Do you ever stop to think about what causes your pain to come back or intensify? I just spoke to a group of patients last night about what there part was in getting and staying better and the one thing that kept coming up over and over again were the complaints from patients about what aggravates their pain. It is so important to realize that how you sit, stand, sleep, bend, walk, work, etc. has a major impact on your condition.
Let me give you an example….You have probably seen those gals on National Geographic carrying 50lbs of stuff on their heads as a way to transport things. Have you ever looked at their posture, probaly not, but if you study if for a living like me, you can’t help it. Their posture is perfect! Why? They would topple over if they didn’t have great posture. They have to be very focused on carrying the weight directly over their body in order to balance it properly. So now think about your own head….it weighs around 10 lbs, give or take. If you are sitting at a computer and your head is constantly leaning towards the monitor, that is going to cause the muscles in your neck, upper back, and shoulders to tighten up to support that position. Over a few hours, that can cause muscle tension. Over a few years, that can cause degenerative changes in your neck.
So next time you bend wrong, watch TV in bed with your head against the headboard, slouch at your computer……understand that that can cause problems and make them worse.
As Crossroads, we strive to be the best, most all-inclusive center in the South County to help these types of problems. Call today if you need to start the process to getting and staying better! Call today at (408) 883-1231
Dr. P
