Yarra Hills Chiropractic is here to help! If you need some guidance on how to make working from home, work for you, here are some simple tips you can start using today to create a space at home that supports you!

Routine

Set yourself a routine, much like you would if you were still going to work every day. Wake up at the same time every morning, eat meals regularly and set aside time to exercise to help maintain your physical and mental wellbeing.

Set up a productive space

If you have a separate study in your home then look no further, but for many a work set up will usually be on the kitchen table. Try to avoid working on your bed or on the couch so you can separate work from relaxation at the end of the day.

Get the ergonomics right in your workspace by bringing an ergonomic/supportive chair to the table and sitting with your feet either flat on the floor or supported by a footrest. Arms should be relaxed by your side (wrist straight when using mouse and elbows at 90-110deg when typing), with you posture relaxed and tall.

If there is an opportunity to be at a standing desk, even better, as this will be helpful for most people. If standing, maintain an upright relaxed posture and use a footrest.

Your eyes should be looking straight ahead at your screen and if you’re working off a laptop, you can do this by having a separate mouse and keyboard and elevating your screen, to help keep your posture straight.

Take breaks

While it’s easy to get lost in the hours of work, it’s important to remember to give both your mind and body a much-needed break. Every 30 minutes or so, get up and do a little stretch or something quick and active like 10 squats or star-jumps. As long as you’re moving!

The Straighten Up app is also a great tool to help get you moving and improving your posture. The app developed by the Australian Chiropractors Association, features a three-minute stretching program designed to help improve your spinal health, posture and overall wellbeing. Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play.

Stay connected

While you are lucky enough to work from home during this period, it can feel a little isolating. Colleagues and friends you would normally see every day, are only a phone call away so stay connected with them by having virtual video meetings, or a casual chat to simply check in with them.

Technology breaks

At the end of your day, try and take a break from technology and screens by going for a walk outside, spending time with those in your home, cooking a meal or taking up a new hobby.

If you would like any further advice or assistance on implementing good spinal health habits while at home, have a chat to your chiropractor. We hope you are staying safe during this time.

For more information on these tips and the Working From Home campaign, visit workingfromhome.org.au

The post Make Working from Home Work For You first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

SIZE

We understand that in the long run it might be easier to buy a bigger bag than is necessary for your child so they will eventually grow into it. This is not always the best course of action. A larger bag won’t sit properly on your child’s back and could start to put strain in their lower back causing problems further down the track.

WEIGHT

The weight of a school bag shouldn’t be any more than 10-15% of your child’s body weight. This goes hand in hand with getting the correct sized bag. A bag that is too heavy will put strain on your child’s upper and lower back as well as their shoulders and neck. It could also make them off balance, and try to correct that balance by leaning forward, again putting strain on their lower back.

PACKED CORRECTLY

To make sure that the weight of the school bag isn’t too heavy it’s important to pack the school bag correctly. Having heavy items in the bottom or sides of the bag can make the weight uneven on your child’s shoulders. Try to utilise side pockets for smaller items and water bottles as well. Encourage your kids to repack their bag every day, only taking what is necessary and using lockers or desks where available.

PROPER CARRYING

It is important to make sure that you get a school bag that is double strapped and that your child is wearing it with both straps on their shoulders. This distributes the weight in the bag evenly. The straps should also be pulled tight so the bag isn’t dragging down too low, below the waist. No matter how good the bag is, your child needs to carry it correctly!

MOULDED FRAME/LUMBAR SUPPORT

Look for a school bag that has a moulded frame and even lumbar support straps. These help to keep the bag sitting comfortably and close to the back, with the weight distributed on the hips and waist and not the shoulders. This will help support your child’s back.

STAMP OF AUTHORITY

If you’re still unsure which backpack to buy for your child, look for a bag endorsed by an Australian professional organisation, such as the Australian Physiotherapy Association or the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia.

THE STATS

• 1 in 3 children suffer from back or neck pain, often attributed to carrying heavy school bags
• The recommended weight of a school is roughly 10-15% of the child’s body weight
• Chiropractors recommend all kids get their spine checked once every school holidays. This is a good time from to help support growing spines

The post Choosing the Correct School Bag first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Currently 15% of the Australia population are ages 65 and over, and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates that this will increase to 22% by 2056.

