What Is Whiplash and How Does It Affect You?

What comes to mind when you hear the term "whiplash"? Do you believe the injury is caused by a seat belt or a car accident? Or do you merely think of whiplash as a common side effect of car accidents? If you're still not convinced, whiplash is a serious injury that, if left untreated, can result in major damage and harm.

What is whiplash? 

Whiplash is a neck injury produced by a quick, powerful motion of the neck back and forth. Whiplash causes injury to your bones, discs, soft tissues, and nerves by throwing your musculoskeletal system out of alignment. Whiplash is most typically caused by rear-end crashes, in which one vehicle collides with the back of another. Any mishap involving any form of impact, on the other hand, might be harmful and result in bodily injury. 

Even though wearing a seat belt can save lives in many incidents, it is also one of the leading causes of whiplash injuries. A seat belt's goal, as you may know, is to keep you safe in the event of a sudden movement in the car, such as a collision. Even though you are not flung from the car, you are thrown violently against the seat belt. The seat belt also leaves your head and neck unprotected because it only passes over your chest and abdomen. Because the lower half of your body is strapped to the seat, when another automobile slams into yours, your head and neck can snap forward and backward more abruptly, potentially causing misalignment to your spine.

Of course, we are not advising you not to buckle up. They are life-saving mechanisms that prevent you from being flung out of your seat or even out of the vehicle. What we're getting at is that, while seat belts can save your life, they can also cause whiplash, misalignment, and tissue damage, all of which can lead to serious harm. Regardless of how little or terrible you believe your accident was, you should see a chiropractor right once for an evaluation.

Symptoms of whiplash:

Whiplash or misalignment from a vehicle accident can cause a variety of symptoms,
including but not limited to:

• Neck pain and stiffness 
• Worsening of pain with neck movement 
• Loss of range of motion in the neck 
• Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull 
• Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, or arms 
• Tingling or numbness in the arms 
• Fatigue 
• Dizziness
•  Blurred vision 
• Ringing in the ears 
• Memory problems 
• Sleep disturbances
•  Difficulty concentrating 
• Irritability  
• Depression 

How do seat belt injuries affect the body?
Seat belt injuries can cause injury to the areas they cover in addition to whiplash and misalignment. Additional seat belt problems include rib, shoulder, spine, and abdomen pressure injuries. The restraining power of the seat belt, along with the friction of abrupt movement, can result in rib and abdomen fractures, as well as cuts and bruises to the upper body. Soft tissue, ligaments, or tendons in the shoulder or abdomen can also be ripped, resulting in pain that should be treated by a chiropractor right once. 

Seeking the care of a chiropractor:

If you think you've been injured by a seat belt or are experiencing any of these symptoms, you might be wondering why you should go to a chiropractor first. In the field of musculoskeletal and soft tissue injuries, chiropractors are the industry leaders. They understand how to realign your body in the most secure manner imaginable. It's also important to make sure your body is in alignment so that all of your systems work properly. They are also trained to recognize the most common injuries caused by car accidents and know how to treat them in the most up-to-date and effective way possible. A chiropractor will be able to perform a thorough examination and may even detect issues that you are unaware of. This can help you save time, money, and discomfort. You don't have to suffer from your vehicle accident injuries any longer. These injuries are treatable and must be addressed! One of the most essential reasons to consult a chiropractor for whiplash or seat belt-related issues is that they will treat you without using any medications. Our doctors and staff at Sheets Chiropractors will create a comprehensive and tailored plan of hands-on treatment and rehabilitation activities to help you heal your injuries safely and holistically. Allowing someone to write you a prescription to mask the symptoms of something that can and should be addressed organically is not a good idea. The goal of our doctors is to always get to the root of the problem. Our combination chiropractic and rehabilitative exercise method are more efficient and effective than either strategy alone.

Everything you need to know about HIIT

Exercise is a non-negotiable aspect when it comes to decreasing blood pressure.You might be wondering what type of exercise is the most helpful for lowering blood pressure. More and more research demonstrates the promising outcomes of a technique known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in decreasing blood pressure.

What is HIIT?

