Did You Know…
· Every pound of excess fat requires 200 miles of additional blood capillaries, putting extra strain on the heart.
· Babies are born with 300 bones which fuse together to become 206 bones in adults.
· Your muscles are 75 percent water and make up almost half of your body weight.
· Your small intestine is almost 25 feet long.
· By the time you are 70 years old, you will have digested about 40 tons of food.
· Each year about half of all U.S. adults have an episode of back pain.
· You would have to eat 10 whole potatoes to get the sodium contained in just 10 potato chips.
Improve Your Posture
When standing, think of a wire attached to the top of your head. Some people tend to slouch and have an excessive curve in the lower back. The imaginary “wire” will help to prevent this. When standing for long periods, frequently shift weight from one foot to the other, always keep moving and changing positions. This will minimize the tension and compression on the spine. When sitting, especially at a work station for long hours, bring your chair close enough so that you are not bending forward. Utilize a chair that has good low back support and is adjustable to fit your build. If your feet do not touch the floor use a foot rest so the knees are slightly higher than the hips. Get up and stretch, move around every half hour or so if possible. While driving, strive also to have your knees slightly higher than hips. Adjust the seat to easily reach the pedals. If possible periodically on long drives tilt the seat at slightly different angles. Stop every couple of hours to stretch and walk around. Sleep on a supportive mattress, preferably not on your stomach. Choose shoes that are a good fit and offer proper support for daily wear. High heels are only for short periods of time and not for walking any distance.
Text Neck
Text neck is the term used to describe the injuries and pain sustained from looking down at wireless devices for too long. The symptoms associated with text neck are, chronic headaches, upper back pain, shoulder pain, neck pain and increased curvature of the spine. We all would look down to read but now with the widespread use of smart phones and tablets people are spending an average of two to four hours a day with their heads tilted forward. An adult’s head weighs about 10 to 12 pounds, tilting the head forward just 15 degrees can increase the force on the cervical spine to 27 pounds. At 60 degrees, the common texting posture seen on sidewalks, metros, and office hallways everywhere, the stress on the spine can hit 60 pounds, thanks to the forces of gravity. While it is nearly impossible to avoid technology, people should make an effort to look at their phones with a “neutral spine”, sending their eyes downward and not their heads. Take frequent breaks throughout the day.
Back Pack Safety
More than 40 million students carry backpacks in America today. Many of these same students carry their backpacks overloaded or fit improperly resulting in a variety of injuries including neck pain, muscle spasms, tingling hands, headaches and lower back pain. This very pain may result in the increasing possibility of damage on posture and development of the spine. When choosing a new backpack, it is recommended you select ergonomically designed features that enhance safety and comfort. Backpacks should be lightweight, have wide straps to distribute the weight, and always wear using both straps and try to only carry what is absolutely necessary.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
― Vivian Greene
Fairport Chiropractic1157 Fairport Road
Fairport, NY 14450
585-381-7724