commonly affects children who engage in running, bicycling, golfing, tennis, and baseball.
While there are many types and causes of lower back pain such as: bulging or herniated discs which can cause pain to shoot down the leg (known as sciatica), the most common reason for sports-related back pain in children is a sprain / strain of the very complex joints, discs, ligaments, surrounding muscles, and delicate nerve roots of the spine usually as a result of improper stretching.

7. Shin Splints:

Shin splints is a condition that causes pain on the inner side of your child’s shinbone as a result of an inflammation of the muscles that surround it.
They often affect children who, aren’t used to exercising, increasing the intensity of their workouts too fast, wearing worn-out shoes or by jumping or running on hard surfaces.

8. Groin Strain:

A strained groin usually happens when your child suddenly changes directions while running. They occur more commonly in sports such as: soccer, hockey, basketball, racket sports, football, and volleyball. Symptoms include sharp pain, swelling and sometimes even bruising on the inside of the thigh.

9. Concussions:

A concussion is an injury to the brain that is usually the result of a blow to the head. Symptoms can include: disorientation, vision disturbances, headaches, dizziness, amnesia, loss of balance, difficulty concentrating, and nausea. Concussions are most common in contact sports, such as: football, boxing, hockey, and soccer. However, they also occur in sports like skiing, cheerleading, and gymnastics.

10. Neck Sprains:

Neck strains are last on the list and similar to concussions are most common in contact sports, such as: football, boxing, hockey, soccer, skiing, cheerleading, and gymnastics. They are a result of a sudden forced movement of the head or neck. Commonly referred to as ‘whiplash’, the sudden ‘whipping’ motion injures the very complex joints, discs, ligaments, surrounding muscles, and delicate nerve roots of the spine. The muscles in the injured area then react by tightening up causing more neck pain and stiffness.

What can you do to prevent the injuries listed above?

First, since most sports injuries are due to either an improper warm-up or stretching routine or because the level of intensity of the workout was increased too quickly, the best way to avoid sports injuries that can keep your child out of the game for weeks or months is to have them stretch adequately before and after their workouts, and to pace themselves according to their level of skill and experience in their chosen sport.
In addition to warming-up properly, sport specific routine stretching, and proper pacing, I’ve listed some helpful tips to prevent each of these top 10 most common sports injuries below:

1. Runner’s Knee:

Try replacing your child’s shoes and insoles regularly. Choose a softer running surface such as an indoor track rather than hard pavement. Strengthen your child’s thigh muscles. Take more rest days between workouts. Cross train to prevent overuse.

2. Shoulder Injuries:

Shoulder injuries occur most often when your child hasn’t used their shoulder muscles in a while. (Such as during your baseball league’s off-season.)
So, be sure they strengthen their muscles through weight training before the season begins.

3. Sprained Ankle:

Strengthening your child’s ankles by having them do exercises such as ankle lifts on stairs, as well as taping their ankles or wearing a lace-up brace can help prevent any sudden movements that can lead to them twisting thier ankle and possibly tearing tendons or ligaments.

4. Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow:

The best way to prevent these two ailments is to perform forearm-strengthening exercises, such as: wrist curls,reverse wrist curls,squeezing a soft rubber ball, and improving your child’s swinging techniques.

5. Pulled Muscle:

The best way to prevent pulling a muscle is to: stretch properly before and after any sports activity or any exercising, make sure your child is properly hydrated, and avoid any sports activity or performing any exercises when they are fatigued and weak.

6. Lower Back Pain:

The best way to prevent a lower back injuries in your children from occurring is to make sure they: warm up properly before any sports activity or exercising, stretch properly before and after any sports activity or exercising, make sure your child is properly hydrated.

7. Shin Splints:

Wearing good shoes, cross training, stretching, and not increasing workout intensity too quickly are the best preventive measures for shin splints from occurring.

8. Groin Strain:

As with most sports injuries, the best way to prevent a groin pull is to have your child stretch properly before exercising. They can use following video on how to do the proper groin stretches, that I found at LiveStrong.com titled: How to do groin stretches. Also, gradually increasing the intensity of an activity rather than jumping right into it too quickly will also help prevent these injuries as will strengthening the groin muscles.

9. Concussions:

The best way to prevent concussions is to avoid contact sports, however, if that isn’t an option obviously the proper use of any protective head equipment is a must.

10. Neck Sprains:

The only way to prevent neck sprains just like concussions is to avoid contact sports.

What you can do if these injuries do happen.

