Weight and Joint Stress

 

Weight gain is a common problem that affects many people, but can be a serious issue if it isn't properly managed. For example, your joint health may suffer if you gain even just a little bit of weight. Thankfully, Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center and Dr. Jay McClanahan can help you understand how extra weight affects your joints in Nitro, WV, and what you can do to stay healthy.

Weight Gain May Damage Your Joint Connections

Excessive weight gain will affect all parts of your body, including your joint health. Experts state that even 10 extra pounds can increase the force on your knees by 30-40 pounds, which will wear them down much sooner and cause serious health complications for many people.

Even worse, your joints in Nitro, WV, may end up giving out on you and causing you to struggle to walk, operate tools, or live your normal day-to-day life. As a result, it is critically important to take steps to manage your weight and get back into shape. Doing so can ensure that you are healthier.

Losing Weight for Joint Health

Our team at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center can help you manage weight gain and get your life back into control. First, we can help you manage your joint pain and ensure that you aren't needlessly suffering. Our careful manipulations will get your joint health stronger to help you exercise longer.

We can then help you find a nutritional care plan that makes sense for your needs. We'll work with your primary care team to produce a nutritional eating schedule that supports your overall weight loss and health. In this way, you can improve your physical health and feel better about exercising.

Here comes the tough part: working out. We'll start out by working you into some simple exercise routines, like walking every day, that burn calories and improve your metabolism. Non-impact options, like swimming, work well if you're already suffering from joint pain.

As you recover, our team will direct you through various physical therapy and chiropractic routines that will improve your joint health. In this way, you can not only lose weight but feel stronger as a person and able to handle life's many demands.

Help is Available for You

If your joint health is suffering because of extra weight, and you aren't sure where to begin, you might want to call us at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center right away. Dr. McClanahan knows how to support your joints in Nitro, WV, and can give you the help that you need. Make sure that you call us at 304-776-1520 to learn more about our treatment methods.

Bones of the Spinal Column

 

Spinal column health and wellness are essential to daily life. Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center is committed to helping Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV residents keep their spines in the best possible shape.

Makeup of the Spinal Column

The spinal column is an intricately-designed system that supports your body and its movements. It is made up of 33 bones that are separated into five regions, each of which has its own job.

Cervical Region

The cervical spine has seven distinct bones that are labeled C1 to C7. The C1 bone is located at the base of your skull and is responsible for moving your head up and down. The C2 is directly below that and allows your head to move from side to side. The C7 is the lowest bone, which stops at the top of the shoulders.

Thoracic Region

The thoracic spine or the mid-back has 12 bones labeled T1 to T12. The purpose of this entire region is to protect your lungs and heart while holding your rib cage together. As such, this area does not move like the cervical or lumbar region.

Lumbar Region

The lumbar spine is the lower back region. It’s made up of five bones, labeled L1 to L5. These are responsible for bending and lifting, as well as holding up the weight of the body.

Sacral Region

Your sacral spine connects your hip bones and the spine. There are five bones in this region, labeled S1 to S5. As they are fused together, they have very limited movement.

Coccyx Region

The coccyx spine is made up of four bones that are also fused together. They have one important job: to provide a way for the pelvic muscles and ligaments to stay attached.

Other Features

The bones are a very important part of the body, but they can’t do their job alone. In between the bones lies a cushion or disc that helps protect the bones and provide shock absorption. There are also ligaments, muscles, tendons, and nerves that ensure everything is supported and working properly.

To keep your spinal column in optimal health, Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center offers the residents of Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV natural, holistic chiropractic care. Through various treatment methods, he can help you keep every component of your spine operating efficiently.

Be proactive in your spinal column health and wellness. If you live in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV, schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at (304) 776-1520.

What is Text Neck?

 

Living with neck pain in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV? Put your recovery in the skilled hands of Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center.

What Is Text Neck?

Text neck is the term used for symptoms that occur due to looking down for long periods. Typically, this happens when you’re looking down at your phone. However, hanging your head down over a book, report, or even to do your nails can lead to text neck if you stay in that position for too long.