HIIT is a method rather than a specific activity. This strategy may be used for practically any type of nexercise, including walking, biking, swimming, bodyweight exercises, and even dancing in your living room.

** BEFORE STARTING ANY FORM OF EXERCISE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN.

Short bursts of working at your utmost maximum are alternated with short periods of active recovery rest in HIIT training. According to research, this type of exercise delivers more health benefits than any other exercise.

It reduces the amount of time you need to exercise and makes it more effective; you need to exercise for 10-30 minutes to receive significant health advantages. You burn more body fat, your metabolism boosts for a prolonged period after you complete exercising, and it also aids in the efficient utilization of oxygen.

One of the most significant advantages of HIIT is it reduces training time. When compared to conventional cardio training, you can achieve your goals in about half the time with HIIT. According to one study, just 2 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sprinting improved metabolism as much as 30 minutes of running. HIIT training improves the efficiency of your heart and has a significant impact on naturally decreasing your blood pressure.

HIIT and blood pressure

Although any training has advantages, HIIT stands out when it comes to time savings. Using the HIIT method is the ultimate time-saver.

HIIT exercise reduces blood pressure in patients with hypertension more than any other type of exercise.

In overweight and obese people, HIIT is particularly effective at lowering resting heart rate and blood pressure.

It's been proven that doing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) three times a week for 20 minutes at a time decreases blood pressure more effectively than doing continuous endurance training.

What is the research behind HIIT's effectiveness?

• Endothelial function is altered by high-intensity interval training.
• The endothelium, a thin membrane that lines the lining of your heart and blood vessels, plays a critical role. Several substances are secreted by the cells that make up this membrane, which control how your blood vessels relax and contract.
• We know that hard, inflexible arteries contribute to high blood pressure.
• The ability of your artery walls to dilate (expand) is critical.
• Your arteries must be flexible to allow adequate blood flow throughout your body.
• More than any other traditional form of exercise, HIIT enhances endothelial function and lowers arterial wall stiffness.
• A 1% improvement in endothelial function can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes by 13%.
• According to one study, utilizing a HIIT training strategy for only two months and 24 exercise sessions, 73 percent of patients were able to lower their blood pressure to normal levels. The systolic blood pressure was reduced significantly from 145.4 (9.0) to 118.3 (15.6) mm Hg.

How to Apply HIIT

With HIIT training, you'll go all out for a short period at a high intensity. After that, you take a short 'active recuperation' break. This approach can be used for any exercise, including walking, running, jumping rope, cycling, and even weight training. If you want to avoid injury, ride a stationary bike. Incorporating HIIT into your training is simply a fantastic idea.

Using the HIIT on a stationary bike

• For 5 minutes, warm up on a low setting.
• Increase the tension on the bike after your 5-minute warm-up and pedal as rapidly as you can for 20 seconds. The Sprint phase is what it's called. Reduce the tension on the bike after the 20-second sprint phase and comfortably pedal for 2 minutes.
• This is one HIIT workout.
• You are done if you repeat the steps above five times.

Heart Recovery Tip

• Lower the tension after your 20-second run and wait 60 seconds before checking your pulse. Your high pulse should drop to 8-10 beats per minute. This is where your heart will heal. If your pulse does not drop below 8-10 beats after a few minutes, you should stop and call it a day. For example, after a 20-minute all-out sprint, your heart rate will rise to 110 beats per minute. Your pulse rate should drop to 100-102 beats after one minute of lowering the tension and comfortable pedaling. That's an excellent heart recovery.
• This technique may be used for walking as well. Simply walk for 5 minutes at a reasonable speed, and then take a 20-second "brisk" walk. Repeat for a total of five times while walking comfortably for two minutes.

That's all you have to do to get the most out of this high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to drop your blood pressure.


Dr. Sheets recommends that you have your blood pressure checked by a doctor and, if it is found to be high, consider chiropractic adjustments before taking BP medication. Chemical medications frequently have unpleasant side effects that can be far worse than the illness itself. Before you do anything else, let Dr. Sheets assist you with lowering your blood pressure. Dr. Sheets has over 30 years of expertise in treating people with HBP and a variety of other ailments.

