Pregnancy: Before, During, & After

Did you know that over half of women experience back pain during their pregnancy?  Do yourself a favor: For a healthier and happier pregnancy, be prepared for what is to come.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Some common symptoms of pregnancy are headaches, mid-back pain, low back and leg pain, pubic bone pain, and rib pain. These ailments can continue for months or years after birth if not properly treated.

CHANGES DURING PREGNANCY
There are several changes that happen during pregnancy besides the obvious change in physical appearance.

1. Your lumbar curve increases to accommodate the weight of your protruding abdomen. This causes more pressure to be put on the sacroiliac joints and facet joints in your low back.
2. A pregnant woman goes through extreme biomechanical changes. Not only is she carrying more weight, and carrying it all out in front of her, but all of the activities she performs must accommodate for her physical changes. She must teach herself new ways of moving and accomplishing her daily tasks. The abdominal muscles have an important role in reducing the stress on the joints in the spine and keeping them healthy. With the growth of the uterus, the abdominal muscles are stretched and weakened, which puts increased stress on the spine.
3. The hormone relaxin is released to promote relaxation of the ligaments in your pelvis to allow expansion for the upcoming birth.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT RELAXIN
The tricky thing about hormones is that they cannot be released only to your pelvic ligaments. They are released into the bloodstream and affect all of the ligaments of your body, putting you at increased risk of
injury, inflammation, and pain at all joints of your body.

Unfortunately, along with allowing your pelvis to expand, relaxin also causes instability and abnormal motion of your sacroiliac joint, pubic symphysis, and other joints that can cause considerable pain.

Relaxin stays in a woman’s body for up to 6 months after giving birth. When relaxin slowly begins to be flushed out of your system, your ligaments begin to once again tighten up in order to stabilize your
joints. If you have had any trauma to any of your joints, no matter how minimal the damage, your joints can begin or continue to move abnormally, which can cause them to be inflamed and painful. No amount of
stretching will correct these joints. Only a trained professional can restore motion to the joint to ensure its proper function.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PREVENT OR MINIMIZE BACK PAIN DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?

1. Keep yourself healthy if you are planning on becoming pregnant. Eat a healthy diet, exercise, and concentrate on strengthening your core muscles.
2. Be sure you are on a prenatal vitamin supplement when you get pregnant. This is not only good for your growing baby, but it keeps your body healthy, too.
3. Stay active during pregnancy, but be sure to rest frequently. Don’t start a brand-new aggressive exercise program when you find out you are pregnant. If you are an extreme athlete, try to tone things down a little bit. If you don’t exercise, ask your Chiropractor about beginning a strengthening program specific to your needs.
4. See your Chiropractor to keep your spine healthy during this time of increased stress, especially if you are having back pain regularly.
5. Continue to stay active after you give birth, especially during the period when relaxin is leaving your body. Keeping your joints moving will keep them healthy.

WHAT CAN CHIROPRACTIC DO?
Chiropractic keeps your joints mobile, helps decrease muscle spasm, and helps decrease pain. This is especially important during the course of pregnancy as your body is changing dramatically in a short amount of time.

During the birthing process, if your joints have been kept healthy and are able to move properly, it will allow your pelvis to expand as needed in order to make room for the infant to pass.

After giving birth, regular Chiropractic adjustments during the time relaxin is leaving your body will keep your joints aligned and moving properly to avoid long-term postpartum musculoskeletal pain and other
associated conditions.

Don’t let pain interfere with your time as a new mom and enjoying your time with your new baby!

THANK YOU, PATIENTS!

The greatest compliment our patients give is the referral of their loved ones.
We appreciate that you trust us enough to recommend a loved one into our care.
Your continued thoughts are much appreciated.

Dr. Bobendrier and Dr. Huynh were happy to be apart of this year’s History Fest.  This event occurs annually during the second week of October.  This year, both doctors volunteered their time with the Mankato Area Jaycee’s, helping with the log cutting and the iron branding stations.

History Fest – Playfully Preserving History

History Fest is held annually during the 2nd weekend of October at the McGowan Farm, Mankato, Minnesota.

