What’s a dead hang, and is it good for you? A simple bodyweight exercise is the newest viral trend on TikTok. But what exactly is the dead hang exercise, and is it good for your spine and shoulders? Dead hangs – essentially just hanging from a horizontal pull-up bar – aren’t just for relaxing. And […]
Save BIG On Hypervolt 2 & Hypervolt Go 2! After a long day of work, sometimes what you really need is a massage to get rid of the soreness and tightness in your muscles. Of course, getting to a massage therapist on short notice (and on your schedule) isn’t always that simple. Here’s where the […]
Why Does My Lower Back Hurt When I Run? You’re not alone if you suffer from lower back pain: Studies show that more than 80% of us will deal with it at some point in our lives. And if you’re a runner? While the prevalence of lower back pain in runners is actually less than in […]
What’s the truth about chiropractors? Though the question doesn’t come up as frequently as it once did, I still get asked “Are you a real doctor?” surprisingly often. The answer is a definitive yes, chiropractors are real doctors, but it’s worth diving a little deeper. While Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) aren’t the same as Medical […]
How many steps do you actually need? When it comes to being fit and healthy, the recommendation to walk 10,000 steps per day has been around for decades. The 10,000 step goal is still the pre-programmed activity goal on many pedometers and fitness monitors. Even the Fitbit uses 10,000 steps per day as its default […]
Why does my back hurt when I bike? Sure, putting miles and miles on the bike helps keep you entire body in peak shape, from your cardiovascular system to your quads. But it also means you’re spending hours upon hours crouched over the handlebars – and that can be rough on your back. Of course, […]
Got ‘Tech Neck’? You might not even know it! If you spend every day staring at your computer screen for hours on end, you probably know the agony that is ‘tech neck,’ even if you don’t know it by name. It’s a term that’s come to refer to the pain, stiffness, and chronic musculoskeletal problems […]
Backpacks shouldn’t mean back pain! Brookfield students head back to classes this week, and if you’re like most parents (myself included), you probably don’t think about your kids’ backpacks other than to make sure they have everything they need. But it might be time to add it to the checklist, because the weight and size […]
Sleep Better: 10 Tips to help you get more zzzz’s! Sleep is essential for our physical and emotional well-being. It helps us recover from injuries, regulate our hormones, perform at our best on the field and in the office, and keeps our immune system going strong. And when we don’t get enough sleep, everything gets […]
Why does my butt hurt so much? There are lots of things that are a pain in the butt: a flat tire, that pile of laundry that’s sitting in the corner of your bedroom, being forced to listen to the same episode of Cocomelon you’ve already heard a dozen times this week. Then there’s a […]
Got Back Pain? Chiropractors are not all created equal. In fact, there is likely no other healthcare field where the gap between one practitioner and the next is as wide as it is in chiropractic. And, as many of our patients are aware, the outcomes vary as much as the adjusting techniques used by each […]
Pregnancy isn’t exactly fun for a woman’s body. Of course, pregnancy is an incredible time of transformation for an expecting mom, but the physical changes in a woman’s body that accompany a baby on the way can be, well, less than incredible. From minor aches and pains to more severe complications like sciatica, the stress […]
Got a rib out? You’re getting out of bed in the morning and feel a sudden twinge in your upper back between your shoulder blades. The muscles around it start tightening, and before long you’re getting a stabbing sensation every time you try to move your head or shoulder. If you’re able to reach back […]
![Exercise Programming Is Overcomplicated: The Simplified Guide To Workout Routines [Science]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NTQ3OjU5OQ==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODMiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4MyIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
We make exercise too complicated. With all the science that’s been done on how to exercise, what we know about what works for fitness is almost embarrassingly simple — yet we keep inventing ways to cloud, over-complicate, and obscure the basic, common-sense principles of exercise. Social media is filled with fitness gurus that all purport […]
Is it time to rethink how we approach back pain? Americans are spending more money than ever to treat low back pain, but their spine problems – collectively – aren’t getting any better. That’s the conclusion of a report from The Journal of the American Medical Association, which found that Americans spend an estimated $380 […]