Gardening tips from a chiropractor

Yard work, gardening, and back discomfort are all words that frequently appear in the same sentence. However, if you treat yard maintenance or gardening as if it were an exercise day, you can avoid back pain. Here are a few pointers to help you enjoy yard care and gardening.

• Stretch! Include your back, legs, and arms in your workout. Simple range-of-motion exercises and toe touches can help loosen up your muscles. Each session should begin with 5-7 reps of the cat-camel (or cat-cow) exercise. This exercise is performed on all fours in the quadruped position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Then alternate between flexion and extension of your spine slowly. By arching your back to the ceiling and lowering your head to the floor, then lowering your belly to the floor and looking up to the ceiling, you can achieve this. If extremes of motion create pain, avoid them. This is not a stretch, but rather a continuous range of motion activities. 
• Brisk walk! To get the blood flowing, warm up with a 5-10 minute brisk stroll. Instead of stretching, this is a terrific method to warm up dynamically.
• Hydrate! Bring your water to the garden with you. Staying hydrated can help you avoid being hurt.
• Lift properly! Your back is stressed when you ride your bike, handle your golf bag, or move big bags of soil. Over-stuffing garbage bags with leaves and other garden waste is a common omission; keep in mind that you'll have to lift and carry them! 
• Plan your tasks! Pruning, raking, digging, and other gardening duties should be varied. Do not engage in any one activity for an extended period. Planning your chores ahead of time, and putting your tools in a bucket for easier travel, will help with this. If you must be in a kneeling posture, use a kneeling pad or a kneeler with grips to assist you in getting up and down from the ground. Working from a standing or seated position is also possible with tools with adjustable length handles.
• No Stooping! Use your knees or kneel on a mat if you're gardening, planting, or doing other activities where you might need to pause. Try to sit while planting new plants or pruning low bushes if you can. Locking your knees, bending, and lifting are the most typical ways to damage your lower back. When bending and lifting, use the hip-hinge bend technique, which directs all movement through your hips rather than your low back. To relieve stress on the lumbar spine, bend your knees and keep your back in a neutral position. Your buttocks and legs should provide the majority of the lift's force. To strengthen the stability in your low back, abdominally brace (tense the abdominal wall as if you were expecting to be stuck in the gut) during the lift.
• Pace yourself! It's wonderful to be outside but take it slowly. If you haven't been out in a while, start slowly and gradually return to the activity. Doing too much too soon is the quickest way to injure yourself. Take some time to relax, rest, and drink some water.
• Push/Pull Be prepared when pushing or tugging, just as you would not want to lift anything overly heavy. Determine how heavy the item is, and if it is too much for you, seek assistance or divide the project into smaller chores. Spread your feet when shoveling to establish a wide, supporting stance and prevent twisting your body. Picot and reposition using your feet instead.
• Leaves, leaves, everywhere! Don't underestimate how taxing raking the yard may be on
  your back. The repeated bending and leaning forward to move leaves can be excruciating. When drawing the leaves together, take your time and don't bend too far forward. If you're packing a bag, instead of bending down to move the leaves, lower yourself to the ground and use a rake that's the right size for you.
• Take help! Another alternative is to enlist the help of the kids in your area. Gardening is a physical hobby, and if you exercise regularly and follow the advice above, you will protect your back. To avoid injury, just like an athlete would prepare and condition for his or her activity. If you want to enhance your flexibility, stretch gently after you've finished gardening or exercising. Stretching options include the cat-camel, sphinx, child's pose, and others.
• See your chiropractor regularly! A happy back is less likely to be hurt, and a healthy back is less likely to be damaged.

 Contact Sheets Chiropractors Center for any kind of assistance.

The Causes of Back Pain during the Holidays and How to Avoid Them

With the holidays approaching, there is a palpable sense of anticipation in the air as preparations for the hectic weeks ahead begin. However, there is something considerably less festive lurking beneath all of the planning and excitement: an increased risk of back pain and injury. This time of year can bring physical pain along with gifts and family meals, thanks to spending extra time in the kitchen, lifting
heavy shopping bags, decorating for Christmas, and traveling. Fortunately, with a little caution,avoiding
harm should be straightforward, and you can concentrate on the things that are really important over the holidays.  

