Chiropractic News and Research by ChiroNexus

Knee Arthritis Striking Younger Adults

May 8, 2013

The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in younger adults is increasing, according to a new study published in Arthritis Care and Research. Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is typically thought of as an affliction of the elderly but increasing rates of obesity of and knee trauma means the condition is affecting more middle-aged and young adults. Now nearly one in ten Americans will develop the disabiling condition by the time they're 60 years old, the study shows.

Link Between Obesity, Job Activities, and Back Pain in Women

May 8, 2013

The relationship between obesity and back pain is of great interest to medical research. Both health problems are prevalent and can harm the well-being of patients.

Fibromyalgia Isn't Just a "Woman's Condition"

May 7, 2013

Previous research has suggested that women are significantly more likely than men to have fibromyalgia, but a new study suggests otherwise. The study found that men are almost as likely as women to suffer from the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS).

It's Official: Americans Don't Get Enough Exercise

May 7, 2013

A new study from the CDC found that an estimated 80% of American adults do not meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity. Researchers analyzed data from the 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, which polled 450,000 people in 50 states and the District of Colombia. Carmen Harris, MPH, and colleagues were specifically interested in evaluating levels of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise. They asked respondents to report on their weekly physical activity levels, and then compared those results to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Just over half of adults followed the guidelines for aerobic activity, and 29.6% met the recommendations for muscle-strengthening activity.

Manual Therapy Beats Ultrasound for Back Pain

May 6, 2013

A new study shows that manual therapies like chiropractic are better for back pain than ultrasound therapy. Both ultrasound and manual therapies are common conservative treatments for back pain, and researchers sought to compare the efficacy of the treatments in 455 patients with back pain. The researchers discovered that ultrasound therapy was ineffective; patients receiving ultrasound therapy failed to have significant improvements compared to placebo treatments. Manual therapy, on the other hand, did provide patients with substantial improvements in pain. Nearly two-thirds of patients had at least a 30% reduction in pain, and half of the patients had at least a 50% reduction in pain. Manual therapy patients reported the greatest satisfaction with their treatment and were less likely to depend on pain medications than the ultrasound and sham groups.

Chiropractic vs. Drugs for Pregnant Women with Migraine

May 6, 2013

An estimated 30-40% of women with migraine feel their symptoms worsen during pregnancy, likely because of hormonal changes. These women often wonder whether it's safe to continue their current migraine medications, or if they should seek conservative treatments like chiropractic care. At least one migraine drug should be avoided during pregnancy, according to new FDA warnings, because the drug (valoprate) was tied to lower IQ scores in children.

Smoking Doubles Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis

May 3, 2013

Women who smoke just a few cigarettes per day are twice as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a new study. Also known as rheumatoid disease, RA is a chronic and debilitating autoimmune disease that becomes worse over time. It causes inflammation and pain in the joints and surrounding tissues and can also harm other organs in the body.

Pilates vs. Cycling for Back Pain

May 3, 2013

Health professionals often tout the benefits of exercise for preventing back pain, but should they recommend one form of exercise over another? Will core-stabilizing exercise enhance recovery more than running? Or is any type of physical activity good enough? In a new study from the University of Western Sydney, researchers compared the effects of Pilates and stationary cycling on back-pain treatment. Sixty four people with chronic low-back pain were randomly assigned to participate in a Pilates program or stationary cycling regime.

Headache in Veterans: How Chiropractic Can Help

May 2, 2013

Headache is growing concern in the military, with recent research suggesting that more soldiers are suffering from chronic head pain as result of their service. In one study of 3,621 military personnel who were evaluated within three months of returning from Iraq, soldiers were four times more likely to have migraine than the general population. This increased prevalence of headache in the military is one major consequence of rising concussion rates in soldiers.

Are High Heels Really That Bad for Back Pain?

May 2, 2013

Many women have been chided for wearing high heels, since doctors argue that it can alter the curvature of spine and cause back pain. But recent research shows that this is a common misconception. A study from the Journal of Chiropractic measured lumbar lordosis, or the inward curvature of the spine, in people wearing 3- and 4-inch high heels.