Having performed thousands of spinal scans on clients I am always amazed at how we find significant spinal problems that clients don’t tell us about.
When performing a spinal scan we measure the exact motion of the spine and compare this motion to expected results. The differences can be vast.
“How do you reverse the car with no neck rotation?” I often ask. The reply is usually, “Oh I just use the mirrors”.
A significant restriction in spinal motion is a sign of spinal injury or gradual spinal decay. It needs attention.
Often this type of ‘creeping injury’ is gradual and may or may not be the result of an original marked event or injury. It can go unnoticed for a long period of time, gradually becoming more severe.
I ask myself what this person’s physical state will be in 5, 10, or 20 years.
The simple reality of bone development is that if a joint does not move for a period of time it breaks down. New bone is laid down in the soft connective tissue that on x-ray is called ‘osteophytes’. These boney changes are often called ‘wear and tear’ or degeneration.
Other signs of spinal injury include being unable to touch your toes or mid-shin when forward bending, having difficulty in getting up off the ground and being unable to perform one sit-up or press-up. Different leg lengths or changes in the level of the pelvis, shoulders or head and an inability to reach both arms above the head are also important indicators that not all is well.
If you, your family, or friends have any of the above please call to make an appointment for them. We are happy to discuss their problems and help them find a solution.
Jul 20, 2023 at 5:14 PM
When I first came to Inspired Chiropractic I clearly had a debilitating back issue; pain, in fact awful pain, could hardly walk let alone drive my car, couldn't find a comfortable position to sit or lay anywhere, wasn't sleeping, wanted to cry because the pain was unbearable and basically having an horrendous time. I have a wonderful and busy job where I am required to drive all over the county and deliver interventions to children and families that require lifting and handling of all sorts of equipment. Not being able to undertake the full duties of my job role and feeling unwell was agonising for me. Thankfully, through chiropractic care my back has been and continues to be cared for, allowing me a good quality of life, predominantly pain free and importantly enables me to do the job that I love, which has been amazing. However, (and this is the important bit), what I didn't know and which came as quite a surprise, was that I also had a issue with my neck. I had never had neck pain, never had issue turning my neck, didn't even consider my neck to be a problem. How could I have a neck issue if I didn't have pain?? My neck, as with my back, is now being cared for and I feel very lucky that that my neck issue was identified so it can now be treated as required. My point here is it is not just pain that tells us we have an issue with our bodies. Other problems can be more silent and hidden and when things are silent and unhidden they are going undetected, which means, they are going untreated. Somebody told me recently that in one particular country (and I can't remember which one!) chiropractic care is part of the resident's regular health care maintenance, which made me ponder and wonder why don't we think like this in the UK? Sadly from my experience and from other people I have spoken with, it is not until we are in pain, sometimes agonising pain, that we then consider a visit to a chiropractor. We need to value and look after our bodies people.