Dr. Brandon Davy

Anyone have noisy hips!? A lot of patients will complain of repeated cracking or popping through their hips when moving. These cracks can be painful or painless depending on the underlying condition. Most of the time, the popping is resulting from snapping hip syndrome!... There are two main types: internal and external. With internal snapping hip syndrome, your hip flexor (or iliopsoas tendon) is very tight. This tightness causes tension through the tendon and when movement occurs the tendon snaps over small bumps on the pelvic bone, creating a popping noise on the inside of the hip. External snapping hip syndrome happens very similarly, however it is the IT band which is tight and the snapping occurs over the greater trochanter of the femur (thigh bone) and can be felt on the outside of the hip. Snapping hip syndrome can be treated using a number of techniques. Proper stretching of tight muscles and strengthening of weak muscles is important to correct the snapping in the area. Soft tissue therapy, mobilizing, and adjusting through the hips, low back and pelvis can be beneficial as well! If you think you are experiencing snapping hip syndrome or have any more questions, book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #hips #snappinghip #crackinghip #snappinghipsyndrome Reference: Musick SR, Varacallo M. Snapping Hip Syndrome. 2020 Aug 26. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020 Jan. PMID: 28846235. Images taken from Google Images.

Do you have tight hips? Do you sit for a long portion of the day? It could be your glutes causing the tightness! More specifically, the Gluteus Medius muscle, which runs along the sides of the hip, is where a lot of people complain of pain or tightness. Give this stretch a try! Start by laying down flat on your back.... Then take the leg with the hip tightness and bring it into your chest, and pull it towards your opposite shoulder. Hold here for 10-30 seconds, and repeat on the opposite side! If you want to try a move advanced version of this stretch try this (picture 2): Pull the knee towards the opposite shoulder. With the same sided hand keeping pressure on the knee towards the opposite shoulder, grab your foot with your opposite hand and pull it up and out. This should increase the stretch felt through the hips and glutes! Hold here for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side! Remember, when you get into the stretched position, take a deep breath in and out and relax into the stretch to allow the tissue to soften. Another good way to release the Gluteus Medius is to lay with direct pressure on a lacrosse ball (picture 3 - red ball). Laying on the ball for 10-30 seconds at a time will also help the muscle relax. If you have tight hips, get them assessed today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #hips #hiptightness #gluts #gluttightness #glutpain

NERVE FLOSSING Do you experience nerve pain in your arms or legs? Nerve pain usually feels like pins and needles, or numbness, kind of like when your limb goes to sleep. Nerve flossing is a type of gentle exercise that helps irritated nerves. This can improve their range of motion and reduce pain and symptoms of irritation. It’s sometimes called nerve gliding or neural gliding.... Nerve flossing tends to work best when combined with other treatments. If you don’t already have a diagnosis, it’s best to get it assessed first. Nerve pain can result from a number of different conditions and based on the underlying cause of your nerve pain, the best treatment combination can be recommended. Upper Limb Nerve Flossing (ex: carpal tunnel syndrome) Start by standing or sitting up straight, with your symptomatic arm raised out to the side, palm up. Next, bend your head towards the outstretched arm as you bend your wrist to lower the hand to the floor. Then, bend your head away from the outstretched arm as you bend your wrist away from the floor. Repeat 10x, twice a day! Lower Limb Nerve Flossing (ex: sciatica) Start by sitting with good posture, with your symptomatic leg outstretched in front of you. Next, look down as you point your toe towards the ground. Then, look up as you point your toe towards the ceiling. Repeat 10x, twice a day! These exercises will allow the nerve to glide along its pathway freely and hopefully decrease some of the nerve irritation symptoms. If you’re experiencing nerve pain, it’s best to get it assessed by a medical professional to determine the underlying cause. Book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #nerve #nervepain #nerveflossing #nervegliding #sciaticarelief #sciatia #carpaltunnel

