Could your butt be contributing to back pain?

It is always worth asking the question. Back pain, particularly in the lumbar, can hardly ever be pinned down to a single factor. The nerve network is so complex and the muscle network so far reaching, that often what starts out as the root cause leads to developments in other parts of the body. The butt, in particular the gluteus medius, is a good example of this. 

What is the gluteus medius?

The gluteus medius performs the hip abduction function for your body, helping to raise the leg up to the side of the body. As you walk or run, this becomes essential for maintaining a level pelvis and contributing to stability of the lower back. As you raise one leg to take a step forward, the gluteus medius on the opposing side contracts to make sure that the weight of the free leg doesn’t tilt the pelvis down to that side. If your gluteus medius is weak, the weight of the free leg will drop down cause the pelvis to tilt down the opposing side, causing hip pain and lower back pain. 

What can I do about a weak gluteus medius?

Muscle strength and range of motion are crucial for maintaining a stable spine and thus posture while walking, running and standing. With hip abductor exercises, we can strengthen the gluteus medius to prevent the imbalance of weight from causing back and hip pain. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we are Sacramento’s movement specialists; we want to help you understand the mechanics of your body and how they influence pain. Give our office a call to schedule an appointment and stop your butt from causing you pain today!

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Your trapezius could be the most important muscle you are not conditioning

It is certainly one of the least targeted muscles in the weight room. In fact, it rarely comes in for attention until you feel stiff across the shoulders after a day in the office chair. As with most muscles, lack of movement leaves the trapezius contracted and you experience that familiar stiffness in the upper back and neck. It’s no surprise when you consider its location: the trapezius connects from the occipital muscles in the neck down to the lower thoracic vertebrae and influences shoulder and neck mechanics, as well as overhead rotation of the arms. 

Treat your trapezius 

The muscle is made up of three distinct parts: the upper, middle and lower, each performing a different function. The key to working out your trapezius is conditioning each part equally; by doing so, you can encourage a healthy alignment of the shoulders and upper spine. This can go a long way toward preventing the development of spinal conditions down the road.

A stronger set of traps could have you looking better and feeling better

We have given you a few reasons why you might want to pay attention to your traps. Shrugging your shoulders is the simplest way you can start conditioning your trapezius and we can show you ways you can stretch this muscle right from your desk to prevent pain and stiffness from surfacing due to lack of movement. Give our office in Sacramento a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.

Having trouble falling asleep in Sacramento? It may be time to change up your sleep environment.

When it comes to falling and staying asleep, a huge contributing factor is what surrounds you. As we get older, we are going to face more strain on our sleep life- things like stress, caffeine and alcohol consumption and lack of exercise stack the odds against us finding restful sleep. This is before you factor in genetics and the possibility of sleep disorders that can develop with age. It is important to balance these malefactors with things you can control and, quite fortunately, you have control over the environment that you sleep in. 

Establishing your zen den: getting creative with your sleep environment.

When renovating your bedroom to account for more sleep, think about the things that give you the greatest peace. What colors bring you serenity? I bet you could find a hue that looks good on your walls. What smells make you feel relaxed? A bit of lavender in a room can freshen up the smell. This is how you go about creating a zen den. Here are a few other things we came up with: 

• Sleep hygiene: cleanliness is not overrated- a fresh, clean smelling set of sheets goes a long way to helping you relax. 
• Mattress and pillow comfort: when it comes down to value for price, a mattress is one of the best purchases you can make. You spend a lot of time on your mattress, so its worth getting this decision right.
• Control of noise: yes, keep out the bad noise, but do let in the good noise if it helps you sleep. A lot of people find success falling asleep with white noise. 
• Ambient temperature: keep the bedroom cooler so you can get comfy and warm under the blankets.

Pain should not be a part of your sleep environment.

If you are struggling to fall or stay asleep because of pain in your back, joints or muscles, it is time to find and address the root of your pain. We are Sacramento’s specialists in detecting the true cause of dysfunction in the body and we can help you set a course for rehabilitation to get rid of pain and make sleeping easier.  Give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.  

Stretching makes falling asleep easier

To riff on the trend of our last blog, why not try reallocating a few minutes of screen time to the relaxing pursuit of stretching. By stretching in the hour leading up to bed, you will release any lasting muscle tension from the day while promoting relaxation and harmony within your body. By being mindful and practicing deep breathing, you are also nourishing your brain with the oxygen it needs to calm down and switch off. 

You don’t even have to get out of bed to stretch

Forget breaking out the yoga mat- you don’t even have to leave the bed for these simple stretches. The ones we have selected here target the lower back, hip and hamstring regions, places that accumulate a lot of tension during a day spent sitting. All of these stretches start by laying flat on your back (in bed):

• Knee to chest: bring one knee up toward your chest and clasp both hands on your thigh for support. Hold 30 seconds then switch sides
• Spinal twist: bring both knees up toward your chest then lower them down to the right side. Extend your left arm straight out and look over your left shoulder. Hold 30 seconds then switch sides and repeat.
• Hamstring stretch: Extend one leg up as straight and high as possible. Clasp behind the thigh with both hands for support. Hold 30 seconds and repeat with other leg. 

