Mt Hope Chiropractic and Wellness | Rochester's Best Chiropractor

Introduction to lower back pain series – How lower back pain is like getting a cold

Getting a cold stinks. In a lot of ways, it affects us much like lower back pain.

It’s a tough, albeit small, period in our lives where we can’t do everything we want or need to do. It’s mentally distracting, and thoughts run through our heads about how long we have to deal with this (or is it ever going to go away), as there is no definitive answer. Amazingly enough, we start to get better. We overcome those worrying thoughts, then eventually our fatigue starts to fizzle, our head feels less cloudy, and taking those first few raw inhales out of those cleared nostrils feels like a momentous triumph.

When dealing with lower back pain, it's important to remember:

We adapt
We are resilient
We are capable of incredible, fast, positive change

In the following weeks, we will discuss a number of common problems we often see in our office that are generated from the lower back and offer some simple advice on how to approach them. As you follow the blog, keep in mind the above mantra as it applies to injury in this very common problem area.

Lower back pain, like most other injuries, is a sign that our body has adapted to our environment in a way that isn’t necessarily ideal for the long term. The beauty is that back pain, like a cold, is a temporary adaptation response to our habits and behaviors. Through our resilience, we can re-adapt in a very short amount of time.

At our office, we help people find those things we need to change, temporarily or long term, eliminating the problem and promoting a prolonged resistance to a return to disorder.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions! We look forward to helping you, the reader, better understand how to keep yourself well.

Leg pain?: A Guide to Sciatica

Let’s face it: sciatica is a big pain in the butt. I’m a newly minted dad and I need to polish up on the elegant art of dad joking! Leg pain, with or without numbness or tingling, can be a huge limiting experience—not to mention emotionally draining. Many people like to think of it as a major setback, with fears of wondering the source, how long it’s going to last, or for that matter, if it’s ever going to go away. For those of you who are presently dealing with it, or have dealt with it in the past, there is some good news. This type of problem is a temporary sensitivity our body has developed based usually on our habits, and we are very capable of re-adapting and overcoming it. With a little detective work, we often can find why we are currently dealing with this, and apply a course of correction. The first big questions you should ask yourself are:

Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?
Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within hours or days)?
Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

Like most problems we deal with in the office, we have to reduce the possibilities of what it is to as few decisions as possible. Sciatica, by true definition, is caused by a nerve or group of nerves originating from the lower back that have become less mobile in their path to where they end. Think of it like a hose that’s being pinched or caught somewhere. Evidence shows that this is actually a LESS COMMON problem of the lower back, and your leg pain may be originating from another, more common, spinal issue which we will discuss in another blog. Sciatica typically presents in the following manner:

It feels the same every time you perform a certain activity
Progress or improvement of symptoms tends to be slower (weeks or months)
Typically accompanied with numbness or tingling

If this sounds like a problem you are presently dealing with, we can help. We can provide the knowledge to approach the source of your problem, both through in-office management, and advisement on correcting the habits that started the problem in the first place; through self-corrective exercise and appropriate coached movement in your environment. Get informed, and get moving.

How to Alleviate Disc Pain in the lower back

There you are, minding your own business living your best life, when out of nowhere you suddenly have back pain or pain in your leg. It could have jumped on you when you woke up, or when you got up out of bed, or when you bent to grab a shoe off the floor. It could have started with something as simple as sneezing, or as complex as catching a heavy squat clean slightly off center. Regardless of the mechanism, lower back or leg pain that's brought on suddenly is most often caused by a change in the behavior of an intervertebral disc. Consider the following:

Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?
Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within hours or days)?
Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

Disc-related lower back and leg pain typically behave in the following ways:

The pain can differ in intensity and location when doing certain activities
The problem gets better or worse, or moves up or down the leg, within hours or days
Numbness and tingling are less common with this problem.

The disc that I keep referring to is a spongy gel-filled structure (the blue stuff above) sandwiched in between each vertebra, or bone in your spine. It acts a lot like a shock absorber that helps to transfer force through the middle of your body, preventing all manner of important structures from being stressed. Many people when thinking they have this problem believe it’s a permanent one, that their disc “slips” and is an unchanging burden for the rest of their lives. Although yes, our body changes as we age, the way our body adapts to these changes is important, and structure is not something we should focus on so heavily. We can’t change structure, but we can change function and improve. A better perspective of how we can improve a disc is thinking about squeezing a balloon. As shown in the picture, the air has to push away from the force that we apply to it. The discs in our back behave the same way. Take sitting for example, if we sit in one particular way all the time (you might even be slouching in a chair right now as you read this) we are applying a specific kind of load into our disc. Let’s say that we do this for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, for years on end, and over time this tissue can get worn out. The wonderful thing about human resilience is that this is a changeable pattern. If we can be taught ways to “squeeze the balloon” in directions that oppose the pattern that upset it in the first place, we can create long-lasting change and get our body out of pain. At our office, we help evaluate and provide the best strategies to help the disc adapt and function normally again. If you or someone you know might be dealing with this issue, we would be happy to help!

