HEALTH & WELLNESS

What is an Inside-Out Approach to Health?

December 21, 2021 by Impact Chiropractic

Chiropractic care is all about an inside-out approach to health. There is an emphasis on restoring our body’s ability to adapt, heal and grow. Our nervous system’s job is to be the command center for the body. It helps all other parts of the body communicate with each other. Keeping the nervous system functioning at its best is essential for our health. Feeling good on the inside translates to how we look on the outside. There is so much more value in how we feel rather than how we look! Taking an inside-out approach to health gets to the root of the problem and provides long-term solutions to pain and discomfort.

How Chiropractic Heals the Body from the Inside-Out

Chiropractic was founded on the belief that the body has the innate ability to heal itself. We are constantly exposed to external sources of healing whether that is medications, surgery, or quick fixes. While those things have value in certain circumstances, Chiropractic principles teach that the body is capable of incredible things when it is functioning at its best. The goal of chiropractic adjustments is to create balance in the body by removing interferences and restoring the nervous system’s functionality. We need proper structure in order to achieve proper function. Getting regular chiropractic adjustments aids in the restoration of our body’s innate ability to heal itself by focusing on the health of the spine and the nervous system.

Food and Inside-Out Health

In addition to consistent chiropractic care, the things we put into our body plays a big part in how well we function. Food is fuel for our bodies! Whole, nutrient-rich foods can impact our body’s ability to heal itself. On the other hand, when we constantly feed our body with sugar-filled, processed food, we are limiting the incredible things that our body can do. While it is important to treat ourselves and enjoy the food we eat, there is so much value in adding more fresh, whole foods into the mix.

Daily Movement’s Role in Inside-Out Health

Exercise routines can feel intimidating and impossible to keep up with. However, adding daily movement into your day does not need to be stressful or overwhelming. Going on a walk, stretching before bed, trying a new workout class with a friend, or even standing up throughout the day at work are all ways to get moving. An inside-out approach to health involves getting your heart rate up and prioritizing daily movement. The benefits of exercise are seemingly countless; increased circulation, better sleep, improved mood, and more energy are just a few. Once we begin to look at movement as a tool to help us feel our best rather than using it to look a certain way, it becomes even more powerful to our health.

How Mindfulness and Meditation Impact Inside- Out Health

The way your think affects your health. Whether you think about things in a positive or negative light makes a difference. Mindfulness is the practice of being present and aware of what is going on in the moment. Meditation is a great way to get into the practice of mindful thinking. Thinking in this way reduces anxiety, improves positivity, and promotes a healthy lifestyle. Our mental health and our physical health go hand and hand so it is important that we take our mental health seriously. How we think about ourselves, others, and the world around us is a huge part of inside-out health.

Proper Structure Means Proper Function

July 1, 2021 by Impact Chiropractic

As chiropractors, we have a saying that we love to use with our patients — “proper structure = proper function.” This goes for a lot of things. Cars, bridges, buildings, they all need proper structural integrity in order to function the way they’re supposed to. And the same goes for your body! Chiropractors look at the body as a whole and understand that health is more than how you’re feeling. It’s about how you’re FUNCTIONING. That’s why our team at Impact Chiropractic is so excited to join up with Break Free this year and be a part of such an amazing event. As Fort Collins chiropractors, we are honored to support this amazing community in its pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. We’ll be offering complimentary spinal screenings at the festival which will give you insight into how your body is truly functioning. As female chiropractors, we are extremely thorough and take time to assess what’s going on within the body, as opposed to just treating symptoms.

Function is especially important when it comes to health and fitness. Being healthy is more than just going to the gym; It’s what you eat, what you read, what you listen to, who you hangout with, etc. Your Nervous System is what processes all of these things, and it also coordinates and controls every single function in our body. From telling your legs to run or your muscles to contract, the Nervous System is what makes this happen. Since the spine protects this system, it’s our job to make sure it’s properly aligned. If not, this directly affects the nerves and muscles, which can alter athletic performance and biomechanics. When it comes to exercise it’s incredibly important to have good alignment, and as Fort Collins chiropractors we want to keep our community as healthy and aligned as possible. Because proper structure = proper function, that means healthier nerves, stronger muscles, and better health and fitness! We love serving Fort Collins and the Northern Colorado communities with chiropractic care. Come see why we were voted the #1 chiropractors in best of NOCO!