Kids get hands-on learning experiences with periods in history and have the chance to interact with other adults outside of their own home that widens their horizons.

Get a taste of what it was like in days gone by….you’ll find a variety of entertainers and activities ranging from re-enactors of 17th century Scotland and the Old West to belly dancers and fire-eaters, launching a catapult, cider making, cannon shooting and so much more. CHILDREN CAN GET HANDS-ON-LEARNING EXPERIENCES THAT WILL MAKE LEARNING ABOUT HISTORY FUN! IT IS ALL ABOUT THE KIDS AND PLAYFULLY PRESERVING HISTORY! Every school age child will have the opportunity to attend through their school.

Support History Fest and keep it going for our kids!

Discover Chiropractic believes that it is important to have a fun, but also safe Halloween.  One of the many concerns of parents relates to the safety of the candy that their kids bring home.  This year, Discover Chiropractic is doing their part to help re-assure parents that their trick-or-treaters will be as safe as possible.  Parents will be glad to hear that we will be offering FREE x-rays of candy and goods their children collect during Halloween.

Be sure to bring your trick-or-treaters to Discover Chiropractic on Friday October 31, 2008 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM for a free x-ray of their candy, and also enjoy treats and fun!

WHY IS DISCOVER CHIROPRACTIC DOING THIS?

Growing up, we have all heard the horror stories and concerns from our parents about some of the dangers that can be present while trick-or-treating, and in the treats that we gather.  There was always that story of the mean old lady down the street that would put needles and razor blades in the candy she handed out.  These fears not only concerned parents, but would also put a damper in any kid’s day thinking about what could happen to them on a night that should be fun and exciting.  We feel it is especially important that we all do our parts in making sure that night is fun, but also safe.

We have heard of local hospitals providing free x-rays to inspect candy goods for foreign objects in the past.  We have found that many parents choose not to use this option for many reasons, ranging from it being too crowded, not liking to be at a hospital, or it just being out of the way.  This year, we are blessed enough to be in the position to be able to provide this service for those who wish to participate.  At least this will give parents one more option if other options are not convenient.

WHAT CAN X-RAYING HALLOWEEN CANDY FIND?

X-rays provide a great way to inspect for foreign objects, especially metal materials, that may be hidden.  However, x-rays can not detect all possible signs of harm, including candy that has been tampered with chemicals, liquids, powders, other types of foreign substances, etc…It is important that parents keep an active role in their children’s health and education on these concerns.  Follow some of the tips below to make sure your kids stay safe and have fun on Halloween.

Halloween Candy Safety Tips:

• Examine candy wrappers carefully.
• Do not let your kids consume any candy before you inspect it.
• Pay attention to any foods that your kids may have allergies to.
• Discard candy with any punctures or tears in the wrapper.
• Discard candy with any sign of being unwrapped.
• Discard candy with wrappers that are discolored or faded.
• Discard any unwrapped candy.
• Discard candy from unknown manufacturers or sources.
• Discard home wrapped treats from unknown sources (cookies, popcorn, baked goods…).
• Inspect fruits for punctures.
• Discard fruits that are from an unknown source since toxins may not be visible.
• Keep control of the area your kids do their trick-or-treating, staying out of unfamiliar neighborhoods.
• Don’t forget about the local business or malls that provide safe avenues for young trick-or-treaters.
• Make sure kids brush their teeth after eating candy to help prevent cavities.
• Be the parent.  Take control of how much candy and how often your kids consume it as candy contains high volumes of sugar and other chemicals that are not intended to be consumed in high volumes and frequency.
• Make sure you kids don’t go trick-or-treating hungry to decrease the temptation to gorge.
• Once candy has been inspected, ration out an appropriate amount to consume and place the rest in an area that is out of reach and out of sight.

