Neck pain is ranked as the fourth most common cause of disability worldwide, with an annual prevalence exceeding 30% (1). Acute neck pain may occur suddenly and progress rapidly, which may result in severe pain and detrimental effects on a person’s well-being (2). Do you or a loved one experience acute neck pain? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.

“Between 1990 and 2019, the global incidence of neck pain increased by 71.89%” (3)
 
The neck being a flexible structure that supports the weight of the head is susceptible to pain and restricted movement, with approximately half of the affected individuals with acute neck pain continue to experience chronic or episodic pain (4,5). Routine activities which involve stretching, loading and particularly twisting increases the likelihood of developing neck pain (2,6,7). Common sources for presenting symptoms include the cervical discs, facet joints and nerve roots, however, any innervated structure may account for pain (8,9). Neck pain imposes a financial burden, with associated high treatment costs, reduced productivity, work-related challenges for employees and overall quality of life (10). Can chiropractic care help with the management of acute neck pain?

There is recent research literature, where they did a systematic review and meta-analysis, 8 randomised controlled trials where 965 patients were looked at. They were investigating the efficacy and safety of spinal manipulative therapy in the management of acute neck pain. It was found that among the research, spinal manipulative therapy was better than the control group in reducing pain and improving cervical range of motion in all measured aspects. There was also a significant reduction in disability scores. No adverse events were also reported (11). So the evidence supports the use of spinal manipulative therapy as a safe and effective intervention for reducing pain, improving cervical range of motion and decreasing disability for patients with acute neck pain (11). Though more studies and larger sample groups would further help substantiate these findings, the evidence so far is quite positive.
 
If you want to find out if chiropractic may help manage acute neck pain for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“Getting onto problems earlier is vital in getting the best outcome with healing and recovery”
 
 
 
 
1. Cohen SP. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of neck pain. Mayo Clin Proc. 2015;90(2):284–99.
2. Vernon HT, Humphreys BK, Hagino CA. A systematic review of conserva- tive treatments for acute neck pain not due to whiplash. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2005;28(6):443–8.
3. Cheng, S., Cao, J., Hou, L., Li, S., Sun, W., Shan, S., Zhao, J., Yao, L., Li, X., He, B. and Song, P., 2024. Temporal trends and projections in the global burden of neck pain: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Pain, 165(12), pp.2804-2813.
4. Blanpied PR, Gross AR, Elliott JM, Devaney LL, Clewley D, Walton DM, Sparks C, Robertson EK. Neck Pain: Revision 2017. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(7):A1-a83.
5. Liao LR, Pan HH, Diao YX, Xie Y, Liao MX, Xie YH. Reliability of shear-wave elastography in assessing the stiffness of the nuchal fascia and the thick- ness of upper cervical muscles. Med Eng Phys. 2023;120: 104039.
6. Maher CG. Natural course of acute neck and low back pain in the general population: the HUNT study. Pain. 2013;154(8):1480–1.
7. Vos CJ, Verhagen AP, Passchier J, Koes BW. Clinical course and prognostic factors in acute neck pain: an inception cohort study in general practice. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass). 2008;9(5):572–80.
8. Hage, R., Roussel, N., Dierick, F., Da Natividade, J., Jones, M. and Fourré, A., 2024. Rethinking neck-related arm pain: hypothetical clinical scenarios to differentiate the underlying IASP-defined pain mechanisms. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 32(4), pp.378-389.
9. Kapitza, C., Luedtke, K., Komenda, M., Kiefhaber, M., Schmid, A.B., Ballenberger, N. and Tampin, B., 2023. Inter-and intra-rater-reliability of a clinical framework for spine-related neck-arm pain. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice, 67, p.102853.
10. Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, Amiri P, Pourfathi H, Araj-Khodaei M, Sullman MJM, Kolahi AA, Safiri S. Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23(1):26.
11. Diao, Y., Liu, Y., Pan, J., Chen, J., Pan, J., Liao, M., Liu, H. and Liao, L., 2025. Efficacy and safety of spinal manipulative therapy in the management of acute neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews, 14(1), p.97.
 

