Tag: chiropractic adjustment

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Tech Neck: How Sitting at a Computer All Day Effects Your Body

Written by Luis Echeverry on August 28, 2020. Posted in Lifestyle.

Our bodies are not designed to be sedentary. Nor are they are designed to be bent or hunched over for extended periods. Yet that is exactly what happens to our body almost all day long, every day. 

Thanks to the advancement of technology we can do almost everything we need from a computer or phone. With more time spent on our devices (you’re reading this on one right now), working from home in chairs or couches without proper support, and more and more time watching TV – it comes at a cost. Here we explain technology aka tech neck and the impact on your body:

How Sitting Affects Your Health

Take a moment and think about your typical workday. Besides a couple of trips to the bathroom or the break room for coffee, you are probably seated in your desk chair staring at a computer screen for 7-8 hours a day. And then, after a long workday, you come home and want nothing more than to sit in front of the couch and catch up on your television shows or social media accounts on your phone or tablet and then you retire to your bedroom to lie down and go to sleep. We hope you fit a workout in there somewhere though of course…

A sedentary lifestyle can have a drastic negative influence on our overall health and body. From a broader perspective, we are burning fewer calories, which can lead to increased weight, we are losing muscle and bone strength, and our blood has more problems circulating.

These bigger issues can lead to tens if not hundreds of other issues such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, inflammation issues, weakened immune systems, eye strain, poor posture, and arthritis and joint issues to just name a few.

What is Tech Neck?

“Tech neck” is a relatively new term but refers to the idea that at almost all times you are working at a computer, looking down at your phone, or hunched over a tablet or other devices. Take a sec and mentally check your posture right now; you may need to hear it: sit up straighter.

Why? The muscles in the back of your neck have to contract to hold your head up and when you look down for long periods of time and these muscles have to work harder to keep your head up. This idea of “tech neck” results in stressed muscles, which in turn cause neck and shoulder pain as well as stiffness and soreness.

A worst-case scenario of tech neck can cause pressure on discs that can eventually bulge or rupture causing pinched nerves, which may need surgical treatment.

Alternatives To Sitting

Virtually everyone is susceptible to suffering from tech neck when you spend a significant amount of time in front of a computer or on your phone. But how can the symptoms of “tech neck” be alleviated?

Evaluate Your Workspace

If you spend most of your time in front of your computer, it is essential to evaluate your space.

One of the easiest fixes is to make sure your computer is at eye level. If it is not, your neck is flexed the entire time. Raise your computer so your neck is in a neutral position. 

It is also a good reminder that if you are using your phone or tablet for an extended amount of time to make sure to hold or position your device at eye level so you do not have to tilt your head or look down to view it.

Get A Standing Desk

Standing desks are becoming quite popular and that is due to the positive effects it has when in use. People that use standing desks overall show decreased less upper back and neck pain and felt more productive and focused. We use a standing desk here at the studio; highly recommend!

Get A Properly Fitted Chair

If your chair is too big it does not allow for proper seating posture. You will want to get a chair that has very good lumbar support. This will take the pressure off the neck muscles because you will not be learning forward causing strain.

If you cannot afford a new chair you can also use a pillow behind your back or a footstool for foot support. These are simple inexpensive ideas that can make a big difference.

Get Up And Move!

Look no further than yourself! Make mental – and even physical notes – to remind yourself to get up and move.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand up and stretch, take a quick lap around your home or office every hour, or take a walk outside during your breaks.

Stopping Tech Neck Pains

Let’s face it; computers and phones are not going away anytime soon. While no one wants to suffer from “tech neck” it seems almost inevitable. If you have tried to alleviate your symptoms through some of these DIY remedies and you are still experiencing pain, there is hope!

At Driven Fit, we offer a variety of programs and options that will allow your body to feel transformed, rejuvenated, and restored. We will work with you to create an individualized plan that can consist of massage therapy, chiropractic care, and personal training to focus on strengthening your neck and back muscles.

Call or text us today at 813-440-3016 and let us show you how to alleviate your neck pain and suffering!

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Unexpected Things Chiropractic Care Can Help With

Written by Luis Echeverry on August 13, 2020. Posted in Chiropractic, Lifestyle.

