How Bad Posture Can Lead to Compression Fractures

A compression fracture of a vertebra is usually stable, and not life-threatening, but it can cause a tremendous amount of pain and disability.

Compression fractures can happen from serious trauma, such as car accidents or sports injuries. However, more often than not compression fractures happen with increased frequency as we age.

In combination with low bone density, a light slip, or even a sneeze can cause a compression fracture.

The area of the spine that is commonly affected is the thoracic spine. In the picture below this is the area between the two red lines.

The thoracic spine is where you have the most “hunch” in your back. When your posture is poor and you are hunched forward it causes the hunch to be more pronounced and leads to more compression on the front edge of the vertebrae.

When you combine this increased pressure with poor bone density you are at risk for a compression fracture in your spine.

The picture below shows the inside of a vertebra. The red arrow is pointing to the cortical bone which is the hard outer shell. The blue arrow is pointing to the trabecular bone which gives your bone structural integrity.

When the compression on the front of the vertebra is greater than the amount of force that the internal bone can take, you will get a compression fracture.

The typical shape of a compression fracture is a wedge, with the front of the bone collapsing while the back portion stays intact. This further creates more postural deformity and will lead to a more exaggerated “hunch back”.

This is why it is so important to develop and maintain good posture while you are young to help prevent painful conditions like compression fractures.

Two main things you can do to help reduce the stress to this part of your spine.

1. Set a proper foundation in your low back.

2. Less anterior head carriage (forward head).

Slipped Disc?

You have probably heard the term “slipped disc”, often it is often used very loosely. 

A true slipped disc is referring to a disc bulge or disc herniation. This can happen throughout the spine but most often in the neck and low back. 

Your intervertebral discs are filled in the centre with a material that can shift if the back is injured in a certain way. 

Typical physical demands will most commonly shift the center of the disc towards the back of the spine where the spinal cord and nerve roots are.  (Think of squishing a jelly donut from the front, the jelly will be pushed out the back)

This can compress the nerves either directly or from the pressure resulted from inflammation. The nerves are very delicate and are reactive to the slightest changes in pressure.   Since the nerve roots area are surrounded by boney canals, there is not much room for error. 

This slippage of the disc will commonly cause neck pain or back pain depending on where the injury occurred in the body, and in a lot of cases the pain can be quite severe.  

Not to mention the chances of pinching a nerve that can cause a shocking or searing pain into your arms and hands.  Or if it’s a low back injury it could cause sciatica (low back pain that causes nerve pain down your leg).

In humans there are certain signs and symptoms that will make it easier for your chiropractor to diagnose. Before an examination you should make notes describing exactly what pain you are feeling and any limitations that you have, and during the exam cooperate during physical tests to determine the root cause.. 

With dogs and horses this can be harder to diagnose.  A lot of time this can present as lameness, a weak leg or complete dragging of the hind end. 

Chiropractic can be of great help but the healing process can be quite slow as nerve tissue healing depends on the amount of compression and the length of time it was compressed. 

In humans, dogs, or horses, if there is pain or weakness and both legs as well as incontinence, this should be treated as a medical emergency and you should go to a hospital.

Chronic Shoulder Blade Pain & What To Stop Doing

Chronic shoulder blade pain is a common symptom that can make your day miserable.

The pain is usually unrelenting and can be aggravated with certain postures.

Dr. Adam Markew explains why pain under the shoulder blades commonly happens and two daily repetitive strains that contribute to the chronic nature of this complaint.

How Do You Adjust a Dog? Dog Chiropractor

How do you adjust a dog? With care and specificity of course! 

From a human to a dog, there are some obvious differences in how I adjust as a chiropractor. 

Other than having to bribe dogs with treats, the obvious difference is that a dog’s anatomy is quite different from a human’s anatomy.  If I were to apply the same adjustments to a dog that I do to a human they would not be effective as the joints are angled and aligned differently.

The other major difference is the amount of force that I apply when doing animal chiropractic. 

Even a large breed dog’s vertebrae are smaller than an adult human, and if you see a toy breed, their legs and shoulders resemble chicken bones rather than dog bones. 

