Is City Living Causing You Back Pain?

The hustle and bustle of New York City can truly take a toll on the body, and that’s not just a saying. If living in the city seems to be giving you back problems, making changes in your lifestyle can ease some of your discomfort. For many people, there is no perfect solution to back pain. However, with the help of New York chiropractor Dr. Barry Goldstein, you can control your back pain enough to the point where you can enjoy normal, everyday activities.

To make your subway commute less painful, stand with your legs slightly wider than your hips to evenly distribute your weight to prevent pain in your back and your hips. If sitting, make sure you are sitting up straight with your back touching the back of the chair, while both feet are on the ground. By sitting like this, you are evenly distributing your weight on your ischial tuberosities (your butt-bones); this keeps your spine in alignment.

When walking in the city, New York chiropractor Dr. Barry Goldstein says that repetitive movements can make an existing back pain feel worse. While you walk, make sure to engage your abs by pulling your belly button towards your spine, as if you were flattening your stomach to zip up a pair of tight jeans. Also, make sure to wear the correct shoes if you know you are going to be walking for a good amount of time. Dr. Barry Goldstein says the right shoes can make the world of a difference, so if you like to walk in New York City, invest in a good pair of walking shoes that are not just for fashion, but made with the science of walking and alleviating back pain.

While at work, stretch at your desk and get up at least once every hour to walk around. Regardless of what type of chair you sit in, your head must be straight, not tilted down, when you are typing or reading. It is also pivotal to keep your feet firmly planted on the floor.

For more chiropractic or nutritional questions, contact Dr. Barry Goldstein in New York City today.

Easy Ways to Fix Your Posture

Poor posture can take a serious toll on not only your spine, but your shoulders, hips, knees, and joints, regardless of how healthy you eat and how much you go to the gym. Fortunately, Dr. Barry Goldstein, a NYC chiropractor, can tell you a few ways to fix your posture so you can be sitting and standing up straight in no time.

If you have stiff muscles in the back of your neck that cause your head to lean a bit forward, drop your chin down to your sternum, moving your head only, to stretch the back of your neck. Hold and count to five. Repeat this exercise ten times each day until your posture improves.

If your shoulders are rounded over, the NYC chiropractor says you have a weakness in the middle and lower part of your back muscles. You can lay on the floor facedown, with each arm at a 90-degree angle with your palms down. Raise both of your arms by pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Do not change the 90-degree angle of your arms. Hold this for five seconds. Try doing a few sets of 12 repetitions every day to fix your posture.

As far as going to the gym, NYC chiropractor, Dr. Barry Goldstein, suggests practicing yoga, planks, and doing your squats. These movements strengthen your core to fix your posture over time.

To assess your posture and keep up with your progress, the NYC chiropractor says to take full body photos of yourself in a mirror, one from the front and one from the side. Relax all of your muscles and stand as tall as you can, with your feet hip-width apart. If your ear is in front of the midpoint of your shoulder, your head is too far forward. If you can see your shoulder blade, your back is too rounded. Make sure one shoulder is not higher than the other. Your kneecaps should not be pointing inward.

What to Look for in a New York Chiropractor

Back and neck pain is amongst the worst you can experience, and people who are experiencing pain in those areas are typically desperate to find any way to alleviate it. Rather than rush off to the closest New York chiropractor you can find, you should find the most qualified and best chiropractor in the area.

Doctor Barry has been a New York chiropractor for years, and has a great reputation for putting his patients’ health and fitness before pain medicines and other non-natural remedies that New York chiropractors may prescribe for back and neck pain. It is with that in mind that he offers these tips and insights to assist you in finding a New York chiropractor that will heal you the way you need to long-term, rather than just masking the pain.

Accreditations 

New York City is known for having some of the most prestigious colleges and universities, as well as having the highest standards of education. When looking for a New York chiropractor, look for a chiropractor who attended the New York Chiropractic College or other credible medical institute in the state.

Chiropractic Community

Are the New York chiropractors you are looking for active members of the chiropractic community? Like Doctor Barry, the chiropractor you choose should at least be a member of the American Chiropractic Association or you should stray away from using their services.

Years of Experience

How much experience does the New York chiropractor in question have? Like most fields of study, medical or otherwise, the more experience and the more years that a doctor has been practicing, the higher the chance that they will be able to heal you effectively.