1. Runner’s Knee:

If your child injures their knee, apply ice for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible this will reduce any swelling in your child’s knee and don’t have them exercise for at least two days. After two days if their knee is all better then they can try and resume their workouts, just be sure they warm up properly first and also apply some ice to their knee for 20 minutes after exercising to prevent any further swelling.

2. Shoulder Injuries:

If your child does injure their shoulder, apply ice for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible this will reduce any swelling and rest it for two days. Following the two days of resting, start them doing the following downloadable pdf file of the proper shoulder range of motion exercises that I have included HERE from OhioHealth online. These will minimize the possibility of a condition called adhesive capsulitis or ‘frozen shoulder’ from occurring.

3. Sprained Ankle:

If your child does sprain their ankle apply ice for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible to reduce the swelling. Completely rest and elevate it for only one day. Then, following this day of complete rest and elevation, have them begin to gently moving their ankle in all directions. This will help start to get better circulation, help to reduce further swelling, and most importantly, help to prevent the likelihood of any potential shortening of the damaged tendons and ligaments that can then lead to a future chronic ankle problem.

4. Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow:

If your child develops either one of these aliments apply ice to the area for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible to reduce the inflammation for two days. Take a 1 week break from the sport or the repetitive motion. Wear a ‘tennis’ elbow brace for 4 weeks upon resuming the sport or repetitive motion.

5. Pulled Muscle:

As with most injuries, applying ice for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible will reduce any swelling and inflammation in your child’s injured muscle. In about two days, after most of the swelling goes down and your child’s injured muscle has begun to heal, they can then begin some gentle stretches and start exercising again, but have them stop every so often during their workout to stretch until they are completely healed.

6. Lower Back Pain:

Since your child’s spine is such a complex and important structure that directly affects your child’s delicate nervous system. Lower back pain even from a pulled muscle or back spasms requires appropriate professional treatment. If lower back pain or an injury does occur in your child you can help minimize any damage by immediately applying ice on the area for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible to help reduce any swelling until you can get your child to the appropriate professional care.

7. Shin Splints:

As with most injuries, applying ice for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible will reduce any swelling and inflammation followed by the following stretches of the lower legs, that I found in an ezine article titled: Shin Splint Stretches – Top Three Shin Splint Stretches to Stop Your Pain.

8. Groin Strain:

Apply ice for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible to reduce swelling and inflammation. Don’t let your child do anything too strenuous for one to two weeks after these injuries. When they resume exercising, apply ice to the affected area after their workout until healed. When they are feeling better, start a stretching and strengthening program.

9. Concussions:

Any head injuries should never be taken lightly and an appropriate professional care should be sought in order to properly evaluate the severity of a any type of head injury. Treating a concussion however simply involves resting and refraining from playing any contact sports from anywhere from a day to a few months depending on the severity. As, returning to play too quickly can result in second impact syndrome, a potentially fatal condition.

10. Neck Sprains:

Since your child’s neck is such a complex and important structure that directly affects your child’s delicate nervous system. Neck sprains requires appropriate professional treatment. If a neck sprain does occur in your child you can help minimize any damage by immediately applying ice on the area for 20 minutes every hour as often as possible to help reduce any swelling until you can get your child to the appropriate professional care.

When should you seek professional treatment for a sports injury?

I already mentioned that: concussions, lower back pain , and neck sprains require the appropriate professional care, however, in addition all other injuries that do not completely self resolve within 2 weeks should be evaluated by an appropriate health care professional.

I hope you found this post useful and it served it’s purpose of informing you about the top 10 most common sports injuries, gave you some useful tips to minimize the chances of them from occurring , and if any of these injuries do indeed occur, informed you about what you can do to help minimize any potential permanent damage. This way, not only will your child never miss a step and continue to enjoy all the physical activities they really enjoy doing, but also, so that your children doesn’t suffer from the same aches and pains you as an adult are now suffering from because of your past childhood sports injuries.

As always, I welcome any of your thoughts concerning this subject. So, if you’d like to, just to leave a comment below.

And so you don’t miss any future posts, just subscribe to the email updates HERE. Or you can subscribe to the RSS feed HERE (See: What’s this?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin.

What Can You Do to Prevent the Top 10 Most Common Sports Injuries in Children from Occurring ? (And What You Can Do if They Do Occur.) – Youth Sports Week 2010 is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. Youth Sports Week
2. Congratulations to the Winner of the FREE Sylvania 32” LCD HDTV! – Patient Appreciation Week 2010
3. How Can Chiropractic Help TMJ joint problems ? – National TMJ Awareness Month (part 3 of 3)

If you happened to have missed the last three weeks of Posts, I mentioned that June is National Scoliosis Month. Sponsored by the National Scoliosis Foundation, a Patient-led Nonprofit Organization, Dedicated to: “Helping Children, Parents, Adults, and Health-Care Providers to Understand the Complexities of Spinal Deformities such as Scoliosis.”

