Home Improvement

You've finally decided to paint your kids' bedrooms. Not only that, but you're going to do it yourself. Congratulations. Or your rooftop gutters have become so filled with leaves that the only place for overflow rainwater to go is down the sides of your house and seep into the foundation, and you've decided to install a gutter protection system. And you're going to do that yourself.

These may be great choices. DIY projects are self-affirming and self-empowering, and often provide real opportunities for personal growth and development. There may be substantial cost savings, or you just want to reconnect with your high school self who loved shop class. Regardless of the numerous possible motivations, the most important consideration in any home improvement project is safety.

Aside from basic rules such as using protective goggles and always having a buddy supporting and stabilizing the ladder you're up on, safety around the home often depends on your own level of physical fitness. For example, if you're relatively out-of-shape, it's easy to strain a neck, shoulder, or lower back muscle when you're trying to apply paint evenly to a corner of the ceiling. Similarly, if you haven't done any vigorous exercise on a consistent basis in a while, do-it-yourself activities such as changing your car battery or even mowing your lawn can cause a lower back injury or even a twisted ankle or knee.

Doing regular vigorous exercise provides many benefits In addition to preparing you for real physical work. Also, supporting your exercise and physical work is a specialized system of nerve endings known as proprioceptors.1 These nerve cells play a significant role in whether physical activity is done easily and well or, instead, results in an injury. Stated succinctly, proprioceptors tell your brain about your body's position in three-dimensional space. For example, if you're bending over to pick up two one-gallon cans of paint, your brain needs to know that you're ankles are bent at 20 degrees, your knees are bent at 80 degrees, and your hips are bent at 70 degrees. If this information isn't transmitted accurately or isn't received fairly instantaneously, you may suffer a lower back injury even though the paint cans themselves only weigh 8 pounds each.

Proprioception becomes a critical system any time you go up on a ladder.2 Maintaining your balance depends on a moment-by-moment, two-directional stream of information between your brain and your bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments. Your nerve system and your musculoskeletal system do all the calculations required to enable you to work safely from the top step of your ladder. But if your proprioception system hasn't been optimally trained in a while and is, in a sense, out of shape, your balance and overall safety are at risk. Bad things can happen.

From all points of view, including that of safety in the home, it's important to maintain your proprioception system in peak condition. You can easily do this by engaging in regular strength-building activities such as strength training and yoga and regular aerobic activities such as running, walking, swimming, and biking.3 Proprioceptor training is built-in to all forms of vigorous exercise. Safely and successfully completing your home improvement projects is one of the many benefits.

1Judkins TN, Scheidt RA: Visuo-proprioceptive interactions during adaptation of the human reach. J Neurophysiol 2013 Nov 20 [Epub ahead of print]

2Suetterlin KJ, Sayer AA: Proprioception: where are we now? A commentary on clinical assessment, changes across the life course, functional implications and future interventions. Age Aging 2013 Nov 14 [Epub ahead of print]

3Maitre J, et al: Chronic physical activity preserves efficiency of proprioception in postural control in older women. J Rehabil Res Dev 50(6):811-820, 2013

Location

Find us on the map

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

8:30 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

Closed

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "PAIN FREE! Over the years I have been to several different chiropractors. As a child, I was exposed to chiropractic care through my mother. Having arthritis, chiropractic was the one place she could get relief without drugs. Even so, not all chiropractors are equal and that was never made more clear to me than when I met Dr. Roy. Having complained of lower back pain to a former chiropractor, I was never able to get any relief. It wasn't until I started being treated by Dr. Roy that I was able to go weeks without pain. I even had a manual physical therapist tell me I had scarred tissue and would never truly be pain free. Dr. Roy's methods were new to me and I was a little skeptical at first, but after a month or so of treatment I was able to go for several weeks without ANY pain! I am a believer now and I will be coming back as often as I can!!!"
    Judy Reyes
  • "THE MIRACLE DOCTOR! A friend recommended Dr. Roy to me because I could hardly walk and I was in great pain. He took x-rays and treated me immediately and it really help right away. That was in 2019. He saw me twice a week for many months before I went to once a week. He has educated me on many different situations concerning my back and that's why I call him "The Miracle Doctor.""
    Mary Kathleen Weldon
  • "ALMOST AS GOOD AS NEW AFTER SEVERE CAR ACCIDENT AFTER 2 SESSIONS 5* After decades of chiropractic care, I thought I'd received the best possible outcome for my neck injury from a fall further exacerbated by a severe car accident.
    Little did I know that in just two sessions Dr. Roy would have me almost as good as new!
    Thanks again for hearing my complaint and knowing exactly how to adjust T1/T2/C7 areas on my neck for instant, long lasting relief."
    C Broadway
  • "NO MORE MIGRAINES 5* - Dr. Roy has added a massage therapist and I'm so excited to have that available for my overall wellness care. Dr. Roy always seems to put his finger exactly where I'm needing an adjustment and with his upper cervical adjustments, I've gone from 4 migraines a month to less than one a year! I haven't felt better."
    Chrystal R.
  • "FIVE STAR REVIEW 5*"
    Kelly B.
  • "VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS5* - I know Dr. Roy personally and he does a great job. He is an honorable man who cares about his patients and is an USAF veteran to boot."
    Col Paul S.
  • "TRUST THEM WITH MY BACK 5* - So love this place! Four days ago I came home from a long trip..my back from hurting from the travel. They were able to take me in for an appointment the very next day and put 2 ribs back in place. Besides that, I love the employees there. They are so refreshing and kind and I highly trust them with my back."
    Sara W. F.
  • "VERY PLEASED 5* - Visiting Dr. Roy's Chiropractic Clinic since last year and very pleased with the results so far!
    Thank you so much Dr. Roy!"
    Stephan S.
  • "BACK, KNEES AND HIPS BETTER! Since starting treatments with Dr. Roy not only is my back better and I now know what the issues are - his gentle chiropractic approach has helped my back, knees and hips. Thanks Dr. Roy"
    Susan E.