Back Clinic Posture Team. Posture is the position in which an individual holds their body upright against gravity while standing, sitting, or lying down. A proper posture visually reflects an individual’s health, ensuring the joints and muscles, as well as other structures of the body, are working properly. Throughout a collection of articles, Dr. Alex Jimenez identifies the most common effects of improper posture as he specifies the recommended actions an individual should take to improve their stance as well as enhance their overall health and wellness. Sitting or standing incorrectly can happen unconsciously, but recognizing the issue and correcting it can ultimately help many individuals develop healthier lifestyles. For more information, please feel free to contact us at (915) 850-0900 or text to call Dr. Jimenez personally at (915) 850-0900.
You slouch in your chair as you finish a report while at the office. When you get home, you want to unwind, so you spend a couple of hours weeding your garden with your back hunched forward. Then, at the end of the day, you end up experiencing back pain. Why? As it turns out, your posture may be contributing to back pain.
How does bad posture provoke back pain?
You may not feel any ill-effects after sitting with poor posture for a few hours, but over time the stress that poor posture puts in your spine can result in anatomical changes to the structure of your spine. This in turn can provoke back pain through the constriction of nerves and your blood vessels. In addition, the pressure from poor posture can lead to back pain by inducing issues with the intervertebral discs, your muscles, and joints.
Back pain caused by poor posture may have some of the following characteristics:
Back pain that worsens at certain times of the day
Pain that starts in your neck and goes down to your upper and lower back
Pain that subsides after shifting positions while sitting or standing
Sudden back pain which coincides with a new job, a new office chair, or even a new automobile
Maintaining Proper Posture
If poor posture can result in back pain, then it logically follows that proper posture can help you avoid back pain. Here is how to keep a good posture while lifting, sitting, and walking:
Walk Tall
It’s easy to forget about your posture when you’re working out or running errands, but your posture is no less important once you’re walking than when you’re sitting. While walking, it’s very important to look straight before you and to keep your head balanced straight above your backbone. In addition, remain tall (avoid drooping your shoulders) while you are walking, and make sure to land on your heel and then gently roll forward to push off the front of your foot.
Sit with Support
If you’re like most people, you sit for at least eight hours daily. With this much of your daily life spent sitting down, it’s very important that you sit with proper posture. One common posture mistake lots of men and women make is the “office seat hunch,” in which a person sits at the front of the seat and hunches ahead to reach their computer screen.
Rather than hunching forward, here is the way to sit with proper posture in your office:
Keep your back flush from the seat with your shoulders tall along with your mind level over your backbone.
When sitting at a desk, then keep your arms bent at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows.
Keep your knees level with your hips or sit with your knees slightly over your buttocks if seated at a desk.
Keep your feet flat on the floor. If you are unable to reach the floor, you can utilize a footrest.
Lift Carefully
Improper lifting techniques may lead to injury on the joints, tendons, and disks in your back. To assist you when avoiding back pain, here are three simple guidelines for lifting both heavy and light objects:
Keep your chest forward. To ensure you keep your spine straight while lifting, bend your hips, not your back, and keep your chest out.
Lead with your hips. Lead with your hips to prevent putting additional strain on your back, when changing directions while lifting.
Keep weight near your body. Keep the object you are lifting close to your body.
These techniques can help prevent event ease symptoms of back pain associated with poor posture. However, if back pain becomes chronic or persistent, an underlying injury or condition may be causing the symptoms. Make sure to seek proper medical attention from a back pain specialist, including chiropractic care.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Question: I work at a desk all day and have started to feel pain in my neck, back, shoulders and arms. Can chiropractors help with sitting posture and general posture?
El Paso, TX. Chiropractor, Dr. Alexander Jimenez provides insight into proper sitting posture and general posture through chiropractic.
Have people asked you about using a posture brace to help correct their sitting habits? Chiropractic patients with moderate posture problems, meaning that they may be chronic but are not tied to any spinal column or other medical condition, may benefit from a posture back brace to improve this condition. There are a number of great ones available, and you can see more information about some of the top ones here.
