Wellness & Self Care Guide

Your symptoms did not develop overnight, and they will not resolve overnight either. What you do between visits matters. Use this guide to support your recovery and build habits that make your results last.

Built for Our Patients

What happens between your visits matters just as much as the care you receive in the office. The protocols here are grounded in current research and reflect the most common conditions we see at Kamego Chiropractic. They are not a substitute for professional care but a complement to it.

Find Your Area

Browse the sections below to find the region where you are experiencing symptoms. Each section covers common causes, how we can help, and a home management protocol.

Be Consistent

Even 10 minutes daily produces better results than an occasional longer session. Consistency is what turns these protocols into lasting change.

When in Doubt Ask

If something does not feel right or you are unsure whether an exercise is appropriate for your situation, call us or ask Dr. Kamego at your next visit.

Neck Pain

What May Be Causing It

Neck pain most commonly develops from postural strain, joint restriction in the cervical spine, and muscular tension that builds over time. Prolonged screen use, forward head posture, poor sleep position, and stress are the most frequent contributors.

Chiropractic adjustments restore normal movement to restricted cervical joints and reduce the muscular guarding response around them. For persistent neck pain Dr. Kamego may combine adjustments with laser therapy or massage to address both the joint and soft tissue components at the same time.

MOBILITY — Perform daily

Chin Tucks

  • How: Sitting tall, draw your chin straight back as if making a double chin
  • Hold: 5 seconds
  • Reps: 10
  • Why: Restores the natural cervical curve and reduces forward head posture loading

Cervical Rotation Stretch

  • How: Slowly turn your head to look over one shoulder as far as comfortable
  • Hold: 20 to 30 seconds each side
  • Reps: 2 to 3 per side
  • Why: Restores cervical rotation range of motion

Upper Trapezius Stretch

  • How: Sit on one hand to anchor the shoulder, tilt your ear toward the opposite shoulder
  • Hold: 30 seconds each side
  • Reps: 2 per side
  • Why: Releases the most commonly tight muscle in neck pain patients

STRENGTHENING — Perform 3 to 4 times per week

Deep Neck Flexor Activation

  • How: Lying on your back, perform a chin tuck then lift your head one inch off the surface
  • Hold: 10 seconds
  • Reps: 10
  • Why: Targets the deep cervical stabilizers that become inhibited with chronic neck pain

Scapular Retractions

  • How: Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down as if holding a pencil between them
  • Hold: 5 seconds
  • Reps: 15
  • Why: Weakness here is one of the most consistent findings in chronic neck pain patients

Every 1 hour at a screen, perform one set of chin tucks and one set of scapular retractions. This single habit addresses the two most common mechanical contributors to desk-related neck pain.

Cervicothoracic Junction & Upper Back Pain

What May Be Causing It

The area where the neck meets the upper back is one of the most commonly restricted regions of the spine. Pain here presents as deep aching between the shoulder blades, stiffness across the upper back, or tension running from the base of the skull into the shoulders. Prolonged sitting, rounded posture, and upper-body tension are the primary drivers.

This region responds extremely well to chiropractic adjustments targeting the upper thoracic spine. Restricted segments here often contribute to both neck pain and headaches that do not fully resolve until the thoracic component is addressed. Massage targeting the rhomboids and mid-trapezius, alongside adjustments, produces significantly faster results than either approach alone.

MOBILITY — Perform daily

Thoracic Extension Over a Rolled Towel

  • How: Place a rolled towel horizontally across your upper back at shoulder blade level, support your head and gently extend backward over it
  • Hold: 30 seconds, move the towel slightly up or down to target different segments
  • Reps: 3 positions along the spine
  • Why: One of the most effective self-mobilization techniques for upper thoracic restriction

Thread the Needle

  • How: On hands and knees, slide one arm underneath your body rotating through the upper back until your shoulder reaches the floor
  • Hold: 20 to 30 seconds each side
  • Reps: 3 per side
  • Why: Restores thoracic rotation, which is commonly restricted in upper back pain patients

