Getting a good night’s rest and resting in the right position is key to your overall health and your spine health. Some of us glamorize the grind lifestyle and end up working long hours, which can affect our bodies in numerous ways. Insufficient sleep has also been linked to depression, diabetes, cancer, obesity, increased mortality, and decreased overall productivity and reduced quality of life.

Below are a few ways to help you get a more restful night of sleep.

1.) Cut Caffeine by 3 pm

If you want to get to bed around 9 or 10 pm or in that vicinity, it’s important that you’re not having an evening cup of coffee or a caffeinated beverage past something like 3pm. Having too much caffeine and having caffeine too late in the day will certainly affect your ability to get a good night of sleep.

2.) Exercise

Of course, do not exercise right before bed. Instead, make sure that you get plenty of exercises and give yourself time to put your body through physical exertion. You’ll be surprised at how good you’ll sleep once you start running and hitting the weights consistently.

3.) Read a Book

Reading a book is a great way to relax. And if you read something innocuous instead of something challenging, you’ll probably be more compelled to snooze.

If you have any questions about the importance of sleep or how chiropractic care can improve your overall wellness, contact Barton Chiropractic Care today to schedule your consultation.

In the US, patients spend a little over $240 billion on musculoskeletal conditions — due largely to the fact that over 80% of American adults will experience back pain.

Below are a few tips that will help you shorten your recovery time if you experience the unfortunate event of a back injury.

1.) Keep Good Posture

When you get a back injury it can be tempting to put yourself in a position that gives you any sort of level of comfort. But it’s important when you experience a back injury to keep good posture, stand up with your feet underneath your hips, and keep your back and neck straight. Incorporate a stretch routine in your mornings and evenings to help reduce strain and tightness.

2.) Manage Pain / Restore Mobility

It’s important in your recovery to try to regain your mobility while at the same time keep your pain at manageable levels. Chiropractic care is a great way to manage your pain the drug-free way!

3.) Work on Your Endurance

As you begin to heal, start to push yourself harder and make your workouts more rigorous. Maintain perfect mechanics in your workouts, and, above, maintain good posture.

By incorporating the principles listed above you’ll give yourself a good shot at a speedy, full recovery. If you experience back pain that persists even in the face of following these simple steps, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today to schedule your consultation.

At Barton Chiropractic Clinic we specialize in helping our patients live happy and healthy lives through providing concentrated, comprehensive chiropractic care. A big part of what we do is educate our diverse patient base about the ways that they can enhance their spine health and their overall health.

Below are a few ways that you can make your spine health a true priority in your life.

1.) Think About Your Posture

Poor posture can put a lot of stress on your body. When you slouch or sit in other awkward positions, you can decrease your overall flexibility and mobility. Focus on keeping good posture by keeping your spine neutral and maintaining its natural curves.

2.) Lift Properly

When you’re at work or at home, it’s important to lift properly, which means with your legs. If you’re carrying a box or heavy object, hold it close to your body, so that you don’t put so much strain on your back.

3.) Stay Active

By staying active you are enhancing your overall health on a daily basis. Exercise is actually one of the best things you can do for your body. Exercise helps keep your spine flexible and helps maintain its strength, too!

4.) Get Your Adjustments at Barton Chiropractic Clinic

Making sure that you stay on top of your spine health is a huge must this year. Seeing a chiropractor near you will help you avoid injuries and help you maintain your spine health as well, not to mention provide a host of additional benefits. Contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today to schedule your consultation and make spine health a priority today.

Today Barton Chiropractic Clinic would like to speak from the heart — your heart! Did you know that 1 in 3 people live with some form or another of cardiovascular disease? It’s actually the leading cause of death in men in America. It’s now more important than ever to pay attention to what is going on with your heart. It’s important to know what risks there are and what you can do to curb cardiovascular disease in your life.

Read on for 3 ways to help prevent heart disease.

1.) Exercise

When you exercise regularly you’re giving your heart a great workout. Exercising 3-4 times per week at an average of 45 minutes will make a big difference in your heart health. High-intensity interval training is an excellent way to go. Even walking for an hour a few days a week will help immensely.

2.) Controlling Your Weight

This is a big one. Making sure that your weight is under control is hugely important for heart health. Eating a diet based in leafy greens and whole foods while reducing sugar and processed carb intake will also help you control your weight. If you’re sedentary at work, make sure that you’re budgeting time to get your stretch or your walk on.

3.) A Chiropractic Adjustment

Did you know that one of the best all-natural ways to combat heart disease is by a visit to the chiropractor? After just one chiropractic adjustment to a misaligned Atlas bone can cause a major decrease in blood pressure.

If you have any additional questions about how a chiropractic adjustment can help your heart and overall wellness, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. 

Nerves are important message carriers that transmit from your brain and your spinal cord. When you have a pinched nerve, this means that this communication system has been damaged and that minor or severe problems can come as a result. Nerve compression can be the result of repetitive motion, or even from inflammation.

Below are 3 telltale signs that you have a pinched nerve.

1.) Pins and Needle Feeling

You may have a pinched nerve if you’re experiencing that all-too-familiar pins and needles feelings, especially in your extremities. Radiating pain can also come as a result.

2.) Weakness

If you experience weakness, especially during your everyday activities, this may be cause for concern. Sometimes your symptoms might even worsen as you try certain types of movements, movements like turning your head or flexing your neck.

3.) Pain in Area of Compression

If you’re experiencing any sort of pain in your area of compression, then it’s a good indicator that you may have a pinched nerve that needs treatment. How long each patient experiences symptoms will vary from case to case. Certain patients may benefit simply from resting their injured area, while others may need to seek chiropractic care.