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Scoliosis is. The Second Part, Which You can Read HERE, Discussed What the Symptoms of Scoliosis are, The Third Part, Which You can Read HERE, Discussed What You Can Do About Your Scoliosis, Followed by This Final Fourth Part, That Will Discuss What the Treatment Options for Scoliosis are.

What are the Treatment Options for Scoliosis?

Treatment Options of idiopathic Scoliosis are based on these 4 things:

1. When the curve starts to develop (see Part One: What is Scoliosis? the 3 Categories of idiopathic Scoliosis).
2. The degree of the curve when measured on Spinal X-rays (see Part Two: What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis?).
3. The likelihood it will get worse.
4. How quickly it is progressing (if it is getting worse).

For Examples, with Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (the most common form of scoliosis), if You or Your Child’s curve is small when it is first diagnosed, it can be observed and followed with routine X-rays and measurements. If You or Your Child’s curve stays below 25 degrees, no other treatment is necessary. However, if You or Your Child’s curve is between 25-40 degrees, a brace may be recommended (which is not designed to correct the curve, but can be used to help slow or stop the curve from getting worse). If You or Your Child’s curve is greater than 40 degrees, then surgery may be indicated. With Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (which has the highest risk for getting worse of all of the idiopathic types of scoliosis), bracing can be tried early if You or Your Child’s curve is not very severe. The goal is to prevent You or Your Child’s curve from getting worse until You or Your Child stops growing. Since the curve starts early, and has a lot of time left to grow, there is a higher chance for needing more aggressive treatment or surgery. Infantile idiopathic scoliosis will improve without any treatment in most cases. X-rays can be obtained and measurements compared on future visits to determine if Your Child’s curve is getting worse. Bracing is not normally effective in these cases.

I mentioned in Part Two: What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis, That Scoliosis is typically Not associated with Back Pain. However, in cases with Back Pain, the symptoms can be lessened with Chiropractic Adjustments, Physical Therapy, Massage, Yoga, and the Exercises I listed in Part Three: What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis?, These Exercises will Help Strengthen the Muscles of Your Back. None of these Therapies or Exercises, However, are a Cure for Scoliosis and will Not be able to Correct the Abnormal Curve.

If the curve stays below 40 degrees after You or Your Child is Finished Growing, it is not likely to get worse later in life. However, if You or Your Child’s curve is greater than 40 degrees, it is likely to continue to get worse by 1-2 degrees each year for the rest of Your life. If this is not prevented, You or Your Child will eventually be at risk for heart or lung problems.

If You have degenerative (adult) scoliosis you will often have complaints of back and leg pain. This is related to the arthritis in the back and possible compression of the nerve roots that lead to the legs. Non-operative treatment including: Chiropractic Adjustments, Physical Therapy, and Exercises can help relieve Your symptoms in most cases.

I mentioned above and in Part Two: What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis, That Scoliosis is typically Not associated with Back Pain. So, You are probably wondering that, “If my child has No Pain and Chiropractic Can Not Correct the Curve Why should they get Adjusted?”

Because, Misalignments of Your Child’s Spine and the other Joints of Their Body Can Cause Nerve irritation and since the Nervous System is the Organizer, Controller, and Coordinator of All The Body’s Processes and All The Other Systems, including: the Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, Reproductive, Hormonal, Muscle and Skeletal Systems, they all Depend upon the Nervous System to Work Properly. Therefore, the Most Direct Method of Returning to a Balanced, Relaxed, and Healthy State, Should Be Directed toward Balancing the Nervous System and this is Exactly What Chiropractic Care Does!

Chiropractic Adjustments Correct the Misalignments Your Spine and the other Joints of Your Body, Reduces Spinal Nerve irritation, improves Circulation, and Releases Muscle Tension, All of Which Helps Your Body Return to a Balanced, Relaxed, and Healthy State.

That is Why A Healthy, Balanced Spine is a Key Factor to a Happier Healthier Lifestyle.

Chiropractic Care is Based on the Idea That, Given the Opportunity, the Mind and Body Can Heal itself. If You Would Like More information on this see: General spinal check-ups, Supportive, Maintenance and Wellness care.

