Connecting to Wellness

Posture Proof

In the past I have discussed the importance of maintaining good posture and maintaining the proper position of the neck. I also warned of habits such as texting, gaming, sewing, and even reading with head bent forward and how this can lead to numerous problems.  While I hope this makes some common sense, part of me presumes you would expect this kind of advice from one of those crazy chiropractors much in the same way those crazy dentists are always hounding us about flossing our teeth.  But just why is neck posture so important?

Beyond the painful symptoms of neck pain, shoulder problems and tension headaches, proper position and curvature of the neck relates to some very real and critical health functions. For example, multiple research studies show a loss of the normal curvature of the neck will reduce lung capacity by up to 30%.  Calliet, M.D. reported that decreased spinal curves and position affect the heart, lungs, and digestive systems.  In 1979, Korr displayed that faulty posture of the neck weakens the immune system and increases sensitivity to pain.  In a 2001 edition of Neurology India, it was reported that upper neck problems often result in disturbances in gait, dizziness, and loss of balance.  In 1974, Reich, M.D. reported that the decreased blood from abnormal posture is a major factor in all disease including cancer.  Dr. Freeman reported in 1997 that posture deviations result in overall poor health and quality of life as well as shortened lifespan.  Similar findings were reported in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in 1981 stating that loss of spinal curves increase mortality and can take up to 14 years off your life.

So don’t just take my word for it! Maintain proper posture with good habits, exercise, chiropractic and massage.  Impress upon your kids that this is so important because like everything else, the mistakes they make now will be paid for later in life.  Look better, feel better and minimize these health problems simply by taking pride in your posture!  Oh, and keep flossing those teeth as well.

Bowling Ball Head

I feel compelled to discuss a problem that I consider totally preventable, yet, that I’m seeing more often and in younger populations.  The condition or symptom relates to neck and shoulder pain and headaches, but the real problem or source has to do with posture and position of the head.   Use the individual Connecting to Wellness Posture Score Sheet to evaluate your posture.

The human head filled with circulating blood weighs about the same as a full-sized bowling ball.  In saying this, yes, I realize I sound like the kid from Jerry Maguire; but it’s a very real thing.  When head posture is where it’s designed to be – with the ears directly above the shoulders, hips, and ankles there’s very little problem.  However, as is so common, when the head starts to shift forward, this creates unnecessary tension on the neck, shoulder and upper back muscles that causes pain in these areas as well as tension headaches and spinal misalignments.  Think of this as if you were holding a bowling ball with arms outstretched away from your body.  It gets heavy and pulls on the muscles.

This forward carriage of the head has always been common as posture is compromised by sitting in front of a computer, driving a car, or reading.  I believe the reason I’m seeing this more often and in younger people has everything to do with smart-phones, tablets, gaming systems and other handheld devices.  As we spend more and more time with our head forward and looking down, we set ourselves up for future problems.  Fixing this problem begins with mere awareness and attention to our own (and our kids’) posture.  Another helpful tip is to hold these devices up, raise them higher by using a lap pillow or sit them up on a counter or table during use to avoid forward head bending.  Beyond this, chiropractic adjustments, cervical pillow, massage, and simple head and neck exercises do the trick.  They may not appreciate it now, but educate your kids about head and neck posture to avoid future problems.

Check out these products in our store to help restore proper cervical curvature: