Right now, as you are reading this, how’s your posture? Are you leaning forward, hunched over or are you leaning back with your spine rounded? How about when you stare at your computer or phone screen for hours on end, are you slouched over looking down with your chin almost touching your chest? 

Most people know it’s wise to have good posture but few understand the true implications. Aside from the mental ramifications of exuding poor posture (embodied cognition, look it up!) your sitting and standing habits could play a role in poor circulation, fatigue, muscle pain and strain, breathing issues, neck tension and headaches. On the other hand, good posture can help you maintain the correct alignment of bones and joints, prevent muscle strain, reduce stress and inflammation, conserve energy and decrease wear and tear on the joints. To improve your posture, try some of these quick fixes:

• Make sure the top edge of your computer monitor screen is level with your eyes
• Keep your monitor at least 24 inches from your face, directly in front of you
• If you have two or more monitors, switch the location of the most frequently used to center
• Adjust your chair to support your elbows, hips and knees at 90 degree angles with your shoulders relaxed and lumbar spine supported
• Keep both feet on the floor
• Consider a footstool to take pressure off your lower back and a wrist pad for your forearms 

Other helpful tips for reducing the stress on the musculoskeletal system throughout the day:

• Take a 2-3 minute break every half hour to stand or take a walk
• Get a sit-stand desk
• Use the stairs
• Print items at the furthest printer from your desk
• Stretch every hour, even if you can’t leave your chair

When these strategies aren’t enough to keep the pain away, regular chiropractic adjustments, combined with soft tissue release techniques and physical therapy can help. At Integrated Health Solutions our doctors have advanced training in testing and identifying dysfunctions caused by posture and poor mechanics.  If you are looking to make improvements in your posture or are worried about unexplained painful symptoms, making the call may make all the difference. 

Content provided by Dr. Drew Hunt

The post Instantly Improve Your Health With Better Posture appeared first on Integrated Health Solutions.

Have you accepted the fact that you will always suffer from chronic low back pain? Think again. There are simple steps you can take to ensure you move properly, which in turn will help you eliminate your pain.

In my opinion, traditional medicine has failed to help patients understand their pain, and does little to encourage them to make modifications socially and psychologically, and most importantly, biomechanically. Simple modifications in your lifestyle can help you eliminate your chronic low back pain. By making simple changes in your mechanics, as opposed to treatments that only mask the pain, I believe you will alleviate your symptoms, if not totally make them disappear.

Let me first begin by briefly explaining why I feel so strongly about this particular topic. I have had my share of chronic low back pain throughout the years. My condition, known as spondylolisthesis, is actually quite severe. I used to receive at least two injections per year, among other forms of medication to help me control my pain, which was radiating into my legs and preventing me from being able to walk without pain, let alone enjoy recreational activities. I visited many health care providers, but was never educated on proper mechanics, or proper hip movement to spare the low back. However, through my studies to become a chiropractor, I very quickly realized that I was moving improperly the entire time, which was contributing to my low back pain. Since modifying my mechanics, I have not had an episode of low back pain in over 10 years!

At our Indianapolis chiropractic clinic, a majority of our patients being treated for low back pain have poor mechanics. They tend to recruit their low back in daily movements, when in fact; they should be using their hips. Daily activities, such as picking objects up off the floor, going from sitting to standing, washing their face, brushing their teeth, tying shoe laces, etc. are often done improperly. Recruitment of the lower back during these simple daily activities can cause micro-trauma to the tissue in the lower back, which in turn can lead to chronic pain.

If moving incorrectly is not enough, our current sedentary lifestyle of constant sitting, whether at the office, in the car, or at home, can also contribute to chronic pain, by inhibiting your core and glutes, which are primary mover muscles and are important in core stability.

Related: Think Sitting Can’t Kill You?

At our affordable chiropractic clinic, we treat patients with a variety of backgrounds, from avid athletes to deskbound individuals, who suffer from chronic back pain. However, we have helped them become in control of their pain, through education and empowerment of a few very simple steps.

1.  Maintain a neutral back. [youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P01UKraYFGE&list=UUywozp0WIbd3OU4N9KQlUag”]

2. Pick items up from the floor properly. [youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiQJVD5lcds&list=UUywozp0WIbd3OU4N9KQlUag”]

3. Squat with a neutral back.  Many people believe squatting is only done at the gym when working out. However, we squat all day every day, for example, going from sitting to standing, going up stairs, grabbing your lunch out of the refrigerator, picking things up off the floor, etc. [youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPHeDo192Us&list=UUywozp0WIbd3OU4N9KQlUag”]

Mastering the techniques in these videos will help you immensely in managing your low back pain.

If you have any questions on proper mechanics, or chronic low back pain, contact our Indianapolis chiropractic clinic today at 317.449.2020.

About Integrated Health Solutions

Dr. Charbel Harb is a licensed chiropractic physician and the Medical Director of Integrated Health Solutions. Our core belief is that each patient who walks through the doors is a person, not just a medical record or chart. Our greatest pleasure is bringing joy to our patients and helping them to fully embrace life, allowing them to enjoy each day: active, healthy and pain free.

The post A Simple Way to Manage Your Low Back Pain appeared first on Integrated Health Solutions.

Back pain is more common than you may think. In fact, it is the second most common reason people visit their doctor and one of the most common reasons for missing work.

What Causes Back Pain?

Sports injuries and accidents can cause back pain, but sometimes even the simplest movement, such as tying your shoes, can result in pain. Back pain can be complicated with factors such as arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and even psychological stress.

Minor injuries typically heal within a few days. However, in some cases the pain persists. Often times, the fear of further injury prevents the injured person from being active, which in turn, can result in the pain lasting longer.

Will the Pain Go Away on Its Own?

In the past, researchers believed that over time back pain would “heal” itself. However, a recent study showed that when back pain is not treated, it may go away on its own initially, but it is likely to return. In fact, the study showed that more than 33% of people who experienced low-back pain, had the pain for more than 30 days. Five years later, only 9% of those people remained pain free. *

How Can I Prevent Long-Term Back Pain?

· Don’t bend over to lift objects. Instead, squat, by bending your hips and knees and keeping your back straight, to pick up the object. [youtube_sc url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiQJVD5lcds”]

· Avoid twisting your body while lifting.

· When moving heavy objects, push them, rather than pulling them.

· Exercise on a regular basis. An inactive lifestyle contributes to lower-back pain.

If your back pain lasts for more than a few days, you should see your chiropractor. Dr. Charbel is an affordable chiropractor in Indianapolis, who can tell you if your pain is the result of poor biomechanics and/or an injury. Many of the patients at our affordable chiropractic clinic feel improvement after only a few treatment sessions.

If you’ve been dealing with back pain for too long, in the hopes it would heal on its own, call our chiropractic health center today.

 * Hestbaek L, Leboeuf-Yde C, Engberg M, Lauritzen T, Bruun NH, Manniche C. The course of low-back pain in a general population. Results from a 5-year prospective study. J Manipulative Physiol There 2003 May;26(4):213-9.

About Integrated Health Solutions

Dr. Charbel Harb is a licensed chiropractic physician and the Medical Director of Integrated Health Solutions. Our core belief is that each patient who walks through the doors is a person, not just a medical record or chart. Our greatest pleasure is bringing joy to our patients and helping them to fully embrace life, allowing them to enjoy each day: active, healthy and pain free.

The post Will Back Pain Heal Itself? appeared first on Integrated Health Solutions.