You can also watch this great YouTube Video demonstrating the Chiropractic Treatment for Scoliosis in Children I’ve included below:

I Hope You Found this Post Series Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

And So You Don’t Miss any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What are the Treatment Options for Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 4 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 2 of 4)
2. What is Scoliosis of Your Spine ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 1 of 4)
3. What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 3 of 4)

If you happened to have missed the last two weeks of Posts, I mentioned that June is National Scoliosis Month. Sponsored by the National Scoliosis Foundation, a Patient-led Nonprofit Organization, Dedicated to: “Helping Children, Parents, Adults, and Health-Care Providers to Understand the Complexities of Spinal Deformities such as Scoliosis.”

This Will Be a Four Part Series Posted Weekly Throughout the Month of June to Help inform You About this Condition called Scoliosis.

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Scoliosis is. The Second Part, Which You can Read HERE, Discussed What the Symptoms of Scoliosis are, This Third Part, Will Discuss What You Can Do About Your Scoliosis, Followed by the Final Fourth Part, That Will Discuss What the Treatment Options for Scoliosis are Which Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week.

If You Don’t Want to Miss this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis?

The Easiest and Most Effective thing You Can Do About Your Scoliosis are These 4 Specific Exercises. These Exercises are Not Difficult and Anybody Can Do Them. However, if You Do Have any Questions or Have any Difficulty Performing the following Exercises feel free to Contact Me either, through Twitter or this Site’s Contact Form and I will be glad to Help Answer any Questions You may Have.

1. Wall Straightening
   Stand against a Wall with Your Head, Shoulders and Buttocks firmly against the Wall with Your Feet out about a Foot from the Wall. Press Your Lower back into the Wall, Take a Few Deep Breaths and Release. Repeat 10 times. This Same Exercise can also be performed lying down on Your Back. With Your Knees bent Raise Your Arms above Your Head and press Your Lower Back into the Floor. Take a Deep Breath in as You Raise Your Arms and Breath Out as You apply the Pressure. Repeat 10 times.
2. Side Stretches
   Stand with Your Feet Shoulder-width apart. Put one Hand on Your Hip and Raise Your other Arm up and over Your Head. Bend Sideways at Your Waist with Your Raised Arm Curving over Your Head. Simply Stretch and Return to the Upright Position. Repeat 10 to 20 times on Each Side. Be careful Not to Twist as You Bend and Don’t Bounce. You can also add Hand Weights to this Routine. Hold one weight at Your Side instead of putting Your Hand on Your Hip and Hold the other weight in Your Raised Arm.
3. Sit-Ups
   Lie flat on Your Back and bend Your Knees. Breathe in as You Raise Your Arms up over Your Head and tilt Your Hips slightly upwards. Slowly Bring Your Arms forward and raise Your Upper Body as You bring Your Arms forward over Your Knees. Keep Your Elbows straight as You can and continue to roll upwards and touch Your Knees and release Your Breath as You rise. Lie back down slowly and Repeat 10 to 20 times.
4. Push-Ups
   Lie on the floor face down, place Your Hands shoulder-width apart underneath Your Shoulders. Slowly Lift Your Upper Body up by straightening Your Arms. Keeping Your Knees on the floor and Your Back as straight as possible while tilting Your Hips forward, and Breathe in as You rise up. Hold for 5 seconds, release Your Breath, and slowly lower Yourself back down. Repeat 10 to 20 times.

These Exercises Should be done Twice a Day, Once Every Morning and Once Again an Hour Before going to Bed Every Night.

Next week is the Final Fourth Part of this Series and will discuss What the Treatment Options for Scoliosis are.

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

So You Don’t Miss the Last Post of this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 3 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 2 of 4)
2. What is Scoliosis of Your Spine ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 1 of 4)
3. What are the Treatment Options for Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 4 of 4)

If you happened to have missed last week’s Post, I mentioned that June is National Scoliosis Month. Sponsored by the National Scoliosis Foundation, a Patient-led Nonprofit Organization, Dedicated to: “Helping Children, Parents, Adults, and Health-Care Providers to Understand the Complexities of Spinal Deformities such as Scoliosis.”

This Will Be a Four Part Series Posted Weekly Throughout the Month of June to Help inform You About this Condition called Scoliosis.

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Scoliosis is. This Second Part, Will Discuss What the Symptoms of Scoliosis are, Followed by, The Third Part, That Will Discuss What You Can Do About Your Scoliosis, which Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week, and Then the Final Fourth Part, That Will Discuss What the Treatment Options for Scoliosis are The Following Week After That.

If You Don’t Want to Miss this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis?

Most of the time Scoliosis Does Not Cause Pain in Children or Teens. Pain in a Child or Teen who has Scoliosis may be a Sign of Another Problem. If Your Child has Pain in Addition to a Scoliosis, it is important that They see Their Health Care Provider to find out exactly What is Causing the Pain.

