The Wellness Blog
How Working Out Helps Keep Pain Away
For years, patients and medical professionals have debated the question of whether exercise is good for back pain or whether it makes it worse. Research has found that movement can help with back pain, and during the last decade, the opinion of the medical community has shifted away from bed rest and toward exercise, even for those who did not previously work out every day. However, when doctors recommend exercise to their patients, they often encounter a hurdle: the patient’s fear of making pain worse. The most fearful patients often stand to benefit the most from exercise, simply because it
Continue ReadingLive Your Passion
Where do our passions come from? If you do a quick Google search with that same question the variety of answers is staggering. Some say it is the result of chemical reactions in the brain. Others say there are genes that contribute to passion. While others ominously say it is from “within.” While some might feel the origin of passion is an elusive concept for Dr. Logan Brooke it’s quite simple. His passion for chiropractic stems from the life-changing impact it had on his own life. The word passion is derived from the Latin for “pati” which means to endure
Continue ReadingOvercoming Adversity with Passion and Purpose
Would you believe that a world-class athlete fell in love with his sport because of a love-interest in the fourth grade? It’s true. For Charles Clark, a three-time national champion in track, it all began in 4th grade with a girl named Iesha. Charles will be the first to admit, “It’s pretty funny.” He had a crush on Iesha, who switched schools, thereby breaking his heart. When it came time for his school’s field day his buddy told him to run like Iesha was waiting for him at the finish line. That day he went home with five first-place ribbons.
Continue Reading7 Ways to Beat Back Pain During Summer Travels
For many people, summer is the time to go on vacation. But, travel often includes cramped conditions and long trips that can be very hard on your back, even if you don’t have a history of back pain. Here are seven ways to protect your back from pain while traveling by car or airplane this summer: 1) Support Your Lower Back While Driving Make sure your knees are higher than your hips. If your car seat doesn’t offer adequate lumbar support, a wide variety of seat cushions, pillows, and other supportive products are available to make your trip more comfortable.
Continue ReadingDance Your Way Back Out There
A low impact exercise like Jazzercise is making a comeback. Getting back out there can be can be intimidating. Sometimes it’s because you received an injury and things just haven’t been the same since. Other times, it’s because you were never really “out there” in the first place and you may feel like it’s too late. You might even be insecure about looking like a novice. The reality is, while you are busy coming up with reasons why you can’t, your life is continuing to move past you at a rapid pace. There is no better time than now to
Continue ReadingFlip-Flops and Back Pain: Don't Let Summer Footwear Sideline You
When many people think of summer footwear, they think of sandals, specifically flip-flops. While flip-flops may be a popular choice for the beach, they’re usually not the best option if you want to maintain a healthy, pain-free back, especially if you already suffer from chronic lower back pain due to arthritis, spondylolisthesis, sciatica, or a previous back injury. The Problem With Flip-Flops While standard flip-flops are cool, comfortable, and easy to put on and take off, there are a few important things they do not offer, such as: Foot and ankle support Cushioning Protection against trips and falls Flip-flops also
Continue ReadingLessons in Wellness from a Lifetime Athlete
We spoke with a local lifetime athlete who has spent her career encouraging current and developing athletes—we knew there was a lot we could learn from her. Anne Jones has made a career in tennis. First, as a collegiate athlete, playing on the Virginia Tech women’s team. Following that, she also served as the Women’s Tennis coach at Virginia Tech as well as for Blacksburg High School. Tennis has been a thread within Anne’s story, throughout much of her life. In between all the tennis she has mixed in other forms of athleticism such as marathons, triathlons, ultra races (50
Continue ReadingTo The Person With Back Pain…
An open letter To the person with back pain, we see you. We see the way your life has changed. We see the sadness you live with, knowing you have so much more to give but pain holds you back. We know not all days are bad, there are days where it is okay and it’s manageable but there are also days when it’s not. We see your unique story. Maybe your pain keeps you from the golf course. Maybe your pain keeps you out of the gym. Maybe your pain keeps you in bed when you’d rather be outside hiking
Continue Reading5 Ways to Keep Lower Back Pain From Hijacking Your Summer
For many of us, summer is a time to shake off the cobwebs and get active. Warm weather beckons us outdoors, and even if a vacation isn’t in the cards, longer days give us more time for outdoor exercise, yard work, and tackling deferred projects. If lower back pain is threatening to hijack your summer plans, you’re not alone. According to the American Chiropractic Association, as many as four out of five people will experience back pain at some point in their lives. It’s the second most common reason for visiting the doctor, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Here are
Continue ReadingPregnancy and Chiropractic: Savanah's Story
It was Tuesday, March 21 and Savanah felt miserable. She was 38 weeks pregnant and experiencing severe back pain. While she knew there was a chance she was experiencing back labor—she just wasn’t quite sure. Savanah reached out to the Vinton Tuck Chiropractic Clinic 15 minutes before close and asked for an appointment. Dr. Smith gladly saw Savanah and gave her a much-needed adjustment. The relief brought about by the adjustment was so successful that the pain disappeared and Savanah worried she wasn’t really in labor after all. However, much to Savanah’s delight she was. Sweet baby Vera was born
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