Author: Dr. Joseph Vear

The Pandemic, our Patients, and the Practice

Like many of us, my patients during the pandemic have experienced some major shifts. Some have lost jobs. Some have busier schedules than usual with kids at home. I personally don’t know anyone who has contracted Covid-19, though, and I’m thankful for that. 

Taking Care of Patients During the Pandemic

A number of my patients have been missing the gym due to closures or limited access and find it difficult to stay fit. However, this can just be an excuse. Lack of movement causes aches and pains to come back. Other patients have been using the off time to get outdoors and do more activities like biking, running or simply walking. When aches and pains appear with increased – or decreased – activity, it can lead to injury from falls and other mishaps. My patients and I are grateful that I am still able to be open and take care of them.

During Covid, patients can use their time here to decompress and vent (while being treated of course). Some are relieved to be seen at this time to help them with whatever they are feeling physically. Patients who have been more worried about contacting Covid have been self-isolating, but this is temporary. Of course we follow protocols by mandating masks in the office and taking extra measures to sterilize treatment areas between patients. Though we are currently seeing lower numbers for appointments and fewer new patients seeking care, we will be back to normal before long. Read our blog about when you should see a chiropractor.

Positive Thinking

Positive thinking can do a lot to help get you out of a rut or back into my office so you don’t let your physical health take a hit too. This article was written before we knew the full implications of Covid-19, and it still applies. We are all in this together. Stay strong for each other. I have great long-term wellness relationships with my patients, and I look forward to seeing everyone again soon!

When Should You See A Chiropractor?

Chiropractors offer patients many benefits and can help with your physical and emotional well being, not just when your in pain or something is wrong.  Here are some times that you should be visiting a chiropractor for treatment:

1. Do you suffer from headaches?  Headaches can be caused by many things including dehydration, malnutrition, misalignment, oxygen deprivation and more.  Visiting a chiropractor can help increase your blood flow which will increase oxygen to the brain improving headaches.  They can also help you learn improving your overall health.
2. Joint or muscle pain is one of the most frequent reasons people visit a chiropractor.  The issue may be musculoskeletal alignment and a chiropractor can train your body through spinal manipulation to function optimally relieving pain in your joints and muscles.
3. Poor posture can also be relieved with regular chiropractic care.  With so many people sitting at a computer all day, often our spines are misaligned from being hunched over a keyboard putting pressure on our discs and causing our bones to shift which can lead to a slipped or herniated disc.
4. Chronic back pain is also a common reason to visit a chiropractor.  Many factors can lead to back pain including standing for long periods of time and poor posture.  Chiropractic care can help you avoid dangerous medications or surgeries.
5. If your alignment is off, you may be experiencing a subluxation in your spine and need a spinal readjustment.  This will prevent chronic issues down the road.
6. Sometimes an injury or age can decrease our range of motion.  If you are not feeling limber, chiropractic adjustments can help you increase your range of motion to help your body work more optimally.
7. Accidents also wreak havoc on our bodies.  Chiropractic care after an accident can help your body heal faster and properly.  If you are in an accident, scheduling a chiropractor’s appointment should be your top priority.
8. Shooting pain is frequently a sign that you are suffering from a pinched nerve or disc.  A chiropractor can diagnose the cause of the pain and help you to alleviate unwanted pressure being placed on nerves and causing you pain.
9. If you are an athletic person and into sports and all the outdoor activities Colorado offers, you may be subjecting your body to additional strain.  This can cause the spine to become misaligned and make your body more prone to injury, pinched nerves, slipped discs or other degenerative issues.  Visiting a chiropractor regularly can keep you in peak performance.
10. If you are health conscious and concerned about your immunity, chiropractors are also a great tool to help you take care of your body.  They can provide you with care routines, nutritional guidance and techniques to deal with stress and anxiety.  Spinal adjustments can make you feel better.

Is It Safe to Go to the Chiropractor with COVID19?

Back pain is the sixth most common health condition among adults in the United States, leaving chiropractors as the first line of defense for the physical health of nearly 16 million adults. But as social distancing has become the new norm, patients are wondering if their pain is even worth a visit to the chiropractor at the risk they may contract novel coronavirus COVID-19.

