Walk to Improve your Back

The days are getting shorter and the weather is already starting to change, but that doesn’t mean you have to be cooped up inside! Fall is the perfect time to start a walking routine. There are many benefits to walking but you have to start in order to reap the rewards!

If you are just starting out, you don’t have to run a marathon to see results. Results may not come right away but if you keep up with a routine and walk everyday, the results will start to show. A routine will help you maintain your weight, strengthen your cardiovascular system, strengthen bones, help with balance and can even make your bad day seem a little bit better. Along with all this, walking also strengthens your spinal structure and improves posture.

In order for walking to benefit yourself, you need to make sure your technique is correct. Remember, walking is a low impact exercise that if done right, will benefit you more.  Here are some things to consider before you begin:

• Make sure yours shoes are the right fit.

• Walk with good posture. Not only will this help your back, it will also help you strengthen your core.

• Dress accordingly for weather and wear reflective gear at night.

• Pick your path wisely. Make sure it is well lit if walking at night and that it doesn’t have obstacles that could hurt you. (i.e. potholes, branches, uneven pavement, etc.)

• WCS- Warm up, Cool down and Stretch! This is very important. If you do all three, then you shouldn’t have any problems before, during, or after your walk.

One thing to keep in mind while walking, go at your own pace. Push yourself but don’t try to “keep up” with anyone else but yourself. You can download apps that will assist you in tracking your mileage. And lastly, always keep motivating yourself and don’t get discouraged. Change your routine if you find yourself bored. Remember this is to improve your health, no one else’s.

Are You Suffering from Whiplash?

If you or someone you love has been in an auto accident, there is a good chance you have heard the term “whiplash”.  After an accident, whiplash is a very common injury to suffer. Whiplash symptom’s can lie dormant for hours, days, and even weeks. It’s best to know the signs of whiplash so that you can get back to normal.

Whiplash is caused by the acceleration of your vehicle to the sudden deceleration of a rear-ended crash. This causes your body to lurch forward rapidly and back causing strain on your neck, back, hips, and even shoulders. If you are suffering from the following symptoms, now is the time to talk to your family doctor or chiropractor.

Some symptoms of whiplash include:

• Neck Pain
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty swallowing
• Irritability
• Dizziness
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Pain in the arms, legs, feet, and hands
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Low back pain or stiffness
• Vertigo
• Shoulder pain
• Nausea
• Ringing in ears
• Numbness and Tingling
• Pain in the jaw or face

Whiplash can cause individuals different problems. But you may not experience symptoms until days or even months after an accident occurs. If you suffer from any of the symptoms listed above, we may be able to help you. If you are suffering from whiplash, give us a call today. We can help evaluate your current situation and plan steps to bring your range of motion back.

Let’s talk about how to keep your spine happy and healthy!

After a long days work do you come home with a sore back? Or how about you spent all day on your feet and no matter what you do your back just aches? As much as we all would love a Jacuzzi, some of us just don’t have the space or money to keep and maintain one.

There are other ways to keep your spine happy and cut back on those aching pains. Let’s start with the most important thing, SLEEP!  The way you sleep and how much you sleep affects your spine. So, if you aren’t getting enough of the z’s you may be straining your back. Your mattress matters, but this is a personal preference. Some people like to sleep in a big fluffy cloud, while others would rather sleep on a rock. It all depends on what makes you comfortable. Just make sure that there is enough support for your spine and neck and that you have a nice comfy pillow.

Let’s talk about your feet. What kind of shoes you wear may cause some distress in your spine. You want to be sure that your shoes fit but aren’t too tight and that they give you enough arch support. Your shoes should help balance you and with the right pair, could help your back!

If you have a desk job like me, you do a lot of sitting. Sitting is all right for a little bit, but it is recommended that every once in awhile you stand up and stretch, or go for a little walk. Sitting nonstop puts strain on your lower back. A new trend in Corporate America is standing desks. These desks can be adjusted to your height to allow the user to stand and work at the same time. So when you need a break from sitting, just adjust your desk and stand for a bit. Being comfortable will also help productivity in the work place.

