Low Impact Exercise

 

Almost everyone benefits from regular exercise, regardless of age, gender, or condition. However, not every type of exercise is beneficial for everybody. For the more sensitive, it's important to incorporate low impact exercises to keep active while avoiding pain and joint damage. At Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center, we regularly help our Nitro, WV, patients design low impact exercise plans optimally suited to their needs.

Low Impact Exercise vs. High Impact Exercise

Low impact exercises are those that are gentle on the joints. High impact exercises, on the other hand, involve heavy pressure exerted on the joints, such as when running or jumping. For those with pain or weak joints, low impact exercises are the healthiest way to stay active. There are plenty of different low impact exercises to choose from, from aerobics to yoga. If you're not sure what to choose, have a discussion with your chiropractor.

Who should do low impact exercises?

Many different types of people can benefit from low impact exercises, even healthy individuals! At Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center, we advise our Nitro, WV, patients with chronic illnesses, injuries, and those who are rehabilitating from surgery to engage in these types of exercises. Therapeutic exercise is recommended for people experiencing musculoskeletal pain. Low impact is especially valuable for those with arthritis since their cartilage is worn away in their joints, and higher impact exercises can be very painful. Other conditions benefiting from low impact exercise include asthma, heart conditions, fibromyalgia, pregnancy, and general aging.

How to Select Low Impact Exercises

All low impact exercises are suitable for most people. There's a wide variety, which means you can probably find a routine that suits you. If you're having a hard time or a medical professional has advised you against devising your own workouts, always feel free to reach out to your doctor to discuss options and get new ideas. Some common low impact exercise ideas include aerobics, water aerobics, power walking, swimming, working with therapeutic bands, body weight exercises, and more.  You can choose exercises according to specific parts of your body you'd like to strengthen, or just select for overall health and wellness.

If you'd like to learn more about low impact exercise and its benefits, reach out to Dr. J Chiropractic and Wellness Center today. Our staff is here to answer questions and tell you more about how Dr. J's therapeutic exercise programs can help you improve your strength, health, and mobility. They'll also be able to set you up with an initial consultation. We look forward to hearing from you!

What to Do When You Have a Disc Injury

Have you been diagnosed with or think you might have a disc injury in Cross Lanes, St. Albans, Charleston, Teays Valley, or Nitro, WV? Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center can help you heal naturally and effectively through customized care.

Steps to Take When You Have a Disc Injury

A disc injury can create a lot of pain and suffering. And unfortunately, the human body is put at risk of such an injury each and every day. Fortunately, you’re not powerless if you do sustain such an injury. The following steps can help.

Take a Rest

When you first sustain a disc injury, taking a couple of days to rest can help. It’s important to note, though, that resting for too long can actually create more problems. That’s why you should limit that rest period to no more than two days. During this time, using a little heat can help alleviate some of your pain and discomfort.

Ease Back Into Life

When those couple of days of rest are over, it’s imperative that you don’t just dive back into your regular activities full force. Instead, you want to ease back into it. And be sure that you take breaks throughout the day, don’t sit for too long at once, and spend some time stretching.

Do Some Light Exercise and Stretches

Targeted movement and stretches can go a long way in helping a disc injury heal – and in providing relief while it does. The key here is to listen to your body. If a specific movement or stretch causes pain, avoid it. When you find those that are relieving, aim to repeat them several times a day.

Visit Your Chiropractor

One of the most important steps to take when you have a disc injury in Cross Lanes, St. Albans, Charleston, Teays Valley, or Nitro, WV is to schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center. Through various treatment methods, such as spinal decompression, spinal adjustments, massage therapy, and therapeutic exercise, Dr. McClanahan can help you get back to living your life.

You don’t have to take pain and suffering due to a disc injury when you have someone like Dr. McClanahan that has your back. If you live in Cross Lanes, St. Albans, Charleston, Teays Valley, or Nitro, WV, call Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at (304) 776-1520 to schedule an appointment today.

Musculoskeletal Care for Hip Pain

 

Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, serving Nitro, WV, and the nearby area, gives the community a natural option for hip pain. Our Dr. Jay McClanahan offers a range of services, including chiropractic exercise, to help alleviate pain and promote healing or at least manage your condition and reduce progression. 

