Your Symptoms Are Not Always The Underlying Problem - Whiplash Case Study
Dr Brad Ivanchuk here.
I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and a Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
Today I am going to share with you a case history of a young lady whose was involved in 2 car accidents.
Both of them she suffered a whiplash as she was hit from behind.
As a result, she began to struggle with chronic headaches and balance issues (vertigo); these from posture distortions in Posture Quadrant 1 (head and neck) and lower back pain with sciatica; these from posture distortions in Posture Quadrant 3 (lower back and pelvis).
She had undergone various forms of therapy for her pain and her balance issues with negligible results.
She would get some temporary relief only.
She ended up seeing me when she was having an acute episode of lower back pain and sciatica and we did things a little differently.
First of all we assessed her posture, sent her for some posture xrays, measured her posture distortions and started a treatment plan to correct these; her posture distortions.
Our focus was not her symptoms in as much as it was her posture distortions.
Here is her 6 month progress report: headaches almost non-existent, balance issues and vertigo -- a significant improvement, lower back pain and sciatica -- a significant improvement.
So why the difference with us?
Because we focused our treatment on the cause of her symptoms which were her posture distortions.
When you go to a health practitioner that is totally fixated and focused on your symptoms only, you are on a very slippery slope.
The reason why is that symptoms are never ever the problem.
They are just alarms or warning signals that your body sends to alert you that there is a problem.
Symptoms are merely the tip of the iceberg and what really needs to be addressed is what lies beneath the tip of the iceberg. In this case the posture distortions.
I hope that you have learned something from this case history and as always, if you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your children may have, please call me.
Consultations in our office are always free of charge and these also include a detailed postural analysis.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line North.
If you have kids back at home from college or university it is very important that you keep an eye out for complaints such as headaches, jaw tension, grinding of the teeth and pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back.
The kids have just been through a very, very stressful 3 or 4 weeks finishing up their school year and writing their final exams, and this is the most likely time when these problems will arise.
Studying reading textbooks or on an laptop or tablet which students do for hours and hours on end, is going to put a great deal of stress in the region of the head, neck and shoulders resulting in a posture distortion called forward head posture or what we now refer to as tech neck.
We have talked about tech neck many times before, and this particular posture distortion is when the head and neck are being held out in front of the shoulders instead of being centered on top of the shoulders.
And tech neck will most definitely cause those complaints and symptoms that I mentioned earlier.
Now, it is very easy for you to check your kids at home for tech neck. Let me explain how … have them stand comfortably with arms at their sides and observe their posture from the side.
If the center of their ear is not lined up directly over the centre of their shoulder then there is a problem.
But do not despair as I can certainly help you with this.
Call me.
Schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation which includes a free detailed postural analysis.
I can then show you exactly what you need to know and then we can proceed to fix the problem.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington.
I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
Over the past few weeks we have learned about the 4 different postural archetypes; the structural, dynamic, ergo and neuro.
It is very important for you to understand that they all have a propensity to developing thoracic hyper-kyphosis or hump-back. Especially the structural, ergo and neuro postural patterns.
Up to 40% of seniors will end up with thoracic hyper-kyphosis which takes many, many years to develop.
In fact, this posture distortion pattern like many others often times starts in the early childhood years.
What is even more important for you to understand is that thoracic hyper-kyphosis increases your risks of adverse health outcomes.
It can reduce your lung capacity by up to 30%, decrease your physical function capabilities and increase your risk of fractures.
Three supportive studies found that thoracic hyper-kyphosis increases early mortality (shortens your life-span) by 144%, increases the risk of death in females by 114% and increases the risk of fractures.
Compression fractures in the thoracic spine and skeletal fractures (eg. wrists and hips) from falling.
When surveyed, females with thoracic hyper-kyphosis report having more physical disabilities, have had to make more adaptations to their life-style and have more generalized fears.
The British Regional Heart Study found that men who lost 3cm in height or more due to thoracic hyper-kyphosis were 64% more likely to die of a heart attack.
But it does not have to be this way! Your posture system must never be ignored and this is where I can help you.
All you need to do is schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation which includes a detailed postural analysis and then I can show you everything you need to know about your posture system.
And then we can take it from there.
Our phone number is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre ….. helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
I am a Burlington Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
Over the past few weeks we have been discussing the different typical postural presentations (archetypes) and today we are going to learn about the 4th and final archetype; the neuro’s.
These are our beloved seniors who have done very little if anything at all to maintain a healthy posture system.
They will have postural distortions in all 4 posture quadrants. Forward head posture in the first, thoracic hyper-kyphosis (humpback) in the second, various pelvic distortions in the third, and arthritic hips and knees in quadrant number 4. This is why hip replacement surgery and knee replacement surgery is almost epidemic in this posture group.
