<![CDATA[Vallejo Chiropractic - Blog]]>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 22:42:18 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Patient Appreciation Day is now TWO Days!]]>Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:30:00 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/patient-appreciation-day-is-now-two-daysPatient Appreciation Days at Vallejo ChiropracticAugust 15 & 16, 2025
Big News!
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Thanks to the popularity of this event every year, in 2025, we have expanded our annual Patient Appreciation Day to TWO days - aka Patient Appreciation DAYS: August 15th and 16th!

We're so appreciative of all of our Patients! That's why we host our annual celebration in honor of our awesome patients! Slots will fill up fast - be sure to make your appointment soon!

Please call us if you want your $20 adjustment and/or $20 targeted massage (15 minutes) with one of our certified massage therapists. ​

In addition to general appreciation, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to these two nonprofit organizations:

PATIENT APPRECIATION DAYS
FRIDAY AUGUST 15, 2025, 9A-12 NOON
SATURDAY AUGUST 16, 2025, 9A-12 NOON
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TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 707.553.2225 OR EMAIL US. 

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Note: Discounted adjustments & massages are for current patients only.
Neither insurance nor co-pays will be accepted on this day.
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​Our Low Cost Clinic will not be open on Saturday, August 16th.
]]><![CDATA[Don’t Let Spring Clean-up Lead to a Messed up Back]]>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 19:35:53 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/dont-let-spring-clean-up-lead-to-a-messed-up-backSpring Cleaning Advice to avoid injuries
As we move into warmer weather and start our spring cleaning projects whether inside the house or in our yards, we want to ensure that we minimize our risk of injuries.  Two of the main injury potentials we want to watch for are our overuse injuries and bending and twisting injuries.

When we come out of the winter months, where we have been a little more sedentary, we want to slowly increase our activities and should avoid an all day clean up and should start with just a few hours at a time.  After even a couple of weeks of reduced activity and movement we lose some of our strength and endurance so if we have several months of reduced activity, it becomes important not to think we can resume our activities at the same level.  My recommendation is to start with a couple of hours of activity followed by at least a 30-minute break to see how your body feels.  If you start to feel a lot of muscle stiffness, give your body more time to recover because you will not be able to recruit as many muscles to your task and you may increase your likelihood of injury.  This is your overuse injury where you have pushed your body too hard and strained your muscles.  


The other common injury we see at this time of year is the bending and twisting injury.  A lot of times this can be linked to activities such as pulling weeds or bad body mechanics when moving furniture.  As we rotate or bend the spine the force that is applied in the areas can focus on a smaller area which increases the likelihood that we can strain the area.  When we are doing these activities try to keep our hips and low back in-line with each other as this more evenly distributes the forces being applied in the body and reduces the likelihood of injury.  It is also very common that we get a combination of the two different injuries at the same time as a lot of our spring cleaning activities involve a lot of movements that can cause us to twist and bend as well as doing more work than we would typically be doing.
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No matter the reason for the acute pain flare up the combination of chiropractic and massage therapy are very helpful with recovery as they promote better movement, blood flow and circulation, and can help promote the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest, digest, and repair system).  At home heat can help to relieve muscle tension as well as increase circulation in and out of the tissue by getting reparative compounds in and getting waste metabolic by-products out.  Epsom salt soaks are another great way to help the body with recovery as the warm/hot water can be soothing to the aching muscles and the magnesium in the Epsom salt also helps to relax muscles and is one of the three minerals involved in normal muscle activity (the other two being calcium and magnesium).
]]><![CDATA[Now Offering Custom Insoles in Vallejo]]>Mon, 24 Feb 2025 17:57:27 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/now-offering-custom-insoles-in-vallejo
Vallejo Chiropractic is proud to announce a new technology to the office.  We have recently incorporated a digital foot scanner for having custom insoles (orthotics) made.  We work with the company Foot Levelers, who have been making custom insoles for over 70 years, to bring high quality insoles to our clientele.  Not only do they make custom insoles, but they also make custom shoes as well as custom sandals and flip flops.

Many of us have seen commercials advertising custom insoles (orthotics) with the promise that they can help relieve foot pain, knee pain, low back pain, etc.  You may be wondering how effective these may be and whether custom insoles (orthotics) would be a benefit to you.  The most common foot problem is called pronation where the medial arch drops and starts to flatten the foot.  This can put more stress on the knees, which in turn can affect how the pelvis functions, which affects the lower back and can even cause effects all the way up to the neck.  This is what is called a kinetic chain and shows how one area/region of the body can affect other areas based on the interconnectivity of our musculoskeletal system.