​As the weather cools down and respiratory viruses become more common, many people start looking for ways to support their immune system. While there is unfortunately no single food that will prevent colds or influenza, eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet helps the immune system function effectively (Calder 2013). Bone broth is becoming a very popular option as a nourishing winter staple.
Bone broth is made by slowly simmering animal bones (commonly beef or chicken) and connective tissues with vegetables, herbs and other pantry staples. The process extracts nutrients like collagen, gelatin, amino acids (like glycine, proline and glutamine) and minerals including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. The exact nutrient content varies depending on ingredients and the cooking time (Matar et al, 2025). These nutrients may help support gut health, contribute to hydration, provide electrolytes and supply amino acids involved in the maintenance and repair of connective tissues (Matar et al. 2025).
Our immune systems function best when they are adequately supported through healthy lifestyle habits including good nutrition, regular exercise, quality sleep and stress management (Calder, 2013). Good nutrition plays an essential role in maintaining immune function, as undernutrition can impair immune defences and increase susceptibility to infection. Emerging research suggests that nutrients found in bone broth, particularly amino acids such as glycine and glutamine, may help support gut barrier integrity and intestinal function. However further human studies are needed to confirm these effects (Matar et al., 2025)
While bone broth is not a miracle cure or substitute for a health lifestyle, it can be a nourishing addition to your winter diet. Combined with regular exercise, quality sleep and a balanced diet, it may help support your body’s normal immune function and overall wellbeing.
References:
Calder PC. Feeding the immune system. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2013;72(3):299-309. doi:10.1017/S0029665113001286
Matar A, Abdelnaem N, Camilleri M. Bone Broth Benefits: How Its Nutrients Fortify Gut Barrier in Health and Disease. Dig Dis Sci. 2025 Jun;70(6):1951-1961. doi: 10.1007/s10620-025-08997-x. Epub 2025 Apr 3. PMID: 40180691.

We get a lot of people visiting our practice with Shoulder Pain. For many people with shoulder pain it is hard to know what to do, there seems to be many options….
Read on to check out one simple test to see if you have a problem that we may be able to help manage.
Recent studies show that management should focus on prevention and early intervention in shoulder complaints (1).
When you have Shoulder pain you feel irritated and frustrated, it is hard to move and pick things up, let alone exercise. It becomes hard to think clearly and to truly enjoy life when your activities are limited.. Yoga, golf, simply picking up a shopping bag or hugging your child becomes difficult!! Recent research has demonstrated the most problematic areas are placing objects on a high shelf, washing one's back and carrying heavy objects (1).
The shoulder is the most flexible joint in your body, and given the number of everyday activities it's involved in—from brushing your hair to reaching up into the cupboard—it's easy to see why shoulder pain is something you'd want to get to the bottom of right away. Without free movement, often you struggle to do the things you love.
Your shoulder joints move every time you move your arms. These bones are held together by muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. Because of this mobility, the shoulder is more likely to be injured or cause problems. The acromioclavicular (AC) joint, which lies over the top of the shoulder, is also easily injured.
​ There are many different types of Shoulder Issues and most are diagnosed by history and presenting factors. ​There are lots of reasons why you might have shoulder pain, there are also many different symptoms with shoulder pain. Here at Sprouting Health Chiropractic we will help identify why you have the pain, then we will develop a game plan specific to you, to help you manage your recovery. We isolate the major muscles and do very specific strength testing on these muscles to ascertain where the problem is. We also do stability tests and range of motion testing to work out if the shoulder problem is stemming from somewhere else (eg the neck). We then go about balancing the joints that support the shoulder and the shoulder joint itself.
We use natural and gentle means to help manage your recovery.
Here is a simple tests you can do with someone else to see if we might be able to help manage your shoulder.
It is called speeds test. Speeds test is traditionally used to detect an injury to the long head of the biceps (1). We also use a modified form of this test to determine if there is scapular (shoulder blade) instability. Simple stand with your arm outstretched in front of your body with your palm up. Have someone push gently down on the arm just above the wrist. If the arm can hold against the pressure the test is a pass. If the arm cannot hold against resistance (or there is pain) there is a good chance you have either a biceps issue or scapular instability. This can indicate irritation or injury to the suprascapular nerve. A mechanism of suprascapular nerve injury is traction (2), this happens when there is scapular instability. Mechanical stretching of the nerve will weaken certain muscles (we check for these) and this can cause shoulder issues and pain. If this is the case we can help out with you management. There are lots of other causes of issues and we will screen for these.
References

