DR.STARR'S HEALTH NEWSLETTER - June 2008

Topic : Common Cause of Back Pain

We are announcing a staff change. Both Teresa and Jessica will be leaving at the end of June, and we are excited to welcome Tara Jensen to the Family Chiropractic team.

Health Tip of the Month:

I was at a meeting last week, and someone asked me a question: "what is the most common cause of back pain?". The answer was easy: poor posture! Every day we put our spines under stress, and every day our spines and bodies heal themselves. However, sometimes the stress overwhelms our body's ability to heal itself, and then pain and other problems develop. We can prevent this by decreasing the stress on our bodies by improving posture. Poor posture is something that affects our bodies numerous times each and every day.

The number one way to correct this is to modify the way you sit. Pay attention to the natural curve in the small of your back (called lordosis) and what happens to it when you sit.

When people slouch, this curve disappears and rounds out the small of the back. Even though it may feel comfortable at the time, this puts a lot of stress on your ligaments, muscles, and joints.

Ensure that the seat you are sitting in has correct lumbar support, so that you can lean back and relax, while your low back maintains its curve. If you are in a seat that does not support your low back, then a quick fix can sometimes do the trick: roll up a towel or sweater and put it in the small of your back. For those times you do not have a chair-back, train your body a little at a time to sit up straight, keeping the natural curve, or lordosis, in the back. This may be tiring at first, but if you work on it, it will become easier and easier.

If you would like more information about posture, please ask!