Dr. Kenney’s Friday 5 Spot
On Fridays I like to share some of the experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant in some way. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
Why do you write these? I get great feedback on my 5 Spots and patients will often ask me about certain things I’ve written or tell me what something meant to them. This week, I had a woman ask me why I write them because she was curious to understand my motivation. My answer is that ultimately, I am writing these to my children. Life goes by so fast and we often forget a lot of experiences we have during the different seasons of our life. I write these because I enjoy recording my thoughts on different things in hopes that at some point (if they want to), my kids can go back and read what their old man had to say. My short-term goal is to provide content that can hopefully be of value to my patients and my long-term goal is that at some point my children will as well.
A lesson I rely upon often? One of the transformative aspects of my life has been when I began competing in ultra-marathons. People often think I compete in them because of how much I love to run but this is not the case. Honestly, an enjoyable run for me is probably 4-5 miles, running 50-100 miles is far from enjoyable. Why I continue to come back to these races is for the lessons they can teach. Though I’ve learned so much, my favorite lesson that I rely on is to always keep moving forward.
That statement is vague, but it carries great meaning. When you are in pain, keep moving forward. When it looks bleak, keep moving forward. When things are at their worst, keep moving forward. When what you envisioned falls apart, keep moving forward. When you have doubts, keep moving forward. When you are looking for excuses to quit, keep moving forward. These races have allowed me to train my mind through physical exertion to always keep moving forward through stress, tough times, the loss of loved ones and anything else that life may throw at me.
A common condition I see frequently in practice? Your thoracic spine is comprised of 12 vertebrae that begin at the base of your neck and go to the top of your lower back. In this part of your spine, the side portion of these vertebrae (called transverse processes) articulate with your ribs. Just like your spine can become misaligned, so too can these joints. When ribs become misaligned, they can often be extremely painful (most patients describe it as “burning” or “stabbing”) and can even affect your ability to take a full deep breath in without pain. These rib misalignments are usually caused by rotational issues such as from an awkward sleeping position or a repetitive activity such as golf, painting, etc. Because these rib misalignments can cause muscle spasms, intense pain and difficulty breathing; patients are often misdiagnosed prior to coming to my office and often have dealt with this for months or even years. Though the symptoms can be very strong, usually correcting the issue is simple and unlike other conditions of the spine, improvement is usually instant.
Something I’ve been really enjoying? My oldest son is now 14 years old. He’s very athletic and has a work ethic like mine. Since his football season ended, he has been doing weight workouts with me and it’s been fun bonding with him and teaching him something I’ve been so involved in since I was his age. He’s getting stronger daily and loves to ask me questions and for tips. It reminds me of when I was around his age and just getting started with exercise. It is uch a blessing to have these times together!
Some quotes I love?
“Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life.” – Bob Marley
“Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves” – Abraham Lincoln
“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” – Gladiator
Bonus quote I hate: “Are we allowed to?”
Want more?
- Don’t forget to follow Dr. Kenney on Instagram @Coloradochiropractor
- To see previous Friday 5 Spots, visit www.newbodychiro.com and go to “blog”
- Check us out on Facebook under New Body Chiropractic