The external stressors that our minds and bodies face shape how we move and feel. If we eat a bucket of KFC, we might feel a little more sluggish than if we eat a salad for lunch. If we get a great sleep followed by an early...
Exercise-ball chairs. They seem like they would be a great idea don't they? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFlnFew-7KI They are advertised as a way to "workout" at the office, strengthen your core, reduce your back pain, and improve your sitting experience at the office. At first it makes sense and seems like...
Mobility Gains Requires Nervous System Change If you have ever sought to improve your flexibility or the mobility of a particular joint, you will have noticed it is difficult! Whether self mobilization and stretching, or being treated by a chiropractor, it is relatively easy to improve your...
Reading level: Everyone + Clinicians - Pleasure read (with some opinion) Time: < 5 minutes Why: I love food and want others to love it too. Let's worry less about the details Do you worry you about what you eat? Do you wonder if should go gluten-free? Or maybe you should...
Summer In Toronto Means Ankle Sprains Now that the abominably cold days of Toronto winter our behind us, summer is upon us, the sun is out, the guns are out, we are venturing out to finally be active once more, and participating in our favourite sports, and...
The goal is with any condition is never to just band-aid your pain, but correct the underlying weakness and dysfunctions so that we eliminate the underlying cause and stop the condition from coming back. If you want to know how you can manage or prevent shin splints,...
If you notice that you have posterior rotator cuff / shoulder tightness that just doesn't seem to go away with rolling or stretching, than I am here to help. Rarely a week goes by when a member or patient asks why they are getting this aforementioned issue. My...
A battle is being waged in the shoulder of thousands of gym goers throughout the world and most of us do not even know it. If you do a lot of chest work, this war might be being fought in your very own shoulder. Just made you...
The marathoner is able to run 26 miles because their body slowly adapts to it. With training their bones thicken, red blood cells proliferate, muscles strengthen, and both the cardiovascular, and nervous systems become more efficient. Slowly over time these changes occur because the body...
The Nervous System is the most important component of human life. On a gross scale, it provides us with consciousness, allows for incredible feats of human movement and performance, and provides an unbelievable ability to detect and integrate our senses so that we can interact with the...
My Doctor Said Its Hip Bursitis It can be very frustrating to see a patient who has been misdiagnosed and suffered with condition that has prevented them from doing the activities that they love to do. On the flip side, it is so rewarding to provide them with the proper...
What Is Causing My Low Back Pain Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for a patient to visit a doctor (2nd in the United States) and is experienced by over 80% of people in their lives. It is an incredibly diverse topic...
Chiropractors Adjusting the Neck: No Reason For Fear It is common, and normal for patients to feel apprehensive about having their neck treated. Evolution has programmed us to be sensitive towards having our necks touched. The most vital structures for life travel through the relatively unprotected neck,...
[blog_subscription_form] My approach to treating neck pain As someone who has suffered from neck pain for most of my life, I understand how debilitating it is without treatment. It stops us from doing what we love, and making what we love to do less enjoyable. I believe that...
Tennis Elbow - Diagnosis, Treatment, Causes. “Tennis elbow" (TE) is known clinically as lateral epicondylalgia or previously lateral epicondylitis, or extensor tendonitis . It is diagnosed in the presence of pain located over the lateral (outside) epicondyle of the elbow, with gripping and / or manipulation...
It is relatively common knowledge that when a male (more commonly) or female (less commonly) experiences a heart attack, pain is often felt into the jaw, arm, pectoral region or hand. The problem or injury is to the heart, but pain is felt in an...
Get That Thoracic Spine Moving For those with chronic shoulder and neck pain, patients are often left wondering why? Why is it that all of a sudden pain suddenly comes with no major trauma? Or why is it that with recurrent treatment on those respective regions,...
(For your good use 2015 New Years Resolution Guide) It is easy to bash the idea of New Year's Resolutions and many choose to. We have all made them. Some stick, more do not. Whether the goal is food, exercise, friends and family, or personal growth, it...
At a recent networking event, a stranger asked me, “Why should someone see a chiropractor if they are not in pain?” The answer I gave, which I have expanded upon here, is no different for any other health professional: pain, a symptom, comes very late...
Daily stretching should be a part of everybody’s routine! It will help with injury prevention, improve your flexibility and, perhaps most importantly, make you feel great. Here are a few general steps to keep in mind when following a stretching program designed by you or your...
As a follow-up to our last blog post, in which we discussed the basics of core anatomy, strength, biomechanics and its relationship to back pain, I want to provide patient and readers with some basic exercises for core strengthening. Whether you are a couch potato,...
A big point of confusion I am seeing early in practice amongst patients is a misunderstanding of what "core strength" is. We are poorly educated by the media as to what your core is, why it is important, and how it is involved in your back pain. The goal...
What have you got planned for the next month? We all have something in the back of our minds that we want to get better at or try for the first time. Whether it is related to our health, relationships, finances, job, or anything else, we...
After a long journey, I am so happy to launch DRALEXRITZA.com As an extension of my chiropractic services, DrAlexRitza.com will act as a platform to further help my patients, friends, and colleagues. Through posts on food, recipes, exercise, wellness and even being more spiritual and mindful, I hope...
