David Perna, D.C.

It's commonly known that slouching can contribute to both neck pain and headaches, but many don't know that slouching can lead to other negative health consequences...  DIGESTION: Prolonged sitting is bad enough all by itself, but adding a slouched, slumped posture can distort or compromise the space that houses internal organs and negatively affect MANY [..]

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve is compressed at the wrist. However, there are other anatomical locations in which the median nerve can experience interference, and the median nerve is not the only nerve that ventures into the hand. So if you experience a symptom like hand numbness, CTS may not be [..]

Patellofemoral (PF) pain (or pain in the area of the knee cap) is a very common problem, especially in women because they naturally have a wider pelvis. A wider pelvis can cause a “knock-knee” effect, which can be exacerbated by flat feet and ankle pronation (rolling in at the ankles). The net result is that [..]

Whiplash associated disorders (WAD) are most often associated with motor vehicle collisions (MVC) but can occur from any form of trauma arising from slips and falls, sports injuries, and more. A question patients suffering from WAD commonly ask is, “How long will this take to get better?” There are many factors in play with regards [..]

Acne most commonly affects us during our adolescent years, but it can strike at any time during our adult lives. Unfortunately, usual treatment seems restricted to taking oral antibiotics along with some form of topical agent such as benzoyl peroxide, topical retinoids, or topical antibiotics. This begs the question: Is there a safer and equally [..]

Chiropractic spinal adjustments (specific line-of-drive manipulations) are quite effective for the management of spinal musculoskeletal complaints and injuries. This is not controversial. Studies documenting the clinical effectiveness of chiropractic and spinal manipulation for the management of spinal musculoskeletal complaints and injuries have appeared in the literature for more than half a century (1, 2, 3, [..]

When treating patients with low back pain (LBP), doctors of chiropractic have three common goals: 1) pain management; 2) posture alignment or correction; and 3) prevention. When warranted, the use of corrective prescription foot orthotics can help achieve all three goals. In a 2017 study, researchers recruited 225 adult subjects with chronic low back pain [..]

In a 2015 study, Swedish researchers compared the effect of a slouched vs. normal body posture with regards to performing lifting tasks. In particular, investigators wanted a better understanding of how a slouched posture affects neck and shoulder function and muscle activity in three large muscle groups—the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus [..]

This discussion picks up from last month as we review the “nuts & bolts” of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We left off at “CLINICAL PRESENTATION”… CLINICAL PRESENTATION (continued): A weakness in grip and pinch strength usually follows an initial loss of sensation in the second to fourth palm-side fingers. The intensity of weakness is more [..]

Hip pain is a very common cause for lost time in sports, and it can also interfere with one’s daily activities—including work! So, what are some of the more common injuries of the hip? MUSCLE STRAINS: This is probably the most common injury to the hip and groin because of the weight bearing “job” the [..]

Although whiplash injuries arising from motor vehicle collisions (MVC) are very common, there doesn’t seem to be consistency in the evaluation one receives at an emergency room (ER) or later in an outpatient setting when it comes to the utilization of x-ray and other imaging. So, what are the pros and cons of imaging a [..]

While many of us have been told we need to take steps to lower our cholesterol levels, it turns out that having high cholesterol may actually be a good thing. As far back as 1994, Dr. Harlan Krumholz of the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Yale University reported that older people with low cholesterol died [..]