“Why do I have arthritis?” May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and it’s a good reminder to check on the status of your body’s joints. Arthritis affects an estimated 58.5 million Americans, and experts believe that number will only continue to grow as our nation’s population gets older. But what exactly is arthritis, and what causes it? […]
![Ibuprofen: Blocking Inflammation With Drugs Leads To Chronic Pain [Study]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NTc0OjU2OQ==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA2ODMiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY4MyIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
Can Ibuprofen put you at risk for chronic pain? A new paradigm-shifting study out of McGill University suggests that using anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, diclofenac or prednisone to treat an injury, like an ankle sprain or wrenched back, actually increases the risk of developing chronic pain. The CliffsNotes summary: For decades it’s been standard medical […]
Why do cheap flip-flops hurt your feet (and your back)? After a long winter (and in Wisconsin, spring and fall) of wearing wool socks and clunky boots, it can be tempting to replace your entire shoe rack with flip-flops as soon as the weather turns hot. But before setting your toes free, it’s wise to […]
Do you need to see a chiropractor? When you throw your back out or wake up with a stiff neck, your first instinct is likely to call your chiropractor. It’s no surprise that back pain and neck pain are by far the most common reasons patients make appointments at Ascent Chiropractic. However, most patients who’ve […]
How to avoid back pain when squatting! As humans, we tend to overcomplicate things. If we find something that’s helpful or beneficial to our lives, we inevitably seek to tweak it, complicate it, and tweak it some more, until it eventually looks nothing like the original. It happens in all aspects of our lives — […]
Your body appreciates what you do for it! In a world of addictive pain medications, risky surgeries, and the cost of healthcare being the number one cause of personal bankruptcy, choosing chiropractic care to get better fast and optimize your body to perform at its peak is – what can we say? – simply genius. […]
Knee pain keeping you sidelined? Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), also called runner’s knee or simply anterior knee pain, is by far the most common type of knee pain I treat as a chiropractor in Brookfield, WI. And it can be a giant pain in the, well, knee. Almost anyone can get it, but it particularly […]
How do you get rid of back pain? Here’s what the science says. Low back pain is one of the top reasons people seek medical care in the US – it’s certainly the most common reason patients seek us out at Ascent Chiropractic – and it affects a whopping 29% of adult Americans at any […]
Correcting ‘Computer Guy’ Posture! A few months back I discussed how to correct anterior pelvic tilt – also known as ‘butt and gut syndrome’. It quickly became (by far) the most-read article on my blog, so if you haven’t read it yet check it out. So let’s expand on that by discussing the exceedingly-common upper […]
The best DIY tricks to fix bad posture! If you’ve been slouching over your laptop working from home every day for the past two years, you’re certainly not alone. The makeshift home offices everyone’s been confined to since the pandemic began haven’t done any favors for our collective posture. Not only that, the average American […]
This is how we (foam) roll. Foam rolling: These days, it seems like everybody’s doing it. A growing number of health and fitness pros – chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and personal trainers alike – extol the soft-tissue benefits of foam rolling for improvements in muscular flexibility, posture correction, pain reduction, and athletic performance. There’s […]
The 8 Best Arm-Sculpting Exercises. We all love doing compound exercises with heavy weights at the gym. But bench presses, squats and deadlifts alone aren’t going to get you sculpted arms because they aren’t sufficiently targeting and isolating the muscles of the triceps, biceps, forearms and shoulders. To maximize arm strength and size gains, we’ll […]
What’s that noise? And why does it feel so good? Almost everyone at some point or another has turned their head and heard a loud CRACK(!) … and probably gotten cringes from everyone within earshot. So the idea of a chiropractor doing it on purpose can be a little disconcerting, especially when it involves trusting […]
What can a chiropractor do for GERD? If you’ve dealt with uncomfortable burning pain in your chest, especially after eating, then you already know what acid reflux is. It’s an extremely common condition that’s a chronic problem for over 60 million Americans. Acid reflux occurs when acid in the stomach travels back up into the […]
How’s your back? If it’s hurting, you’re not alone. About a quarter of the worldwide population is experiencing back pain at any given point in time, and nearly all of us (around 85%) will deal with it at some point in our lives. And while it’ll only be a minor inconvenience for some, chronic back […]