Why does this happen? The human head weighs around 10 to 12 pounds. Your neck is designed to hold that weight upright. When you sit in what is known as the Forward Head position, the weight of your head is being distributed to places of your neck not meant to withstand it. This can impact the spine, nerves, muscles, and ligaments in and around the neck.

How Do I Know It’s Text Neck?

Neck pain can come from a variety of issues. It’s important that you know how to differentiate text neck symptoms from symptoms of other conditions. If you are experiencing text neck, you likely have a combination of several of the following symptoms.

• Headaches
• Shoulder, upper back, and neck pain
• Trouble with balance
• Curved spine, especially around the neck
• Trouble with vision that wasn’t there before or not as bad
• Hunched back
• Muscle spasms
• Pinched nerves
• Pain in the arms

If you experience such symptoms and they’re not addressed, it will only worsen. In serious cases, text neck can lead to spinal disc degeneration.

How to Address Text Neck in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV

Fortunately, text neck can be treated with a two-part plan: visiting your chiropractor and making some lifestyle adjustments. After an assessment, Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center will determine the best forms of chiropractic treatment. Your recovery plan will likely include:

• Spinal adjustments to correct any misalignment
• Massage therapy to help relieve tension and promote circulation to the neck area
• Therapeutic exercises designed to stretch and strengthen damaged tissues

Other treatments might be utilized as well. You’ll also be given recommendations for things you can do in your daily life, such as adjusting your habits and stretches you can perform at home or work.

Don’t let neck pain slow you down. If you live in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV, schedule an appointment with Dr. McClanahan to start your journey to recovery. Call Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center at (304) 776-1520 today.

Cyclists and Musculoskeletal Pain

 

Chiropractic care from Dr. Jay McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center can help cyclists in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV stay on their bikes longer.

Ups and Downs of Cycling

It doesn’t matter if you enjoy cycling as a hobby or workout, or if you like to compete. There’s no argument that it’s good for your health. It’s a great cardio and muscle workout. It can also be great for joint health and can even delay arthritis.

Unfortunately, it can also cause some problems. Cycling puts repetitive strain on various areas of the body, which can lead to injuries, pain, inflammation, and suffering. Some of the most common are below.

Knee Pain

One of the most common injuries for cyclists is knee injuries. As you pedal, you put constant pressure on the knee cap. This can cause the joints to wear down, resulting in the bones rubbing one another and tissues being compressed.

Neck Pain

When you ride, you’re likely leaning over while holding your head up to watch where you’re going. This puts the neck in an unnatural position, which can impact your cervical discs, muscles, and joints.

Shoulder Injuries

Many cyclists experience fractures, damaged joints, rotator cuff injuries, torn cartilage, and more to the shoulder. This typically occurs from crashing or falling off the bike.

Back Pain

Overuse injuries and spinal disc injuries to the back are common for cyclists due to the position and constant movement. And the longer you ride without taking a break or stretching, the more serious these injuries can become. Unfortunately, back pain can keep you from cycling.

Foot Pain

It’s not uncommon for cyclists to experience numbness, tingling, and pain in the front or on the bottom of the foot. This can be caused by compressed nerves or a tight plantar fascia band.

Achilles Tendonitis

Pedaling can put a great deal of stress on the Achilles tendon, which is the tissue that connects the ankle and the calf. This can easily lead to pain, inflammation, and discomfort.

Chiropractic Treatment for Cyclists in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV

Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center offers several chiropractic methods to keep you cycling longer. These include:

• Chiropractic massage
• Therapeutic exercise
• Spinal decompression
• Spinal and extremity adjustments
• Ultrasound therapy
• Custom foot orthotics
• Electrical muscle stimulation

Dr. McClanahan at Dr. J Chiropractic & Wellness Center is dedicated to keeping cyclists in Cross Lanes, Charleston, St. Albans, Teays Valley, and Nitro, WV on the move. Schedule your appointment by calling (304) 776-1520.