STRENGTHENING — Perform 3 to 4 times per week

Prone Y-T-W

  • How: Lying face down, raise arms in three positions: Y shape overhead, T shape out to sides, W shape with elbows bent
  • Hold: 3 to 5 seconds each position
  • Reps: 10 of each
  • Why: Targets the lower and middle trapezius which are consistently weak in upper back pain patients

Band Pull Aparts

  • How: Hold a resistance band at shoulder height with arms extended, pull the band apart by squeezing the shoulder blades together
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15
  • Why: One of the most research-supported exercises for mid-scapular strength

Every time you sit down, check your position. Shoulders back and down, ears over shoulders, not in front of them. A small lumbar support cushion behind your lower back naturally improves upper back and neck posture at the same time.

Lower Back Pain

What May Be Causing It

Lower back pain most often develops from lumbar joint restriction, disc irritation, muscle imbalance, and the cumulative effects of prolonged sitting and poor movement patterns. In many cases, it is not from a single injury but from a threshold being crossed after months or years of mechanical stress building quietly in the spine.

Chiropractic adjustments restore normal lumbar and pelvic joint motion, reduce nerve irritation, and interrupt the pain-spasm cycle. For patients with disc involvement, spinal decompression therapy at Kamego Chiropractic directly addresses disc pressure in a way that adjustments alone cannot. Most patients with lower back pain see meaningful improvement within the first three to five visits.

MOBILITY — Perform daily

Knees to Chest

  • How: Lying on your back, pull both knees gently toward your chest
  • Hold: 30 seconds
  • Reps: 3
  • Why: Consistently effective for reducing lumbar joint stiffness especially in the morning

Cat-Cow

  • How: On hands and knees, alternate between arching your back toward the ceiling and letting it drop toward the floor
  • Reps: 10 slow repetitions, breathe through each one
  • Why: One of the best daily mobility exercises for lumbar health with strong research support

90-90 Hip Stretch

  • How: Lying on your back with knees bent, let both knees fall to one side while keeping your shoulders flat
  • Hold: 30 seconds each side
  • Reps: 2 to 3 per side
  • Why: Addresses hip and lumbar rotation restriction, which frequently contributes to lower back pain

STRENGTHENING — Perform 3 to 4 times per week

Glute Bridge

  • How: Lying on your back with knees bent, drive through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders, hold 2 seconds at the top
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15
  • Why: Glute weakness is one of the most consistent and modifiable findings in chronic lower back pain

Bird Dog

  • How: On hands and knees, extend one arm forward while extending the opposite leg back
  • Hold: 5 seconds each side
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10 per side
  • Why: Targets the multifidus and erector spinae in a low load position, appropriate even during active pain episodes
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  • Prone Press Up 
    • How: Lying face down, progress through the variations below as comfort allows
    • Reps: 10 repetitions, working toward Variation 3 over 2 to 4 weeks
    • Why: Promotes lumbar extension mobility, helps centralize disc-related pain, and counteracts the sustained flexion posture most patients are in throughout the day. Strong research support through the McKenzie Method.

    Variation 1 — Sphinx (Start Here) Rest on forearms with elbows under shoulders. Prop up and relax the lower back. Hold 30 seconds, 3 reps. Use this during acute flare-ups or when starting.

    Variation 2 — Partial Press Up Hands under shoulders, press the upper body a few inches off the floor, keeping hips down. Hold 5 seconds. Progress here once Variation 1 is comfortable.

    Variation 3 — Full Press Up Press all the way up with hips staying on the floor. Hold 1 to 2 seconds at the top. This is the goal variation.

    Note: If pain shoots into the leg during any variation, stop and consult Dr. Kamego before continuing. Pain centralizing back toward the spine during the exercise is a normal and positive sign.

Avoid sitting longer than 45 minutes without standing and moving for at least 2 minutes. Prolonged sitting increases intradiscal pressure more than standing or walking and is one of the most significant daily contributors to recurring lower back pain.

Headaches

What May Be Causing It

A lot of headaches that bring patients into a chiropractic office are driven by joint restriction, muscular tension, or nerve irritation in the upper cervical spine rather than a primary neurological event. The suboccipital muscles at the base of the skull and the C1 to C3 spinal segments are the most common structural contributors. Many migraines also have a significant cervical component that is missed when only medication is used for management.

