Lifestyle Tips for a Healthy Spine!

Take a look at some tips that will save your back! Its often our daily habits that have a long term effect on our back health. Here are some tricks you can use during daily activities to avoid longterm back pain.

How to Prevent Back Pain While Standing

To prevent back pain, when standing, keep one foot slightly in front of the other, with your knees slightly bent. This position helps to take the pressure off your low back.

Do not stand bent forward at the waist for prolonged periods of time. The muscles in your low back become deconditioned in this position, which may lead to pain.

How to Prevent Back Pain While Lifting

To prevent back pain, at all times, avoid twisting while lifting. Twisting is one of the most dangerous movements for your spine, especially while lifting.

If the item is too heavy to lift, pushing it is easier on your back than pulling it. Whenever possible, use your legs, not your back or upper body, to push the item.

If you must lift a heavy item, get someone to help you.

How to Prevent Back Pain While Sitting

To prevent back pain, keep your knees slightly higher than your hips, with your head up and back straight.

Avoid rolling your shoulders forward (slouching).

Try to maintain the natural curve in your low back.

How to Prevent Back Pain While Reaching and Bending

To prevent back pain, when reaching for something above shoulder level, stand on a stool. Straining to reach such objects may not only hurt your mid-back and neck, but it can also bring on shoulder problems.

Do NOT bend over at the waist to pick up items from the floor or a table.

Instead, kneel down on one knee, as close as possible to the item you are lifting, with the other foot flat on the floor and pick the item up.

Or bend at the knees, keep the item close to your body, and lift with your legs, not your back.

For more information and healthy back tips please visit our website and "Like" Rosa Chiropractic of Alexandria on Facebook.


Dr. Nicholas J. Andolina
Chiropractor, Physiotherapist
Alexandria, VA

Chiropractic Care for the Treatment of Whiplash Injury

It is Important to Stay Active After a Whiplash Injury

One of the most important aspects of whiplash management is for the patient to stay active.  This is a critical part of recovery, unless there is some serious injury that requires immobilization.  Patients should not be afraid to move and be active, within reason. In addition, you should begin stretches to the involved musculature. It is particularly important to follow this program as prescribed by your chiropractor so that you can achieve the best long-term benefits.

Chiropractic Care and Physiotherapy for Whiplash Injury Treatment

Ice and/or heat are often used to help control pain and reduce the muscle spasm that results from whiplash injuries. Other physical therapy modalities, such as electrical stimulation and/or ultrasound, will provide some relief. Chiropractic treatment coupled with an active-care program of exercise and stretching will increase the patient's chance of a rapid recovery.

Spinal Manipulations by Your Chiropractor Can a Help Treat Whiplash Injury

Spinal manipulation and/or mobilization provided by your chiropractor are also a very good technique that will allow quicker relief of pain in many cases of neck pain.

Dr. Nick Andolina

Chiropractor, Physiotherapist

Alexandria, VA

- Whiplash Injuries - 

Chiropractic Care for Turf Toe

Turf Toe Causes the Big to Forcefully Bend Backward

Turf toe is a condition caused when the big toe is forcefully bent upwards. When the toe is bent upwards this stretches the surrounding ligaments past their limits and causes damage to the ligaments and occasionally the outer portion of the bone. 

Pain Worsens When the Toe is Bent due to Turf Toe

One would feel pain in and around the big toe, which worsens when the toe is bent.  It is very important to rest any injury of this nature in order to give time to heal.  Regular icing with compression will help with inflammation and swelling. 

Rosa Family Chiropractic of Alexandria Treats Turf Toe

Here at Rosa Family Chiropractic of Alexandria we can help treat this injury with therapies such as electrical muscle stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound, Graston technique, and strengthening exercises to increase motion and alleviate pain.  Also, being fit for custom orthotics can help reduce the possibility of suffering from this injury.

For more information please visit our website or like us on Facebook. 

Dr. Nicholas J. Andolina
Chiropractor, Physiotherapist
Alexandria, VA