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In the last post we discussed stretching on the job, which, when done correctly, should not get you in trouble with the boss. However, more humans than ever are seeking out electronic entertainment from the comfort of the couch, which means that after a day of trauma in the workplace, the spine is subject to overly-plush couches or outdated recliner chairs which offer virtually no real support for the spine. The same principal applies at home: to prevent premature spinal degradation, we must be proactive to preserve a comfortable range of motion in the joints of the spine. A great way to do this is with simple yoga poses that can be performed in your living room during your next Netflix marathon. 

One of the most basic yoga moves is child’s pose, a full body exercise which:

• calms the mind and body
• Enhances respiratory function
• Increases circulation 
• Eases anxiety and stress, both physical and mental
• Lengthens and stretches the spine, relieving tension in the neck and back
• Stretches the hips, thighs and ankles.

As you are sitting through hours of television, you may not be aware of the tension accumulating in the different parts of the back. Break this tension with the child’s pose:

• Kneel on the floor with knees touching and buttocks resting on your heels. 
• Inhale deeply
• Exhale and rest your torso over your thighs, touching forehead to ground. 
• Lift buttocks slightly and stretch arms out over the head.
• Touch your palms to the floor until you feel a stretch in the shoulder blades. 

Hold this position for as long as feels comfortable. Try 1 minute at the end of every hour spent sedentary. We promise you will feel a difference. At Haynes Chiropractic, we want to help you unlock the secrets of spinal longevity and greater well-being. Being disciplined about stretching is a great place to start, especially if you have the advantage of an already “healthy spine.”

Dr. Jeffrey Haynes, D.C. 

Can you dedicate a few minutes out of every hour to keeping your body limber and inoculated against the worries of the workplace? It keeps your body free from the distraction of the pain, and increases circulation to all parts of the body including the brain, making you a more productive you. Whether its work or relaxation which has you dedicating your time to sitting, throwing in a stretch every now and again is the greatest way to ward off muscle tension and headaches.

Simple stretches include: 

• Shrugging your shoulders. Give them a wriggle and get creative: it’s all about the movement to defeat stagnation. 
• Put one leg over the other and gently twist in the opposing direction. Chances are you will feel this one all over: from core to hamstring, upper back and neck this stretch is a great reliever. Hold it for as long as feels comfortable, then repeat in the opposite manner. 
• Clasp your hands together in front of you with arms fully extended and palms facing outward. Stretch by pushing your fingers against the back of your hands. 
• Stretch the neck: ear down to shoulder, chin to chest, and looking up at the sky. Do all these gently and stop while you are still comfortable. 

These stretches barely take any time at all, but your body will thank you. Chiropractic is all about optimization, and that is why stretching in the workplace is so exciting. It is a microcosmic example of how the littlest factors can make the biggest difference in your health plan. For achieving spinal balance throughout all phases of the day, give our office a call. 

Dr. Jeff Haynes, D.C. 

Sitting on your backside all day in various forms of repose and poor posture can wreak havoc with weak backs. In lieu of the last blog, it is probably worth reminding people about good posture and a few simple ways to keep yourself accountable. Try to remind yourself that every time you catch yourself slumping or slouching and correct, you are making an investment in your overall well-being. 

• Feet flat on the ground. This is a test: how long can you last before you cross your legs or adjust “comfortably,” yet crookedly in a chair. One thing that will help you stay grounded is keeping both feet flat on the floor. 
• Shoulders back. Draw back your shoulder blades and take a deep breath. You have relieved the pressure of slumping from the diaphragm and relieved shoulder tension at the same time. 
• Ears over shoulders: this maxim helps you remember not to lean toward the screen, as is the natural human impulse as the hours drag on. Whenever you can remember, hit the reset button so that you don’t strain the muscles in the neck and upper back. 
• Simply keep your butt back in the chair. This encourages you to also keep your back straight, using the chair as a rest. If you really want to up the ante, stick a rolled up sweater or small pillow in the low back to support the natural curvature of the spine. 