The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has deemed chiropractors as essential workers during this pandemic meaning many Americans will still be able to visit their doctor for back treatment. It is hard to treat any type of pain or neurological deficit with simply a telehealth visit and individuals with back conditions like sciatica, muscle loss, or numbness should be scheduling in-person appointments with their chiropractor for treatments. In-person examinations are most necessary when chiropractors need to determine what the cause of a pain is through the use of imaging, medical studies or x-rays.

Visiting the chiropractor regularly can prevent conditions from deteriorating and causing unnecessary trips to urgent care. In addition, regular care can boost your immune system and prepare it for new viruses and bacteria the way it has been designed to.  To aid in your decision on whether or not to visit a chiropractor too, we are working within the guidelines set by the CDC with disinfecting between each patient, masks, appointments and more for your safety. 

Schedule an appointment with us today and help maintain your self-care routine so that you are equipped to stay healthy during this time.    

How to Prevent Injuries at the Gym

It is time to get those “summer bodies” back now that the gyms have reopened.  But it can also be a time to injure yourself by pushing too hard too fast in an effort to be beach body ready.  Over exercising, using equipment improperly or failing to fuel your workout properly can all have a negative impact on your results.

The most common mistake you can make is doing too much too soon.  Be sure to take your time and build back into a routine at the gym.  Give your body time to adjust to any new training and start slow to prevent injuries, especially if you have been sedentary and enjoying those quarantine snacks. If you push yourself too hard with weights or cardio, you can damage your muscles and connective tissue in addition to putting strain on your body.

It is also important to take rest days.  Your body needs time to heal after workouts to prevent muscle and joint pain and tears.  If you do not give yourself recovery time, it may lead to injuries.

When you start training it is also important to know what you are doing and make sure that you are using the equipment correctly.  Take the time to meet with a trainer or get an overview of the gym equipment with a trained professional.  Using the equipment properly can help you prevent accidents.  This also helps you learn the proper technique and not “cheat” when doing n exercise which can cause you to work the wrong muscles or cause damage.

Be sure to build a routine that is right for your body.  Each person has different goals and needs.  Following the same workout as others may not help you achieve your desired goals.  Sometimes you need modified workout plans as well to adjust for problem areas.  In additional, following someone that does not use proper form and technique can be detrimental to your workout plan and prevent you from gaining strength and ability.

You also want to change up your workout routine regularly to continue to see progress.  Continually doing the same reps, sets and weight levels allow your body to adjust and plateau.  If you are doing the same exercise over and over and doing it improperly, it will also cause constant muscle and joint strain which can cause an injury. Be sure to work all your muscle groups too so that they can help support your body.  By just focusing on certain muscle groups, smaller muscle groups can become overloaded potentially creating problems with your body’s optimal performance.

Be sure to warm up too.  A warm up prepares the muscles, joints and tendons for a workout and can reduce the risk of getting an injury.  Do a few minutes of cardio or stretch to prepare your body.  Stretching also helps you with your range of motion. Following a workout, you should also do a cool down routine that will help prevent the build up of lactic acid which can cause cramping and discomfort afterwards.

Another important tip as we get back to the gym is eating properly to fuel your workouts.  Because muscles are built up from proteins, you need to support that in your diet to help your body regenerate and rebuild.  It is also vital to include vitamin rich veggies.  By reducing calories, but not eating properly, you could actually sabotage your efforts to lose weight and build muscle.  You should eat within two hours of working out at the optimal time to help your body repair any muscle and joint damage. Calcium can also help with any bone strain caused by exercise.

One of the most important points of gym workouts is making sure you hydrate during and after any training.  Otherwise, your tissues can dehydrate and it will slow down the healing process.  Avoid alcohol as well as it is a diuretic and removes needed water from your body.

Finally having the proper gym wear can help you prevent injuries.  It can absorb shock, increase your range of motion and provide the proper support.  Depending on the type of exercise routine you are doing, there are multiple products on the market that can help with different areas of your body and aid weaker joints and muscles.

True Form Chiropractic specializes in helping athletes build and maintain their bodies at peak performance.  Keeping regular chiropractic appointments can help you with your exercise regime and help you work out longer, stronger and better.  Schedule an appointment today to stay in top form.