If You are an Adult with Scoliosis You May or May Not Have Back Pain and if Back Pain is Present, it is difficult to know whether Your Scoliosis is the Cause of the Pain, so again, see Your Health Care Provider to Find Out Exactly if Your Scoliosis or Something else is Causing Your Pain.

Since Most of the Time Scoliosis Does Not Cause Pain in Children or Teens, and Adults with Scoliosis May or May Not Have Back Pain, You Should Check Yourself Using a Full Body Length Mirror or Look at Your Child For the Following 7 Signs:

1. Are Your Shoulders Different Heights or is One Shoulder Blade More Noticeable than the Other?
2. Is Your Head Centered Directly Over Your Waist?
3. Does One Hip Appear to be Higher or More Prominent then the Other?
4. Do Your Ribs Appear to be at Different Heights?
5. Do You Have an Uneven Waist?
6. Do You Have Any Changes in the Look of Your Skin over Your Spine such as: Dimples, Hairy Patches, or any Color Changes?
7. Do You Lean Your Entire Body to One Side?

If You Notice Any of the Above 7 Signs see Your Health Care Provider to Get a Full Evaluation.

If He or She Suspects You Have a Scoliosis, Spinal X-rays will then be taken to Confirm if You Have a Scoliosis and the Curve will also then be Measured to Determine the Severity and What Your of Treatment Options are.

Next week I will discuss What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis.

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

So You Don’t Miss the rest of this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 2 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What is Scoliosis of Your Spine ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 1 of 4)
2. What are the Treatment Options for Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 4 of 4)
3. What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 3 of 4)

June is National Scoliosis Month. Sponsored by the National Scoliosis Foundation, a Patient-led Nonprofit Organization, Dedicated to: “Helping Children, Parents, Adults, and Health-Care Providers to Understand the Complexities of Spinal Deformities such as Scoliosis.”

I personally Know quite a lot about Scoliosis, and not just because I am a Chiropractor, but also because I have it!

If you read my Meet Dr. Jon P. Heins Page under the About Page, I mention that when I was four years old I started to get headaches a couple times a week. My father took me to his Chiropractor, since he had such a Great Experience with the treatment for His Chronic Lower Back Pain that developed from an older injury (when he got knocked off of a Freight Train Car while welding something on it by another Car Hooking up to it and Broke his Back), and Chronic Neck Pain (from a Skiing Accident). On my first visit, since I had a Family History of the Condition, and after a Posture Screening showed an irregularity, the Doctor took some X-Rays and it was found that I had Scoliosis.

This Will Be a Four Part Series Posted Weekly Throughout the Month of June to Help inform You About this Condition called Scoliosis.

This First Part, Will Define What Scoliosis is. The Second Part, Will Discuss What the Symptoms of Scoliosis are, and Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week. Followed by, The Third Part, That Will Discuss What You Can Do About Your Scoliosis, and Then the Final Fourth Part, That Will Discuss What the Treatment Options for Scoliosis are The Following Couple of Weeks After That.

If You Don’t Want to Miss this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What is Scoliosis?

Your Spine has Normal Curves When You look at it from the sides; However, it Should Be Completely Straight When You look at it from Either the Front or Back. If there is a Curve When Looking at the Front or Back then You Have Scoliosis.

It’s estimated that Scoliosis affects about 7 Million People in the United States, Which is approximately 2% to 3% of the U.S. Population. Most are diagnosed with Scoliosis between the ages of 10 and 15, but the Condition can also affect infants and adults. It affects People of All Races and All Social-Economical Classes. It is found in Both Sexes; However, Girls are 8 times More Likely than Boys to have Scoliosis.

4 Types of Scoliosis:

There are 4 Types of Scoliosis. The First 3 are Rare and are Defined briefly below, while the Last One is the Most Common Type (making up 80% of the cases) and is Further Divided into 3 Categories (based on at what age the curve develops) and since it is the Most Common Type it will be the Focus of the rest of this post Series.

1. Congenital Scoliosis – is due to a failure of the normal formation of the bones of the spine. People with congenital scoliosis will develop a spinal curve in infancy.
2. Neuromuscular Scoliosis – is due to muscular weakness or neurological disorder.
3. Degenerative or Adult Scoliosis – is due to degeneration or arthritis of the spine.
4. Idiopathic Scoliosis (idiopathic =“Unknown Cause”) – is further divided into 3 categories based on at what age the curve develops as follows:

a. Infantile Scoliosis: Birth to 3 years old.
b. Juvenile Scoliosis: 3 to 10 years old.
c. Adolescent Scoliosis: 10 years old to bone maturity.

