It has been said the upwards of 90% of communication between human beings are what we call “non verbal” communication. That is, our facial expressions, eye position, movements and importantly our posture. These are called non verbal “cues”. Subconsciously, we “read” others and form opinions, judgments, and make decisions subconsciously based on these non verbal cues whether we realize it or not. Likewise, our non verbal “cues” also govern how people think and feel about US! It works both ways. One of the most important non verbal cues is your posture. Human beings predictably exhibit posture that mirrors how we are feeling or what we are thinking internally.

What kind of postural “cues” do we exhibit? We can change our chin position – upward or looking to the floor; head forward and strained or upright and tall; the height of our shoulders – whether we are collapsed and slouched inward or  chest outward with a full breath; arms crossed in front of us or open with our palms facing outward; our feet positioning – facing forward or to the side; whether we are standing tall or slouched. There are literally dozens of possible variations or postural “cues” incorporating the posture of many of our body parts that others read subconsciously.

The interesting question, that social psychologist, professor and researcher at Harvard Business School Amy Cuddy discusses in her Ted Talk, is whether non verbal cues can also govern how we think and feel about OURSELVES? The answer is yes. By simply changing your posture, and other non verbal cues such as our facial expression, we can essentially change not only how others perceive and judge us but also our own attitudes about ourselves as well.

Our bodies can change our minds. Our minds then can change our behaviour. And our behaviour can change our outcomes.

For example, research conducted by Cuddy shows that simply by adopting a posture that exemplifies “power”, can increase your testosterone levels by as much as 20% and lower your cortisol levels by as much as 25%.  Adopting a “poor” posture can lower your testosterone levels by as much as 10% and increase your cortisol levels by as much as much as 15%.  Why is this important? Higher testosterone levels are a key marker of good health, and is associated with feelings of positivity, confidence and success. Higher cortisol levels are an indicator of stress, negative feelings and overall poorer health.

Yes! Your posture can actually change not only your own emotions but also your actual physiology.

Everyday my patients hear me harping about how important their posture is and the various ways it can impact their overall health. It’s always an ongoing battle to try to maintain or even improve our posture, when the nature of our work –  sitting in front of a computer all day creates just the opposite – poor posture.  Poor posture is a slippery slope as our bodies slowly adapt, joints stiffen and become misaligned, our muscles and ligaments become less flexible. Fortunately, there effective ways of correcting these changes such as with regular chiropractic care and maintenance of your flexibility through a consistent stretching routine or yoga.

If you feel that you are in need of an attitude shift, and some improvements to your postural outlook on life, schedule a chiropractic check up appointment. We will assess your current posture and let you know what needs to be done to safely and effective improve your posture.

~Dr. G

It’s the time of year when many of us (myself included) frantically search the internet for last minute web travel specials to escape the Vancouver monsoon season in favour of palm trees and vitamin D! It’s no secret that travel is stressful and airplane seats are tiny. Though you can’t do much when you’re squashed into the middle seat, here’s a few little Yoga stretches that can help relieve your cramped muscles and reduce your stress without getting into your neighbor’s personal space:

AIRPLANE YOGA STRETCHES!

1. Neck Rolls

After you get settled into your seat, take a few deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Then start with a simple neck roll. These are great because so much tension is stored in the neck and you don’t need much room to do them. First let your chin drop towards your chest. Try to relax and let the head hang heavy. Begin to circle your head to the right side, then back, then to the left side. Continue slowly circling for five rotations and then switch directions and circle the other way five times.

2. Eagle Arms

Next, you can do the arm twist from eagle pose. This gives you a nice Yoga stretch across your upper back and shoulders. Bring your arms out in front of you and wrap the right upper arm underneath the left one. Bring your palms to touch and raise the upper arms while lowering your shoulders. Take five breaths before releasing and wrapping the left arm under the right.

3. Shoulder Stretch

Next, scoot up to the edge of your seat. Clasp your hands behind your back and straighten your arms as much as you can behind you. You can also let your head drop forward. This stretches the front of the shoulders.

4. Cow Pose

From here, take yourself into to a little cat-cow stretch. First, the cow. On an inhale, arch the back and look up toward the ceiling.

5. Cat Pose

On the exhale, round the spine and let your head drop forward. Repeat the cat-cow movements on each inhale and exhale for five breaths. Now relax and enjoy the rest of your flight. If you are feeling tense, try practicing some breathing exercises to calm the central nervous system. Order some water or juice from the drinks cart to keep yourself hydrated and repeat your stretches as necessary.

6. Seated Pelvic Tilts 

 It is easier to do if you have your seat in the upright position. Sit with your back against the back of the seat. Feel the natural curve in the lower back. Place your feet flat on the floor at a hip’s width distance. Place your hands on your belly button. Tilt your pelvis back and draw in your abs. Feel the muscles under your palms contract as your lower back is pushed flat against the seat. Hold for three to 10 seconds. Repeat five to 10 times or until your ab muscles are tired. Be sure to breathe throughout the exercise.

