Tips for good Spinal Health
Posted on 27. Oct, 2011 by admin in (02) 9905 9099, Blogroll, www.neurohealthchiro.com.au
This article is written by Dr. Steven Cannon, Chiropractor at Neurohealth Chiropractic Allambie (Northern Beaches, Manly)
Being a chiropractor for over 10 years now, I repetitively hear and see from clients that come into the clinic, reasons for them being in discomfort and their body not functioning at full capacity/optimum. Besides the macro (big) traumas that we can see, i.e. motor vehicle accidents, falls; there is what we call micro trauma (repetitive), which happens to our bodies on a daily basis. All to often I hear ‘all I did was get out of the car’ or ‘I just bent forward to pick the pencil off the floor’ or ‘I woke up and my neck seized.’ The way we live our life in today’s modern society puts unduly stress on it. Here is a broad range of tips in different aspects of our life that I have found that can help and remove the unwanted stress from our bodies.
GENERAL
- NEVER, EVER put a wallet in your back pocket to sit on. Besides it being vulnerable to thieves, this will cause your pelvis to twist increase the pressure and strain into the low back vertebrae.
- Miminise the weight of handbags (max 2kgs). I know in today’s society there is a lot of extra things we need to carry and they can fit perfectly in there. But carrying a heavy object on one shoulder for a prolonged time will hoist the shoulder, shorten the neck muscles which will cause neck pain and headaches.
- For the school aged or people that need to carry a bag, please carry it on 2 shoulders, high on the back and if walking long distances use the lap belt to disperse the weight from the shoulders onto the hips.
- Also pack the heavy objects closest to the back .
VEHICLES
- Sit on the edge of the seat when getting into a car, then swing both legs together in, pivoting on the an axis.
- Do not put one leg in first, and then sit down heavily. This hyperextends and rotates the lower back putting stress into the discs
- If length of seat is too close to the dashboard, move the seat back when getting out so it’s ready when getting back in.
PHONES
- Switch hands when using the phone
- Do not cradle the phone in the crook of your neck. This will put stress on the cervical spine (neck) and destabilise it.
- People that spend long hours of the day on the phone such as secretarial and salespeople, should use a lightweight headset.
POSTURE
- Whenever you think of it, correct your posture especially when sitting at electronic devices such as laptops, computers, iPads, mobile phones.
- Sitting should be upright, not slouched
- Try to walk with the head level or slightly elevated, not looking at the ground.
- If good posture cannot be maintained, use cushions, upright chairs, or other equipment to assist you.
SITTING
- Posture should be upright not slouched like mentioned before.
- Recliner chairs don’t bend where you do; buy a rocker instead.
- When working at a desk, try and elevate the materials to help avoid neck strain.
LIFTING
- Everyone knows the correct way to lift, but most of us just don’t do it. DO IT!
- Always lift an object by bending the knees and keeping it close to the body.
- Unfortunately there are circumstances where lifting correctly cannot be achieved due to the shape or where the object is. Try clawing your toes before engaging the lift. This will inadvertently tell the brain to switch the core muscles on which can make your back like a block and protect the discs from increase strain and rupturing.
- If it is repetitive lifting, make it easier by position or lightening the load. Take breaks regularly and stretch in-between to help keep limber.
BEDS
- We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping which equates to 25 years in the average lifetime of an individual. It is the most important time of the day for our body to recuperate from the day’s tasks and get ready for the next. Therefore we need a quality mattress, to achieve quality rest.
- Mattresses should be on the side of firm. They need to be neither too soft nor too hard. They need to be firm enough to hold your body in perfect spinal alignment, while soft enough to let your shoulders and hips to depress into the mattress.
- There are all different types of beds on the market, latex, memory foam, tempur, inner coil spring. You need to test run the bed first, which means lying on the beds in the shop in your sleeping position for at least 10 minutes to get the feel of the beds. And if you sleep with someone they need to be lying next to you doing the same.
- Beds have a life of approx. 10-15 years depending the type of bed and how well you looked after it.
