Pain, neck, whiplash. Have you been feeling a little more clumsy than normal of late? Are you lacking some general coordination in your hands and feet? If so, you may be surprised to learn that these balance and coordination issues could be tied to an issue in your neck and spine. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at how newfound clumsiness could be the result of an issue in your spine. Coordination Issues And Your Spine If you are noticing some subtle decreases in coordination, especially if they are paired with other symptoms like pain, muscle weakness or numbness in your extremities ..read more

They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and the same can be said about treating a medical issue. If you haven’t found relief with your current treatment plan, it’s time to reevaluate the process, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that your treatment plan is to blame. In today’s blog, we explore some of the aspects of your care plan that require reevaluation if you’re just not seeing progress with your current program. Factors To Reevaluate If Treatment Isn’t Working If your back issue isn’t getting any better with your cu ..read more

When it comes to preventing back injuries, many people assume it is what you do before and during exercise or athletic activity that dictates your likelihood of suffering an injury, and that is true to an extent. Taking steps to prepare your body for activity and using proper techniques during exercise can help to reduce your risk of injury, but what you do after exercise can also play an important role in injury mitigation. In today’s blog, we share some ways that you can use your recovery period to protect against back injuries. Avoiding Back Injuries By Recovering Right Your recovery perio ..read more

The natural aging process comes for us all. As we get older, years of stress begins to take its toll on our body, which can end up making once-normal movements a little bit uncomfortable, and that’s certainly true for our spinal column. But how exactly does the aging process affect our spine, and is there anything that can be done to slow or stop this degeneration? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at what happens to your spine as you age. Aging And Your Spine Every day you put your body under different types of stress. Your body may appear to handle these normal stresses with ease, but ..read more

It’s normal to be a little nervous before a surgical procedure, but we don’t want you to be overly stressed about the situation. We want you to be at ease and excited about what’s in store for your future, not stressed and worried about the procedure. In today’s blog, we explore some of the reasons why patients have a misguided view about their upcoming spine surgery. Managing Fears Before Spine Surgery Here’s a look at some of the most common reasons that patients give when asked what’s making them nervous ahead of their spine procedure, and some reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid of your o ..read more

Back pain is oftentimes viewed as a condition that affects senior citizens and older adults, but the fact of the matter is that nobody is immune from back issues. In fact, a growing number of millennials are reporting to their primary care physician or a spine specialist with back pain. Why are millennials reporting more back pain, and what can be done to treat and prevent issues going forward? We take a look at how millennials can manage back pain in today’s blog. What’s Driving Back Problems In Millennials? Millennials were born in the early 1980s through the mid 1990s, meaning they are any ..read more

As your body changes throughout the course of your pregnancy, different areas are forced to handle new stresses. For about half of expecting mothers, this increased stress leads to back pain and discomfort, but for a small percentage of this group, their back pain progresses to a more serious condition known as a herniated disc. When this happens, the soft nucleus of a spinal disc breaks through the fibrous outer disc layer, oftentimes leading to irritation of nearby spinal nerves. As you can probably imagine, irritation or compression of key spinal nerves can lead to a host of symptoms, incl ..read more

Your spine is composed of vertebral bones that are separated by spinal discs. These intervertebral discs act as shock absorbers for the vertebrae they separate and they play a key role in helping your spine flex and move. Like any area of your body, these discs can wear down over time or as a result of an injury. One such issue that can develop with your discs is an annular tear. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at why these annular tears form and how they can be effectively treated. Understanding Annular Tears To understand annular tears, it helps to understand the basic formation of y ..read more

A spring break vacation can be a great way to get out of the cold Minnesota temperatures and spend some time with friends or family, but this major shift in your daily schedule can also cause issues for your back and your whole body. We’re not saying that every choice you make on vacation needs to have the best interest of your health in mind, but know that a spring break adventure can be hard on your spine. If you are already dealing with spinal discomfort prior to your trip, you’ll want to be a little more mindful about caring for your spine on vacation. In today’s blog, we share some tips ..read more

The prospect of becoming a parent isn’t nearly as physically challenging on a man’s body as it is on a woman’s, but that’s not to say that fatherhood is easy on your physical health. Life as a new dad is going to be hard on your body, and it can be particularly hard on your back. Since we’ve already tackled some of the ways that new mothers can prevent back pain, we wanted to use today’s blog to point out some of the ways that new dads can help to protect their spine. Spine Care Tips For New Dads New mothers and fathers face a number of the same challenges, but there are some differences that ..read more