An increase in the age of the population puts additional strain on the government to provide care for older Australians. Chiropractors are ideally placed to assist in the healthcare of Australians as they age and help improve their quality of life.

The more prepared you are to meet your older self, the more you can be Ready For Life

According to the World Health Organisation, musculoskeletal conditions that reduce mobility, are the second largest cause of disability worldwide. Imporving posture, maintaining an active lifestyle and keeping your spinal health in check can help you continue to do the things you love and always be Ready For Life!

Chiro Can Help

One way to help you be Ready For Life and improve your spinal health is to seek chiropractic care. Chiropractors can also be seen as a preventative healthcare option by offering advice and assistance in making appropriate lifestyle choices and therefor reducing the risk of spinal health issues arsing in the first place.

Chiropractic care is not a one size fits all healthcare option. At Yarra Hills Chiropractic we carefully assess each patient individually and tailor their care accordingly. By using specific, hands on, spinal adjustments chiropractors offer a drug-free, non-surgical approach to spinal healthcare.

The post Are You Ready For Life? first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 56% of all Australians are not sufficiently physically active. This can have negative impact on your spinal health.

Most physical activity can have great positive effects on the spine including the stretching, strengthening and repairing of muscles that help support your back.

Regular exercise can also reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, build stinger bones, increase your energy, improve sleep patterns and so much more.

If the gym or sports field isn’t for you then walking is another great way to keep active. Some benefits of brisk walking include increasing your heart and lung fitness, muscle strength and endurance, and it contributes to a naturally upright posture.

Need a little extra help to get you walking to a healthier life? The Just Start Walking app is just what your need. This free app was developed by the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA) to encourage Australians to get outside and the get walking! The app allows you to not only map your walk, but track the distance, time and steps taken.

The app also displays your walking history, so you can see your improvements, features local walking events nears you and lets you share your walk with friends on social media.

Download the Just Start Walking app at spinalhealthweek.com.au/active to take the first steps towards a healthier spine and be Ready For Life!

Don’t forget to ask us about the right kinds of exercises and stretches for you and how Chiropractic can help to develop stronger neuromuscular links, improve skills and get your body ready for exercise.

The post Keeping Active first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Posture is the position in which we hold our bodies while standing, sitting or lying down. When your posture is poor this can increase pressure on your spine and contribute to tension, soreness, headaches, back pain and fatigue.

Australian adults, on average, spend an estimated five hours per day sitting, with a quarter of the population sitting for more than eight hours per day, including the 67% that play video games recreationally. This time sitting and hunching over a desk or on the couch can add pressure to the spine.

A healthy posture is all about healthy movement, by both your spine and your body. It does take discipline to correct poor posture, but there’s no doubt the benefits are well worth the effort.

The Straighten Up app, developed by the Australian Chiropractors Association (ACA) is designed to help everyday Australians like you maintain and improve your spinal health. Use the app to set yourself reminders and receive notifications about sitting right, stretching, improving posture and even staying hydrated.

Download the FREE app at spinalhealthweek.com.au/posture and get your posture Ready For Life today!

Ask your Chiropractor about what we can do to help improve your posture

The post Improve Your Posture first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

One of the most common issues for cricketers, especially bowlers, is lower back injuries. Repetitive, fast paced and enormous workload, such as bowling, can over time misalign your pelvis. This is especially true among kids and teenagers whose spines are yet to mature (this occurs in girls between 12-15 years of age, and in boys between 18-21). Misalignment of the pelvis can make it appear as though you have one leg shorter than the other, this is often misdiagnosed and orthotics are used incorrectly. It can also create unnecessary strain on the lower back, causing problems later in life.

Lumbar stress fractures are a common issue in adult cricketers, especially ones who have not treated an underlying pelvis problem. Merv Hughes is a classic example of lower back pain in a cricketer. He is famous for his stretching and warm up exercises during the game, unfortunately these problems slowed his bowl as well as his cricket career.

And it’s not just the pelvis that can cause problems. All along the chain of movement for a bowler, from the foot up to the neck, there is strain put on muscles and joints. Uneven or concrete cricket pitches can cause injury in the feet, ankles and knees. Incorrect shoulder movement when throwing the ball or even batting, due to a misaligned thoracic region can cause problems such as shoulder dislocation, frozen shoulder, even muscle or ligament tears.