7.  Arm Stretches

Extend your right arm out in front of you, palm up. Grasp the fingers of your extended hand with your left hand and pull your hand back and down while lifting up your right arm. This will stretch out not only your forearm and bicep, but also your shoulder. Hold this stretch for 10 seconds or until your muscle starts to ache slightly. Repeat the stretch for your other arm. 

8.  Leg Exercises

Take both hands and make fists and place them on the outside of your knees, with your feet flat on the floor. Use your leg muscles to push against your fists, and use your arm muscles to prevent your legs from moving outward. Hold the stretch for five seconds, pushing as hard as you can with your leg muscles. Relax, then move your fists to the inside of your knees and repeat, this time trying to push your legs together while creating resistance with your arms. The resistance will flex the muscles and tendons in your legs and help improve blood flow.

9.  Ankle Rolls

Simply raise on leg off the ground and point your toe forward. Using your big toe, draw all the letters of the alphabet as large as you can.

 10. Calf Raises

 Place both feet on the ground and raise your heels up so that your knees are elevated, without your toes leaving the ground. Hold for 3 seconds and repeat as many times as comfortable. You can do both legs at once or alternate. This is great for maintaining circulation.

Plane travel can be difficult if you are suffering currently from stiffness, aches or soreness in your joints. Give Pacific Chiropractic and Massage Therapy in Yaletown a call in advance of your trip so that we can make not only your trip but your vacation more enjoyable!

The subject of posture is a big one, especially for Chiropractors these days. Although in my office, I see many patients for many different types of complaints, a significant portion can be directly attributed to not only poor posture in general, but specifically a forward head posture. Just walk into any coffee shop and you will see people lovingly gazing with their bloodshot eyes into the glare of their laptop screens, with a slumped forward posture. Laptops are the worst contributors to poor posture as they simply cannot accommodate a proper ergonomic position. It is quite common for people to spend as much as 10-12 hours per days in front of their computers.   Add in the time on their smart phones surfing, driving, and sitting on their couch and we have an epidemic of poor neck posture.

Can Posture Affect Your Breathing?

Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states that forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity.

Poor posture invites distorted, restricted, shallow breathing. Just try this:  sit down and bend over and try to breathe in. Notice how it is harder to breathe. This is an extreme example of how our muscles and tendons get over restricted and cause a lessening of depth and ease in breathing. This also restricts your esophagus, phrenic nerves, aorta, trachea, brachiocephalic vein, but most importantly – breathing volume and ease.

Poor posture can shorten muscles, ligaments and create stiffness in joints and alter nerve function, which are all required for normal breathing. Your ability to take a full deep breathe can affect your performance in sports, your mental clarity, your sleep, your attitude, your digestion and organ function to name a few.

Have you ever noticed a singer’s posture? In order to hold those long notes, it requires very good posture for optimum lung function!

How Can I Breathe Easier?

Simply making yourself sit up straight or correct your posture is no easy task. In fact, forcing yourself can actually make it more difficult to breathe since your are fighting against all those shortened muscles and ligaments that have adapted over time to your poor posture. That’s why it can be difficult or uncomfortable to maintain good posture at first. Chiropractic care can help to ease the tension of these tissues and joints, making it easier to maintain and correct poor posture. However, good results take time.

Certain types of yoga and Pilates can help to improve your posture. Yoga training also emphasizes healthy breathing habits. I suggest that everyone start with a chiropractic check up to identify any areas of concern in your spine before starting yoga to make sure it is safe for you. Sometimes certain movements may not be good for you if certain problems are found.

If you feel that you cannot take a deep breath in, or feel that your posture can use some tuning up, schedule a chiropractic check up. We will examine your spine, and let you know how to best proceed so that you can be your healthiest YOU!

~ Dr. Gertz

Posture, both good and bad, absolutely can have an impact on osteoarthritis.  How does bad posture affect osteoarthritis?  Chronic bad posture places abnormal chronic stresses on your body.  Normally, the muscles protect the bones and joints. However, these abnormal stresses make it harder for your muscles to take the pressure off your joints-and your joints end up paying the price.  For an easy example, consider your head and neck.

Your head weighs a little more than 10 pounds – or slightly more than a bowling ball.  Your neck is supporting your head 24 hours a day with only a brief rest when you lie down at night.  Even with perfect posture, this is a lot to ask of your neck!  Good neck posture mandates that your head rests directly above your neck. Poor neck posture typically consists of carrying your head somewhat forward in relation to your neck.  This places an increased stress on your neck.  A good analogy is carrying a bowling ball over your head.  Carrying the ball over your head is what your neck does with good posture.  Carrying the bowling ball 20 degrees in front of your head is a lot harder and your arm muscles will get more tired more quickly.

