Spinal Health Week 2018 launches CAA’s latest campaign: Chiro Can Help. This campaign highlights some common symptoms that prompt people to visit a chiropractor, such poor workplace posture.
The majority of chiropractic problems seen in office workers come down to poor posture. Poor workplace posture is a major cause of back pain, workplace stress and can lead to repetitive strain injuries. This can result in poor employee health and low morale which will ultimately lead onto reduced productivity, lost time and higher business costs.
Our bones hold us up, our joints link our bones, our muscles move the bones around the joints and our nerves facilitate control of the whole. The key to good posture is correct joint alignment, but muscle activity, balance and nerves are all part of the picture.
Posture is the position in which you hold your body upright against the forces of gravity while standing or sitting. The key to good posture is training your body to sit, stand and walk in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments during weight-bearing activities.
The Effects of Poor Posture may include:
- Poor joint alignment
- General muscle aches
- Increased shear forces within the spine effecting disc integrity
- Compression of disc and joint structures
- Compression/reduced space for nerves to course through the body
- Reduced blood flow to muscles resulting in increased fatigue
- Overuse injuries
Common Posture Problems
- Forward Head Posture is the most common postural defect found in computer operators.
- Round Shoulders is distinguished by the hunched over appearance it creates and is a poor posture that is often associated with office workers and computer operators.
- Rotated Hips can be caused by holding a poor position for a long period of time, such as sitting at your desk twisting to write as well as looking at the computer.
- In severe cases, long term bad posture can lead to Scoliosis, a condition that results in the spine twisting from left to right, instead of running in a straight line from top to bottom. Depending on the severity, scoliosis of the spine can have a detrimental impact on vital organs, such as your heart, liver and kidneys.
Restoring correct posture is at the core of chiropractic treatment. Treatment options treating postural deficiencies may include:
- Spinal adjustments
- Soft tissue massage
- Workstation setup and ergonomics
- Bracing and/or taping techniques to help retraining
- Postural rehabilitation exercises
- Stretching and strengthening exercises
Poor posture can have long term consequences. Posture correction treatment won’t just help you stand straighter; it will help your body stay strong and flexible for longer. Chiropractors are committed to playing a key role in educating Australians about the importance of managing your own health.
Stretch of the Month
Chin Retraction Stretch
- Pull your entire head backwards on your neck
- Your chin should not go down or up but directly backward
- Hold 2 seconds then relax
- Do not poke the chin forwards
- Repeat 10 times approximately every hour
Towards Wellness
Neurobics for your Mind
Get your brain fizzing with energy. American researchers coined the term ‘neurobics’ for tasks which activate the brain’s own biochemical pathways and to bring new pathways online that can help to strengthen or preserve brain circuits.
Brush your teeth with your ‘other’ hand, take a new route to work or choose your clothes based on sense of touch rather than sight. People with mental agility tend to have lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease and age-related mental decline.
