Prolonged standing at work can lead to muscle fatigue, leg cramps, and back pain. This

discomfort can cause a decrease in both work performance and productivity. Lead author Dr.

María Gabriela García writes, “The work-related musculoskeletal implications that can be

caused by prolonged standing are a burden not only for workers but also for companies and

society.” The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) recommends that

workers have an opportunity to choose from a variety of well-balanced positions while at work

and that employers should allow workers to change positions frequently.

Human Factors, June 2015

If you’re one of those workers who stands for extended periods of time and suffer

from any of those conditions, give us a call or stop in anytime. We can help ease

your symptoms and make suggestions on slight changes at your workplace that

might alleviate the problem in the future!

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic auto-immune disease where the body’s immune system

attacks different regions of the body. This disease is characterized by chronic inflammation that

destroys joints, tissues and organs over a period of time. A recent study published in the Annals

of Vertebral Subluxation Research describes how specific chiropractic adjustments and rehab

exercises demonstrated outstanding results in a woman with long-term rheumatoid arthritis.

A 54-year-old woman went to see a chiropractor after having been diagnosed seven years prior

with rheumatoid arthritis. Her chief complaint was severe bilateral polyarthralgia, especially in

the hands and fingers. The patient also had marked swelling in her hands, fingers, knees, toes

and feet. The patient exhibited difficulties with weight bearing, ambulation, and had recurrent

stiffness every morning. The patient was taking Methotrexate and Prednisone daily to manage

her symptoms. She described her pain as a constant nine on a 1-10 scale of severity

The patient was evaluated using various assessment tools including posture evaluation, surface

electromyography and x-ray imaging. Subluxation was found throughout the spine, especially in

the upper cervical region.

Subluxation is the term for misalignments of the spine that cause irritation of nerve pathways,

affecting organ systems of the body. Birth trauma, falls, whiplash and poor posture are known to

cause subluxation patterns to develop in the body. This sort of physical nerve stress leads to

altered measures of immune function and increased susceptibility to a number of diseases.

Wellness based chiropractors give a detailed analysis of the spine to locate areas of vertebral

subluxation. Specific corrective adjustments are given to reduce the subluxation and restore

normal function to the nervous system. A group of researchers found that when a thoracic

adjustment was applied to a subluxated area, the white blood cell count collected rose

significantly. Many studies have confirmed that specific adjustments of the upper cervical spine

and improvements in posture have a major effect on normalizing immune function.

This patient was analyzed and given an appropriate full-spine adjustment each visit for a total of

36 visits in four months. The patient also did rehabilitative exercises such as wobble board and

repetitive traction to improve soft tissue function and restore core strength and spinal curvatures

After receiving four months of corrective chiropractic care, the patient’s pain scale went from

9/10 to a 1/10. She no longer was taking the Methotrexate or Prednisone to manage her

symptoms. The patient was now able to walk up and down the stairs, dance and exercise

without pain. Post-treatment testing revealed significant changes in posture and cervical

curvature as noted on x-ray analysis. She also had marked improvements on her surface

electromyography scan.

Hopefully, this study will shine a light on the impact of subluxation correction on healthy

immunological control. More research dollars should be spent on inexpensive, low risk, non-

invasive modalities such as chiropractic care for prevention and treatment of chronic

inflammatory conditions.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001467/

http://www.naturalnews.com/031206_chiropractic_immunity.html

http://vertebralsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages/2012_1229_ra.aspx

http://www.naturalnews.com/030956_posture_health.html

http://www.naturalnews.com

The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, spotlights recent media coverage of Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s reliance on chiropractic care as a primary source of treatment for pain relief. According to experts at the F4CP, a growing number of professional athletic teams utilize chiropractic care to maximize overall health and maintain peak performance. (Source: Business Wire, Carmichael, CA www.businesswire.com)

If Chiropractic care can help keep the pros at the top of their game, it can certainly work for you, too! Whether you’re a high school or college athlete, or maybe just a summer golfer or softball player, Chiropractic care can help you maximize your performance and feel great, too! Give us a call or stop in for a free consultation. We’d love to tell you about the positive effects of Chiropractic care!

Sitting and potential back injury. Is there a connection? While most people think of back pain as

resulting from strenuous physical activity, a new study finds that the more time an individual

spends sitting each day at both home and work, the greater their risk for a back injury. In the

study, researchers found that among a group of 201 blue-collar workers, those who spent the

most time sitting on their average day were three times more likely to experience back pain

when compared with those who sit the fewest hours on a given day.

PLOS ONE, March 2015

Chiropractic is well known for management of neck pain, back pain and pain in arms and legs, but what

about enhancing sleep quality? Sleepless nights followed by sleepy, non-productive days seem to be a

problem for many of us! Sleep deprivation can interefere with work, driving, social activities, overall

quality of life and even cause some serious health problems.