Getting Back to Working Out

As gyms slowly start to reopen in Colorado and the warmer summer months begin, it is time to start losing that Quarantine 15 and thinking about self care, working out and personal health again. A good workout routine can help you lose weight, tone muscle, improve overall health and build a strong immune system.  Adding chiropractic care to your workout routine can improve your workouts as well whether you workout a little or a lot by aligning your back, neck and spine.

Chiropractic care is an excellent way to reduce and prevent pain making it easier to work out more efficiently and longer. The main focus of chiropractic care is to keep the spine in alignment and ensure proper communication between the brain and the rest of the body.  Often the back, neck, head, and joints are the primary areas people feel pain after working out. Seeing a chiropractor expert at least once a week during your workout routine can help relieve pain and stiffness.In addition, during strenuous exercise, the muscles may become inflamed, fluid can accumulate in the joints, and the bones and ligaments can get stretched or compressed and getting things back into proper alignment helps you feel better and also ensures you do not injure yourself.

Chiropractic care can also help your joints and ligaments in top form reducing problems and increasing range of motion.  Varied weights, gym equipment and cardio can increase health and workout results, but they often can lead to issues without a full range of motion.  It also helps you be less sore after a workout routine.

Finally, chiropractic care can help keep you bones properly aligned.  Without proper alignment, often your body will begin to compensate for the problem areas causing potential pain in your sides, back, your neck or shoulders. When your back is aligned, it lessens the stress and pressure that is placed on the bones, muscles, and joints. Compensation for weak areas happens a lot less, the result being a more balanced and healthy workout that helps improve the muscles, bones, and body.

We specialize in this type of chiropractic care and look forward to working with you to make sure that you get the best care and therapy options available tailored to your specific needs and workouts to help you boost your health going into this summer.

We are Taking Your Concerns Seriously

With our reopening, we want you to know the safety precautions in place.  We take your healthy seriously.  Following the Public Health Order 20-28 that became effective on Monday, April 27, 2020 we will be wearing personal protective equipment and ask that all patients also wear a mask when coming in for an appointment.  In addition, we will be pre-screening patients prior to treatments.  Please let us know if you are experiencing signs of illness including a fever, shortness of breath, a cough or a sore throat and we will be happy to reschedule your appointment.

When you arrive, we ask that you check in from your car and you will be notified when we are ready to see you.  When you enter, your temperature will be taken.  Any patient with a temperature of above 100.4 will be sent home and there will be a limit on the number of patients in the office waiting to comply with social distancing.  In addition, we will have sanitizer available and ask you use it.

Behind the scenes we will be increasing our sanitization schedule, staff screenings and making scheduling and procedural changes.

We look forward to working with you and the community to help increase stronger immune systems and healthier immune systems, as well as getting your treatment plan back on track.  Your care and safety is our foremost concern.

Exercises That Can Help When You Can’t Get to the Chiropractor

Right now, chiropractors cannot be open unless it is a medical emergency.  But there are exercises that you can be doing that can help in the interim to help heal your injuries faster.

If you have neck pain, it can cause pain radiating throughout your jaw and head causing headaches and tension.  Regular neck stretches can help ease pulled muscles and improve your range of motion while releasing painful, tight ligaments.  To do a simple neck stretch, stand, keeping your neck down and your shoulders down.  Lower your chin to your chest and hold that position.  Then slowly extend your chin to the ceiling and hold that position.  Rotate your neck toward each shoulder and then lower your ear towards each shoulder holding the position.  Repeat these movements for three reps.

To ease back pain, a Child’s Pose can often help.  This pose stretches several areas including the glutes, spinal extensors and the hamstrings relieving tension and pain throughout your neck, back and shoulders.  It also promotes blood circulation.  To do this pose, sit on the ground on your knees with your hips on your heels.  Stretch your arms forward until your head touches on the ground while focusing on your breathing in slow gentle movements.  Hold this position as long as is comfortable and do not force if there is pain.

For your lower back, glutes, thighs and hips a knee to chest stretch may help.  Lie on your back and bend your knees with your heels flat on the floor.  Then draw up one knee to your chest while holding your shinbone with both hands.  Keep your spine and hips flat on the floor while you take deep breaths and hold the pose. Repeat with your other leg and then rotate five to ten times.

