Beware of the dangerous change of season…

Greetings!  

Yes, it has happened.  We have definitely made the change from the cold, wet and darker days of Winter, and are entering what I call in the chiropractic clinic, “Sprains and Strains Season.”  It’s that time of year when you can lose your pets and kids in the tall weeds in the back yard, and the time of year when you find yourself doing all sorts of things that you haven’t done in months, and end up tweaking something in a bad way. 

I’ve already seen a couple of doozies this spring!  Oh boy. I won’t reveal your names, but you know who you are. Truth is, it happens to the best of us.  

This is the time of year when outdoor recreational opportunities call your name,  the yard screams for your attention and activities like ball teams start-up full blast, among many other things.  

At Home Depot they use the term “DIY” for “Do It Yourself.”  At Anderson Chiropractic Clinic here in Sacramento, I use the term, “DITM,” that stands for “Did It To Myself.”   

All I can say is, start slow.  Every year I always have at least one guy who joins the softball team, shows up for the first game, hits the ball and then, bam, has to run like heck to first base for the first time in 6 months,  and either pulls a hamstring or gorks a sacro-iliac joint. Yes, gork is a word, at least where I come from.  

If you get yourself gorked, or think you did, and you feel sore in a way you haven’t felt sore in awhile, listen to your body and take a breather. If it is a simple muscle strain, you can rest, stretch , do some light exercise, take an Epsom salt bath, use some ice, or rub on some Biofreeze, and it will be better in 2-3 days max.  If you get yourself really gorked, it won’t be better in 2-3 days, and you probably  gave yourself a sprain. Sprains are usually worse than strains. A sprain means that you tore-up some of your ligaments that have the job of holding your joints together. You may also be misaligned or have what we call, “subluxation.”  Yes that really is a legitimate word! 

If you feel misaligned, have spasms, and the pain is moderate to severe, it is wise to call and get your bones in here.  We can help you understand the nature of the problem, and help you get out of pain and heal properly.  That is key!

So start slow, and ease back into things if it has been a sedentary winter for you. Stretch out and take time to get acclimated to the Spring season, and just say no to sprains and strains!

Enjoy, 

Gregg Anderson, D.C.