Southland Chiropractic Clinic

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Dr. Hakimian and his staff are dedicated to the enhancement of your health and performance Palmer Chiropractic College-West graduate, class of 1991.

He is national and state board certified. He has been practicing in his San Mateo and Hayward offices since 1992, helping auto injury, work injury, and sport injury patients, as well as patients with chronic and acute conditions. He uses many different chiropractic techniques to address many different complex chiropractic disorders, helping children, adults, elderly and pregnant women. Dr. Hakimia

n has been the medical trainer for the Armenian Olympic team, representing the San Francisco AGAU chapter in the Los Angeles Olympics for many years. He uses his knowledge of many sports activities to address the issues concerning athletes of their unique, complex and difficult cases. He is a member of the Better Business Bureau, the Hayward Chamber of Commerce, and the National Chiropractic Council. Performs chiropractic manipulations to improve joint mobility, physical therapy and massage to improve circulation and promote natural healing, prescribes exercises to strengten and stretch weak and spastic muscles, and recommends nutritional supplementation for the many needs of each individual patient. For your convenience Dr. Hakimian speaks six languages. He offers his time to new as well as existing patients who wish to discuss their health concerns and have their questions answered for free of charge. To enjoy the benefits of chiropractic, you can contact Dr. Hakimian today for a complimentary consultation

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterSitting All Day Could Be the Cause of Your Lower Back PainYou don't have to be a...
06/18/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Sitting All Day Could Be the Cause of Your Lower Back Pain

You don't have to be active to develop lower back pain. Sitting stresses your spine and may cause back issues, particularly if you spend hours in a chair every day. Fortunately, making a few changes to your routine can help you avoid back pain caused by sitting.

How Sitting Causes Lower Back Pain

Remaining in the same position too long may stiffen and strain muscles, joints, and tissues in your back. Unfortunately, sitting for long periods has become a normal part of life for many people. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, many adults 20 and older are sedentary (move very little) for about 9.5 hours every day.

Whether you're catching up on social media, watching TV, or working, sitting increases pressure on your spine. The increased pressure tightens your muscles, plays a role in inflammation, and may cause chronic lower back pain.

Muscles need frequent activity to stay strong. Long periods of sitting could weaken core muscles that support the spine and are essential for good posture. Sitting also tightens muscles in the hips and hamstrings.

Your spine looks a little like an "S" when you look at it from the side. The curved shape of the spine:

Protects Bones and Discs in the Spine by Absorbing Shock
Helps Distribute Weight Evenly
Provides Flexibility Needed to Bend, Stretch, and Twist

Poor posture while sitting flattens the natural curves of your spine and increases pressure on spinal discs, while straining ligaments and soft tissues. You may experience lower back pain when sitting if you slouch, cross your legs, round your shoulders, or lean forward. Sitting in a chair that doesn't offer good back support could also cause pain.

Sitting all day increases your risk for subluxations, or misalignments of the bony vertebrae in your spine. Subluxations increase pressure on muscles, ligaments, and tendons and press on nerves. Unfortunately, subluxations don't go away on their own.

Improving Lower Back Pain Caused by Sitting

Although sitting may be unavoidable in some cases, you can do a few things to reduce your risk for back pain, including:

Taking Breaks. Schedule short breaks every 30 to 60 minutes. Stand, stretch, or go for a walk to decrease stress on your spine during your breaks. Need a simple stretching exercise? Lift your hands above your head, then slowly lower your upper body toward the floor. Touch the floor if you can or hold on to your lower legs to experience the stretch.
Standing More. Could some of your daily activities be accomplished while standing? Try reading emails, talking on the phone, or watching TV while standing. A standing desk is a good choice if you work behind a desk. Standing desks can be raised to accommodate standing or lowered for sitting. Alternating between standing and sitting gives your back a break.
Improving Your Posture. Slumping on a chair or sitting on the floor increases pressure on the lower back, according to a research study published in Bioengineering in 2023. Researchers noted that sitting on the floor was even worse for the spine than sitting slumped on a chair. Practicing good posture when sitting can help you avoid low back pain. Keep your feet flat on the floor and relax your shoulders. Make sure your knees are at the same level as your hips. Don't lean forward while you're sitting. Position your laptop or computer monitor at eye level to reduce leaning.
Stretching and Strengthening Muscles. Simple stretches, like lunges, help keep muscles and tissues flexible, while planks, crunches, and other exercises strengthen core muscles in the abdomen, back, and pelvis that support the spine. Improving core strength reduces stress on discs and ligaments and helps you maintain good posture when sitting.
Visiting the Chiropractor. Your chiropractor can help you manage lower back pain with adjustments, massage and other treatments. Adjustments correct subluxations, ease pain, reduce inflammation, improve range of motion, and decrease tension on muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Massage loosens tight tissues and enhances flexibility in the back.