Another lower back exercise that focuses on your glutes is the piriformis stretch.  To do this pose, lie down on your back with your feet flat on the floor again.  Lift one ankle and place it at the base of the other thigh on the inside, put your hands behind that thigh and pull it towards your chest until you feel a gentle burn.  If it is painful, let up on the pressure a little bit.  This should be a gentle stretch.  Hold the position for a few minutes and then rotate to the other side.  Do this exercise a few reps to target the area.

To increase your spinal mobility, one of the most well-known stretches is a classic seated spinal twist.  This stretch works your back, glutes and hips.  It also helps your abs, neck and shoulders and stimulates your vital organs.  To do this exercise sit upright with your legs stretched out in front of you.  Bend your knee and cross your leg over your thigh, then cross your other leg over your other thigh positioning that foot over next to your hip flat on the floor. Reach your same arm up over behind your leg and place your hand on the floor while gently twisting your body and lifting up your opposing arm.  Repeat this exercise on the other side as well.

We hope to be open soon to help you with your alignment needs.  In the meantime, these exercises can help relieve some of your minor pains.  Stay safe and know we will be available as soon as we can be.

Chiropractors and Federal Regulations During COVID19

Last week we were disappointed to have the state of Colorado shut us down as a non-essential business and have been fighting to get care back for our patients. Chiropractors are primary-contact healthcare providers who provide essential care, including (but not limited to) managing acute and urgent musculoskeletal conditions.…These services are critical for managing cases that otherwise could end up in emergency rooms, worsening an already difficult situation.

The Federal government has heard this and has determined that chiropractors are an essential part of the medical infratructure workforce according to an advisory memorandum dated March 28, 2020 by the US Department of Homeland Security.  This was released to help slow the rate of COVID19 while providing people with critical care and resources those in need.  It has been determined that, “chiropractors are primary-contact healthcare providers who provide essential care, including (but not limited to) managing acute and urgent musculoskeletal conditions.…These services are critical for managing cases that otherwise could end up in emergency rooms, worsening an already difficult situation.”

Chiropractic Care and Your Immune System

With the current state of affairs, having a strong immune system is vital.  Regular chiropractic care though can boost your immune system helping you weather through injuries and illnesses.  While it may not prevent it entirely, it can lessen the severity or the duration of the time you are feeling unwell naturally.

This is because spinal adjustments correct spinal misalignments that result in neural dysfunction. Our bodies immune system consists of proteins, tissues, organs and white blood cells working to keep us healthy. When you body is not functioning correctly, it can lead to a weaker immune system, compression of the nerve system and a lower response to viruses. But even one adjustment can help your body with an immediate immune boost because our immune system is directly related to our spine.

While you might normally associate chiropractic care with pain, there are many other benefits as well. For many years, chiropractors have observed increased immune function in people with allergy symptoms, colds, respiratory infections.  Scientific studies have verified the effect.

In addition to regular chiropractic care, you should also be getting enough sleep, eating well with fresh produce and getting regular exercise.  This helps your body improve function better and improves circulation.

In our efforts to serve the Denver community, True Form Chiropractic will remain open to help serve you during this crisis.  Call and make an appointment today!

Winter and Your Chiropractor

When it is cold outside, we often want to hunker down inside and stay warm and with Colorado having been so snowy lately, most of us are not enjoying the frequent temperature drops. But during the wintertime, it is more important than ever to make regular chiropractic appointments.

One of the main reasons is that we are more sedentary during the winter. Our new year’s resolutions of being healthy have come and gone and we hibernate with little to no ambition to workout, feeding ourselves with comfort food. This inactivity can lead to increased weight, increased injury and increased stress on our joints and spine affecting our ability to heal and recover. Visiting a chiropractor ensures that your body is performing properly which can prevent injuries from occurring.

In addition, the winter months may cause joint pain, neck stiffness, shoulder problems and achy knees just because of the cold weather. This is due to the changes in barometric or atmospheric pressure. As the air gets colder, the synovial fluid in our joints moves less frequently causing us to stiffen up. With chiropractic care, you can help make your joints move better and prevent overuse injuries.

Help beat the winter blues by visiting your chiropractor regularly, preventing injuries and keeping a full range of motion.  Reduce nerve interference and correct or reduce structural misalignments.  Be proactive this winter and schedule a chiropractic appointment with us.