The neuro’s will also suffer from chronic pain, have balance issues and a fear of falling, have a higher risk of developing heart disease and this where we are going to see the onset of dementia.
When the neuro’s were surveyed, their aspirations are to be pain-free most of the time, avoid all those nasty surgeries (hips, knees, heart), and maintain a relatively normal degree of functional movement and mental acuity.
Remember that everything is all connected. A posture distortion in even just one posture quadrant will eventually affect the entire posture system when left undetected and uncorrected. And this is going to have a significant impact on your lifespan and your health-span both.
But it does not have to be this way. All you have to do is call to schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation which also includes a free detailed postural analysis. Then I can show you exactly what your issues are when it comes to your posture and we can take it from there.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
The Ergo Postural Archetype And The Occupational Athlete
Dr Brad Ivanchuk here. I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
We have been discussing the 4 different postural archetypes over the past few weeks and today we are going to learn about the ergo’s.
The ergo’s are your desk jockeys, the occupational athletes … anyone who sits at a desk or a computer for the majority of their day.
These people are going to be prone to posture distortion patterns in 3 out of the 4 posture quadrants; forward head posture in quadrant #1, thoracic hyper-kyphosis (humpback) and shoulders that are rounded forwards in quadrant #2, and forward pelvic tilt in quadrant #3.
These are all the result of prolonged sitting.
Ergo’s will suffer mostly from headaches, TMJ syndrome, neck pain, shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shortness of breath, lower back pain, excessive weight gain and low levels of energy at the end of the day.
Their aspirations are to be headache-free and pain-free and have energy left at the end of their work day so they can enjoy their leisure activities, exercise and enjoy their family time.
So, if you are an ergo, you absolutely need to have your posture checked. Remember that as humans we sit way more than we should and that we were designed to.
And I can certainly help you regain a healthy posture system and keep it from collapsing in the future.
All you have to do is call and make an appointment for your free initial consultation which includes a free detailed postural analysis.
Our phone number here in Burlington, Ontario is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line North.
Today we are going to continue our discussion on the 4 different postural archetypes which we started last time and today we are going to learn about the dynamic postural archetype.
These are typically your baby-boomers and their postural distortion patterns are the result of chronic work-related injuries and/or sports-related injuries.
Thus, they will have postural distortions in all 4 posture quadrants from head to foot. These posture distortions will result in issues such as neck pain, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back pains, hip pain, knee sprains and weak ankles.
So in order for the active boomers to fulfill their desire to keep active, not only is a healthy posture system a must but it is critical for proper function of the skeletal joints.
The skeletal joints are your shoulders, elbows , wrists, hips, knees, ankles and feet. See the connection here?
The active boomers want to keep doing their job, playing their favorite sports and going to the gym without suffering any occupational or sports-related injuries.
And as a chiropractor, a posture expert and a personal training specialist, this is where my expertise adds extra value.
I will take into consideration your job, what sports you like to play, what you do when you are working out in the gym and the current state of your posture system. This way you can do what you want to do, and do what you need to do, and avoid those nagging and frustrating injuries.
Your next step if you want my help is to call and schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation which also includes a free detailed posture analysis. These are amazing and you will be surprised and thankful that you had one done.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
“Bad Posture Can Increase The Weight Of Your Head”
Dr Brad here. I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
Today and over the next few weeks we are going to learn about the different Postural Archetypes.
An archetype by definition, is a very typical presentation.
There are 4 different postural archetypes; structural, dynamic, ergo and neuro.
Today we are going to learn about the structural postural archetype which is characterized by people who spend a lot of time holding their head looking down at their cell phone, tablet or ipad.
Typically we will see children, teenagers and young adults in this group.
The truth about holding your head down in this position for extended periods is that it will increase the weight of your head by 40 to 60 pounds.
Imagine holding up a 10 pin bowling ball which is about the same size and weight as your head. Will it be easier to hold it right beside and close to your shoulder, or straight out in front of you with your arm fully extended?
Of course the latter would be much more difficult. Your arm would fatigue almost instantaneously.
The same principle applies to your head when looking down for extended periods. Your neck and shoulders are going to suffer resulting in headaches, migraines, neck pain, shoulder pain, breathing difficulties, postural instability, jaw pain and if left undetected and uncorrected, spinal degenerative arthritis in your neck.
And this is the last thing that you want!
But, this is where I can help you. All you have to do is make an appointment for your free initial consultation which also includes a free detailed postural analysis.