When all is said and done, there are some major differences when a chiropractor adjusts a dog vs. a human, but the principles of a chiropractic adjustment remain the same.  Align the spine and let the nervous system work optimally.

Dizziness & Vertigo Caused By Your Neck

Vertigo and dizziness can be caused by many different sources.  

Usually, vertigo or dizziness is a symptom or sign that something is not right within your body. 

Positional vertigo, ear infections, brain lesions and eye conditions are all common conditions that can elicit dizziness or vertigo type symptoms. 

One cause of vertigo and dizziness that is usually chronic in nature and often overlooked by health care professionals is cervicogenic dizzness (dizziness caused by the neck). 

In this video Dr. Adam Markew explains how vertigo or dizziness can be caused by your neck and some common signs and symptoms to why this may be happening to you. 

Neck Pain In Dogs - A simple test you can do to test

There are many reasons why a dog will limp in their front end.

It can be caused from their neck, shoulder, elbow, nerve damage, or even a strained muscle.

To help pin-point what is causing the limp, you have to rule out injuries to certain areas.

One way to test if it may be related to your dog’s neck, is to check their range of motion.

If your dog is having pain from something mechanical, then their movement will be limited in certain movements.

You can test your dog’s neck range of motion with the cookie test. Please see the video below for a quick explanation.

Why you Have Low Back Morning Stiffness & 3 Tips to Help

Low back pain is one of the biggest disabilities in North America. It affects millions of people, and it can be most obvious first thing in the morning.

In this video Dr. Adam Markew addresses the most common reason to why you have low back morning stiffness and gives you three tips that may help decrease it.

Why you Shouldn't Stretch First Thing in the Morning

Low back stiffness in the morning is one of the most common complaints among low back pain sufferers.

There are many reasons why this can happen, and many different presentations of pain. In this video Dr. Adam what happens to your spine overnight while you sleep and what type of exercises you should do and which type to avoid within the first 30 minutes of waking up.

Chiropractor Newmarket - Dr. Adam Markew

How to Check Your Dog's Hips

As a canine chiropractor, I am constantly checking hip range of motion.

Different breeds have different hip motion due to the fact that their lower back may be angled down more towards the ground, limiting the amount of movement they have in their hip.

Normal hip range should be smooth and pain free for your dog. They should allow you to slowly draw the hip back with little to no resistance.

Sometimes your dog will pull their leg forward. This is usually a protective mechanism to stop the hip from extending into a painful range.

If your dog has hip arthritis or you suspect that it does, you will notice that the hip range of motion will end early compared to the other side. This is due to the worn out cartilage, and decreased space within the joint itself.

The video below demonstrates how you can quickly check your dog’s hips at home.

BBQ Season Basics

Summer is upon us and what sounds better than hanging with friends and family, enjoying some refreshing beverages and fresh food off the BBQ. 

BBQ’d food can taste great but did you know that there are certain steps to take to make your grilled food healthier. 

Here are a few tips that you should consider next time you fire up the grill. 

1. Easy on the sugar - Many BBQ sauces contain high amounts of sugar, which will increase inflammation. Try making your own dry rub as a healthier alternative (see below).

2. Low and Slow - Keeping the cooking temperature lower will limit the chance of producing charring, which is considered a carcinogen. 

3. Clean it - It goes without saying that you should keep your grill clean.  Avoid using metal bristle brushes, which can stick to your grill and potentially end up in your stomach.  Use a wooden scraper or try using half an onion next time you need to clean your grill. 

4. Add Colour - Increase your vegetable intake by adding a few to your grill next time you cook.  Use a healthy oil and cook on low temperatures from indirect heat. 

Cajun Dry Rub:

¼ tsp pink himalayan salt

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 ¼ tsp dried oregano

1 ¼ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp red pepper flakes

Mix ingredients and apply generously to your choice of meat. 

Dog Agility Shoulder Problems

When you are putting your dog into agility training or an agility competition you are asking a lot of them physically.

Working at a high pace, and with many changes in direction, agility can put your dog into compromising positions that can stress different areas of their body.

