SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 19, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Phillips Chiropractic Nutrition and Wellness is educating patients about the importance of good posture for preventing back pain and health problems. Individuals with poor posture – slumping or slouching while standing, for example – are compressing the lumbar spine and straining the cervical spine. Accumulated spinal stress causes back pain, neck pain, and other chronic pain conditions. Dr. Donald Phillips, DC is reminding patients that it's never too late to improve their posture. Simple ergonomic changes, postural correction, and chiropractic exercises can help, says the chiropractor.
Poor posture now can set individuals up for a lifetime of chronic pain and health problems, according to San Antonio chiropractor Dr. Donald Phillips. The chiropractor explains that postural problems compress the lumbar spine and strain the cervical spine, which are major contributing factors for chronic back pain and neck pain.
"Poor posture can have a significant impact on overall health, no matter our age," said Dr. Phillips. "This includes children who wear heavy backpacks and office workers with bad chairs or poor workstation ergonomics. Even your sleep posture at night can affect your wellbeing."
But it's not all bad news, says Dr. Phillips. The chiropractor says it's never too late to improve posture and minimize the risk for chronic pain.
Small changes to the workspace can have a big impact on worker health. For example, Dr. Phillips recommends adjusting the height an office chair so that feet are flush with the floor. He says the phone and keyboard at a desk should also be in easy reach. These changes help to prevent spinal compression and reduce the risk for back problems, explains the chiropractor.
"When we spend long hours hunched over a laptop keyboard or leaning forward to see the computer screen we can strain the neck and compress the lower back," said Dr. Phillips. "Working 40+ hours a week in an office environment without proper ergonomic support is a recipe for health problems."
Dr. Phillips says it's not just office workers who need to improve posture. Parents should also be aware that if their young children are carrying overweight backpacks, this can also lead to health problems.
"Heavy backpacks, especially those without adequate shoulder strap support and weight distribution, can strain the developing spine," said Dr. Phillips. "Parents should ensure that their children use two padded straps for proper weight distribution, rather than carrying a backpack on only one strap."
The San Antonio chiropractor says both adults and children can benefit from gentle, hands-on chiropractic adjustments to ensure proper spinal alignment and minimize the risk for recurring back and neck pain. Corrective care exercises can also help, including core strengthening exercise that make it easier to sit up straight with an engaged core.
In addition to postural correction, Dr. Phillips Chiropractic Nutrition and Wellness provides chiropractic adjustments, nutrition counseling and wellness care.