Chiropractic Tip: Your Posture Can Protect Your Back
By Sandy Schroeder
Back pain can sneak up on us as we hunch over a keyboard or slouch on the couch. It can also show up if we lift and tote too much at home, or overdo it on the courts on the weekend.
Keeping your back free of pain can start by staying physically fit, watching your weight, and maintaining good posture, according to Harvard Health.
How Your Chiropractor Can Help
To learn more about protecting your back, stop by The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you. The Joint’s licensed chiropractors help everyone from teens to seniors find the best answers for health, wellness and fitness.
When you come in, you will learn how your spinal health interacts with your overall health to protect your back. The spine houses the central nervous system that controls everything the body does. When the spine is healthy, overall health may flourish, too.
A targeted spinal adjustment may provide far-reaching relief from back pain, and create an overall sense of well-being. Wellness is unique to the individual. As you evaluate the results, weekly 15-minute spinal adjustments may be the best choice to protect your spine and allow you to work on improving your posture.
Start with these posture exercises from Harvard Health:
Head-to-toe alignment - Picture a string running through your body from head to floor, through shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Keep the pelvis level and reach for the ceiling, opening the space between the rib cage and pelvis.
Chest stretch – Lift the right arm up to shoulder level and bend at the elbow. Grip the right elbow with the left hand and slowly pull it across the chest. Hold for 20 seconds. Reverse and repeat on the other side.
Upper body stretch – Face into a corner. Raise arms and put hands on the wall with elbows at shoulder height. Put one foot forward and bend that knee, leaning into the corner with back straight and head and chest up. Hold for 20 seconds.
Workspace review – Protect the back from long sitting sessions with a chair that provides good lumbar and shoulder support, and a monitor at eye level. Feet should be flat on the floor.
Home lifting – Protecting the back at home means keeping items close to you as you lift, never bending from the waist, and squatting as you use the legs to power the lift.
When you are ready to protect your back, stop by The Joint Chiropractic clinic near you. Find out about the affordable personal healthcare plans that require no insurance, and the flexible weekend and evening hours. No appointments are needed.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Roseville, Minn.