Struggling with lower back pain? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Keck School of Medicine of USC: Achy Back? You May Be Sitting Too Much, 5/27/2020

https://keck.usc.edu/news/achy-back-you-may-be-sitting-too-much/

American College of Sports Medicine: How Do Americans Spend Their Sedentary Time?, 1/24/2022

https://www.newswise.com/articles/how-do-americans-spend-their-sedentary-time

BMC: Bioengineering: Biomechanical Effects of Different Sitting Postures and Physiologic Movements on the Lumbar Spine: A Finite Element Study, 9/7/2023

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10525568/

Spine Health Foundation: Sedentarism and Its Effects on the Spine, 12/4/2020

https://spinehealth.org/article/sedentarism-and-its-effects-on-the-spine/

Harvard Health Publishing: The Dangers of Sitting, 8/13/2020

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/the-dangers-of-sitting

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterHow Your Morning Routine Affects Your SpineA spine-friendly morning routine coul...
06/18/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

How Your Morning Routine Affects Your Spine

A spine-friendly morning routine could help you enjoy a pain-free day. In fact, the choices you make when you first wake up could hurt or help your back. Fortunately, it's never too late to start prioritizing your back health.

What Happens to Your Spine Overnight?

While you're peacefully snoozing, your spinal discs soak up fluids and become plumper. The discs cushion the space between the bony vertebrae in your spine. In addition to providing flexibility, spinal discs also act as natural shock absorbers.

Plumper discs can cause morning stiffness and increase tension on ligaments. Swollen discs aren't the only cause of stiffness. Remaining nearly motionless for eight hours or longer can cause stiff muscles and joints.

7 Morning Habits That Can Ruin Your Day

If you do any of these things, you may be at risk for back pain:

Jumping Out of Bed the Moment the Alarm Rings. Although you may be eager to start the day, rushing out of bed may increase your risk of strains and sprains due to tight muscles, joints, and ligaments. Instead, take a few moment to warm up your body before you throw back the blankets. Sit up slowly and roll your neck slowly toward your left shoulder, then back to the right shoulder. Rotate your ankles in circles a few times. If you automatically, yawn and stretch when you wake up, even better. The habit, called pandiculation, relieves muscle tension and activates connective tissue, according to The Cleveland Clinic.
Not Drinking Enough Water. The fluid-level in your discs decreases as you stand up and go about your day. Drinking water helps hydrate the discs, reducing your risk for pain.
Checking Your Phone. If your phone is the first thing you reach for in the morning, you may be setting the stage for neck and upper back pain. Most people bend their heads to view their phones, which significantly increases stress on the neck and upper back. Over time, this position can cause a condition called text neck. Symptoms of text neck include neck and upper back pain, headaches, stiffness, muscle spasms, and numbness and tingling in the arms and hands. Reduce your risk for text neck by holding your phone at eye level.
Failing to Stretch. Starting your day without stretching may also cause aches and pains, as tight tissues are more likely to become strained or sore. Taking five minutes to stretch can help you avoid pain. Stretches don't have to complicated to be effective. Lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest, or try the cat-cow yoga pose. Start the pose on all fours. Arch your back and lower your head (cat), then lift your head and drop your spine (cow). Avoid exercises that involve vigorous movements or a lot of bending first thing in the morning.
Poor Posture. Pay attention to the way you brush your teeth or put on your makeup. Bending your neck or hunching your back may strain your upper and mid-back, causing nagging pain that lasts all day. Bend from the hips instead of rounding your back.
Stressing Out. Thoughts of completing everything on your mental to-do list may increase your stress level in the morning. Stress increases tension in muscles and soft tissues, which can cause or worsen back pain. Relieve stress by taking a few deep breaths or meditating.
Ignoring Stiffness. Ignoring morning stiffness won't make it go away and will only increase your risk for strained or sprained muscles and tissues. A hot shower is an excellent way to relieve stiffness. If you're a nighttime bather, put a heating pad on your back or neck for a few minutes before you being your day.

