SF Custom Chiropractic

              

How Can Chiropractors Treat Ankle and Foot Pain?

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We’ve all been there before, ankle and foot pain. We might have taken a misstep, rolled an ankle, or even had person to person collision. These small but mighty parts of our body take a lot of impacts and when hurt, can put us out from major activities to even our own daily routine. It’s a good thing our San Francisco chiropractors know a thing or two about soft tissue treatment and healing.

What Causes Ankle and Foot Pain?

You can suspect the obvious causes of ankle and foot pain but what else do you about these causes?

  • Swelling – Swollen ankles and feet can reveal more about the condition of your pain. While swelling that goes away doesn’t commonly cause for concern however persistent swelling could further indicate a deeper rooted health problem.
  • Medication Side Effect – You may tilt your head at this one but it is one to note. There are drugs out there that can cause ankle and feet swelling as one of its side effects. At SFCC we promote holistic healing and encourage you to come see us prior to using medication to treat your pain. We also advise using chiropractic care as an alternative to opiates.
  • Injury – This might be an obvious one to you but it is a crucial one. From sports injuries, to car accidents, to a fall at home, untreated injuries are one of the MOST common reasons why symptoms persist and long-term issues are developed. Don’t put off treating your ankle or foot injury to prevent pain later down the road.

Treatment for Your Pain

We want all of our patients to be able to get back to their active lives pain-free and performing even better. At SF Custom Chiropractic, our experts will perform a full assessment of your body and pain points to help create a custom treatment plan. Your treatments can include a combination of chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue techniques like IASTM to help restore and heal, and massages to help loosen up tight muscles. Contact us with any question regarding treating your ankle and foot pain.

How Stress Impacts your Posture

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stress impacting posture

Poor posture can be caused by a variety of factors from emotional, physical, to chemical reactions in life. Not dealing with life’s stressors could also impact your overall health. Chiropractors are specialists in balancing the whole body no matter where your stress is living. Here’s how you can fix your posture and take preventative steps if stress is knocking at your door.

The Effects of Stress on your Posture

It may seem comfortable at the time to slouch, hunch over or put your body in strange positions due to stress. This can cause poor posture to set in. When you are stressed, muscles tighten and can result in an imbalance support for your spine. When your spine isn’t supported, your nervous system isn’t working at its best and you will start to see the symptoms of stress like: headaches, high blood pressure, anxiety, and it can even lead to heart disease.

When stress leads to bad posture, your body will start to curve while sitting. Your shoulders and head are now set in a more forward direction causing misalignment of your spine. Your breathing can also be impacted while your back, neck, and shoulders may start to feel pain. We all know that when we are stressed it also affects our moods. Seeking care for your body will help alleviate the pain and prevent your body from developing a habit that will only cause you harm and discomfort.

How your San Francisco Chiropractor Can Help

Proper posture is one of our specialties. We not only offer chiropractic services to care for the body but also help educate you on how to take care of your body. If you sit at a desk, we do ergonomic evaluations to help you have the healthiest workspace. If you are feeling stressed, visit our massage therapists to relax those tense muscles and your mind. If you have been stressed for far too long, make an appointment with our wonderful chiropractors to help get you back on a path of wellness. Contact us today!

Reduce Stress with Chiropractic Care

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stressed woman, relief from chiropractic

There’s no hiding the fact that we all get stressed out sometimes. Whether it is an unforeseen event during your day or maybe something you are thinking about for the future, there are many factors that can cause us stress. As holistic healers of the body, our chiropractors and specialists are focused on reducing the stress of your body and mind.

Stress and Overall Health

Unfortunately, stress has made its way into our daily lives and is one of the most common feelings we express. When we are stressed we often use it as an excuse to choose unhealthy options to help cope. It may be choosing foods that don’t benefit your body and mind, it may be putting off our regular visits to the gym, it may be going back to old habits that are harmful to our system. Whatever it may be, it impacts your overall health no matter what. A big outcome of stress is illness and disease. The important part is how you choose to help relieve that stress and make healthy choices that are beneficial for your overall health.

How does Stress Affect our Nervous System?

When our bodies are faced with stress the autonomic nervous system deploys the infamous “fight or flight” response. We know that this impacts our thoughts and feelings, so here is how our nervous system reacts.

