Friday, July 2, 2010

Can Chiropractic Help My Golf Swing?

Quick answer: Yes. As with any sport or activity, if you maintain your overall health it will benefit you. Let’s look at what you need to play golf with no hindrances. You need to be able to bend and twist, so you need your spine-especially low back; you need your feet so you can walk a certain distance; you need some level of endurance for this too because the more relaxed and less fatigued you get, the better. And don’t forget about your arms, especially hands and shoulders.

I’ve played a certain amount of golf and I can tell you I’ve probably injured my wrists and back the most. Luckily, having a good chiropractor, I quickly get adjusted and my pain is relieved.

So, not only do you need to feel good, have adequate range of motion and some level of endurance, you also need to take care of injuries that arise.

Another thing to think about is posture. Chiropractic treatments help align your spine and therefore correct posture. Can a low swing shoulder, or a tilted pelvis technically affect your golf swing; you bet! Not only that- correcting poor posture and spinal alignment is vital to preventing future injuries.

Seeing your chiropractor is an easy way to take a stroke or two off your game.



CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Is My Weight Causing My Back Pain?

Chances are your body weight is not the underlying culprit of your pain. There human body is made to carry quite a bit of extra weight. Our spine is such that it can bear large amounts of weight if need be.

A problem with weight and being overweight can come into play of course. For example, if you already have spinal degeneration, disc injury, and even joint malpositions, you can imagine putting added stress and force on the spine will not help. It’s like the game Jenga; you stack blocks; if it can’t support itself it will fall and break.

So, like the game, if your spine is crooked and you add more weight it will cause more problems and instability. So many studies have shown us the problems associated with being overweight but back pain is not always a direct result of obesity. I typically find that back pain is often caused by a number of factors combined.

However, if your back pain started since a recent weight gain, it may be one of the precipitating factors, so try to lose those excess pounds.

Unfortunately, what I sometimes see are people who now, because of their pain cannot exercise properly; some can barely walk. Now, because of this, they have put on a lot of weight, making their problem even worse.

Luckily, we have a treatment that is very easy to do and also is able to handle larger individuals. Our drx9000 spinal decompression machine can handle body sizes of close to 400lbs and over 6ft 9 inches tall.



CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:



Friday, June 25, 2010

Chiropractic Treatment can Help with High Blood Pressure


When I was young and deciding what my future was going to be, I followed my chiropractor around his office for a few hours to see what it was like in his shoes. I remember a couple patients having high blood pressure and after the adjustment their bp had normalized.

At the time I didn’t really think that much about it, but I later learned that nerves go to blood vessels also. They don’t just control pain.

I soon learned that chronic hypertension is a common health problem and can lead to one of our #1 killers: heart attack or a stroke to name a couple problems.

In some cases we need medicine, but for chronic conditions like chronic high blood pressure that most likely means you’ll be taking medication for the rest of your life.

It’s been shown with diet, lifestyle changes, and natural treatments like chiropractic manipulation the same results can be achieved.

So, if you’re fine with taking blood pressure medication for the rest of your life, we may not be able to help … But if you need some help on how to change your diet to help high bp and want to see if manipulation can help, give our office a call.

Dr. Matt Bellinger
Glastonbury Chiropractor


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression or chiropractic care.

Additional Reading Resources


Friday, May 28, 2010

"When Is My Back The Most Vulnerable, and What Can I Do To Prevent Pain and Injury?"

There are two times during your day when your low back is at the most risk for pain or spasm. The first is when you wake up in the morning. When you first wake up, the discs in your back are somewhat swollen with excess fluid in the joints of your spine. This is why you are taller in the morning, and also why you are more vulnerable.

Your back is also more vulnerable after you have been sitting for a long period of time. This can be long car or plane trips, or sitting at your desk at home or at work. As you sit, your tendons and ligaments lengthen into the position you are sitting in. The longer you are sitting, the more at-risk you are when you do get up.

It’s important to know when your back is at the most risk, so you can be prepared for those times and know what to do to stay protected and pain-free. When you first wake up, don’t do any twisting or bending right away. Also, avoid sitting down right after you wake up too. It’s good to do simple motions to warm up your back for the day. Taking a walk or doing simple movements will help “wring out” that excess fluid from your spine.

While seated, keep your posture in mind. Slumping forwards will reinforce the risks, so sit up straight. If at all possible, choose seats with good lumbar support. If you are taking a long car trip, stop every hour or so to stretch and walk. If you are on a plane, try to get up during the flight and walk around a bit if possible. Once you’ve landed, do some quick back-bends to stretch before bending or twisting to gather your belongings.

Knowing when you are at risk for injury, and knowing what you can do to prevent it, are great steps toward less back pain. Talk to your chiropractor if you have any other questions on what to do to help keep your back safe.


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in Glastonbury Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:


Sunday, May 23, 2010

Lower Back Pain Relief with the DRX 9000

Glastonbury Chiropractic office offers non surgical spinal decompression as one treatment for lower back pain due to a herniated or bulging disc incl. sciatica
The first stage of care for our back pain patients is to get them pain and symptom relief. The DRX 9000 gets this process going quickly by helping to expand and re-hydrate the discs. This is accompanied by rest at home, drinking more water, wearing a back support belt, and using ice.


