“Those who sat four or more hours a day were more likely to have developed heart disease, diabetes, or another chronic disease than those who sat less than four hours a day.”   –International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 2013

“Sitting is responsible for 170,000 cases of cancer every year.”   -American Journal of Epidemiology

“Sitting is the New Smoking.”   –Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(2):123-132.

Exhibiting good posture pleases the eyes and speaks volumes about a person’s attention to detail. Good posture stands out so dominantly today because of the rarity with which people concern themselves with this important aspect of total body health. Increased amounts of time on phones and computers for males and females of all ages play a huge role in the poor posture epidemic.

Centuries of mothers and grandmothers collectively cringe at the visual landscape of poor posture roaming through society. Family matriarchs often demand better posture due to the poor appearance of slouching and hunching but the true effects of poor posture impact overall health and well-being more than appearances. One study determined that people who sat four or more hours a day were more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic diseases than people who sat less than four hours a day.

Another study concluded that slumped forward shoulder posture specifically associates with an increased rate of death due to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis impacts the arteries characterized by the deposit of plaques on the inner walls of the vessels. These important findings illuminate the value of good posture habits and measures. The threat of a back or neck pain problem represents only a portion of the health risks involved with bad posture. The majority of negative health outcomes associated with poor posture involve internal issues related to organs and systems, such as increased death rates due to atherosclerosis.

Everyone body functions better with optimal posture yet most people experience a deterioration of good posture at varying degrees. The majority of people only focus on posture as it pertains to cosmetics and appearances, unaware of the negatively influence impacting organ function.

Regular Chiropractic adjustments help change the spine and posture as it relates to function, and better education serves to share the postural benefits Chiropractic care offers every member of the family. Every Chiropractic technique helps improve posture by correcting areas of spinal stress called subluxations.

Other keys to improving posture include:

1) Make simple changes to the home or work station which ensures good posture and spinal support when sitting in front of a computer.

2) Watch less TV.

3) Take 2 brief walks per day – studies show that more frequent brief walks provide better benefits than one longer walk. (Set a reminder to take 2-3 brief walks per day).

4) Maintain regular Chiropractic visits to ensure better alignment and nervous system balance.

5) Drink more water throughout the day to lubricate the body’s discs and joints while forcing more movement with regular trips to the bathroom.

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1) Too much time in front of your computer. Does anyone else notice that after an hour or so at your computer you start to develop what I call “turtle posture”? Your start to hunch over and slump, your head inches forward towards your computer screen and your shoulders begin to round.

Sooner or later your body begins to feel more natural in this position than it does in a good healthy posture. Chiropractic adjustments can definitely help get your spine moving again so that your body can find a better and healthier posture.

2) Too much stress and tension in your neck and shoulders. Many people carry their stress in different parts of their bodies. For me, it is my lower back. For many of my patients, it is their neck and shoulders. I notice that when they have a bad day, the first sign is the fact their shoulders are up by their ears. It starts to be an unconscious reaction to stress. The longer they keep their shoulders elevated, the more the body develops a habit of keeping the muscles very tense. Getting adjusted helps your body clear out any physical manifestations of stress you’ve been feeling so they don’t accumulate into a chronic problem.

3) Clenching your teeth at night and TMJ problems. A big cause of headaches…I have personal experience with this one myself.

Many people don’t realize that your jaw can be adjusted just like your neck. You also have muscles on the inside of your mouth that if massaged, will relax and lessen the pain and tension in your jaw. Though this is an uncomfortable procedure, the discomfort is brief and the results are great. From my own personal experience, it is my opinion that only the best and most experienced chiropractors should be adjusting jaws. It is a very easy area to irritate. I’ve gotten really good at it over the years simply because I have had so many TMJ issues of my own since a bad car accident and have had to really work hard to find out what works and what doesn’t.

While there are many causes of headaches, many can be treated with a simple chiropractic adjustment. In fact, we have a success rate with headaches of nearly 90%. I’ve seen many patients with this common condition and with a tailor-made program to reduce the stress in their spines, many have great results. Remember that while headaches are common, they are never normal and should be treated with caution and concern.  Call our office today to schedule your own appointment or to just talk to Dr. Travis Ring of Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic to see if it could be a good fit for you.  918-940-4630.  Thank you for allowing us to be your chiropractor.

The post What is Causing My Headaches? Can a Chiropractor Help me? first appeared on Chiropractor Broken Arrow.

First, make sure your ergonomics are correct at work and at home. Two of the biggest mistakes I have seen are screen height and proximity of your mouse to your body. There are many websites dedicated to teaching you proper ergonomics. Also, many companies also have an employee onsite who is trained to evaluate workstations.  Oftentimes, we find that employees are even working at stations with a computer screen off to the left or the right.  It is imperative that you position your screen directly in front of your body to avoid prolonged rotation of your neck in order to look at a screen to the side.  Failing to use a docking station with your laptop at home is also tough on your spine.

Secondly, give a check to your posture and see what can be done to improve. Many times people have poor posture not because they are unwilling to sit up straight but because it becomes uncomfortable after a short time. If this describes you, it is important to deal with the cause. When your spine does not move properly on a segmental level it does not allow you to maintain good posture for an extended period of time. This can result in pain between the shoulder blades, headaches, and general fatigue while trying to sit up straight.  It is often necessary to take frequent breaks while working on the computer which allows you to get up and walk around.  Take time to stretch your back and neck which will keep it from becoming stiff from the constant stress of desk work.

Finding a chiropractor who can help you will make a big difference over the long term and will cause you to feel better quickly. When your spine is trapped in an endless cycle of poor posture, it tends to mold that way and the poor posture becomes even more “set in”. The sooner you can reverse this trend the better.  Chiropractic will help you to feel better while correcting the bad habits you have fallen into.  At Eastern Oklahoma Chiropractic, we are always happy to help.  Simply give us a call at 918-940-4630 to schedule your complimentary consultation with Dr. Ring.  We can evaluate your current situation and map out a plan for the future.  Thank you for allowing us to be your chiropractor.

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