Doctor Barry’s Recommendation 

Look for a chiropractor that has a variety of specialties who can diagnose issues, fix them and create plans that will forever change your health for the better. Don’t let the pain you are in blind you to the fact that you need a doctor who wants to heal more than they want to create a new patient.

The Benefits of Getting Regular Chiropractic Adjustments

If you have ever woken up with a stiff neck, Midtown West chiropractors know that you are familiar with the hindrance that a seemingly small injury can have on your life. While many different treatment options are available and everyone has an opinion about the best solution, chiropractic adjustments and treatments are the most common, go-to option for millions of people around the world. You may be wondering why? It is because adjustments are both non-invasive and cost effective and they work!

Here are some of the top benefits of getting regular chiropractic adjustments:

1. Speedy pain relief.

Chiropractors can quickly identify mechanical issues that are causing spine and neck related pain and can provide immediate relief with a series of adjustments. Dr. Barry Goldstein’s patients walk out of their first appointment feeling notably better.

2. Restores motion to the joints.

Chiropractic adjustments in Midtown West, NY can help restore movement to areas that have “locked up” and may be impinging nerves. Your Midtown West chiropractor can help loosen up the muscles that surround stiff joints.

3. Treats old or new trauma.

It does not matter if you have recently started experiencing back or neck pain or you have been suffering from chronic pain, chiropractors can provide quick and noticeable relief. If you are suffering from any sort of neck, back or joint pain you should consider a chiropractor to reduce pain faster.

4. Helps with stress.

When you’re experiencing pain and cannot go about your usual daily activities, it can take a toll on your body and mind. You may experience stress from not being to complete tasks efficiently which can lead to high blood pressure or you can lose sleep due to discomfort. Adjustments from a chiropractor will help with a speedy recovery so that you can go back to normal faster.

Chiropractic Tips for Gardening

With spring around the corner, you may be starting to plan to head outdoors and breathe life back into your garden. Before you dust off your gardening gloves, however, check out these chiropractic tips for gardening from Midtown West chiropractor, Dr. Barry Goldstein. Happy planting!

1. When lifting or setting down items, always bend from your knees to avoid back strain. Moving clay pots and bags of potting soil can become strenuous, so always maintain proper form when moving these items from one area of your garden to another.

2. Take frequent breaks. Your body can only handle so much strain before it starts becoming tired and more apt to injury. Take frequent breaks from gardening to allow your body to rest; and remember to stay hydrated and protected from the elements.

3. Warm up. Before diving into your gardening duties, always take a few minutes to warm up your muscles and joints with proper stretching exercises. Our local Times Square chiropractor, Dr. Barry, also suggests completing cool down exercises after gardening to minimize the soreness of muscles in the days following.

4. Operate gardening equipment with both sides of your body. As you work in your garden, switch the side of your body you are using to power equipment to equal out your body’s muscle strain.

5. Seek the help of a chiropractor if you believe you have strained a muscle while gardening. Chiropractors, such as our local New York City chiropractor, Dr. Barry, are certified and trained to help alleviate the body of muscle pain. Making an appointment with a reputable chiropractic office is also highly advised.

Tips For Staying Healthy While Sitting at a Desk All Day

For many of us, sitting at a desk on the computer for hours on end is a daily norm. However, you could be hindering your health and you don’t even know it. Start improving your lifestyle at work and use these tips for staying healthy while sitting at a desk all day from our local Times Square chiropractor, Dr. Barry Goldstein.

1. Correct your posture. Bad posture is a commonality among desk workers. When completing work on the computer, pay attention to the alignment of your head, neck and spine. If you find yourself getting drawn into a project and craning your neck closer to the screen, New York City chiropractor, Dr. Barry Goldstein, suggests retracting your chin to realign your spine.

2. Take a break and stand. Make it a point to stand up and move around several times during your work day. Standing and moving throughout the day will increase your energy, decrease your appetite, enhance circulation and improve overall health.

3. Pace yourself throughout your work day. Research has proven that employees are less distracted and more productive when given short breaks to do something other than the work at hand. Stay refreshed and burnout-free by making time for mental breaks throughout the day.

4. Make a chiropractor appointment. Through spinal manipulation and adjustments, chiropractors work to relief back and neck pain in their patients. In his Midtown West chiropractic office, Dr. Barry works with his patients to create an individualized treatment plan that focuses on healing and aligning the body.