The only ab exercises you need for 6-pack abs! If you’re a patient at Ascent Chiropractic, you’ve probably heard me harp about strengthening your core. Your core musculature impacts everything you do, even activities that you wouldn’t necessarily associate with your abs. And a strong core means so much more than obtaining a much-desired “six-pack.” Whether […]
Coughing & sneezing causing back pain? It’s normal to be a little sore after an intense coughing or sneezing fit. Forcing enough air out of your lungs to clear your airways of mucus and other irritants can put serious strain on the muscles in your chest and ribcage. But is it normal to feel pain […]
The opioid crisis cost, 20 years in. We’re more than two decades into the opioid crisis. And despite billions of dollars in public health initiatives, national headlines, and mounting political pressure, we just had the deadliest year on record. Data from the CDC shows over 100,000 drug overdose deaths expected in the US in 2021, […]
“Does my back hurt because I’m constipated?” “… Or is my digestive system going haywire because of my back pain?” It’s a (totally valid) question a patient asked me last week at Ascent Chiropractic. The connection is easy to miss, especially if you’re in the throes of dealing with tummy issues, but the answer is […]
Make 2022 your year for maximizing your health! When January first rolls around, the season of excess quickly transforms to a season of new expectations – more than 40% of Americans report making New Year’s resolutions. But 80% of those people are no longer following them by the first week of February.
Can Covid-19 cause back pain? Back pain is far and away the most common reason patients walk into Ascent Chiropractic, and while that was true even before the pandemic, the number of people dealing with back pain has jumped by an astonishing 65% in the past two years. Almost 5 out of every 10 adults […]
Sciatica: How can a chiropractor help? You’re living your life, minding your own business and – BAM! – it hits you out of nowhere like a lightning bolt. It’s not an uncommon phenomenon for patients walking through our doors at Ascent Chiropractic in Brookfield to report that they were totally blindsided by the sudden pain […]
![The Definitive Guide To Taking The Perfect Nap [Science]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzYzOjUwNg==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3MjUiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjcyNSIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
Naps can be a game-changer. A nap can provide a major boost in alertness and energy, improve memory and creativity, help fight off viral infections and make your heart healthier. Research by NASA has even shown that a nap in the middle of the day can restore cognitive function at the same rate as a […]
Are you ready for some … chiropractic? “It’s like a Formula 1 car, you’re constantly tuning it up. And in my opinion, there’s nothing better than having someone who can manually treat you, who really knows how to adjust and do soft tissue work.” – Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers Running Back Last weekend, the star […]
Back pain and limited time for exercise? There’s no lack of resources dedicated to getting rid of low back pain through exercise. A simple Google search will provide you with an endless number of overly-complicated workout programs by Instagram-famous fitness experts with lofty promises. And if you’ve gone down the physiotherapy route you probably have […]
So you tore your labrum. Now what? If you break your arm, you’re headed straight to the nearest emergency room – do not pass GO and do not collect $200. And if it’s displaced or comminuted, you’re almost certainly getting scheduled for surgery before you even leave the building. But things are a little less […]
Is everyone experiencing more back pain? We’re nearing the end of 2021, and many Americans are still spending a lot (if not nearly all) of their time at home. And, for better or worse, the blurry mix of work, life, pajamas, and Zoom likely isn’t going away anytime soon. Unfortunately, that also means the nearly […]
IT Band Syndrome: The Cause (and Solution!) Pain down the outside of your leg? It’s a sign something’s not working right. Pain, contrary to popular belief, is your friend – it’s your body’s way of signaling to you that something needs your attention. One of the most common causes of knee, hip and outer-thigh pain […]
Why Do I Hurt When The Weather Changes? Maybe your grandma knew a storm was coming when her knees started to hurt. Or maybe you’re feeling your own joints ache more now that fall is upon us and the temperature outside is dropping. It’s true that many people with back pain and neck pain are […]
“My sinuses just opened and I can breathe again!” That was a patient last week who had come in to Ascent Chiropractic for help with tension headaches (which, by the way, are now totally gone) but left being able to breathe clearly for the first time in months. It’s more common than you might think, […]
