It’s rare to hear someone title themselves as a “bad driver”, but we know them all too well. The friend who texts and drives, the dad who doesn’t look both ways, and the cabby who sees yellow on the stop light and speeds up; they’re everywhere. It’s a scary reality though, “the bad driver”. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease control, motor vehicle accidents have now risen to the number one cause of death in the United States among people between the ages of five and 34. 24/7 Wall Street recently analyzed the highest rates of auto accident fatalities in each U.S. state between 2007 and 2009, and comprised a list of the top 10 most dangerous states to drive in. Take a look and see what states you might want to avoid on your next cross-country road trip. The top 10 most dangerous states to drive in: 10.) Kentucky 9.) Oklahoma 8.) West Virginia 7.) Louisiana 6.) South Carolina 5.) Arkansas 4.) Wyoming 3.) Alabama 2.) Montana 1.) Mississippi Click below for the full article. http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2012/06/13/top-10-most-dangerous-stat…

The arrival of summer brings a greater desire to participate in summer sports and activities.  Swimming, waterskiing, backpacking, hiking, and volleyball are just a few fun sports and activities that people indulge in to feed their fitness appetite during the summer season.  If the right steps are taken, these activities will maximize your health and fitness while also stimulating your body and mind.   Of course, with every sport or physical activity, aches, pains or  injuries are a possibility. To ensure an enjoyable and active summer, it is important to prepare your body for what is about to do. Common injuries for people participating in sports or exercise activities can range from broken bones, fractures, strains, sprains, and muscle pain to symptoms such as chronic back and knee problems. Most, if not all, of these are easily avoidable if you follow a few easy steps. 1- Hydrate– During the summer, our bodies work overtime to keep our system cool. It is important to hydrate, preferably with water, before, during and after whatever exercise or activity you are involved in to prevent dehydration or heat stroke. 2. Warm-Up– Contrary to popular belief, stretching before an exercise does not prevent injury. Studies show that an athlete should limit […]

Quite simply, Aquatic therapy or pool therapy is physiotherapy that is performed in the water. Aquatic therapy is a rehabilitation option that allows people to exercise in a water environment. To that end, it should only be performed by trained and certified specialists. You do not need to know how to swim to do aquatic therapy, and although it is done in water, it is not the same thing as swim lessons. So, what are the properties that make aquatic therapy effective? Buoyancy, a feature of water, assists in supporting the weight of the patient, which reduces stress on the joints. This is useful for any condition that makes weight-bearing difficult, from bone fractures to sprains and strains. Using resistance coupled with the water’s buoyancy allows a person to strengthen muscle groups without the joint stress incurred on land. Hydrostatic pressure, also called gravitational pressure, assists in improving proprioception—the sense of one’s body in space—which can become diminished following torn ligaments or joint sprains. The hydrostatic pressure also assists in decreasing swelling caused by injury or for those with arthritis. Finally, the warmth of the water allows muscles to relax and increases blood flow to injured areas, which assists in healing. Any muscle pain, and fibromyalgia are the types of conditions […]

Most Americans would agree that hiring veterans is laudable.  Simply put, the problem is how do we go about it?  Multi-Specialty HealthCare has had a Chiropractic Assistant Training Course at our Annapolis Office for the last 10 years.  Dr. Keith Scott, who is also the Chiropractor for The PGA, teaches this course. In our efforts to employ more veterans and their families, we are in the processes of working on a local as well as on the national level to make veterans and their family members aware of the opportunities in this field.  Working with other Chiropractors in the area we hope to be able to provide a placement service as well as the training course.   The Federal Government has give substantial financial incentives for hiring veterans.  For the most part, large corporations have been leaders for transitioning vets and fostering   veteran’s professional growth. However, the majority of jobs in this country are provided by medium to small business concerns.   The numbers for unemployment for veterans are higher than the national norms. There are now 2 million post 9/11 veterans.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for veterans between the ages of 18 to […]