Every day millions of people who suffer from chronic back and neck pain seek chiropractic care for relief. However, what a lot of people don’t know is that chiropractic care is not just limited to alleviating these two ailments!

In fact, chiropractic treatment is one of the safest, most natural, and most effective forms of therapy used to treat a wide range of issues. Here are some unexpected things that chiropractic care can help with…

What Is Chiropractic Care?

Chiropractic care is a form of therapy that focuses on the body’s natural healing abilities. Treatment typically involves manual therapy such as spinal manipulation, however, exercise and nutritional counseling are often included in a chiropractic treatment plan.

At Driven Fit, our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Sponaugle, uses treatments such as stretching, sustained pressure, and specific joint manipulations that are delivered by hand and involve a quick and gentle thrust. Chiropractic care is often the first step in reducing chronic pain.

“There is a vast difference between treating the effects and adjusting the cause.” – Dr. D.D. Palmer

Unexpected Ailments Treated by Chiropractic Care

Immune System Support

What’s the best defense when it comes to preventing illness and overall wellness? A strong and healthy immune system!

For those who get sick often and typically turn to antibiotics, chiropractic care is an excellent way to give your immune system a boost – especially when paired with eating a gut-healthy and balanced diet as well as regular physical activity.

Chiropractic manipulation (and a properly aligned spine) improves the nervous system, thus helping every cell and organ in your body – including your immune system!

Improved Sleep & More Energy

There’s a lot going on right now – for everyone – and it’s not helping in terms of getting a good night’s sleep. In addition to stress, pain and discomfort also play a role in sleeping issues. Enter chiropractic care. Not only can this form of therapy regain healthy sleep patterns, it can also give you more energy.

Manual adjustments help with overall pain and discomfort throughout the body, but specifically help realign the nervous system, thus creating improved sleep quality. In addition, adjustments provide renewed energy by freeing nerves to work more efficiently.

Increased Flexibility

Another unexpected benefit to chiropractic care is improved mobility and flexibility. Whether a sedentary lifestyle has started to wreak havoc or you’re suffering from an injury, your muscles and ligaments can become inflexible and cause pain.

Manual adjustments can improve your range of mobility and help you get back to normal without having to live with pain and discomfort.

Chiropractic Care at Driven Fit

Chiropractic care at Driven Fit + SWS is more than just an alignment. You can also expect:

An in-depth consultation to determine your customized treatment plan
Awareness and education of proper exercise, nutrition, and supplements
Body posture & gait analysis
A specialized assessment and access to a full-wellness solution at our unique wellness studio

Ready to give chiropractic care a try at Driven Fit + SWS in South Tampa? Call our chiropractic team! For a free consultation, please call or text (813) 440-3016 or learn more about our chiropractic services.

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Chiropractic for Carpal Tunnel

Written by Luis Echeverry on February 5, 2020. Posted in Chiropractic, Lifestyle, Rejuvenation.

Chiropractic care is a noninvasive and nonsurgical alternative to healing, and the list of conditions from which it benefits continues to grow – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) being one of them. Here Dr. Sarah Sponaugle takes a closer look at this condition and how chiropractic care is a great treatment option.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

You got the diagnosis, you know that Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common soft tissue repetitive stress injury (RSI) that causes numbness, tingling or weakness in your hand.

It occurs when there is pressure on your median nerve, which runs the length of your arm, through a passage in your wrist (the carpal tunnel) and ends in the hand. The median nerve controls the movement and feeling of all your fingers, except for the pinky.

What Causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

There are several causes for CTS, but the most common is due to performing repetitive motions from work (typing, assembly line employees, hairstylists, estheticians or electricians) or play (golfers, tennis players or cross-stitch needlework hobbyists). Other causes include injury or a decreased nerve supply from certain areas in the spine and neck.

What are the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel?

There is a very specific set of symptoms caused by CTS, yet so often, it is often misdiagnosed. These symptoms typically include:

Burning, tingling, itching or numbness in your palm, thumb or index and middle finger
Trouble holding items or weakness in your hand
Shock-like feelings throughout your fingers
Tingling in the arm

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

At Driven Fit + SWS, the goal of our chiropractic care is to restore and maintain the body’s natural state of health. Here are different ways we relieve the pain caused by CTS.

Reduce Nerve Interference.

