First and foremost today – Thank you for being a loyal reader!

I hope and trust you are staying well and staying energized.

Taking a different spin on waking up your spine and posterior chain muscles (backside).

Ever have a hard time standing up out of chair? This one is for you!

Can be done anywhere, anytime.

I’ve created this series of videos to help you stay healthy in body, and soul this week while everyone is stuck at home. I am sharing tips and strategies that I personally use daily and share with my practice members.  As always, I want to help you live your best life even in the midst of the challenge we currently face.

Life is about GROWTH, not retraction.

Foundation training is one of best spine friendly, movement enhancing exercises I’ve ever discovered.

It engages your body’s natural movement patterns and feels amazing!

It strengthens your core, frees up your hips and adds engaging strength to your low back.

Since we are all stuck at home, I thought I’d give you a series of things you can do simply at home to fend off the unwanted effects of the isolation process!

This is one exercise that I do during and after any prolonged sitting such as long drives, flights or desk work.

You can do this while sitting or standing. Try it both ways and see how it feels!

I’ve created this series of videos to help you stay healthy in body, and soul this wee while everyone is stuck at home.  I am sharing tips and strategies that I personally have learned and use and share with my practice members daily.  As always, I want to help you live your best life even in the midst of the challenge we currently face.

Life is about GROWTH, not retraction.

I LOVE my tech (technology). I love my iPhone and all the things that I can do with all of it. It’s incredible.

What I don’t like is the problems that it creates in our bodies. Tech neck is the effect or secondary condition of a primary problem – AHS (Anterior Head Syndrome).

In a normal spine, the head should align directly over the spine. In this position, the head is directly over the body’s center of gravity. The head is supported by a c-shaped curve formed by the vertebral bones in the neck. This curve acts as a shock absorber for our head with every movement we make. As a result of bad posture while sitting, standing, desk work, texting or using handheld devices, or because of an accident, or for any number of macro or micro traumatic reasons, a person’s posture will change such that their head is shifted forward from a neutral position.

For every one inch that your head shifts forward, the weight of your head doubles. This shift in head position means that the muscles of your neck and your upper back will need to work harder to hold your head up. This can cause neck and back pain, and muscle fatigue. Research has shown that blood flow through a muscle decreases as contraction increases, and is virtually cut off at 50-60% of continuous maximal contraction. Lack of blood flow results in buildup of lactic acid and other metabolites that cause muscle pain and soreness. If you find your upper back muscles fatigued and sore, with massage and only get temporary relief, then you may have Anterior Head Syndrome.

Anterior Head Syndrome can lead to many different conditions like temporomandibular joint dysfunction,

AHS – Anterior Head Syndrome may result in many different secondary conditions.

headaches, spinal decay, sinuses issues, dizziness, upper back pain, and so much more.

Tech Neck Awareness Month

One of the biggest concerns that NeuroStructural chiropractors have is that we are seeing AHS occurring in children and teens at alarming rates.  We are seeing spinal decay in teenagers that we would see in sixty year olds.  Take a look around at the school yard or mall, you’ll notice the rounded shoulders, head forward and lack of muscle tone in the upper and middle back.  Our children are aging faster than ever as a result of the use of technology.

So how do we keep ourselves and children safe, but still enjoy the use of technology?

Easing Your Tech Neck

Click on the image below to join our 30 Day Posture Reform Challenge!

Dr. Craig Hazel’s mission is to help families THRIVE. After graduating from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education, he went on to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas Texas. He is passionate about seeing children and families in his private practice at Synergy Chiropractic in Kanata Ontario. A sought after speaker, he has been featured regularly on TSN Team 1200, CTV and Rogers TV. He is also the Chairman of the Alliance for Chiropractic of Ontario.