The feet are the foundation of the skeletal system and if the feet are off balance, the entire body can be off balance. In my office , I offer several different types of custom-made orthotic shoe inserts which support the arch, absorb shock and improve balance.

Studies show custom-made flexible orthotics can improve the entire body’s balance, stability and function.

Better arch support also helps to hold spinal adjustments as well as reduce pain and fatigue of the low back, hips and feet.

So remember…The five most dangerous words are: “Maybe It Will Go Away.”

Dr. Joe FitzPatrick

Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation.

1) Cell Phone Elbow

2) Blackberry Thumb

3) Guitar Hero Wrist

4) I-Pod Finger

5) Nintendo Neck

6) Nintendonitis

7) Wi-Injuries

Chiropractic care can help treat and reduce symptoms for patients who may be suffering from these electronic induced repetitive stress injuries in this digital age.

So remember, the five most dangerous words are: “Maybe It Will Go Away.”

Dr. Joe FitzPatrick

Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation

I belong to a group of Chiropractors called the “Chiropractic Performing Arts Network” or CPAN. This is a national association of doctors who have experience and are available to provide Chiropractic Care to professional and amateur musicians, dancers, actors and stage crews.

You can find out more about Chiropractic care for performing artists at: www.ChiroMusicHealth.com

Recently, I had the oportunity to go backstage at the House of Blues in Boston and give chiropractic treatments to several musicians from a Rock band called “Hot Tuna”. Many of you may remember them as the lead and bass guitarist from Jefferson Airplane.

Working backstage with Hot Tuna and Steve Earle Saturday night at the House of Blues in Boston was a real Trip. I was able to give chiropractic treatments to Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Cassady, Barry Mitterhoff, Steve Earle, Tour Manager, Roadies and the Bus driver. I enjoyed having dinner with the band and just hangin around all night. The band was in great form and they seemed to have more energy and agility than usual. I think it was the spinal adjustments!! Jack Cassady was jumpin and dancing across the stage, Jorma was wailing on his guitar and G.E.Smith brought out the best in everyone.  Not bad for a bunch of old rockers. And I got to enjoy it all from the side stage.

Jorma also mentioned me in his blog:   http://jormakaukonen.com/cracksinthefinish/?p=178

Anyway, it was a great show and a fabulous experience for me. Just wanted to share.

Performing artists have a great need for Chiropractic care because of the repetitive stress and strain of playing instruments, dancing and just being “On-the-Road”. Professional or amateur, musicians, dancers, rock stars, road crews or any performing artists can benefit from chiropractic care.

So remember…The five most dangerous words are…”Maybe It Will Go Away”! 

Dr. Joe FitzPartrick

Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation

Gardening and yardwork can provide a great workout, but with all the bending twisting reaching, and body may not be ready for this garden-variety type of exercise.

Chiropractic care can help prevent injuries, but if pain arises, spinal treatments may be neccessary and can help stimulate the body’s natural healing process.

So remember… Pull Weeds…Don’t Pull Your Back!!

Dr. Joe FitzPatrick… Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation.

You know, there  are two types of golfers.  Those who HAVE back pain and those who WILL HAVE back pain. 

Many golfers will be contorting and twisting their spines while driving golfballs this time of year.  Couple that motion with bending and putting along with several miles of walking, and you have a pretty good workout, but also the potential for lower back, neck and shoulder injury. 

Chiropractic care can help avoid golf injuries, speed up healing and improve your overall golf game.  Chiropractic works great for golfers who want to stay healthy and stay out on the golf course. 

So remember the five  most dangerous words are: “Maybe It Will Go Away.” 

Dr. Joe FitzPatrick, Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation.

Patients often report that they have trouble sleeping at night with lower back and neck pain, or they wake up with pain or stiffness in the morning.

Some helpful tips for getting a better nights sleep include:

1) Use an orthopaedic style mattress thats less than 10 years old. The mattress should be firm enough to support the spine but should have enough cushion to absorb pressure points.

2) The best  sleeping position is on the back, with only one pillow to support the natural curvature of the neck.

3) Sleeping on that side is the second best way to sleep, but avoid the fetal position.

4) The worst position to sleep in is on the stomach.  Not only does this twist the neck, it can also cause the lower back to arch or overextend.

If pain occurs, the problem may be coming from the spine and not the bed.  A Chiropractic evaluation and treatment may be needed.

Sleep well…

Dr. Joe FitzPatrick,   Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation.

We’ll actually, every month should be “Good Posture Month.”

Without good posture overall health may be compromised, because poor posture can cause long-term stress on all the bones, muscles, nerves and all body systems.

Chiropractic care can minimize the “wear and tear” effects of poor posture by restoring normal spinal function and alignment.

So straighten up and stay healthy with chiropractic care and remember the five most dangerous words are “Maybe It Will Go Away.”

Dr. Joe FitzPatrick…Acton Chiropractic & Rehabilitation.

Ouch! Does it seem like every note you play on your guitar or musical instrument results in pain? Maybe it’s a nagging ache in your neck and shoulder. Perhaps you’ve had long rehearsals for that important gig or recital, and now you notice severe pain and loss of strength in your elbow and wrist. Or maybe you are trying to cope with hands that are increasingly numb and clumsy. Well it’s all part of being a serious musician, right? You’ve got to keep practicing - too much depends on it! Sound familiar?

