Balance is important in life. Whether you are a weekend warrior, grandmother, child on a playground or moving around your yard, being able to move your body efficiently and carefully on different surfaces is critical to staying safe and upright.
We look at what has a huge impact on your ability to maintain good balance.
You know what I’m referring to. That ‘granny hump’ on the upper back that you’ve likely seen on people usually older than 50. Sadly, we are seeing it more and more in younger and younger people.
This week’s blog will answer some of the important questions regarding “Granny Hump”
What is it?
Why does it happen?
What can we do to get rid of it?
How do we get rid of it?
In order to understand what it is, we need to start with what a normal posture is.
From the front, the hips, shoulders and ears should all be level and the head should line up directly over the midline of the hips. From the side, the ear should line up over the shoulder; the shoulder over the hips; and the hips over the outside of the ankle. That’s what things look like on the outside. On the inside (via an x-ray), we should see a forward c-shaped curve in the neck, a backward c-shaped curve in the mid back and another forward c-shaped curve in the low back. In this position, the spine is in the strongest position possible and most importantly, the nervous system is free to move and is relaxed neuro-structurally.
The hump, technically referred to as Dowager’s Hump, can be the result of several bio-mechanical faults that come with a lack of maintenance. Our heads weigh between 12-14lbs on average. As the head translates (shifts) forward over the shoulders, it causes a reciprocal backward shift of the shoulders to compensate. The weight of the head is pulled down by gravity and we end up losing and gravity ends up winning Not good. We call this (AHS) Anterior Head Syndrome. AHS causes a myriad of secondary problems like TMJ dysfunction, headaches, neck pain, mid back pain, low back pain, cervicogenic vertigo, numbness and tingling into the arms and hands, and more.
As a result of this forward shift of the head, the ligaments and soft tissues on the back of the neck become weak, tired and irritated from constantly trying to keep the head up. In an effort to counter this, the body begins to lay down fat tissue in an effort to stabilize the tissues. Over time, the fat accumulates and the we see a hump emerge.
Left alone, the hump grows as we age and gravity pulls us further forward. The shoulders shift further back and the hips then move forward to counter the balance of the body and a ‘sway-back’ effect happens.
Other causes of the Dowager’s hump can be osteoporosis (softening of the bones causes compression fractures within the vertebrae), hemi-vertebrae (the vertebrae are malformed when they developed in the fetus), arthritides like Sheuermann’s disease. Regardless of the condition, the following exercises can help improve the posture and add strength to the system of joints and muscles.
We have to correct the posture and the Anterior Head Syndrome. We have to ensure that the proper neck curve is present and we have to be aware and cognizant of our posture always.
Try these exercises:
1. Wall Slides:
Great for strengthening the upper back
2. Chin Tucks:
Chin tucks
3. Thoracic extension exercises
Remedy for prolonged sitting
4. Seated cat/cow
Seated cat cow exercises are great to do every hour at work or school
5. Swimmers
Swimmers exercise
By working through this series of exercises, daily, you will strengthen the muscles of the upper back and neck to work on correcting your posture. Now truly, working the muscles and strengthening will help but only so far. Creating the spinal neuro-structural shifts takes time through proper alignment and neuro-structural corrective traction. If you find that after doing these exercises, you aren’t seeing a change in your postural alignment, then I recommend scheduling a consultation to determine whether a NeuroStructural shift or a loss of normal cervical curve in your spine is holding you back from getting rid of the Granny hump.
So you’ve got back pain. It’s altered your life, changed your daily activities, curbed your exercise, and maybe even made you a bit irritable. Now what? Well, it’s important to know you’re not alone. Nearly everyone will experience back pain at some point in their life. Thankfully we have a method of care to help you get back on your feet without the risks associated with medications and surgery. Chiropractic! Research has shown that adjustments help over 90% of people recover from back pain.
Recovering from a back injury can be mentally tough. Many of us don’t realize what we take for granted until an injury alters our perspective. But with the correct evidence-based care, you will be back and better than ever in no time. Over the past few years, there have been considerable advancements in our understanding of the best treatments for back pain.
Here are a few of the latest research updates:
When recovering from a back injury it’s important to keep a positive attitude, stick with your care plan, and avoid “pushing” through the pain. Your body is designed to heal naturally, without the need for drugs and surgery. Our chiropractic team will work with your bodies natural healing instinct to create a specific care plan andhelp you get your life back.
To find out more about the NeuroStructural difference click here
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.
Spinal discs play an essential role in your low back, acting as small shock absorbers and giving you the ability to move in many different directions. Your discs are comprised of two major parts- an outer ring of cartilage which provides support and a jelly-like center that facilities motion. As age and injuries catch up with us, the disc can herniate. A herniated disc is when the middle (the jelly) of the disc breaks through the outer wall irritating a spinal nerve and causing severe pain in your back or leg. Researchers have found this most often occurs between the ages of 35-50.
Disc herniations can be a source of back pain
Almost everyone knows someone who has suffered from pain caused by a herniated, slipped, or bulging disc. The pain can be so intense that many people think surgery is the only way to correct it. Well, we have good news. Research has shown people who choose chiropractic adjustments had the same amount of relief as those who chose surgery! And what about those medications that mask the pain but fail to correct the problem? Well, research has shown chiropractic adjustment to be significantly better than many of the common drugs prescribed for back pain. Here are some take away points:
– Top-research journal, SPINE, has recommended the use of adjustments for back pain
– Chiropractic adjustments were shown to provide significantly more relief than medications
– Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be just as effective as surgery for taking care of herniated discs
Next Steps: Your spinal discs stay healthy by having strong muscular support and a full range of motion. Keep your spine stabilizing muscles healthy by committing to daily exercise. And what about maintaining a full range of motion? It’s easy! Chiropractic adjustments gently and effective help restore proper range of motion in your neck, mid-back, and low back. When your spine is moving well with appropriate support- you are going to be feeling great!
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.