Next week I will discuss exactly What the Symptoms of Scoliosis are.

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

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What is Scoliosis of Your Spine ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 1 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What are the Symptoms of Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 2 of 4)
2. What are the Treatment Options for Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 4 of 4)
3. What Can You Do About Your Scoliosis ? – National Scoliosis Awareness Month (Part 3 of 4)

If you happened to have missed the last three weeks Post, I mentioned that May 12th was Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), a Non-Profit Health Organization, whose mission is to “Develop and Execute Programs Dedicated to improving the Quality of Life for People with Fibromyalgia.”

I also mentioned that since Fibromyalgia is such a Complex Condition, that instead of trying to fit all of this information in Just a Single Post around the 12th of May, I’ve decided to Write a Series throughout this Entire Month.

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Fibromyalgia is. The Second Part, Which You can Read HERE, Discussed What the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, The Third Part, Which You can Read HERE, Discussed What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Followed by This Final Fourth Part That Will Answer the Question: How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia?

How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia?

I mentioned in last week’s post that, the Cause of Fibromyalgia is Still Not Known, so there is No Proven Prevention, and (as with Many Chronic Disorders) there is No Known Cure or Universally Accepted Treatment for Fibromyalgia, so treatment is typically aimed at Symptom Management.

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are: Pain and Tenderness of the: Neck, Shoulders, Rib Cage, Chest, Elbows, Lower Back, Buttocks, Knees, and Thighs. Fibromyalgia Sufferers will also typically have Fatigue, Troubles Sleeping, Numbness in Hands and Feet, Headaches, Pain or Numbness in the Face, Jaw Pain (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder –TMJ), Stress and Anxiety. All of Which Have Been Shown to Respond Very Well to Chiropractic Care as well as Other Conditions that Have Similar Symptoms such as, Neck and Lower Back Degenerative Disease.

Why? Because, Misalignments of Your Spine and the other Joints of Your Body Cause Nerve irritation and since the Nervous System is the Organizer, Controller, and Coordinator of All Your Body’s Processes and All Your Other Systems, including: the Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, Reproductive, Hormonal, Muscle and Skeletal Systems, they Depend upon Your Nervous System to Work Properly. Therefore, the Most Direct Method of Correcting Conditions such as Fibromyalgia, Should Be Directed toward Balancing Your Nervous System and this is Exactly What Chiropractic Care Does!

Chiropractic Adjustments Correct the Misalignments Your Spine and the other Joints of Your Body, Reduces Spinal Nerve irritation, improves Circulation, and Releases Muscle Tension, All of Which Helps Your Body Return to a Balanced, Relaxed, and Healthy State.

That is Why A Healthy, Balanced Spine is also a Key Factor to a Happier Healthier Lifestyle.

Chiropractic Care is Based on the Idea That, Given the Opportunity, the Mind and Body Can Heal itself. So if You Want a Safe, Drugless, Cost Effective, Treatment that Can Help You Ease or Even Stop Your Pain From This Chronic and Debilitating Condition, Then Try Chiropractic Care “the #1 Top-Rated, Most Helpful, Highly Satisfied, Treatment by a Health-Care Professional.”¹ And Start Enjoying the Activities You and Your Family Really Love to Do Again!

I Hope You Found this Post Series Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

And So You Don’t Miss any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

¹ Consumer Reports Survey {pub. May 2009}.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 4 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 3 of 4)
2. What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 2 of 4)
3. What is Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 1 of 4)

If you happened to have missed the last two weeks Post, I mentioned that May 12th was Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), a Non-Profit Health Organization, whose mission is to “Develop and Execute Programs Dedicated to improving the Quality of Life for People with Fibromyalgia.”

I also mentioned that since Fibromyalgia is such a Complex Condition, that instead of trying to fit all of this information in Just a Single Post around the 12th of May, I’ve decided to Write a Series throughout this Entire Month.

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Fibromyalgia is. The Second Part, Which You can Read HERE, Discussed What the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, This Third Part Will Discuss What You Can Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Followed by the Final Fourth Part That Will Answer the Question: How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? Which Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week.

If You Don’t Want to Miss the Last Post in this Series or Any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

Unfortunately, the Cause of Fibromyalgia is Still Not Known, so there is No Proven Prevention, and (as with Many Chronic Disorders) there is No Known Cure or Universally Accepted Treatment for Fibromyalgia, so treatment is typically aimed at Symptom Management.