Introduction to lower back pain series – How lower back pain is like getting a cold

Getting a cold stinks. In a lot of ways, it affects us much like lower back pain.

When dealing with lower back pain, it's important to remember:

We adapt
We are resilient
We are capable of incredible, fast, positive change

At our office, we help people find those things we need to change, temporarily or long term, eliminating the problem and promoting a prolonged resistance to a return to disorder.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions! We look forward to helping you, the reader, better understand how to keep yourself well.

How to Alleviate Disc Pain in the lower back

Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?
Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within hours or days)?
Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

Disc-related lower back and leg pain typically behave in the following ways:

The pain can differ in intensity and location when doing certain activities
The problem gets better or worse, or moves up or down the leg, within hours or days
Numbness and tingling are less common with this problem.

What is lower back strength?

As we educate our patients about some differences in how lower back strength can present, another question that we get asked often is how to build lower back strength. This is a difficult question to have just an immediate response for, as it depends on the individual.

Is your goal to survive the rigors that a desk job can impact upon us?
Are you involved in a specific sport that has certain demands?
Are you a seasoned power lifter seeking that new personal best on a sumo deadlift?

You can see the answer would be very different depending on your individual circumstances. Building lower back strength is absolutely important to prevent their problems from happening again. That being said, “lower back strength” is important to define correctly. Really, your aim is to teach your back how to become – and stay – stable. If you think about a day in terms of movement, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of small changes in our positioning. If most of these positions are performed poorly, they may lead to problems. Stability can be defined as the ability to resist movement. For instance, when we lift something off the floor, does our back remain unchanged in its position as the rest of the body moves through it to create lift? Does your back look like a tabletop or a sad banana when attempting to lift your grocery bags off the floor of your car? If your back is bent forward, it’s unstable and open to additional and normally unwelcome stress. The best definition of strength, therefore, lies in the ability to learn how to resist these movements. Through resistance we build durability, and durability makes our back less sensitive. Are you able to do this without wobbling? Can you keep your back flat while performing? Do your hips shift from side to side drastically? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may need to get on a short period of exercises to learn how to move better in your day-to-day activity. At our office, we strive to educate people on how to move with better purpose through their day. If you feel like a program like this would be helpful for you, feel free to give us a call and set up an appointment.

Leg pain?: A Guide to Sciatica

Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?
Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within hours or days)?
Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

It feels the same every time you perform a certain activity
Progress or improvement of symptoms tends to be slower (weeks or months)
Typically accompanied with numbness or tingling

Waking up in pain: Explained

Good morning! Well, maybe not so good……that depends on how your body feels! You may have noticed recently that in the morning you’re feeling like you just time warped 20 years and your back or neck does not like waking up with you. Neck and lower back pain in the morning are common experiences for some. Fortunately, we have some explanations and ways to help fix them! Morning pain can be attributed to various factors, and understanding these potential causes can help address the issue. One common reason is related to the body’s overnight recovery process. During sleep, the muscles and ligaments in the back relax and may become stiff, especially if you maintain a certain position for an extended period. The lack of movement can lead to a temporary reduction in blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles, contributing to stiffness and discomfort upon waking. To help alleviate this problem, a key factor to prevention is finding a consistent movement program during the day that can help make these structures more resilient. Another factor contributing to morning back pain may be the choice of sleeping posture or mattress. An unsupportive mattress or improper sleeping position can lead to misalignment of the spine, putting strain on the back muscles. Over time, this strain can result in discomfort and pain, particularly upon waking. It’s essential to ensure that your mattress provides adequate support and promotes a neutral spine alignment during sleep. For more advice, the chiropractors at our office can help you navigate strategies that work best for you. Additionally, underlying medical conditions such as arthritis, herniated discs, or spinal stenosis can cause morning back pain. Inflammatory conditions may worsen during inactivity, leading to increased stiffness and discomfort in the morning. If your morning pain persists or worsens, having an evaluation by a chiropractor can aid in solving it! Often, a key factor in helping out our nighttime or morning problems is creating change in the things we do in the hours we are proactive and awake. Changing our daily routine can often lead to better rest, reducing morning pain. The providers in our office can help with therapy to stressed areas of the spine and muscles, target home exercise, and provide insight into creating a better sleep strategy. Call our office or schedule an appointment online at www.mthopechiropractic.com