A patient such as this will almost certainly enjoy the quick referral as well as the relatively fast results, and chiropractors get an easy opportunity to help people, which explains why many enter the profession in the first place.
But if the patient does have an underlying chiropractic ailment, a back brace will probably do little if any good. These issues are usually easily diagnosed using a quick examination, and afterwards, treatment is relatively straightforward as well.
Diagnosing Conditions
All good exams begin with thorough health history, because in most cases, family history is among the most powerful indicators about current issues.
Next, observe the individual’s gait, as how someone walks shows a number of issues. For instance, those who stand or walk with their legs abnormally spread might have fallen arches. Because the bottom of the foot isn’t in appropriate contact with the floor, the whole body has been thrown off kilter, resulting in poor posture. While it isn’t really a chiropractic condition, fallen arches are, as simple as, a referral to an orthopedist.
Moreover, if the patient is experiencing pain, the location can be an indicator as to where the muscles may be weak and there is too much strain on the spine or a different region of the body. Muscle weakness is among the leading causes of poor posture. So, follow-up tests that measure muscle strength and range of movement are usually a good idea.
If the gait examination signals issues in a particular area of the body, the professional should concentrate further diagnostic efforts in that region.
Ultimately, one of the most simple and effective evaluations is just holding a yardstick or comparable object against the patient’s back, so the two of you can definitely see any abnormalities. This comprehensive approach generally describes some of the very frequent chiropractic posture issues, including:
Tissue Damage:
If the neck, lower back, mid back, or any other area is weak and/or inflexible, the individual will probably not see very much posture improvement until these conditions are adjusted and the muscles have been strengthened.
Kyphosis:
Hunchback is a degenerative spine condition that’s very prevalent in women over 60. While more advanced cases may be life threatening and may require spinal fusion surgery, most men and women respond well to therapeutic adjustments and other treatments.
Scoliosis:
This condition is much like genetically-induced kyphosis, since there’s no cure but there are several therapies available. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary.
Un-Level Pelvis/Pelvic Tilt:
A pelvic tilt, a lower sacral base, and a femur head discrepancy can indicate a lower extremity source, but not�whether it is an anatomical or functional short leg. A clinical postural exam with lower extremity screening is the only way to make this determination.
Forward Head Posture:
The anterior positioning of the cervical spine. This posture is sometimes called Scholar’s Neck, Wearsie Neck, Hunch & or Reading Neck.It is a posture problem that is due to several factors including sleeping with the head raised too high, prolonged use of computers and cellphones, lack of developed back muscle strength and deficiency of nutrients like calcium. Potential negative effects include tingling and numbness in the arms, and a burning pain between the shoulder blades.
Treatment
As stated previously, back braces frequently mend postural issues, like slouching. As for structural problems, like scoliosis, more aggressive treatments are needed.
Conventional treatment consists of:
Heat
Massage
Stretching
Strength exercises
Supportive braces
There are a number of biofeedback tools that accurately evaluate patient progress.
As a chiropractor, your patients count on you to get much better. That almost always means accurately assessing the problem, which also means a quick and capable referral or an aggressive and well thought out therapy regimen.
Backpack pain is an all too common condition of school-age children. While back pain is a known and widely-studied issue in adults, its prevalence in school-aged children has received relatively little scientific attention. Elementary, middle, and high school students must often carry backpacks that weigh enough to trigger chronic back pain, bad posture, and even decreased lung volume. I have written about this issue earlier, but lately, several studies reveal the truths behind childhood back pain and ways to mitigate it.
Are Backpacks Too Heavy For Kids?
Recent research supports that children carrying backpack loads of over ten percent of their body weight have a greater chance of creating back pain and related difficulties. An global study found that an alarmingly large percentage of school-age kids in Australia, France, Italy, and the United States often carried backpacks weighing more than the ten percent threshold.
In a second study involving a sample of 1540 metropolitan school-aged children, more than a third of the children surveyed reported backpack pain. Along with carrying heavy backpacks, female students and those diagnosed with scoliosis had a larger association with back pain pain. Children with access to lockers reported less pain.
