Call us: 402-884-4774. Or schedule an appointment for Bellevue or Elkhorn online.
Our Bellevue office
3811 Twin Creek Dr #102
Our Elkhorn/West Omaha office
1529 S. 203rd Street #103
Start living better
Call us: 402-884-4774
Email us
Questions or comments

The Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic Blog

Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic > The Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic Blog
By Theresa Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic, Community service ,

History of chiropractic at ‘Rags to Riches’

Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic will present a history of chiropractic medicine during the Sarpy County Museum’s “Rags to Riches Antique Roadshow” event, 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 27.

In addition to tracing the history, we also will have a spin-the-wheel game for prizes and will be giving free spinal exams.

Local experts in antiques, coins and jewelry will be on hand for “Rags to Riches.” The public is invited to bring in historic, rare or unique items. The experts will provide information about the items and give participants an idea of their value.

By Theresa Community service , ,

Buy a Team Akridge t-shirt, support Heart Walk

T-shirts for Heart Walk 2014

Patients and friends of Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic have the opportunity to support the team participating in the May 10 Heart Walk.

Team t-shirts are available for purchase for $12 each. Midwest Impressions, who is designing and printing the t-shirts, will donate 5 percent of the cost of the shirts back to Team Akridge to boost their total donation to the American Heart Association.

The shirts have a feel similar to American Apparel-style t-shirts and are very soft and stretchy, said Jenn Jorgensen, director of marketing. They run true to size and will not shrink in the dryer.

Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic will join other teams at the  Heart Walk on May 10, 2014 at Miller’s Landing, 151 Freedom Park Road, Omaha. Opening ceremonies start at 9 a.m. and the walk is scheduled for 9:30.

Deadline for orders is noon Friday, May 2. E-mail Jenn at pr (at) akridgechiropractic.com to place your order. Include your size and the number of shirts you’d like to order.

By Theresa Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic, Chiropractic and stress, Chiropractic and work , ,

Feeling stressed? Relax with chiropractic care

You know the signs of being stressed out. Your heart beats faster, muscles tense, and it’s more difficult to think while you’re trying to meet a deadline or cope with a last-minute problem.

But when you get a headache that same night or your lower back pain flares up the next day, you still could be suffering the effects of the earlier stress.

Stress relief by Akridge Chiropractic“Past or present psychological distress can also lead to pain, particularly low-back pain, which often comes with leg pain, headaches, sleep problems, anxiety, and depression,” according to the American Chiropractic Association. “Stress may even be a more powerful pain generator than strenuous physical activity or repetitive motion.”

When you’re stressed, your body releases a hormone called epinephrine, or adrenaline. This increases heart rate, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels. Your body also releases glucocorticoid cortisol, or hydrocortisone, which suppresses inflammation and the immune system.

All of these reactions are necessary when you’re facing a one-time “fight-or-flight” situation: someone is attacking you, for example. But when the stress is ongoing, from work or at home, it takes a toll on your body.

High levels of glucocorticoids can hinder growth, delay wound healing, and increase risk of infection.

“Chronic stressors — or their constant anticipation — can make us believe that we must always be on guard, leading to anxiety,” the ACA says. “Feelings of hopelessness or avoiding solving our problems can spark depression.”

Chiropractic care can help manage lower back and other pain that flares up in stressful situations. The ACA also recommends exercise, massage and other stress-relief measures to keep you pain-free.

April is national Stress Awareness Month. If you think you’re in pain due to stress, please check in with Dr. Craig or Dr. Lacey. We’ll evaluate the source and help you find ways to relieve both the stress and the pain.

 

By Theresa Akridge & Akridge Chiropractic, Chiropractic and work ,

Too much sitting? Get a stand-up desk

It doesn’t seem very risky to work at a job where you sit at a desk all day and work on a computer. But several research studies indicate that this could be the most unhealthy thing you do in a day.

According to Men’s Health magazine, scientists at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana analyzed the lifestyles of more than 17,000 men and women over about13 years. They found that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of heart attacks.

Information about the health hazards of extended sitting have been compiled at juststand.org. The medical community has coined the term “sitting disease” to refer to “metabolic syndrome and the ill-effects of an overly sedentary lifestyle.”

“For people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking,” according to Martha Grogan, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic.

Ergonomics of a standing desk

If you want to raise your health profile at a sedentary job, try a standing desk. They are available in a wide range of prices and styles, from an adjustable tray that sits on your current desk to entire desks that raise at the turn of a crank or the touch of a button.

Then there are desks designed by creative office workers looking for a simpler solution. This man made his desk for $22 with parts from Ikea. And this engineer made his desk out of cardboard.

One of our patients who works out of her home had another solution. She bought an extra-long HDMI cable to connect her PC or laptop to her flat screen TV, and then she shares the computer screen with her TV. She props her wireless keyboard on top of a small table that’s just the right height, and stands in front of the TV to work.

The folks at ReadWrite built their stand-up desks and tracked their efficiency. They determined that the stand-up desks made their staff 10 percent more productive.

However, long-term standing isn’t for everyone. Many bloggers recommended standing on an anti-fatigue mat. One executive found that too much standing was too painful for him.

Whatever works for you at work or at home, be sure to move around and change positions throughout the day to keep your back at its healthiest.

SaveSave

By Theresa Exercise

Too much running may hurt in the long run

Running to get fit or stay healthy is good. But running too many miles or too many marathons may be too much of a good thing.

CNN reports that runners who average more than 20 miles a week do not have a longer lifespan, according to research presented March 30 at the annual American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Washington. In fact, these runners live about as long as those who don’t run at all.

Researchers don’t know yet why this happens. The study’s original goal was to determine if runners’ use of NSAID painkillers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen, had an affect on their longevity. Runners also gave information about risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure.

“Our study didn’t find any differences that could explain these longevity differences,” said Dr. Martin Matsumura, co-director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute at the Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, Pa. “The study negates the theory that excessive use of NSAIDs may be causing this loss of longevity among high-mileage runners.”

According to CNN, a 2012 study from the Mayo Clinic found that excessive training can cause cardiovascular damage such as scarring and enlargement of the heart and blood vessels.

“You can do light to moderate exercise as long as you want. We’re genetically designed for that kind of activity,” Dr. James O’Keefe, a cardiologist at the Mid America Heart Institute, told CNN at the time. “We’re just not designed to run 26 miles at a time, or 100, or go on a full-distance triathlon for 12 hours as hard as you can go.”

The shortened lifespans for long-distance runners could come from too much “wear and tear” on the hear, Dr. O’Keefe said this week. Extreme exercise may actually create a “remodeling” of the heart, which could negate some of the benefits of working out.

O’Keefe recommends that those who run for health benefits maintain a slow to moderate pace, about two or three times per week, for a total of one to 2.5 hours.

“If you want to run a marathon,” he said, “run one and cross it off your bucket list.”