Wondering why your back pain hasn't gotten better even though you follow a back-friendly morning routine? You may have a subluxation. A subluxation, or misalignment of the vertebrae, causes pain and increases tension on muscles and soft tissues. Chiropractic treatments, like adjustments and massage, ease back pain and help you avoid pain and stiffness.

Improve your back health with chiropractic care! Call our office to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic: What Is Pandiculation, and Why Does It Feel So Good?, 4/10/2025

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-does-pandiculation-feel-so-good

Harvard Health Publishing: The Importance of Stretching, 4/17/2024

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/the-importance-of-stretching

CNN: The 8-Minute Morning Routine to Reduce Back Pain All Day, 1/30/2026

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/30/health/exercises-for-back-pain-relief-wellness

PMC: European Journal of Applied Physiology: The Effects of Chronic Stretch Training on Musculoskeletal Pain, 3/9/2025

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12354564/

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterDaily Habits That Support a Healthy SpineWondering what you can do to prevent ba...
06/18/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Daily Habits That Support a Healthy Spine

Wondering what you can do to prevent backaches? Incorporating a few of these habits into your daily routine will help you keep your spine healthy.

Strengthen Your Core

The effects of gravity and wear and tear take a toll on your spine. In fact, age-related spinal changes can begin as early as age 30, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Although you can't completely avoid these changes, strengthening the muscles that support your spine reduces your risk for back pain and improves posture, stability and balance. Exercises like planks and crunches are ideal for strengthening muscles in your back, abdomen, and hips.

Keep Moving

Movement helps your spine stay flexible and improves blood flow to your back. You don't need to follow a complicated exercise routine to enjoy the back health benefits of movement. Walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, and other activities help keep your spine limber and healthy.

Lift Carefully

Poor lifting techniques can stress your back, strain muscles and ligaments, and may even increase your risk for herniated discs. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 50% of low back pain is caused by twisting, bending, lifting, pushing, or carrying heavy items.

Practice safe lifting techniques by bending at your knees when you pick up an object. Hold the object close to your chest if possible. Keep your back straight as you stand. Don't twist as you lift.

Pick up a corner of the object to gauge its weight. If an object seems too heavy to lift alone, don't move it or lift it without help.

Make Positive Lifestyle Changes

Obesity and smoking increase the risk of low back pain, according to The Lancet Rheumatology. Extra pounds stress your spine and increase the amount of pressure on it. Stress and strain may damage the discs that cushion your vertebrae and lead to arthritis. Even a few extra pounds could increase your likelihood for back pain.

Smoking reduces blood flow to the spine and can affect disc, bone, and blood vessel health, according to a 2021 literature review published in Surgical Neurology International. Although losing weight and quitting smoking can be challenging, making these changes could improve the health of your spine.

Limit Sitting

Sitting also increases stress on the spine and can be a factor in back pain. Reduce the effects of sitting by including frequent breaks in your schedule. Take a few minutes to stretch, walk in place, or take a short stroll before returning to your chair. Schedule breaks every 30 minutes to one hour.

Pay Attention to Posture

Slouching, whether you're sitting or standing, is a common cause of back pain. Poor posture stresses your spine, muscles, and joints and can cause subluxations, which are misalignments of the vertebrae in your spine. Keep your head in a neutral position and avoid hunching your upper back when you sit or stand.

Good posture is just as important when using digital devices. Bending your head to view devices can cause text neck, a painful condition that can lead to permanent changes in your spine if you don't improve your posture. Symptoms of text neck include headaches, subluxations, tingling or numbness in your hands, and pain and stiffness in shoulder, neck, and upper back. Hold devices at eye level to reduce your risk for text neck.

Regular visits to the chiropractor can help you correct subluxations caused by poor posture. Spinal adjustments, one of the treatments offered by your chiropractor, improve the alignment of the vertebrae by applying quick thrusts to the spine. This painless treatment offers a simple way to improve your posture and reduce your risk for back pain.