A dog will usually work until they can’t.  They will push through the discomfort until it’s too unbearable anymore. They truly are resilient animals.

One body area that is particularly vulnerable with dog agility is your dog’s shoulder and lower neck.

The lower neck has a network of nerves that feed the front limbs.  While the shoulder is your dog’s primary joint for movement between the spine and the front limb.

If your dog injures either of these areas, the symptoms can overlap and look similar.

Typically your dog will come up lame and not weight bear well on that side.  They may have tenderness in that area of their shoulder or they may have limited neck range of motion.

In any case where your dog comes up lame you should have them assessed physically by either your vet and if nothing serious arises, make sure they have a physical assessment by an animal chiropractor.

One way you can determine where the injury is coming from, by testing the ROM in your dog’s neck.  If it’s limited or asymmetrical side to side it is a positive test.

You can test this by performing the treat/cookie test.  Do this by holding a treat while your dog is standing, and make your dog follow the treat in an arc to their left shoulder, and then back all the way to the right shoulder.  

Lower neck conditions in dogs are a big concern as they can potentially lead to damaging nerve trauma and produce longer recovery times.

If your dog is starting agility or is currently doing agility it is a good idea to have their function in all joints assessed by an animal chiropractor.  

Better function = Better performance.

Are You a "Self Crack" Addict?

During my undergrad at Wilfrid Laurier, I would study in the quiet floor of the library.  It was dead quiet up there even though there were hundreds of students cramming for midterms and finals.

The only sounds I would hear was someone opening a drink, clearing their throat and cracking their own necks and back.

The distinctive popping/cracking sound is from air held within a capsule that surrounds the small facet joints in your spine.

This happens with their is separation from joint surfaces more than the current normal.

If you have ever been manually adjusted by me this is the same sound you hear and the same mechanism.

There is one major difference though.

When I adjust your spine, I’m looking for areas that are not moving correctly, and therefore we are attempting to increase the movement to restore proper function.  These areas can be tense and sore since there is inflammation from the lack of movement. It is good when these areas are adjusted and restore motion because if a joint lacks the normal movement it will continue to stiffen up and start to deteriorate over time and your symptoms will progress. This is called osteoarthritis.

On the other hand when you “self crack” the joints in your spine, it is achieved by making large movements to that particular part of the spine.  People that do this to their low back will twist around until they hear a pop. People that try with their neck will push on their chin into rotation or grab the top of their head and pull in hopes that something will give.  

The way the joints work in the spine is each of them does a small amount of movement to create the large movement we see on the outside.  

When a joint becomes restricted and inflammed you will feel pain and stiffness which you try to get relief from self adjusting.  

I’d be lying if sometimes this didn’t seem to help, but the concern is by self cracking you will start to create more movements in the joints above and below the joint that is locked up.  In other words by cranking on your neck or back you are creating joints that are hypermobile (move too much and lack stability). This without a doubt will put more stress onto the joint surfaces, wear down the cartilage and create osteoarthritis in your future.

So next time you think to “self crack” think twice.

Cardio... You Are Doing It Wrong!

You get to the gym, hop on a treadmill, turn on your headphones, turn off your brain, and just go.  

It’s just that easy right?

(insert buzzer sound here)

You know exercise is good for you and that you should train with cardio to improve the health of your heart.  But when done incorrectly it can be detrimental.

Over the last few years a new type of training called H.I.I.T. (high intensity interval training) has become popular as a replacement for traditional cardio. With short high intensity bursts and rest periods in between, H.I.I.T. taxes components of your cardiovascular system and shed calories fast.

HIIT is great but there is still a place for traditional cardiovascular exercise.

With that being said let’s address some concerns with traditional cardio exercise.

Long term exercise with sustained elevated heart rate may lead to, changes in the heart and irregular beats.

Chronic cardio puts your body into a stressed state called fight or flight.  When this happens normal regulatory systems like your immune system, digestive system etc. are down regulated.  Cortisol (the stress hormone) increases as well.

Finally most people train within the black hole.  This is when the body is taxed hard enough to deplete energy stores but not enough to elicit a significant training response. This is the same exercise we do over and over because we feel comfortable doing it.