The number of straps on the back had little effect on the respondent’s replies. Children also reported restricted physical activity due to back pain, and some took drugs to alleviate the pain.
Girls who transported bags in addition to wearing a backpack reported considerably greater back pain. Adolescents with back pain spent more time watching television than their peers. More than 80 percent of the surveyed thought that carrying a heavy backpack due to their back pain.
Backpack Pain Solutions
The research revealed several things that might help reduce back pain in school-aged children. The best way to prevent back pain is to refrain from carrying heavy loads.
Kids ought to make the most of locker breaks and only carry items necessary for a couple of courses at one time. When lifting a back pack, children should crouch down and bend their knees rather than curve the spine.
Backpack Safety
Appropriate Backpack Carrying Techniques
While not conclusive, research also supports that carrying the weight otherwise, e.g., by hand rather than by back pack, may help stop or reduce back pain. The American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Chiropractic Association provide these additional safe backpack etiquette tips:
Children should avoid carrying over 10 percent of the bodyweight in their backpack. For instance, an 8th-grader weighing 120 pounds should take no more than 12 lbs.
Place the heaviest objects at the back of the pack.
Make sure the items fit as snugly as possible to minimize back pain due to shifting weight.
Adjust the shoulder straps so they fit snugly over your kid’s shoulders and the back pack doesn’t drag your child backward. The bottom of the pack ought to be less than four inches under your child’s waist.
Children should avoid carrying backpacks slung over one shoulder, as it could cause spinal pain and general discomfort.
Encourage your child to carry only necessary items in their own backpack. Extra items can be carried in hand.
Look for backpacks with useful features like multiple compartments for even weight distribution, cushioned straps to protect the neck and shoulders, and waist belt.
If your child’s school permits, think about a roller pack, which rolls on the floor like luggage.
If problems persist, talk to your child’s teacher or principal about implementing paperback textbooks, lighter materials, or electronic versions.
Be honest, you don’t know how your car works, do you? And despite spending most of the working day lashed to a QWERTY, if someone asked you how update their modem, you wouldn’t where to start (or what the modem even is).
And that’s fine. Other people do that stuff so you don’t have to. But the same can’t be said for your workout. You need to be okay with the specifics – do you honestly know what that dead lift is doing to your muscles? Or more importantly, the damage you could be doing to yourself if you’re getting it wrong.
Thankfully, experts are on hand. We’ve enlisted the help of Tim Walker, founder London’s Evolve Fitness to settle the form debate on five key exercises, once and for all.
First up, a pre-lift check list.
Breathing. Oxygen creates energy in the muscles, so don’t hold your breath.
Technical understanding. Understand which muscles you are about to engage, know the movement you’re about to make, and be deliberate with that movement.
Mental participation. Make sure you’re in the moment, and don’t think about what’s next. Connect your mind to your muscles, and aim for a full range of motion.
Load selection. Challenge yourself, but be realistic, your body will thank you in the long run. Go too heavy and you’ll fail to get a range of motion, too light and you won’t stimulate the muscle enough force growth.
1.Bicep Curls
The most common mistake: “Leaning back during the curl and bringing your elbows forward (rather than keeping them at your side).”
The damage it might be doing: You can incur bicep tendon injuries (tears, impingements and dislocations etc.) but the main reason you need to get your form right is so that the exercise actually has an effect. “Leaning too far backwards means that you’re not putting enough pressure on the bicep – you’re using your weight as momentum during the curl, rather than lifting only with the bicep muscles. And by lifting your elbows forwards, you’re shifting the focus of the exercise away from the bicep (you’ll be lifting with your shoulders and using the momentum from your body again), thus you won’t get the development you want.
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How to fix it: “Focus on holding your posture more tightly; pull your shoulder blades back and down, and lift your chest up, lean forward slightly and keep your weight in your heels. Contract your abs at all times, too. To keep your elbow position, focus on keeping your elbows in line with your ears, and be forceful with that contraction in your abs when pulling the weight up.”