Does your spine secretly hate you? 39% of Americans say they’ve suffered from back pain in the past 3 months. That statistic is expected to get even worse in the coming years, thanks to a combination of desk-bound work and general inactivity. Night-time should bring relief, but for most back pain sufferers the discomfort doesn’t […]
Q: Will a back brace help fix my posture? Work life has changed dramatically since the start of the pandemic – 56% of American workers are now fully or mostly working from home. And it’s not changing anytime soon, as surveys have shown that enthusiasm for remote work has only increased as the pandemic has […]
They’re debilitating. They cost the U.S. billions. And science is finally starting to pay attention. Any headache specialist in practice today will admit that we’re still in the stone ages in regards to understanding and treating headache disorders. Granted, the systems involved in headaches are incredibly complex and difficult to study, but headaches continue to […]
Can the #backcrackchallenge hurt you? TikTok challenges usually take the form of teenagers being idiots for viral fame and attention. Like eating a Tide pod. Or the #peeyourpantschallenge (don’t worry, I don’t get it either). But they’ve recently expanded into questionable health remedies. Case in point: TikTok’s latest viral challenge involves different maneuvers to crack […]
As Covid rules relax, the common cold is back. Drippy noses, annoying coughs and stuffy heads: it’s not just you. This year’s summer cold season really is worse than normal. Months of social distancing, wearing masks, and doing lots of washing of hands and surfaces to stop the spread of Covid-19 had the unintended (but […]
Let the Games Begin… Chiropractic at the Olympics! It’s a year later than expected, but the 2020 (or is it 2021?) Tokyo Summer Olympics are finally here. The Games of the XXXII Olympiad formally kicked off on Friday, and while the stands are empty amid a fresh pandemic state of emergency, thousands of athletes from […]
Gamer’s Thumb. Mommy Thumb. Texting Thumb. They’re all different names for the same painful problem, in which the tendons that attach to the thumb rub against the “tunnel” that surrounds them and become inflamed. The medical term is De Quervain’s tendinosis (aka De Quervain’s tenosynovitis) and it can cause anything from mild discomfort to debilitating […]
Are X-Rays really necessary? There are certain practices in the medical world that are standard for a reason. Doctors sanitize their hands to prevent the spread of germs. Pharmacists ask about allergies to medication to prevent dangerous reactions. Your dentist taps your gums to make sure the anesthetic has kicked in before drilling. It’s all […]
Struggling to find enough time for the gym? You’re not alone. Sure, it’s easy to get excited about the idea of exercising. Let’s all run marathons! And do a push-up challenge! But when it comes down to actually getting your butt to the gym, it’s often hard to actually find the time. But making time […]
Graston Technique: No pain, no gain? Medieval torture device or therapeutic healing method? Graston® – also known as IASTM or ‘myofascial scraping’ – feels like a bit of both. It’s an instrument-assisted method of breaking down scar tissue and eliminating muscle adhesions, increasing blood flow and promoting a better healing environment. It’s not exactly the […]
“Like a sprained ankle, it’s nothing to play with!” Timeless medical advice from one of the brightest minds in healthcare – this classic Drake track popped up on Spotify last week and this seemed like the perfect time to reference it. While ankle sprains are incredibly common – they account for 1 in every 10 […]
Why do my muscles feel stiff and tight? A patient asked me this question last week, and I didn’t have a nice, concise answer ready to go. And I hate it when that happens, because it’s a simple question, and it seems like there should be an equally simple answer. One thing that’s for sure […]
“Why does the ball of my foot hurt?” At Ascent Chiropractic we see new patients with back pain, neck pain, headaches, and shoulder, knee and ankle injuries walk into our office literally every day. But then we’ll get a surge of some relatively uncommon condition. And due to the dramatic change in seasons and everyone […]
![Diet vs. Exercise: What Matters Most For Weight Loss? [Science]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=OTUyOjUwNg==-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAwMCA2NjciIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY2NyIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
“Eat Less, Move More!” It’s an easy maxim to spout off. Losing weight is simple, right? Just ration the calories you’re consuming and get to the gym for a few hours of weightlifting and cardio every day. Repeat tomorrow. And the next day. And so on. Unfortunately, blanket recommendations like the one above completely sidestep […]