  • A threat to the body is detected
  • The nervous system alerts the body
  • Stress hormones are released from the adrenal cortex
  • Your heart starts to beat faster and harder
  • The cadence of your breathing increases
  • The thyroid gland stimulates the metabolism
  • More oxygen flows through larger muscles

Fight Stress with your Chiropractor

From emotional stress to everyday life, no one should be ignoring signs of stress. While we aren’t able to change your outside and environment stressors, we do offer care of the spine which is the root of your nervous system. The nervous system could be blocked from doing its job to manage stressors.

At SF Custom Chiropractic, we have multiple treatments that work together to restore balance inside and out. Our goal to keep nervous systems health and functioning as best as possible.

Make an appointment to speak with one of our chiropractors, massage therapists, or nutritionist about a custom plan to reduce your stress.

Nutrition and Chiropractic: A Healthy Relationship

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There is no doubt about it that nutrition and a healthy life go hand in hand. We are always being told that what we put in our body directly affects the status of our health and how our body performs. This is true, but you already knew that. What you should also know is that visiting a chiropractor every now and then can also help your health just as much. Pair these two together and you set yourself up for optimal health and a stronger body and mind.

nutrition and chiropractic care, sf custom chiro

Benefits of Chiropractic Care and Nutrition 

  • Self-Healing Body – Our bodies are designed to self-heal and regulate. We all have noticed when our bodies are deprived of certain foods or sleep or hydration, we perform differently. It may be subtle, from an athlete having an off day or maybe your body still feels tired even on a Monday at work right after a restful weekend. These are only some and minor signs that your body needs proper nutrition and care in order self-heal and regulate to help you perform your best.
  • Musculoskeletal Health – From injury recovery to simple health maintenance, nutrition plays an important role to help protect your spine. Maintaining a healthy weight is a great goal overall but is crucial to the integrity of your spine. If you are not active or not feeding your body the proper nutrition it needs, the weight gain will put excessive strain on your spine. Not being mindful of your caloric intake can disrupt an injury healing process and also throw off the balance in your body’s joints, muscles, and mind.
  • Mental Clarity – Sometimes we may not realize that the foods we eat affect our mental clarity or cognition. Your brain needs the rights foods to function it’s best, just as your body does. You should know by now that eating junk food or fast food always leaves you feeling a little slow and groggy until your body has rid of the negative ingredients. Some of you may also notice that you have trouble focusing and aren’t as motivated. Eating the right foods and regular alignments together give your body and mind the best chance at fighting for you, healing you, and boosting your overall performance and health.

If nutrition is hard for you, start by making small changes to help develop healthy habits. Swap out that bag of potato chips and go for a piece of fruit. If you are still craving something salty, start by drinking a glass of water,  try taking a walk, or even grab a handful of lightly salted almonds . Foods like almonds, edamame, oranges, and sunflower seeds have calcium which is beneficial to bone strength and can help steer your mind away from worse nutrition options.

Get Healthier with Nutrition + Chiropractic Visits

Take a moment to consider what you eat every day and question if that looks like well-balanced nutrition. Pay attention to how your body feels and consider visiting a chiropractor for a professional consultation in how regular visits and addressing nutrition can help improve your body and mind. Our staff and doctors care about your health and performance beyond your spine.

Contact us for any of our services that are designed to heal, help, and enhance your overall wellness.

Should I Pair Chiropractic Alignments With Working Out?

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Good question. If you are currently exercising or just getting back into the swing of things with your fitness routine you are probably wanting to maximize your workout time. As you ramp up your motivation to hit the gym every day or start training for your next or first race, don’t forget to take care of your body to avoid sports injuries or any injuries. Whether you are winding up for the perfect golf swing or trying to achieve that new personal record, your body could overexert and leave you with a stiff neck or extra sore muscle.

chiropractic alignments and working out, workout routine, SF Custom Chiro

Pairing Chiropractic Alignments with Working Out Can Reduce your Pain

When you pair chiropractic visits with your workout routine you are setting your body up for success. When starting a new program or simply trying to improve your overall fitness level, you will be putting quite a bit of strain on your muscles. You might even be using muscles you’ve never used before or as much. You know that feeling the day after a hard workout, the “I can’t move my body because I’m so sore” feeling. Seeing a chiropractor for regular maintenance will help reduce your pain and keep your body aligned for optimal performance so you can keep up with your workouts and prevent injury. Your joints, back, head and neck are the most common places to feel the most pressure and pain. After an adjustment with us, you will feel energetic and have improved your overall wellness.