2. Bench Press
The most common mistake: “Elbow position. Most people have their elbows in line with their shoulders. It’s hampering your progress because it doesn’t target the chest. You’re looking for synergistic movement in the chest, shoulders and triceps.”
The damage it might be doing: The most common injuries are a Glenoid Labrum tear (front of upper arm), rotator cuff tears and shoulder impingement syndrome. Bench pressing is the kind of exercise that you want to keep increasing in weight, because the feeling of nailing that new three-rep max is unbeatable. But it only takes one lift with poor form for something to go wrong, so always think ‘form first, weight second’.
How you should be doing it: “I often ask my clients to lower their arms 20/25 degrees, so they are just above the nipple, and I always find it useful to keep my knuckles pointing to the ceiling, and my wrists straight.”
3. Deadlift
The most common mistake: “Rounding of the back, rather than keeping a natural arch.”
The damage it might be doing: “A slipped disc in the lower back is the main danger here.” You can also incur sprains and strains (different things), but if there’s any sharp pain at any point, you should stop.
How to fix it: “Try locking the upper body posture by keeping the chest high and arms long (aka fully extended, not bent). Keep your weight into your heels (make sure they don’t leave the ground, and you’re not feeling your full weight in your toes) concentrate on pressing through the legs and keep your core area strong by engaging your stomach muscles.”
4. Squat
The most common mistake: “For squats, there are several: bending forward too much, not squatting deep enough and allowing the knees to turn inwards.”
The damage it might be doing: “That mistake is damaging your body/hampering your progress because� Bending forward too much will put too much pressure on your back, and lead to the same kind of damage as an incorrect deadlift. If you’re not going deep enough you won’t be engaging the hamstrings and glutes as much as you could; if you’re aiming to build the muscles and boost metabolism you’ll be missing the mark. If you allow the knees to turn inwards you’re risking damage to the ligaments such as ACL.”
How to fix it: “For bending forward; this is commonly due to a general tightness in the chest and lats (latissimus dorsi muscles) and/or hip flexors, which is very common among office workers who spend a lot of time sitting. Fix it by stretching these muscles more regularly. For those not going deep enough, you need to man-up and understand the principles if fight-or-flight. Most people fear that when they go down deeper they won’t get back up, but you need to attack the movement with confidence and good technique. The worst that can happen is that the safety catches will stop the bar and you crawl out. For the knees, the best thing is to engage your brain. Think about what you are doing and what your knees are doing, you want your them to be in line with your second and third toes at all times.”
5. Single Arm Rows
The most common mistake: Rounding of the back, rotating too much as you pull the weight, and failing to achieve a full range of motion, i.e. not pulling the weight all the way into the body.
The damage it might be doing: “Rounding the back isn’t particularly dangerous, but it’ll prevent the most optimal development of your back. Over rotation when pulling the weight will mean you’re not working the back muscles as well as you could be, hampering your strength development. The same goes for not having a full range of motion; if you’re not pulling the weight all the way into your body, you’re not getting a full contraction of the muscles, which means you won’t be adequately stimulating them.”
How to fix it: “Stick your butt out and check your position in a mirror – your upper back should be flat, with a gentle/natural arch in your lower back. For over rotation, by more rigid in both your thinking and your positioning. When you hold the position more forcefully you will engage your abs and obliques better. This is one of my favourite back exercises – when done properly – it works and engages your core as well as the back.”
Tim Walker is the founder of Evolve Fitness,13-15 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8DP
Does your child slouch? Maybe it�s due to a too-big backpack, or from a too-low computer. In some cases, slouching is a tall kid�s adaptation to life with shorter friends.
Nearly every mother has said �Stand up straight!� And while good posture will help the child �look better� and appear more confident, there are plenty of physical reasons why it�s a good habit to encourage.
Why bad posture is bad
Sitting and standing in a slouched position puts undue pressure on points in the body that can lead to health problems over time. Improper posture can place strain on muscles, ligaments, joints and bones in the child�s back. When this happens while the child is growing, the result can be abnormal positioning and growth of the spine. There can be higher risk of arthritis in adult years.