Knee Pain

By: Dr. Phil Bechard, DC

Knee pain is a common issue … and one of the most commonly asked questions is “Do you treat knees?” while working on another ailment with someone! Knee pain tends to be generated from injury, aging, or overuse. Mild forms of knee pain tend to go away, but severe, limiting, or long-term knee pain should be addressed through the guidance of a professional. The most common forms of knee pain that we work on in the office include:

Meniscus injuries
Osteoarthritis
Patellar tendonitis

In addition to problems directly associated with the tissue of the knee, knee pain can also be caused by other issues! Often knee pain is generated from other places since it is a very stable joint in the body. If it is suffering from wear and tear, likely, the problem is not necessarily the source that needs to be worked on! This is why it is important to be evaluated so a source can be established and appropriate care for your specific problem can be advised. Below is a list of a number of the most common causes for knee pain that isn’t generated from the knee:

IT Band syndrome
Lower back dysfunction/referral pain
Hip mobility Issues
Ankle mobility issues
Core stability

If you have knee pain and haven’t quite figured out how to get yourself back to the things you are missing out on because of it, even if it has been years, a chiropractor in our office can help evaluate the source (or sources) of your pain and how to address them. If you feel like you’re miles behind because you can’t move forward with your knees, give us a call in Rochester at 585-445-8584 or in Penfield at 5858-445-8605 or schedule online at www.mthopechiropractic.com

Waking up in pain: Explained

Headaches from Neck Pain

By: Dr. Phil Bechard, DC

The relationship between cervical (neck) joints and headaches can be complex. However, some ways in which cervical joints may contribute to headaches include:

Muscle Tension and Posture: Poor posture and muscle tension in the neck and upper back can lead to strain on the cervical joints. This tension can radiate to the head and contribute to tension-type headaches.
Nerve Irritation: The cervical spine houses nerves that extend into the head. If there is irritation or compression of these nerves due to issues like herniated discs or misalignment of the vertebrae, it could result in headaches.
Cervicogenic Headaches: These are headaches that originate from the neck. They can be caused by dysfunction in the cervical spine, such as arthritis, injury, or muscle tightness. The pain is often felt on one side of the head and may be accompanied by neck pain.
Blood Flow: Some researchers suggest that changes in blood flow to the brain due to issues in the neck could contribute to certain types of headaches.

It’s crucial to have a consultation to determine if chiropractic care is the right course of care for your headache, especially if it’s been persisting for a long amount of time. They can conduct a thorough examination, consider your medical history, and determine the appropriate course of action. Our chiropractors will then, if suitable, help you create a plan that includes manual therapy, exercise, and postural advice that should help you break the cycle! If you’re interested in what we can do for you, call our offices at 585-445-8584 (Rochester), 585-445-8605 (Penfield), or conveniently schedule online at www.mthopechiropractic.com

Breaking the Stress Cycle: How Stress Affects Your Body and What You Can Do About It

Have you ever wondered how stress affects your body?

When you're stressed, taking care of yourself often falls to the bottom of the priority list. As Dr. Rob notes, "When people are stressed, they stop drinking water, they stop sleeping well, they stop eating well. They're in fight or flight mode, always putting out fires and not thinking proactively."

This cycle of stress and neglected self-care can lead to chronic pain and other health issues that bring many Rochester and Penfield residents to seek help.

How Stress Affects Your Body

Stress isn't just a mental state – it creates real, physical changes in your body that can lead to pain and dysfunction. Understanding these connections is the first step toward breaking the cycle.

Common Stress-Related Physical Issues

Chronic back pain
Neck pain and stiffness
Tension headaches
Shoulder pain and tightness
Poor posture
Reduced range of motion
Sleep disruption
Increased pain sensitivity

Many people don't realize that what feels like a purely physical problem often has stress as an underlying factor. Just as stress can cause physical symptoms, physical discomfort can increase your stress levels, creating a cycle that needs to be broken.

Breaking the Cycle: A Three-Part Approach

At Mt. Hope Chiropractic & Wellness Center, we understand that breaking the stress-pain cycle requires addressing both the mechanical and functional aspects of your condition. Here's how we approach it:

1. Mechanical Issues

When stress causes you to hold tension in your muscles, it can lead to:

Reduced range of motion
Poor posture
Increased pressure on joints
Muscle imbalances

Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper movement and alignment, providing immediate relief while addressing the root cause of your pain.

