Archive for July, 2009

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Inspired some dude to start stretching one day. Now we have a big industry to help teach you how to live to your potential. Thanks sparky!

Dogs and other animals intuitively know that when they wake up, they need to stretch the muscles which haven’t been in motion for several hours.  Quite intelligent little critters.  Are you that smart?

Even though I’ve caught my little Lucy doing some profound stretches,  I want you to watch some pretty smart dogs.

What inspired this blog is a string of patients that have come through my door recently… men and women in their 40’s to 60’s who have very limited range of movement, who are chronically stiff and sore, never been to a chiropractor, never maintained their spine, and are hoping for me to pull off a miracle overnight to fix their problems created by toxic and deficient movement lifestyles.  Good luck!

Chiropractic care is about one thing, and it’s really quite simple:  Creating sufficiency of movement in the spine to allow for a clear neurological connection so the brain and body work in harmony.

When the spine doesn’t move, chaos will ensue.  Compound that each day, each week, each year, each decade.  Congrats! You now have a “bad back” that’s “a genetic problem” because your mom and dad had the same problem, and so do all your siblings.  ”There’s nothing anyone can do about it.  You might need surgery, or you’ll end up in a wheelchair,” is what one of my patients were told by their GP.

Those are the people who have completely ignored the symptoms all their lives, and treated it by taking medications and not listening to their bodies.  I feel sorry for them.  My heart bleeds, because now they are having surgeries, and spending a great deal of money at my office (which is worth every penny by the way and all of this was preventable by stretches, exercise, and regular maintenance chiropractic adjustments.

Don’t let anyone convince you it’s out of your control and it’s genetic, nothing will work and take drugs and surgery.  Get moving, and get assistance with a chiropractor that you trust.  AND GET YOURSELF MOVING.  Here’s where you begin.

One of the things I teach my patients is to take an active role in their recovery, rather than be a passive recipient.  Stretching is the most important way to help us both on the road to recovery, and for maintaining the health of your brain/body connection.

What stretches can I do to help keep my spine moving correctly?

First of all, get started on yoga.  Check with your chiropractor to see if you are clear to go.  Your joints might be so stiff you’ll need a few weeks of movement-corrective care before you’re ready.

If you insist on not doing yoga, and you want to continue to be sedentary, at least you can get started with these few stretches to help you.  Go at your own pace (and at your own risk!)  Remember to listen to your body.  Go easy.  Start slow.

The Downward Dog

Try it… but keep in mind a couple things:  Be relaxed in your arms and between the shoulder blades.  Let your neck hang. Lift your hips skyward until you feel the achy goodness in your lower lumbar spine.  Heaven and hell, all packed into one beautiful pose.

The Cobra

One of my favourite yoga instructors, Islena Faircrest of Newport Yoga, gave a great description in one of her classes of what you should be imagining and emulating:  ”Imagine your body as a curved cylinder, and your intention is to elongate that cylinder.”  Poetic.  You have no idea what this stretch, when done on a regular basis, can do to slow down the aging process in the spine.  ”Osteoarthritis” and “Degenerative Disc Disease”is a reality for everyone… you can’t escape it.  But you can sure keep it at bay for a lot longer than your average middle aged guy.  Just make sure you watch out for the “turtlehead”.  Keep your shoulders back, and your neck sticking out.

The QL stretch

Another great one. Work on expanding to that feeling of feeling it from your fingers to your toes.

Perform this one, and develop it slowly.  Let go, and go to your limit.  Work on expanding that limit.  P.S.  You can always improve on this stretch.  You never “really” get there.  You can always be more calm, more extended, more present and aware of every muscle.  That’s the cool part of yoga.  It’s like golf if done properly.  You can always improve in those ways.  You can have an off day, too when your mind isn’t clear.

There’s a whole bunch more, but I hope you’re getting the point.  You don’t have to be a yogi to learn to appreciate the art, science, and spiritual aspects of stretching.

Make it a part of your life.  Don’t think you can live a near normal, healthy, and active life if you don’t make stretching a part of it.  Don’t let my little Lucy make you look dumb!

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