Lifting objects can often put a strain on the body, especially when we practice poor techniques that put unnecessary pressure on the spine. 

Did you know that many work injuries occur due to improper lifting techniques? It’s a shame, especially considering employers often stress incorporating proper lifting techniques during training. Lifting heavy and even slightly heavy items (think boxes, a desk, a heavy lamp or clock, a bookshelf, etc.) with improper technique can result in musculoskeletal injuries — and you might not even be aware that an injury has occurred.

Read on for some quick proper lifting tips.

1. Keep a wide base — it gives you added support!
2. Your feet should always be shoulder-width apart, and it helps to have one foot slightly forward from the other (think of a person in a karate stance).
3. Squat. Bending down to the object and lifting with your legs while maintaining good posture (back upright, looking straight ahead with your chest out and the shoulders back).
4. Lift with your legs. Do this by straightening your knees and hips — not your back. Make sure not to twist while you lift.

Bonus tip: Hold everything you lift load as close to the body as possible, preferably at belly-button level.

If you experience a back or neck injury due to improper lifting, or if you experience a spine injury despite incorporating our tips above (believe us, it happens!), contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. We’ll schedule your consultation and get you back to active in no time!

Whiplash can happen due to a forceful or rapid back-and-forth movement which results in neck injury — it’s much akin to the cracking of a whip (hence the name).

If you’ve been in a recent auto accident, especially if you were rear-ended, it could be likely that you might have experienced some degree of whiplash. Whiplash can also occur due to sports injury, like in football, hockey, even boxing. Whiplash can also happen due to physical abuse or trauma.

Below are some signs and symptoms that you may have whiplash, in which case you should make an appointment with a chiropractor near you immediately.

1.) Look for Pain, Stiffness, or Headaches

If you have headaches, pain in the neck, or stiffness in the neck, it’s pretty much a telltale sign that you have whiplash.

2.) Loss of Range of Motion

If you’re having trouble moving your head and neck about as you normally do, then chances are you have whiplash and should seek treatment immediately.

3.) Tenderness in the Shoulder, Upper Back, and Arms

When you’ve experienced whiplash you might have pain in surrounding areas of the neck, like the shoulder, back, and your arms.

Select few patients have the following symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Ringing in the Ears
• Irritability
• Memory Problems
• Difficulty with Concentration

If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, it’s time to schedule an appointment with Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. Schedule your appointment with us today and we’ll get you on the path to wellness again.

If you’ve been in a car accident, whether it was your fault or not, you may have experienced an injury. You might not be feeling any symptoms, but all sorts of problems can result from a car accident, especially those of the back, neck, and spine.

Read on for a few reasons why, after a car accident, you should definitely schedule an appointment to see a chiropractic care specialist. For an experienced chiropractor in Homewood, IL, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today.

You Could Have an Injury and Not Know It

People who endure auto accidents might not feel anything initially after the incident, due to the fact that there is no acute pain. This doesn’t mean that there’s no injury and that said injury doesn’t need treatment.

To Prevent Long-Term Injury

Whiplash is a common injury that results from an auto accident.  after an auto accident. When you leave this untreated, this can significantly reduce body strength and mobility.

Because You Need to Treat the Cause, Not the Symptoms

Maybe you do feel pain. Don’t simply pop an aspirin. Instead, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today for treatments that give you lasting results. We offer drug-free treatments that will get you back to feeling great and staying active.

A vertebral subluxation is defined as a misalignment of the vertebra, which has no proven scientific link to health defects or disease, but it has been shown to be linked to all sorts of physical maladies.

Read on for a few telltale signs of vertebral subluxation from Barton Chiropractic Clinic.

Misalignments in the spine lead to nerve compression, which can result in neck and back pain, but also these additional symptoms:

• Increased Dizziness
• Problems with Balance
• Spasms in the Spinal Muscle
• Muscle Tightness or Weakness
• Pain
• Numbness
• Tingling in the Extremities
• Joint Pain
• Joint Tenderness and Stiffness

How to Treat Vertebral Subluxation

Chiropractic care (also termed as chiropractic manipulation) has grown to become a widely accepted alternative to surgery. It’s been shown to effectively treat subluxations as well as degenerative spine conditions like osteoarthritis, and degenerative disc disease.

Chiropractic care can be used in conjunction with other drug-free, holistic treatments, not to mention exercise — like yoga, for instance. If you’ve experienced vertebral subluxation that persists for weeks or even months, then it’s likely time to make an appointment with us.

Barton Chiropractic Clinic has a long history of providing effective, conservative, drug-free treatment to patients suffering from neck, back, and leg pain. We’ll get you back to active in no time.