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What is Clean Eating & How Do I Get Started?

May 17, 2021 by Impact Chiropractic

Written by Alex Beyers with Eating at Altitude

If you follow me on Instagram you’ve heard me use the term Clean Eating in conjunction with my Whole30 lifestyle. At this point in time, clean eating is somewhat of a buzz word and all too often we can get caught up in the glamour of new health trends. But here is why this health trend ACTUALLY makes sense: Clean Eating is simply a way to refer to choosing a diet that consists of primarily whole, fresh & minimally processed foods. It also refers to eating eco-friendly & sustainably sourced protein & dairy products.

In Basic Terms: Eating foods as close to their most natural state as possible.

But let’s make one thing clear. I’m not here to tell you that what foods are good or what foods you need to avoid entirely. This is about balance & the focus is around ADDING more nutrient – dense ingredients into your meals, and less attention on restricting other foods. I’m here to empower you & give you the basic knowledge you need to make simple changes into your existing routine.

Does Eating Clean mean I can never eat my favorite foods again?

Absolutely not. One reason it’s hard to maintain diets is we classify foods as good and bad, we restrict and take an all or nothing view point when approaching food. But this is about balance. We want to shift the focus from restriction and center our attention around ADDING more nutrient – dense ingredients into our meals. I’m just here to empower you by supplying you with the basic knowledge you need to make simple changes into your existing routine. Baby Steps.

Here are the basics when it comes to eating clean:

Eating lots of vegetables and fruit.
Eating quality protein & healthy fat foods.
Limiting highly and ultra-processed foods.
Making water your drink of choice.

Not All Processed Foods are created equally

Just because a food is processed doesn’t mean that it’s the worst thing for you. When eating clean we are looking for MINIMALLY processed foods. The term minimally is important here because there are whole & health foods that go through processes in order to be shelf ready & stable.

So what is processed food? “Processed food” includes food that has been cooked, canned, frozen, packaged or changed in nutritional composition with fortifying, preserving or preparing in different ways.

Processed food falls on a spectrum from minimally to heavily processed:

Minimally processed foods — such as bagged spinach, cut vegetables and roasted nuts — often are simply pre-prepped for convenience.
Foods processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness include canned tomatoes, frozen fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna.
Foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture (sweeteners, spices, oils, colors and preservatives) include jarred pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mixes.
Ready-to-eat foods — such as crackers, granola and deli meat — are more heavily processed.
The most heavily processed foods often are pre-made meals including frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.

What Ingredients should I avoid when trying to eat less processed foods?

A rule of thumb I like to play by is only buying processed foods with ingredients I recognize. By example, if a jar of marina has tomatoes, olive oil, garlic & basil. Those are all whole food ingredients, I might have in my own pantry. I tend to pass on buying food with an ingredient list full of words I don’t recognize, words I can’t pronounce or products with an ingredient list of 15 or more ingredients.

Hidden Added Sugars: Added Sugars are in so many of the products in the marketplace. I’ll share some sugar alternatives below but the below list calls out the multiple names we see sugar show up on labels as and many of these are highly processed.

High Fructose Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Sucrose, Sucralose, Glucose, Monosaccharide, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Stevia, Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Disaccharide, and many more.

Does this mean you can never buy a package of Oreos ever again because it has 50+ ingredients including multiple added sugars? Absolutely not. Remember this is about helping you understand what is in the food you put in your body. It’s okay to eat Oreo’s when you feel like eating Oreo’s.