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia however, have been shown to Get Better or Even Go Away when Healthy Lifestyle Changes are implemented! These Key Factors of a Healthy Lifestyle are: Physical Fitness, Healthy Eating, Getting the Appropriate Amount of Sleep, and Reducing Stress. If You Would Like Some Useful information Regarding All This You can Read some of my Previous Post Series Titled: ‘Family Fitness’ HERE , ‘Healthy Aging’ HERE, ‘Sleep Awareness’ HERE, and ‘Stress Awareness’ HERE.

A Combination of implementing the Above Healthy Lifestyle Changes and Specific Treatments to Help Relieve the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia including; Manipulation and other Types Physical Therapies, as well as, Patient Education and Counseling, and Support Groups All have been Shown to be Helpful to Manage, Control, and Relieve the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

Next week is the Final Fourth Part of this Series That Will Answer the Question: How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia?

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

So You Don’t Miss the Last Post of this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 3 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 2 of 4)
2. What is Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 1 of 4)
3. How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 4 of 4)

If you happened to have missed last week’s Post, I mentioned that tomorrow, May 12th is Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), a Non-Profit Health Organization, whose mission is to “Develop and Execute Programs Dedicated to improving the Quality of Life for People with Fibromyalgia.”

I also mentioned that since Fibromyalgia is such a Complex Condition, that instead of trying to fit all of this information in Just a Single Post around the 12th of May, I’ve decided to Write a Series throughout this Entire Month.

The First Part, Which You can Read HERE, Defined What Fibromyalgia is. This Second Part Will Discuss What the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, Followed by, The Third Part That Will Discuss What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, which Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week, and Then the Final Fourth Part That Will Answer the Question: How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? The Following Week After That.

If You Don’t Want to Miss this Series just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are Very important since Fibromyalgia has No Clinical Tests to Detect it so a History of Specific Symptoms and Specific Physical Examination Findings are the Only Way to Diagnose it.

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are:

1. A History of at least 3 Months of Widespread Pain, that Affects all Four Quadrants of the body (both sides above and below the waist).
2. Pain and Tenderness of at least 11 out of the 18 Tender-Point Sites listed Below:

Neck

Shoulders

Rib Cage

Chest

Elbows

Lower Back

Buttocks

Knees

Thighs

Fibromyalgia Sufferers will also typically have Fatigue and Not Just the “I’m Tired” Feeling We All Experience from Time to Time, it’s more like a “I Get Exhausted and Need to Rest after doing a Simple Chore” Type of Fatigue.

In addition to this Fatigue, Fibromyalgia Sufferers also Tend to Have: Troubles Sleeping, Anxiety, Depression, Stress, Numbness in Hands and Feet, Headaches, Pain or Numbness in the Face, Jaw Pain (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder –TMJ), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), Memory Difficulties (known as “Brain Fog” or “Fibro Fog”), and Heart Palpitations.

I mentioned that Fibromyalgia has No Clinical Tests to Detect it, However, Laboratory and X-ray Tests are Typically Done to Help Confirm the Diagnosis by Ruling Out other Conditions that Have Similar Symptoms such as: Neck and Lower Back Degenerative Disease, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Depression, Cancer, HIV infection, Hypothyroidism, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Lyme’s Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Sleep Disorders.

This short 2 minute video I found below really hits home with what fibromyalgia is, what many of the symptoms are and more importantly, how these devastating symptoms effect those who suffer from them.
It’s message from me to you is: “Awareness Brings Hope”

Next week I will discuss What You Can Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, That Way if You or Any One You Know is Suffering from this Terrible Debilitating Condition, You Can Do Something About it.

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

So You Don’t Miss the rest of this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 2 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 3 of 4)
2. What is Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 1 of 4)
3. How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 4 of 4)

May 12th is Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day. Sponsored by the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), a Non-Profit Health Organization, whose mission is to “Develop and Execute Programs Dedicated to improving the Quality of Life for People with Fibromyalgia.”

Since Fibromyalgia is such a Complex Condition, instead of trying to fit all of this information in Just a Single Post around the 12th of May, I’ve decided to Write a Series throughout this Entire Month. So, This Will Be a Four Part Series Posted Weekly Throughout the Month of May to Help inform You About this Chronic and Debilitating Condition called Fibromyalgia.This First Part, Will Define What Fibromyalgia is. The Second Part, Will Discuss What the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, and Will Be Posted Sometime Next Week. Followed by, The Third Part, That Will Discuss What You Can Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, and Then the Final Fourth Part, That Will Answer the Question: How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? The Following Couple of Weeks After That.

If You Don’t Want to Miss this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

So What is Fibromyalgia?