Some of us have to work jobs that put pressure on different parts of the body. A pitcher’s arm, for instance, after the end of a long career, is likely going to have a lot of wear and tear — much more than someone who only engaged in normal, everyday activities.

The same is true for a gardener, who spends much of their time hunched down, which can put pressure on the spine.

In 2016, the North American Spine Society (NASS) surveyed its members, asking them to indentify the worst vocations for your back. Some of the answers are a bit surprising, too.

Below we’ll discuss some of the worst jobs for your back as well as go over some ways that you can ease the tension in your back, neck, and spine.

Being a Mom or Performing “Mom-ly” Duties

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and care-giving can take a serious toll on your spine health. This might come about from the day-to-day activities of being a Mom, or the daily grind of running or working at a daycare.

Even the little things like lifting a child all day and hauling around a cumbersome diaper bag puts undue pressure on your spine.

In order to remedy this, try an ergonomic, backpack-style diaper bag instead of its over-the-shoulder counterpart. Try to also invest in an easy load stroller or carriage device to make life easier on yourself.

Dentists, Doctors, and Nurses

Believe it or not, being an orthodontist, endodontist, and even a general practitioner can put you at increased risk for neck and back problems. Dentists spend much of their time hunched over their patients, trying to create Hollywood-level smiles.

Nurses also spend a lot of time on their feet, transferring patients, lugging heavy equipment. It’s also a high stress situation — all of which make a person more susceptible to pain and injury.

Stretching yourself out during a shift — let’s say once every hour or so — can go an extremely long way in preserving your back, neck, and joints. Try shoulder and neck rolls, neck bends, and hamstring stretches!

Office Workers

Office workers spend much of their days hunched over a computer, staring at a computer screen. More often than not, a person’s office usually isn’t springing for top-of-the-line ergonomic options when it comes to chair and desk setup.

The day-to-day inactivity also takes its toll on the common office worker as well, so be careful to mix things up whenever you can.

This might mean standing up to do a stretch routine, retreating to the breakroom to do some push-ups when nobody’s watching (even if people are — who cares; it’s your spine health!), or simply getting up from your desk and walking to the water cooler at the top of every hour.

If your job has you experiencing back or neck pain, don’t spend another day in discomfort. Contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today to schedule your consultation.

As many folks continue to push their limits out there when it comes to “getting after it,” Barton Chiropractic Clinic sees more and more patients who might have taken their bodies a little too far.

Lately, you might see people out (either early in the morning or in the afternoons after work) running — it’s a simple, affordable, cost-effective way to get in shape.

Benefits of Using a Weight Vest

As people go along and start to build muscle and endurance, many might be looking to shave some seconds (or even minutes) off of their mile times. A weight vest is a popular option that people utilize for running and training — it’s an effective way to build strength. That way, when a person isn’t wearing the vest, they feel lighter on their feet, since they’re used to carrying the extra weight around.

Weight vests aim to help make people faster, jump higher, perform at a higher level — all good things.

However, there are a few drawbacks to training with a weight vest we’d like you to be aware of.

Weight Vest Drawbacks

While that same weight vest might be increasing your fitness and strength, it might also be increasing your potential for injury. Since a weight vest rests on your shoulders and is strapped to your waist, it puts a ton of pressure on your spine. Compression of your intervertebral discs can occur, which can lead to back pain and back/spine injury. If your weights are not evenly distributed throughout the vest, this can put undue stress on certain areas and muscles of the body.

Avoiding Injury with Weight Vests

Try to minimize your risk of injury if you do decide to train with a weight vest. Make sure that yours fits snugly, so that the weights are as close to the body as possible. Try to avoid high impact activities with your weight vest, but, if you must engage, again, make sure the vest fits snugly and that the weights aren’t bouncing around or moving left to right.

If you experience back pain due to using a weight vest or from engaging in strenuous activity (or even pushing yourself a little too hard), contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. We have a long, proven track record of getting patients back to active.

When it comes to Chiropractic Care, you can never really start too early. And, unlike with many women and their vocations, a comprehensive chiropractic care plan does not have to stop during pregnancy. Chiropractic care has to do with the health maintenance of the spinal column. At Barton Chiropractic Clinic, we stress the many health benefits of adjusting misaligned joints.

One aspect of chiropractic care that is especially pregnancy-friendly is the fact that It doesn’t involve drugs or surgery of any kind. It’s a completely holistic approach to health and wellness. Instead of something to only consider post-injury, think of chiropractic care as a form of physical therapy and preventive medicine that can reduce spinal nerve stress (which accentuates during pregnancy) and promote health — throughout the entire body!