The experts at MSHC have long believed and advocated for comprehensive care. Of course, we employ medical treatments, including medication if necessary; however, we also firmly believe in rehabilitation using methods we provide such as chiropractic care, and exercises prescribed and directed by our “dually licensed” chiropractors with physiotherapy privileges. Our philosophy was confirmed in a recent study outlined in the New York Times titled For Neck Pain, Chiropractic and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs (Anahad O’Connor, January 3, 2012). The author quotes new research, published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, “found that chiropractic care or simple exercises done at home were better at reducing pain than taking medications like aspirin, ibuprofen or narcotics.” At MSHC, we pride ourselves on the integration of quality chiropractic care with rehabilitative exercises. This is a very important aspect of a “team approach”, which we utilize across all modalities and methods of treatment. What’s more, the core message is to take the best of all methods, which our wide array of resident experts allows us at MSHC to do.  In addition to our 35+ doctors on staff, we have comprehensive diagnostic ability, and a full contingent of experts to provide a wide array of care. And we like to […]

Where’s the pain? Many victims of minor and sometimes even major car or other type of accidents assume that because they feel fine physically, they do not require any medical attention. In fact, the emotional distress and shock at the time of these accidents can lead those involved to want to be done with the upsetting incident as soon as possible.  While this is an understandable reaction, professionals will tell you to carefully monitor any symptoms, and be alert to any physical changes. These can range from neck or back stiffness or pain, to dizziness or headaches. The delayed onset of pain due to injury is a situation we encounter many times.   Although to be on the safe side, you can seek immediate care following an injury, be aware that if problems develop, either fairly soon or sometimes even long after an accident, it pays to seek a professional with experience in cases such as this. In addition, look not just for a diagnosis, but the most effective route to relief: from healing, to staying healthy.   When legal issues come into play regarding accidents, it is also helpful to seek out trusted counsel on matters involving personal injury. […]

Every winter, emergency rooms and physician offices across the country are busy attending to sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations, contusions and other injuries sustained from participation in seasonal sports, like skiing, snowboarding, skating and sledding. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, nearly 700,000 injuries from these wintertime activities were reported in 2007 alone. Cold weather recreation need not be harmful. Most associated injuries can be easily prevented by taking precautions and playing it smart. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers the following advice: Stay in shape and warm up cold muscles beforehand. Layer your clothing to accommodate your body’s constantly changing temperature. Light, loose, wind- and water-resistant tops and bottoms, as well as high collars, adjustable drawstrings and clothing that has flaps to cover zippers, are recommended. And don’t forget about a headband or hat—60% of heat is lost through the head. Wear appropriate gear, including helmets, goggles or sunglasses, padding, wrist guards and gloves. Skiers, skaters and snowboarders also should don proper footwear that supports the ankles and keeps the feet warm and dry. Check to make sure your equipment is working correctly and that you fully understand how to operate it. Take a lesson or two […]

Are you technologically healthy? It’s no surprise if you experience pain in your fingers, wrists, elbows and neck resulting from excessive use of personal digital assistants (PDA) like cell phones, media players (iPods), tablets, computers and even video games. Indeed, along with the billions of text messages sent each year has come a rise in musculoskeletal discomfort and injury. As advances in personal technologies continue (and devices and keyboards get smaller and smaller), so too will health problems stemming from overuse and misuse. The good news is that with some simple techniques, you can prevent the toll technology can take on your body. The Thumb and Wrist The fine, repetitive movements that are required for texting are not so great for the thumb, which is best used for gripping and grasping. In fact, over time, they can place unwanted stress on ligaments and muscles, leading to irritation and inflammation that can extend to the wrist. Without treatment, the pain can increase and weakness and disability can ensue. In addition to taking breaks from long stretches of typing on a PDA, try to: minimize overall use limit texting and checking and returning e-mails send shorter messages reduce keystrokes with abbreviations and […]