- My recommendation, to increase the longevity of the bed is to turn the mattress regularly (~3months). This will stop the wear pattern that can be found in older beds
PILLOWS
- This is another area where we need to have the correct pillow to look after our spine, especially the neck. Each person is different and therefore will need a pillow that is specific to his or her requirements.
- The ideal pillow is one that supports your head, so your neck vertebrae will be level with the rest of the spine.
- Avoid sleeping on two pillows as this is not the support your neck needs
- Pillows have a life of about 2-3 years depending on the material and how you use it. So changing regularly helps. A good pillow initially can end up being a bad pillow if left for too long
- Spine problem + bad pillow + bad posture = rest sometimes.
- Healthy spine + correct pillow + correct posture = quality rest, recovery and healing.
- Have your pillow checked by Dr Jess or myself to see if the pillow you are using is right for you.
- AND DO NOT SLEEP ON YOUR STOMACH
BATHING
- When bathing, sit rather than recline in the tub. Lying your back against the tub may cause stress on the spine causing the back joints, in particular the facet joints and capsular ligaments to sprain and go into spasm.
- If you are tired and wish to relax, it’s better to be in bed where your spine is supported.
- Showering is preferential
PLAYING THE DOCTOR
- When we have pain somewhere, the first human response is to poke, rub, or prod it. This, when done too regularly, will cause the area cause further inflammation and not allow the body the time to ‘heal’
- Avoid any unnecessary sudden twists or turns of the body beyond normal limits of motion, especially the neck.
- Avoid extreme bending of your spine in any direction; avoid reaching or other overhead work. Be particularly careful in brushing or shampooing your hair. As vigorous brushing or drying of your hair has been know to cause a joint in the neck to sprain which leads to torticollis at worst.
- Participate in simple exercises to strengthen your body, but avoid jarring activities, which place stress on your neck and spine.
REST
- Set aside a special time each day for complete mental and physical relaxation. This is very important in the restoration – as well as maintenance – of normal health.
- Be sure to get plenty of sleep to allow your body to recuperate and repair itself.
- Sleep on your back or on your side with your knees flexed slightly, not drawn up tightly and knees on top of each other. If pressure from one on another cause pain use a pillow between your legs or in front of the other to put your leg on and stop your pelvis/hips from rotating.
- Again AVOID SLEEPING ON YOUR STOMACH.
- Raise your head off the pillow to change positions not use it as a lever or pivot point.
- DO NOT sleep sitting in a chair or in cramped quarters.
- NEVER sleep on the couch or if by chance to you are, don’t use the armrest as a pillow. This will definitely cause neck pain and problems.
- Lie down in bed when it is time to sleep.
If you have any questions or would like to further discuss the above information, contact the team at Neurohealth Chiropractic.
Neurohealth Chiropractic treats an extensive variety of musculoskeletal and nervous system related issues. Our clinic has had much success with the following conditions:
- Back pain, lower back pain, neck pain, muscular pain and sciatica
- Headaches and migraines
- Numbness, pins and needles
- Pregnancy related concerns including back pain, stress
- Childhood concerns including: primitive reflexes, bed wetting, colic, allergies, poor immunity, ear aches, behavioural concerns & concentration difficulties
- Emotional management using neuro-emotional technique
- Disc and joint injuries
- Knee, foot and ankle pain as well as feet issues (bunions, heel spurs, orthotic prescription)
- Allergy desensitization
- Poor posture
- Women’s issues including menopause and excessive menstrual symptoms
- Sporting injuries
If you would like any more information about our gentle, safe and effective chiropractic care please don’t hesitate to call Neurohealth Chiropractic- Northern Beaches:
Call us on: 02 9905 9099
Email us: admin@neurohealthchiro.com.au
33- 35 Kentwell Road, Allambie NSW 2100
(Northern Beaches Chiropractors- 5 mins from Manly, Dee Why, Frenchs Forest, Forestville, Balgowlah, Fairlight, Manlyvale, Curl Curl, Brookvale)
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