Halloween Safety Tips:

• Make sure your kids can safely walk through neighborhoods, especially when it gets dark.
• Carry a good flashlight, attach glow sticks or reflective lighting to kids’ costumes.
• Plan ahead and know the neighborhoods and routes before trick-or-treating.
• Travel in groups and do not walk in between parked cars.
• Never let kids go to the door alone.
• Never let kids go inside a home alone.
• Stay in well lit areas, as opposed to dark lawns or alleys.
• If crossing the street, cross at the crosswalks.
• Make sure masks are big enough to allow for as much peripheral vision as possible.
• Costumes should not be too long or big to prevent tripping and stumbling.
• Try to use flame proof materials for costumes; if homemade, make sure kids are careful around pumpkins or anything with candles.
• Be especially careful around sharp objects.
• Props such as displays with fake swords, pitch forks, knives, etc. should be made of a safe soft material.
• Keep your yard safe for other kids by keeping it clean, putting away bikes and toys, and keeping it well lit.
• Drivers should be cautious and drive slowly, especially through residential areas.
• Don’t let kids carry large bags, as the tendency is to carry more candy than they should.  Kids are susceptible to sprain or strain injures as well.  If you are concerned that your child may have been injured, don’t wait. See your doctor right away.

Our newsletter has arrived!  This month is the first edition of our newsletters.   This month features plantar fasciitis.  You can read this newsletter here, or click the picture below for the printable pdf.

You must have Adobe Acrobat installed. Download the latest version for free. If you’re having trouble downloading this newsletter, right-click the picture and choose “Save Link As” or “Save Target As” and save them to your computer.

Along with this newsletter, we will be conducting the first of our free seminar series on many different topics.  The first seminar will be Wednesday October 1, 2008 at 6PM.  This is FREE of charge, but please call to reserve a spot as spaces are limited.

WHAT IS PLANTAR FASCIITIS?
Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain in today’s population. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the plantar fascia, which originates on the bottom of the foot at the heel and runs to the base of the toes. The plantar fascia is built to transmit weight across the bottom of your foot and also to act as a shock absorber for the body.  When the plantar fascia is not functioning normally, it can become inflamed and the weight of each step is transmitted directly to the bottom of the calcaneus, which may result in heel spurs.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain at the bottom of the heel at the attachment point of the plantar fascia. It is usually described as a burning or stabbing pain, which may radiate along the bottom of the foot to the base of the toes. The pain is most severe in the morning upon getting out of bed. This is because the plantar fascia contracts overnight, and the pain will gradually decrease upon movement and stretching throughout the morning. The pain can be aggravated by long periods of standing or sitting, or by jogging, running, walking, and other forms of activity.

CAUSES
Plantar fasciits can be acute or chronic, depending on the cause. The plantar fascia can become inflamed due to tearing, overuse,or trauma to the tissue. This can be due to one traumatic event, or it can be over a long period of micro-trauma to the fascia.  Common causes of trauma to the plantar fascia include:

• Structural problems of the foot, such as hyperpronation (flat-footed) or hypersupination (high arches).
• Wearing shoes with inadequate arch support or with hard soles.
• Occupations that require a lot of standing, especially on hard surfaces such as concrete.
• Obesity.
• Highly active people, especially runners.
• Women have twice the incidence of plantar fasciitis than men.

COMPLICATIONS
Acute plantar fasciitis may become chronic if ignored. It may also cause heel spurs to form on the bottom of the calcaneus, which are permanent and may have to be surgically removed. When a person is having significant pain in one foot, he or she will subconsciously change the way he or she is standing or walking to accommodate to the pain, which means putting more stress on other joints in attempt to take pressure off of the painful foot.  When plantar fasciitis flares up, a person may experience knee, hip, or back problems due to changes in the biomechanics of walking or standing. This can cause long-term problems in other joints in the lower extremity and/or back.

TREATMENT
There are several treatments available for plantar fasciitis. Medical intervention may include anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroid injections, or surgery. Other treatment options include orthotics to ensure proper foot support and specific stretches to be done daily. Other pain relieving techniques include ice, massage to the bottom of the foot, reducing high impact activities to low or no
impact, or reduction of mileage of runners.

CHIROPRACTIC AND PLANTAR FASCIITIS
There are several ways chiropractors treat plantar fasciitis, but a very effective method of treatment has been found to be Graston therapy, combined with Chiropractic adjustments along with heat and cryotherapy.  Graston therapy is a soft tissue technique aimed at breaking up scar tissue and adhesions to promote the rebuilding of scar tissue in the correct line of force to strengthen the muscle, increase flexibility and movement, and promote normal function of the soft tissue. Graston therapy incorporates the use of stainless steel tools that are used to detect and treat scar tissue within muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and all other forms of soft tissue. By breaking up this poorly formed scar tissue and encouraging the body to form healthier and stronger scar tissue, the plantar fascia will be allowed to move properly and will no longer be irritated, inflamed, or painful.