1. Ostor, A.J.K., Richards, C.A., Prevost, A.T., Speed, C.A. and Hazleman, B.L., 2005. Diagnosis and relation to general health of shoulder disorders presenting to primary care. Rheumatology, 44(6), pp.800-805.
2. Safran, M.R., 2004. Nerve injury about the shoulder in athletes, part 1: suprascapular nerve and axillary nerve. The American journal of sports medicine, 32(3), pp.803-819.

​Do you or have you ever suffered with any type of symptoms?
Early SYMPTOM recognition, APPROPRIATE interpretation and relevant ACTION is the key to great health. – Jeremy Thomas (DC)
Read the three Important Points Below about Symptoms.

1. Symptoms accumulate and in turn cause other symptoms often that seem unrelated….

Interestingly in a study Neck pain of Grade 3-4 was strongly associated with low back pain, headaches, cardiovascular disorders and digestive disorders (4). As an example look at  Low Back Pain research - As well as significantly affecting activity participation, LBP is frequently associated with co-morbidities such as depression, with rates 2.5 times those in people without LBP (1).

1. Symptoms experienced if mismatched with expectations can lead to huge consequence….

Looking at heart attack symptoms: The most common symptoms expected by patients with myocardial infarction were central chest pain (76%), radiating arm or shoulder pain (34%), and collapse (26%). The most common symptoms experienced were sweats or feeling feverish (78%), chest pain (64%), and arm, shoulder, or radiating pain (66%). A mismatch between symptoms experienced and those expected occurred in 58% of patients, and was associated with delay in reaching hospital (2). It is VERY important in this case to know appropriate symptoms and act accordingly!

1. Covering up a Problem Flat Out Does Not Work As A Long Term Solution!

While not as obviously urgent, other symptoms in the body are an indicator that something is going on. The analogy of the smoke alarm comes to mind when discussing symptoms.
If a smoke alarm were beeping, would you simply cut its power source or take the batteries out? A better solution is to find the source of the smoke and deal with it!
As we have discussed before in other blogs The latest Guidelines recommend nonpharmacological (non drug) care  as the first treatment option and reserves pharmacological care for patients for whom nonpharmacological care has not worked in Low back pain (3). Basically DO not use Surgery or Drugs as a first line effort for low back pain is the latest advice.
If you have early health symptoms – get checked out.

1. NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation. Management of people with acute low back pain: model of care. Chatswood; NSW Health; 2016. 39 p
2. Horne R, James D, Petrie K, et al Patients' interpretation of symptoms as a cause of delay in reaching hospital during acute myocardial infarction Heart 2000;83:388-393.
3. Foster NE, Anema JR, Cherkin D. Et Al. Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. Lancet. 2018 Jun 9;391(10137):2368-2383
4. Côté P, Cassidy JD, Carroll L. The factors associated with neck pain and its related disability in the Saskatchewan population. Spine. 2000 May;25(9):1109-17.

Many people take medication to help with stomach acid.  Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) rank among the most commonly prescribed medications for acid reflux and digestive disorders, yet millions of people take them far longer than recommended — often for months or years. That extended use comes at a cost many users don't hear about. When a medication taken daily suppresses the stomach acid required for nutrient absorption, the consequences extend far beyond heartburn relief.
 