Chiropractic Care by the Numbers

It just so happens that more than 1 million chiropractic adjustments are given each day — all over the world. It is extremely rare that any complications arise during chiropractic care in general, as well as with patients who are expecting. During pregnancy, chiropractic care has been shown to be safe over several million cases.

Approximately 50% of pregnant women experience some form of back pain at some stage during pregnancy, all the up to delivery. In such cases chiropractic care is a healthy, safe option to explore.

Consult with a Chiropractic Care Specialist in Homewood, IL

Of course there are certain circumstances when chiropractic care might not be suitable in some patients, which is why it’s important to schedule a consultation with a chiropractic care specialist in Homewood, IL. At Barton Chiropractic Clinic we carefully consult with each patient to ensure most effective possible treatment. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.

We all know how much good chiropractic care can do for your back and neck, but there are other less-spoken-of benefits that we all get from making chiropractic care a part of are overall wellness plan — instead of just reserving it for therapy or recover from injury.

Chiropractic Care and Your Immune System

We’ll be you didn’t know that chiropractic care can also help boost your immune system. Your nervous system controls the functions of your organs, tissues, even your cells, and a misalignment can certainly reduce your body’s ability to ward off any potential invader or infection. Taking steps to realign the spine can often free up the immune system to take care of its job. Many studies also support that patients who engage in chiropractic care generally have fewer colds than those who do not.

Improve Your Digestion

Over 60% of our energy goes toward food digestion. Since food and drink intake are such big parts of our lives, chiropractic care is also here to aid digestion. You happen to have nerves Which run through your spine t hat have control over your stomach functionality. Improper alignment can lead to dysfunction like increased acid production, which results in gas, heartburn — you get the idea. We might suggest a chiropractic adjustment that targets and corrects the thoracic spine, which can help eliminate your stomach problems.

Experienced Chiropractor in Homewood, IL

If you’d like to unlock the hidden health benefits that consistent chiropractic care brings, contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic today. We’ll schedule your consultation and set you back on the footpath to wellness.

There is a definite philosophy behind what we do at Barton Chiropractic Clinic. Our practice blends an effective combination of critical, practical thinking, a certain open-mindedness, and an appreciation of nature as well as natural order. It’s a holistic solution to our prescription-heavy culture.

Chiropractic care, when practiced effectively, focuses on the establishing a wellness practice and making chiropractic care a part of that protocol. It’s a great way for those who take advantage to get in touch with their body as well as their environment — creating a full-functional sense of well-being.

Chiropractic Philosophy

Chiropractic care specialists put an de-emphasize surgical procedures and focus instead on a patient’s recuperative abilities, setting forth a balance between lifestyle, health, and the surrounding environment. Chiropractic care is about treating underlying problems and underlying causes, not simply relieving symptoms.

The Center of Things

Chiropractic care puts an emphasis on the central nervous system, treating the neck, spine, and more, investigating their intimate relationships and the capacities they unlock in the rest of the human body. Balance is another central theme here — especially when considering the benefits along with the risks of more clinical or surgical interventions.

Barton Chiropractic Clinic also focuses on early intervention and preventive medicine that keeps patients active and free of injury. We have a long track record of getting patients back to active and a lot of it is due to keeping true to these ideals. Contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic to learn more about our process and treatments today.

As we continue through the dog days of summer, it’s important that we remind ourselves to stay hydrated. It’s easy to forget for long periods of time to drink water — and please don’t consider your morning coffee as your first glass of water. 

Instead, drink half your body weight in ounces — which is the requisite amount of water to consume in a day. You want your urine (sorry) to be mostly clear. If it’s intensely yellow or even brownish in color, you’re already dehydrated.

Below are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to stay hydrated — for your health!

1.) It’s Good for Your Joints

If there’s ever been such a thing as a magical elixir, it’s H2O. Making sure you’re properly hydrated ensure toxins get flushed out of your body. Water helps your joints stay well-lubricated — it even helps prevent bouts with gout! 

2.) Staying Hydrated Fight Inflammation

Because staying hydrated helps flush toxins out of your body, this reduces the body’s inflammation. Inflammation can lead to all sorts of health problems, 

including (but not limited to) certain types of cancers as well as rheumatoid arthritis.

3.) Dehydration is Hard on Your Heart

When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume gets lower, so that means your heart has to work harder in order to pump this reduced amount of blood to supply your cells with oxygen. Everyday activities become harder when you’re dehydrated — simple tasks like walking up stairs, not to mention exercise.

So stay hydrated out there as a part of your overall wellness plan. Another part of your overall wellness plan is regular visits to your chiropractic treatment specialist in Homewood, IL. Contact Barton Chiropractic Clinic to schedule your consultation today.