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Stop Looking Down at Your Screens!
We talk a lot in our office about posture and how it relates to someone holding their spinal alignment.
The spine is a masterfully designed system of interconnected vertebra, perfectly fit together in order to provide dynamic movement, support for bone and muscle attachment, and most importantly, housing and protection for the nervous system.
The spinal column is supposed to be just that, a column.
From the front/back the spine should appear as a vertical structure decreasing in size each segment going up until we reach the skull.
From the side, there should be smooth “S” shaped curves along the way.
These curves help with shock absorption, mobility and weight distribution.
Since structure determines function, the alignment and general shape of our spine can greatly affect its ability to function as intended, especially when it comes to protecting the nervous system.
As a literature review published by the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research described, one can develop multiple pathological conditions secondary to “forward or anterior head posture.”
Think of it like this… The spine, in this case, is like a broom stick in our hands and the head is like a bowling ball.
An 8-12 pound ball on top of a 2 oz ring called the Atlas (first bone in the neck).
As that bowling ball shifts its center of gravity forwards and out from over the broomstick, its now much harder to maintain the broomstick in an upright position.
That is why we feel so much tension in the traps and shoulders when we maintain poor posture for ling periods of time.
In addition, the forward head posture has shown to reduce or even reverse the normal lordotic curvature that is supposed to be in the neck.
As this would affect the entire biomechanics of the spine, this can contribute to accelerated spinal degeneration, issues with the cervical spinal cord or nerve roots, affect proprioception, and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases.
Forward head posture can also add extra wear and tear to our discs and even negatively affect our breathing, among other things.
So its clear that we need to take care of our spine due to it being directly related to the overall quality of our health and lives, but where should one start?
A chiropractor’s office is a great place if you’d like to start taking care of your spine and nervous system.
Chiropractors analyze the spinal to fine where abnormal alignment may be affecting the normal signaling of the nervous system.
With gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments, the spine is realigned in order to restore proper function to the nervous system and allow the body to function and heal as it was designed to do.
Not only we see frequent improvements in posture and cervical curve with chiropractic care, but studies have shown these improvements relate directly to improvements in other issues experienced by patients, like headaches, sleep apnea, breathing problems, and many more.
The spine and nervous system are literally the lifeline from the brain to the body, lets take care of ours.
References:
Alleviation of Chronic Headaches by Correcting Lateral Head Translation Posture (–TxH) using Chiropractic Biophysics & Berry Translation Traction
Robert H. Berry, D.C., Paul A. Oakley, D.C. & Deed E. Harrison, D.C.
Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ May 11, 2017 ~ Pages 87-92
Forward Head Posture and Decreased Lordotic Curvature of the Cervical Spine – The Potential Sequelae of Abnormal Alignment
Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, Volume 2016
Grant Tully, B.S., D.C
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