Why good posture is good
Good posture helps back muscles relax, which aligns joints and bones in the spine. With this, there is less risk of arthritis and bone degeneration in later years. Good posture also reduces backaches, fatigue and other pains. Good posture is a good habit that has rewards throughout life.
What exactly is good posture?
Straight is the keyword. In a chair, the child�s back should be straight with shoulders back. The spine should be a natural S position, with buttocks back in the chair.
Standing, the child�s back should be straight with shoulders back. Chin should be up. The rest of the body falls into a straight alignment. Hips and feet should evenly support the child�s weight.
How you can improve your child�s posture?
Harping on bad posture won�t work well with kids (or anyone). The best ploy is to be a good role model. First, show them how to sit and stand properly. Make sure you follow your own advice. Give gentle reminders when you see bad posture at home. But also give praise for good posture.
For many people (including kids) the slouching develops as the day wears on. This is especially true at the computer desk. A child-sized chair can make it easier for a child to sit properly. Encourage your child to take frequent breaks. Stretching helps to relieve tired muscles.
Physical activity will strengthen back muscles and improve posture over time. Kids will be able to hold good posture longer as their back muscles develop strength.
Good posture is harder for some kids
Kids with certain health problems have a tougher time with posture. Weight gain and weak back muscles make it harder to sit or stand straight.
In some cases, kids may benefit from physical therapy programs designed to strengthen their backs and shoulders. In rare cases, the child may have a spine condition that requires a back brace or surgery.
If your child has back pain and has difficulty standing straight and upright, schedule an appointment with a pediatrician. To connect with one of our pediatricians visit us online at StVincentSWIN.org/4DOC or call today 812-485-4DOC.
Dr. Alex Jimenez takes a look at new concepts on posture and sitting. �Fact: Sitting is the new smoking. �It is highly destructive to the body on many levels. �Here are some good choices that may assist in reducing postural issues as a result of prolonged sitting.
15 Best Active Sitting Chairs For Better Posture, Productivity And | Source: hobbr.com
Best Office Chair For Posture Home Design Ideas | Source: drgulas.com
Thousands of Americans work in jobs that afford them the privilege of sitting for the majority of the day. But being on your rear all day comes with some health concerns.
Unsurprisingly, the best way to counteract these issues is to get up and move � as frequently and for as long as you can. When you do have to be in your seat, however, good posture is key to preventing the sore muscles, strained eyes, and poor circulation that frequently accompany a desk job.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, which is considered one of the world’s top hospitals, there’s an easy way to find a healthy sitting position. It involves four basic steps that, assuming you’re reading this on a tablet, phone, or computer screen, you can try right now:
Finding a Healthy Sitting Posture
First, sit at the end of your chair (that’s right, don’t rely on your backrest). Let your body go into a slouching position. Now, try to sit up straight, accentuating the curve of your back as much as possible. Hold this position for a few seconds. Next, release the position a little bit � Cleveland specifies that you shouldn’t move more than about 10 degrees. This should be your sitting position!
Now that you’ve got it, make sure the rest of your body is in the proper alignment to ensure you’re not cutting off your circulation or straining any other joints. Make sure your body weight is evenly distributed across your seat. Then, check your knee position. They should be bent at roughly a right angle, uncrossed, with your feet flat on the floor.
If you’re in an office, you can adjust your chair height and desk so that you sit fairly close to your screen. Your elbows and arms should rest either on your desk or your chair’s armrests, and your shoulders should be relaxed. If you’re on a rolling chair, you should avoid twisting at the waist and pivot your whole body instead, the Clinic adds.
Doing this every day will help protect your joints, ligaments, bones, and muscles, and can also help you feel more energized throughout the day, since your muscles are being used more efficiently.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
As we age, it’s natural for the spine, as well as the other complex structures of the spine, to begin degenerating. Without the proper care, however, the overall health and wellness of the spine can develop complications, such as degenerative disc disease, among others, which could potentially lead to back pain and other painful symptoms. Chiropractic care is a common alternative treatment option utilized to maintain and improve spine health.
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Are Backpacks Too Heavy For Kids?