Strengthen your Body with Chiropractic Alignments

Some would argue that the whole point of working out is to gain strength and have a healthy body. In the simplest of terms, yes, those are two BIG reasons to workout. If you have a healthy and strong body, it can help you achieve other goals as well as help your body withstand the test of time. When the body is aligned it has a prime chance of performing its absolute best. When you visit your chiropractor and get aligned, your bones, muscles, and joints are relieved of stress allowing them to do their jobs even better. When your body is at its best, there is less room for weaknesses that lead to pain or injury and leaving you with a healthy and strong vessel. A popular instrument to pair your workouts with is a foam roller. This is a great tool to help massage and stretch your muscles to aid in the recovery process.

Want to Add Chiropractic Adjustments to Your Workout Routine? Schedule your Consultation Today!

Our doctors live active lifestyles just like you. They know what your body is going through during exercise and are here to help you. Improve your workouts by adding chiropractic care to your routine and get the maximum benefits from your exercise. An appointment with SF Custom Chiropractic will relieve your pain and set you up for long-term health and wellness.

Give us a call today at (415) 639-9166 or request an appointment here .

Can Chiropractic Treatment Boost Your Immune System?

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Seasons are changing and even though Spring brings warmer weather and the bloom of beautiful flowers sometimes we can still catch that pesky common cold. It is important for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle and be mindful of the food we put into our body so that it is ready to battle sickness and keep us functioning at our best. Taking vitamins like vitamin c supplements can aid in boosting your immune system but can only help so much. Eating the right nutrients and physically caring for your body is vital to boosting your immune system.

Whether you are trying to stay healthy because you are an athlete, or hate taking sick days off of work, consider chiropractic care as part of your health regime for the best results. If you have low back pain that doesn’t subside, seeing a chiropractor will not only help alleviate your pain but help prevent further injury as well as increase the health of your nervous system and immune system so you can go on with your active life!

How Does the Immune System Relate to Chiropractic Care?

The immune system and nervous system partner together to ensure that your body is responding it’s absolute best in fighting infectious organisms and preventing them from entering our bodies. With this relationship in harmony, it sets the body up for proper healing. As you know, chiropractic treatments care for the spine which is also working to protect your nervous system. So, when the spine is misaligned, you guessed it, your nervous system and immune system are at risk for poor healing responses. Use chiropractic care as a holistic and drug-free way to boost your immunity and improve your overall health and performance 

Contact SFCC for the Best Chiropractic Treatments in San Francisco

The time is now to visit your chiropractors at SF Custom Chiropractic for regular visits. Adding chiropractic care to your life will add a multitude of benefits to your body and mind.

If you are looking to increase your immune system, have low back pain, or looking to improve your overall wellness, schedule your first or next visit with us.

The Final Stage of Chiropractic Treatments: Maintenance Care

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“Why do I need maintenance care? I feel great!” Is probably what you are telling yourself. If you are feeling well, that is great, keep it up. However sometimes life is tough, stress is high or routines change and that is when it is most important to come in for maintenance care before symptoms arise. It is always better to be proactive than reactive. Our bodies need consistent care from healthy eating habits every day, to exercise, and check-ups with the doc.  If you have had damage to your spine or strain to your spine through work or lifestyle choices, regular visits to our chiropractic doctors will be beneficial to you. Maintenance care is the final stage of chiropractic treatments that make sure your spine is healthy, supportive, and sustained. What maintenance care means to us is long-term care for long-term health.

SF Custom Chiropractic, chiropractor in San Francisco, chiropractic treatment

Is Chiropractic Maintenance Care Right For You?

Our goal, as chiropractors, is to help prevent recurring issues and keep your body aligned. For example people who have low back problems like bulging discs, herniated discs, and thinning discs, often experience recurring issues. Maintenance care will help the back to stay aligned and avoid future flare ups of pain, they will also help slow the onset of degenerative arthritis.

If you had a hard workout or rough day you can also pair these preventative steps with cold compresses to help alleviate low back pain. A successful recovery is highly important for any injury and preventing one from occurring is even better. Athletes who have had any type of sports injury knows that it takes time for that injured area to heal, that is why so many athletes get regular maintenance care when they have no symptoms in order to be proactive and help increase their overall performance.