Think of sleep as recharging a battery, only this battery is your brain! The optimum amount of sleep

needed changes with age. School age children do best when they get nine to eleven hours and adults

need between seven and eight hours.

As chiropractors, spinal manipulation, exercise training, dietary supplements, relaxation therapy, and

massage therapy are all viable options to help in the effort to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and

improve the overall quality of sleep.

Here are some tips to help you achieve a more restful night! 1) Establish a regular sleep schedule. 2)

Relax before bedtime. Reading is great relaxation! 3) Get regular exercise. 4) Avoid alcohol, caffeine

and nicotine. These are better methods than sleep medications as they can often leave you feeling too

sleepy the next day to optimally function. If you feel like you need to take something, ask us about

some herbal supplements that can be helpful, such as lavender, lemon balm, or a variety of others. And

you might also consider use of nasal dilator strips which have been helpful to some in their effort to

sleep.

Visit with us about a wide variety of options to help you get the sleep you require. It’s a vital component

of your overall health!

First of all, you’re not alone!  Neck pain and stiffness are very common complaints and these problems can come and go chronically for years, even decades.  Don’t let that discourage you.  It doesn’t have to go on for great lengths of time.   Here at Fergus Falls Spine & Injury center, we can provide immediate neck pain relief with a very simple approach!

Numerous studies point to exercises and chiropractic care as two of the best approaches for gaining control over this common, potentially long lasting and sometimes disabling condition.  However, focusing only on the neck may NOT be the best approach; but rather, the management of weak pelvic/low back stabilizing muscles can have significant benefits for those suffering from neck pain.

A group of physical therapists in Brazil and Australia performed a systematic literature review of the benefits of specific stabilization exercises for spinal and pelvic pain and looked at disability, return to work, number of episodes, global perceived benefit and quality of life factors. They also looked at the benefits for headache with or without neck pain and any related disability.  Not only did they find significant research support for improving pelvic pain and for preventing recurrence after an acute episode of low back pain, but they also found that cervicogenic headache and neck pain improved from the use of low back/pelvic stabilization exercises!

The bottom line is pretty simple; stabilizing the low back and pelvis offers the neck and head a better foundation on which to rest.  An analogy would be a house with a weak foundation resulting in the whole house being in jeopardy, especially the attic or the area farthest away from the ground.

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re probably pretty anxious to get quick back and neck pain relief!  That’s what we do best!  We get you in quickly as walk ins are always welcome, and take plenty of time visiting with you to find out how we can best offer you relief from your pain!  See us for a complimentary consultation.  We’d love to meet you and to help you get back to feeling your very best

Did you know that Fergus Falls Spine & Injury Center treats many area athletes?  Sports injuries don’t have to put an athlete on the bench!  Dr. McDonald works with a wide array sports injuries on many of our area high school and collegiate athletes!

Dr. McDonald also takes it one step further and keeps in close contact with an athlete’s coaching staff!  Of course, the athlete and his or her parent or guardian give permission to allow Dr. McDonald to share information with the coach so that he or she can best work with that athlete as they continue to progress and heal.

With updates from Dr. McDonald and his expertise in the treatment of sports injuries, the coaching staff knows if and when that athlete can practice or get back to the game, meet or match!   Immediate pain relief and safety for each athlete is the primary concern for Dr. McDonald.

Many athletes find that regular chiropractic care can keep them performing at their best, too!  Give us a call and schedule an appointment!  We’d love to visit with your and your athlete on the best course of care!

Here’s What Our Patients Say!

Maybe you’ve never been to the Chiropractor and you wonder if Chiropractic Care would work for you.  We like to say that Chiropractic Care is a great place to start.  When you come and see Fergus Falls Spine & Injury Center, Dr. McDonald will take time to visit with you.  You have plenty of time to discuss your health and have your questions answered!

“I was so pleased when I visited Dr. McDonald.  He didn’t rush me in and out of his office.  Instead, he took plenty of time to visit with me about my neck pain and how he could offer pain relief!  He told me what the course of treatment would likely be and about how long he thought it might take.  He gave me plenty of time to ask a lot of questions and I felt totally comfortable.”

We hear similar stories from many of our patients.  Dr. McDonald will always take time to really know how you’re feeling and to answer any questions you may have.  We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised as to how effective Chiropractic care can be to relieve your pain!

“I didn’t have an appointment, but I just walked in and Dr. McDonald made room in his schedule to see me!”  That’s right, we even offer walk in appointments!  We try our best to do whatever it takes to provide you with the very best care and the fastest route to feeling good again!