First thing to do when you want to start eating more whole foods:

It’s really easy to get overwhelmed when wanting to move towards a healthy lifestyle. And overwhelm usually doesn’t end well. So let’s talk about baby steps. You absolutely do not need to throw everything away in your pantry that doesn’t fall into the clean eating category. As ingredients run out, let’s start to swap them with their healthier counterparts (more about that below). Taking this baby step method will make the transition less expensive & less overwhelming!

Speaking of breaking the bank. With health trends on the rise, many grocery store chains are creating generic versions of the alternatives I’m about to share. The perk of this is generic brands typically sell for less! Costco has picked up lots of whole food alternatives. Thrive Market is another resource for purchasing discounted swaps.

Ready to get started? Let’s Swap this for That

If you are curious how to use the swap ingredients.

White Flour:

White flour is a refined carb, it has been stripped of almost all of it’s nutrients. For this reason it’s considered as empty calories with little nutrient value. When we eat foods with low nutrient value our brain & body don’t recognize that we are full as our nutrient/ fuel tanks have not been filled. This can cause us to overeat as our body still thinks we are hungry.

Try these instead:

Whole Wheat Flour : Unlike White flour that is striped of nutrients, whole wheat flour is actually made by grinding the wheat kernel in it’s entirety into a flour. It’s a good source of protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals
1:1 Gluten Free Flour : Typically made with rice flour. This acts as a 1:1 replacement for white flour.
Other Gluten Free Alternative Flours: Cassava Flour, Coconut Flour, Almond Flour, Oat Flour Tapioca Flour: Gluten Free Flours offer additional health benefits such as protein, fiber vitamins & minerals. The one caveat is you cannot simply switch these out 1:1 with white flour in recipes as the makeup of these flours bake and cook differently. But They can almost always be swapped out 1:1 with one another.

Sugar

Sugar, in all forms, is a simple carbohydrate that the body converts into glucose and uses for energy. But the effect on the body and your overall health depends on the type of sugar you’re eating, either natural or refined. Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. The outcome is the list of hidden sugars I shared above. Refined sugars are broken down quickly by our bodies, causing our blood sugar to sky rocket. Usually followed by a crash. Natural sugars are the sugars found in fruits, vegetables, dairy, and honey. They contain the nutrients natural to the plant, which makes them a better alternative.

Maple Syrup : Maple syrup is an unexpected source of essential minerals, including calcium, zinc, magnesium and potassium
Raw Honey : Honey contains a number of antioxidants
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar retains some of the nutrients found in the coconut palm, like minerals, iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium. It also contains a fiber called inulin, which can slow glucose absorption
Non Cooking alternatives: While you might not keep these on hand, when reading labels these more natural forms of sugar are better choices than cane sugar: Monk Fruit, Agave Nectar, Date Syrup.

Cooking Oils

Canola & vegetable (corn, soy & palm) oils are common because they are affordable. For the most part, canola oil is highly refined & goes through an extreme chemical process to be made. It is also a rich source of omega-6 fats, which is correlated to to inflammation if heavily consumed.

Avocado oil is rich in healthy fats, enhances the absorption of important nutrients, can reduce the symptoms of arthritis, reduces cholesterol, and improves heart health.
Olive oil is probably the best-known of the healthy alternatives to canola oil. Like avocado, it’s rich in healthy fats, plus it has large amounts of antioxidants and has strong anti-inflammatory properties. It protects against strokes and heart disease.
Coconut oil shares many of the properties of avocado and olive oils.
Ghee – Great alternative for Butter when cooking, more about this in the dairy section.

Dairy

Dairy: When talking about dairy this includes milks, butter, butter, cheese, yogurt and any of your other favorite dairy products.

If choosing dairy: Organic, whole milk dairy products have more healthy omega-3 fats than conventional dairy and when you’re buying organic, you can be sure no GMOs, antibiotics, or chemical pesticides were used in their production. On top of that, cows raised on organic farms have to pasture their cows for at least 120 days a year. Grass-Fed or Pasture Raised dairy is really great. You can read more about this below in the beef section.
Alternative Milks: Try Oat Milk, Almond, Coconut or other nut milks like cashew or macadamia these all have added nutrients. one word of advise is to read your labels and make sure your not seeing a bunch of added sugar or other additives.
Sheep or Goats: Cows milk & sheep/goats milk stack up fairly evenly. One reason you might choose one of these alternatives is that because of it’s profile, goat & sheeps milk is easier to digest.
Ghee: While ghee and butter share similarities from a taste perspective, Ghee doesn’t contain lactose as the milk proteins have been removed.