Causes of Hip Pain

Hip pain can either be acute or chronic. Acute pain flares up, possibly after an injury, and is often severe. Acute pain tends to last less than six months. 

On the other hand, chronic hip pain lasts longer than three months. The original cause could have been an injury that didn't heal properly or an infection. For some people, it's a condition triggering the pain. 

Some examples of issues that could lead to acute hip pain include tendinitis, muscle strain, or a ligament sprain. Chronic hip pain could stem from fibromyalgia or arthritis. Bursitis is often a cause of chronic pain as well. 

Diagnosing Your Pain   

When you arrive at our office in Nitro, WV, we'll ask you to fill out a medical history report. Our practitioner will ask you about any injuries, surgeries, or conditions you have. This can help us formulate a diagnosis or determine the appropriate treatment for you by altering the treatment to your needs or choosing ones that are safe for you. 

During this portion of the exam, our practitioner will inquire about when you feel pain as well as when the pain is worse. Our chiropractor will also want to know about any other symptoms you're feeling that could be associated with your hip pain. 

Sometimes, our specialist will order imaging to get a view of the bones and other components of the joint. 

Finding a Treatment Plan 

The next portion of the exam is determining an appropriate treatment plan and executing it. If you have a dislocated hip bone, our chiropractor may perform an alignment of the joint. 

Sometimes, the treatment may consist of chiropractic exercises, which are gentle stretches that work the muscles and soft tissue that make up the hips. The exercises encourage blood flow to the area for healing, increase flexion, optimize function, and promote healing. They gradually increase in difficulty based on how well you're healing. 

Our practitioner may recommend pain relief techniques, such as electrical muscle stimulation. Sometimes, pain management may include hot and cold therapy or massage therapy, among other options.

At our Nitro, WV, office, Dr. McClanahan will come up with a customized treatment plan for you for your hip pain. Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center is equipped to provide a range of treatments. 

Book an appointment with us today by calling 304-776-1520. 

Weightlifting Safety

 

Weightlifting is an excellent way to maintain musculoskeletal fitness. As a fitness instructor as well as a chiropractor, Dr. Jay McClanahan of the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro has coached many people recovering from injuries to their backs and joints. And while weightlifting may not be suitable for everyone with an injury at every point in their recovery, it does strengthen the bones as well as the muscles, and decreases the risk of a person suffering an additional injury in the future. We can help patients to develop fitness plans for their individual circumstances, but there are a few safety rules for weightlifting everyone should follow.

As with any workout, you’ll need to start out with an aerobic warm-up. You should spend at least five minutes getting your blood pumping through your body (not doing static stretches, which could strain a cold muscle). Your fitness instructor can guide you through the proper form for each lift, but you should increase the length and strenuousness of your workouts slowly. Stop doing anything that hurts, and don’t attempt to lift heavy barbells without someone else present in the room. At the end of your workout, you’ll also need to do a five minute cooldown.

While lifting, you should keep your back straight and avoid turning your head. Control your breathing so that you inhale when you lower the weight and exhale while lifting or pressing. You’ll need to balance your workouts so you don’t work the same muscle group two days in a row or more than twice in a week, or you’ll risk incurring an overuse injury. However, keep in mind that your muscles and tendons can also become fatigued from a sedentary lifestyle, and that lifting weights properly will ultimately make you more flexible and resilient. 

Dr. Jay McClanahan is the owner and chiropractor of Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center. Our office is located in Nitro, WV. To schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan visit our website or call 304-776-1520. 

Therapeutic Exercise

Therapeutic exercise is important for restoring and rebuilding strength, balance, endurance, flexibility, and stability, all in an effort to correct a patient-specific problem. These exercises can also improve your overall health, fitness, and quality of life. We at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Nitro, WV, want you to achieve the highest point of rehabilitation and physical fitness with our non-invasive methods. Contact the office of Dr. Jay McClanahan to begin your road to optimal health!