Exercising isn’t just for looking good; it can also help your spine. The target area for exercising is your lower back and abdominal muscle. By strengthening your core muscle, you are supporting your spine.

See, keeping your spine happy will keep you happy. What is there to lose? You will get better sleep, you can buy a new pair of shoes, you will be more productive at work! Your spine thanks you too!

Source - Stephanie Burke

The Best Way To Sleep

Let’s talk about how you sleep and how making some changes could help benefit your body in the morning.

The position you sleep in has an affect on the way you sleep. That’s right, the position you pick to sleep every night can cause certain things to happen to you. Lets explore the worst to the best position to help you sleep better.

Sleeping on your belly.

If you are a belly sleeper be prepared for neck problems, wrinkles and ladies, your breasts might not be as perky after extended nights of sleeping on your bellies. The only advantage to sleeping on your belly is this position helps those who have a problem with snoring. It helps keep your airways open. If you have neck problems, try and avoid sleeping this way.

Fetal position and/or on your side.

One of these things is not like the other, can you guess? If you said that sleeping on your side was better, you would be correct! The reason the fetal position isn’t good for you, is because while in the fetal position you curve your spine. If you straighten out you are more likely to have less back pain.

Sleeping on your back.

That’s right, sleeping on your back is the best position. Not only does it help keep your back straight but it also helps with acid reflux. The only downside you are more likely to snore while sleeping on your back. This will not impact your sleeping but may affect anyone sleeping next to you.

Regardless of what position is best or worse for you while sleeping, the only thing that matters is if you are comfortable.  If you are comfortable on your belly, you will have better sleep than trying to force yourself to sleep any other way. 

Source - CNN - Mindy Berry Walker

Dr. Allison Brady - Simply the Best!

Johnstown Magazine released their “Simply the Best of 2016” and announced that our very own Dr. Brady won best chiropractor! We are thrilled and can’t agree more with this honor!

Dr. Brady has been at McKolosky Chiropractic since 2012. She is a born and raised native of Johnstown. She graduated from Westmont-Hilltop and received her under graduate from UPJ in psychology and biochemistry. From there, she attended the New York Chiropractic College and graduated with a doctor of Chiropractic and Neuroscience in 2011. If Dr. Brady isn't in our office treating patients, you can find her at Penn Highlands Community College teaching anatomy and physiology I and II. Dr. Brady is very passionate about science and tries to transfer that love and energy to all her students.

Congratulations Dr. Brady! We are so proud of your accomplishment!

Yoga - Go from Ouch to Om!

Can’t bend as well as you would like to? Have you tried yoga? 

Anyone can practice yoga. The whole point of yoga is to find inner balance and strength. It takes a lot of time and patience to achieve what most yogis’ can do.  

 If it is your first yoga class, it is a good idea to speak to the instructor and let them know that you are new. As the class goes on, the instructor will be able to show you different variations of the poses and from there, you can decide which one works for you. Remember you want to build strength so don’t pick the easiest one, challenge yourself, but don’t hurt yourself!

These are just a few physical benefits of yoga:

• Builds strength
• Balance
• Reduce joint pain
• Corrects posture
• Helps keep your body aligned

The mental benefits go right along with the physical:

• Yoga can help you start your day.
• Some yoga stretches before bed can help you sleep better.
• If you had a stressful day, doing some quick poses can help ease your mind and calm you.

There are so many benefits to yoga. If you are suffering from any kind of pain, it may be a good idea to start practicing yoga for yourself. We at McKolosky Chiropractic encourage yoga for a physical, mental, and spiritual exercise. We are located in Richland Township at 401 Theatre Drive Johnstown, PA.

Stop Texting Your Way to Neck Pain

Are you looking down at your smartphone? Is your head tilted forward as you read this? Chances are, yes.This forward positioning of your head is bad for your neck and spine. The term is called "Text Neck," and doctors consider it a global epidemic. 

