Women can face very specific posture related challenges that can lead to problems with back and neck pain. Following some simple advice can make all the difference.
Bags
Tim Hutchful, chiropractor and member of the British Chiropractic Association comments “Large handbags are a fashion must these days but can pose a risk to posture and could potentially cause or contribute to back problems. Large bags can weigh up to 3kgs before anything gets put in it and this only gets worse as it is loaded up!”
Tim’s top tips:
o The lighter you keep your bag the better, especially if you have to carry it about all day. The most important thing is to check the contents of your bag(s) each day and only carry those items you need for the day ahead – it is surprising how many people carry unnecessary weight each and every day.
o If buying a single strap bag, make sure the strap is long enough so you can wear the bag cross body, enabling you to keep the bag and it’s weight close to your body. Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed when carrying a bag in this way.
o Avoid holding a bag with long straps high up in the crook of your arm or down towards your knees as this will put an uneven load on your body.
o There is no ‘maximum’ weight for a bag, as it all depends on the size and strength of the person and the style of bag used. Bags that distribute weight more evenly across the back will put less strain on the body, so something like a rucksack is always best as long as it is carried on both shoulders and the straps adjusted so that the bag is held close to your back.
Heels
Research carried out at
Stanford University, USA found that high heeled shoes, along with additional weight, may contribute to an increased risk of osteoarthritis.
Tim says
“Our feet carry all of our weight and the shoes we chose have a lot to do with the way we walk and the pressure we put on the rest of the body. Feet need a surface which allows them to bend, grip and roll as you walk, which is difficult to do when constantly wearing heels. It would seem sensible to wear high heels only in moderation and look to lower the heel height you wear in order to avoid too many problems”.
Tim’s top tips:
o Tense your pelvic floor muscles. Keep your head upright and don’t stick your chest out.
o Put your shoulders back and chest in. Spread weight evenly over the whole shoe when walking.
o Don’t walk too fast, be elegant. If you think you’ll be in a hurry wear something flatter and more supportive and pop the heels in your bag.
Good footwear is important for your back health and soft-soled shoes that are supportive are the key. If you regularly wear high heels it is important to wear trainers or shoes with smaller heels from time to time.
Bras
According to Tim “Bras are like suspension bridges, you need a well engineered bra so your shoulders don’t take all of the strain and end up doing all of the work; spreading the load is important. Bras that don’t fit will affect the shoulders and chest and may cause back pain as you get older. It is so important to make sure a bra gives you enough support as possible. The message must be to get properly fitted for a bra and replace old ones when they start to lose their supportive properties ”.
Wardrobe
Tim tells us “Restrictive clothing like pencil skirts and skinny jeans can stop the body from moving freely so when you perform certain movements in tight clothes regularly, this can lead to injury. When choosing an outfit each day, variety is key – wearing the same type of outfit every day could be restricting the same part of your body, putting unnecessary strain on it – it’s important to share the load.”
Tim’s top tips:
o Keep your outfit styles varied: Try and avoid wearing the same outfit combination every day as this could restrict movement in certain areas of your body, which could then cause you injury.
o Try to match your clothes choices to the tasks of the day. Tight, restrictive clothing will cause you more problems if you are going to be doing a lot of lifting and carrying, for example.
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Beeston Chiropractic Clinic wins national quality award
Beeston Chiropractitc Clinic on Queens Road, Beeston, has been awarded the Patient Partnership Quality Mark (PPQM) by The Royal College of Chiropractors.
The PPQM is awarded to chiropractic clinics that demonstrate excellence in meeting patient expectations in a range of areas including accessibility, cleanliness and safety and patient communication. The decision to award the PPQM is made by a panel of patients and public who form the Royal College of Chiropractor’s Lay Partnership Group.
Principal Alex Newton is pictured receiving the award at a ceremony in London on 28th January from the Chair of the Royal College’s Lay Partnership Group, Mr Hew Helps.
Clinic Principal Alex said:
“The award of the Patient Partnership Quality Mark recognises this clinic’s commitment to meeting the expectations our patients have when they visit us for advice and treatment. Our aim is to continually improve our levels of service and we always welcome feedback from our patients to help us achieve this.”
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Cold, wintry weather is sweeping the UK. Icy roads and pavements mean potentially hazardous conditions underfoot and a rise in injuries caused by slips and falls.
It is quite natural, therefore, for us to be wary when walking outdoors and adopting our ‘ice walk’; the problem is that an unnatural walking posture could cause as many problems as the icy conditions themselves.
Tim Hutchful, from the British Chiropractic Association, offers some top tips to stay safe and adopt a better ‘ice walk’:
Best foot forward
– It is a good idea to have two pairs of shoes, one for walking in the ice and snow, the other for indoors or whilst driving.
– Waterproof or other, lined shoes are preferable as are thermal socks, as these items will help keep your feet warm. Cold, numb feet are less able to sense and adapt to changing conditions.
– Footwear should have a solid and large, raised treads on the sole; essential for maximising your grip on the ice.
– Shoes with support features are important – walking shoes with a firm ankle support are ideal as they help prevent you ‘going over’ on your ankle and help you feel more stable in slippery conditions. If shoes have laces, they should be firmly laced to give a close fit without limiting the circulation.