The second stage of back pain relief is joint and muscle motion. We start with a series of stretches and start to get our patients doing simple activities like walking. Interferential electric muscle stimulation is also used to help release muscle adhesions and increase blood flow.


The last stage is muscle strengthening. Walking not only promotes joint motion and blood flow, but it also helps to strengthen the core. This is essential to keeping our back healthy and strong. We also utilize some back strengthening exercises as well as balance and proprioceptive exercises.


If you have any questions about DRX 9000 Spinal Decompression, or to find out if you may be a candidate for this treatment, visit http://www.ctbackdr.com/.


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:




Friday, May 14, 2010

Chiropractic: One of the Best Treatments to Correct and Prevent Golf Injuries...

Low Back Pain is the most common injury for golfers...
The most common golf injury is a strain to the lower back. This causes low back pain, loss of motion, and muscle spasm. There are a few reasons that back pain is so common in golfers.

#1 - Poor posture and swing mechanics - It has been shown that with an incorrect swing or unorthodox swing it is much easier to injure your back. This applies not only to tee or fairway shots but putting too. We've all seen some pretty aweful swings out there, some that even look painful. Some instruction from your local golf pro can make a big difference in making sure your swing mechanics are good and safe for your back.

Putting can put alot of stress on the back also. Wether putting or teeing of it's important to have have good posture. Mainly this requires more of an upright posture with knees slightly bent. Keeping the legs straight and flexing the low back forward too much will increase back and disc pressure.

#2 - Lack of a warm up - The pros all have a stretch/warm up routine. They go out on the range and hit some balls before they play. This is not the case for most weekend golfers; they jump right on the course, no warm up, no stretches, and take a big swing for their first shot of the day - a long drive off the 1st tee. This brings me to #3...

#3 - Swinging to hard, and or doing too much - No matter how perfect your swing is, if you overdue it or try to swing like Tiger for the first drive, you may be asking for trouble. Try to swing easier, this will save your body for many more rounds of golf later on. The same goes for playing or practicing too much. Sometimes it can be too many hours on the putting green or at the range that sets your back into spasm and as a result keeps you off the course for weeks.

Consider these three reasons for back injury and use your chiropractor to help correct postural misalignments, keep the spine mobile and flexible, and address the start of any possible back injury or strain.

CT Spine and Disc Center is located in Glastonbury Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Mastercard Commercial With Chiropractor

Just thought it was cool that they used going to the chiropractor in the latest mastercard comercial I saw.

Here's the link to watch it: mastercard commercial

CT Spine and Disc Center is located in Glastonbury Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

Friday, May 7, 2010

My Chiropractor said “Motion is Life!”

Walking Can Help Back Pain
What this means is that our bodies and spines are made of a bunch of moving parts. When these moving parts, otherwise known as joints, shift out of place and get stuck it becomes a problem.

Our backs have 24 vertebrae and 72 joints just in the spine alone, so moving parts will get stuck or shift out of place occasionally.

When things get stuck and can’t move inflammation builds up increasing pressure on nerves; this makes pain worse. So the next time you have back pain keep moving. A lot of times the body will allow things to shift back in place. Not only that, it helps increase circulation, inflammation is able to dissipate out, nutrients and hydration are able to get back into the joints and tissues better.

This doesn’t mean ignore your pain, but try to stick with motions that feel good. Something that works really well is simple walking. Stick with flat ground and something softer (like grass vs. pavement) may feel better.

This is another reason chiropractic adjustments work extremely well. They get joints moving again; this, in turn, relieves nerve pressure and pain.

CT Spine and Disc Center is located in Glastonbury Connecticut - Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:


Saturday, May 1, 2010

Glastonbury Chiropractor Helps Shoulder Pain and Upper Back Pain Patient

Dr. Bellinger has helped many patients over the years with many conditions such as shoulder pain, upper back pain, headaches, neck pain and leg pain. Rich C. has been a long time patient of CT Spine and Disc Center, in Glastonbury CT. He is disc jockey and relies on chiropractic treatment to keep him healthy, strong and pain free. Success Story #38



CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompression

Additional Reading Resources:

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Why Is Back Pain So Common?

Your spine is made up of 24 vertebrae or spinal bones and 72 joints just in the spine alone. Spinal bones connect or join at the disc and at the facets (two on each side). Moving joints will move out of place occasionally.

Your back is like a machine that has a number of moving parts. Things break down, parts need to be maintained, fuel must be supplied.

For your lawn mower, you can run it until it can’t run anymore. If it has a major breakdown you can go out and buy another. With our spine, however, we ony have one and we can’t get another. So we MUST maintain our back and spine health.

It is these factors that make low back pain so common. A lot of us don’t maintain our spine or do things to keep our backs healthy. We run it into the ground, then back and leg pain occurs or something worse. Sometimes we maintain our backs and try to stay healthy, but one of these moving parts, one of our many joints, goes out of place and puts pressure on nerves causing pain.

But, keep in mind, those of us who maintain the backs will have far fewer episodes of back pain, and when and if an episode occurs, it is much easier to fix.


CT Spine and Disc Center is located in central Connecticut- Specializing in patients who suffer from sciatica, disc degeneration, bulging disc or herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Call us at 860-633-8756 to see if you are a candidate for non surgical spinal decompressionAdditional Reading Resources:

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