Dr. Dean Fishman is a chiropractor in Florida who coined the phrase "Text Neck" to explain the repeated stress injury to the body caused by excessive texting and overuse of all handheld devices. Smartphone users spend countless hours per day in a forward head posture reading emails, sending text messages and checking social media. Are you guilty? Many of us are, but teens may be the worst. Parents need to start showing more guidance.

The human head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds. For every inch your head is tilted forward, the pressure on your spine doubles. If you would tilt your head forward at 15 degrees, the weighted pressure feels like 27 pounds, at 30 degreed it’s 40 pounds, at 45 degrees it’s 49 pounds, and at 60 degrees it’s 60 pounds. 

(Courtesy of Dr. Ken Hansraj M.D.)

All the extra pressure puts a strain on your spine and can pull it out of alignment. Dr. Tom DiAngelis, president of the American Physical Therapy Association’s Private Practice Section, compares it to bending your finger back all the way and holding it there for an hour.

Poor posture has been linked to a number of medical problems, including headaches, depression, constipation and heart disease. It also can reduce lung capacity by as much as 30 percent.

Smartphones are a wonderful asset to daily life. Just be mindful and aware of how you use them. Now get up, stretch and go for a walk. When you're done, visit our website at McKoloskyChiropractic.com.

Low Back Pain is a Major Cause of Disability in the U.S.

Dr. Nick McKolosky

This may be an alarming statistic, but approximately one in three people at some point in their life before retirement will have a disability. In 2013, the overall prevalence rate of non-institutionalized working age adults (ages 21 to 64) with a disability in the United States was 10.8 percent, according to the American Community Survey done by the U.S. Census Bureau. In other words, 19,618,200 of the 181,949,900 individuals in that working age group reported one or more disabilities. 

Low back pain is a great cause of concern for many working age adults in the U.S. and it causes more disabilities than nearly 300 other conditions. Low back pain is something that almost all people experience at some point in their lives. One expert said the results are not surprising. “Back pain is the number one cause of lost work days in the US,” said Dr. Anders Cohen, chief of neurosurgery and spine surgery at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, in New York City. Staying in shape is one of the best ways to prevent back pain. It's really important to maintain core strength and flexibility to keep your back healthy.

Are you experiencing lower back pain yourself? It could be because of your everyday lifestyle. Your back is at the mercy of bad habits like: slouching while you sit, lifting and pulling heavy objects, being overweight, not exercising, smoking or wearing high heels. Back pain should not be taken lightly. If the pain is left uncared for, it can result in serious health issues.

If you are experiencing any discomfort or pain, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with our experienced team of doctors and staff. At McKolosky Chiropractic, we take great pride in providing the finest chiropractic care to each and every patient, using the most innovative and effective soft touch techniques. A healthy spine is key to a healthy life.

Call McKolosky Chiropractic and schedule an appointment today at (814) 269-3116.

Visit us online at McKoloskyChiropractic.com


- 2013 Disability Status Report, Cornell University
- WebMD

Understanding the Symptoms of Back Pain

Most people have experienced some form of back pain at some point in their lives. Some causes of back pain are self-inflicted due to a lifetime of bad habits. Other causes of back pain include auto accident injuries, sports injuries and muscle strains. Although many of the causes differ, most share the same symptoms of discomfort or pain.

Are you experiencing the following back pain symptoms?

• Continuous aching or stiffness anywhere along your spine. The spine reaches from the base of your neck to your tail bone
• Sharp, direct pain in your neck, upper back or lower back (often after lifting heavy objects or engaging in other strenuous activity)
• Persistent aching in the middle or lower back (often occurs after sitting or standing for extended periods of time)
• Pain ranging from your lower back to the buttock, down the back of your thigh, and into your calf and toes
• Inability to stand straight without experiencing pain or spasms in your lower back.

These are just a small list of symptoms that cause back pain. If you're dealing with any of these, call McKolosky Chiropractic. We take great pride in providing the finest chiropractic care to each and every patient, using the most innovative and effective soft touch techniques. For over 30 years, patients from the Johnstown community and surrounding area have entrusted their care and that of family and friends to Dr. McKolosky. Call us and schedule an appointment today at (814) 269-3116.