With therapeutic exercise, Dr. McClanahan will work with you to:

- Increase your mobility
- Improve your balance
- Reduce your overall rigidity
- Release any muscles, tendons, or fascia that are contracted
- Mobilize your joints
- Improve your circulation
- Improve your respiratory capacity
- Improve your coordination
- Improve your posture

Therapeutic exercise has also been proven to reduce stress and improve sleep quality. With all of its numerous benefits, everyone should consider partaking in therapeutic exercise. Could you be a good candidate for therapeutic exercise? We are happy to address any concerns or questions you have!

Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center is located at 642 Cross Lanes Drive in Nitro, WV 25143. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit drjbackdocwv.com or call the office at 304-776-1520.

Osteoporosis and Spinal Curvature

As people live longer and healthier, we’re becoming more aware that things that used to be regarded as natural parts of aging are actually preventable diseases. One of the best examples of that is the hyperkyphosis that is associated with the elderly. We’re experts in nutrition as well as spinal health at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, and we want our patients to understand how those things intertwine.

Kyphosis is the forward curvature of the upper back. Hyperkyphosis is an extreme stoop. It commonly afflicts older women as a result of osteoporosis. Our bones are constantly breaking down in a process called resorption and being rebuilt. In people with osteopenia, the breakdown is outpacing the rebuilding. When osteopenia becomes advanced, the bones are riddled with tiny holes, which is the condition “osteoporosis” describes.

Brittle bones easily develop hairline cracks. Their accumulative impact is one frequent cause of hyperkyphosis. While we can ease discomfort from osteoporosis through minimally invasive methods such as therapeutic massages, we also emphasize prevention through nutrition and exercise. In addition to calcium-rich foods and supplements, people may increase their calcium intake by exposing themselves to more sunlight. Low or no-impact exercise such as swimming and yoga can also build up back muscles, relieving pressure on the vertebrae.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, 
Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr. J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.

Kyphosis in Seniors

As people live longer and healthier, we’re becoming more aware that things that used to be regarded as natural parts of aging are actually preventable diseases. One of the best examples of that is the hyperkyphosis that is associated with the elderly. We’re experts in nutrition as well as spinal health at the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center, and we want our patients to understand how those things intertwine.

Kyphosis is the forward curvature of the upper back. Hyperkyphosis is an extreme stoop. It commonly afflicts older women as a result of osteoporosis. Our bones are constantly breaking down in a process called resorption and being rebuilt. In people with osteopenia, the breakdown is outpacing the rebuilding. When osteopenia becomes advanced, the bones are riddled with tiny holes, which is the condition “osteoporosis” describes.

Brittle bones easily develop hairline cracks. Their accumulative impact is one frequent cause of hyperkyphosis. While we can ease discomfort from osteoporosis through minimally invasive methods such as therapeutic massages, we also emphasize prevention through nutrition and exercise. In addition to calcium-rich foods and supplements, people may increase their calcium intake by exposing themselves to more sunlight. Low or no-impact exercise such as swimming and yoga can also build up back muscles, relieving pressure on the vertebrae.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.

Core Strengthening as Prevention

As a chiropractor and personal trainer, Dr. Jay McClanahan is trained to help patients improve their core strength. Back pain can be caused by all sorts of things, but one constant is that strong back muscles will help to take the strain off discs and ligaments, making them less vulnerable to overuse injuries.

As you could guess from its name, the core isn’t just the muscles that are visible from the outside. The rectus abdominis, the one seen in front, is the six-pack muscle, but toning it alone doesn’t do much to take pressure off the back. Instead, you want to strengthen all your core muscles, including the transverse abdominis that binds around the lower back and organs, the multifidi muscles that link up the spine, the obliques that connect the ribs to the pelvis, and the hip muscles that connect to the pelvis and influence the position of the lower spine. Increasing these muscles’ flexibility, if done properly, will prevent them from fraying.

You’ll need to consult with us to ensure you’re doing exercises that are safe for you and that you’re adding reps at an appropriate pace. But in general, it’s best to stick with low or no-impact exercises such as bird-dogging, flutter kicks, and planks, especially if you’re just starting out or recovering from an injury. Don’t try to continue on your own if you feel pain, but regular exercises are the most important preventive measure for back injuries.

Dr. Jay McClanahan operates the Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at 642 Cross Lanes Drive, Nitro, West Virginia, 25143. To schedule an appointment, visit Dr J Back Doc WV or call 304-776-1520.