A chiropractic exam is a pain- and stress-free procedure that will ultimately provide you with a boost in your quality of life. Through the exam, a chiropractor will be able to determine what steps to take to either correct a problem or to maintain a healthy condition.

The doctor will check the range of motion for various joints, including the neck. How far you can turn your head to the left and right can indicate whether you have a subluxation — the technical term for a misalignment of bones — in your spine. The chiropractor may also examine your spine by palpation — by touch.

Like any other body part, the spine is subject to the wear and tear of daily life and can show signs of aging. Particularly susceptible to injury are the discs that cushion the individual vertebra that make up the spine, and through which the spinal cord passes.

A car accident or other serious trauma, like a fall, are likely causes of back pain. But the pain can develop from a variety of sources that are not quite so obvious. Here are a few of the conditions that can play a role in creating back pain:

A new study shows that reducing daily sitting prevented back pain from worsening over six months. The result strengthens the current understanding of the link between activity and back pain as well as the mechanisms related to back pain.

A new study published in JAMA Network Open experts found the use of gabapentinoids — medicines widely used to treat neuropathic pain — increased the risk of hip fractures, especially in older patients who were frail or had kidney disease. Often seen as a safer alternative to opioids, the gabapentinoid drugs gabapentin and pregabalin are antiepileptic drugs that are considered as first-line treatments for the management of neuropathic pain.

Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. It’s the most common chronic condition of the joints and is estimated to affect some 27 million Americans. It’s sometimes referred to as “wear and tear” arthritis.

We put enough demands on our bodies and back every day without adding the burden of excessive weight. Studies — and common sense — tell us that obesity contributes substantially to lower-back pain and arthritis, and it has a deleterious impact all over the body.

Trampolines are no longer seen just at the circus or at a gymnastic competition. They’re in backyards now around the country. They can be fun, but they have to be treated with respect and caution. Injuries ranging from cuts and sprains to fractures are relatively common. And severe injuries to the neck, back and spinal cord are all too frequent. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind if you’ve bought a backyard model for your kids:

Make sure the trampoline is equipped with high, protective screening that can keep a wayward flying youngster inside the bouncing area.

Your feet are the foundation of your body. They are subject to considerable pressure with each of the hundreds of steps you take every day. When they are working properly, they help keep everything above them in proper line. So treat them right. Here are some things to consider when buying shoes:
• Your foot size changes with age. That’s because the foot spreads. The arch lowers a little and things loosen.
• Have both feet measured every time you buy new shoes.
• Have your feet measured when you are in a standing, weight-bearing position.

With aging comes a tendency for the head and the neck to shift forward from the shoulders. Over time, this tendency will make the upper back more rounded and noticeable. This area of the back is sometimes referred to as the “hump pad,” and it’s a result of the body depositing fat over the newly exposed area. More technically it’s known as upper thoracic hump, a reference to the thoracic part of the spine.