CTS is caused by issues located along the meridian nerve, and therefore, the less nerve interference, the less pain you will have. Chiropractic care works to reduce this nerve interference in the hand, arms and spine which allows proper blood – thus reducing pain and discomfort.

Correct Misalignments.

Because the median nerve is connected to the spine, correcting spinal misalignments will allow your body to function at its best, thus reducing the painful symptoms of CTS. Also, we adjust the wrist and hand to remove the nerve interference which allows the brain to send proper messages to your body, and therefore, work more efficiently.

Promote Overall Health.

Chiropractic care is well known to promote spinal health, and in turn, increases overall health. A healthy spine will decrease CTS pain as well as other conditions that can cause CTS symptoms such as arthritis, hypothyroidism, and diabetes.

Related > About Chiropractic Care

Addressing Carpal Tunnel Pain

Are you suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome and looking for a noninvasive treatment option? Driven Fit + SWS can help! For more information on our chiropractic care services in South Tampa, please call or text us at (813) 440-3016.

Dr Sarah Sponaugle Tampa Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic Care for Depression and Anxiety

Written by Luis Echeverry on January 13, 2020. Posted in Chiropractic, Lifestyle, Rejuvenation.

Sadly, mood disorders such as depression and anxiety are becoming more prevalent across the United States. In fact, 18% of Americans suffer from anxiety and depression, and that number seems to be on the rise. Those who suffer from mood disorders are no stranger to anxiety-related symptoms such as physical weakness, muscle tenseness, loss of concentration, inability to relax, and constant worry and fear

Medication has long been the go-to for anxiety relief, however, there are alternative practices that can also help – chiropractic care being one them.

Chiropractic Care for Hormone Balance

Not only does the central nervous system (composed of the brain and spinal cord) control all our body’s functions, it is also largely responsible for impacting the parts of the body that produce hormones.

Misalignments in the spine are common, which can interrupt nerve communication and function and disrupt hormone production. Because hormones influence many aspects of our lives including sleep patterns, weight gain, and mood, a hormone imbalance can lead to health concerns and cause anxiety, depression, or panic attacks.

Misalignments in the spine can also affect the limbic system, which is responsible for our feelings and emotional well-being. This can lead to negative feelings that exacerbate anxiety-related issues.

Chiropractic care will remove misalignments to allow for proper hormone balance and optimal limbic system function, thus increasing feelings of well-being and decreased anxiety.

Chiropractic Care for the Mind-Body Connection

Optimal well-being is when the mind and body are both healthy. When the body is not physically healthy, our emotional health also suffers. At the same time, mental weakness can also lead to physical illness.

Chiropractic care focuses on whole-body health and well-being so each system functions at optimal levels, and as a result, leads to reduced stress and anxiety. Learn more about how we can help you by chatting with Dr. Sarah and the chiropractic team at Driven Fit today!

Chiropractic Care as an Alternative to Medication

In addition to therapy, anxiety and mood disorders have traditionally been treated with medication. However, this may not be the best option. While anti-anxiety medications mask the symptoms of anxiety, the downside is that when medication is stopped, problems will reoccur, or people will develop a dependency to the drug. In addition, there are a ton of side effects such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, jitteriness, among others.

Driven Fit for Chiropractic Care

At Driven Fit, we believe in a whole-body approach to healing. Our resident South Tampa chiropractor, Dr. Sarah Sponaugle, is highly trained in her practice and uses chiropractic care as a safe and natural method to manage anxiety and depression.

Interested in learning more about our chiropractic services? Simply call or text our Tampa studio at (813) 440-3016.

Chiropractic Care for Active Lifestyles

Written by Luis Echeverry on August 15, 2019. Posted in Chiropractic, Lifestyle, Rejuvenation.

“Chiropractic care just makes you feel so much better. When I walk out of the clinic, I feel like I’m about three inches taller and everything’s in place. As long as I see the chiropractor, I feel like I’m one step ahead of the game.” – Tom Brady

Whether you think he’s the GOAT or not, he’s not wrong, chiropractic care is one of the best ways to improve performance and recovery. It is a healing therapy that is a safe, drug-free option to locate, correct and prevent joint dysfunctions. Chiropractic plays a vital role in keeping your body balanced, flexible, and functioning at its best – especially if you’re more active.

How does chiropractic care support an active lifestyle?