Anyone who has ever trained for a race or for health is guilty of this.

The main thing that you need to change and monitor with your cardio is your intensity. The way you monitor it is not done by speed, or incline but with heart rate.

The below principles should be used as a guideline whether you are on a stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical or training outside.

80-90% of cardio exercise should be done long and slow.  A great book on this topic is called Primal Endurance. Their method is simple, and it builds your aerobic capacity but it won’t be at the expense of chronically depleting your energy and causing burn out.

To do this simply use this formula; 180 - your age = Heart rate threshold.  This heart rate threshold is what you want to keep your heart rate under while you train.

The last 10-20% of your training should be done more intense than you would normally train ie. black hole training.  This means sprints, HIIT training, hill work. Basically you will be doing short bursts with long breaks trying to spike your heart rate higher than your normal training.  *Always check with your primary physician to make sure you are cleared to do this first.

Another way to monitor the toll your exercise is taking on your body with with Heart Rate Variability (HRV).  If you are planning to train for any type of endurance race this year, you should consider measuring this consistently. I will be happy to give you more insight on HRV the next time I see you in person.  

Animal Chiropractor For Agility Dogs

Agility competitors (both dogs and humans) have to be in great shape to perform well.

But let’s face it, the dog is the high performance athlete in this case.

If you and your pooch are competing in dog agility you know that every second counts.  

Just like in high performance human athletes there is a difference between being injured and being hurt.

Being injured usually requires time off to heal, recoup and rehab back to shape.

Being hurt usually means, playing through discomfort, but not being able to perform at optimum capacity.

The same is true in your performance agility dog.  It’s obvious when they get injured. They may go lame, or pull up and stop at obstacles.  However, when they are hurting signs may be less obvious.

The most common objective measure that a dog may be hurting is that their performance is slipping for no apparent reason. You are training hard, they are responding to you well but yet the time isn’t up to where it should be.

This is a good time to have your agility dog check by an animal chiropractor.

When joints in the spine or extremities are not functioning optimally, your pet’s performance is not going to be optimal either.

Time and time again I see agility dog’s that respond really well to getting a chiropractic check up and adjustment.  

Think of it like a tune up analogous for a high performance sports car.   

After all you would never miss an oil change with your sports car would you?

Sprout Into Better Health!

If I told you that you could grow your own superfood right in your kitchen and it took very little effort, would you do it?

The good news is you can.

Sprouting is easy, it’s low cost and can be completely organic.  Not to mention it would be a great mini science experiment for your kids to be involved with.

When you sprout your are accessing nutrients that are otherwise hard to get.

Most seeds and other plant resources are nutrient powerhouses however they contain anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrients are the plants natural defense mechanism that make it hard to digest (think beans the “magical fruit, the more you eat the more you…”).  Naturally animals will not eat foods that upset their system.

It’s kind of like having a safe full of money but there is no way into the safe to get it! Not really harnessing the true potential!

To access the nutrients we have to find a way in, to open safe and break out the goods inside.

The way this can be done is by treating food before we eat it. The way we most commonly treat food is cooking with heat.  But heat can also break down other compounds that would benefit us.

Although heat helps to access nutrients, there are better, easier options.  These include but are not limited to soaking, sprouting and fermenting.

Sprouting involves soaking the seed and rinsing it with water for 2-5 days (depending on what your are sprouting) and let nature do the rest.

You will be left with a nutrient powerhouse that is highly bioavailable since this process decreases the anti-nutrients and other guy irritating compounds.

If you eat certain seeds, peas, beans that irritate your gut, sprouting them may be the answer to enjoy the benefits while not getting the irritations.

Personally speaking raw chickpeas can cause a lot of bloating and gut irritation for me but once sprouted they don’t.

Sprouting is so easy to do and something we should all be doing to improve our diets.  Many other dietary improvements can have high barriers such as cost or accessibility. With sprouting these same barriers are very low as they are cheap, organic and easy to order online!

Is Chiropractic for Everyone?

The quick answer is no.  It’s not.

