 Whether you had Barbie dolls or G.I. Joe action figures (they aren’t dolls... obviously), both were toys that move, bend, but eventually get bent to bits. This deformation is due to the physical ability of materials to deform under stress. An elastic deformation has a force applied and is able to return to its original shape. A plastic deformation, on the other hand, undergoes force but never fully returns back to its normal state. Like our toys, sometimes we can get all bent out of shape.
Muscles are amazing at retaining their elastic potential under stress. Due to the anatomy of how the motor tissues run alongside one another, a healthy muscle can be loaded and stretched with relative ease. This is until, we meet a load or stretch that is too much. Even if we talk about a rubber band, all materials have an elastic limit. This threshold gets crossed and causes the material to deform or break entirely. The elastic limit for a muscle changes for many factors from person to person. Two of the prime factors are the muscles ability to adapt to stresses and loads. For example, a semi-regular gym goer who lifts weights will have muscles that have a higher elastic limit than someone who doesn’t lift at all. This means that when an increased amount of weight is loaded on them, someone who is used to resistance exercise will have a lower risk of damage to the muscle. On the other hand, someone who practises yoga will have muscle fibers that have a better access to tensile stretching forces. If you take the weightlifter from the previous example and try to get them to do advanced yoga positions, they may not be flexible enough to get to the poses. This is because they have trained their body to be able to contract under force but not under stretch. This may also cause more tearing along their muscles compared to someone who is flexible and feel delayed onset muscle soreness after the yoga class. Similar to the threshold in muscles, your cartilage can bend and break with forces. Disc herniations are caused by the cartilage tissues in between the vertebrae wearing with time and stress. This is most often with repetitive bending but can also occur from any excessive force placed through the spine. This is why having proper biomechanics in everyday activities can make such a difference to your back pain. A controlled spine posture significantly reduces the force through the cartilage and causes less stress on the muscles that support the spine. Just remember:
Happy bending reduces breaking, Dr. Cole Maranger DC
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 If you've hurt your back, you understand the pain and toil having to pick anything up from the ground. Whether this is your dropped phone or some loose change, a hurt back can reduce your 'drive' and leave you 'puttering' around. It may even tempt you to give up on a dropped item completely.
This is where golfers have an ingenious technique to 'fore'-go back ache... the golfer pick up. The golfer pick up is just often seen when a pro reaches down to the hole to retrieve their ball. They are commonly on one slightly bent leg with a straight back and the other leg acting as a counter balance up in the air behind them. Some even use their putter as a cane to help them descend and reascend from their reach. Lean over, swing back the opposite leg, reach, straight spine. Keeping a straight back posture is the key to reducing strain on the muscles and joints in the low back. This lifting technique can be used in any situation as long as the item is not too heavy or large. A heavy object should always stay close to your torso, your center of mass, to have the least strain on your low back. Happy lifting, Dr. Cole Maranger, DC  When anyone says the term “working out”, people often know exactly what they mean - going to the gym or having a run, bike, or swim. Working out is essential for promoting health and preventing disease. More studies have been written linking the positive effects of exercise on physical and mental disease than I would be able to count. Working out is something that is culturally normative and socially encouraged. Far too often people don’t know the term “working in”.
“Working in” doesn’t have an easy Google result because it is the thought child of another chiropractor. It’s a focus on the mind, the breath, and the body. We often don’t think about breathing until we do an activity such as yoga but training your breath can play a significant role in controlling temperament and clarity of thought. Breathing works directly with your sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, otherwise referred to as your “fight or flight” and “rest and digest”. Focussing on a controlled breath out can lower your stress response, reduce blood pressure, and ‘cool off’ the fight or flight response. Another piece of “working in” is increasing your proprioception. Proprioception is understanding where your body is moving in space. It can be used to close your eyes and feel where your ankle position is while you sit or or how open your fist is. Proprioception is an important tool that has to be learned and practiced. When people are very aware of their body, they prevent more injury and can find and take care of an ‘abnormal sensation’ faster than their counterparts. Breathe well, stay well, Dr. Cole Maranger, DC |