Chronic acid suppression disrupts your body's ability to absorb, transport and utilize essential nutrients — and three recent publications, spanning laboratory research, a systematic review of clinical trials and a real-world case report, now converge on that conclusion (1,2,3).
 
The nutrient change observed were lower B12 (affecting cognitive function/s. eg memory), Shift in Calcium regulation (affecting bone structure).
Researchers also noted that suppressed stomach acid creates conditions that favor bacterial survival, which explains why immune activity changed alongside mineral disruption.
Stomach acid works like a chemical key — it unlocks nutrients from the food matrix they're bound to and converts them into forms small enough to pass through your intestinal lining. Without that key, nutrients pass through your gut largely unused. Vitamin B12 depends on acid to detach from dietary proteins, while calcium and magnesium rely on acidic conditions for transport across your intestinal lining.
 
Correct the underlying problem — low stomach acid signaling — Your lower esophageal sphincter closes when stomach acidity reaches the proper level. When acid production drops, that closure weakens and reflux appears even though acid is insufficient. Rebuilding acid production requires supplying the raw materials used to form hydrochloric acid: hydrogen from whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and quality proteins, and chloride from natural salt, tomatoes, celery, and olives.
 
If you would like help managing stomach acid issues contact us at Sprouting Health Chiropractic and Kinesiology.
 

1. ACS Omega November 12, 2025
2. Cureus August 24, 2025
3. BMJ Case Reports CP 2024;17:e261082
4. Reflux UK November 15, 2024
5. To Extract Knowledge from Matter August 24, 2024

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder in the world (1). Is there anything that chiropractic can do that may help manage it? If you or a loved one have osteoarthritis, or are wondering whether it may be a possible issue that you may have, this is an important article that could make the world of a difference to you.
 
“In the US it is second to only ischaemic heart disease as a cause of work disability in men over 50 years of age,”(1)
 
The primary symptoms of osteoarthritis include joint pain and stiffness. Almost everyone has some form of osteoarthritis. It affects the joint in many ways which include damage and loss of cartilage, abnormal remodelling of subarticular bone, osteophytes (bone growth at the joint margins), lax ligaments, weakening of muscles related to the joint and inflammation. (2) It is now widely viewed as an age-related reaction pattern of a joint as a response to insult (overuse) or injury to the joint, also a product of attempted repairing of the joint by the body. (1) Most joint injuries may be at risk of developing osteoarthritis. So “cracking” your knuckles is bad if it causes injury or insult to the joint.
 
In a recent research literature, where 10 rabbits had induced osteoarthritis in the knee, were split into groups with one group receiving chiropractic adjustments with a chiropractic adjusting instrument. Their joints were then examined after about 8 weeks. It was found that the rabbits who received chiropractic adjustments had improved subchondral bone integrity and cartilage degradation was inhibited. These findings support that chiropractic adjustments may ameliorate osteoarthritis through beneficial effects on the three most affected tissues in osteoarthritis. (3)
           
If you want to find out if chiropractic can help manage osteoarthritis for you or your loved ones, chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“With so many different activities putting so much stress on our joints, causing it to wear and tear, it’s important to make sure that our joints are functioning at their optimal to better support us with the activities that we love doing!!”
 
 
 
(1) Arden, N. and Nevitt, M.C., 2006. Osteoarthritis: epidemiology. Best practice & research Clinical rheumatology, 20(1), pp.3-25.
(2) Hutton, C.W., 1989. Osteoarthritis: the cause not result of joint failure?. Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 48(11), p.958.
(3) Conesa-Buendía, F.M., Fujikawa, R., Mediero, A., Gratal, P., Mulero, F. and Ortega-De Mues, A., 2018. Changes in subchondral bone status, cartilage and synovial membrane in response to chiropractic manipulation in an osteoarthritis model. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 26, p.S319.