So how can Chiropractic help?

Correcting issues as they occur will help prevent future injury. For example, correcting pelvic misalignment at an early stage will take pressure off the lumbar region, helping to prevent stress fractures from occurring later in life.

Seeing a Chiropractor when these issues occur is smart. Seeing a Chiropractor before they become issues is inspired!

There are 3 things that regular Chiropractic does that can help

1. Manage Pain – regular Chiropractic can help you manage pain symptoms, as your spine is aligned your body is better able to deal with injury.
2. Promotes Healing – a well aligned spine and properly functioning nervous system helps to promote your body’s natural healing, speeding up recovering time.
3. Prevention – prevention is key in Chiropractic. By having a properly aligned spine, as well as fully functioning nervous system and properly mobile joints you are less likely to be injured with your movements.

In countries all over the world Chiropractors are a vital part of the medical entourage for national cricket teams. Chiropractic is encouraged to help keep players fit and healthy, and to help lengthen their careers.

The post How Chiropractic Can Keep You Playing Cricket For Longer first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

World Spine Day is a global initiative organised by the World Federation of Chiropractic which is aimed at raising awareness of spinal health and spine disorders with individuals, communities, and professionals.

Prevention is key; therefor this year’s World Spine Day will be encouraging people to take steps to be kind to their spines.

The theme for this year’s World Spine Day is Love Your Spine. With this theme we aim to help you create good habits in your work and home life that will help to reduce future issue for your spine. Essentially we want you to ‘love your spine’.

This initiative is designed to empower people in all walks of life to take action towards better spinal health and improving their quality of life. It is aimed at people of all ages, genders and cultures.

Be Mindful of Your Posture – bad habits can be created all around us. At work, sitting at a computer, in the car, even while sitting on the couch. Be mindful of your environment and try to choose the best course of action for your spine. Sit up straight, or get a standing desk, adjust or change your chair, adjust your car seat, move your TV or couch so your aren’t straining your neck. All of these thing and more can be done to help create better habits.

Practise Responsible Lifting – we’ve all heard the old adage ‘lift with your knees’, and while this is still true, there’s more to it. Responsible lifting means assessing your load and finding the best way to lift with minimal strain to your body, especially your spine. This includes keeping your spine neutral, activating your core muscles, and yes, lifting with your knees. It may also include lifting with two or more people when necessary.

Get Moving and Stay Active – last year’s theme was Your Back in Action which promoted movement and activity as key to spinal health. Continuing with this theme we aim to encourage movement and an active lifestyle as ways to Love Your Spine.

Visit your Chiropractor – visiting your Chiropractor can help on a multitude of levels, from acute back pain, to chronic complaints, pins and needles, headaches, and many more. We want to help you love your spine and keep it healthy, which in turn keeps you healthy.

The post World Spine Day 2018 first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

We’ve all heard the old adage that the ideal sleep time is around 6-8 hours of sleep per night. But that means 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Sometimes there is nothing worse than a restless night, tossing and turning in bed unable to fall asleep, or constantly waking up throughout the night. A sleepless night like this can leave you groggy, irritable, effecting your concentration, your appetite, even your health, causing headaches and such.

Around 40% of men and 20% of women snore, with 8% of the population suffering from sleep apnoea. Insomnia affects 20% of Australians and a further 18% suffer from restless legs. That’s a lot of people getting only a little sleep!

So how can Chiropractic help?

LOWER BACK AND NECK PAIN

Misalignment of the spine in our lower back or neck can often cause discomfort in bed. The inability to get comfortable in certain positions, pain or restlessness in the legs is usually due to lower back instability.  While issues in your upper back or neck can cause discomfort with your pillow, it can also create tension in your neck and jaw restricting your airways. This can create problems such as snoring or sleep apnoea, as well as reducing oxygen to the brain, preventing you from being able to reach a proper REM sleep.

Chiropractic care can help to alleviate these complaints and help you get better nights sleep.

STRESS

While Chiropractic can help many people sleep better by alleviating those aches and pains that have kept them up all night, for some it can in fact do so much more!

