Dr. Kyle Simpson

That’s a wrap on 2021 for me!

I am always reminded this time of year how lucky I am to be able to help people move and feel better for my job. The continued support from the KW community has propelled me forward throughout this crazy year. Thank you for trusting me with a part of your healthcare journey - I look forward to many more years of twisting, popping, stretching, moving, and helping.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy holiday season. Eat lots of cookies and get outside for some winter fun! Doc Kyle.

My good friend Dave Whiteside recently had his work featured in the Harvard Business Review. I found it very insightful into the effects of COVID-19 on burnout and our well-being. Worth the read!

What Covid-19 Has Done to Our Well-Being, in 12 Charts The pandemic has led to mental health declines, increased work demands, and feelings of loneliness. But the news isn’t all bad.

Hey Instagram 👋🏻

Doc Kyle checking in. Life is crazy right now. The current pandemic has brought massive changes to my life and practice, but also an incredible appreciation for the opportunities I still have.

Thank you to the KW community for continuously trusting me to help you move and feel better. This will always remain my top priority, regardless of the amount of PPE and sanitizer necessary. I promise that I am still smiling under my mask and if you ever need someone to talk to I am always here. Stay well my friends!

Willpower is interesting. We often blame a “lack of willpower” as the reason why we ate that whole row of Oreos, or why we haven’t been consistent with exercise. I hear it ALL THE TIME.
I call bu****it. Willpower is a short term thing that we often love to force into long term problems.
Take this analogy from the Heath brothers book “Switch” of the elephant and the rider. The elephant is your emotional side and the rider is your rational side. The rider can get their way temporarily if they tug on the reins hard enough, but this tug-of-war match with the elephant isn’t going to last long. The rider is going to become exhausted and the elephant will win. This is willpower - temporary rational decision making to override the elephant.
Here’s the problem: if you’re constantly losing to the elephant because you don’t have the willpower, it’s not a matter of willpower anymore. It’s a lack of emotional commitment to change - your heart has convinced your mind that you aren’t capable of long term change. You’ve let the elephant win.
So what’s the solution? Stop using “willpower” as a crutch for your failures - it’s exhausting. The rider and the elephant need to work together. Make small actionable goals that you can achieve and then build off of the momentum from these small victories to move forward.
Let me know your thoughts below!

Doc Kyle says touch your toes 🙌🏻
But actually.... This is one of the first movements I do in my movement prep before running because it loads up the calves, hamstrings, and glutes!
From a standing position, keep your legs relatively straight while pushing your hips back to hinge forwards. Once you’ve gone as far as your hamstrings will let you, squeeze your glutes to extend your body back upright to standing. You’ll also notice that I’m keeping a flat back as well!
What are some of your go-to running warmups!?

Pretty cool info!

97% OF LUMBAR DISC HERNIATIONS MANAGED SUCCESSFULLY WITHOUT SURGERY, SAYS STUDY. Results of a retrospective cohort study [1] including almost 280,000 subjects have concluded that pr*****ed lumbar intervertebral discs may be successfully managed without the need for surgery in 97% of cases.

The study examined the records of adults presenting 2007 to 2017 selected from a large insurance database. Only 3% failed non-operative therapy and underwent microdiscectomy.

Of the patients requiring surgery, the majority were male and an association was found with a history of lumbar spinal epidural injection or perioperative opioid use, leading the study to conclude that male gender and a history of prior opioid use were independent predictors of non-operative treatment failure.

The study provides yet more evidence supporting treatment and management interventions for lumbar disc herniation commonly provided by chiropractors, including manual therapy, education, exercise prescription and self-management strategies.

References: [1] Lilly DT, Eldridge CM, Singh R, Montgomery EY, Bagley C, Adogwa O. An assessment of non-operative management strategies in a herniated lumbar disc population: successes versus failure. Global Spine J. 2020 Jul 7;2192568220936217. doi: 10.1177/2192568220936217.

Image courtesy of Dynamic Disc Designs (https://dynamicdiscdesigns.com/)

Throwback to a couple weeks ago participating in the Limitless Performance Mock Sprint Triathlon.

Be physically active. Try new things. Keep your training constantly varied and most importantly, have fun!

Talk about a pain in the back...
With over 80% of individuals experiencing low back pain at some point throughout their life it’s no wonder that it’s also one of the highest causes of disability worldwide.
These 10 tips can help you keep your spine happy and manage pain. Is there anything else that you do as part of your daily spinal health routine? Let me know!
@ Kitchener, Ontario

Important Update: Appointments Now Available!

The Ministry of Health recently announced that Chiropractors may begin re-opening their practices in Ontario. If you wish to book an appointment, please email me ([email protected]), or contact the office by email or phone ([email protected], 519-579-0328).

As I start to resume regular practice there will be some changes around the office to ensure your safety during appointments including: symptom screening, appropriate personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves when possible, continued hand hygiene protocols, and fewer appointments scheduled with increased time between appointments to allow for sanitation measures and reduced patient flow through the office.

While the past two and half months have been challenging for all, I made this an opportunity to learn new skills, assessment tools, and rehab strategies. I am excited to put these new skills into practice to help others achieve their own movement goals.

I look forward to once again helping the Kitchener-Waterloo community move and feel better. Stay well and see you soon!

Dr. Kyle Simpson | DC, BSc (Hons.)