Kennedy Wellness: Blog

Raking is an excellent opportunity for Lakewood residents to exercise, but it’s not without risks. We’re always compassionate and eager to help at Kennedy Wellness, but a lot of the injuries we see were preventable. To help people start off their holiday season right and avoid wear-and-tear, we wanted to share some recommendations on yard work. Any time we exercise or do labor we want to make sure we’re dressed for the job. Clothing should be warm, but breathable and flexible. It also should not have anything dangling from it, and people should remove jewelry and tie back their hair. Shoes should be well-supported, close-toed, and slip resistant. The rake itself should be lightweight, but long enough for a person to use without needing to bend. When raking, stand next to the leaf pile with your feet in a scissor position and don’t lock your knees. You will probably need to switch which hand is higher on the handle about every five minutes. Don’t attempt to lift up leaves when they’re w...

Chiropractic treatment allows us to treat patient pain in a way that is non-invasive and low risk. At the practice of Dr. Nathan Kennedy, it is one of many complementary approaches we use to assist patients suffering from a variety of musculoskeletal problems. Since patients are more confident in their decisions and have higher compliance rates when they feel informed, we thought it would be good for them to understand the basics of how the back is structured. The bones of the back are called vertebrae, and the ones that can move independently are said to be “articulated.” The neck bones are made up of the seven cervical vertebrae. The uppermost one is called the atlas and it is what moves the head up and down. The second one down is called the axis, and it moves the head from side to side. These two vertebrae are distinctly shaped; the rest follow a more common pattern and have spongy discs between them. The thoracic vertebrae are the twelve which make up the upper back. In addition t...