At Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic, we want to help you take control of your health naturally, with better lifestyle habits and chiropractic care that promotes wellness for years to come.

Risks of Poor Posture (Neck and Back Positions)

The risks of poor posture have increased in the past year, as many of us had to spend more time communicating on a screen instead of face to face.

When you tilt your head forward to use your phone or look down at your computer screen, you’re doubling the weight of pressure on your spine with every inch forward. Ten pounds of force on your spine can quickly ramp up to forty pounds or more.

Bad posture causes overuse damage in muscles from incorrect use. Your immune system tries to heal the muscles, promoting inflammation that causes problems like arthritis in joints.

How Poor Posture Can Lead to Disease

In addition to causing pain, impaired mobility, and arthritis, bad posture can also damage organs in your thoracic (chest) cavity, such as the heart and lungs, by reducing the space they need to function effectively.

An important study of older adults found that poor posture was actually a predictor of higher mortality rates.

The research involved people who had hyperkyphosis (also known as hunchback), a postural condition that occurs when the upper spine abnormally curves forward.

After following these patients over several years, the researchers found that older people with hyperkyphosis had a mortality risk 44 percent higher than those with normal posture.  Most commonly, people died from the effects of atherosclerosis, which causes restricted blood flow in arteries, often resulting in strokes and heart attacks.

Best Practices for Good Posture

You’re not about to give up smartphones and computers, but you can modify your habits when using technology, such as:

• Looking up from your phone every ten minutes and pausing to move your neck around
• Holding your phone at eye level or lowering eyes instead of tilting your neck
• Taking regular breaks from desk work to walk around
• Keeping your computer screen at eye level
• Using voice dictation instead of typing
• Standing (with shoulders back) whenever possible while working

Achieving Good Posture with Chiropractic Care

Regular chiropractor visits align the spine to ensure your posture is correctly positioned.  Manual manipulations, along with other treatments, reduce pain, improve mobility and prevent the posture problems that can cause future pain and impair overall health.

Chiropractic therapies safely and naturally play a key role in any family’s plan to stay healthy through years of technology use ahead.

Schedule Your Complimentary Visit at Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic

Give our Broken Arrow office a call at 918-940-4630 today.

The post Correcting Poor Posture with Chiropractic Care Improves Your Future Health first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.

Posture influences so many aspects of life, health and performance. Research even shows that proper posture uniquely and positively influences the effectiveness of communication. Some experts believe that people equate good posture with confidence and the ability to protect. The company and presence of such people breeds trust and credibility.

Texting, smartphone usage, computer focused jobs, and sitting at a desk represent a few of the stressors that negatively influence posture. Sedentary living, sitting at work, and technology use infect society more now than at any time in history. Estimates show that some teenagers spend up to 5000 hours on a smartphone or device every year. The damaging combination of sitting and technology produce dramatic consequences.

Poor posture is bad for your health.

New research from 2020 shows that poor posture negatively influences sensory-motor and autonomic functions. This means that poor posture between the head and shoulders interrupts proper muscle control and autonomic nervous system functions. Heart rate, pulse, respiration, digestion, reproduction, and immunity comprise a few examples of autonomic nervous system functions. Posture directly influences autonomic function and interferes with the body’s ability to maintain appropriate muscle and motor balance. The medical community tends to address the effects of pain and dysfunction created by poor posture through medications or surgery. The bigger issue remains the need for correction rather than sedation of pain.

Can chiropractic help?

Chiropractors help improve the health of the spine and posture for people of all ages and walks of life. The value and importance of Chiropractic care began skyrocketing with the invention of smartphones and reliance on computers in both the workplace and home. New research from 2020 evaluated the relationship between head and shoulder positioning and their effect on human health. Findings revealed that forward head posture negatively affects neck sensorimotor control and autonomic nervous system function. The simple assessment determined that a head resting in any forward position dramatically damages body function. The results of the study point out the significance of posture as it relates to organ health and control.

Chiropractic care focuses on improving the structure and function of the spine through improved posture. The single most significant influence of poor posture on function stems from the head position on the spine. Forward head position in 15-degree intervals creates exponential long-term damage. As the head extends forward, the spine loses proper position, neck joints degenerate more rapidly, and autonomic organ function deteriorates.

One of the most important recommendations for anyone working a desk job or spending large amounts of time on a computer or phone involves regular and consistent chiropractic care. The purpose of a chiropractic adjustment does not involve the specific treatment of isolated pain. Chiropractic adjustments reduce stress in the spine and removing interference from the nervous system. Whole-body health improves through optimized autonomic nervous system function. Proper posture allows the body to maximize innate potential. Chiropractic care will continue to become more and more popular as studies reveal the value of adjustments far beyond pain relief. Technology advances society yet damages the priceless possession of health. Chiropractic provides the solution to a healthier tomorrow free from drugs and surgery.

The post Poor Posture Negatively Influences Autonomic Function first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.