Dealing with back pain? Chiropractic care can ease your pain and improve spinal alignment. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Spine Health Foundation: 30 Tips for Spine Health Prevention & Wellness, 10/17/2024

https://spinehealth.org/article/spine-health-wellness/

PMC: Surgical Neurology International : Adverse Impact of Smoking on the Spine and Spinal Surgery, 3/24/2021

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8053459/

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health: Engineering Controls Database, 11/16/2018

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/engcontrols/ecd/detail25.html

Harvard Health Publishing: Three Moves for Better Spine Health, 8/1/2020

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/three-moves-for-better-spine-health

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Low Back Pain

https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/low-back-pain/

Lancet Rheumatology: Global, Regional, and National Burden of Low Back Pain, 1990-2020, Its Attributable Risk Factors, and Projections to 2050: A Systematic Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, 7/2023

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(23)00098-X/fulltext

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterFeeling Stiff When You Wake Up? Find Out What You Can Do to Prevent the ProblemM...
06/18/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Feeling Stiff When You Wake Up? Find Out What You Can Do to Prevent the Problem

Morning stiffness is more than just an annoyance. Loss of flexibility can lead to injuries that cause pain for days or weeks. Determining why you feel stiff is the first step in improving flexibility. Stiffness can be caused by these common issues:

Awkward Sleeping Position

Sleeping on your side is the best way to avoid back pain, according to the Sleep Foundation, while sleeping on your back is the second-best position. Sleeping on your stomach isn't recommended, as this position can stress muscles and tissues in your back, neck, and shoulder and cause subluxations (spinal misalignments).

Do you sleep on your side or back and still feel stiff in the morning? The problem could be the way you sleep. Keeping your spine properly aligned is the key to avoiding pain and stiffness. Twisting your hips while you sleep or arching your back could be the reason you feel stiff.

What You Can Do. Placing a small pillow between your knees improves the alignment of your hips, pelvis, and spine if you prefer to sleep on your side. If you sleep on your back, the best pillow position is beneath your knees. A pillow under your hips may improve stiffness if you're a stomach sleeper and can't adjust to sleeping on your back or side.

Lack of Movement

Muscles and tissues naturally become a little stiffer if you don't move them for hours. Stiffness can also be affected by the height of your spinal discs. While you sleep, your spinal discs absorb fluids from your tissues, increasing their height. Plump discs make your back feel tighter in the morning and may be more likely to cause pain if you already have a back issue.

Synovial fluid circulates around joints and lubricates them, making movement easy and painless. Remaining in the same position for hours slows synovial fluid circulation, which can lead to stiffness.

What You Can Do. Movement improves fluid circulation, but first thing in the morning isn't the ideal time to jump into a vigorous exercise routine. Avoid quick movements that could strain your muscles and tissues. Stretch your arms and roll your neck from side-to-side before you slowly rise from your bed. Once you're out of bed, perform a few gentle stretches to improve flexibility and range of motion. Looking for a simple stretching exercise? Try raising your arms above your head and then extending them to the sides, or lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest to stretch your back.

Unsupportive Mattress

A mattress that doesn't adequately support your spine could be the reason for morning pain and stiffness. Although manufacturers claim mattresses should last seven to 10 years, that's not always the case. Mattresses can become uncomfortable after just a few months or may last 15 years, depending on the construction and quality of the mattress.

What You Can Do. If your mattress sags or just doesn't feel comfortable any more, it's time to replace it, no matter how long you've had it.

Dehydration

Do you avoid drinking water after a certain point in the day because you don't want to make midnight trips to the bathroom? Dehydration can affect fluid levels of the discs that cushion the vertebrae in your spine.

What You Can Do. Drink water throughout the day to prevent dehydration. Yes, you might need to visit the bathroom during the night, but you just may feel less stiff in the morning.

Aging

Stiffness may also be related to aging, as muscles and tendons naturally become more rigid with age. According to the European Journal of Translational Myology, stiffness can be due to a decline of muscle contractile force (the amount of force a muscle produces).

What You Can Do. Although you can't turn back the clock, performing stretches before you go to bed and when you first wake up could reduce stiffness. Hot showers and exercises that build strong muscles may also be helpful.