​Many people are now working from home. The impact of working and studying at home can have many effects on our health- simply because most people do not have their home workstation set up properly. This is mostly driven by where and how we are using our devices. In bed, on the couch, at the kitchen table. We are not using a proper set up with ergonomics in mind!
 
We have previously talked about how to set up your work station with proper ergonomics, so check out our previous blogs and videos.
 
What our focus today is how these poor choices in posture can impact on your wellbeing. For example, it has been said for a long time that a slumped posture is a diagnostic feature of depression. (2) One recent study looked at what happens when we straighten out our posture. They found an increase in arousal, a positive affect and lower levels of anxiety. (2) Another study found that improving our posture has the potential to assist our sleep, pain threshold, and blood pressure! (1)
 
So, if you have noticed that you are feeling a bit flat, not sleeping as well, and just generally struggling to get through your work, have a look at how you have set up your work space. Make sure that it allows you to have good posture, and make sure that you take regular breaks from sitting and your screens.
 
If you would like help managing postural issues contact us at Sprouting Health Chiropractic and Kinesiology.
 

1. Hackford, J., Mackey, A., Broadbent, E., The effects of walking posture on affective and physiological states during stress, Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (2018).
2. Wilkes, C., Kydd, R., Sagar, M., & Broadbent, E. (2017). Upright posture improves affect and fatigue in people with depressive symptoms. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 54, 143-149.

​Positional plagiocephaly is an asymmetrical deformation of the infant skull from prolonged external pressure on the soft cranial bones of the infant, in the absence of craniosynostosis (fusion of bones) (1). Do you know of a loved one who has positional plagiocephaly? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.
 
“Among those with positional head deformity, 7.5% had a developmental disorder within 7 years of follow-up” (2)
 
Risk factors for positional plagiocephaly include prematurity, prolonged labour, unusual birth position, assisted delivery, multiple birth, first-born child, neck problems, maternal age greater than 35 years, and male (3). Plagiocephaly of the back of the head, posterior occipital plagiocephaly is quite prevalent today and has reached an incidence of 19.7% at 4 months (4). It has been reported to be associated with delays in motor development, language, cognition, visual field restriction, malocclusion and muscular dysfunction (5,6,7).
 
The helmet is considered a low-risk and effective intervention for moderate to severe plagiocephaly, with its effectiveness strongly age dependant, with optimal outcomes achieved when initiated before 6 months of age (1,8). Can chiropractic also be of benefit with the management of plagiocephaly?
 
In a recent research literature, where they did a retrospective cohort study, 24 infants were looked at. They were divided into 2 groups, 12 infants only had the helmet therapy, while the other 12 infants had the helmet therapy combined with chiropractic care. It was found that helmet therapy duration was not shortened with combined chiropractic care. However, for the infants that had combined chiropractic care and helmet therapy, superior cranial symmetry outcomes were observed at discharge, potentially indicating more efficient symmetry correction (9). Though a larger sample group would help further substantiate these findings, these findings are quite positive.
 
If you want to find out if chiropractic may help manage plagiocephaly for your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“The earlier the intervention the more positive the outcome”
 