Since Fibromyalgia is Such a Complex Condition that is Still Not Completely Understood, so instead of Writing some long Post that Tries to Describe What Exactly Fibromyalgia is, and because a Google or similar Search Engine search for the Term Would Pull up a Very Good List of Resources and More information then I Could Ever Write About, I’m Going to Try and Break it Down in Very Simplified Way so it’s Not Only Much Easier to Understand but also That Way if You or Any One You Know is Suffering from this Terrible Debilitating Condition, You Can then Do Something About it.

It has been estimated that anywhere between 2% to 4% of the general US Population suffers from Fibromyalgia. It affects about 9 Women for every 1 Man, and is Most Commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, although it can occur in childhood.

Simply put, the word “Fibromyalgia” literally means Connective tissue= fibro, Muscle tissue= myo, Pain= algia, and that is exactly what it is a Chronic, Widespread, Condition of Painful Muscle and Connective tissue.

Many names, such as ‘Muscular Rheumatism’, ‘Fibrositis’, ‘Psychogenic Rheumatism’, and ‘Neurasthenia’ were applied to symptoms resembling those of Fibromyalgia. However, since these were misleading terms for this Condition they have been dropped since the term Fibromyalgia was originally coined by a research scientist by the name of, Dr. Mohammed Yunus, and was first used in a scientific publication in 1981.

Next week I will discuss exactly What the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia are, which for this Condition is Very important since Fibromyalgia has No Clinical Tests to Detect it so a History of Specific Symptoms and Specific Physical Examination Findings are the Only Way to Diagnose it.

I Hope You Found this Post Useful and Welcome any of Your Thoughts on this Subject.

So, if You Like to, Feel Free to Leave a Comment Below.

So You Don’t Miss the rest of this Series or any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?).

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIN.

What is Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 1 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What Can You Do to Ease the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 3 of 4)
2. What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia ? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 2 of 4)
3. How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 4 of 4)

One of the Effects of Chronic Stress is Prolonged Muscle Tension and Contraction. This Muscle Tension Creates Pressures on the Structures of Your Body, Leading to Misalignments of Your Spine and the other Joints of Your Body. These Misalignments Cause Nerve irritation, which then can Cause common Conditions such as; Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Jaw Pain, and Even High Blood Pressure.

Chiropractic Adjustments Correct these Misalignments, Reduces Spinal Nerve irritation, improves Circulation, and Releases Muscle Tension, which Then Helps Your Body Return to a Balanced, Relaxed state. In Many Cases, These Changes can be Enough to get Your Brain to Turn Off the Fight or Flight Response, and Begin the Process of Healing.

A Healthy, Balanced Spine is a Key Factor to Effectively Manage Your Stress.

Chiropractic Care is Based on the Idea That, Given the Opportunity, the Mind and Body Can Heal itself. In Relieving Some of the Effects of Chronic Stress, Chiropractic Care can Provide just such an Opportunity.

Regardless of the Source of Your Stress, its Effects on Your Body will become Evident in Your Nervous System. The Nervous System is the Organizer, Controller, and Coordinator of All Your Body’s Processes. All Your Other Systems, including the Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, Reproductive, Hormonal, Muscle and Skeletal Systems, Depend upon Your Nervous System to Work Properly. Therefore, the Most Direct Method of Correcting illnesses Should Be Directed toward Balancing Your Nervous System and this is Exactly What Chiropractic and Stress Management Care do.

While, Chiropractic Care Cannot neither make Your Job less Stressful, nor can it Create a Quieter, Calmer World. Chiropractic Care Can However, Help You Develop a Healthier Response to Your Stress and Reduce the Potential Physical Damages caused by Stress.

I Hope You Enjoyed this Series and that it Helped to inform You about the Dangers of Stress, Gave You some insight on Some Successful Coping Strategies, and Served to increase Your Awareness about Both the Causes and Cures for Our modern Stress Epidemic.

If You would Like to Share Any of Your Thoughts or Add Any Additional information regarding Stress I would Love to Hear them, just Leave Your Comment Below.

And so You Don’t Miss any Future Posts, just Subscribe to the Email Updates HERE. Or You can Subscribe to the RSS Feed HERE (See: What’s This?). You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, or LinkedIN.

What Can Chiropractic Care Do to Help You Reduce Your Stress ? – National Stress Awareness Month (part 4 of 4) is a post from: Dr. Jon P. Heins D.C. of Belvidere Chiropractic Center which is protected by a Creative Commons License

Related posts:

1. What Can You Do to Reduce Your Stress ? – National Stress Awareness Month (part 3 of 4)
2. How Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia? – National Fibromyalgia Education and Awareness Day (part 4 of 4)
3. How Does Stress Affect Your Health ? – National Stress Awareness Month (part 2 of 4)