If poor posture increases the risk of developing and/or worsening osteoarthritis, can good posture cure osteoarthritis?

Good posture may not cure osteoarthritis, but it will certainly help.  Just as poor posture places increased stress on the joints in your body, good posture decreases those stresses.  Good anatomic posture allows your muscles to work most effectively to unload your joints, take the pressure off them, and allow them a chance to heal.

THINGS WORK BETTER WHEN YOU ARE IN PROPER ALIGNMENT.

Good posture does not happen overnight.  If you don’t already have good posture, realize that it takes steady, consistent attention and work.  But the work is well worth it! While it may be difficult at first to constantly remind yourself to improve your posture, eventually you will find that your body begins to return to its good posture naturally and without as much effort and attention as in the beginning. Also, it can be quite challenging to correct posture at first if you are not in proper alignment or if you have lost normal flexibility of your spine. Correcting your posture in conjunction with a program of regular chiropractic care can greatly assist with the process.

How important is posture really? The next few blogs will deal with how posture is connected to areas of your health you wouldn’t even realize, such as your mental state!

Stay tuned and stay healthy!

Dr. G

Last newsletter we discussed what exactly a Whiplash Injury is, how it occurs, common symptoms of Whiplash injuries and factors which determine the severity of the Whiplash Injury. This newsletter, we will discuss the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Whiplash Injuries.

How is Whiplash Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of a whiplash injury is made by taking a detail history of the injury, performing thorough examination and ordering diagnostic tests such as x-rays. The doctor must rely on the patient’s information about the accident. With this in mind, it is important for each patient in the collision to explain all the details they can remember about the accident. The chiropractor will want to have all of the information from all other physicians the patient has seen for the accident.

With regards to Whiplash injuries, there are few other musculoskeletal injuries that have been studied and researched in such detail as this type of injury. Depending on the degree of injury, symptoms and other findings discovered in the physical examination and history, a grading system is often applied which relates to the degree of injury. This grading system is often also used as a guideline to determine the type and length of treatment required, and sometimes the prognosis (what to expect in the future).

Are X-Rays Helpful to see how much damage was done?

The answer is yes. However, x-rays have their limitations. A trained chiropractor can determine if there is a fracture or dislocation of a spinal bone. Additionally, they can look for the classic “straight neck” appearance commonly called “whiplash spine”.

While these findings may assist the doctor in determining an approach to treatment, there are many other structures that cannot be seen on x-rays. These include the discs, nerve roots, muscles, tendons, spinal cord, ligaments, and capsules that surround each joint. Therefore, your doctor relies on the examination findings, and may even order additional diagnostic tests, such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT (computerized tomography) or NCV (nerve conduction velocity), to see if these structures have also been damaged, and to what extent.

Why does chiropractic treatment help with whiplash injuries?

Whiplash, like other injuries, sets up the following cascade of events:

• An initial injury causes inflammation (swelling) of tissues and pain.
• This results in spasm of the muscles surrounding the injured area.
• As a result of the muscular “bracing”, the joints where these muscles attach stop moving normally, which forces the adjacent joints to move more than they usually should.
• This leads to a loss of the normal range of motion in that area.
• The loss of motion creates more inflammation and pain, and this vicious cycle repeats itself again and again.

Amongst other things, chiropractic treatment focuses on restoring as much normal motion and function as possible to the injured areas. As a result, this vicious cycle is interrupted and healing occurs.

What can I do to get better?

There is often no simple answer. However, following your chiropractor’s recommendations will most likely help a great deal. These will likely include:

• Modifications of your normal daily activities such as work, posture, sleeping, bathing and dressing.
• Instructions to minimize the risk of damaging your spine even further while performing work duties such as sitting, standing, bending, lifting, squatting, and computer use.
• Treatment may initially include the use of ice to help control inflammation, rest, and light range of motion exercises. As the pain decreases, chiropractic adjustments are applied, along with electrical physical therapies, massage therapy, and nutritional supplements. As the healing progresses, stretching and strengthening exercises are recommended at the appropriate timing to further strengthen those injured and weakened tissues.

There is a very specific sequence of therapy and it is important that your chiropractic monitor your progress so that these therapies can be introduced in the best and most efficient manner to ensure your tissues heal properly and strong. This will help to minimize future problems from the whiplash injury.

Chiropractors are well- known for helping patients overcome the injuries in whiplash – and not just for the relief of pain, but for maximum restoration of lost function. If you’ve been in an accident and think you think you might have whiplash, no matter how minor, schedule a chiropractic appointment. You’ll be glad you did! The sooner you seek treatment, the better the outcome!