This way I can measure your posture and show you where the weaknesses are, and then give you my best recommendation for correction.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
Dr Brad Ivanchuk here. I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Posture Expert, Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
To do this you need to have your child stand normally (feet apart – not together ) in bare feet and wearing shorts, and you need to crouch down so that you can take a look at them from the front
The first thing you want to check is their knees.
The knees should be the same width apart as their feet.
If they look further apart or closer together than their feet (which is the most common posture distortion), this is your first indicator of a problem.
Next, look at their feet. Are the toes pointed straight ahead which is normal, or are they pointed inwards or outwards? Outwards is the most common posture distortion and is the next indicator of a problem.
And finally, check their arches.
Depending upon the size of your child’s foot, you should be able to slide 2 or 3 fingers at least one inch under the arch of their foot.
With fallen arches or flat feet, you will not be able to do this and this posture distortion is often coupled with a foot where the toes point outwards.
These checks will work well with kids 7 years and older. Younger children would be more difficult to assess and would need a professional eye.
But if you detect even one posture distortion, you need to get your kids in for a proper assessment right away and this is where I can help you. Any type of foot problem left undetected and uncorrected will only lead to lower back pain, knee pain, foot pain, frequently sprained ankles, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and bunions later in life.
All you have to do is call to schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation which also includes a detailed postural analysis.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre…. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington.
Dr Brad Ivanchuk here. I am a Burlington, Ontario Chiropractor, Certified Posture Expert, Certified Postural Neurologist and Personal Training Specialist at Life Chiropractic Centre on Guelph Line.
Kid’s feet especially because I have noticed a lot of kids have bad feet these days.
And what I mean about bad feet are things like weak ankles (frequent sprains), fallen arches (flat feet), feet that tend to point outwards instead of straight ahead and even toes that are crooked.
All of these things clearly indicate a problem in Posture Quadrant 4 (hips, legs, knees, ankles and feet).
Although these types of issues will require an orthotic or some type of corrective shoe or even a minor surgical procedure, there is always an overlying alignment issue with Posture Quadrant 3 which is your lower back and pelvis.
Remember that quadrant 3 stabilizes the entire posture system and quadrant 4 attaches directly to quadrant 3.
So if your pelvis is twisted or tipped, or has too much flexion or extension, or there is a combination of 2 or 3 of these postural distortions, there will be a lot of undue stress on the hips, knees and especially the ankles and feet. And this is where I can help you.
Correcting posture distortions in your lower back and pelvis will have a profound effect on the function and alignment of your hips, knees, ankles and feet.
We have talked about this before but it is always worth mentioning again. Properly fitted footwear is critical for everyone; kids and adults both.
These are bad for your feet; Crocs, shoes that are too big or too small, frequent use of high heels, wearing shoes with the laces undone and wearing running shoes like slippers (the back part of the shoe that supports the heel is flattened down).
And remember parents – as soon as your babies are able to walk, make sure they get a lot of barefoot time as this is critical to proper development of their feet.
If you have any questions on this topic or any other health concerns you may have or your kids may have, please call me.
Remember that consultations in our office are always free of charge and these include a detailed postural analysis.
Family appointments are also available where we can check you and your children all at the same time because postural distortions do tend to run in families.
Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email me directly by clicking on the link on our home page.
Good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre …. Helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
And unless you have been active and keeping fit over the winter months, some of the activities you will be doing can certainly cause you a lot of grief most commonly in the neck, shoulders, lower back and legs.
Things like raking, pruning, bending, lifting, reaching and crouching can be very stressful on your body especially if you are somewhat deconditioned.
So, how can you make your yard-work enjoyable and safe? Because it is a very good outdoor activity which a lot of people do not get enough of.
First of all, give your body a good stretch before commencing especially your neck, shoulders, lower back and legs.
Also, have a glass of water before you begin and drink water occasionally while you are working to keep yourself hydrated. It is a very good idea to rotate through 2 or 3 different jobs, spending 20 minutes at a time on each one instead of doing the same thing for 2, 3 or 4 hours in a row.
This will most likely result in an acute and painful postural distortion. And take your time.
There is no need to rush. Your yard work will always be there tomorrow. And when you are done for the day, it is very beneficial to do another round of stretching.
Now if you get into trouble with neck pain, shoulder pain, lower back pain or sciatica (leg pains), I can help.
All you need to do is call to schedule an appointment for your free initial consultation which also includes a detailed postural analysis. Our phone number here in Burlington is 905 335 LIFE (5433) or you can email us directly by clicking on the link found on our home page.
Remember that good posture is always by design and never by circumstance.
Life Chiropractic Centre … helping families just like yours build vibrant, healthy, drug-free lives for over 25 years in Burlington, Ontario.
