chiropractic is natural

Chiropractic is Natural

Why so many people are drawn to chiropractic is because chiropractic is natural. Chiropractors don’t add or subtract from your body. We work with you in your current state. We help you to improve your health by optimizing your structure.

The body’s structure dictates how it functions. If you have poor structure in the form of bad posture, tension, arthritis, poor walking pattern and/or subluxations in your spinal column you will not be at 100% health.

You want 100% health don’t you? I find most everyone answers yes to this question. Health is the new wealth. If you do not have your health, does it really matter how much wealth you have?

Do you maintain your car? Do you change your oil regularly? If your tires are worn out and winter is coming, wouldn’t you change your tires? Do you flush the fluids, change the spark plugs, etc…? Why do you do these things? The answer as you know is to extend the useful life of their automobile. Do you maintain your body as good as you do your car? Do you perform body maintenance at all?

Chiropractic is such an easy and effective way to keep your body running at it’s peak. It is one of the simplest things you can add into your routine that will pay dividens over the years.

Chiropractic is natural, safe, effective and a cost-effective way to optimize your health!

If you have questions about chiropractic and how you can best start incorporating this great service into your health improvement schedule, please give us a call or email and I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Click https://bourdagechiropractic.com/appointment-request/ to request an appointment.

Do you have a short leg?

Have you been feeling off balance lately? Do you have lower back pain? Do you have a short leg?

I always look at my patients legs/feet when they are laying on the adjusting table. I learn a lot about what is going on with a person’s spine from observing their legs.

When one leg is shorter than the other, like the picture on the left, it tells me there is something going on with the person’s spine that needs to be addressed. This patient you see in the picture has been suffering from lower back pain for the past 3 months with no relief.

I discovered he needed an adjustment at L5 which is the very bottom of his spine right above the sacrum. After I adjusted his back I took the picture on the right. You can see how much more balance this created in his body and spine.

What Causes a short leg?

This question is not so simple to answer. The short answer is that it is usually many different factors. Things like poor posture, habitual leg crossing, a fall on the tailbone, a lower extremity injury that changes how you walk, muscle spasms, sciatica, or even a tight muscle or neck injury can do it.

The key is to have a trained chiropractor examine your spine to determine why this condition presents itself and then more importantly, correct that issue.

Very rarely is the shorter leg due to one leg being anatomically shorter than the other. It is most commonly a neuromuscular issue causing this problem.

If you are feeling out of balance or if you have noticed one pant leg doesn’t line up with the other one (common things people tell me in my office) then it’s time to get it checked out!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steve Bourdage DC

what's that cracking noise?

What’s that cracking noise?

What’s that cracking noise? Does it hurt?

These are two of the most common questions people ask me when they begin chiropractic care in our office. Let’s dive into these two questions.

  1. What is that cracking noise when I get adjusted? The most simple answer is that it is a release of air pressure. When you have a spinal joint that is not moving freely like it is designed to, air can get trapped within the joint space. When we apply a specific, chiropractic adjustment to that joint it creates more movement and releases the trapped air. Not all adjustments, and not all people will experience cracking. The sound is not a sign of a positive result. What is most important during and after an adjustment is that there is more movement and better positioning. This is the sign of a successful adjustment.
  2. Does it hurt? Again the short answer here is no, it does not hurt. Most often it actually feels really good to have an adjustment. You can see a lot of videos of people being adjusted on TikTok and other various social media platforms. If you have never been adjusted they may look painful to see. Once you experience an adjustment for yourself you will see how great they actually feel.

Do you have any other questions that we can answer for you? If so please feel free to email me at Drbourdage@bourdagechiropractic or give us a call at 773-545-9379.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Crawl for Core

Crawl For Core

One of my favorite exercises to improve your overall health, strength and fitness is crawling. Crawl for core strength and stability. For most adults it has been decades since you have been on all 4’s crawling around. If you watch how babies and kids move, they are pliable, nimble and agile. The can spend extended time in a deep squat, they can fall down and bounce right back up, and they crawl around on the ground. All of these movements are natural human movements that we should continue to perform even into adulthood.

Benefits

When performing the crawling exercise, not only are you engaging your full body musculature, you are also firing neurons in your brain. The cross crawl pattern of moving your opposite extremities at the same time has been shown in numerous studies to be beneficial to the brain. Patients that suffer from Alzheimer’s and dementia have been shown to have positive effects of practicing cross crawl exercises. Anytime we can find exercises that benefit both brain and body…I’m a fan.

I use crawling mostly as a warm up before my other workouts. I set a timer for 5 minutes and try to keep crawling for that whole time. Beware, it takes time to work yourself up to a 5 minute crawl. If you are not ready for that yet, start small. I recommend crawl for one minute, rest for 2 minutes. Repeat 3-5 times. Sometimes, if I am not working out or if it’s a rest day, I will still get down on all 4’s and crawl. I feel so much better physically after I crawl for core, and it also wakes me up. I always feel more alert after.

