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The 4 Keys to Good Posture

January 20, 2017 By Dr Ryan

Posture is soooo boring!!

What? Who said that?…. Okay, you’re right, every time I begin a conversation on this topic I see the eye’s roll back and the ADD kick in.

I tell you what, give me 60 seconds to change your life forever, posturally speaking of course 😉 haha…

Take a look at this diagram…. Which one are you?

I’m convinced that most back problems stem from poor posture, which began in 1st Grade, slouching in our desks, day in and day out, for hours on end year after year….. Add to that injuries, car rides, etc…. and whala, a national epidemic of horrible posture and back problems.

But I digress, that’s all in the past, the real question is; what do we do now, how do we get good posture back and and most importantly its already been 60 seconds and my posture is not changed forever…… Or is it???? hmmmmmm….. LOL

Here’s the promised 4 keys to restoring your posture back to normal…

Step 1: You’ll need to partner with a chiropractor, and not just any chiropractor, but one who has specific training in either the Chiropractic Biophysics or Petibon Techniques. They will want to do both a physical evaluation, take X-rays to measure the specifics of your postural problems and determine how best to restore it back to as near normal as possible.

Step 2: Follow through with their treatment plan. Posture can’t be exercised back into alignment, its not, at its core, a muscle issue, its a ligament issue.

Step 3: Improve your nutrition both in what you cook as well as daily supplementation

Step 4: Once an hour, throughout the day, perform the Brugger Relief Exercise (as seen in the following diagram)

Roll the Chest up towards the ceiling, squeeze the shoulder blades together and roll your head back. Hold this position for 10 sec then relax, first by letting the head come to neutral and releasing the shoulder blades but keep your chest rolled up.

Feels amazing doesn’t it? 🙂

Your posture, while not a very sexy topic, is one of the most important components of health, on the same level of good nutrition and hydration.

Yeah, its that important!

If you have any questions feel free to contact me on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ryan.mullerdc or here at the office.

I hoped this shed some light in a fun way

God Bless

Dr Ryan

Knowing this could prevent and or fix disc herniation’s….

September 30, 2014 By Dr Ryan

I get asked all the time, what causes the disc to herniate…?

It all starts with one or both; a sudden “Acute” injury or a Chronic one that slowly weakens the spine and discs over time. A good example of an Acute injury would be an auto accident or fall. An example of a Chronic injury is performing the same movement or posture repetitively over months and years like sitting at a desk working on the computer for hours at a time, day in and day out, or performing the same action every day over and over again.

The Annular Fibers are torn. Image courtesy of https://www.spine-health.com/

The Disc: Outer Annulus Fibers & the Inner Nucleus. Image courtesy of https://www.spine-health.com/

As you can see in the attached pictures, the disc itself is made up of two basic tissues, the outer rings called the annulus“, which are similar to the steel belts they make car tires with and an inner substance called the nucleus, which is like silly putty. Together, when healthy, provide a strong yet flexible structure. However, as with anything if damaged, whether acutely or chronically, will fail and lead to swelling, bulging, herniation and protrusion as seen in the following picture.

One of the most common movements that lead to the tearing of these annular fibers if bending forward with twisting while lifting.

I mention this, not so much as a movement to avoid but as an something to be aware of if the disc is already in the degenerative or damaged state.

The good news, this can be fixed!

Bulging, Herniation, Prolapse then Sequestration

Fixing a disc problem begins by addressing the damage already done. There are basically three treatments that have shown to be most effective.

The McKenzie Therapy
Disc Decompression
Surgical Discectomy
Surgical Fusion/Stabilization

In this blog I will primarily address the use of non-surgical options and provide a general description of the surgical ones.

The McKenzie Therapy

The McKenzie Therapy works for more than just disc issues but has proven to be one of the most effective in resolving disc swelling, bulging and mild herniation’s. It does so by placing the spine in a position that pushes the nucleus back into the center of the disc, creating movement of the disc, which causes it to increase is ability to heal naturally and relieves the pressure the disc is placing on the nerves and spinal cord, see the picture to the left.

Disc Decompression Therapy

Disc decompression works by stretching the disc, creating a negative pressure within and sucking the disc back into the center. It has been proven most effective when dealing with mild to moderate herniation and protrusions. Of which there are two types, Table and Inversion.

