"Motion is Lotion"! I'm guessing that you've heard that phrase in the past somewhere or somehow. It's definitely a catchy phrase spoken by many health care professionals and many fitness gurus when they are trying to encourage people to move their body. Is there any truth to this saying? You bet there is. 

Our body is made to move, we have muscles and joints that allow our body to be dynamic in its movements and also get us from point A to point B. When muscles and joints are not moving for prolonged periods of time, stiffness and aches & pains can develop from lack of movement. 

What about people with osteoarthritis? Osteoarthritis is the general wear and tear on our body's joints as we age. For anyone who has osteoarthritis and is encouraged to move more, they may say, "But it hurts when I move and feels better when I rest!". So why would health care practitioners make that recommendation?

Turns out there is a sweet spot in the level of physical activity shown to most effectively help decrease pain associated with osteoarthritis. Too little movement is pain causing and too much movement is pain causing (the equivalent of "overdoing it"). That sweet spot is unique to every individual but it functions to help their joints become lubricated with synovial fluid (aka joint fluid also aka "the lotion") and their muscles to warm up and loosen out. When this happens the pain associated with osteoarthritis decreases and, in some cases, disappears completely for periods of time! Wonderful! The important thing is to keep up with moving around to be able to stay in that sweet spot for most of the day to keep the pain down. 

Some activities that could be effective for decreasing osteoarthritis pain are:
- Light aerobic activities like walking, going up and down stairs, biking and swimming
- Local strengthening exercises for affected joints like light resistance training with body weight or small weights

If you need assistance with figuring out your physical activity level sweet spot, decreasing pain or increasing muscle & joint mobility, visit your local chiropractor or book today if you're in the Guelph region! We'd be happy to help get you on track! 

 As we've concluded the first full work week of 2020 last week, you may be noticing some stiffness or tightness creeping back in after having spent 40hrs sitting at your work desk. Any prolonged posture or position can increase your chances of feeling stiff or tight and if repeated often enough it could lead to pain like neck pain, low back pain, headaches and midback tightness. Not to worry! Dr. Yee and Kafui are back to help guide you through different mobility exercises and stretches to keep you moving and grooving through your work week! Check out the video below to get the details!

This is something that gets asked a lot, "When should I see chiropractor?" and it's a great question. The Ontario Chiropractic Association says:

"8/10 Canadians will experience back pain at some point in their life, and at least 1/3 of people in Ontario will have back pain at any given time. For many people, the pain can keep them away from work, school or even their day-to-day activities. If pain causes interruptions and restrictions in the activities of your daily life then you should consult a health care provider.

Chiropractors are highly education and extensively trained to assess, diagnose, treat and prevent conditions/disorders of the spine, joints, muscles and nervous systems. These disorders may include back pain, neck pain, headaches, referring pain in your arms and legs, etc.

Many patients including, seniors, find that treatment helps them to maintain mobility and good range of motion. Pain should never become a way of life, especially when there is qualified help available.

There are many reasons to seek chiropractic care: Work, accidents, sports injuries, household chores, even the stress of daily living can cause painful joint and spinal problems. Even if you do not have painful symptoms, chiropractic care can help you maintain healthy spine and joint function."
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In short, if you have pain that is preventing you from doing things you love or need to do, then it's time to visit your local chiropractor to get you back on track to feeling your best. Happy 2020 and stay healthy!