Are you drinking enough water? Experts recommend drinking at least 3 litres of water per day. Not drinking enough water can cause both short term and long term effects on the body, like: Headaches Muscle weakness... Feeling overly tired And many more That amount sounds like a lot and if you’re having trouble reaching that goal, here are some tips as to how to get there! Drink a glass of water with each meal as well as in-between each meal. Carrying around a re-useable water bottle will help you stay hydrated on the go! Some bottles even have a time tracker on the outside to keep your water intake consistent throughout the day. Drink water while exercising! You can lose a lot of water while exercising so keeping yourself hydrated is important. Drink water if you’re feeling hungry. Thirst can often be confused as hunger! If you don’t like water, try adding flavours with fruits or vegetables like lemon, lime, raspberries, cucumber or ginger!There are apps for your phone that can help you track your water intake as well if you’re having a hard time remembering how much you’ve drank that day. It’s also important to check the colour of your urine. Too dark means you’re not getting enough water. The colour should be clear to pale yellow when you’re properly hydrated! If you have any more questions about water intake, message me or book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #water #waterintake #hydration #headaches Image taken from google images.

Winter is here! With the snow on its way, it’s important to make sure you shovel properly to avoid injury! Here are some shovelling tips: Make sure you pick the right shovel! Using a light weight, non-stick, push shovel is best.... Push, don’t lift! Pushing snow to the side is better than lifting and throwing. If you must lift, make sure you don’t twist and turn! With a smaller blade, there is less weight on the shovel and less strain to your body! Make sure you’re using your knees, legs and arm muscles to do the pushing while keeping your back straight. If you find you’re experiencing some pain from shovelling, it’s important to get it checked out by a health care provider. Book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #shovelling #propershovelling Image taken from Google Images

Do you have tight hips? Do you sit for a long portion of the day? It could be your glutes causing the tightness! More specifically, the Gluteus Medius muscle, which runs along the sides of the hip, is where a lot of people complain of pain or tightness. Give this stretch a try! Start by laying down flat on your back.... Then take the leg with the hip tightness and bring it into your chest, and pull it towards your opposite shoulder. Hold here for 10-30 seconds, and repeat on the opposite side! If you want to try a move advanced version of this stretch try this (picture 2): Pull the knee towards the opposite shoulder. With the same sided hand keeping pressure on the knee towards the opposite shoulder, grab your foot with your opposite hand and pull it up and out. This should increase the stretch felt through the hips and glutes! Hold here for 10-30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side! Remember, when you get into the stretched position, take a deep breath in and out and relax into the stretch to allow the tissue to soften. Another good way to release the Gluteus Medius is to lay with direct pressure on a lacrosse ball (picture 3 - red ball). Laying on the ball for 10-30 seconds at a time will also help the muscle relax. If you have tight hips, get them assessed today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #hips #hiptightness #gluts #gluttightness #glutpain

Are you experiencing low back tightness or stiffness? Is it located closer to the side? Give this stretch a try! The Quadratus Lumborum (QL) muscle is a low back muscle that comes from the hip bone to the lower rib. It helps with leaning backwards as well as to the side. Often times, low back stiffness will be due to tightening or spasm of this muscle. Stretching the QL muscle can be helpful to relieve the tightness and stiffness.... Start by standing perpendicular to a wall, with the tight side of the low-back away from the wall. Cross your outside leg, over your inside leg. Reach your outside hand up and over your head. Push your hips out and away from the wall. Take a deep breath to relax into the stretch and hold for 10-20 seconds. If you have trouble feeling the stretch, a slight lean forward can help. This stretch is best done standing but can be accomplished seated at your desk as well. Similarly, you’ll reach up and over your head and push your hips away from the way you’re leaning. A slight bend forward can be helpful to maximize the stretch. Other things that can be helpful for a tight QL include using a lacrosse ball over the area, using heat as well as topical creams, like Medistick or Tiger Balm. If you’re experiencing tightness in the low back it’s good to have it assessed by a healthcare provider. Book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #stretch #QL #quadratuslumborum