When we are up and moving, orthotics can help alleviate foot, knee, hip, and lower back pain by redistributing pressure and providing additional cushioning.  This is accomplished by three different supports in the Foot Levelers orthotics, at the medial and lateral arches as well as at the ball of the foot.  By maintaining proper foot alignment, you can also relieve chronic foot pain from arch issues and plantar fasciitis.
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At Vallejo Chiropractic our approach is to adjust first and if your body can hold the proper alignment without the use of braces and/or supports we consider that ideal.  But in cases where you don’t hold your adjustments you might need orthotics to help you stabilize.  If custom orthotics sound like something you would like to try give us a call to come in to have your digital scan done. Your custom insoles come with a one-year warranty and most people have found they last for 3-5 years before they have to be replaced.

Contact our office Us today for more information about help for your feet.
Foot Levelers machine in Vallejo

FAQ About Custom Orthotics

How do Foot Levelers custom-made functional orthotics work?
Feet are the foundation of the body—foot imbalance or dysfunction can have ripple effects, transferring imbalance (and pain) to the ankles, legs, knees, hips, spine, shoulders, even the skull. Foot Levelers orthotics are custom-built to balance and support your unique feet and body, and to suit the demands of your individual lifestyle and activities. By balancing and supporting the feet, they help balance and support the spine, which can help relieve pain and improve your body’s overall biomechanics.
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Foot Levelers custom orthotics are a research-proven solution for plantar fasciitis, low back pain, ankle sprains/ankle instability, knee pain, and many other musculoskeletal conditions.

Why should I be using custom orthotics?
Orthotics offer quality-of-life improvement for anyone, young, old, athletic or otherwise. They can help improve pain, posture, balance and physical performance in all aspects of life. They help prevent or treat low back pain, hip pain, knee pain and neck pain, and are one of the best ways to deal with foot conditions such as bunions, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis. 
What process is used to capture information about my feet?
Our new in-office machines captures images of your feet using the 3D BodyView+® imaging device, which uses the laser triangulation technique, one of the most accurate measurement techniques available. We use those images to have Foot Levelers craft your orthotics based on foam impressions or 3D images. This helps ensure your orthotics fit perfectly to your feet.
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]]><![CDATA[Another Potential Tool to Assist Migraine Sufferers]]>Wed, 07 Aug 2024 21:50:13 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/another-potential-tool-to-assist-migraine-sufferers
Here at Vallejo Chiropractic, we help a good number of people find relief from their chronic migraines and even post-concussive headaches.  Recently I came across an article though that can potentially help migraine sufferers between their visits and help them find more relief increasing their ability to enjoy their activities of daily life.  Best of all it is a relatively low-cost option with some significant early results, and it is as easy as getting the right light wavelength to soothe the brain.
The recent small-scale studies have been comparing chronic migraine sufferers with an average of 7.9 migraine headache days per month to different light exposures, specifically white LED and green LED light, the green LED had a specific wavelength of 525 nanometers.  The white light showed no significant change in headache frequency, but the green LED groups saw a reduction in the number of headache days from 7.9 to 2.4.  Participants would use the light for 1-2 hours per day in a dark room and were encouraged to participate in whatever activities the lighting allowed; reading, playing music, exercising, etc...

The light therapy was used in conjunction with the patients’ other typical treatments and not as a replacement for them.  Perhaps with further research some of these less invasive and gentler treatments will be shown to be more effective than some of the medications but only time will tell, and this is at least a great additional tool some people will be able to use to curb some of their suffering from migraines.  From a practice perspective I did recommend this to some people who had been suffering from post-concussion headaches and they noted a decrease in frequency and severity of their headaches.   If you are interested in reading more from one of the studies it is called “Evaluation of Green Light Exposure on Headache Frequency and Quality of Life in Migraine Patients”, quite the catchy title I know.

One light we found that has initially gotten good results is a green light therapy bulb from Hooga that has the 525-nanometer wavelength for only $40 on Amazon.  If you want to give this a try for your headaches you will want to shine the light on the ceiling or wall and not look directly at it as this can be too intense.  And again, the benefit they we finding was between 1 and 2 hours per day.
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​Pexels Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
https://www.pexels.com/@olly/​
]]><![CDATA[Patient Appreciation Day is August 10th!]]>Tue, 09 Jul 2024 15:55:16 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/patient-appreciation-day-is-august-10thVallejo Chiropractic Patient Appreciation Day 2024Saturday, August 10, 2024
WE APPRECIATE all of our Patients! That's why we're hosting our annual special day in honor of our current patients! In addition to general appreciation, a portion of all proceeds will be donated to these two nonprofit organizations:
Slots will fill up fast - be sure to make your appointment soon!

