Spine and Health

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Chiropractic and your Family

A common and yet ironic situation is that parents come in to have chiropractic treatment and their children sit and watch.

The question we ask is that why do we believe it is important for us adults to be under chiropractic care and not our children? Children have spines too! and are generally more active and susceptible to falls than us adults so perhaps it is equally if not more important for our children to have their posture checked?

The position of an unborn child’s spine in utero is often overlooked. If your unborn child is in breech, transverse, posterior and so on, it can impact immensely on your child’s posture and therefore health. It is also no surprise that a baby who has not been carried in an ideal position will more than likely struggle down the birth canal because it is still not in the optimal position. Both the position it is held in over the 40 week period and the position it is in when it travels the birth canal, and subsequent interventions that may need to be used, can all affect the baby’s spine and health.

Furthermore our children are far more susceptible to mini traumas. Our kids climb trees, they run on the road, they fall off their bikes, get pushed over in a sporting match. Our children throw their bodies around, and we applaud them for doing so and assume that their flexible bodies bounce back – only a very small proportion of us actually check that there has not been any effect on their spine and posture!

We are aware that back pain, for example, is generally a sign of something else within our bodies.

Chiropractic care is based on the realignment of subluxations and thus the correction of posture in order to allow our nervous system to function effectively and efficiently. Any misalignment of any joint can impinge that communication between our brain, spinal cord and effector tissue and thus affect our health.

Your local chiropractors in Crows Nest, North Sydney, Mosman and Gladesville are the experts in pain and posture and care about your family. The Spine and Health Chiros ensure that they tailor each individual’s treatment to their level of development. Babies and children receive gentle and effective adjustments that are designed specifically for them. We have implemented a new family rate (see details here) to help you help your family.

We can assist with  your family’s path to looking better, feeling better and moving better.

 

Crows Nest                 Ph 9460 8459

North Sydney              Ph 9955 8055

Mosman                      Ph 9968 3577

Gladesville                   Ph 9817 6611

 

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Are you De-Evolving?

We have been brainwashed in to thinking that “aging” results in a failing body but the fact of the matter is that it does not have to be that way. Yes the chemical make up of our body changes but that is no reason for us to assume poor posture is inevitable. Like it or not daily effects of stress and trauma add up and take their toll on our body but we also know that our body can heal itself from the inside out. So what are you doing to aid your body’s healing mechanism?
So we have learnt that if we have correct posture we are more sound in mind and body so why not start there? What have we got to lose?

Degeneration occurs when we allow our spine to stay in a position that it was forced in to by chemicals, bad habits and inactivity. SO your sure fire way of staying as young as you feel is to maintain that posture in it’s ideal position.

Prolonged poor posture leads to a lessening of innervation to our body parts. We have an ideal posture and if, for example, the curve of your neck is not in its correct position then the spinal nerves that come from the spinal cord and exit through the spaces between the vertebrae of our neck are impinged and thus not allowed to work efficiently. This means that the flow of information between our brain and relevant tissues and organs cannot receive/give the correct or full amount of signals.

It all relates to the lifestyle we as a community has “evolved” to undertake. We have gone from being standing, running beings to sitting at desks, sitting on the train, sitting in front of the television. It is ruining the natural curves of our spine and thus harming the ability of our body to communicate with itself giving symptoms of back pain, neck pain, headaches, slipped discs… the list goes on.

So what can we do? It is pretty simple really – there are a several things that we all can and should be doing. Firstly you are what you eat! Take note of the ingredients of foods that you are purchasing. If you cannot pronounce the ingredients it is pretty safe to say that they have been processed and bare little resemblance to the food it originated from. Our bodies are designed to thrive on foods high in protein because protein is the building block of the cells in our bodies. Put down that Maccas burger and go to the grocery store and pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables! Combine that with some beef, fish, chicken or protein of your choice and what do you know, you have a natural healthy meal that your body will thank you for! It doesn’t take as much time as you think to prepare your own meals, all it requires is a change in attitude towards food preparation, being organised, and making the kitchen a fun place to be.
Secondly we are designed to be active beings. If you can implement a standing work-station at work then do it! Walk to work, ride your bike. We have been taught that 30 minutes of daily exercise is sufficient but realistically it means that we are still sitting for 75% of our day! Instead of having a meeting over a sit down coffee, get them to go and have a walk and talk! Again this requires a change in attitude and planning.
Finally, and most importantly, to get your posture back to where it should be and to maintain that (because lets face it we all do things that are going to put out our posture and so there is no quick fix… maintenance is the key) see your local chiropractor! The chiropractors on the lower north shore (Crows Nest and North Sydney) Spine and Health, are the experts in pain and posture. They understand the importance of having ideal posture and help hundreds of people on a daily basis to help themselves by slowly but surely encouraging their spine to the position it was intended to be in.
Every person is different and every posture is different but we all know those people who stand taller seem more confident and healthy so why cant we have that too!? Well the answer is that you CAN!

Do you have poor posture or are you suffering from degeneration? To have your posture digitally analyzed and to start your path to looking better, feeling better and moving better come and see one of our chiropractors today:

 Crows Nest       Ph 9460 8459

        North Sydney   Ph 9955 8055

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Sit right and sit less for a healthy spine

Sit Right this Spinal Health Week (21-27 May)

The chiropractors of Spine and Health would like to ask you a question!!

“Do you spend most of your day sitting, whether it’s at work, in the car, on public transport, or watching TV? “

Nearly everyone regardless of their age will answer YES!!! ……

And you’re not alone. Australia is a nation of ‘sitters’ and its starting to take its toll on our health.

As part of Spinal Health Week 2012, the chiropractors at The Spine and Health Centres will be encouraging their Crows Nest, North Sydney, Mosman and Gladesville patients to prioritise their spinal health by sitting less and moving more.

The  May 2012 heralds the launch of Sit Right, a national initiative that aims to encourage Australians to take note of the potentially dire health consequences from prolonged sitting.

Australians are spending more time than ever sitting which not only causes spinal damage, but increases the risk of disease and even death. Sit Right focuses on the dangers of long-term sitting, especially for office workers, and offers solutions for common ‘sitting sins.’

So why not improve your health simply by standing up and moving around more? It’s also important you take regular breaks from sitting to stretch, stand, change or correct your posture or walk around your office.

And while you are sitting, here are a few things to remember:

  • Keep your hips, elbows and knees at open angles (more than 90 degrees)
  • Ensure your feet are flat on the floor or on a footrest
  • Position the centre of your computer screen at eye level and tilt the monitor upwards slightly
  • Only use wrist rests while resting, not while typing

An active spine is a healthy spine and a healthy spine leads to a healthier life. Why not use Spinal Health Week to make an appointment with on of our four  clinic’s, Crows nest, North Sydney, Mosman and Gladesville to assess your spinal health and discuss how being more active will improve your wellbeing?

 

To improve your spinal health, contact the Spine and Health Centre for an appointment today.