When we are stressed our bodies are in a state of fight or flight, with the stress hormones running through our system like caffeine on high. For some people seeing their Chiropractor may help them feel more at ease and relaxed, and better able to fall, and stay, asleep.

Seeing a Chiropractor might help you get to some shut eye, and it could also improve the quality of your sleep! This may help improve your health, your energy levels and your life.

To read more about some of the other benefits of Chiropractic click here.

The post How Chiropractic Can Help You Sleep Better first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Posture

Poor posture is one of the leading causes for back pain. Improper work environments from low desks or benches, to incorrect seats, can all play a part in creating poor posture. Try to alter you work space so that you are sitting or standing correctly. Also look at how you relax at home, how you are sleeping or sitting on the couch, what regular exercise you are doing, even how long you are sitting in your car.

Core strength

Strengthening your core muscles, which include your spine and abdominal muscles creates a strong foundation. This not only helps stabilise your lower back and hips, it also helps to maintain good posture and reduce back pain. Having a strong core also reduces the risk of repeat injuries.

Ask you Chiropractor or Massage Therapist for the right exercises for you.

Keep moving!

Movement is so important to spinal health. It’s why we recommend it to all of our patients! Movement and gentle exercise gets all of your bodies systems going, from pumping your circulatory and lymphatic system, to allowing proper nerve flow. Movement is vital for healing.

Shoes

Good shoe support is a great way to create a strong foundation for your body and your spine. Proper arch support gives you a stable base for your ankles, knees, hips and spine. Wearing the wrong kind of shoes too often can put strain on your spine.

Sleeping

How you sleep plays a huge role in the health of your spine. We spend one 3rd of our lives in bed, so sleeping right is vital to our health. Sleeping on your side or back is preferable to sleeping on your stomach. Choosing the right mattress and pillow for you as well.

Support 

Always remember to support your spine when lifting, twisting or doing anything strenuous. It is important to maintain a neutral spine when lifting, so keep your back straight and brace your core muscles.

Read the signs

Our body is very intuitive and often knows when something isn’t right. Pay attention to the warning signs that your spine might not be in a best of health. These signs can vary from headaches, fever, and lack of focus, to discomfort and even pain in various extremities. Read the signs and see your Chiropractor. 

The post 7 Tips for a Healthy Spine first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Here are some tips to help keep those aches and pains at bay

Maintain an active lifestyle

We often lead very sedentary lives, and in the winter this is exacerbated. We sit at work, we sit in the car, and we sit at home in front of the telly. All of these places can be temperature controlled, and when it’s cold outside we tend to rug up and snuggle down more. Our regular activities, especially ones outside, often drop off. This can lead to more aches and pains. Regular activity can help maintain flexibility, as well as muscles and joint function. Our bodies are also better at regulating our temperature in the cold, which makes exercise in winter is actually easier for our body! So get out there and start moving and if you can maintain your regular activities, or modify them so you are doing them indoors, your body will thank you!

Proper footwear

This seems like an obvious one, but proper and warm footwear is really important in these colder and wetter months. In winter the ground is usually wet and slippery and causing more slips and falls. Wear shoes with a good tread and grip, and be careful where you walk! Also keeping your hands and feet comfortably warm keeps your body warm and improves blood circulation, which can offer much needed relief from aches and pains.

Stay Hydrated

When we are cold, we often forget to stay hydrated. This prevents our body from eliminating waste properly and can lead to feeling more stiff and achy.  Also with artificial heat blasting from heaters, vents, and radiators, we tend to become very dehydrated. It is important to drink just as much water as you would in the summer months, so try swapping out cold water for hot water with some lemon, or try to set yourself a target to reach.

Visit your Chiropractor

In some cases chiropractic care may benefit aspects of some non-musculoskeletal conditions and syndromes.  For example, manual therapy may help with musculoskeletal symptoms of a non-musculoskeletal condition like fibromyalgia, and in these circumstances chiropractic care could be helpful in managing the condition alongside care from other practitioners.

Removing nerve interference allows the body to be at its optimal performance.  We want to help you maintain your symptoms and help to improve your quality of life. Chiropractic care is vital to the health of your spine, which means it is vital for YOUR health.

The post Tips For a Pain Free Winter first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.