If you do decide to go the chiropractor route, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today to schedule your consultation. 

If you work at a place that has you sitting for long periods of time, your posture may be in jeopardy. But, the truth is, everyday activities like driving, lifting weights and heavy objects, even exercises themselves can cause your posture to be out of whack.

Below are a few quick and easy tips to perfect your posture on your own. 

1.) Keep Your Alignment

Make sure that your ears are aligned over your shoulders, and make sure your shoulders are aligned over your hips — this is a good rule for both standing and sitting. When you lean or hunch forward you can cause misalignment in your spine, which will lead to back problems.

2.) Sit With Your Feet Flat on the Ground

Instead of sitting with your legs crossed, make sure you sit with your feet flat on the ground. If you’re able to, make sure you have a chair tall enough to leave your knees slightly lower than your hips when rested.

3.) Pull Back Those Shoulder Blades

Avoid getting rounded shoulders, which can lead to back and neck problems, by pulling your shoulders back (and down) while pushing your chest out (and up).

If you have back or neck pain that persists even in the face of taking the measures listed above, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today to schedule your consultation.

It’s doesn’t matter if you’re an ultra marathon runner or a server at a restaurant, choosing the right shoe is paramount to your back and your joint health.

There are certain qualities that you should look for in a shoe. You’ll want to consider what you’ll be doing in the shoe. For instance, if you’ll be working at a restaurant, you’ll want to get a slip-resistant shoe. If you’re going to be running 5 miles a day, you’ll want a lightweight shoe that provides the right amount of cushion for your needs, not to mention something that fits like a glove.

Below are 4 factors that go into choosing the right shoe.

1.) Comfort Level

You don’t want a shoe that is too stiff or too small for your foot. Sure, there will be a certain amount of “breaking in” that needs to be done, but, generally, when you choose a shoe, you should feel good about its level of comfort right off the bat.

2.) Cushion

You’ll want a shoe that helps reduce wear and tear on your joints. Make sure there is a good amount of cushion, but make sure to stay in moderation, because too much cushion can actually work to weaken your operating joints and muscles.

3.) Support

Pay attention to the level of support your shoe offers when you’re walking briskly and running. Your foot needs to stay in proper alignment and your shoe plays a big part in this.

4.) The Right Fit

Making sure your shoe is the right fit is hugely important. You don’t want something that your foot will be swimming around in, which can lead to blistering and discomfort. You want at least a centimeter or two between the tips of your toes and the end of your shoe.

At Barton Chiropractic Clinic we provide our patients with chiropractic treatments and educational materials that help them deal with injury and prevent future injuries. If you have any questions about choosing the proper shoe for you, or any other ways you can reduce back pain and stiffness, contact us today.

Chiropractic has gotten the unfortunate stigma of only being useful to those who experience injury. This is simply NOT TRUE!

Instead, think of chiropractic care as a way to prevent injuries down the road in addition to treating injuries that pop up suddenly and unexpectedly. Below are a few reasons why chiropractic care is great for athletes and can help those who are looking to unlock peak performance capabilities.

1.) Increase Your Range of Motion

Being flexible and having a broad range of motion is paramount for running, jumping, and engaging in most other physical activities. Increasing your range of motion will help you shave time off your mile, for instance. Chiropractic care is a great way to improve the function of your joints, not to mention your spine.

2.) Boost Your Awareness

Most sports require participants to have their “head on a swivel,” and chiropractic care is a great way to boost your awareness on the field, court, the ring, the octagon, or wherever else you engage in your sport of choice. A chiropractic adjustment will help improve communication between your brain and nervous system, which will not only improve your mental sharpness but will also give you more balance and hand-eye coordination.

3.) Enhance Your Performance

Regular chiropractic treatments can help improve your mobility, improve strength, and help you get more out of your training. You’ll also reduce your risk of experiencing injury.

If you’re wondering how chiropractic care can help you in your athletic performance, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. We’ll schedule your consultation and show you the health benefits a full-service chiropractic care center has to offer you.

The Piriformis is one of your smaller muscles which is located deep in the buttocks — right behind the gluteus maximus. Your Piriformis runs from the lower spine to the upper femur in a diagonal fashion. Your sciatic nerve runs underneath (or through) the muscle. The piriformis muscle helps the hip rotate, turning the leg and foot outward. The Piriformis is the muscle responsible for hip rotation and gives you the ability to turn your foot and leg outward.

Being that the Piriformis is in close proximity to the sciatic nerve, trouble can arise. One such case is Piriformis Syndrome, which is a condition that causes pain due to the muscle tightening and intruding upon the sciatic nerve in the buttock area. Pain, numbness, tenderness, and other symptoms can occur, including radiating pain that can run down the leg, sometimes reaching down to the calf.

Piriformis Syndrome Has 2 Possible Causes

Piriformis Syndrome can arise from either sitting for long periods of time, or from an injury to the buttocks (usually a fall, an athletic injury, or something of the like). Trauma such as injury can cause the Piriformis to expand, swell, and irritate your sciatic nerve. Spasms are also another issue that can cause Piriformis Syndrome.

Chiropractic treatment offers a variety of options to treat and heal Piriformis Syndrome.

Treat Your Piriformis Syndrome with Chiropractic Care!

When it comes to chiropractors, they view the patient’s whole body in its entirety view the body in its entirety, which will often extend to the leg and buttocks areas.  Your chiropractor has the power to utilize a regimen of pelvic and spinal adjustments, or even joint manipulation or stretching which will end up loosening the muscle, helping to heal the affected area.

If you need help treating your Piriformis Syndrome, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. We have a long, successful track record of treating pain and injury the drug-free way.