Whether you’re a professional athlete, sports enthusiast, or weekend warrior, you are susceptible to spinal injuries or displacement.

Your spinal column – made up of 24 independent vertebrae – is what enables your body to move, twist, and bend during activities. It also helps protect the central nervous system which controls every muscle, tissue, and organ of the body. Subluxations of the spine (a.k.a. joint dysfunctions) can have a negative effect on nerve communication from the brain to the body, often resulting in pain or discomfort.

Chiropractic care helps with relief.

At Driven + SWS, our licensed chiropractor works to identify the source of pain and eliminate joint restrictions or subluxations which can prevent proper nerve communication from the brain to the body.

While seeking relief from pain, we recommend multiple visits per week for several weeks or until the pain subsides. Dr. Sarah may also recommend home therapies such as icing and stretching to help between sessions.

Chiropractic care helps with recovery.

Even if the pain from an injury subsides, athletes should continue receiving chiropractic care as muscle or soft tissue damage may still be present. During the recovery period, we recommend one to two chiropractic visits per week in addition to doing strength exercises at home.

Chiropractic care helps with wellness.

Even when an athlete feels healthy, routine chiropractic care can help improve health and well-being and serve as an early detection system for new issues. We will recommend maintenance visits based on your specific needs along with a balanced diet and exercise program.

If it works for the pros….

An estimated 90% of all world-class athletes use chiropractic care to prevent injury and improve performance with the following:

Increased range of motion
Decreased muscle soreness from intense workouts
Reduced recovery time
Increased flexibility and performance
Enhanced immune functionality
Natural pain relief for the joints, back, neck, leg, knee, ankle, foot, shoulder, arm, elbow, and wrist and conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia, and carpal tunnel syndrome

If you are an athlete at any level and are interested in chiropractic care for relief, recovery, or maintenance visits, please call or text our South Tampa wellness center today at 813-440-3016.

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What’s That Sound? Chiropractic FAQs

Written by Luis Echeverry on April 25, 2019. Posted in Chiropractic, Rejuvenation.

Are you curious about visiting a chiropractor, but also skeptical as well? At Driven Fit + Sponaugle Wellness Studio Tampa, our chiropractic care focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of issues with the spine, nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems to restore total body health. Our chiropractor, Dr. Sarah Sponaugle, uses a holistic approach and takes into consideration the many variables that affect health such as diet, environment, rest, and exercise. Here we answer some of the more common questions about chiropractic treatments.

What is a chiropractic adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment (a.k.a. spinal manipulation) is a procedure performed by a highly trained chiropractor who uses his or her hands (or a small instrument) and applies a low force in a specific direction to a specific joint. This is a quick and gentle movement that is neither forceful nor painful.

What is the goal of a chiropractic adjustment?

The ultimate goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to improve body mechanics and correct subluxations (what occurs when one or more spinal vertebrae move out of position and create stress or irritation of nearby nerves, preventing the body from functioning normally).

The adjustment helps to eliminate any interference to the nervous system, improve spinal function, and overall health.

What is that sound I hear?

Sometimes the adjustment can produce a cracking or popping sound. This is absolutely nothing to be alarmed by and is completely normal.

When the chiropractor moves joints to the body’s end range, a little bubble of gas is released from the joint capsule called joint cavitation. This release of gas can sometimes create a popping sound. Anyone new to chiropractic treatments may think their bones are cracking. We promise this is not the case!

Are chiropractic adjustments painful?

Not at all. However, some clients will experience temporary soreness or achiness after an adjustment – comparable to the soreness felt after a workout. Typically, the adjustment has the opposite effect and relieves pain immediately.

Are all patients adjusted the same way?

No. Each adjustment is as unique as each client. There are hundreds of ways to adjust the spine, and each person is adjusted based on their body types and specific needs. At Driven Fit + Sponaugle Wellness, Dr. Sarah applies the best adjustment technique for each individual.

How many treatments will I need?

Again, each client is different, and therefore each person will have a customized treatment plan based on his or her needs. Chiropractic treatments can range from just a few days to several weeks, depending on the severity of the condition.

Still wondering if chiropractic care is for you? We’re here to help! Please call or text us at (813) 440-3016 with any questions or to schedule a free consultation with our South Tampa Chiropractor.

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