2. Functional Problems

Stress can affect how your body parts work together. For example:

Your hip and core muscles may not coordinate properly during movement
Some muscles become overused while others become underused
Your body develops compensatory patterns that cause more strain

Through targeted treatments and exercises, we help restore proper function and coordination between different body systems.

3. Strength Issues

Sometimes, stress leads us to avoid activity, resulting in:

Muscle weakness
Reduced stamina
Decreased ability to handle daily tasks
Increased vulnerability to injury

Our comprehensive approach includes strengthening exercises and guidance to help you rebuild your physical resilience.

Proactive Steps for Stress Management

Breaking the stress cycle requires a proactive approach. Here are evidence-based strategies that can help:

Regular Movement

Take regular breaks from sitting
Incorporate simple desk stretches throughout your day
Maintain good posture during daily activities
Stay active with appropriate exercise

Self-Care Practices

Prioritize adequate sleep
Stay hydrated throughout the day
Make time for stress-relieving activities
Practice basic relaxation techniques

Professional Care

Regular chiropractic care can help:

Maintain proper spinal alignment
Address minor issues before they become major problems
Keep your nervous system functioning optimally
Provide guidance on proper movement patterns

When to Seek Help

Don't wait until you're in crisis to address stress-related pain. Early intervention is key to preventing chronic issues. Consider seeking professional help if you experience:

Persistent back pain
Recurring headaches
Neck stiffness
Shoulder tension
Sleep disruption
Difficulty managing daily tasks

Taking the First Step

At Mt. Hope Chiropractic & Wellness Center, we understand that taking care of yourself isn't selfish – it's necessary. Our comprehensive approach helps you break the stress-pain cycle and develop sustainable strategies for maintaining your health.

We accept most major insurance plans, and no referral is needed to start care. You don't need to wait until you're in severe pain to begin taking care of yourself. Contact our Penfield or Rochester offices today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward breaking your stress cycle.

Remember: The time you invest in your health today pays dividends in preventing future problems. As we often tell our patients, it's much easier to stay ahead of stress and pain than to chase it once it becomes severe.

Leg pain?: A Guide to Sciatica

Does it feel the same every time I do a certain activity?
Has it been moving higher or lower in the leg quickly (within hours or days)?
Is there numbness or tingling associated with it?

It feels the same every time you perform a certain activity
Progress or improvement of symptoms tends to be slower (weeks or months)
Typically accompanied with numbness or tingling

You might need to train your core as a runner if………

You use your old tv as a stand for your new tv?

Nice try Jeff, but the real answer is you should always train your core as a runner, ESPECIALLY if you consistently deal with any of the following:

Nagging hip or knee pain that begins at any time during your run
Plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendonitis
Unbalanced muscle soreness later in the day or the day after running
Lower back or neck pain

How does the core tie into running?

Without getting too complex, when we refer to the core, we typically are referring to the muscles that do a lot of the heavy lifting (no pun intended) in the body, many of which are deeper than the surface and are localized around the lower ribs, torso, and hips. Yes, you can rock a dad bod and still have a solid amount of intrinsic core strength, which is a common misconception. The best way to think about how they apply to running is to think of jumping on a trampoline.

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of breaking in a brand new trampoline, you’ll know how amazing it is at transferring the hop you put into the canvas and allowing you to bounce to amazing heights (especially if you have like 2-3 other people to launch you into the air). As the springs wear down over the years, the canvas takes a lot more effort to bounce into to get high, and often you cannot spring as high as you once could.

The core works in the same way while running. When it works well, the center of our body acts like a spring, transferring energy that we produce from the ground with the push of our leg, and shifting it into our upper body to push us forward. If the springs start to get loose, that push forward still happens, and our body compensates by getting it elsewhere. These compensations are why we begin breaking down and developing physical issues, but luckily we don’t have to buy a new trampoline!

Self-screen

Although there are many other procedures we would do to figure out the best plan for you in the office, one of the easiest screening tools you can do for yourself is a single-leg standing test:

With no shoes on and standing in front of a mirror, simply attempt to stand on one foot. When you do this do you notice:

Does your hip has to glide to the side?
Does your body rotate?
Does your ankle jiggle like a leaf in the wind?
Is it harder on one side compared to the other?

These can all be small signs that an additional investment is needed for you to continue to run without pain. For further assistance, schedule an appointment and we'll get you back to your best, pain-free running self!

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