Benefits of Chiropractic Maintenance Care With SF Custom Chiropractic

Let us take care of your spine. When you come visit us for maintenance care, we are able to improve posture, enhance athletic performance, detect and correct minor misalignments to avoid serious problems with your spine. This type of frequent preventative care will help you stay healthy at home, at work and encourage a pain-free lifestyle. Maintenance care frequency varies between 2 time a month to every 6 weeks all depending on your lifestyle and stresses you regularly experience.  

If you’d like a consultation or for more information about maintenance care, contact us. You can find us in the Financial District and the Mission/Bernal Heights area of San Francisco.

What Is Runner’s Knee? Our San Francisco Chiropractor Tells All

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San Francisco, CA

Did you know that there is cartilage under your kneecap? There is, and it is a natural shock absorber for when you are pounding the pavement or putting any kind of strain on your knees. Runner’s Knee, also known as Patellofemoral Syndrome, is common among active people who participate in sports or are frequent runners. If you are experiencing chronic knee pain in the area behind your knee cap, there’s a chance that it is runner’s knee.

Runners Knee SF Custom Chiro

It is difficult to always pinpoint the direct cause of runner’s knee. In its basic form, runner’s knee occurs when that precious cartilage under your kneecap breaks down and is worn to the point where it is no longer protective, causing pain. Or, it can happen because your gait or biomechanics are off causing uneven tracking of the patella and resulting in uneven wear and tear. You may develop it because of an injury but the biggest culprit is overuse. You will notice knee pain during even the simplest activities like using stairs, squatting, and kneeling. For those of you who live an active lifestyle, pay close attention to your knees.

How to Prevent Runner’s Knee

Our advice to you is to keep your knee pain in check and focus on your performance . Focusing on your overall health and how you prepare for heavy activity is extremely important for injury prevention. Here are a few more suggestions on how to prevent and treat runner’s knee

Alignment. When your body is in proper alignment your joints and muscles can move in a normal smooth pattern. Which will help prevent unnecessary stresses onto the knees.

Strength Training. When your body is strong, it puts less strain on your knees. Specifically focus on strengthening your hamstrings and quadriceps. Those muscles will help protect your knees during your physical activity. 

Monitor Running Mileage. Keep your running mileage below pain threshold especially if you are starting to experience any amount of pain in your knees. You don’t want to contribute to the biggest culprit of overuse.

Core Exercises. Strengthening your core is not only healthy for your posture, but also for running. Make sure you are pairing core training with your runs.

Stretching. This one is a no brainer. You should always stretch and make sure you are warmed up before a run or any other sport.   

How to Treat Runner’s Knee

Rest. We know that rest is important after every strenuous activity but it even more important during any type of injury and if you are experiencing symptoms of runner’s knee. Don’t try to push if you have runner’s knee because you know that overuse will lead to worsening pain.

ART. Active Release Technique is widely used in athletes and conducted by all of our doctors here at SF Custom Chiropractic. This technique is used to help with almost any type of sports injuries and is used for injury prevention.  

KinesioTape. Doctors use rocktape at our clinics and it is very effective to help support the knee and help the patella track in the right pattern to limit the stress unto the cartilage and soft tissues.

Knee Compression Sleeve. A knee brace or sleeve will help with your recovery. Having compression on your knee will help increase the blood circulation to the joint and aid in a safe recovery.

If you have any questions about Active Release Technique, Kinesiotaping, or chiropractic care, come in and see your San Francisco office to help you recover faster and safer. Schedule your appointment today or give us a call at (415) 639-9166.

Tips for Bay Area Runners: Why You Should Warm Up Before Every Run

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warm up tips for runners in the Bay Area - SF Custom Chiropractic, San Francisco

Why is it important for runners in San Francisco to warm up?

Sure, you may be thinking, WHY take the time to warm up before a run in San Francisco? I’ll just get up and go. Warming up your body is crucial for any physical activity. When your body is warmed up it is ready to endure the training you are about to set out to do. When it comes to running, you use your whole body during every movement, meaning you need to warm up your entire body before putting a short distance or long distance strain on it. Warm up exercises help prevent injury, improve flexibility, and promote better performance. Solely doing static stretches doesn’t cut it anymore and has the potential to lead to more injuries during your runs. Your warm up should take anywhere from 10-30 minutes. The longer the run the longer the warm up.

Warm up exercises to prevent injury and perform better

warm up tips for runners in the Bay Area - SF Custom Chiropractic, San Francisco, warm ups to do anywhere

You can do any kind of dynamic stretching to help you warm up for your run. Successful exercises will warm up your muscles, joints, and raise your resting heart rate. Here are a few exercises to help you get started.

