​What’s happening to your joints as you age?

As we get older, we start to find that we get stiff and have decreased range of motion in our joints compared to when we were younger.

This makes it harder for us to get up and moving as quickly as we used to, especially on those cold mornings.

​As a chiropractor, I often get asked questions like ‘Do people really bring their children in for chiropractic care?’ or ‘Is chiropractic really safe for kids?’.

I tell them the same answer every time…

that chiropractic is just as important for children as it is fully grown adults, and has one of the highest safety records in health care.

Pain in the shoulder may be caused by problems of the shoulder as well as problems from other parts of the body. The parts of the shoulder that may be causing your problems can include:

• Bones
• Cartilage
• Ligaments
• Tendons
• Muscles
• Joint capsules
• Circulation
• Nerve endings

If you’ve ever experienced radiating pain through your gluteal region, down the back of your thigh or leg, you’ll probably agree that it is far from the most pleasurable sensation that we can feel!

This type of pain is often called sciatica, but in many instances other underlying pathologies can cause similar pain experiences. Hip osteoarthritis, hamstring and calf soft tissue injuries may mimic sciatica. It is important to have a complete assessment and receive a correct diagnosis to start your rehabilitation on the right foot (pardon the pun).

​Unfortunately, these days most people live their lives at the opposite end of the spectrum from optimal health and wellbeing.

With an increase in the availability of fast and cheap processed foods and drinks that contain little nutritional value and are often ridden with harmful preservatives and additives, proper knowledge of good nutrition and hydration is paramount.

​Health is defined as “a state of optimal physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” (Dorland’s Medical Dictionary)

Pro-active is defined as “serving to prepare for, intervene in or control an expected occurrence or situation, especially a negative or difficult one; anticipatory” (www.dictionary.com)

​What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition of the any joint/s in the body (eg- hands, shoulders, knees, spine) that is associated with pain, stiffness, inflammation and / or an increasing difficulty in using the associated joint/s.  It is known by many names but Osteoarthritis (OA) and Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) are the most common.  I like to refer to it as “wear and tear” when discussing this condition with my clients as it gives people a better idea of what might be going on inside them and doesn’t sound quite so ominous.

​Foot pain may arise as a result of many different problems; some locally in the foot, some systemic and some from the nervous system. The key with any type of foot pain is to receive a thorough assessment, a correct diagnosis, treatment options and their safety explained and possible outcomes discussed and then a course of treatment with re-assessment to ensure your goals are being reached.

So who do you go to for foot pain? Some conditions like ingrown toenails, diabetic feet, corns and callouses can be very painful and treatment by a podiatrist is the best course of action. But is a podiatrist the only professional to visit when it comes to foot pain? What if your foot pain comes from altered mechanics or even your spine – is it off to the podiatrist again in these cases?

​Taking good care of our feet is something that is often overlooked by a lot of people.  After all, our feet are not only vital for the movement of our body from one place to the next, but our foot/ankle complex is important for shock absorption, support and balance of the upright body.

Each foot comprises of 26 bones which are supported by a series of muscles and ligaments to allow movement for walking and running, and provide stability to prevent injury and absorb shock during movement.

​What is your definition of health? A lack of symptoms or optimally functioning body?

We live in a world where a lack of symptoms is considered being healthy. Many of us go to the doctor when a symptom has arisen because this symptom has made us unhealthy. We expect the doctor to do something or prescribe something to magically make our symptoms go away and then we are healthy again.