Injury Prevention: Staying Active and Safe

Spring is rapidly approaching and I know I am getting anxious and ready to open the windows and let all the fresh air inside. This is a great time to reinvigorate our commitments to our body and maximize each and every day. Maintaining an active lifestyle is essential for overall health and well-being. However, it’s equally important to be mindful of injury prevention. This month, we’re focusing on how chiropractic care can help you stay safe while enjoying your daily activities.

Understanding the Importance of Injury Prevention

As we navigate life, our bodies undergo various changes that can affect balance, flexibility, and strength. These changes can increase the risk of injuries, aches and pains, and particularly falls in the older population, which can have serious complications. Here are some key strategies to help you stay healthy and safe:

Regular Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic adjustments can improve joint mobility and alignment, reducing pain and stiffness. Regular visits can help maintain your body’s balance and function, making it easier to navigate daily activities safely.

Benefit: Enhanced flexibility and range of motion, which can lower the risk of falls. Improved alignment can also reduce stress on muscles and joints, alleviating discomfort and promoting overall wellness.

Strength and Balance Exercises

Incorporating strength and balance exercises into your routine is vital for injury prevention. Not only this, but any amount of weight training has been linked to a lower all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.

Balance Exercises: Performing exercises such as heel-toe walking and single legged balance poses can help with general balance and maintaining equilibrium. For more advanced exercises, try tree pose or lunge walks. 

Resistance Training: Engaging in resistance training using light weights or resistance bands can strengthen key muscle groups. Focus on exercises that target the legs, hips, and core, as these areas are crucial for stability and mobility.
Tip: Consider joining a local class at your local fitness center. Supervised sessions can help you learn proper techniques and avoid injury as well as create a fun environment to get exercise.

Fall-Proof Your Home

Set yourself up for success by not only making sure that you are caring for your body, but also making sure your environment is not increasing your chances for injury.

Declutter: When possible, move items off the floor and keep the areas you frequent clean. Keeping walkways clear and organized makes movement safer and more manageable.

Lighting: Ensure that all areas are well-lit, especially stairs and hallways. Consider installing night lights to illuminate darker areas, reducing the risk of trips and falls at night.

Support: Make use of handrails wherever possible to help maintain balance, and consider non-slip mats in the shower. Reduce the chance that an unexpected slip may occur.

Stay Hydrated and Nourished

Whether you are outside all day working in the yard or inside doing chores, making sure you are properly nourished and hydrated is paramount to avoid fatigue and injury:

Calcium and Vitamin D: These nutrients are essential for bone health. Incorporate foods like dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified cereals into your diet. Please ask us questions whether supplements might be right for you and what supplements would be most beneficial for you.

Hydration: Staying hydrated is key to maintaining energy levels and preventing dizziness, which can lead to falls. Aim for at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, and increase intake during hot weather or physical activity. If you are going to be in an environment that will significantly increase the amount you may sweat, consider having electrolyte supplementation as well.

Use Proper Techniques

When working and lifting, be sure to use proper biomechanics. Our spines are not designed to take the majority of the force during a lift, we have much larger muscles that do a much better job.

Bend at the knees instead of the waist. This activates your leg muscles rather than putting strain on your back.

Keep the load close to your body. This reduces the leverage on your spine, minimizing the risk of injury.

Engage your core while lifting. Strong core muscles support your spine and can help prevent injury.

Staying active and safe is not only possible but essential for maintaining a fulfilling lifestyle. However, there can be a fear associated with activity for increasing the possibility of injury. But,  by combining chiropractic care with simple injury prevention strategies, you can enjoy greater mobility and independence.

In Good Health,

Drs. Mark, Matt & Tami
(www.mifflintownchiro.com)

PS: Remember to check back often to our website.  Please leave feedback on the layouts!

PSS:  If you would like an email reminder of your appointments please stop by at the front desk and talk to Sharon. 