Stretching and sleeping are integral parts of our wellness plan

At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we know that a good night’s sleep is worth its weight in gold. That’s why we want to offer you all the tools at our disposal to help you find the solace of sleep. A great way to start sleeping better is to target long-standing pain in your back- by detecting the true root of your pain and creating a plan for getting better, we will have you sleeping more peacefully in no time. Give our office in Sacramento a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Nothing is more frustrating than tossing and turning while trying to fall asleep 

Some of us have more restless nights than others, but it is always worth investigating the reasons why our brain just won’t fall into that peaceful rhythm that lets us find rest. A factor that is on the rise (and this is no surprise) is the interference of digital devices with our sleep patterns. Screens are keeping us awake because of three main factors:

• The sounds keep us up: bings, chimes and alarms all interfere with the quality of our sleep and can make it difficult to fall asleep in the first place.
• They interfere with melatonin production: the blue light illuminating a face in the darkness. This literally suppresses melatonin production in your brain and interferes with your circadian rhythm. 
• They keep our brains alert by keeping us engaged. Pre-sleep should be devoted to winding down rather than continuing the trend of technology from the daytime. 

Get to sleep easier with a digital detox 

Each night should have at least 30-minutes (and preferably one hour) of gadget-free time before bed. Just like your body needs to be warmed up to exercise with stretching, your brain needs to warm up to the idea of shutting down and sleeping. Avoiding devices for an hour before bed will help you find the peace needed to fall into a deep, restful sleep. A dependable pattern also helps: choosing to go to bed at the same time each night indicates to your body that it is soon time for sleep. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.

Not all goals are created equal

In lieu of our last blog about setting goals for spring-time, let’s talk about how to set goals successfully! The first and most important element of goal-making is being realistic. As it applies to fitness, be honest with yourself and locate yourself on the fitness spectrum- are you truly a person who shuns all exercise, someone who works out casually 3 times a week, someone who walks to say in shape or a more dedicated gym-goer? Locate yourself and feel no shame- we all start from a different point on the spectrum; the important part is that we start at all. 

A checklist for successful goal-setting 

• On a piece of paper, write down your goal. 
• Make it as realistic and detailed as possible- you want to walk 30 minutes a day, stretch for 30 minutes, or complete 3 30-second planks per day. The idea is that you keep it small and easily attainable at first. 
• Choose a way of going about it that will bring you joy: what activity do you enjoy most? If running is not your thing, don’t run! Choosing activities that bring you joy keeps you coming back for more. 
• Choose a time frame that sets you up for success- no more than two months for a short-term goal. 
• Schedule the time: set an alarm on your phone or write yourself a big, bold note on the fridge. 

Set one goal at a time 

This is the foundation from which you will grow. The feeling of success that comes with achieving one goal will spur you on to set and achieve the next one. At our office in Sacramento, we can help you achieve any fitness goals you set for yourself by supporting your body and treating chronic pain. Let’s stack the odds in your favor- give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

New Years Resolutions should be set in spring

It is the time of renewal and a positive change in the weather; the time of color and abundance in produce; if ever there were a season that was geared toward losing weight it would be this one! It’s the time to put the dourness of winter behind and focus on what makes us happy. But how do we start breaking ourselves out of our winter skin to take advantage of the season? By setting goals that are realistic and that take advantage of the season. 

Let’s focus on why we want to set goals for spring first:

• Improve health
• Boost immune system
• Get outside and enjoy the season
• Improve mood

Setting goals that are spring-specific

• Getting outside: walking 30 minutes in the winter is not the same as in spring. Warmer temperatures mean more calories burned. 
• Eat 1-2 pieces of fruit a day, preferably from the farmer’s market or your own garden!
• What activity do you love? Biking, swimming, running, walking- choose the one you like most and schedule a few 30-minute blocs for it in your weekly schedule. 
• Get involved locally: volunteer in the parks, sign up for a community race that supports a good cause and get training. 
• Stretch in the backyard or on the front porch: there’s more to look at! 
• Spring cleaning: Gets your body moving and helps to clear you mind to fight stress!

