Cleary Family Chiropractic: Blog

We talk a lot about preventing overuse injuries, but exercise is essential for a healthy body. You need a strong core to support your back and flexible hips to avoid pulling on your lumbar spine. So how do you minimize the risk of strain? Every exercise has its proper form, and we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock want everyone experiencing back pain to get the approval of one of our biomechanical experts before engaging in a work-out. But one feature every routine has in common is properly warming up and cooling down. When your muscles have blood pumping through them, they are less likely to be strained or frayed. But stretching a muscle while it’s still cold puts it at much greater risk. Warm up stretches should be dynamic, meaning they should increase blood flow to a muscle while loosening it. Part of the reason for yoga’s popularity is that there are a lot of poses that do this. Other dynamic stretches include arm and hip circles, butt kicks, lunges, and leg swings. It wi...

When you combine poor posture, stress, and consistent running around (which also can be stress-inducing), a tension headache can happen out of the blue. This is a signal that your body is taking on a lot at once! There are numerous other ways that can bring on a tension headache, such as constantly looking down at your phone, staring at a screen all day, or driving for several hours without rest. We at Cleary Family Chiropractic feel that it’s important to recognize what your body is telling you. There are two types of tension headaches: chronic and episodic. Chronic tension headaches happen frequently, with pain developing on both sides of the head, the forehead, and at the base of the skull. Chiropractic care can help decrease the severity and frequency since these headaches are more associated with tightness and misalignment in the neck vertebrae. Episodic tension headaches occur from stressful events and can often be treated with over-the-counter medication. Prevent tension headach...

In order to complement and enhance the healing effects of chiropractic manipulative treatment, Cleary Family Chiropractic provides hands-on physiological therapeutic procedures. We teach our patients special “blueprint” exercises uniquely designed for them, to help strengthen and correct their own particular problem. Our physiotherapy procedures include: Ultrasound Interferential electrical muscle stimulation Russian Stimulation Mechanical traction Cryotherapy Moist heat therapy Work hardening rehabilitation program Cold Laser Active Release Techniques Decompression Postural restorative exercises Your first session with Dr. Matthew Cleary or Dr. Dave Sikanowicz will be unique to you because your particular needs are addressed. The doctor will also ask a series of questions about your medical history as a starting point for his diagnosis. Once a diagnosis is reached, you will receive a treatment plan with set achievable goals. The doctor will also prescribe an at-home exercise/stretch ...