Cleary Family Chiropractic: Blog

Ankylosing Spondylitis is the name of a kind of arthritis that can affect the spine. One of its defining symptoms is inflammation of the ligaments and tendons that attach to the vertebrae. Although it is a chronic condition, it is manageable through regular maintenance, and we at Clearly Family Chiropractic in Woodstock are committed to providing our patients with treatments that are safe and as non-intrusive as possible. The exact cause of ankylosing spondylitis is unknown, but it has a major genetic component. It most often occurs in young men and causes early morning stiffness in the lower back and pelvic region. It is often intermittent and can sometimes be felt in the hips and shoulders. In severe cases, the vertebrae may fuse together as the bone regrows during periods when the inflammation subsides. Treatment for ankylosing spondylitis revolves around keeping the spinal joints mobile and reducing inflammation. Spinal adjustments can prevent stiffness, and Active Release Techniq...

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 ...

Exercise is crucial to a healthy lifestyle and is often a core component in our patients’ recovery from back aches. Cycling is especially popular, since it won’t jostle the spine or other joints with impacts. However, lower back pain is a common complaint among cyclists, and we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock want our patients to know to take steps that will prevent it. As with any sport, it’s important for cyclists to have properly-fitted equipment. Often, when people get used bicycles, they never get them properly refitted, but this will become a problem if they have to reach too far forward to reach the handlebars. Ideally, a person should be free to shift posture on the bicycle during the course of their ride so they won’t hold one position or stretch their lumbar spine for too long. However, professional cyclists also commonly experience lower back pain, and this probably isn’t due to old equipment. As a person cycles, the muscles supporting the lumbar region of their ...

Pain in your back may be due to a problem further down your body. When people have knee pain, they’re likelier to adopt poor posture, keeping pressure off their aching joint by thrusting out a hip and bending their back to the other side to keep their balance. This is terrible for the lower back and pelvic muscles, and while we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock can provide safe and minimally invasive treatment, we want people to better understand how knee pain develops. When a person is suffering from stiffness and soreness in the knee, we call that “patellofemoral syndrome.” The kneecap is a sesamoid bone, which means it does not connect to the rest of the skeleton in the way most bones do. Instead, it rests on cartilage in a trench at the bottom of the femur and is held in place by muscles and ligaments. When those tissues become inflamed and the kneecap is displaced, it may erode its supporting cartilage. Patellofemoral Syndrome tends to be worse when a person is walking u...

Cleary Family Chiropractic, located in Woodstock, GA., is dedicated to helping any and all patients find relief and assistance by providing natural, noninvasive alternatives. One of these alternatives, administered by Dr. Matthew Cleary and Dr. Dave Sikanowicz, is called Active Release Technique (ART). ART is a patented soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves.   ART is primarily used to treat conditions stemming from overused muscles, like back pain, carpal tunnel, sciatica, tennis elbow, and shin splints. These overused muscles can be caused by pulls, tears, and collisions. Not getting enough oxygen is another common cause. The results are a build-up of scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue locks up muscles that need to move freely. If left untreated muscles weaken and nerves become trapped. Patients will experience a reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain.   At your ART app...