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Hip Hinge & Gardening
〰️ If there is one thing you should be doing for the wellness of your lower back it’s the HIP HINGE, which means you should be BENDING AT THE HIP instead of ROUNDING YOUR SPINE.
〰️ In between every bone (vertebra) that make up our spine there’s a SQUISHY DISC that acts as a shock absorber and prevents wear and tear of the spine - the intervertebral disc. Rounding of the back puts an incredible amount of pressure on the front edge of each disc, which over time can cause it to wear away as well as potentially start bulging out on the backside of the spine (disc herniation). This usually will put PRESSURE on the spinal cord and surrounding nerves, which can lead to conditions such as sciatica. Rounding of the back also creates an IMBALANCE in the muscles and ligaments.
〰️ HINGING at the hips helps us maintain a NEUTRAL SPINE. This ensures an even distribution of pressure on the discs as well as proper use of the muscles in our back so that they can effectively PROTECT our joints as we move around.
〰️ When we are used to rounding our back, it can take some time to reprogram the brain/body to perform the hip hinge in everything that we do. Truth is, the hip hinge is actually a NATURAL PART OF HEALTHY HUMAN MOVEMENT and should come pretty natural to us as we perform daily activities. If you have a tendency to round your back whenever you go to do something, direct your focus onto changing this habit and forming a new, much healthier movement pattern. Your body will be so much HAPPIER, and you will be less prone to injury and back pain. WIN-WIN!🤩 -
YOUR SPINE SHOULD NOT LOOK LIKE THIS
💫 Between each vertebra in the spinal column there’s an INTERVERTEBRAL DISC that acts as a shock absorber that reduces the stress caused by impact from activity. Without the disc there would be no cushion between the bony surfaces of the vertebrae, and we wouldn’t be able to bend and twist like we do.
💫 POOR POSTURE and faulty movement patterns can weaken the discs in your spine, causing them to lose their flexibility, elasticity and shock-absorbing qualities. Such WEAR & TEAR of the intervertebral discs brings the vertebrae closer together and narrows the nerve openings in your spine. THE RESULT? Friction between the vertebrae that lead to neck and back pain, numbness and tingling, increased pain during activities (especially when bending, twisting and lifting heavy), radiating pain down between the shoulder blades and into the arm – the list goes on! The narrowing of the nerve openings also makes is so much harder for your BRAIN & BODY to communicate efficiently which directly affects our function and wellbeing.
💫As a CHIROPRACTOR, some of my main goals is to reduce stress, relieve pain and discomfort, and help bring down inflammation in the surrounding tissues by adjusting the spine. Chiropractic also helps improve joint mechanics and spinal motion keeping your body healthy and moving, which promotes optimal levels of wellness and function! -
LOOK UP, NOT DOWN
ARE YOU LOOKING DOWN ON YOUR PHONE OR LAPTOP RIGHT NOW?
❗️The head weighs approximately 10-12 lbs. When tilted forward, depending on the degree of the angle, the head ends up at 3-6 times its own weight! Our bodies weren’t built to handle this amount of stress, especially not over long periods of time. It should come as no surprise that textneck results in not only poor posture, but also contributes to neck pain, headaches and muscle tension.
💡A good way to start combating these aches and pains is by improving your posture. Keep a neutral spine, roll your shoulders back and bring your device up to eye level. If you catch yourself starting to hunch over or slouch when sitting, try hinging at the hips instead. This allows you to maintain that neutral position and protect your neck.
“What if it hurts to sit up straight?🤔” — Great question! Many people are so locked up from looking down at their device all day and staring at a computer screen that practicing good posture can be quite painful.
This is because poor posture (such as looking down!) creates imbalances and misalignments in the spine and the body.
Our spine is such a vital structure and it is so important we take care of it. I always say that preventing poor health is better than dealing with symptoms down the line. Taking preventative steps, such as getting your spine checked and being mindful of your posture when using technology, is 🔑 for a healthy and happy body.
So, hold your head high, bring your device up and be proud! It might look a little funny, but your body will thank you for it🙏🏼
Tag someone who could use a friendly reminder😉 -
Top 5 Ways Your Cell Phone Is Ruining Your Health! - Dr. Bo Knows
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