But can most people benefit from seeing a chiropractor?  Absolutely.

First off you have to understand what chiropractic is and what you as the patient want out of it.

The confusing part for the public is one chiropractor may practice completely different than the chiropractor down the road.   As the patient if you understand that the style of practice from chiropractor to chiropractor can vary, it’s up to you to know what your goal is before making an appointment.  This will help you have a better fit when you do make a choice.

On the other hand it is up to the chiropractor to explain exactly what they specialize in day to day so you know what type of treatment and techniques will be used.

My goal for patients is to improve their help condition with whatever complaint that brought them in the first place, through chiropractic care, education and empowerment.  Secondary to that is how can we can prevent that same complaint from getting worse and recurring in the future, by giving recommendations and tips to improve their health, with things like nutrition and exercise.

Not all my patient’s goals match my personal goals, which is completely fine.  My main objective is to be as transparent as possible and support the patient for whatever their health goal is.  Whether that is just getting out of pain or something that extends further like improving their health in all aspects of their life.  

I am very honest with what my limitations are.   So if your goal or your current condition would be better served by being referred to a physiotherapist, or massage therapist, or to your family doctor for further testing, I will let you know.  

At the end of the day, everyone can benefit from seeing a chiropractor, but I might not be the best chiropractor for you.  

Is Your Problem Mobility or Flexibility?

Have you ever watched a baby roll around and grab their feet and put their toes in their mouth.  

Their flexibility is incredible. I would love to have flexibility like that, and no, not to put my toes in my mouth :)

Flexibility VS Mobility.

Flexibility is the passive range of motion through a joint. For example if you were to bend your wrist back with the opposite hand, forcing it as far as it can go.

Mobility on the other hand is our ability to move actively with control through different ranges of motion.  

Mobility is more important as it stabilizes your movement so you don’t injure a joint structure.

When you get adjusted by your chiropractor the initial goal in most cases is to get the stuck joints moving properly again.  Once you have slightly better motion the next step should be learning to engage the muscles that support that joint. This is done through mobility exercises specific to that area.  A good example for the low back can be found here “3 simple low back exercises”.

The problem with mobility is that we lose it over time due to lack of movement through specific ranges.  For example, our constant day to day activities consisting of constant sitting at work, in the car and at home will tighten your hip flexors, hamstrings and low back.

The bottom line is good mobility is yours to lose since you can see when observing a baby, we were all born with it.  

The cool thing is that if you do mobility movements regularly you can see amazing changes.  First how quickly the mobility comes back as well as how good you feel once you continue improve.

This is why so many people seek out yoga or pilates as it requires active muscle control through different ranges of motion.

Squatting deep and creating movement while squatting is one of the best ways to help combat the chronic tightness from sitting.

Doing this regularly will help to create good movement patterns and increase mobility.

I will post a video of a morning mobility routine that you can do to add movement to your mornings.

Orthotics - Are they necessary?

Orthotics are a custom made insert to help moderate the structure and function of your foot.  Whether they are necessary or not is something we will get into in a minute.

First off, all orthotics are not created equal.  They come in many different shapes and sizes, and can be made from different materials.  In some cases such as for diabetic patients, orthotics should be made with soft cushioning, and in other situations they may be as hard as a rock.

The big underlying difference in orthotic characteristics, seems to be what type of health professional dispensed them.  These include Chiropodists, Podiatrists, Chiropractors and more.

Another key variable in their differences is what is going on with your foot/ankle in the first place.  There are many different accommodations that can be built into your orthotic depending on the condition.  Things like plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and flat feet are some of the more common conditions that may be helped with orthotics.  

But some research shows that orthotics may also help with knee conditions and mechanical low back pain.  

This is because your foot is the foundation to the rest of your body.  It is the first part of the body in contact with the ground. If the foundation is out of position it could potentially have an effect further up your body in places like your knee, hip or low back.

When patients who have never had orthotics ask to get them, depending on their condition and level of commitment I may recommend exercises, stretches and time barefoot to see if that helps first.  

These are usually in situations where their complaint is functional in nature and re-training may be all they need. However, if their complaint is structural, I will be more inclined to recommend trying them.  

