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.

Having a regular sleep routine helps your body and mind to wind down in preparation for sleep.

We all have an internal body clock that makes us drowsy when it is time for sleep and awake for during the day. Having a regular sleep routine that lines up with this body clock will help you fall asleep and have a more restful night.

If you struggle to fall asleep try to avoid using electronics or screens at least 30 minutes before going to bed as this artificial light can affect your body clock, keeping you awake.

The Right Sleeping Position

The right sleeping position can mean the difference between a good nights sleep and restless night, or waking up sore and stiff. Everyone has their own most comfortable sleeping position, however some of them are better for us than others. Read our blog on the Best Sleeping Positions to find out more.

Choose the Right Pillow & Mattress

Since we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed, we should have the proper support for this time spent. There is no 1 perfect mattress or pillow that suits every body, so find the mattress and pillow that is perfect for YOU. Think of your mattress and pillow as sleeping equipment, and what do you do with equipment that is used regularly? Maintain it! So turn or flip your mattress regularly (every 3 months is a good rule of thumb) and try to replace them every 8-10 years, or when you no longer are comfortable lying on them. A good pillow should also be replaced every couple of years – inexpensive polyester pillows should be changed more regularly.

Temperature Control

Have you even been unable to get the right temperature in bed? Fully covered up you are too hot, partially covered you are too cold? One foot out and it’s perfect but you risk monsters grabbing your foot. Choosing the right sheets, blankets, or doona is important in helping to control your temperature at night. Our body temperature is controlled partly by our body clock and rises and falls in a rhythm. At night is when our temperature rises, so having layers of sheet and blankets can be good so you can peel them off you become too hot.

Avoid Alcohol, Caffeine & Cigarettes

While alcohol might help you get off to sleep, it can also cause a disrupted nights sleep. Since our body is working harder to eliminate the toxins, this can cause you to wake more in the middle of the night, possibly sweating more than usual and needing to use the bathroom.

Caffeine and cigarettes are stimulants and can make it harder for you fall asleep or achieve a deep sleep.

Try to avoid these at least a few hours before going to bed.

Don’t Try To Force Sleeping

Lying awake trying to force yourself to sleep is more likely going to cause you to have more of a restless night. Sleepiness comes in waves, so if you can’t get to sleep, sit up, sip a glass of water and wait until you feel drowsy again before getting back into bed. Avoid reading or watching TV during this time as it will stimulate your brain.

Bed Is For Sleeping, Not Entertainment

Try to avoid watching TV or sitting on your phone or other devices while in bed. It is best to get into the habit of using our beds only for sleep so that when we go to bed, our body is already in preparation to sleep, which will help you fall asleep.

See You Chiropractor

If you are tossing and turning in bed, struggling to get comfortable it might mean that your spine is not aligned correctly. Snoring and sleep apnoea can also be caused by misalignments in your spine, which can cause restless nights. To find out more read our blog on how Chiropractic Can Help You Sleep Better, or speak to your chiropractor about how they can help.

The post Tips for a Good Nights Sleep first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.

Make sure the Chiropractor always analyses a set of your X-rays before you receive an adjustment. This is important for your safety and protection. It is even better if the Chiropractor can take their own X-rays on site, as this eliminates any variables in patient set up of the X-ray film. If X-rays are performed off site at a radiology clinic, the person taking the X-rays will often differ introducing a variable that can’t be controlled.

2.Highly trained, experienced and knowledgeable

All chiropractors need to be qualified, but some take their ongoing learning much more seriously. Make sure the Chiropractor keeps up to date with seminars and workshops and is a member of associations. This shows that they care about staying in touch with the latest research and techniques. All of our chiropractors attend 2 major Gonstead seminars and 4 workshops per year. This is far and beyond the minimum expectations for the registrations of a chiropractor. We also hold and run workshops at our clinic on weekends for other chiropractors and students.

3. Thorough Examination

Make sure the Chiropractor examines your spine touching the skin. It is impossible to get all the information required to make the correct diagnosis and decisions if the Chiropractor checks their patient over top of layers of clothes. It is like getting the mechanic to check the engine without opening the bonnet.

4. No upfront payments or excessive treatment plans

Make sure the Chiropractor doesn’t get you to sign up to any upfront payments, enter into any excessive treatment plans, or keep you coming back multiple times per week for a large number of weeks. It is unfortunately common place to hear of Chiropractor telling the patient they require a lot more visits that is normally required.

5. Safe, specific spinal corrections tailored to your individual needs

Make sure your Chiropractor carefully analyses your spine on every visit. Spinal adjustments should only take place after careful evaluation of the spine, symptoms, and your current condition. This process should happen at each and every visit, not just the initial consultation. It is like your GP giving you blood pressure medication without further checking and re-checking your blood pressure at subsequent visits.

6. Open extended hours and weekends

Whether you work weekdays, night shift or care for young children during the day, at different times you may find it difficult to see your Chiropractor in normal business hours. At Yarra Hills Chiropractic, our extended trading hours during weekdays and weekends allow you the flexibility to see our practitioners at a time that suits you. We are even on call for emergencies.

7. Choice of practitioners

A good Chiropractic clinic will offer patients the choice of both male and female practitioners (whether for religious or personal reason).

At Yarra Hills Chiropractic we pride ourselves on our range of professional, thorough and holistic treatments tailored to meet your needs. We look forward to providing you with top quality Chiropractic care.

The post 7 Steps to Choosing a Great Chiropractor first appeared on Yarra Hills Chiropractic.