Friday, August 5, 2011

You Should Have Listened To Your Mother!

You shouldn't bother reading this if, and only if, you meet all of the following criteria:

  • You always listened to your mother and you always sat up straight in your chair and never slouched when standing.
  • You have never fallen asleep with your head propped up watching TV.
  • You have never slept on a couch.
  • You have never slept on your stomach.
  • Your office chair is perfect.
  • You have never sat at your desk/computer for more than an hour without taking a break.
  • You have never stared at a computer until your eyes crossed, neck hurt, back hurt or hands went numb.
  • Your monitor is always directly in front of you and at eye level.
  • You have never had a 30 minute conversation...all by text messaging. 
  • You have never used a Blackberry, iPhone, Droid, etc., etc., etc..
  • You have never stood in one place for an 8 hour shift doing the same thing over and over again with only two 15 minute breaks and a 30 minute lunch.
Have we lost anybody yet? I didn't think so! Keep reading.

So many of the problems I see in my office are not due to trying to pick up something heavy, or falling off a ladder or tumbling down a flight of stairs. Sure we see some of that but the majority of the time we see conditions related to repetitive postural strain! Symptoms related to poor posture do not typically occur over night...and guess what, they probably aren't going to go away that quickly either. What does that mean to you? It is going to take some work on your part.

Your doctor can give you advice about your workplace ergonomics or your bed. We can also give you exercises to do that will help you, but you will have to put in the effort if you want to make lasting changes. Here are 3 main reasons for improving your posture: 1) You will look better, 2) you will feel better and 3) you will spend less money at the chiropractor's office if you do some of the work yourself. Do you really need any other reasons? If so contact me.

I recently read a great, easy to understand book by Natalie Cordova, D.C. and Philip Cordova, D.C. They are chiropractors from Houston, Texas. If you are looking to improve your posture and your overall health, I recommend you get a copy of Posture Confidence.

The authors do a wonderful job explaining how good and bad posture develops. They also give great tips on ergonomics, selecting the right chair and the correct mattress. Questions that are all asked frequently in my office. They also explain many conditions that can result from years of poor posture.

Many postural problems can be corrected on your own...if you take care of it soon enough, but sometimes you will need some help. The doctors write about when it might be time to seek professional help and what are your best choices to get that help.

What I really like about this book are the simple to perform exercises with detailed pictures and written descriptions. These aren't exercises that will require an expensive gym membership or some fancy machine at home. The exercises can be done at home or at work and all you need is your own body and a couple of light hand-weights. If you don't want to go buy weights, soup cans can be a good starting weight. You just have to get off the couch and make it happen.

For those of you that prefer to watch the exercises on video, that is available too. The video is very affordable and comes with some nice bonuses such as an eBook version of "Posture Confidence: Everything You Need To Change Your Posture For Good", more stretches to help you with the program and an audio interview with Dr. Natalie Cordova. There is also a 60 Day Money Back Guarantee when you order the video. This is a great deal because you get the video and the bonuses for only $37. Click on the link below to order the video and get your free bonuses:

Posture Confidence Video Plus Bonus Materials

So if you are tired of having forward head posture, rounded shoulders or you fear the dreaded upper back "hump," check out these resources. So, sit up straight and order your copy today. It will definitely be a good investment in your health!