Workshop I am teaching: Bulletproof Your Posture
On Thursday, November 3rd at 6:15 pm at Aligned Life Chiropractic and Wellness I will be teaching a workshop on the best practices for the correction and management of the spine and posture. This will be a master class that will encompass my 15 years of clinical practice in this field. Implementation strategies to reduce pain, environmental changes to improve postural habits, and research from across all healthcare disciplines will be discussed. As always, friends and family are encouraged. This class is offered at no charge. To register, sign up at the front desk in the office or shoot us an email with the number of people you would like to attend at alignedlifewell@gmail.com. I look forward to diving deep with you guys!
Journal article I am reading: Journal Neurosurgery, Vol 68, No 5, May 2011 by Dr. Alan Villavicencio M.D.
At Aligned Life, we are constantly discussing the importance of having your spine match your posture. What we mean by this is that you must stand in a position that your body supports easily. If not, you will suffer more pain, be more injury susceptible and be more likely to become disabled over time. The aforementioned journal article is an extreme example of what happens when we disregard this basic rule for health. Dr. Villavicencio looked at spinal fusion surgeries that were used to correct disc herniations in the neck. What he found was that if the surgeon fused the patient (using a metal plate and screws) into the correct curve shape in the neck, the patient had positive outcomes. In contrast, if the patient was fused into a position where the neck was either straight or in some instances, into a reverse curve position, the long-term outcomes for the patient were poor. Using this example as a guide, remember to use your home traction orthotic (if you have been prescribed this device), manage your body position habits, do your postural exercises, get adjusted, and receive your massages!
Quote I am loving: “It is not the load that breaks you, it’s how you carry it.” ~ Lou Holtz
The concept of posture is based on the study of physics. Loads that are carried towards the center of mass are moved easily, without much effort. Loads that are carried away from the center of mass are made increasingly more difficult the further that weight is from the center. Remember, your muscles can only be as relaxed as your posture will allow them to be. Similarly, your spine will only degenerate if you place asymmetric loads on it for an extended period of time. In 95% of circumstances, you are responsible for determining how you carry the load of your body. If you choose to disregard this fact, you are accepting responsibility for the health problems you will experience in the future. This week, take a look at your posture in the mirror. Identify any postural distortions you notice and start working on creating a better position for yourself. If you need help, Aligned Life is there for you!
Have a kick ass week everyone!
In Health,
Dr. Devin Shea, DC