Roger Clifford, D.C., D.A.C.N.B.

Physical activity, from housework and gardening to a structured exercise routine, is widely recognized as the most important behavior for both promoting longevity and lowering the risk for cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, several forms of cancer, and other chronic diseases. In fact, the World Health Organization lists low cardio-respiratory fitness as the number one [..]

According to a systematic review that included 201 studies, low back pain may affect between 10-67% of athletes at any given moment, with anywhere from 17-94% experiencing sports-related back pain each year. This broad range is due to the age, level of competition, and the specific sports included in each study. For example, the data [..]

Each year, surgeons perform hundreds of thousands of total hip arthroplasties (hip replacements), and the most common reason is osteoarthritis of the hip. This condition isn’t caused by an underlying disease, rather it’s due to wear and tear of the hip joint from everyday activities over time. Not only can osteoarthritis of the hip be [..]

In addition to manual therapies and other treatments provided in a chiropractic office, patients with chronic low back pain are often advised to exercise—specifically the core muscles—as part of the recovery process. Is there a protocol that’s best for engaging the core muscles? In 2018, researchers recruited 34 chronic low back pain patients and assigned [..]

Lateral epicondylitis—also known as tennis elbow—is a tendinopathy of the extensor forearm muscles, which are located on the back of the hand side of the forearm. It’s estimated the condition affects up to 3% of middle-aged adults. As with many musculoskeletal conditions, treatment guidelines emphasize exhausting non-surgical options before consulting with a surgeon. In a [..]

The shoulder is a complex structure that consists of four joints that work together to allow for a large range of motion. Unfortunately, this flexibility results in instability and an elevated risk for injury. Perhaps the well-known shoulder injury is a rotator cuff tear, which will affect at least one-in-five persons during their lifetime. While [..]

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a common condition characterized by pain and discomfort while chewing, which is estimated to affect about 10% of adults to some degree. As with many musculoskeletal conditions that come on gradually and don’t require emergency care, treatment guidelines recommend conservative care as an initial treatment approach, of which doctors of chiropractic [..]

While musculoskeletal conditions that affect the body are often thought of in terms of pain and disability, it’s not uncommon for psychological factors to be present, which can complicate matters and prolong the patient’s suffering. For example, in a 2019 study that included 252 patients with chronic low back pain, researchers observed that those with [..]

In a chiropractor’s ideal world, people would do everything possible to reduce their risk for a condition like low back pain, and in the event a low back injury occurs, they’d seek care right away. Barring any red flags that necessitate a referral to a specialist or a trip to the emergency room, the patient [..]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that occurs when the contents from the stomach reflux back up into the esophagus—the tube that transfers food and drink from the mouth to the acidic environment of the stomach-leading to a foul burning taste in the throat and the chest pain known as heart burn. Standard treatment [..]

Dizziness affects about 15-20% of adults to some extent each year, and it is one of the most common reasons for emergency room visits. One of the three systems that works to help us maintain balance is the proprioceptive system that is made up of mechano-receptors located in our joint capsules, muscles, and more that [..]

In addition to being the largest joint in the body, the knee is also very complex and consists of several components that all work together to help us stand, walk, run, jump, and climb. The patella, or kneecap, is located in the front of the joint at the distal end of the femur and rides [..]