Newsletter Articles
February 2026

• Dry Nights for the First Time in Six Children in Study Under Chiropractic Care
• National Survey in Denmark Shows Patients Very Satisfied with Chiropractic Care
• Failed Back Surgery Helped by Chiropractic According to Study
• Improvement in ADHD Symptoms in Woman Who Suffered Multiple Physical Traumas

Dry Nights for the First Time in Six Children in Study Under Chiropractic Care

Bedwetting, also known as nocturnal enuresis or nighttime bladder accidents, is more common than many families realize. It affects millions of children worldwide and can continue well beyond the toddler years. For children and parents alike, this challenge often brings frustration, embarrassment, disrupted sleep, and stress at home. Traditional approaches may include alarms, medications, or limiting fluids, but these methods don't always address the underlying reasons why a child's body isn't waking up in time to use the bathroom.

A study published in the January-March 2026 issue of the Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal study looked at how the nervous system plays a role in nighttime bladder control. In this study, six school-aged children who had never experienced a dry night were followed while receiving chiropractic care focused on improving nervous system function. All of the children shared a common finding: a retained early-life reflex, called the "Spinal Galant reflex" that normally fades in infancy. When this reflex remains active, it may interfere with normal communication between the brain, spinal cord, and bladder.

The bladder is not controlled by willpower alone—it depends on precise nerve signaling. During sleep, the brain must sense bladder fullness, reduce nighttime urine production, and trigger waking before an accident occurs. If these signals are delayed or disrupted, the bladder may empty before the child becomes aware. The study suggests that when nerve interference or imbalance is present, the brain may not receive or respond properly to those signals.

Care in these cases focused on supporting healthier nerve communication and, when appropriate, correction of subluxation to reduce interference within the nervous system. Some children also performed simple at-home activities designed to help the nervous system mature and integrate lingering reflex patterns. Children who consistently followed these recommendations tended to achieve dry nights more quickly, while those who did not participate as fully took longer to improve.

Encouragingly, all six children eventually achieved dry nights. Some improved within weeks, while others required more time and ongoing care. Parents reported not only fewer nighttime accidents, but also improvements in confidence, sleep quality, and emotional well-being. For families who had tried many options without success, these changes were life-altering and restored hope.

While this was a small case series and more research is needed, the findings highlight an important perspective: bedwetting may be more than a bladder issue alone. Supporting nervous system development and function may offer a gentle, non-invasive avenue worth considering. For families struggling with persistent bedwetting, understanding the role of the nervous system opens the door to new possibilities and a more compassionate approach to care.

National Survey in Denmark Shows Patients Very Satisfied with Chiropractic Care

When people seek healthcare, they want more than symptom relief—they want to feel heard, understood, and confident in the care they receive. A large national study published on November 26, 2025, by BMC Health Services Research, looked closely at how patients experience chiropractic care and what truly shapes their overall satisfaction. Rather than focusing only on clinical outcomes, the research explored the human side of care: communication, reassurance, involvement, and trust.

The National Survey of Patient Experience and Satisfaction with Chiropractic Care was conducted among patients in chiropractic clinics in Denmark in January of 2023. The survey included nearly 18,000 patients from chiropractic clinics across an entire country, making it one of the most comprehensive assessments of patient experience to date. An overwhelming majority of patients reported high or very high satisfaction with their care. This level of consistency suggests that many patients feel chiropractic care meets or exceeds their expectations, especially when it comes to feeling supported and informed during their visits.

One of the strongest findings was that personal interaction mattered more than facilities or convenience. Patients consistently rated their experience highest when they felt listened to, thoroughly examined, and clearly informed about their condition. Feeling involved in decisions and reassured about progress played a major role in how satisfied patients felt. In other words, quality communication and connection mattered far more than parking availability or waiting room details.

From a nervous system perspective, this makes sense. When patients feel calm, safe, and informed, the body is better able to shift out of stress mode and into healing mode. Care that focuses on improving nervous system function—including correction of subluxation—helps reduce interference that contributes to pain, tension, and stress. This may also explain why patients often report benefits that go beyond pain relief alone, such as improved confidence, ease of movement, and peace of mind.

Overall, this research reinforces an important message: people value care that treats them as whole individuals, not just a set of symptoms. High satisfaction was closely tied to feeling respected, informed, and reassured. For patients, this means chiropractic care can offer not only physical support, but also a positive, empowering healthcare experience—one that supports the body's natural ability to adapt, heal, and thrive.