There is no shortage of ways to incorporate crawling into your routine. Please give it a try and let me know your thoughts.

Your Chicago Chiropractor,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

The Best Ab Exercise You Are Not Doing

As a chiropractor here in the Chicago area, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “How can I get my abs and core to be stronger?” This is a great question and there are plenty of exercises to accomplish this. See the video below for one of my most favorite exercises. This exercise does not have a name, so I call it the best ab exercise you are not doing.

As you can see in the video above, this exercise will have you coordinating movements of your hips and shoulders through your midsection. This is very different than most ab exercises that have you moving only your upper torso or legs at once. This engages your whole body which is why I love it! The human body is designed to move as one unit, not separated out into isolated body parts. I also like this exercise because it does not put a lot of stress on your shoulders like a plank can. It is also quite stress free to the lower back, unlike old school sit-ups.

If you find yourself going in circles while doing this exercise, you are not doing it correctly. Stop, reset, and try again.

In conclusion, try the best ab exercise you are not doing and let me know how you like it. Personally, I do 10 reps in each direction, rest shortly then do 8 in each direction, rest, then 6, rest, and so on all the way down to zero! Be ready for a serious ab burn!

If you would like to make an appointment with our office please click here https://bourdagechiropractic.com/appointment-request/

Your Chicago Chiropractor,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Do This to Prevent Back Pain

86% of Americans will miss work due to having lower back pain. In some countries across the world, there are populations who experience no lower back pain. What do you think they do that we do not? Here are some options, make your guess and then click the link below to see a 1 minute video of me giving you the answer and explaining what you can do to be more like them! 

Do they:
1) Walk over 20k steps a day
2) Sleep on the floor
3) Poop without a toilet
4) Not wear shoes

Watch my video for the answer and tip you can start utilizing today:

Chiropractic and Exercise

A lot of patients ask me if chiropractic and exercise should be done together? Did you know receiving chiropractic adjustments can help you to make the most of your exercise program. Chiropractic helps exercise, and exercise helps chiropractic. Let me explain more..

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5 Tips for Optimal Health

There is so much information out there about what’s best for your health. Trends will come and go, but there are foundations which everyone should practice. Like building a house, having these foundations in place will give you a solid start. Here are my 5 tips for optimal health.

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Is Chiropractic for Me?

Many people who have never been to a chiropractor may find themselves asking, “Is chiropractic for me?” If you find yourself asking this question please read on. Let’s talk more about what chiropractic is, how it works, and why it may be the best kept secret you’re missing out on!

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Meditate for Better Health

Meditate

I am going to switch gears in this blog post away from chiropractic. Chiropractic is amazing at helping you to build better health. Most of my readers already know this. Another topic that is near and dear to my heart is encouraging people to meditate for better health.

Health is physical, chemical, mental and spiritual all in one. It is beneficial to work on all these areas of your life to have the best health possible. Chiropractic is all about the physical. In the craziness of the world, we could all use some mental health improvements. This is where meditation comes into play. Meditation can also be a spiritual experience, but that is not the topic of this post. I’d like to focus on the mental (and physical) benefits of meditation and then give you some tips on how to implement this in your routine.

This post is not meant to be a how-to article….but more of kick in the butt for you to learn more about it and start doing it. There are plenty of how-to resources available to learn how to start a meditation practice.

There are studies that show mediation can help lower blood pressure, lessen anxiety and symptoms of depression, help you sleep better, lengthen your attention span, and even help control pain. Who doesn’t want these benefits? And it does not take a huge investment of time and it’s free. It’s too good not to do.

The most common barrier I hear from people on why they don’t meditate is because they just can’t do it. They can’t turn their mind off. I have two responses to that.

  1. You are exactly the kind of person who desperately NEEDS to meditate.
  2. The goal is not to turn of your thoughts.

Let’s discuss point #2. The goal of meditation is to be more aware. Aware of your body, aware of your thoughts. Not to turn off your thoughts. Again check out some of the resources out there that help you with the how to.

Here are a few tips for beginners.

  1. Consistency is the key. I personally try to meditate at least 20 minutes every day. If you find you don’t have 20 minutes, even a 3 minute session can be very refreshing. Do it EVERY DAY!
  2. Do it first thing in the morning. I find later in the day my mind is racing with all the other things I need to get done. First thing in the morning I still have control over my day.
  3. Minimize distractions. Don’t have your phone with you, and position yourself in a way that your kids or spouse won’t interrupt. For me, this is also why I do it in the morning, before anyone else is awake.
  4. Give yourself some grace. It takes time to learn. your mind has been thinking for however many years you’ve been alive. It takes time, patience, and repetition. Some days will be better than others.

I hope this helps inspire you to try out meditation for better health. If you have questions please ask!

Check out these popular apps if you prefer a guided meditation or don’t know where to start.

https://www.headspace.com/

https://www.calm.com/