The earlier you start the better

With spring right around the corner, there is no better time than now to grab a friend and get outdoors. If you are itching to get outside but your body is ailing from a long winter spent inside, give our office in Sacramento a call. We can help you address long-standing muscular and structural dysfunction so that you can get out and pursue the activities you love. Let’s make spring the foundation for a year full of fitness! 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Don’t let flexibility slip away while you work…

….because it will! Sitting hunched over for 8 hours is a behavior that contributes to a steep decline in flexibility as we get older. If you choose to do nothing about it, then you are leaving your body at risk for injury from basic daily motions. Think of all the standing, walking, lifting, twisting and turning movements that you do in a day, many of which are unconscious processes. Now imagine that you couldn’t do these with ease, that simply standing up could cause you pain. That is what is at stake if we let flexibility slip away. 

Can you spare two minutes? 

Instead focus on simple upkeep- 2 minutes an hour to establish a baseline of flexibility and keep muscles tension free; we promise you the effects will be astonishing. Start with these basic movements, all of which can be done from the seated position in your office chair: 

• Gentle twist: sit up straight, inhale and exhale while gently twisting your body to the left, as you look over your left shoulder. Place your right hand on your knee and rest for 10 seconds then repeat on the other side. 
• Release the shoulders: hands off the keyboard, sit up straight and squeeze your shoulder blades in toward each other. Hold 10 seconds and release. 
• Release the neck: sit up straight, place your hand on top of your hand and gently lower your left ear toward your shoulder. Feel the stretch in the opposing side and hold 5 seconds, then repeat on the other side. 
• Forward fold: sit on the edge of your chair, extend your legs with feet hip width apart. Inhale and exhale and fold your upper body down, reaching toward your feet with your hands. Grasp your ankles and rest this way for 10 seconds. 

Use your time at work to preserve flexibility

Now instead of a situation in which you are actively defeating your own flexibility, you are adding to it! This is a crucial difference-maker in our experience as we age and our bodies slow down: flexibility is one of the factors that can make the difference between chronic pain and an old age of independence. Let’s start restoring that flexibility today! Give our office in Sacramento a call to schedule an appointment. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Computer screen headaches are on the rise

For many people, a work day is defined by bodies crunched over, eyes focusing on a bright screen, with the whole office illuminated and a vortex of sound surrounding them. Is it any wonder that a headache could develop out of this kind of sensory stimulation and poor posture? The importance of this illustration is not that a headache could develop, but the fact that there are so many factors contributing to it.

While it is important to determine the true cause of your headache, the computer screen and associated eye strain is quite a common trigger. 

• Resting focus: because of the small text, we keep computers closer than is a comfortable resting distance for our eyes. 
• Eye strain: focusing intently on small text causes eye strain as does switching focus between screen and desk. 
• Lighting: computer work on a bright screen in a brightly lit environment is too much for our eyes to take in constantly and can lead to strain. 

Prevention of computer screen headaches

Let’s focus on ways to lessen the impact of a computer screen as it contributes to your headaches.

• Take a break once every hour to do something completely unrelated to the screen. 
• If possible, turn down overhead lights and adjust the brightness and contrast of your monitor.
• Create a good ergonomic environment that makes posture easy for your body and reduces eye strain. 
• Keep your eyes from refocusing too often; this means from notepad to screen for example. Rapid flitting between two objects is difficult for the eyes. 

Prevention is a key part of our wellness program at Espinosa Family Chiropractic. We believe that many of the maleficent factors in life such as headaches can be negated with enough attention to prevention and to that effect, we offer your our services and expertise to keep you happy and healthy. Give our office in Sacramento a call to schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.

When only stress remains in the day…

Many people complain of not being able to switch off when they leave work- they arrive home to more thoughts of the job and the feeling that they can’t let go. This sends us spiraling into stress when we should be unwinding. As an office of chiropractic, we are primarily concerned with the effect of stress on the body- the tense muscles, tension headaches and shallow breathing that it causes. We have brainstormed a few simple techniques for diverting your mind from the vicious cycle of stress. 

Physical ways to let go of stress: Legs-up-the-wall

It can be hard to remove yourself from the vicious cycle that stress causes, but sometimes you have to get inverted! One of the simplest and most powerful yoga poses, legs up the wall has the benefits of: 

• boosting circulation to the upper body
• relieving lower back pain
• alleviating headaches
• boosting energy
• encouraging lymph and other fluids to drain from the legs

How to do it: 

1. Sit with left side against the wall 
2. Turn your body to the left and bring your legs up on the wall
3. Lower your back to the floor and lie down
4. Rest shoulders and head on the floor 
5. Get buttocks as close to the wall as possible 
6. Let your arms rest extended to the sides.
7. Practice deep breathing and hold for 5 minutes

Progressive relaxation: 

Start breathing in deeply, expanding the belly and holding for 4 seconds. Exhale for the same amount of time. Focus on each breath and the rhythm will help stress melt away. Now add in part two: with each inhale, tense a different muscle group and then let go on the exhale. Dedicating a few minutes to physically unwinding after work will help to keep stress at bay when you are trying to relax at home. Give it a try next time you are feeling burnt out! 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.