Your Guide to Milwaukee Area Farmer’s Markets! Rejoice, fresh food enthusiasts! The weather is finally getting warmer, and as Wisconsin continues to reopen, farmers markets across the state have begun welcoming residents back for the 2021 season. Though some markets have not announced official plans for a summer reopening, most have released schedules and information […]
More gym gains, fewer nagging injuries! Contrary to popular long-standing belief, you don’t need to squat, bench, overhead press and deadlift with a barbell to build muscle and get stronger. The idea that the “big 4” is required for a lifting program is precisely why so many gym-goers are always banged up and not making […]
An Evidence-Based Guide From A to Zinc! The vitamin aisle is crowded, confusing, and overwhelming in its promises. It’s easy for the average consumer to get overwhelmed. After all, what the heck is CoQ10? Do I need it? And at what dose? From helping the body turn food into fuel, to fortifying bones and preserving […]
Inversion table therapy: does it work? Stay up late enough watching TV and you’ll no doubt catch them: late-night infomercials advertising tables that lock your ankles in, flip you upside down and promise to alleviate chronic lower back pain, poor circulation, sciatica and even scoliosis. Or you may have seen their more infamous cousin, gravity […]
It’s a fact: chiropractic works. There’s a reason why over a million chiropractic adjustments are performed every single day in America. Study after study after study shows that chiropractic (by itself or combined with active physical therapy) is hands-down your best – and most cost-effective – bet for back pain relief. In fact, recent studies […]
Get happy – it’s science! We all spend a lot of time doing things to be happier: spending time outside now that spring is here, maintaining relationships, eating healthy, and of course, seeing your chiropractor after a long week at your desk. But we don’t often think about how we experience happiness – all the […]
Q: Can I get adjusted while I’m pregnant? Good news, moms-to-be suffering with back, neck and hip pain: not only is it totally safe to visit a chiropractor during your pregnancy, it’s also hugely beneficial. While pregnancy is one of the most joyous, exciting times in an expectant mom’s life, the whirlwind of changes that […]
End shin splints for good! The sun is out, the weather’s warming up, the snow’s melted, and soon enough we’ll be breaking out the shorts, t-shirts and sneakers. Even though, if you’ve lived in Wisconsin long enough, you know not to get too excited just yet… But let’s ignore that and be optimistic. Power of […]
Forward Head Posture vs. Anterior Pelvic Tilt! My immediate reaction upon seeing the trailer for the new Godzilla vs. Kong movie coming out March 25 was, “the climax of this movie better have Kong and Godzilla breaking out foam rollers and stretching.” Unintentionally reminding us all of how terrible our posture’s been while working and […]
Got questions? We’ve got answers. While the US hit a grim milestone last week as it surpassed 500,000 covid deaths, there’s good reason to be optimistic going forward. The rate of new cases is down 65% from what it was just a month ago, and the trendline continues to drop. And with the state of […]
Not all musculoskeletal problems are the same! There’s a common assumption that all joint and muscle pain is caused by the same root problems, and therefore should all be able to be treated similarly. Since using a lacrosse ball on the bottom of the feet helps with plantar fasciitis, and using a peanut ball helps […]
Can beet juice improve athletic performance? One of the latest hypes for endurance athletes isn’t from one of the big sports labs. In fact, it’s not from a lab at all. And even though it looks like the perfect Valentine’s Day cocktail, it actually tastes a little bit like, well, dirt. And it’ll probably make […]
Can you really get sick from cold temperatures? Your mom always told you not to go outside in the cold with wet hair and to bundle up when heading out in frigid winter weather to avoid ending up with a cold. While there is some truth to this age-old wisdom, the reality is more complicated. […]
Make this back exercise a staple. You know how important back strength is. A strong upper back is arguably one of the most important physical attributes for any athletic endeavor. You can’t neglect upper-body “posterior chain” exercises and expect to perform your best on the field or in the gym. Without a solid base of […]
Got migraines? Here’s what works. If you’re one of the 39 million Americans that suffers from migraines, the pandemic probably hasn’t been a ton of fun. Granted, it hasn’t been the greatest time for anyone, but there has been a dramatic uptick in in both new migraine patients and people with a history of headache […]
Quite a stretch: Stretching myths debunked! There are lots of reasons people stretch: because it’s part of your pre-workout warmup, because it feels good, and because we believe that it prevents and helps fix athletic injuries. But most of what we think we know about stretching, and what we use it for, is based on […]