Condiments & Sauces

Americans live on condiments. I’m guilty of loving a good dip, but our beloved store bought & mainstream condiments and sauces usually contain a large amount of sugar & not the natural kind. They are also commonly high in sodium & might contain other additives. But no biggie, I’ve got the swaps you’ve been looking for.

One thing to know when reading labels on any and all products at the grocery store. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. This means the ingredient listed first on a food label occurs in the highest quantity in the product, and the ingredient listed last is the most minimal, so keep that in mind especially when a sugar based ingredient is listed first!

Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos is a gluten & soy free alternative to Soy Sauce. It’s also significantly lower in sodium than Soy sauce. If going soy free is not a concern, Tamari is a gluten free alternative to Soy as well.
Ketchup & Mustard: Mustards are usually a fairly clean condiment on it’s own, but keep an eye out for sneaky sugars in honey mustard. Most popular brands (Kraft, Hunts, etc) of ketchup contain excessive added amounts of sugar – usually high fructose corn syrup.. There are great brands in the market now that are using reduced added sugar or dates and other forms of natural sugar. these brands include: Tessemaes, Primal kitchen, Annies, & Sir Kensingtons to name a few.
For a homemade ketchup check out this recipe.
BBQ & Buffalo Sauces: Check out brands like Franks Red Hot, TesseMae’s, The New Primal, Primal Kitchen, & Thrive Market. When looking at store bought sauces, remember the rule of thumb that less ingredients are better.
For a homemade buffalo sauce check out this recipe.
Dressings & Dips: Dressing, especially our beloved ranch or other creamy dressings typically have a dairy base with other additivities. Vinaigrettes are usually made with low quality oils when buying these from the grocery store. First, I have to say that Homeade dressing are VERY easy & can last up to 7 days in the fridge. I’ll link a few below. Store bought brands to keep an eye out for: Whole30, Tessemaes, Primal Kitchen, Annies, Sir Kensigntons.
For a homemade ranch check out this recipe.
For a homemade honey mustard check out this recipe.
For a homemade creamy balsamic check out this recipe.
Queso: To eliminate dairy from your diet, check out cashew based quesos. Trader Joes has one in the refrigerated section, The Honest Brand & Siete Foods are other alternatives.
Salsa Like most foods on this list, salsas can be full of sneaky sugars. Check your labels for basic ingredients like: tomatoes, chiles, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, onions, etc.
Pasta Sauces: The basic point is that you want to look at the ingredient list on the jar, and know each and every ingredient as something you would/could purchase separately to cook with at home. An example ingredient list might include: tomatoes, olive oil, onions, fresh basil, salt, garlic, black pepper, oregano.
A few brands I enjoy for Marinara, ingredient list may vary by flavor: Muir Glen, Whole Foods 365, Target Brand, & Thrive Market.
Pesto: traditional pesto contains cheese, so if you are okay with dairy most pestos are free of extreme additives. If you are looking for a dairy free version, Trader Joes’s Vegan Pesto is nothing but clean ingredients & freezes well!
For a homemade marinara check out this recipe.
For a homemade pesto check out this recipe.
For a homemade creamy alfredo check out this recipe
Mayo: Traditional Mayo is an oil & egg based spread. It is usually created using processed oils like canola or vegetable which leads it be being high in trans fat, deeming it “unhealthy”. With the right ingredients Mayo can actually be considered a healthy fat. Look for Mayonnaise with an avocado or olive oil base. My favorite brand is Sir Kensington Avocado Mayo.
For a homemade Mayo check out this recipe.
Nut Butters – how many times in this post will I say “sneaky sugars”? Too many, and it’s sadly because the corporate food producers add them into everything. When shopping for peanut butter, this is an item you WANT to buy organic as peanuts are one of the most heavily sprayed crops.
With peanut butter or nut butter, look for 2 ingredients or less: Nut, salt.
Spice Blends: spice blends can be found full of additives & high in sodium. If you have a full spice cabinet with single ingredient spices it’s very easy to mix up your own blends. There are also a lot of brands like Primal Palate that sell additive free spice blends.

