5 things I wouldn’t do as a chiropractor

Mar 18

Sit in one position for an extended period of time (even if it's “perfect” posture).
1. In our modern sedentary lifestyle, it's easy to find ourselves glued to our seats for hours on end. However, this prolonged sitting can take a toll on our bodies, leading to discomfort and pain, regardless of how diligently we try to maintain the perfect posture. Our bodies crave movement; it's like fuel for our joints, helping to keep them lubricated with fluid. That's why it's crucial to break up those long periods of sitting with regular movement throughout the day. A simple rule of thumb is to stand up and move around for about one minute every hour spent sitting. By incorporating these short breaks into your routines, you can help alleviate the aches and pains associated with prolonged sitting and promote overall well-being.
Sleep on at a soft mattress

Sleeping on a soft mattress might feel great initially, but it could end up causing back pain down the road. Soft mattresses don't offer much support, so while you sleep, your body might get into some awkward positions, leading to those morning pains. Instead of going for a soft mattress, think about getting a firmer one and adding a softer mattress topper. This will ensure you have the proper support needed

For the most part, the last thing I would ever do is get back surgery. While there are situations, such as cauda equina syndrome or severe lumbar radiculopathy, where surgery is unavoidable, for about 97% of people with back pain, it's usually not the best option. Instead, alternative routes like manual therapy and physical therapy are typically the first steps recommended in clinical guidelines for treating any type of back pain. There is also a big possibility that it will not help. I have seen many patients who have undergone spinal fusions and microdiscectomies with slight to minimal improvement of symptoms after the surgery. It's particularly disheartening for me when a patient fails to experience the intended benefits from surgery, especially when we witness almost immediate positive outcomes with alternative treatments.
Reference: Lilly DT, Davison MA, Eldridge CM, Singh R, Montgomery EY, Bagley C, Adogwa O. An Assessment of Nonoperative Management Strategies in a Herniated Lumbar Disc Population: Successes Versus Failures. Global Spine J. 2021 Sep;11(7):1054-1063. doi: 10.1177/2192568220936217. Epub 2020 Jul 7. PMID: 32677528; PMCID: PMC8351061.)

Static stretching before any athletic event is typically not recommended. The reason is because before any athletic event, we want our joints to be strong and stable. When we hold a static stretch, we tend to loosen the joints and tendons which can lead to sprains and strains. While the research also supports this theory, I have seen multiple patients who are ultra marathon runners and they never static stretch before a race. In fact, one of those patients was advised by a coach to stretch before a race, and shortly into the run, he pulled his hamstring, leaving him unable to finish. Could this have been a mere coincidence? Yes, of course, however, he ran more than 15 ultras without stretching and never had any problems…

There are beliefs circulating that frequent knuckle or joint cracking can lead to joint degeneration and arthritis. While there's some truth to this, cracking your joints once a day is generally considered safe. However, excessive cracking, especially multiple times a day over a prolonged period, can result in ligament laxity. Ligament laxity occurs when joints become excessively loose, posing a risk of injury. Loose joints compel muscles to tighten in order to compensate and support the weakened joint structure. That's why when people are cracking their joints all the time, they often complain of feeling tight. Dancers are notorious for this since they are already hypermobile and the majority of them crack their own joints. The best way to combat the feeling of wanting to crack your joints is to strength train.

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