Upper cervical adjustments targeting C1 and C2 have strong research support for reducing the frequency and severity of cervicogenic headaches and migraines. Many patients who relied on daily medication for years find that consistent chiropractic care dramatically reduces their headache frequency within the first month. Trigger point massage targeting the suboccipital and upper trapezius muscles at Kamego Chiropractic addresses the soft tissue component that often sustains the headache cycle between adjustments.

MOBILITY — Perform daily

Suboccipital Release

  • How: Lying on your back, place two tennis balls in a sock at the base of your skull on either side of the spine, allow the weight of your head to rest on them
  • Duration: 3 to 5 minutes
  • Why: Provides sustained pressure release to the suboccipital muscles which are the most common soft tissue contributor to cervicogenic headaches

Upper Cervical Flexion

  • How: Perform a gentle chin tuck, then add a small, slow nodding motion
  • Reps: 10 slow repetitions
  • Why: Gently mobilizes C1 and C2 and targets the upper cervical flexors

STRENGTHENING — Perform 3 to 4 times per week

Deep Neck Flexor Endurance

  • How: Perform a chin tuck and hold it while continuing to breathe normally
  • Hold: 30 to 60 seconds
  • Reps: 3
  • Why: Research directly links weakness of the deep neck flexors to cervicogenic headache frequency
 
 
TRIGGER POINT MANAGEMENT:
Apply firm, sustained pressure with your thumb or a massage ball to the upper trapezius and the area just below the base of your skull. Hold each point 30 to 90 seconds until you feel the tension release. Most effective before bed and upon waking for patients with morning headaches.

Track your headaches for two weeks, noting time of day, duration, location, and what you were doing before onset. Dehydration, screen glare, and sustained neck flexion from phone use are the three most common modifiable triggers.

Shoulder Pain

What May Be Causing It

Shoulder pain in a chiropractic setting often involves both a local joint or soft tissue issue and a cervical or upper thoracic spine component that refers pain into the shoulder. Rotator cuff strain, impingement, and AC joint irritation are common local contributors. However, many patients present with shoulder pain that has a significant nerve component originating at the spine, meaning the shoulder itself is relatively healthy, but its nerve supply is being irritated higher up.

Chiropractic adjustments to the cervical and upper thoracic spine reduce nerve irritation referred to the shoulder. Direct shoulder joint mobilization, when appropriate, restores normal mechanics locally. Laser therapy at Kamego Chiropractic is particularly effective for rotator cuff and soft tissue involvement, reducing inflammation and accelerating tissue repair in a way that passive rest alone cannot achieve.

MOBILITY — Perform daily

Pendulum Swings

  • How: Lean forward supporting yourself on a table, allow the opposite arm to hang freely and swing it in small circles, forward and back, and side to side
  • Duration: 30 seconds each direction
  • Why: Decompresses the shoulder joint and maintains range of motion without loading the rotator cuff

Doorway Pec Stretch

  • How: Stand in a doorway with your arm at 90 degrees against the frame, gently lean forward until you feel a stretch across the chest and front of the shoulder
  • Hold: 30 seconds each side
  • Reps: 2 per side
  • Why: Pectoral tightness is one of the most consistent contributors to shoulder impingement and forward shoulder posture

STRENGTHENING — Perform 3 to 4 times per week

External Rotation with Band

  • How: Anchor a resistance band at elbow height, with elbow bent at 90 degrees and tucked against your side, and rotate your forearm outward against the band
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15
  • Why: External rotation strength is the single most important factor in rotator cuff health and one of the most commonly deficient in shoulder pain patients

Side Lying External Rotation

  • How: Lying on your side with a light dumbbell, bend your elbow to 90 degrees and rotate your forearm upward
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12
  • Why: Isolates the infraspinatus and teres minor, which are the most commonly weakened rotator cuff muscles

Wall Slides

  • How: Stand with your back against a wall, arms at 90 degrees, slowly slide your arms upward while keeping contact with the wall
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10
  • Why: Targets the lower trapezius and serratus anterior, which stabilize the scapula during overhead movement

Avoid prolonged positions that load the shoulder passively — sleeping on the affected side, carrying a heavy bag on that shoulder, or sitting with your arm propped up and elevated for extended periods. Reducing sustained mechanical stress on the joint between visits gives the tissue the recovery window it needs to respond to care.