Here’s how to start the New Year off right! The Year-That-Must-Not-Be-Named is finally over. A worldwide pandemic. Racial injustice. The stock market crash. Billions of people radically changing the way they work and socialize. It was, by almost any measure, a terrible year, and I’m pretty sure everyone feels the same way about 2020 as […]
Exercise doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. If you don’t have the time or space to get a full workout in (or if you’re just not comfortable going back to the gym yet), welcome to the club. Just like almost everything else in 2020, we’re all finding new ways to make our lives and bodies work […]
Stuffy sinuses are no fun. Especially in 2020, where every sniffle is another round of “is it Covid or just allergies?” Mainstream medicine usually takes the medication approach to sinus congestion, but decongestant drugs almost always come with some not-so-desirable side effects. Thankfully, there are some clever old-school acupressure tricks to help clear your clogged […]
Cortisone Shots: The good, the bad and the ugly. Cortisone has been one of the most commonly-prescribed treatments for joint and tendon injuries, as well as for the pain caused by osteoarthritis, since it was developed in the 1940’s. It’s no surprise why: corticosteroid injections are often more effective than any pill, and can provide […]
Get out of the house & celebrate the holidays! Amid the current global health crisis, the list of activities to spend time with friends and family right now is a little more limited than usual. But while the covid pandemic may have stopped a lot of things, it can’t stop the holidays – there are […]
![Honey Relieves Cold Symptoms Better Than Antibiotics & OTC Medications [Study]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=MTE1OTo1OTU=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyMyA2NzgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDIzIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjY3OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
Honey: A natural remedy for the common cold. Temperatures in Wisconsin are dropping, and that means one thing – cold season is here. But before you head to the pharmacy for that stuffy nose, new research suggests that if you have an upper respiratory tract infection, honey might be even more effective at relieving your […]
A big wallet can cause big back problems! When it comes to your wallet, size matters. In fact, carrying a thick wallet in your back pocket can cause just as much trouble for your spine and pelvis as walking around with one shoe on and one shoe off.
![COVID-19: Can Melatonin Help Protect Against Coronavirus? [Study]](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=MTE3Nzo1NTY=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA1NzYiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjU3NiIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4=)
New research shows sleep aid supplement can reduce COVID risk by 30%. This week Wisconsin’s new COVID-19 cases surpassed the numbers posted by New York at the height of the spring outbreak, and the surge here continues to accelerate at an alarming rate. Since the beginning of September the daily average has risen more than […]
Mainstream medicine has failed people with low back pain. Low back pain is one of the top reasons people seek medical care in the US – it’s certainly the most common reason patients seek us out at Ascent Chiropractic – and it affects a whopping 29% of adult Americans. It’s also the leading reason for […]
Caffeine can relieve migraine headaches, but there’s a catch. The relationship between caffeine and headaches is complicated. The truth is that caffeine can be both a trigger and remedy for headaches, depending on how much and how frequently you consume it.
At home or the office, ergonomics matter! If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, chances are you know how awful your back, wrists and shoulders feel at the end of the day. This is even more true if you’re like millions of people around the world who’ve had to learn how […]
Full disclosure: This post was 100% my wife’s idea. With many women now in the full swing of working from their kitchen tables and couches, there’s been much talk among the fairer sex about the new lack of requirement to – ahem – put on a bra. For millions of women still working from home […]
Sometimes your feet need a little extra customization. Chances are, when you take a fresh new pair of shoes out of the box, you don’t think too much about the laces. And that’s fair: regularly-laced shoes usually do a fine job of keeping your feet secure. But for certain people, some simple lacing tricks to […]
Fall is hiking time in Wisconsin. Low humidity, mild temperatures and bright, vibrant colors. It’s no longer blazing hot, so the whole day is open for runs and walks and not just the hours around dusk and dawn.
