Breese Chiropractor | Breese chiropractic care | IL | Wellness Tips

These simple movements or daily routines can end up hurting you if you're not careful. Make sure to do these simple activities the right way as outlined below:

Standing

Posture. Posture. Posture. Make sure that you keep your chin up and don't slouch. If you know that you are going to be standing for a long period of time, make sure that you wear comfortable shoes.

Working at a Desk

Make sure that you are getting up every 20 minutes to stretch. The type of chair you have is extremely important. It should fit you correctly so that your back touches the chair and your feet are on the floor with knees at a 90 degree angle. Try to avoid looking down at your computer screen. It should be at eye level. Your elbows should be supported when working on with your mouse. Holding your arm and elbow up and unsupported causes muscle fibers to over-fire. Over time, that burning you feel in your neck and shoulders will nearly always lead you to get help. Very painful!

Sitting

Make sure you have a chair that is supportive. When you are forced to sit for a long period of time, for instance at a desk job, make sure to get up and stretch every 20 minutes. Sit with your back against the chair, feet firmly on the floor. Do not cross your legs.

Lifting

Lifting objects is one of the most common ways to injure yourself. Even if it is a light object, twisting or pulling in the wrong direction when you're not stretched out can have a damaging effect on muscles and the spine. You always want to bend at the knees and avoid lifting anything you know is too heavy. Also, avoid reaching to the left or right while rotating your trunk. This can cause the most common injury in our office, the dreaded Sacro-Iliac dysfunction or SI joint fix.

Overall Physical Activity

If you know that you are going to be working or playing for a while, make sure that you are adequately stretched out and warmed up. Even if it's something light like gardening or just pushing your child on a bike, it's easy to pull something if you're not warmed up.

Talking On The Telephone

If you're forced to use the telephone for a long period of time, a speaker or a headset is a must. By all means try to avoid cradling the phone between your neck and your shoulder as this could cause you to damage the muscles or vertebrae in that area.

Resting or Sleeping

Straining your neck or back while you're sleeping is a very common occurrence. We often fall asleep in strange positions where we are not supported properly or our necks are at an odd angle. Make sure that if you are going to nap or watch tv in bed, that you are in a supportive position. Get a good, reliable mattress. You don't need anything fancy. A standard comfortable mattress will do. No need to buy fluffy, expensive sewn on tops. Run to Walmart or Target and pick up a fitted soft top or foam top. You can clean them and fluff them avoiding dips that can cause a "hammock" syndrome where the back is cupped instead of supported. A fresh pillow every year is a must. If you are "balling up" or rolling your pillow to sleep, it is time to replace it!  We stock an assortment of travel pillows, support pillows and even water based pillows. Ask Dr. Smith which one is best for you.