Back Pain from Cooking
While hours spent stooping over a kitchen counter may result in a delectable dinner, it can also cause
 considerable back discomfort. 

Keep the following suggestions in mind as you plan your Christmas menus: 

• Take a seat to prepare some items rather than standing the entire time. Move your body about to find
  what feels best to you, such as putting a pillow behind your back to relieve lower back tension.
• Do not attempt to complete your entire menu at once. You and your body will be overworked and exhausted as a result of this. Instead, take a 10- to 20-minute break to allow your joints to recover.
• When you're on your feet, make sure you're wearing comfortable shoes with sufficient arch support. Pay attention to your posture while seated once the meal has been served and everyone has taken their seat at the table. 
• If you intend to nap afterward, a genuine bed is preferable to a couch or chair. Beds need you to lie flat; however, living room furnishings can cause you to curl up in unnatural positions.

 

Back Pain from Holiday Decorating
As you transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, remember to keep your back in mind when
decorating:

Bending your spine when carrying something heavy is never a good idea. Squat or lunge to take up the
thing instead. When carrying it, don't lean forward or backward; instead, stand erect and maintain a neutral spine. When it comes to decorating, if you can't reach anything, don't force it! To avoid
overextending your back or neck, use a ladder or a stool. Sit with proper posture or stand at a table while wrapping presents for under the tree. The spine and neck might be harmed by arching over tissue and bows.

How many of you have seen a spike in back discomfort over the holidays? The list goes on: travel,
packing, lifting, shopping, cooking, baking, sitting in automobiles and planes, stress... We've discovered a few prevalent causes of back discomfort during the holidays over the years. 

Here are some of our favorite holiday back-pain-prevention tips.
Cooking, Family, and Parties
Back discomfort can be caused by standing on hard kitchen floors.

• If you'll be standing over the stove for several hours, make sure you're wearing comfortable, supportive shoes.
• Lifting big goods out of the oven should be done with caution. Make use of the oven's sliding grate to bring the pan closer to you. Bend your knees and bring the heavy pan towards you, then lift it to the counter if your oven is low.
• When cooking, keep items in front of you and near to the counter. We tend to bend forward when we stand too far away from the counter, which puts more strain on our lower back.
• Make preparations ahead of time. Plan ahead of time where you'll place heavy items like
  presents or dishes.
• Keep yourself hydrated. Holiday Eating and drinking can be taxing on your body, especially if you
  rely on coffee to stay awake and moving. Dehydration can exacerbate back discomfort, so drink
  plenty of water.
• Take a walk, stretch, and involve the whole family in some morning yoga! During the holidays,
• get more exercise.

 Traveling 

• To be prepared, weigh a package or piece of luggage before lifting it. This time of year, we
  frequently hear, "It was heavier than I imagined, and my back went out.
• To lift, bend at the knees. Even if it's only placing your luggage in the trunk of your car, keep this
  in mind. Lifting incorrectly puts you at risk of developing back pain.
• Make an effort not to over pack your suitcase. Keep in mind that you'll have to carry it upstairs, pull it behind you, raise it throughout the airport, and get it out of a car, among other things.
• Consider bringing an ice pack with you on extended car drives. Because most back pain is caused
  by inflammation, using an ice pack to reduce swelling and numb the area can assist.
• When traveling, get up and move around more. While you're waiting for your flight, don't just sit at the airport. Before boarding an aircraft, stretch, stroll and stay active.
• On-road journeys, take breaks. Get out of the car, stretch your legs, and go for a walk.

Exercise Regularly to Prevent Back Pain:

Most crucial, keep yourself busy. This is crucial, especially given how hectic the holiday season can be.
Even if it'ss only for 15 minutes a day, doing so strengthens your bones, muscles, and immune system while also combating all those slices of pie!
 

Treating Holiday Back Injuries
Of all, even with all of the precautions in the world, some mishaps and discomforts are unavoidable. If you're in pain this Christmas season, come to one of Sheets Chiropractic's facilities and let our experienced team get you back on track! Also, keep in mind that preventative chiropractic care is a
terrific method to keep your spine strong even if you aren't injured!