Wisconsin is on the brink of a major outbreak. In the past week, Wisconsin has crashed through its own coronavirus records, reporting more cases and more COVID-19 hospitalizations than it has at any time since the pandemic began. It now ranks among the top states in new cases per capita. So as Wisconsin – and […]
Suffering from low back pain? You’re not alone. 26 million Americans live with daily low back pain, and hip pain isn’t usually far behind. A lot of that can be traced back to the amount of time Americans spend sitting on our butts all day. In fact, 54% of low back pain cases can be […]
What can a chiropractor do … for scoliosis? It’s a common question from patients at Ascent Chiropractic. Most assume you can simply make an appointment at any chiropractor for any kind of back problem, even for complicated conditions. But that’s not the case when it comes to scoliosis.
Skip the meds – try chiropractic first. Low back pain – one of the top reasons for visits to the doctor’s office – is best treated with alternative, natural therapies, according to updated guidelines from the American College of Physicians. Opioids are one of the most commonly prescribed medications for pain relief. But they’re also […]
Whether you realize it or not, your spine is constantly being compressed. Whether it’s sitting at a desk for 8 hours or lifting heavy weights at the gym, most of us spend a lot of time compressing our spine every day. These compressive forces conspire to throw our spines out of balance and lead to […]
Staying hydrated is essential for good health. After all, your body is about 60% water, and all your cells and organs depend on water to function properly. So how much do you really need to be drinking? It’s a simple question but unfortunately, no single amount fits everyone perfectly. Your individual water needs depend on […]
Warning: Politics Are Bad For Your Health! The constant stream of political news these days is nearly impossible to escape. And it’s about to become even more unavoidable for those of us in the Milwaukee area when the (thankfully scaled-back) Democratic National Convention comes to town this week. But the dark political cloud hanging over […]
Let’s get the facts straight about back pain! Despite billions being spent, and millions of patients being prescribed opiates or surgery every year, back pain remains the world’s leading cause of disability. However, much of what people think is common knowledge about back pain may actually be making things worse. Misinformation about back problems abounds. […]
Can swearing at the gym make you stronger? Anyone who’s ever really pushed themselves to run farther, lift heavier weights, or spin faster knows that intense exercise can cause even the most reserved gym-goer to unconsciously mutter expletives. And if you don’t typically cuss when you’re working out, you may want to try it: New […]
WhatsAppitis. Selfie elbow. iPad Shoulder. They’re all injuries caused by our hapless addiction to hand-held technology. We see patients every day at Ascent Chiropractic with repetitive stress injuries due to gadget overuse, so if you’re being affected by these modern-day ailments, don’t worry – you’re not alone!
Not just pain relief – it’s pain prevention! Most patients at Ascent Chiropractic only make that first call when their back pain or neck pain is at a place where it’s seriously affecting their daily lives. They’re usually under the assumption that if they don’t feel any pain that there’s nothing wrong with them – […]
RockTape: Go Stronger, Longer! If you’re a patient at Ascent Chiropractic in Brookfield, there’s a good chance you’ve been taped up with RockTape at some point. So what exactly is the deal with RockTape? Does it actually accomplish anything?