Animal Proteins

Studies show that organic & grass fed meats & products not only encompass greater health benefits for the consumer but the label also indicates environmental benefits as well. There aren’t many times you will hear me preach about organic labeling (more about this below), but sustainably raised meats are somewhere I believe we can really do our part.

Beef:
What to look for on the label: Organic, means the animal was raised on a certified organic pasture, and fed a diet of feed that was not sprayed with synthetic pesticides. Grass-fed, the animal ate a diet of grass only as opposed to feed. Grass fed meat is significantly higher in Omah -3s. Certified Humane: This indicates the animals were humanely raised and antibiotics were only used when the animals were sick.
Pork: Free-Range & when buying cured meats like bacon look for no sugar added or No Nitrates/Nitrates Added.
Chicken:
What to look for: Chicken carrying the organic seal or label (regulated by USDA) mean the chicken has been fed only certified organic feed. The chicken is also free-range & and has not been given antibiotics. Pasture-Raised also means they were raised primarily outdoors.

Eggs:
What to look for: Organic- this only refers to the organic diet hens were fed, and nothing about their living quarters, so pair organic with our next label. Pasture Raised plus a stamp that say “Certified Humane” and/or “Animal Welfare Approved,” it means that each hen was given 108 square feet of outdoor space, as well as barn space with free-reign. Here is what you can ignore: Cage-free – this simply means that the chickens were not in cages, but their living quarters are still confined in a facility with no outdoor access. Free-Range: these chickens might have access to the outdoors but it doesn’t mean they actually use it. Hormone Free & No Added Antibiotics – This label doesn’t mean much as hormones & steroids are banned by the FDA.
Fish: buy Wild Caught

Drink More Water!

Swap out sugary juices and drinks for flavored sparkling water, kombucha, or unsweetened tea.

Do I have to buy organic?

Buying and eating organic can be expensive, but on the other side of the coin it can limit your exposure to extra pesticides & toxins used by growers so trying to buy organic when your budget allows is a good idea.. Luckily, Each year the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization, releases a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce that lists fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residues. The produce is tested after it’s brought home from the grocery store and washed, just like you would do at home. This makes it super easy for us to prioritize when to buy organic. The below is the most recent (2021) list of foods you should buy organic.

Strawberries
Spinach
Kale
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Pears
Tomatoes
Celery
Potatoes

This post has all the information you need and more. I’d love to hear what foods you are swapping out and what steps you are taking in your kitchen or tips you can share with others on what has worked for you in transitioning to healthier alternatives. Leave a comment below or come drop me a line over on Instagram!

Chiropractic the Ultimate Self Care

January 12, 2021 by Impact Chiropractic

So many people nowadays spend hundreds to thousands of dollars per year on self-care without realizing that they are not getting the full benefits from their session. A huge thing that we don’t think about is that our nervous system not functioning properly can alter how our body responds to self-care.

The nervous system controls everything your body does from walking, digestion, pumping blood to sleeping. There is nothing in the body that can function without proper input and output through the many nerves and the brain that make up the nervous system. So what happens when the nervous system is not working properly? Muscles won’t respond normally, organs and systems will start to disfunction and your body will only get a small portion of benefit in all the care you give it.

Meditation

Who has experienced not being able to shut off your brain in meditation and ending the session with stress still underlying? Can you imagine meditating and being able to fully shut off your brain completely, and you come out of the experience completely calm? Adding chiropractic to your self care allows your brain to remain calm and release any anxiety. This helps you get the most of your personal time while in meditation.