Guitarists and instrumental musicians are a special risk group for repetitive strain injuries, with sizable percentages of them developing physical problems directly related to playing their instruments. In fact, “RSI” or repetitive strain injury in musicians was around centuries before the term was recently coined for computer injuries. Incorrect posture, overuse, stress, insufficient rest, excessive force and incorrect ergonomic technique all contribute to chronic pain and injuries that spell the end to careers. For many musicians, repetitive movement injuries are more feared than stage fright or an unresponsive audience. If they are also heavy computer users (my category of experience!), their risks are further compounded.

Doctors and therapists have long known that musicians are notoriously hard to convince that playing should be reduced or stopped to allow time for injuries to heal. Many guitarists and musicians are afraid to find out they might have a severe injury, and much prefer the head-in-sand approach of ignoring the pain and pushing on. This is a disastrous policy for a musician - if it hurts, it should be checked out!

As a systems accountant consulting to small business, I spend most hours of my working day in front of a computer. Not surprisingly, this has resulted in several serious repetitive motion injuries over the years. In similar fashion to the approach of many guitarists and musicians, I spent a long time trying to “ignore the pain and push on”. It is only in recent years that I have discovered the optimum program for managing the injuries and avoiding future repeats, with regular chiropractic care well and truly established at number one on my list of priorities.

WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?

Meaning “done by hand”, chiropractic is a method of restoring good health through adjustments of the spine. The basic chiropractic premise is that the spine and nervous system control the body completely. Any interference to nerve function by spine misalignments can therefore result in poor organ function, resulting in any number of seemingly unrelated diseases and ailments. Chiropractors generally subscribe to the theory that technically, they don’t ‘cure’ anybody, but simply help the body to heal itself.

In the past, chiropractors traditionally had trouble gaining the respect of medical doctors. Although basic philosophical differences between medicine and chiropractic still exist, chiropractic care is now considered mainstream and is routinely recommended by members of the medical profession.

WHAT TREATMENT DO CHIROPRACTORS GIVE?

Ever wondered what happens at the chiropractor? Perhaps you’ve heard they’re just “bonecrackers, not doctors!”. Not so.

In the US and many other countries, the educational program for chiropractors includes training in the basic medical sciences, including anatomy with human dissection, physiology, and biochemistry. Thorough training is also obtained in differential diagnosis, radiology and therapeutic techniques. This means, a doctor of chiropractic can both diagnose and treat patients. (This separates them from non-physician status providers, like physical therapists.)

As with all healthcare practitioners, chiropractors follow a standard routine to secure the information needed for diagnosis and treatment. When the source of pain involves musculoskeletal structures, chiropractors manually manipulate or adjust the spinal column. This typically requires the chiropractor to bend and twist the patient into various positions, which may cause some patients (myself included!) to tense up. Other more gentle methods, such as the activator method, deliver a high-speed, gentle, thrust to the vertebrae via a small rubber tip.

Atlas orthogonal chiropractors focus on the atlas bone (the first bone that the spinal cord passes through). Using x-rays and precision measuring equipment, the atlas bone is gently realigned without using manipulation techniques. I can personally vouch for this chiropractic specialty, which worked like magic on the most recent and severe of my repetitive neck injuries.

Many chiropractors also use water, light, massage, ultrasound, electric, and heat therapy and may apply supports such as straps, taping and braces. They may also counsel patients about wellness concepts such as nutrition, exercise, lifestyle changes, and stress management, but do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. Some chiropractors also specialise in orthopedics, sports and musician injuries, neurology, nutrition, internal disorders, and/or diagnostic imaging.

HOW CAN MUSICIANS BENEFIT FROM CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

The benefits of chiropractic care for guitarists and musicians are widespread and numerous. Chiropractors can help with relief of specific pain being experienced at the moment, or as part of an overall wellness program, which also includes exercise, proper nutrition and rest. Many musicians understand that the position they assume while playing stresses their body, and are seeking to offset this stress and prevent further problems from developing.

Chiropractors evaluate and analyse the spine with an understanding of physics and how gravity and distorted postures can stress areas of the spine, ribs, neck, shoulders and hips. Specific adjustments are used to offset these distortions. Chiropractors who specialise in helping musicians repetitive injury problems usually examine the musician patient and the instrument together. By thoroughly analysing their patient’s posture, movement patterns and range of motion with the instrument, the chiropractor can detect areas of dysfunction in and around the spine. They also make recommendations as to what guitarists can do, both while playing and before and after playing, to keep the stress from returning. They teach their musician clients exercises to offset the repetitive stress placed on certain joints while playing a particular instrument.

Chiropractic care is reportedly simple, yet it is profound in its ability to help the body regain and maintain its health. Bob Birch, Elton John’s bass player and background vocalist said his chiropractor showed him pictures and told him “muscle stuff” that no other doctors ever did. Certain things that he had wrong with him, like the extensive pain in the left shoulder blade that shot up the side of his head (which other doctors pooh-poohed) were explained and put right with chiropractic adjustments.

Make no mistake about it, regular chiropractic care for guitarists and musicians is the way to go. If you play an instrument and want to avoid repetitive strain injuries for good, go find a musician-friendly chiropractor now!. Scores of famous musicians agree with me!

About the author:

Jean Littman is a sportswoman, systems professional and 20-year veteran of repetitive strain injuries. She is co-owner of the popular guitar resource site, GuitaroJam.com, and has written several articles on musicians repetitive strain injuries. You can learn the essential keys to musicians injury prevention by subscribing to the free newsletter at: www.guitarojam.com