Struggling with stiffness? Your chiropractor offers treatments, exercises and strategies that can help you move more easily. Contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Sources:

Sleep Foundation: Best Sleeping Positions, 7/25/2025

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleeping-positions

Spine Health Foundation: 30 Tips for Spine Health Prevention & Wellness, 10/17/2024

https://spinehealth.org/article/spine-health-wellness/

Cleveland Clinic: Muscle Stiffness, 7/20/2023

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/25147-muscle-stiffness

American Chiropractic Association: Joint Health

https://www.acatoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ACA_JointHealth_2023.pdf

PMC: European Journal of Translational Myology: Increase of Resting Muscle Stiffness, a Less Considered Component of Age-Related Skeletal Muscle Impairment, 6/17/2020

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7385684/

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterChiropractic Care Can Help Get Your Back Ready for SummerDo you have a long list...
04/30/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Chiropractic Care Can Help Get Your Back Ready for Summer

Do you have a long list of things you'd like to do this summer? If you're like most people, you may have been less active during the cold winter months. Unfortunately, jumping back into warm weather activities too quickly can increase your risk for back pain. Chiropractic care can help you prepare your body for your favorite activities.

Why Your Back Needs a Little Help in the Summer

Inactivity can cause a range of issues that affect back health including:

Stiff Muscles and Soft Tissues
Muscle Tightness
Muscle Imbalances
Poor Posture
Weak Core
Subluxations (Misaligned Vertebrae)

These issues might not be causing you any pain now, but could increase your risk for back pain if you suddenly increase your activity level. According to a meta-analysis and systematic review published in Health Promotion Perspectives in 2021, being sedentary was a considerable risk factor for low back back pain in adults and children.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Chiropractic care helps you get ready for summer by addressing underlying issues before they can cause back pain. Treatments help your back adapt to your more active lifestyle.

Benefits of chiropractic care include:

Better Spinal Alignment. Subluxations press on or strain muscles, ligaments, and nerves, causing back pain and limiting movement. Chiropractic adjustments realign your spine. Adjustments ease pain, reduce pressure on nerves and improve posture. Adjustments are painless and involve quick movements with the hands or a small device to realign the vertebrae.
Improved Flexibility and Range of Motion. Adjustments and soft tissue treatments, like massage, improve soft tissue and joint flexibility and range of motion. Both adjustments and massage are among the non-drug therapies recommended by the American College of Physicians for low back pain. Thanks to chiropractic care, you'll be able to bend to w**d the garden or twist to s**g a fly ball.
Less Pain. Do you notice momentary twinges of pain when you bend or twist? Twinges are warning signs and could mean you're at increased risk for a back injury. Your chiropractor addresses the cause of those twinges, whether they're caused by subluxations or tight back muscles. Thanks to your visits to the chiropractic office, you won't have to worry about being sidelined by back pain this season.
Reduced Tissue Tension. Have you noticed that your muscles feel a little tight when you move? Tight muscles or tissues are more likely to become strained or sprained during exercise. Chiropractic treatments loosen soft tissues and relieve muscle spasms and trigger points (knots in muscles).
Straighter Posture. Weekend movie marathons may be the ideal way to pass a cold, snowy weekend, but too much time sitting can lead to posture issues. Poor posture tightens muscles and tissues, which can pull vertebrae out of alignment and cause subluxations. Muscle tension and subluxations make it difficult to maintain good posture, which can lead to back issues. Chiropractic treatments improve spinal alignment, reduce soft tissue tension, and improve muscle imbalances. Once these problems are corrected, posture improves, and the risk of back injuries decreases.
Better Athletic Performance. It's difficult to excel at your favorite spring sport if your back hurts or your range of motion is restricted. Chiropractic care helps you perform at your best by addressing issues that could affect your performance. In fact, many professional sports teams rely on chiropractors to get their players game ready.

Is your back ready for summer? Start the process with a visit to the chiropractor. Contact our office to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

Spine Health Foundation: Sedentarism and Its Effects on the Spine, 12/4/2020

https://spinehealth.org/article/sedentarism-and-its-effects-on-the-spine/

Health Promotion Perspectives: Association Between Sedentary Behavior and Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 12/19/2021

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8767074/

Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Prevent Back Pain, 3/21/2024

https://odphp.health.gov/myhealthfinder/healthy-living/safety/prevent-back-pain -action-tab

American College of Physicians: American College of Physicians Issues Guideline for Treating Nonradicular Low Back Pain, 2/14/2017

https://www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/american-college-of-physicians-issues-guideline-for-treating-nonradicular-low-back-pain

MedlinePlus: Healthy Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle, 9/15/2025

https://medlineplus.gov/healthrisksofaninactivelifestyle.html

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterHow Treating Microtraumas with Chiropractic Care Can Help You Avoid InjuriesAche...
04/30/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

How Treating Microtraumas with Chiropractic Care Can Help You Avoid Injuries

Aches and pains aren't always caused by dramatic injuries, like falls or car accidents. In some cases, pain occurs as a result of a series of microtraumas. Microtraumas, tiny injuries to the body's soft tissues, trigger pain and stiffness and may increase your risk for more serious injuries. Fortunately, chiropractic care can prevent microtraumas from becoming major problems.