PREVENTION OF PLANTAR FASCIITIS
There are several ways to prevent the inflammation of plantar fasciitis. First and foremost, maintain a healthy weight to reduce impact on your feet. Wear supportive shoes and/or wear orthotics to ensure the proper support your feet need. Do not wear old worn-out athletic shoes—ever. Before doing any activity, do a proper warm up.  This will soften your muscles, ligaments, etc. making them more pliable and less prone to injury and tearing. Lastly, do calf and foot stretches in the morning before getting out of bed, especially if you are already having heel pain in the mornings.

For more information about Plantar Fasciitis, Graston therapy, or Chiropractic, please join us at our FREE Plantar Fasciitis seminar on October 1st at 6:00 pm.

THANK YOU!

Thank you to team Heart Beaters for their efforts in raising money for the Relay for Life event for cancer research.

Top Referrals of the Month

The greatest compliment our patients give is the referral of their loved ones.  We appreciate that you trust us enough to recommend a loved one in our care.  This month we would like to congratulate and thank Pam for referring the most patients to Discover Chirpractic!

It has been a very exciting start here in Mankato.  We are very pleased to have met so many wonderful people.  These past few weeks have been very busy, but very rewarding.  We wanted to take the time to thank everyone for all their help.

For those who have not seen this page in awhile, you will notice various changes.  We have and will always appreciate any and all feedback.  Please let us know if we can do anything else for you.  For now, please take the time to see some of the changes we have made to this site, including the new videos in our Activator and Graston sections.

We’ve joined the Facebook Business Community! If you haven’t seen it yet, please visit the Discover Chiropractic page there.

If you have not visited Facebook before, you will want to know that Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Anyone Can Join Facebook

All that’s needed to join Facebook is a valid email address. To connect with coworkers or classmates, use your school or work email address to register. Once you register, join a regional network to connect with the people in your area.

Discover the people around you

Facebook is made up of many networks, each based around a company, region, or school. Join the networks that reflect your real-life communities to learn more about the people who work, live, or study around you.

We are officially planning our Grand Opening Week during July 21st through the 25th. Throughout the week there will be fun and prizes. Also during this week, we will conduct two Open House events for all to attend.

Ribbon Cutting: Monday July 21 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Join us at our first open house event, which will include our ribbon cutting ceremony. Food and drinks will be provided.

Ice Cream Social: Tuesday July 22 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Join us at our second open house event to escape the hot weather! Ice cream and toppings will be provided.

Bring your FRIENDS and FAMILY!

The next Relay for Life will take place Friday July 18, 2008 at 5:00 PM at the Ray Erlandson Park located at 101 N. Belmont, Mankato, MN. Discover Chiropractic is sponsoring team Heart Beaters, which is also comprised of Dr. Debra Bobendrier and Dr. Cuong Huynh.

We welcome everyone to join us at the event or make a donation to team Heart Beaters. All proceeds go towards the support to fight cancer. The Relay for Life is a community event that the American Cancer Society conducts in all areas of the country. The next event will be at no other than Mankato, MN.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Cancer affects millions of people across the globe and many people right here in our hometown. By making a donation, you will be a part of Relay For Life® to celebrate survivors, remember the people we’ve lost to cancer, and fight back against this disease.

For more information about the Relay for Life, visit the American Cancer Society.

To make a donation, please call us at 507-720-0742!

Did anyone really think we were going to take a honeymoon and not open up for business the Monday following our wedding? Well, as of Monday June 16, 2008, Discover Chiropractic officially opened its doors.

There is still quite a bit of work to do, so we hope everyone will understand as we slowly make the transition. Many good things are in store. Until then, we would eagerly like to welcome our first patient. Congratulations, Jillian!

We would like to thank everyone involved in helping us get to where we are today.