Tips to Alleviate Back Pain on Your Road Trips from Baltimore Back and Pain Center

Dr. Michael A. Dorn, Jr. DC says, "While road trips can be a great way to save on airfare while seeing the U.S. during the summer, they are not the most ideal situation for people dealing with a history of lower back pain."

With a little planning, long road trips can be fun and relatively pain free. Here are some tips on making your summer road trips more bearable:

Get comfortable immediately: Take the time to make sure you are comfortable from the moment you set off on your trip. The smallest irritant in the beginning can turn into raging pain hours later. If your car seat provides little back support, roll up a towel or pillow and place it between your lower back and the seat for some more support. Don't sit on your wallet, cell phone or anything else that may throw your spine out of whack.

Bring an ice pack: Pack an ice pack in your cooler along with your snacks and drinks. Applying ice for about 20 minutes to where you're experiencing back pain is typically a good way to curtail any pain.

Alternate ice with heat therapy: Alternating ice and heat is often an effective way to combat back pain, so be sure to bring something that can provide warmth for your back.

Exercise at rest stops: Exercise is often a good treatment for lower back pain. Specifically, active back exercises keep discs, muscles, ligaments and joints healthy by distributing nutrients into the disc space and soft tissues in the back. Get out of your car to stretch, walk around to increase circulation and stretch out the back muscles.

Take the back seat: If your back pain is proving unbearable and the back seat is available, use it to lie down and rest. If your lower back pain is nagging, taking a nap may be an effective way to limit the pain.

If you continue to have back pain when you return from your trip, come visit us at Baltimore Back and Pain Center for a complimentary evaluation with Dr. Michael A. Dorn, Jr. DC. Call the office today at 410-662-4476 to schedule an appointment.

Baltimore Chiropractor Shares Ankle Exercises for Beginners

Here is a simple ankle exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.

This exercise works the peroneus longus/brevis, tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius, soleus muscles. The purpose of this exercise is to improve muscular endurance, ankle strength, and proprioception.

By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

• Begin seated in a chair with good posture.
• Extend leg.
• Attempt to write alphabet from A through Z with toes, moving ankle in all directions.
• Repeat with other leg.
• Repeat for prescribed sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

If you find that you are still feeling sore or stiff for more than a couple of days, it is time to consider Chiropractic care and give Baltimore Back and Pain Center a call at 410-662-4476 to schedule an appointment for a free chiropractic evaluation with Dr. Michael A. Dorn, Jr., DC.

Gardening Tips for Avoiding Back Pain from Baltimore Back and Pain Center

Spring has finally sprung in Baltimore and many of us are looking forward to getting outside and sprucing up our yards, tending to our flower beds and just gardening in general. However, gardening is one of the first activities of the spring season where we subject ourselves to sudden bursts of activity and really put our backs at risk.

As much as we look forward to getting out in the garden, we're not looking forward to feeling sore after all the kneeling, pulling, leaning and twisting. After a long winter of not moving our bodies this way, it’s important to prepare our spine, joints, and muscles.

Dr. Michael Dorn of Baltimore Back and Pain Center offers a few tips to help you have a relaxing, enjoyable, and pain-free spring gardening season:

• Warm Up and Stretch: As with any form of exercise, stretching must be done before and after the activity. Stretching should target your back and core, shoulders and arms, and leg muscles.
• Minimize Repetitive Motions: Alternating tasks is a good way to break up the repetitive motions.
• Digging/Raking: Make sure you keep the shovel or rake in front of you and avoid twisting motions. If you need to get to an area on the side, re-position yourself to keep the shovel in line with your body.
• Kneel, Don't Bend: When you bend for a prolonged time, the ligaments in your back are overstretched. To avoid this from happening, keep your back straight like a plank. If you have to bend down, hinge at your hips and keep your spine straight. Use a kneeling pad to protect your knees.
• Lifting: If you are transporting heavy pots or planters, use a wheelbarrow. When you are lifting to put them in the wheelbarrow, make sure to get the power from your legs instead of your back and never twist while holding heavy objects.
• Rest and Hydrate: Make sure you take breaks to stand up straight and stretch about every 15-30 minutes. Bring a water bottle outside with you to stay hydrated.
• Prevention: If you find that you are still feeling sore or stiff, it is time to consider Chiropractic care and give our Baltimore chiropractic office a call at 410-662-4476 to schedule an appointment for a free chiropractic evaluation.