What Are Microtraumas?

Microtraumas affect your tendons, ligaments, muscles, and the connective tissue that support your joints. The injuries are so small that you may not notice any symptoms at first.

When microtraumas occur, your body may make small changes to protect itself. You might alter the way you walk or change the way you hold your shoulder due to microtraumas in your back, neck, shoulder, hips, or legs. Even minor posture changes can affect spinal alignment, trigger inflammation, or irritate nerves.

Microtraumas may also create imbalances that increase your risk for injury. Imbalances happen when one group of muscles becomes too tight or strong, while another group becomes too loose or weak.

Reaching for an umbrella in the back seat of your car could strain or tear tight tissues in your shoulder due to a collection of microtraumas. Or, you might dash down the stairs the same way you do every morning and suddenly feel pain in your back or leg.

Muscles that are too tight can change the alignment of your spine, causing subluxations. Subluxations occur when the vertebrae in your spine aren't properly aligned. Subluxations cause pain and swelling and may affect flexibility and movement.

What Causes Microtraumas?

Microtraumas are overuse injuries that can be caused by:

Poor Sitting or Standing Posture
Bending Your Neck Down to View Digital Devices
Repetitive Movements, Like Typing, Hammering or Swinging a Racquet
Gait Imbalances That Affect the Way You Walk
Sleeping in Awkward Positions
Stress
Poor Form When Exercising

According to Science Direct, people often ignore small twinges that may occur with microtraumas. Although the body attempts to repair the damage, healing won't happen if poor posture continues or a muscle imbalances aren't corrected. Unfortunately, this means that tearing and tissue degeneration worsen until it becomes impossible to ignore pain or stiffness.

In addition to causing soft tissue injuries, like bursitis, tendinitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome, microtraumas may also be responsible for stress fractures. Stress fractures happen when the muscles tire and can't absorb shock properly. This stresses the bones and increases pressure on them. The pressure creates a small crack in the bone called a stress fracture.

How Do Chiropractors Treat Microtraumas

Treating microtraumas as they occur is the simplest way to avoid pain and mobility problems. Chiropractors use these therapies and treatments to manage microtraumas:

Manipulation. Spinal manipulation therapy, commonly called adjustments, improves the alignment of the vertebrae that make up the spine. Correcting subluxations eases pain, restores normal movements, and improves imbalances. Joint manipulation keeps the bones in a joint properly aligned and decreases pressure on surrounding soft tissues. If you notice that a joint doesn't move as easily as it once did, you may have a joint restriction caused by microtraumas. Manipulation offers a simple way to correct the issue and allow healing to begin.
Soft Tissue Therapies. Soft tissue therapies, including massage, soft tissue mobilization, and myofascial release, loosen tight muscles and soft tissues and break apart scar tissue that may form due to microtraumas. Scar tissue restricts joint movement and causes pain.

In addition to improving pain and ability, these therapies reduce inflammation and improve blood flow, ensuring that injured areas receive the nutrients and other substances needed for healing.

Your chiropractor may also recommend exercises that stretch and strengthen muscles and help you avoid imbalances. After evaluating your posture, your chiropractor may suggest changes that will reduce your risk of microtraumas. For example, your chiropractor may suggest taking frequent breaks when using digital devices and holding handheld devices at eye level to reduce strain on your neck, upper back, and shoulders.