The Surgical options are wisely held as a last option when the previous two options have failed

Surgical Discectomy

Surgical Disc Fusion/Stabilization

Dr Ryan P. Muller, DC

*Images courtesy of https://www.spine-health.com/

Spinal Degenertation & Arthritis – The Truth Revealed

September 19, 2014 By Dr Ryan

Showing the 3 phases of spinal degeneration as well as the organs these nerves connect to

Showing the 3 phases of spinal degeneration as well as the organs the nerves connect to

For the last 12 years that I’ve been practicing spinal medicine and spinal remodeling one of the most common statements I hear is that spinal degeneration and arthritis are normal for old age. This is not a true statement, the truth is, they are very COMMON, but not NORMAL.

Our spine’s were designed to be in a certain alignment and if that alignment is maintained, barring repeated traumas or auto-immune disease, should last at least a hundred years or more. There is no reason for it not to, however, much like the tires on your car, if it is out of alignment, it will experience excessive wear and tear, which is what results in the development of bone spurs, loose weak ligaments, disc herniation’s, disc degeneration and excessive muscle tension, aka muscle spasms.

Things like bone spurs, which are nothing more than the hardening of the ligaments between the joints of the spine, are our bodies attempt to prevent further damage. However, in reality, it only slows the progression and causes other problems like atrophy, inflammation, dehydration and malnourishment of the disc and joints. This leads to weakening of the discs, bones, ligaments and muscles. When these tissues get weak they tear or break and in the case of the discs, allow the jelly like material in the middle, the Nucleus Pulposis, to squeeze out, which is know as a Disc Herniation. Furthermore, as the discs dry up and atrophy the space between the bones, aka vertebrae, and around the nerves, decrease and become irritated and pinched. Anywhere along their path you will develop pain symptoms of one kind or another, often starting as localized pain and resulting in pain along the nerve into either the arms or legs, aka radiculopathy. Headaches, numbness and loss of function in those limbs and organs will result.

I do need to point out that headaches can be cause by other things, but I want you to be aware that headaches are a very common symptom of this condition.

The good news is, there is a way to stop, slow and even reverse this process, Spinal Remodeling!

It doesn’t matter if you’ve already been to a chiropractor or had spinal surgery, if you’ve ever experienced low back pain, neck pain, headaches, pain in the arms and legs or have been diagnosed with arthritis or a disc herniation. You will benefit from Spinal Remodeling.

My goal as a Spinal Remodeling Specialist in the Wichita, Ks area is to address this root cause of spinal arthritis and degeneration at the structural level so that it can be stopped once and for all.

Dr Ryan P. Muller, DC

Why do I have Migraines…..!!

September 4, 2014 By Dr Ryan

Migraines, a word that strikes fear or avoidance into nearly everyone and for good reason.

How the Neck can cause Headaches and Migraines

If you suffer from Migraines then you know the fear to which I speak and if you’ve known someone who suffers from them then you understand what I mean about being willing to do anything to avoid them.

At the core of my passion to invest nearly the last 21 years of my life to becoming the best chiropractor and Spinal Remodeling Specialist I can be is this fear as well as this avoidance. I too have suffered!

However, there is hope, read Toni Cox Testimonial, she is just one of hundreds that have found relief, permanent relief, through the combination of Chiropractic and Spinal Remodeling.

So what exactly is this thing called a Migraine?

There are basically 5 medically identified causes of Migraines:

Toxins – Internal and External
Hormone Imbalance
Blood Flow Irregularities
Muscle Tension
Abnormal Nerve Firing

I’m no circulatory, hormone or toxin specialist, however, I am an expert in the neuro-musculoskeletal system and how they can directly and indirectly effect blood flow, hormones and detoxification.

An abnormal curvature of the neck leads to strain on the spinal cord and the vascular system that supplies nutrients to that spinal cord as well as causes the supporting muscles to undergo excessive strain and spasm. Through the strain of the spinal cord and the arteries around that area there is a direct and proportional negative effect to the function of all the organs those nerves supply, including the hormone production and regulation systems and the detoxification systems, all of which leading to migraines.

Toni Cox, like many others, have experienced over 7 years of migraine relief as a result of correcting the abnormal curvature in her neck.

Are you ready to experience life without migraines?

Dr. Ryan P. Muller, DC