Now whether you need hard orthotics or more forgiving orthotics is another concern.  While there is a need for very hard orthotics in certain scenarios I’m usually in favour of orthotics that are more forgiving in nature.

I lean this way because just having an insert that contacts your foot a certain way will provide your brain with more neurofeedback and could re-establish better gait patterns.

At the end of the day there is no right or wrong.  Each health practitioner will have their own opinion, and you should have your own too.

If you have used orthotics in the past and they have worked well make sure your health care provider sees them so they can make a new pair that are similar in nature.  

The last take away, and what I think is most important is that your health provider who dispenses your orthotics should look at you as a person and not just as a foot or ankle.  

If your foot issue is corrected with orthotics this could cause changes further up your body, such as hip, ankle, knee or low back pain.

Sure the orthotics helped the foot issue but if it leads to a myriad of other problems then what’s the point.

Unfortunately I can’t give you a black and white answer as to whether orthotics are necessary or not.  Obviously in certain situations they are, but I also think in a lot of situations they are over prescribed.

The one thing you should always look for is an orthotic dispenser who has your best interest in mind rather than their bottom line.

Low Back Pain in Dogs?

Determining where the root problem in a dog can be difficult.  They can’t explain to you what they are feeling and they don’t have fingers to point where it specifically hurts.

When I see injured dogs as an animal chiropractor, I am usually presented with a dog that has very common symptoms like limping or change in activity levels, but it usually comes with no diagnosis of what is happening… and I totally get why.

Full diagnostic work ups and imaging such as x-rays can cost a lot of money since your dog isn’t covered through OHIP.  Most owners are hesitant to get these tests done because a lot of the time they come back negative.

You spend your hard earned money and get no answers.

Sometimes those tests are absolutely warranted and I usually tell people right away that they need to go to their vet first and get them done instead of seeing me.

However, most of the time it is a mechanical injury such as a muscle strain, or a joint injury that is causing the pain.  This is the perfect time to have an animal chiropractor check your pet.

The bottom line is you don’t know until it is examined.  But in the meantime here are some clues that might help you determine if you should take your dog to the chiropractor for a low back issue.

Lameness - If you aren’t from the horse world, this just means that your pet is not moving normally, ie.  something is disrupting their normal gait. This could be caused by soreness therefore they would limp.  Or this could be caused by weakness, sometimes associated with nerve irritation from the lower spine.

Change in normal activity - You might start to notice your dog, avoiding normal tasks such as going up and down stairs or avoiding getting up from their bed as often as they would before.  Dogs are really resilient but if they are in discomfort they are going to avoid the normal daily activities to lessen the aggravation.

Point tenderness - If you suspect something may be going on with your dog’s low back, don’t be afraid to poke around.  Slowly run a finger down either side of your dogs low back from the ribs down and apply appropriate pressure depending on the dog’s size.  If your dog has a sore spot they will turn their head quickly, they may try to move away or their muscles in their low back will twitch. These are all an attempt to remove the pressure from the sore area.

If you find any of the above in your dog it might now be a bad idea to have them checked by a dog chiropractor.

Symptoms - the tip of the iceberg

Thank goodness for symptoms!

If you didn’t have symptoms you wouldn’t know if you were sick or injured.

Symptoms are like essentially your body’s fire alarm, they go off when something is wrong.

If the fire alarm goes off in your home it is because it detects smoke, alerting you to take action.

Symptoms such as headaches, low back pain and shoulder tightness are your body’s alarm signal when it detects change, like injured tissue, inflammation and more.

If you listen to the symptoms usually you can put the fire out pretty quickly.

All too often however, you don’t get to the root cause of your symptoms, and we take minor actions to suppress the symptoms so you can make it through your day easier.

This is the equivalent of the fire alarm going off in your house and to solve the problem you take the batteries out so the alarm stops.

CRAZY RIGHT?!!

You would never do this to your home without looking for the cause of the smoke, yet people do it to themselves all the time.

Next time you have new symptoms, dig a bit deeper to find out what the root of the problem is rather than “removing the batteries” just to feel better.