RHOMBOID STRETCH Do you get stiff and tight between your shoulder blades? The rhomboid muscles go from the spine to the shoulder blade and can cause some pain or discomfort in the area if they are tight. ... Give this stretch a try for your tight rhomboids! Start by grabbing hold of a door frame or wall-edge with one hand, with the thumb pointing towards the ground. Bring your feet close to the door/wall and lean backwards. Then, round your body towards the wall/door. Relax here and feel the stretch as your shoulder blade moves away from your spine. Hold for 10 seconds. Then, repeat on the other side and as needed throughout the day! You can also try direct pressure on the rhomboid, whether it’s with the door frame/wall edge or a lacrosse ball on the area. If you experience tight rhomboids or mid-back pain, book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #stretch #rhomboids #tension #stretching #tightness

HEADACHES Does anyone experience headaches? They are a very common complaint from patients that can be easily treated. A lot of people believe that headaches are ‘normal,’ but they can be prevented and treated. Here are the most common types of headaches!... Cervicogenic - these headaches usually involve pain that originates from the neck joints, and radiates up to the head. Usually aggravated by neck movements, these headaches are typically felt in the forehead, temples, eyes or ears. Tension - these headaches typically involve pain felt along both sides of the forehead that resembles a tight band. They are not usually aggravated by typical activities and have a muscular origin, usually coming from the neck. Migraines these headaches involve recurrent pain caused by changes in the brain and surrounding vasculature. Migraines are usually described as one sided, throbbing pain that is aggravated by routine activities. Migraines are usually diagnosed with the presence of nausea, vomiting, light or noise sensitivity and can be present with or without aura symptoms. Cluster - these headaches involve severe, short lasting pain that usually is felt behind one eye. Chiropractic care can often times help reduce the severity and frequency of headaches and their symptoms. Determining the type of headache and the cause will allow the chiropractor to develop a specific treatment plan that is tailored to you! This often includes: soft tissue therapy, mobilizations and adjustments, and sometimes acupuncture, as well as at home recommendations to help decrease the severity and frequency of headaches. If you experience headaches and/or neck pain, book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #neckpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #headaches #headachetypes #tension #cluster #migraine Reference: adapted from https://www.webmd.com/migraines-/migraines-headaches-basics

Movember Progress Update! Donate here: https://movember.com/m/14350381?mc=1

Movember Progress Update! I grew a moustache through the month of November to support the Movember cause for Mens health. It’s an awesome cause and thank you to everyone who donated! ... There is still time to donate, check it out here: https://movember.com/m/14350381?mc=1

Winter is here! With the snow on its way, it’s important to make sure you shovel properly to avoid injury! Here are some shovelling tips: Make sure you pick the right shovel! Using a light weight, non-stick, push shovel is best.... Push, don’t lift! Pushing snow to the side is better than lifting and throwing. If you must lift, make sure you don’t twist and turn! With a smaller blade, there is less weight on the shovel and less strain to your body! Make sure you’re using your knees, legs and arm muscles to do the pushing while keeping your back straight. If you find you’re experiencing some pain from shovelling, it’s important to get it checked out by a health care provider. Book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #shovelling #propershovelling Image taken from Google Images

Resistance Band Wall Walks This exercise is a great way to help build strength in the shoulder and mid-back stabilizers! Place a theraband around the wrists.... Place the elbows on the wall in front of you, about 20 degrees below the shoulder level. Keep pressure outwards though the wrist, to keep tension through the band. Start by lifting and moving one hand up the wall (ensuring tension remains the same). Then, move the next hand up the wall to the level of the first. Move up until you can no longer maintain the elbows on the wall (about eye level). Then switch, and move down the wall with the same form. Repeat! This exercise can be done in 2 sets of 10 reps daily to help strengthen the shoulder and mid-back stabilizers. Ensure that your posture is good during this movement. Don’t let your low back extend into the wall, or let your neck move towards the wall. If you are experiencing shoulder or back pain, book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #neckpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #therband #scapularstabilizer #rehab #wallwalks