  • Lite jog/walk
  • Butt Kicks
  • High Knees
  • Walking Lunges
  • Side to side leg swings
  • Forward/backward leg swings

Warming up is just as important as recovering. Taking care of your body inside and out will only aid in better and safer performances. Your San Francisco bay area chiropractors at SF Custom Chiropractic are here for you.  

Ask about Active Release Technique and how you can care for your body for the greatest and safest runs with chiropractic care.

Contact us to schedule an appointment or if you have any questions about our services and how they will benefit you. Happy Running!

Are Night Guards Necessary For Teeth Grinding?

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So, you’re suspicious that you’re grinding your teeth at night, your significant other has witnessed you doing it, or your dentist or other health professional is noticing potential side effects of teeth grinding. What comes next? You’ve heard of night guards but are wary of their effectiveness, cost, and benefits.

Before jumping into characteristics that make teeth guards your best option for combating teeth grinding, here’s what to know about your teeth grinding:

The human brain endures lighter and deeper stages of sleep. As it approaches deep sleep, the body releases control of different parts and organs of the body, including the jaw and tongue. The jaw becomes heavy, and the tongue can expand to almost twice its size, both blocking the airway and consequently making it difficult to breathe. Researchers have found that those who experience any blockage at night grind their teeth in order to reopen this airway.

This phenomenon presents an obvious problem — pain — but also has many other consequences. These complications include:

  • Tooth stress fractures
    • These most often appear within the earliest stages of teeth grinding and are most commonly seen on the molars. Many patients confuse the discoloration to be cavities, and without proper treatment, they lose sections of these teeth. When the severity has reached a certain level, only total tooth restoration can repair the teeth
  • Excessive exertion from the upper and lower jaw
    • As teeth become shortened, the upper and lower jaw have to compensate and come together with greater impact in order to chew. This exacerbates the initial issue
  • Eroded enamel
    • Constant clenching and grinding gradually erodes the teeth’s enamel, or the hard, glossy substance that covers the teeth
  • Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Syndrome
    • When excessive pressure on the jaw becomes habitual, patients often are consulted for TMJ Syndrome

teeth grinding SF Custom Chiropratic

Signs you’re grinding your teeth:

  • Headaches
  • Tenderness or pain in jaw muscles
  • Earaches
  • Hearing loss
  • Ear ringing
  • Periodical swelling
  • Inflammation of salivary glands
  • Abnormal dryness of mouth

What should you do if you suspect you’re grinding your teeth?

Whether your doctor has suggested a night guard or you’ve done some research on if it’s really necessary?  If it is only intended to help clenching and grinding your teeth, why wouldn’t someone want one? The only reasons that hold people back from getting one are cost and comfort. Many fail to recognize, however, that wearing a night guard lessens your chances of having to get many other procedures , such as crowns, veneers, bridges, implants, extractions, and root canals, that are ultimately more expensive that investing in a night guard . . . not to mention that a guard prevents any other pain that result from these procedures.  

Dental or other health professionals will likely recommend a night guard to protect your teeth from voluntary habits like clenching and grinding. Here are some facts to know about night guards when considering whether to invest:

  • Function: act as a protective layer between your top and bottom teeth. Without it, your teeth can gradually lose its outer layer, also known as enamel. Once it’s gone, it can’t be replaced, which can lead to many other oral complications
  • How’s it feel: breathing and speaking are done easily and normally. The only drawback is that you should take it out to eat and drink to keep it clean
  • How will it help: with a night guard, you can finally sleep better, rid yourself of headaches, put a halt to jaw aches, and prevent damage to your teeth
  • Cost: a night guard may cost a few hundred dollars if you are to get one from your dentist. However, this lasts a lifetime and prevents many other costly procedures. You also can invest in a night guard online that are much cheaper yet still effective.

What are some other suggestions for teeth grinding?

Although night guards remain your best option for ridding yourself of the damage to your teeth (as well as many other harmful, costly, and uncomfortable complications), there are other solutions that you should do in addition to (rather than only) wearing a guard at night. These include:

  • Stop smoking
  • Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption
  • Include relaxation techniques into your routine before going to bed
  • Reduce common life stresses

Lastly, we recommend that you also ask an SFCC chiropractor about ART to treat tight muscles that result from grinding and contribute to a TMJ. If you would like more information or to schedule an appointment today, get in touch here.