Regular visits to the chiropractor help microtraumas heal and lower your risk for more serious injuries. Get in touch with our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Science Direct: Microtrauma

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/microtrauma

Spine Health Foundation: Joint Health: If You Don’t Move it, You Lose It, 12/11/2017

https://spinehealth.org/article/joint-health-if-you-dont-move-it-you-lose-it/

Foundation for Chiropractic Progress: How Microtraumas Add Up to Stress and Repetitive Strain Injuries

https://www.f4cp.org/how-microtraumas-add-up-to-stress-and-repetitive-strain-injuries/

PubMed: Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research: Overuse Injuries in Sport: A Comprehensive Review, 12/5/2018

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6282309/

Southland Chiropractic Clinic NewsletterHow Chiropractic Care May Improve Your Stress LevelFrequent stress is just as ba...
03/19/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

How Chiropractic Care May Improve Your Stress Level

Frequent stress is just as bad for your physical health as it is for your mental health. Chronic stress increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, depression and other serious health conditions. Chiropractic care offers a natural way to manage stress.

The Effects of Stress

Do your neck and shoulder muscles feel sore and tight when you're stressed? Muscle tension isn't the only physical consequence of stress. Stress can also cause headaches and migraines, back pain, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, sleep issues, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ).

These symptoms occur when your body activates the "fight-or-flight" response. The response helps you react to a threatening situation, but also occurs if you're feeling stressed about a work situation or an argument with your partner. In addition to tensing your muscles, the fight-or-flight response raises your blood pressure and heart rate, slows digestion, and increases production of the stress hormone cortisol.

Less Stress with Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic treatments focus on improving musculoskeletal (bones and muscles) health and nervous system function. Small bones called vertebrae provide flexibility for the spine and protect the spinal cord, the connection between the brain and body. A network of nerves branches out from the spinal cord along the length of the spine.

Misaligned vertebrae (subluxations) and tight muscles and tissues press on nerves, irritating them. Irritation and pressure make it harder for the nervous system to do its job and may be contributing factors in stress.

Chiropractic adjustments realign the vertebrae, relieving pain and irritation. Spinal manipulation also balances the nervous system, according to a literature search published in Acta Biomedica in 2020.

Chiropractic treatment offers many stress-relieving benefits, including:

More Comfortable Muscles and Tissues. Adjustments correct subluxations and decrease stress on surrounding tissues. Massage and other soft tissue therapies loosen tight muscles and tissues, helping you feel more relaxed. As muscle tension eases, you may find your range of motion and overall comfort level increase. Do you struggle with migraines and tension headaches due to stress? These types of headaches are associated with tense neck muscles, according to the American Chiropractic Association. Adjustments to the vertebrae in your neck, in addition to massage, soft tissue mobilization, trigger point therapy, and other treatments, could relieve or reduce your stress-induced headaches.
Cortisol Reduction. Cortisol gives your body the energy it needs to handle difficult situations by increasing glucose (sugar) levels in the blood. Unfortunately, cortisol doesn't always drop after a stressful experience. If you often feel stressed, your cortisol level may remain high. Chiropractic treatments improve nervous system function, which could help your cortisol level return to normal. Treatments also eliminate nerve signal disruptions that could affect your ability to calm yourself.
Better Heart Rate Variability. Your high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) becomes lower when you feel stressed. Heart rate variability is the time between heartbeats. Massage increases HF-HRV while improving relaxation, according to a randomized, controlled trial published in Scientific Reports in 2020.
A Natural Calm. Do you wish there were a way to feel calmer without taking medication? During many chiropractic treatments, including adjustments and massage, your body releases serotonin and endorphins. These hormones relieve pain and improve mood naturally, helping you feel calm and relaxed.
Better Sleep. Stress worsens when you don't get a good night's sleep, yet it's hard to fall asleep when your muscles hurt, you have a headache, and you're worried about the day ahead. Chiropractic treatments promote good sleep by relieving pain and enhancing relaxation.

Are you concerned about your stress level? Chiropractic care offers an effective natural solution to stress. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Mayo Clinic: Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk, 8/1/2023

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

PMC: Acta Biomedica: Neurological Basis of Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment of the Spine in the Care of Major Depression, 11/9/2020

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8023121/

Scientific Reports: Standardized Massage Interventions as Protocols for the Induction of Psychophysiological Relaxation in the Laboratory: A Block Randomized, Controlled Trial, 9/8/2020

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-71173-w

American Chiropractic Association: Headaches

https://www.acatoday.org/patients/headaches-and-chiropractic/

iSelect: The Leading Causes of Stress Worldwide, 9/2025

https://www.iselect.com.au/health-insurance/insights/leading-causes-of-stress-worldwide/

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