costa Mesa Chiropractor Archives - Orange County Personal Trainers

Wednesday Body Care Tips from Balance in Motion

April 4, 2012 by ptpt 3 Comments

Greetings from Balance in Motion!

Here are your tips for getting over the hump of your week and exercise routine starts with successful injury prevention and recovery!

The first step in accomplishing this goal is listening to your body. We live mainly in our head with constant texting, email, and thinking. Exercise is a great way to reconnect and escape, but taking a “No Pain No Gain” approach and pushing too hard leads to sprains, strains, tears, and burnout.

Many patients treated at BALANCE IN MOTION start with very little body awareness; and therefore, push past their limits and get injured. Don’t make the same mistakes and end up not being able to exercise for months.

3 recommendations to improve your mind/ body awareness

1. Get stimulated in all the right ways. The best way to get connected is to rouse your body’s communication pathways. A chiropractic adjustment boosts the link between your brain and your body by stimulating mechanoreceptors in your joints and muscles that tell your brain about your body’s position. If you are out of alignment or have had a previous injury to an area this feedback system can be impaired leading to injury.

2. Don’t paint over your check engine light. Pain is our body’s way of telling us there is a problem. So don’t do things to fix it that simply mask it. Stop taking pain killers and anti-inflammatories. Not only is this habit hard on your liver and kidneys, it doesn’t allow you to feel your body and the possible damage you might be causing during your workouts.

3. Take a deep breath. Stopping to breathe and doing specific breath work during your workout helps you stay aware and improve oxygenation.

Feeling muscle tension or joint pain, find out if misalignment could be the culprit.

Call (949) 515-4006 or contact us this week and schedule a complimentary consult and exam including one x-ray if needed. (Save $195 and get points for your City Transformation Team for taking action to prevent injury)

3 Simple Tips to Improve Your Posture Today

September 13, 2010 by ptpt 3 Comments

In the last article I discussed what Forward Head Syndrome (when your head shifts forward compared to your shoulders) and how it effects your health. To be proactive, avoid injury, headaches, and other health related issues make these 3 changes.

1) Your car head-rest has that name for a reason, your head should actually touch it. Many people recline their car seat too much, so they are forced to bring their head forward to see the road. Some may think it is looks cooler to slouch, but how cool is chronic neck pain and headaches. Bring the back of your car seat up to no more than a 15 degree recline. Sit with your head touching your head rest, adjust your mirrors to the correct spot and stick with it.

2) Check your pillows. Many people, especially if their head tends to be forward, sleep with a pillow that pushes them forward, or even worse they sleep with more than one pillow. Have a loved one or friend look at you in your sleeping position, your head should be aligned with your shoulders, not in front of them.

3) Bring your office or home computer up to eye level. If you use a laptop, get one of the ergonomic wedges that make it a little higher. Take frequent posture breaks, if you find yourself looking down while you work. Set your phone or computer to remind you to take a 2 minutes break to stretch every 20 minutes.

If the above tips are difficult for you to do the ligament, bone, and muscle structure has most likely adapted to the forward head position. Getting some help can make the changes happen faster and more comfortably.

The great news is YOUR BODY IS DYNAMIC and no matter what your age you can make healthy changes to your alignment that will improve your health and vitality. I have patients in their 80’s getting great results. Don’t give up!
Remember to take it slow. Making a change too quickly can cause extra soreness and headaches. If you get sore ice for 10 minutes, and seek some care to help your body accept the healthy changes.

Specific Exercises and Stretches to come. Enjoy!

Here is a link with examples of the laptop ergonomic helpers. http://www.laptop-ergonomics.com/

Dr. Chrissy Stamm owns and is the lead chiropractor at BALANCE IN MOTION, the wellness studio in Costa Mesa. Check out her website here: Costa Mesa Chiropractor

Stand up Straight – How Forward Head Posture is Created by our Sedentary Lifestyles

September 9, 2010 by ptpt 2 Comments

Odds are, you are reading this blog, hunched over in your chair, wondering why your back hurts…here’s a great explanation why….

WHAT IS FORWARD HEAD SYNDROME?

FORWARD HEAD SYNDROME is the most common and dangerous postural distortion. This condition occurs when your spinal curves weaken and distort causing your head to shift forward on your shoulders. This abnormal shift forward has been studied extensively can lead to many serious and adverse effects on your overall health.

Here are conclusions from medical researchers and other doctors studying physical medicine:
Rene Calliet, Director of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Southern California, reached the following conclusions regarding FORWARD HEAD SYNDROME in 1987:

1. Forward Head Syndrome is a result of losing the normal curve of the neck. This distorted posture will cause a mechanical block of optimal spinal lead to abnormal motion of the first four cervical vertebrae, which is necessary to produce stimulus for endorphin production (endorphins are chemicals produced by the brain and spinal cord to reduce painful stimuli). With inadequate endorphin production, many otherwise non-painful sensations are experienced as pain (ie body aches/pains, fibromyalgia, etc.).

2. Forward Head Syndrome can deplete lung capacity by as much as 30%, which can lead to heart and
blood vascular disease.

3. Forward Head Syndrome can cause the entire gastrointestinal tract to be affected, particularly the large intestine.

Loss of good bowel function and evacuation are a common sequel associated with this postural weakness and may lead to toxic effects and disease in the body.

4. Forward Head Syndrome can pull the entire spine and body out of alignment making it rigid and reduce all body motions. The body then becomes “HUNCHED” over.

5. Forward Head Syndrome will cause a lengthening and axial traction (stretching) of the spinal cord as the normal curve in the neck continues to bend and distort forward. This leads to a functional stenosis (narrowing of the diameter of the spinal cord with nerve compression) as the head progressively shifts forward and is left uncorrected. When your posture is locked in this weakened structure there is a permanent elongation of the spinal cord. The diameter of the cord continues to decrease resulting in a functional reduction in life and energy flow to ALL of the vital organs of your body.

In 1974, researcher Kapandji concluded that Forward Head Syndrome will reduce the flow of cerebral spinal fluid (the fluid that nourishes your brain and spinal cord). This loss of fluid circulation will further compromise the protection of your brain and spinal cord. The result of this mechanically induced stenosis combined with the lack of fluid circulation is LOSS OF MENTAL ACTIVITY AND LOSS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL BEING.

Ready to fix your posture?

Get started with these stretches today!

Benefits of Good Posture – Ted Talk
17 Mobility Drills for Your Upper Back & Shoulders
Stuck at a Desk All Day? This exercise is for you!

Wednesday Body Care Tips from Balance in Motion

3 Simple Tips to Improve Your Posture Today

Stand up Straight – How Forward Head Posture is Created by our Sedentary Lifestyles

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