In the Chiropractic Profession we desire Spine Health to become as obvious to you as a stain on your carpet. You are aware of it; it is always there, and you are constantly thinking on what you can do to improve it. There is an ideal ‘window of opportunity’ for correcting an unhealthy spine however, as, your spine naturally progresses through phases of spinal degeneration. What’s more? There are influencers which expedite the degeneration process. We are literally working against
the clock! Time passes quickly, and truly it does, and our health even quicker! As Chiropractors, we look to the spine for the root of the decline.
This decline you have likely already begun feeling in your own body, and can see the deterioration in those around you. Good and bad health & exercise habits may be more noticeable to you in observing your children or a loved one more than yourself.
We are often more tuned-in to the health of those closest to us than our own. What about you and your physical activity? Exercise may feel an arduous task for you for many reasons at this point in your life. The following information, hopefully
provides you a bit of relief. Applying proper body mechanics is an effective approach to being Proactive and Preventing spinal misalignment through the way that we sit, stand, walk and exercise.
Technique and Intention
Spinal deformities & declining health have a strong correlation. The fluidity and ease of the way your body moves,
the strength of your core when your body is not engaged in physical activity, the techniques used when transitioning your body from one position to another are only a few body mechanics where our Revive Team emphasizes proper technique.
In conjunction with our recommended Manual Manipulation and various therapy methodologies, our patients can improve their long-term health outcomes. Proper technique and being intentional to practice proper body mechanics, are important factors
to Chiropractic patients. These techniques are imperative in holding one’s Chiropractic Adjustments in place much longer.
Without them, our improper body mechanics undo the correction. Consider these two subjects. Subject 1 has the physical characteristics of one less susceptible to injury because they are muscular, flexible, and intentional to exercise proper body mechanics; there exists an awareness keeping their body safe and healthy. Compared to Subject 2, who is more prone to injury for lack of muscle; their movements being more rigid and less flexible, and this Subject is less conscious of proper body mechanics thus, more prone to illness and injury.
As Chiropractic Professionals, we guide our patients from an unaware mental state to being aware and intentional with every action, through education. We educate on good body mechanics that become intentional daily actions, stretches and exercises that can be used to aid in strengthening the body to support a healthy spine and healthy muscles.
At Revive Chiropractic Centers, education is more than half of our Mission. Being proactive about your health, is the best prevention of disease. We encourage good body mechanics, and our entire Team focuses heavily on holding our patients
accountable during each phase of their Care.
Proper Body Mechanics in Motion
Our Revive Team uses various methods of instruction to assist each patient in grasping the importance of proper body mechanics. We have visual aids on display throughout our office, spinal models, and hard copy instructions that can be emailed or printed to reference at home. We demonstrate each exercise to each of our patients, and have them reciprocate, by demonstrating their understanding.
Here is a helpful guide to a few proper body mechanics to follow:
- Mechanics while lying down: When lying down we want you to focus on keeping your spine in alignment. For side sleepers, place a pillow between your knees and a pillow under your neck to maintain your spine in alignment. For back sleepers, place a pillow behind your knees to alleviate the pressure on your lumbar spine.
- Mechanics while sitting: Sitting is detrimental to spinal health outcomes. Avoid sitting as much as possible. If your job requires you to spend extended periods of time sitting, stand up every 15 minutes and stretch or walk in place. We recommend keeping your head upright and your neck in a straight line as much as possible.
- Mechanics while standing: There are several good body mechanics that can be practiced while standing or walking. For instance, the spine should be kept in a neutral position, neither curved nor flat with core engaged. Both feet should be placed firm and flat on the ground with weight distributed evenly between the two. The ear, shoulder, hip, and ankle should always be aligned.
It is important to exercise regular proper body mechanics. There are countless opportunities throughout the day to improve. The more you exercise these recommendations in addition to your Chiropractic rhythm of care, the better your overall health outcomes will be for a lifetime. Minimal damage can threaten long-term health implications for your spinal column and its surrounding tissues, so do right by your every move, with proper body mechanics.