It’s Time To Get Off The Couch! This year will certainly be remembered for a lot of things, but 2020 will probably also go down as the year of the couch potato. Being sedentary goes hand in hand with staying indoors. There’s probably never been more opportunity to stay at home and binge television series […]
Are Sit Ups Bad For Your Back? The US Army recently nixed sit ups when they updated their physical readiness tests, and the Navy and Marines are set to do the same this summer. They’re all finally following what fitness researchers (and your chiropractor) have been saying for years: sit ups, V-ups, and the like […]
Does your jaw click? At Ascent Chiropractic, we see a lot of patients with TMJ problems. It’s not exactly an uncommon condition – 12% of Americans suffer from chronic TMJ syndrome pain (also known as TMD). TMJ syndrome happens when the temporomandibular (jaw) joints aren’t working correctly. Sometimes this leads to a dull painful ache […]
Fitness Fix: Help for Weak Wrists! Maybe you’re recovering from an athletic injury, or you’re finding you need to end push-up sets early to shake out your wrists. Or maybe your wrists are screaming from long days spent at your computer or even just holding onto a squirming baby for hours at a time. Whatever […]
When it feels like a headache – but isn’t! At Ascent Chiropractic, it’s often the case with rare conditions that when it rains, it pours. We see new patients with back pain, neck pain, tension and migraine headaches, shoulder pain and knee and ankle injuries walk into our office literally every day. But then we’ll […]
Get moving with these moves! At Ascent Chiropractic, we see athletes every day ranging from pro cyclists to kayakers to powerlifters. And while, yes, they’re often here for relief from the back pain & neck pain the rest of us experience, they also come to us to help improve their natural mobility. I’m constantly preaching […]
Good posture – just how important is it? When it comes to taking care of your body, good posture ranks right up there with exercise, eating healthy, and sleeping right. Having good posture not only looks better, but how we sit, stand and walk can have a huge effect on our day-to-day health and mood. […]
No pain, no gain? We’ve all experienced that day-or-two-after-a-workout agony – the kind where just getting out of your car or wobbling up the stairs makes you feel like you’re 95 years old. It’s called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and if you’ve been in the gym enough you’re probably not a stranger to it. […]
Need some excuses to not see a chiropractor? If you’ve visited our Facebook or Google pages lately, you’ve probably seen Ascent patients talking about all the benefits of getting regular chiropractic care. However, there are some people who just won’t be convinced, so if you’re looking for reasons not to see a chiropractor, here are […]
7 piriformis stretches to relieve sciatica fast! One of the the most common problems I see at Ascent Chiropractic every week is sciatica – low back pain that spreads down to the legs and feet. While there are several potential causes of inflammation of the sciatic nerve, one common cause is something called piriformis syndrome. […]
They’re a giant pain in the, well, elbow. And you don’t even have to have ever stepped foot on a tennis court or golf course. Golfer’s and tennis elbow, or medial and lateral epicondylitis, are naggingly painful inflammatory conditions that are named for the repetitive movement patterns and loading of the forearm musculature required by […]
Headaches aren’t normal! Waking up with a headache or consistently getting one by the end of work each day is not fun (or normal). Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, none of which are a shortage of medication in your body! As a matter of fact, if you have been relying on […]
It’s not always easy to love your body. But let’s face it, your body really is amazing. We often take it for granted, but the fact that we have 37 trillion cells working together in intricate coordination to keep us alive is truly spectacular. At Ascent Chiropractic in Brookfield WI, our goal is to make […]
Gym closed? Here’s how to avoid the #Quarantine15. Let’s be honest, the majority of Americans are going to come out of this quarantine in one of two ways: super fit because they’ve had nothing to do but workout for weeks or in dire need of a diet and serious chiropractic care because they rarely left […]
Immune Boosters: What actually works? 12/1/2021 Update: The CDC has updated its recommendations for Covid-19 vaccines with a preference for people to receive an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna). The Covid-19 vaccine is the most effective way of boosting your immune system against the SARS-Cov-2 virus and protecting yourself from severe disease. Everyone […]
What Is Kinesio Tape? In his book Every Second Counts, Lance Armstrong writes “The team wasn’t just riders. It was mechanics, masseurs, and doctors. But the most important man on the team may have been the chiropractor. I could not have won without my chiropractor’s help”. He goes on to describe how, while on tour, […]
7 Things You Didn’t Know Chiropractic Could Help! It’s no secret that back pain and neck pain are (by far) the most common reasons patients come into Ascent Chiropractic. But whether you’re an elite athlete or just looking to live your best life, research has shown there’s a wealth of additional health benefits you probably […]
When to use ice? When to use heat? From a soothing hot water bottle to a bag of frozen peas, most of us have turned to heat or ice at some point to help relieve pain. But when something hurts, choosing the right one means faster relief of soreness, stiffness, swelling and inflammation, while choosing […]