1. Kim, J., Kim, J. and Chae, K.Y., 2023. Effectiveness of Helmet therapy for infants with moderate to severe positional plagiocephaly. Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics, 67(1), p.46.
2. Lynch, M.E., White, M.J., Rabatin, A.E., Brandenburg, J.E., Theuer, A.B., Viet, K.M., Hollman, J.H. and Driscoll, S.W., 2024. Incidence of nonsynostotic plagiocephaly and developmental disorders. JAMA pediatrics, 178(9), pp.899-905.
3. Bialocerkowski, A.E., Vladusic, S.L. and Wei Ng, C., 2008. Prevalence, risk factors, and natural history of positional plagiocephaly: a systematic review. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 50(8), pp.577-586.
4. Bridges, S.J., Chambers, T.L. and Pople, I.K., 2002. Plagiocephaly and head binding. Archives of disease in childhood, 86(3), pp.144-145.
5. Cabrera-Martos, I., Ortigosa-Gómez, S.J., Lopez-Lopez, L., Ortiz-Rubio, A., Torres-Sanchez, I., Granados-Santiago, M. and Valenza, M.C., 2021. Physical therapist interventions for infants with nonsynostotic positional head deformities: a systematic review. Physical therapy, 101(8), p.pzab106.
6. González-Santos, J., González-Bernal, J.J., De-la-Fuente Anuncibay, R., Soto-Cámara, R., Cubo, E., Aguilar-Parra, J.M., Trigueros, R. and López-Liria, R., 2020. Infant cranial deformity: cranial helmet therapy or physiotherapy?. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(7), p.2612.
7. Panza, R., Piarulli, F., Rizzo, V., Schettini, F., Baldassarre, M.E., Di Lorenzo, A., Tafuri, S. and Laforgia, N., 2024. Positional plagiocephaly: results of the osteopathic treatment of 424 infants. An observational retrospective cohort study. Italian Journal of Pediatrics, 50(1), p.166.
8. Corte, A.D. and Rohde, M.A., 2025. Use of orthotic helmets in children with positional plagiocephaly and brachycephaly: a systematic review. Child's Nervous System, 41(1), p.163.
9. Marchand, A.M., MChiro, M. and Leader, M.C., Chiropractic manipulative therapy with helmet therapy, association with treatment duration and cranial asymmetry outcomes for moderate to severe positional plagiocephaly: a retrospective cohort study. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHIROPRACTIC PEDIATRICS, p.2105.

Every June, Spinal Health Month raises awareness about the importance of spinal health and preventing one of the most common health problems affecting Australians — back pain. Low back pain is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and can affect anyone, from office workers sitting at a desk all day to tradesmen performing repetitive physical tasks.
 
This year’s campaign focuses on prevention and helping Australians build healthier habits before pain becomes a long-term issue.
 
For office workers, prolonged sitting, poor workstation setup, and constant phone or computer use can place ongoing stress on the neck, shoulders, and lower back. Over time, these habits may lead to stiffness, headaches, and persistent discomfort.
 
For tradesmen and physically demanding professions, repetitive lifting, bending, twisting, and carrying heavy loads can gradually overload the spine and surrounding muscles. Many people continue to work through discomfort until the problem becomes harder to ignore.
 
The good news is that many cases of back pain can be reduced or prevented with simple daily habits:

• Move regularly and avoid staying in one position for too long
• Warm up before and stretch after physical work
• Lift using your legs, not your back
• Set up your desk and screen at the correct height
• Stay active to maintain strength and flexibility

 
Early attention is important. Small aches and stiffness can sometimes develop into more persistent problems if ignored.
 
Research suggests chiropractic care may help improve spinal function and assist in managing low back pain, particularly when combined with movement and exercise-based approaches. A randomised controlled trial involving active-duty U.S. military personnel with low back pain found participants receiving chiropractic care showed statistically significant improvements in strength, trunk muscle endurance, balance, pain intensity, and disability compared with a control group.(1)
 
The study concluded that chiropractic care helped improve both physical performance and functional capacity in individuals affected by low back pain.
 
Whether your job involves sitting at a computer or working on your feet all day, looking after your spine is an investment in your long-term health, movement, and ability to keep doing the things you enjoy.
 
This Spinal Health Month, take a moment to check in with your posture, movement, and daily habits. Have a chat with our chiropractors and see how we could help support your spine.

 
Reference

1.         Vining R, Long CR, Minkalis A, Gudavalli MR, Xia T, Walter J, et al. Effects of Chiropractic Care on Strength, Balance, and Endurance in Active-Duty US Military Personnel with Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2020;26(7):592-601.