Stop leaving work reeling from the effects of 8 hours on a chair in front of a screen. Call our office to enact a proactive plan that will help keep you invested in your health and productivity by keeping the pain at bay. If your muscles are sore and stiff, we provide the hands-on therapy which will relieve tension and open them up to an influx of nutrients through enhanced blood flow. Chiropractic is essential for maintaining spinal balance and thereby regulating the function of the nervous system. Call our office and find out how we can help you today!

Dr. Jeff Haynes, D.C. 

It is not easy to pinpoint the source of a headache: while certain headaches certainly correspond to specific triggers, the majority of headaches are cumulative and specific to the individual: your headache is a manifestation of synergism between genetics, physical and mental health, environmental and other factors. While these are broad categories, the point is that there are innumerable factors pertaining to your headache. Managing the symptom by masking the pain is ineffectual; like procrastinating with any problem large or small, it is unsustainable. A factor that you may not immediately consider is posture, and it serves as a great case in point. 

For those deskbound workers, the office can be a barbaric place for the back. Without a proactive plan in place for stopping it, physical and mental stress is likely to accumulate and whether it be over a matter of days, weeks or months, the body is going to reach a breaking point. Persistently poor posture in the workplace contributes directly to headaches because it puts the spine out of balance. When we slouch down, or slump forward, we are putting a disproportionate amount of weight burden on the spine. The muscles, usually already in a state of weakness, are called on to compensate which often results in painful muscle spasms. Often times, this pain is referred from nerves in the neck to the head, manifesting as a headache. 

Treatment for chronic headaching must therefore be as cerebral in order to combat the wide range of irritants. Keeping muscles strong and the body limber is critical, because if you are going to put it through 8 hours of (mostly)sitting, it needs regular conditioning to combat the weakening that is happening. Learning to love posture is the next great step, because you spend most of the time sitting. And finally, learning to break the cycles of accumulating tension by stretching regularly on the job is a great way to stay headache-free. 

Before all this, we need to get you pain free. No health plan can be successfully implemented if your body is holding you back; we lend you a helping hand to get back to a pain threshold that is manageable so you can focus on living life to the fullest, both within the workplace and without. 

Dr. Jeff Haynes, D.C. 

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It has been said that sitting is the new smoking and to a certain degree it’s true: as a whole, we are sitting more than ever, with poor posture and the added strain of cell phones and computer screens causing us to crane our neck in all sorts of awkward positions. Creating and sustaining a “healthy level of activity,” means preserving the health of your body into old age and in this scenario, every movement is precious. At Haynes Chiropractic, we like to think that big changes start with the smallest of building blocks. If you are deskbound 9-5 and find yourself sitting in the evening to relax, we would like to motivate you to move, even for half an hour a day, to the benefit of your spine. 

When it comes to getting moving, why not start with walking? Walking encourages and provides your body with:

• Spinal balance, which also happens to be important in chiropractic philosophy.
• Improved circulation, getting your blood moving and moving oxygen and nutrients to parts of your body that are in need.
• Better range of motion, a result of more flexibility, which helps you stay strong against injury.
• Reduced pain, through endorphin release. Simply put, walking makes you happy and the body responds by producing more of the chemicals which make us feel that way.
• Fights stiffness, by freeing up the pressure and strain that accumulates from long days spent stagnant. 

If we can just sneak 30 minutes of walking into your daily routine, whether it be a pre-breakfast stroll or a post-dinner digestive walk, we believe you will naturally acquire a thirst for the healing properties you experience. From there, who knows what kind of success you can achieve down the line. If pain is holding you back from walking, give our office in Bakersfield a call. We provide you with chiropractic adjustment, therapeutic massage, spinal decompression and traction modalities that can help you shed the pain and get on your feet again. 

Dr. Jeff Haynes, D.C.