Hip & Sciatic Pain

What May Be Causing It

Hip and sciatic pain frequently originates in the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joint rather than the hip itself. When the L4, L5, or S1 nerve roots are irritated, the resulting pain travels down through the buttock and into the leg. Piriformis syndrome is also a common contributor as the piriformis muscle lies directly over the sciatic nerve and, when tight, can compress it independently of any spinal involvement.

Lumbar and sacroiliac joint adjustments address the spinal component directly. Spinal decompression at Kamego Chiropractic is highly effective when disc involvement is confirmed. Massage targeting the piriformis and hip rotators addresses muscular compression of the sciatic nerve that sustains symptoms between adjustments.

MOBILITY — Perform daily

Piriformis Stretch

  • How: Lying on your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee, pull the uncrossed leg toward your chest until you feel a deep stretch in the buttock of the crossed leg
  • Hold: 30 seconds each side
  • Reps: 3 per side
  • Why: Directly targets the piriformis which lies over the sciatic nerve and is one of the most common contributors to sciatic pain

Figure Four Hip Opener

  • How: Sitting in a chair, cross one ankle over the opposite knee and gently press the raised knee downward
  • Hold: 30 seconds each side
  • Why: A more accessible version of the piriformis stretch for patients with significant pain or limited floor mobility

STRENGTHENING — Perform 3 to 4 times per week

Clamshells

  • How: Lying on your side with knees bent and feet together, raise the top knee while keeping feet stacked
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15 each side
  • Why: Targets the gluteus medius which is consistently weak in hip and sciatic pain patients and directly affects how the pelvis loads the lumbar spine

Single Leg Glute Bridge

  • How: Standard glute bridge with one leg extended
  • Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10 each side
  • Why: Challenges the hip stabilizers more aggressively once basic glute bridge strength is established

Avoid prolonged sitting with your wallet, phone, or anything else in your back pocket. Direct pressure on the piriformis and sciatic nerve from sitting on an uneven surface for hours at a time is one of the most overlooked and easily correctable contributors to sciatic symptoms. Empty your back pockets before sitting, especially during long drives or desk work.

IMPORTANT: If your sciatic symptoms include significant leg weakness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or rapidly worsening pain, seek evaluation immediately. These presentations require urgent assessment.

Daily Habits That Support A Healthy Spine

Hydration

Spinal discs are approximately 80% water and rely on consistent hydration to maintain their height and shock absorbing capacity. Chronic dehydration is a genuine contributor to disc degeneration over time. Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces daily.

Sleep Position

Back sleeping with a pillow under the knees or side sleeping with a pillow between the knees are the two most spine friendly positions. Stomach sleeping places the cervical spine in sustained rotation for hours and is the worst position for neck and upper back health.

Movement Breaks

The spine is designed for movement not sustained static posture. Stand, walk, or perform a brief movement routine for 2 to 3 minutes every 45 minutes whether sitting or standing.

Lifting Mechanics

Bend at the hips and knees not the waist, keep the object close to your body, and never twist while loaded. These three principles eliminate the majority of acute lower back injuries from lifting.

Footwear

Worn out or unsupportive footwear directly affects how your spine absorbs impact with every step. Ask about our free digital foot scan at your next visit if you are on your feet for significant portions of the day.

Stress Management

Chronic stress has a documented effect on pain perception and muscle tension particularly in the cervical and upper thoracic spine. Patients who address stress through exercise, sleep, and recovery consistently see better outcomes from chiropractic care.

These Tips Work Best Alongside Professional Care

Home management is most effective when it complements what is being done in the office. If you have been dealing with any of the conditions above and have not yet been evaluated by Dr. Kamego, the best next step is a visit. Serving Almont, Lapeer, Imlay City and all of Lapeer County.

Call: (810) 798-7500
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