Failed Back Surgery Helped by Chiropractic According to Study

Many people assume that spine surgery will permanently solve chronic back or neck pain. Unfortunately, a large number of patients continue to experience pain, stiffness, and reduced quality of life long after surgery. This ongoing condition—often described as persistent pain after spinal surgery—can affect sleep, mobility, mood, and daily activities, leaving individuals searching for safe and effective next steps when surgery has not delivered the hoped-for relief.

This large case series released on December 8, 2025, in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, followed over sixty adults who had previously undergone spine surgery yet continued to struggle with pain and disability. These individuals included people with both neck and low-back surgeries, many of whom had been living with discomfort for years. Rather than focusing solely on the surgical site, care was directed toward improving overall spinal movement and nervous system communication.

Pain is not just a structural issue—it is deeply connected to how the nervous system processes signals from the body. When spinal stress or dysfunction remains, nerve messages can become distorted or amplified. If subluxations are present, this interference may contribute to ongoing pain, tension, poor sleep, fatigue, and emotional strain. Supporting proper nerve communication through correction of subluxation may help calm the nervous system and improve the body's ability to adapt and heal.

The results of this study were encouraging. Most participants reported meaningful reductions in pain and improvements in daily function within a few months of care. Many also noted benefits beyond pain relief, including better sleep, reduced anxiety, improved mood, and greater participation in social and physical activities. Importantly, these improvements were still present months later for many individuals.

Another important finding was that patients themselves reported these changes as meaningful—not just measurable on tests. Improvements in quality of life, confidence in movement, and ability to return to normal routines mattered just as much as reductions in pain scores. For people who had already been through surgery, these gains represented renewed hope and a sense of control over their health.

These findings highlight an important takeaway: persistent pain after surgery does not mean options have run out. A conservative approach focused on nervous system health and spinal function may offer relief without additional surgery. For those living with ongoing pain after spinal procedures, this study supports exploring chiropractic care that looks beyond symptoms and supports the body as a connected, self-regulating system.

Improvement in ADHD Symptoms in Woman Who Suffered Multiple Physical Traumas

Many people don't realize how deeply stress and physical trauma can affect the body long after an injury seems to have healed. Stress doesn't only come from emotional strain—it can also build up from physical injuries, accidents, repetitive strain, and even long-standing tension patterns. Over time, this accumulation can overwhelm the nervous system and contribute to ongoing pain, fatigue, immune challenges, and difficulties with focus or emotional regulation.

This case report, published in the January-March 2026 issue of the Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal, followed a 30-year-old woman who had experienced multiple physical and emotional traumas throughout her life. She initially sought care for persistent neck and back pain, stiffness, and nerve sensations such as tingling. Alongside these physical concerns, she also struggled with mental overload, difficulty concentrating, and a constant feeling of being "on edge." These symptoms are often viewed separately, yet they may share a common root in how the nervous system is coping—or failing to cope—with ongoing stress.

The nervous system plays a central role in how the body adapts to challenges. When stress becomes chronic, the body can remain stuck in a heightened "fight-or-flight" mode. This prolonged state may disrupt immune balance, increase inflammation, and interfere with brain regions responsible for focus, calmness, and emotional control. If subluxations are present, nerve communication may become further strained, making it harder for the body to self-regulate and recover.

Care in this case focused on supporting the nervous system by reducing interference from subluxations and improving overall function. As care progressed, the woman reported not only relief from pain and stiffness, but also a growing sense of mental ease. She described feeling calmer, more relaxed, and better able to manage daily demands. These changes were reflected in improved balance, coordination, and physical stability as well. Interestingly, improvements extended beyond the original complaint. The woman reported clearer thinking, improved focus, and a noticeable reduction in long-standing attention-related challenges. She also experienced fewer headaches, better sleep quality, and an increased ability to return to work and exercise. These outcomes highlight how changes in nervous system function can influence both physical comfort and mental well-being.

This study offers an important insight: the body functions as an integrated whole. Supporting nervous system health may have far-reaching effects beyond pain relief alone. For individuals with a history of trauma, chronic stress, or attention challenges, addressing nervous system interference may open the door to improved resilience, clarity, and overall quality of life.