Massage

Who has experienced paying 100 dollars for a massage and getting great relief but then having your muscles lock up on you again a few days later? Can you imagine being able to hold your massage and getting the benefits long term? Adding chiropractic care allows your muscles to respond and function at full capacity. You will be able to fully enjoy the benefits of the massage as muscles release, relax and return to full functioning.

Naps

Who has experienced waking up from a nap feeling worse than before? Or you feel like your body isn’t able to fully fall asleep. Can you imagine being able to lay down for a nap and fall asleep instantly, then wake up refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day? Adding chiropractic care into your self-care routine allows you to fully reach REM cycles. This allows you to fully refuel your body and mind waking up refreshed and ready to take on your day.

Chiropractic is the perfect self care in order to make sure your body is keeping up with your fast paced lifestyle. It allows you to handle stress better and keep all aspects of your health high functioning. It also allows you to enhance your other self care practices

Diving into Neurodevelopmental Disorders

July 30, 2020 by Impact Chiropractic

In today’s current world there is a trend being seen with one in four kids growing up with neurodevelopmental disorders. These disorders are hard to diagnose due to the varying degree and severity of symptoms. Leading to many kids getting misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

Neurodevelopmental disorders are classified as sensory processing disorder. This is seen when the function of the nervous system is altered where the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes in through the senses. This can present in a lot of different ways including delayed development, incorrect responses to tasks or questions, inability to focus or sit still, forgetfulness, tantrums, colic, digestion issues, asthma, allergies, ect.

Another category of the neurodevelopmental disorders is ADHD in which the body actually gets overstimulated and goes into exhaustion. Due to this, the body responds to all stimuli by overworking the musculoskeletal system as its defense mechanism. This can cause symptoms like attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.

The big issue with all these kids is dysregulation of the nervous system.

In our nervous system we have two different modes that we can live in; a parasympathetic mode aka the brake pedal and then a sympathetic model aka the gas pedal. Your body ideally should stay in the parasympathetic mode where the body promotes growing, digestion, and rest. While the sympathetic mode is only needed for when the body is put in danger and you get an adrenaline rush. A huge thing that we see with these kiddos is they can get overwhelmed and stuck into this gas pedal mode. This can take all their energy and put it towards excessive muscle movement and prevent them from actually getting to digest food, rest, and develop.

Chiropractors are specifically trained to detect any nervous system disruptions that are present in kiddos. The spine actually encases the spinal cord and nerves come out at every single level of the spine. Misalignments in the spine can alter how the nervous system functions in many ways. It can alter how a sensation is perceived, how then the sensation is processed, and can alter the body response to be different. Also having these issues in the spine will lead to being the stimulation of the fight or flight mode. Leading to dysfunction and miscommunication in the body. The main goal of chiropractic is to relieve any stress on the nervous system in order to process information better and have a higher overall function level in the body.

The leading cause of this dysfunction in the nervous system is stress. When looking at kiddos there are three forms of stress that affect their body which include physical, emotional, and chemical. Physical stress is the most commonly thought of when looking at kids. Normal kids as they grow and develop are running around and falling down 20 times a day, affects their spine and nervous system. Another physical stress that is not often thought about is birth trauma. The process can be beautiful and natural but can be a lot for a little baby’s body. Up to 60-120 pounds of traction is applied to the baby’s neck and spine during a natural vaginal birth with a doctor assisting head out. This causes trauma in the spine and in turn the nervous system. Emotional stress includes any family, school, or relationship issues. Kids may not be able to know exactly what is going on but can get worked up and put their bodies into a stressed and sympathetic mode. Lastly, chemical stress is anything that kids eat or put on their body, that the body in turn has to process.

For these kids it is important to get their nervous system checked allowing them the best environment in order to develop to their fullest potential and handle all the day to day stress. Get them out and exercising to help their body develop needed motor skills to allow full development. Good nutrition is always needed in order to fuel the body and grow new cells.

Wondering if chiropractic care is right for you child? Learn more about pediatric care at Impact Chiropractic.

