A Forward Stoop and Osteoporosis


Did you know that the stooped gait commonly seen in older people is largely preventable? Hyperkyphosis, an extreme forward curvature of the upper spine, is often the result of disease. One disease in particular, osteoporosis, accounts for most instances of it, so we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock wanted to inform our patients of what causes it and how to mitigate it.


As living tissue, the bones of our backs are constantly breaking down and regrowing. But among some people, the bones break down faster than they regrow. The resulting weakness is called osteopenia, and if it is severe enough for gaps to appear in the bones, the patient is said to have osteoporosis. This disease is most common in older women, although it is not rare in men.


As bones become more brittle, they are likelier to develop small fractures. A person may not feel each fracture, but their accumulative effect is that the vertebrae slowly collapse, resulting in hyperkyphosis. To counteract osteoporosis, a person should engage in doctor-prescribed exercises that will strengthen their back muscles. They should also ensure they are consuming sufficient calcium and vitamin D and keeping their backs free of other sources of stress. If a patient is in pain, we can assist them through Active Release Technique and other soft tissue therapies.


Dr. Matthew Cleary runs Cleary Family Chiropractic at 246 Creekstone Ridge, Woodstock, Georgia, 30188. To schedule an appointment, call 678-494-9668 or visit Chiropractor Woodstock.




 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tips for Avoiding Back Pain at the Office

People who sit all day have high rates of back pain. This isn’t surprising, since not only is it hard to get enough exercise while working in an office, but many people also don’t understand how to properly support their backs. At Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock, we relieve people’s back pain, but we want everyone to increase their overall wellness by taking better care of themselves. We thought we'd offer a few pointers regarding office ergonomics. While sitting at a computer, you want to avoid slouching forward or backward into your chair. Position your desk and chair height so that when your feet are flat on the floor and your back is straight, your monitor is directly at eye level. Your elbows should be at ninety degree angles when your hands are resting on the desktop. You should be able to sit all the way back in the chair, so your lower back is supported by the chair’s back cushion. Don’t have anything in your back pockets while you’re sitting, and place your armres
Read more

Spinal Decompression

At Cleary Family Chiropractic, we heal patients dealing with problematic spinal discs using spinal decompression therapy.  Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a safe, targeted treatment for any herniated discs in a patient’s spine or nerves.  Injured discs in the neck and back cause pain, but can also affect the rest of the body.  Herniated discs often have a direct impact on the central nervous system, causing more pain to the extremities.  Our doctors can determine if spinal decompression is an appropriate solution for your pain. Spinal decompression is performed with equipment that resembles a table but has moving parts.  Patients lie on their back or stomach, depending on the location of the issue, and are attached to the equipment with padded straps so distraction forces can be applied to the spine.  A typical treatment alternates between applying distraction forces to the vertebrae and periods of partial relaxation.  The result is the vertebrae slowly and gently separati
Read more

Spine Spurs

Back pain can get worse when it’s left untreated. Many of the problems in people’s spinal columns are due to degenerative conditions causing chronic inflammation. Although inflammation is triggered by the immune system, it causes problems of its own when it persists, including the development of bone spurs in the spine. Fortunately, we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock provide holistic, low-risk treatment, preventing bone spurs from growing and minimizing the problems caused by ones already present. Bone spurs are protrusions from bone that build up in places with prolonged inflammation. They are common in people with osteoarthritis, whose joint-cushioning cartilage is wearing away. The facet joints of the spine connect the vertebrae to each other, and as their cartilage erodes, they rub against each other, causing irritation and new bone growth. Spinal spurs also commonly develop around herniated discs, which put pressure on the nearby soft tissues and are unable to function
Read more