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Supporting Your Spinal Curves with Sitting Posture
Your spine has four essential curves
These are, from top to bottom:
- The cervical curve: 7 vertebrae, concave curve
- Thoracic curve: 12 vertebrae, convex curve
- Lumbar curve: 5 large vertebrae, concave curve
- Sacral curve: 5 fused vertebrae which connect to the 4 fused vertebrae of the coccyx, convex curve.
Describing this spring-loaded, S-shape, helps us understand how the curves compress and expand throughout the day to perform shock absorbing and stabilizing duties that keep us upright and injury free. However, compressive forces, including the excessive pressure that comes with poor posture, can work over time to actually change our spinal curvature and leave us worse off.
It’s Never Too Early to Talk About Spinal Longevity
What does spinal longevity mean to you?
To us, it means an old age free of back pain; furthermore, it means an old age with independence of mobility. And while there will be many intangible factors that contribute to your spinal health, it is important to exercise control over the factors which you can in the here and now. These factors include diet, exercise, posture, and sleep. Making sure you pay attention to posture and movement while focusing on getting the right kind of food gives you the best possible chance of staying upright and independent in your old age.
Degenerative Disc Disease Does Not Mean Doom
Degenerative Disc Disease is a misnomer
Degenerative disc disease is a common diagnosis, even among people in their 30s. Many people become scared at the idea they could have degenerative disc disease at such a young age- “How much worse will it be when I am in my 60s,” is a common refrain. But the term is poorly coined- degenerative disc disease is not a progressively worsening condition and evidence indicates that it may be just the opposite; the degenerative cascade theory suggests that the condition will actually improve over time. How can this be so?
Why We Care About Circulation
Stagnation is the norm
How familiar is this weekday schedule:
- 1 hour of commuting
- 6-8 hours sitting at the office
- 2-4 hours sitting at home recreating or in front of screens
Let’s apply the scope of circulation to this scenario: when you sit for this long each day, your blood circulation becomes stagnant. When your blood doesn’t flow, nutrients and oxygen can’t reach the cells in need, while excess cell waste and lymphatic material is left to accumulate because it can’t be carried away. What does this mean for you:
- Low oxygenation in the brain leads to headaches and anxiety
- Swelling and pain in the extremities
- Loss of range of motion
- Muscle degeneration
Excessive sitting can even go so far as to damage blood vessels and many experts are debating not over whether or not it takes years off your life, but how many! So what is the answer to this circulation stagnation? Movement. Movement of any kind, whether it’s standing up, walking and bending over to take a drink from the water fountain or something more exhaustive, helps get your blood flowing.
Self-care is Effective Back Pain Management
Self-care for your back pain
Most cases of non-specific back pain will see the body heal itself in a matter of weeks; conventional wisdom states that if the pain hangs around for longer than four weeks, you should seek the help of a qualified health professional. But one month is plenty of time for you to institute a regime of self-care that will not only heal the existing injury but also strengthen your back to prevent injury moving forward. It all comes down to being proactive.
Pregnancy Pro Tip: Chiropractic for Easier Labor
What mother wouldn’t say no to a shorter, easier labor in hindsight?
Much of the so-called typical pains of pregnancy are caused by instability at the base of the spine, onset by pelvic misalignment. This misalignment is caused by hormonal and physical changes that loosen ligaments in the pelvis to make way for the passage of the child. Misalignment in this region is linked to:
- Lower back pain
- Sciatica
- Breech presentation
- Complications during labor and delivery
Intrauterine restraint refers to the condition where, due to pelvic misalignment, the amount of room available for the baby to grow is reduced. So, you can see the reasons why maintaining proper alignment of the pelvis is important. But let us give you one further reason why chiropractic can help optimize your pregnancy: shortening labor times.
A shorter labor thanks to chiropractic
By aligning the pelvis, providing plenty of room for the baby to grow and addressing breech presentation with the Webster Technique, chiropractic is a dynamic force for maintaining the well-being of your pregnancy. The US National Library of Medicine National Institute National Institutes of Health released a comparative study that, “Chiropractic evaluation and treatment during pregnancy may be considered a safe and effective means of treating common musculoskeletal symptoms that affect pregnant patients.” Further comparative studies have shown that chiropractic can actually reduce labor times in both first-time pregnancies and the successive pregnancies that follow.
Chiropractic is a pregnancies best friend
By using natural, hands-on techniques, we ensure that your body is in the optimal state for delivery when the due date approaches. We place a premium on relaxing techniques that reduce pain for the mother and ensure an all-around nurturing environment within which the child can grow. If you are interested in using our services to facilitate an easier pregnancy and a shorter labor, give our office in Fremont a call to schedule an appointment today.
How to Engage your Core Effectively
The mechanics of the core
Using your core properly is one of the most powerful ways you can influence the health of your spine and maintain its integrity long into life. Unfortunately, fewer people than ever even know what their core is, let alone how to use it properly. Understanding your core is a key insight into understanding your body and how it experiences pain.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Back Pain
Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins of which we don’t get enough
A conservative estimate states that as many as 1 in 20 people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency at any time and this number certainly gets higher the further north you go. People living in sun-deficient locales are the most at risk, because vitamin D is hard to get from food alone. The most potent way to get vitamin D is through direct exposure to sunlight. But what is so bad about vitamin D deficiency? Here are some of the symptoms:
- Contributes to chronic pain
- Bone and muscle soreness
- Fatigue and depression
- Lower pain threshold
Professions with the Most Incidence of Back Pain
Here is our list of occupations that cause the most back pain
All of these jobs are present in our community and each come with their own set of unique risks for the back:
- Public service sector
- Health industry workers
- Construction workers
- Warehouse workers
- White collar workers, freelancers
You will notice that the first four categories include a lot of lifting, while the last category may not lift more than their laptop. However, it is important to realize that your occupation is probably not good for your spine. That way, you are more aware of factors like posture and exercise that will help you remain resilient against the demands of your job.
Back Pain and Construction Work
Construction workers need to pay special attention to their spines
There is a reason why construction work is among the top professions with back pain. The heavy lifting, twisting and repetitive trauma that is part and parcel of the work is a leading cause of back strain. Over time, these problems compound to create long-term problems that can leave construction workers reeling after retirement. At Scorca Chiropractic, we want to help construction workers prevent back pain where possible, and minimize its impact when it happens.