Is slouching that bad for you? – part 1
We spend the vast majority of our time in static positions — either sitting or standing — when the temptation to slump and sag is just too great. Most of us know from experience that sitting hunched in front of a computer or driving wheel can lead to a stiff, painful back and shoulders.
But in this blog article and the next three, I want to explain how poor posture can lead to other health problems . . .
It may raise your blood pressure….
The usual risk factors for high blood pressure are age, being overweight, smoking and chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. But scientists now think slouching may trigger it, too. This is because there is a link between neck muscles and the area of the brain that helps regulate blood pressure. In a study published in 2007, neuro-scientists at the University of Leeds found that when cells in the neck muscles sense the neck is moving, they send a signal to that area of the brain. The theory is that this helps ensure adequate blood supply when we change posture, for example from sitting to standing.
But if the neck muscle cells become damaged or pressured through stooping and slumping, this could trigger problems with blood pressure, suggests Professor Jim Deuchars, the scientist who led the study.
He adds that this might explain why some people who suffer whiplash injuries notice a change in their blood pressure — sometimes it’s higher, sometimes lower.
‘It’s possible that poor posture, which compresses the neck muscles, may be involved in high blood pressure, too, but more research is needed.’
Related Posts
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries, which involves trauma to the ankle ligament. A sprain occurs when one or more of your ligaments have been stretched, twisted or torn, usually as a result of excessive force being applied to a joint. They often occur if you change direction or speed suddenly, fall and land awkwardly or collide with an object or person – such as when playing sports. If you have ever sprained your ankle, then you will probably remember the initial pain, the considerable swelling and bruising. The swelling from a sprain will often occur soon after the injury, but the bruising may not show until later or it may not show at all. Bruising can sometimes occur some distance from the affected joint, as blood from the damaged tissue seeps along the muscles and around the joint before coming close to the skin. It should be noted that ankle sprains take at least 12 weeks to heal. When to visit your GP? Most ankle sprains are relatively minor and can be cared for by self-treatment. However, you should visit your GP if you think you have a sprain and:
- the pain is particularly severe
- you cannot move the injured joint or muscle
- you cannot put any weight on the injured limb, or it gives way when you try to use it
- the injured area looks crooked or has unusual lumps or bumps (other than swelling)
- you have numbness, discolouration or coldness in any part of the injured area
- the symptoms have not started to improve within a few days of self-treatment
- Rest your ankle.
- Ice (wrap ice cubes in a tea towel) and hold over the ankle for 5 - 20 minutes every 2 hours for 2-3 days, then daily for the next 3 days.
- You can then bandage the ankle in a figure 8 with the heel in the centre of the figure 8, with a compression or elastic bandage.
- Finally you should elevate your ankle to reduce the blood flow to the area, for the first 24 hours.
- Circle your ankle clockwise repeat 3 times
- Circle your ankle anti-clockwise repeat 3 times
- Lie down on your back, point your foot and your toes and then bend your foot up the ceiling and the same time straighten your toes - repeat 3 times.
- Now sit on a char and draw the alphabet in the air with your foot this will move your ankle full a range of movement.
- Once you have your full range of movement back, then you can start increasing your proprioception. You can stand on a pillow on one leg (your affected ankle), and build up the time until you feel that you stability is the same in both your legs.
Do self hypnosis CD’s really boost resilience?
As things are now back to full swing after the summer holiday, and before things get too budy, I wanted to share with you a piece of research that while being 3 years old is still highly relevant. Researchers were looking at the effectiveness of listening to self-administered hypnosis stress reduction CD's to boost resilience. Eleven subjects took part in the study, all healthy, normally coping and functioning individuals - were provided with a self-administered hypnosis stress reduction CD, to be used for a minimum of 5 days a week over a 12 week period. The CD contained two different hypnosis tracks, one to be played before sleep (25 minutes in duration) and the other to be played in the morning (lasting 7 minutes). The aim of the CD was to recondition the stress response, by minimising the participants "excessive emotional and physical reaction to perceived work and life stressors, while facilitating their coping skills and resilience." Chronic stress and anxiety have been associated with inflammatory changes in the body, and high level of inflammation have been lined to a number of acute and chronic conditions. Blood tests were used to measure the level of inflammatory response and self-reported measures (using the StressScan assesment) were taken pre and post intervention. While the study size is small, it provides some suggestive evidence that a self-administered stress reduction program that is time efficient may be clinically effective for modifying the stress response and boosting resilience. Reference Schoen M and Nowack K (2013) Reconditioning the stress response with hypnosis CD reduces the inflammatory cytokine IL-6 and influences resilience: a pilot study. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 2013; 19 83-88 http://www.ctcpjournal.com/article/S1744-3881(12)00088-6/abstract
Start eating prebiotics to reduce stress levels
When we are under pressure, stressed or anxious our bodies react, for some people this means they develop tension in the neck & shoulders, for others they get butterflies in their stomach or their digestive system becomes more sensitive. Stress messes with your they bacteria in your gut and creates a viscous circle that makes stress and anxiety attacks even worse. While we are all familiar with probiotics or good bacteria which you can buy in tablet form in health food shops or are added to yogurts. What you may be less familiar with are prebiotics which are the "food" for the good bacteria in your gut. Prebiotics can undo the impact stress has on the gut. They are found in plant fibers like
- raw chicory root
- raw Jerusalem artichoke
- raw garlic
- raw leeks
- raw asparagus
- raw and cooked onions