At-Home Ergonomics

May 13, 2020 by Impact Chiropractic

Ergonomics of Sitting

As the years go by, our society has become more and more sedentary. Currently what that means for the majority of the population is sitting 5 days a week for 40 hours as demanded by their jobs. If you haven’t heard yet, sitting is the new smoking. It may be hard to think that sitting for long periods could actually be an occupational health hazard due to the lack of muscles and effort that is needed. We will dive into how it really does affect your body and how to prevent sitting from impacting your health by implementing proper at-home ergonomics.

How is Sitting Harmful

Sitting can affect circulation

A fixed working position squeezes the blood vessels in the muscles, reducing the blood supply to the working muscles just when they need it the most. Insufficient blood flow can also lead to blood pooling, especially in the lower legs. Pressure on the underside of the thighs from a seat that is too high can further aggravate this. The result can be swollen or numb legs and eventually varicose veins.

Sitting can make your body prone to injury

Although sitting involves less muscular effort than other physically demanding jobs, it still causes fatigue within the body. Sitting requires the muscles to hold the trunk, neck, and shoulders in a fixed position. An insufficient blood supply accelerates fatigue and makes the muscles prone to injury when trying to go from sitting to performing simple tasks such as lifting, bending, and exercising.

Sitting can decrease mobility

Limited mobility, seen in individuals who undergo prolonged sitting, contributes to injuries in the parts of the body responsible for movement: the muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. We see sitting reduces the body’s movement and makes muscles more prone to pull, cramp, or strain when suddenly stretched. Another factor is the steady, localized tension on certain muscles of the body. The neck and lower back are the regions usually most affected.

Sitting can damage your spine

Sitting is seen to add a steady compression on the spinal discs that hinders their nutrition and can contribute to their premature degeneration. Poor posture while sitting can also alter the structural integrity of the spine encouraging degeneration to occur at a faster rate. As prolonged sitting continuously deteriorates the spine it is seen more and more stress is in turn added onto the nervous system.

Common Poor Positions

The couch slouch

We all have done it before. Lounging on the couch, sitting right on the edge, our spine curved and our head supported on the back edge. This specific posture affects the spine severely. The largest aspect is the fact that a lot of compression is added into the disks that render their function of support and cushion purposeless. The structural integrity is also compromised as the spines’ natural curves are forced into unnatural positioning. The added effect of doing work on a laptop in this position adds more strain to the neck and altering the curvature in that region as well.

The crosser

We all know who is guilty of this. The individual that sits in the car, on the couch, and in the restaurant with one leg crossed under the other. The positioning of the leg has the biggest effect in the pelvic region. This causes the pelvis to rotate putting stress on the spine that sits on top of it. With the pelvis always being rotated in one specific position it starts to stay crooked, causing tension in ligaments and muscles that attach on and around the area.

Ergonomics

Positioning

For proper home ergonomics, feet need to be placed flat on the floor to support the legs. Back needs to be straight with shoulders back allowing the spines natural curves to support the body. The screen needs to be raised in order to meet at eye level and take any strain off of the neck. For each major joint such as the hips, knees, and elbows the positioning is best when they are at a range close to 90 degrees.

Varying these positions is the essence of “good sitting”. So, a good sitting position is one that allows an individual to change their body positions frequently and naturally within acceptable parameters, and when they want without being restricted by the work station.

Support

When setting up your workstation, books or a platform can be put under the monitor in order to get the screen at eye level. If you are working on a laptop it is recommended to put the laptop on the platform at eye level and purchase a separate keyboard for you to type on. A fully adjustable chair is necessary so that positioning can accommodate the wide variation in individual sizes to allow for both elbows and knees to sit at 90 degrees. If needed, a platform can be put under the feet to allow for feet to be placed flat under the legs. If sitting in your chair has uncomfortable cushions underneath, you can help to soften the surface or a lumbar support can be used to allow a more comfortable good posture.

Ready to start improving your posture and working on your spinal health? Schedule an appointment to start your journey to better health!