What is an adjustment? One of the most common therapies a chiropractor uses is spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), which can comprise a variety of adjustment techniques. An adjustment is a safe and specific, high velocity, low amplitude thrust directed at a restricted or locked spinal segment.... Specific training in SMT allows chiropractors to provide highly-skilled and precise adjustments to the vertebrae of the spine, correcting joint motion to restore proper movement and improve function. In general, adjustments do not hurt. In fact, many people report immediate relief after getting adjusted! Some people are worried about the ‘cracking’ sound during an adjustment but that is just believed to be the release of gas bubbles from the joint, similar to cracking your knuckles. Although we love to work with spines, we are trained in treating any joint in the body! Of course the adjustment is not a stand-alone treatment. Other techniques offered in a treatment plan often include soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation exercises, mobilizations and many more. If you’re interested in chiropractic care or being adjusted, book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #stretch #adjustment #SMT #chiropracticadjustment Image taken from Google Images.

PSOAS STRETCH Do you have hip tightness or back pain? This stretch might be right for you! The psoas muscle, also known as the hip flexor, is a muscle which originates from your low back and travels through the front of your hip to insert onto the thigh bone. It is responsible for any form of hip flexion. ... When this muscle gets tight, pain can present in multiple ways, including low back pain or hip pain/tightness. To stretch the psoas, start in a lunge position, with one knee on the ground and the other out in front of you. Don’t start by leaning forward! Instead, start by tucking your pelvis under (pretend you have a tail and tuck it between your legs) this pelvic tuck helps isolate the psoas muscle! You may already feel a stretch with the pelvic tuck, but if you need more of a stretch you can begin to slowly lean forward, ensuring your pelvis stays tucked. You should feel a stretch on the front of the hip of the leg that’s on the ground. To make this stretch even more advanced, you can take the arm on the side of the stretch and reach up and lean to the opposite side. You can also take the down leg and put the ankle on a higher surface (like your couch) to increase the stretch. Make sure the pelvis stays tucked the entire time! If you’re experiencing low back or hip pain, book an appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #backpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #stretch #psoas #tension #stretching #tightness #hipflexor

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I am still open! We’re continuing with strict cleaning protocols and guidelines to keep everyone safe.

CUPPING THERAPY Cupping therapy is an ancient form of alternative medicine in which a therapist puts special cups on your skin for a few minutes to create suction or a vacuum. Cupping is done for many purposes, including to help ease pain, inflammation, increase blood flow, relaxation, and as a type of deep-tissue massage.... The cups can be placed on the body and left for a few minutes or they can be moved around to help with soft tissue release. It has been found to be helpful for a number of musculoskeletal conditions including muscular release, chronic low back pain, as well as chronic neck and shoulder pain. It can commonly leave marks on the skin, similar to a bruise, as it allows for movement of stagnant blood, bringing it to the surface of the skin. If you’re interested in cupping therapy, book and appointment today! Massage Matters www.bdavychiro.com #toronto #torontochiropractors #torontochiropractor #chiropractic #chiropractor #downtown #multidisciplinary #mobility #health #wellness #chiro #downtown #downtowntoronto #prevention #massage #neckpain #stiffneck #stiffness #healing #muscle #musclepain #injury #relief #cupping #cuppingherapy #chronicpain #TCM References: Al-Bedah, et al. (2018). The medical perspective of cupping therapy: Effects and mechanisms of action. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 9(2), 9097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2018.03.003 Chi, L., et al (2016). The Effectiveness of Cupping Therapy on Relieving Chronic Neck and Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM, 2016, 7358918. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7358918