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In This Issue
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Backpacks Can Be a Pain in the Back
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National Spinal Health Month
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Keep Trick-or-Treating Safe
Become a fan!
Coat Collection
Drive
Make space in your
closet! Gather up your gently worn coats and donate them
to VOICe, a local organization helping survivors of violent
crime. Finn Chiropractic Group is serving as a donation site, so
bring in your coat donation and get a
FREE additional maintenance adjustment!
Offer Ends
October 24 -
bring in your coat TODAY!
How to Stay Young -
the First 100 Years
Join Dr. Shawn Finn as he outlines practical ways to get
more enjoyment out of life - the first 100 years!
Call 724-776-2673 to register for this free presentation.
Also available as a corporate Lunch & Learn presentation -
call for details.
A Word from
Our Patients
I have a degenerative condition in my
lower back. I met Dr. Finn 11 years ago and have been able to
maintain a pain-free existence with his care. Earlier this year, I
aggravated the condition - Dr. Finn immediately instituted his new
decompression therapy and within a couple treatments, I'm just about
back to normal.
I'm grateful that Dr. Finn continues
to expand his services and continues to research and develop innovative
solutions to provide the best care for his patients.
Rick Laird
Zelienople
Get YOUR Free Gift Package!
Know someone
who could benefit from chiropractic care? Of course you do,
because EVERYONE can benefit from some level of chiropractic care.
Refer a
friend or family member to Finn Chiropractic, and if they become a
patient, you'll receive a gift package valued at more than $50!
Hours:
Mon/Wed: 8:00 am - 12:30
pm, 3:00 - 6:30 pm
Tues: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Thurs: 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Fri: 6:15 am - 12:30 pm
Sat: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
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We care
about our patients. So we've developed a newsletter designed to
give you helpful information in a quick, easy-to-read format. We
encourage you to read the articles, all designed to help you live a
healthy and happy life!
And we
look forward to seeing you at your next appointment. Don't have
one? Call 724-776-2673 to schedule a convenient time.
Please contribute to our FOOD DRIVE
Many of our
neighbors are struggling to make ends meet. You can help!
We're collecting non-perishable food items for the Glade Run Food Bank
until November 16.
Typical items
that are appreciated include cereal, soup, canned fruit/vegetables,
rice, beans, pasta, crackers, and drink boxes.
Backpacks Can Be a Pain in the Back 
Back to school also means back to
backpacks. If your kids' bags are too heavy, it can cause soreness
today, but long-term problems in the future. The American Chiropractic
Association and Finn Chiropractic Group offer the following tips to help
prevent the needless pain an over-stuffed backpack can cause:
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Make sure the backpack weighs no
more than 5 to 10 percent of your child's body weight. Any
heavier, and it will cause your child to begin bending forward in an
attempt to support the weight on his/her back rather than on the
shoulders, by the straps.
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Place heaviest items at the bottom,
to give them the most support. It will also prevent your child's
sandwhich from being smooshed by a heavy textbook! Individualized
compartments will help you position contents most effectively.
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Make sure pointy or bulky objects are packed away from
the area that rests on the child's back. An uneven surface rubbing
against the back can cause painful blisters.
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Tell your child to use both shoulder straps, not just
one. A backpack slung over one shoulder disproportionately shifts
all the weight to one side, and can cause not only neck and muscle
spasms, but also low back pain.
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Padded shoulder straps are very important. In
addition to being more comfortable, they will also help prevent the
straps from digging into your child's shoulders.
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Shoulder straps should also be adjustable to fit the
backpack to your child's body. Straps that are too loose can cause
the backpack to dangle uncomfortably, causing misalignment and pain.
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If the backpack is still too heavy, consider talking with
your child's teacher. It might be possible to leave the heaviest
books at school, and bring home only lighter handout materials or work
books.
Following these simple guidelines will help your kids be
happier and healthier, although they may still complain about having to
go to school!
National Spinal Health Month
Many of us go through each day typing on a
computer, bending or lifting
items, gardening, playing sports, and taking care of our children.
If not done properly, these activities can cause pain or injury which
may become chronic if left untreated.
Back pain is pervasive in our society.
Eighty percent of us will suffer from it at some point in our lives, and
fifty percent of us will suffer from back pain this year alone.
Low back pain is the most common work complaint experienced by Americans
today, and more than 20 million sought chiropractic care last year for
spinal injuries and pain.
The key to spinal health is prevention
- listen to your body's warning signals and adjust your lifestyle.
If you do experience pain for more than one or two days, contact us
immediately. We can identify the cause and adjust or manipulate
the spine to encourage the body's natural healing process.
Follow these strategies to keep your spine
healthy:
While sitting at a computer...
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Take frequent stretch breaks. The more hours you use your
computer, the greater the risk of discomfort or injury.
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Sit with your knees at approximately a 90- to 120-degree angle.
Using an angled foot rest to support your feet may help you sit more
comfortably.
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Make sure your chair fits correctly. Allow for 2 inches between
the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees.
Also...
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Avoid twisting and turning motions. Always bend from the knees,
not your waist, when lifting anything heavier than 10% of your body
weight, such as a child or heavy box.
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Warm up and stretch before any physical activity, including sports,
raking, gardening and shoveling snow. Be aware of your body form -
stand as erect as possible and let your legs and arms do the work - not
your back. Don't forget to cool down.
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Get a good night's rest. Choose a supportive mattress as well as
as pillow that supports the weight of your head, reducing the risk of
back or neck pain.
Keep Trick-or-Treating Safe 
There are many ways to keep your child safe at Halloween, when they're
more prone to accidents and injuries. The excitement of children
and adults at this time of year sometimes makes them forget to be
careful. Simple common sense can go a long way to keeping them
safe so everyone can enjoy the holiday:
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Light it up. Make sure everyone in your party is carrying
or wearing some type of reflective gear - light-up sneakers work well,
as do reflective arm bands and hats. Adults should also carry a
flashlight.
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Map it out. Take a few minutes to plan your
trick-or-treating route. Stick to populated, well-lighted areas,
and don't take short-cuts through back yards or alleys.
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Fill 'er up. Make sure your kids eat a healthy meal
before they head out on the trick-or-treat trail.
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Look it over. Make sure your child knows not to eat any
candy or treats until you've had a chance to inspect it.
For those trick-or-treaters who have graduated to going it alone, there
are still important rules that need to be followed:
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