A recent poll found that 90% of people have more pain in their body since sheltering in place. And the number of Americans suffering from anxiety and depression has more than tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is a long article from the American Chiropractic Association, here are the cliff notes if that’s more than you want to read. If you go to a medical provider for pain, you're likely to get a prescription for opioids. Opioids can lead to drug addiction and early death. And possibly down the line, surgery. Patients who saw a chiropractor as their initial provider for low back pain had 90% decreased odds of both early and long-term opioid use. And injured workers with similar injuries are 28 times less likely to have spinal surgery if the first point of contact is a doctor of chiropractic rather than a surgeon. If you read below, you’ll find information about the benefits of exercise for anxiety. Physical Activity can reduce stress and anxiety. It also enhances sleep and your quality of life. But in the article they don’t give you recommendations for exercise while sheltering in place. So I’m going to make a few suggestions from my life. For high intensity exercise, I use WarriorMade.com. For moderate exercise I dance in my living room or sometimes even my office between patients. I jump on a trampoline jogger at home. In summer I swim and in winter I use my Nordic Walking poles to walk by water or in my neighborhood. There’s no doubt that chiropractic will improve your health. I couldn’t do without my chiropractor. Here are some links to find a chiropractor near you with the American Chiropractic Association or if you live in California use California Chiropractor. But even with chiropractic care, you need to do your part too with exercise. As Nike says, "Just do it!"
October is National Chiropractic Health Month 2020 When it comes to your health, get “Active & Adaptive"! With the theme “Active and Adaptive,” National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) 2020 will focus on helping people adapt to the new normal and maintain musculoskeletal health and function in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. After months of sheltering in place, many people are still practicing lifestyle changes necessitated by the pandemic to reduce their exposure: avoiding crowded public areas and working from home, choosing car trips instead of air travel, ordering food and supplies online, and avoiding gyms and other enclosed interior spaces where people gather. As a result, many people are moving less, and some are experiencing pain as a result. NCHM 2020 will encourage the public to adjust to the challenges of staying fit and pain free with a smaller lifestyle footprint by becoming more mindful of movement and posture and by highlighting tips and strategies to help them adapt in healthy ways.
COVID-19: Impact on Musculoskeletal Health & Fitness
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we work and live. Many Americans have shifted to remote work and online learning and are avoiding indoor spaces such as gyms and health clubs. As a result, people are moving less and some are experiencing back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions.
A poll conducted by the American Chiropractic Association found that more than 90 percent of respondents said their patients or people they knew were experiencing more musculoskeletal issues since having to shelter in place at the beginning of the pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic may limit where we can go, but it’s important to remain mindful of our health and try to get enough physical activity daily.
The CDC recommends adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week (or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week).
Even before the pandemic, more than half of all U.S. adults failed to meet the surgeon general’s physical activity recommendations.
Many people are experiencing increased stress and anxiety because of the coronavirus pandemic. Physical activity can improve our mental health as well as our physical health.
The number of Americans suffering from anxiety and depression has more than tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Physical Activity can reduce stress and anxiety and enhance sleep and quality of life.
Musculoskeletal Health is Important to Overall Health
Many seniors, who have a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19, are spending more time indoors. It’s important to remove fall risks in the home and take steps to strengthen muscles, bones and joints.
Deaths from falls among seniors age 75 and over have increased three-fold in recent years and total about 25,000 annually.
An active lifestyle, leading to a higher level of physical fitness, is related to better spinal control in middle-aged men and women.
The Impact of Back Pain
Of all musculoskeletal conditions, low back pain is one of the most disabling, leading to chronic pain, lost productivity and other problems.
Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide.
Back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. One-half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.
Back pain alone accounts for more than 264 million lost U.S. work days in one year.
Chiropractic is a Part of the Solution to the Opioid Epidemic
Back pain has played a significant role in the opioid epidemic, which has worsened in some communities since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nondrug approaches to pain relief such as chiropractic care remain an important option for people looking for relief.
Almost half of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid.
Back pain is one of the leading reasons why people are prescribed opioids.
Patients who saw a chiropractor as their initial provider for low back pain (LBP) had 90% decreased odds of both early and long-term opioid use.
Chiropractic Care Is Essential, Effective and Safe
Chiropractic services are essential to communities. Chiropractors offer a safe nondrug, noninvasive approach to managing back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions that helps take pressure off front-line medical providers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security identified chiropractors as part of the essential healthcare workforce.
Injured workers with similar injuries are 28 times less likely to have spinal surgery if the first point of contact is a doctor of chiropractic (DC) rather than a surgeon (MD).
FUN FACT: Despite its hump, a camel's spine is straight.