Please call us if you want your $20 adjustment and/or $20 targeted massage (15 minutes) with one of our certified massage therapists. ​

​UPDATE: All slots are now full for Saturday but please stop by and let us say thanks for being a patient!!
PATIENT APPRECIATION DAY
SATURDAY AUGUST 10, 2024. 9A-12 NOON
TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 707.553.2225 OR EMAIL US. 

Note: Discounted adjustments & massages are for current patients.
Neither insurance nor co-pays will be accepted on this day.
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​Our Low Cost Clinic will not be open on Patient Appreciation Day.
]]><![CDATA[Wellness Chiropractic Care]]>Wed, 17 Jan 2024 00:56:04 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/wellness-chiropractic-careChiropractic Wellness care for healthy people
Have you ever met a health nut? Are you a health nut? You know who i’m talking about. It’s the type of person who eats super healthy and exercises just for the sake of eating super clean and exercising. 

They aren’t doing it because of health problems. They aren’t overweight, they aren’t in pain. They aren’t training for an upcoming event. They just exercise and eat healthy because they want to be healthy and be at their best.
Well, chiropractic has its share of health nuts too. There are chiropractors who are - shall we say -  health nuts. They are the type of person who isn't in pain. They aren't concerned about  anything in particular.

They want to stay mobile and active for as long as possible, and they want to be at their best, so they make ongoing chiropractic care a part of their wellness lifestyle.

While there is a place for wellness exercise, there is also a place for wellness chiropractic. Is it for everyone? No…of course not. Is it for some people? Yes…absolutely.

Wellness chiropractic patients are often big advocates of chiropractic in the same way that wellness exercisers will rave about the benefits of exercising. No, most people aren't  going to do either one, because most people are not health nuts, but it's hard to argue with the results. 

Contact Us at Vallejo Chiropractic to see how Dr. Kunsman, DC and Dr. Staton, DC can help you with your wellness plan in 2024.

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Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom at Pexels
]]><![CDATA[Pickleball Shoulder Injury Rehab]]>Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:44:28 GMThttps://www.vallejochiropractic.com/blog/pickleball-shoulder-injury-rehab
With the rising popularity of Pickleball, we are also seeing an increase in Pickleball related injuries.  The most common injuries we are seeing are ankle injuries and shoulder injuries.  With this we wanted to talk about ways to rehab after your Pickleball injury as well as address ways to try and prevent injuries (hint: often the exercises and stretches we do for rehab are good at helping to prevent injury as well).

In this post we will be focusing on shoulder injuries and what can be done to both help rehabilitate as well as some preventative strategies.  Most of the shoulder injuries that we are seeing are related to overuse and bad technique as opposed to traumatic (i.e., falling on the shoulder).      
Click "Full Screen" in lower right corner to enlarge.
When it comes to the pains we feel with overuse or bad technique one of the best at home therapies is turning out to be heat as opposed to ice.  Now if heat makes it feel worse switch over to ice instead.  When heating the affected area, we recommend focusing the heat on the muscles more than the joints, typically heating for 20-30 minutes at a time.  The big rule to follow while heating is don’t burn yourself.  Other options instead of sitting with a heating pad can include topical heating products as well as the various patches that are on the market.  When using topicals avoid using the products shortly after taking a shower as the skin pores are open and the intensity of the creams can be amplified.  If needing to use ice instead of heat typically use the ice for 10-15 minutes or until the area numb.  You can often do this 3-4 times a day if needed.
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Chiropractic misalignments that we typically see with these injuries are at the clavicle (collar bone), upper rib cage, and the glenohumeral joint (where the arm meets the shoulder).  At times we also see restrictions/subluxations at the lower arm around the elbow.  If addressed quickly we find it doesn’t take too many visits to get people back to functioning better.  At times, utilizing massage therapy or therapeutic ultrasound speeds up the recovery as well.  Massage therapy does a great job at loosening up those tight muscles while promoting blood flow through the tissues to get reparative nutrients in and waste products out of the affected area.  Therapeutic ultrasound can help to break up any scar tissue or adhesions in the area as well as push inflammation out of the affected area.
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Exercises for rehabilitation and prevention are focused on the strength and endurance of the rotator cuff muscles.  Our primary recommendation is doing internal and external rotation exercises, first with the elbow tight against the body and then with the arm out at a 90-degree angle.  The goal will be 15-20 repetitions for each exercise, aiming to complete 3 sets.  Exercise bands are a low-cost way to accomplish this at home.  There are also products you can get that will lock the band into a door as well as handles for greater control and stabilization.
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