Durham Family Chiropractic

Flexibility

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Take the Plunge

Summer has us looking for the nearest beach or pool to cool down, but did you know that as well as being fun, swimming is a great way to keep fit, stay healthy and make friends. Swimming is a healthy activity that you can continue for a lifetime. It is a low-impact activity that has many physical and mental health benefits.

No matter what your fitness level, there are many general benefits of swimming. A simple half hour of leisure swimming is said to burn 220 calories, in comparison to the 99 calories burnt when walking for the same time period.

Swimming.org has offered us a good reason to take the plunge [Read more…] about Take the Plunge

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Chiropractic for Equestrians by our guest blogger

Horse Riders seem to have that canny ability to put their horse’s needs above their own. I know many horse riders who will have the osteopath or chiropractor out to their horse on a regular basis, but when it comes to their own aches and pains, they are strangely reluctant.

I have received regular chiropractic treatment over the years and have found that this has really benefited my riding position, as well has helping with pain and injury after riding altercations….yes, horses can be dangerous and you can get hurt when you and your horse have a difference in opinion!  I think that my chiropractor Stuart Bennett must just shake his head when I walk in after another riding accident, smelling of horse and generally filthy!!

Let me tell you a bit more about my background, I first sat on a pony when I was 18 months old and that was where my love affair with all things horses began. I have now been riding for about sixteen years and have regularly competed in Pony Club Area and Championship events over the last few years. I have also worked as a groom for a couple of event yards and currently work as a groom and volunteer as a show rider at Kynren, in Bishop Auckland, whilst I finish my college course. I have two horses of my own, purchasing Max, my Irish Sports Horse recently with my hard earned wages. He is my little project and I am hoping to compete him at BE100 by the end of summer. All in all, I get to muck out up to 20 horses a day and ride 6 to 8 so, hopefully my personal opinion and experience counts for something.

It makes logical sense to me that if you are unable to sit correctly on your horse due to pain or muscle tension, then you are going to be constantly stressing your horse’s back which will only cause them to have problems as well. All riding requires a good upright posture, with shoulders back and no slouching. You need to maintain nice soft arms in order to have good soft contact. If you have a load of tension through your shoulders, this is simply not going to happen! [Read more…] about Chiropractic for Equestrians by our guest blogger

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What’s the Crack? by Dr Stuart Bennett

As chiropractors we are often asked this question. We are apparently infamous for cracking backs and necks.

Stuart Bennet chiropractor explains –  What is a crack or a pop? Because quite simply,

We don’t crack bones,

We do adjust joints

The joints we adjust are usually synovial (two bones or more with a joint capsule), which basically contain fluid. This fluid helps to protect your joints acting as a shock absorber.

This fluid absorbs gases from the body,(mostly CO2 and Nitrogen) and when we adjust a joint, we stretch that joint capsule and a small amount of the gas is released and makes a ‘popping’ sound (just like opening a bottle of pop).

Sometimes this popping sound is loud, sometimes quiet and sometimes no sound is made at all.

So here is the secret

  • The crack has nothing to do with what we as chiropractors do.
  • We adjust to increase mobility, stimulate the neurology and realign the spine.
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Be Ski Fit and Ski Safe!

Be safe on the Slopes!

The ski season is almost here with promising looking snow falls in Europe!

Most people believe that ski injuries happen on the first day, but Stuart Bennett DC, who is also a keen skier himself, says, “After three days of skiing and using unaccustomed muscles, skiers become confident but are physically tired and their capability isn’t necessarily matched to their confidence, this is when an injury is most likely to occur”.

[Read more…] about Be Ski Fit and Ski Safe!

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Chiropractic Techniques Explained

At Durham Family Chiropractic, our team of chiropractors offer a wide range of chiropractic techniques to people that are looking to improve their health and wellbeing. Here are a couple of our most popular techniques explained.

Diversified technique is the most common method that chiropractors learn while at University and is the technique that you will most likely experience when visiting a chiropractic clinic. Diversified simply means that it is a diverse method of ways to ‘adjust’ almost all of the joints in the body.

 Advanced BioStructural Correction (ABC) is a specialist method of manipulation that approaches the body in a very specific way in order to improve or restore the normal curvatures of the spine and thus restoring normal nerve and joint function. The body is then able to untwist itself over time, at its own pace and restore normal function and stability.

Webster technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacroiliac joint dysfunction. In doing so, the near-biomechanical function of the pelvis is corrected. Webster technique is more commonly used in pregnancy as sacroiliac joint dysfunction may contribute to difficult labour (dystocia) caused by inadequate uterine function, pelvic contraction and baby mal-presentation. [Read more…] about Chiropractic Techniques Explained

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Are you suffering from hip-pocket syndrome? By Neil Thomas DC

As a chiropractor I am used to seeing people with back problems on a daily basis due to injury, repetitive spinal stress or poor core stability but did you know that a simple thing like wearing your wallet in your back pocket could be the cause of your pain.

80% of people will suffer from an episode of back pain at some point in their lives and a lot of these are easily preventable.

Many men carry a wallet in their back pocket, some for many decades without a thought as to how this may be affecting their spinal health. Wallets can be filled with essential items such as credit cards, driver’s license, cash, receipts and other useful or even useless bits and pieces which can result in quite a chunky piece of pocket-wear.

Imagine this chunky wedge nestled in your back pocket every day while you are sitting on a chair or in your car; one side of your pelvis is now higher than the other instead of being even. The wallet will not only affect your spine but also the tissues and structures underneath the wallet. If you are new to wearing a wallet in your back pocket then you may notice it is slightly uncomfortable at first but then after a while you stop noticing it.  Your body has an amazing ability to adapt and compensate for imbalances and believe me, it will have to do some compensating for that chunky wedge! Let’s talk about why. [Read more…] about Are you suffering from hip-pocket syndrome? By Neil Thomas DC