What to avoid…..Wellingtons can be practical, but they often don’t give enough support and can be difficult to take off. Also avoid walking outside in leather or other, smooth soled shoes.
Top Gear
– Clothing should be warm and allow you to move freely. Anything that impedes you from walking ‘normally’ could make you more prone to falling over or lead to you walking in an unnatural way.
Be Prepared
– There are things you can do to prepare yourself for better balance. Standing on one leg, as an exercise, is a great way to help improve your balance.
– When you are out and about, keeping your hands out of your pockets (use gloves) so that you can use your arms for better balance is a great idea too.
– Watch out for parts of the pavement that may have been in shadow or under trees, where there is more likely be black ice, but make sure you pay attention to what is ahead too!
Falling Gracefully
If you do fall, try and curl up and ‘roll’ with the fall and stay relaxed, this will minimise any jarring to your body. Whilst it may be an automatic reaction, try to avoid putting your hands out to save you – this may cause wrist injuries.
Keep Your Wits
Try to avoid alcohol. Not only will you be more prone to feeling the adverse effects of the cold (because alcohol causes loss of body heat) but it may also cause you to take risks that you wouldn’t normally do and, of course, make you more unsteady on your feet. Keep topped up with warm drinks to keep your temperature up.
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Looking for love this Valentine’s Day? New consumer research from the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) reveals that a perfect posture ranks highly on the attractiveness scale, with more than half (58%) stating that a good posture makes a potential partner more appealing.
Despite a perfect posture being high on the wish list for a perfect partner, almost a third (29%) of those people surveyed had been told they have bad posture.
Now the BCA is encouraging people to straighten up to help give them a chance of finding romance.
BCA chiropractor Rishi Loatey comments: “Maintaining a good posture is a major step in preventing back pain. When leading a busy lifestyle, the basic warning signs of back problems can go unnoticed but our survey showed that 40% of people are actively aware of their posture when they’re with someone else, so looking for love could be a great trigger to improving the way we hold ourselves.”
For those who have been told they have a bad posture, almost one in five (18%) admit that it bothered them and it seems the younger generation are the most self-conscious, with 24% of 16-24 year olds caring about what people think of their posture.
The picture changes across the UK; Glaswegians are effected the most with 27% concerned by others’ comments and this figure almost halves to 14% for those in Edinburgh. But it’s the Geordies who are the least bothered, with just one in ten (11%) phased by what people think of their posture.
“Out of those who received remarks about a poor posture, 30% spend the majority of their working day sitting, which is one of the biggest contributing factors to their less than perfect back and neck health,” added Loatey. “But you don’t have to be left on the shelf; there are lots of ways to help improve your posture.”
THE BCA’S TOP TIPS FOR A PERFECT POSTURE:
• Sit up straight & keep moving: Keep arms relaxed and close to the body and supported if possible if. Make sure the top of the screen is level with the eyebrows and the chair is titled slightly forward, allowing the knees to be lower than the hips and the feet to be flat on the floor. Try to limit yourself to forty-minutes sitting at a time and take regular breaks.
• Don’t drive yourself around the bend: There is almost twice as much pressure on your lower back when you are sitting incorrectly, than there is if you stand up. A relaxed and supported driving position reduces stress on the spine. Allow your seat to take your weight, make sure you are sitting as far back in the car seat as possible so it can support you fully.
• Get fitted: You need a well-engineered bra so your shoulders don’t take all of the strain and end up doing all of the work. Bras that don’t fit will affect the shoulders and chest and may cause back pain as you get older. Make sure your bra gives you enough support as possible.
• Footloose and fancy free: Good footwear is an essential part of having a good posture. Soft-soled, supportive shoes with good grip are recommended. If you’re a lover of high heels be sure to pack your flats for a night out and kick off your stilettos when sitting at your desk.
• At the end of the day: Try adopting a sleeping position that creates less physical stress on the back. For example, lay on your side and not on your front with your neck twisted. When you wake up, try some gentle stretches, before getting out of bed.
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This is a FREE class provided for you, your friends and family to help you to understand about maintaining a healthy spine.
It will explain what Chiropractic is and its role in maintaining health.
It will also touch upon exercise, posture and diet, and the importance each have when looking after your spine.
Come along with friends and family to find out how to maintain a healthy spine and claim thier discount voucher for their first visit (terms and conditions apply).
For more info please contact the clinic on 0115 9225085.
Places are limited so please book early.
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The fault on our system has now been resolved please call the clinic on 0115 9225085 for all future calls we apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
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Just to update you, we are having problem with our telephone system for which we apologise for any inconvenience. The main telephone number has now been diverted to another line so you should be able to now contact reception on this. However, there are currently no facilities to leave answer phone messages. We are hoping that the system will be back up and running some time on Monday. Thank you for your patients.
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We are currently experiencing problems with our phone line please call this temporary number 01159224478 – sorry for any inconvience
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Our next FREE spinal health care classes are on the 22nd of Jan and 2nd February 2015 at 7pm.
To find out how to maintain a healthy spine feel free to come along.
For more details please contact the clinic on: 0115 922 5085
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We are currently having difficulties with our phone line today. If you need to contact us please call the temporary line on 0115 9224478 or email reception reception@beestonchiropractic.co.uk or use the form on contact page. Thank you.
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