Balance and coordination exist when the body is used for what it is designed for… upright locomotion (walking, running and all other types of movement). Other exercises such as swimming, yoga, pilates, bicycling, martial arts and bodybuilding also help to improve muscle coordination while activities such as working at a desk, reading, and watching television do the opposite for the body.
Without realizing it, most people have extreme stress in their muscles. This muscular tension contributes to muscle tightness, restricted movement, and joint pain. This occurs simply because they sit for many hours every day and do not perform regular exercises to keep all of the muscles in their body in balance.
When we lose our proper posture we also lose our proper physical balance. More energy is then required to keep your body in its gravitational field. Left unattended, our nervous system sustains these patterns of imbalance. This creates extra stress on the bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments, including our vertebra (the disks between the spinal bones). Continued stress on these structures leads to degenerative changes and chronic pain. Also, the more energy we spend trying to maintain abnormal balance and posture, the less energy we have available for healing, digestion and thinking.
In the distant past most people did some form of moderate physical work (exercise) for the major part of the day. When the end of the day came they needed and deserved rest. However, today, a large majority of people sit inactively at work, weakening their posture and muscle balances. They sit on the edge of their chair without using the back support, they place their hands on the keyboard in front of them and stare at the monitor for hours on end. Not noticing it they slump their spine forward, round their shoulders in and downward and jut their chins forward. If you visualize this posture it’s as if they were almost sitting in the fetal position. This puts a terrible strain on the body just as we were talking about above. At the end of their work day they need stretching and exercise — instead of rest.
All of the activities listed above are wonderful for stretching, strengthening and toning. I recommend them to help you stay in balance. An in-office assessment with your chiropractor can help design a specific stretching and exercise routine to counter your individual challenges.
William J. Stillwell,D.C.
drbill@heritagechiropractic.com
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Great follow up to your posture article, doc. Thanks.