Improving Posture: A Oklahoma City, OK and Surrounding Areas Chiropractor’s Perspective
As a chiropractor for 22 years, Dr. Alvin Philipose has a mission to help people live the healthiest lives they can live. To live a healthy life, it is essential to have a healthy nervous system, the master system of the human body that controls all other bodily functions. The only way that the nervous system can function at its truly optimal level is to be free of stress, and this can only be achieved through healthy alignment, posture, and movement of the spine. Posture is the “window” to the spine, meaning you can tell how healthy someone’s spine is just by looking at their posture. When the spine is in good posture, the spinal cord and attached nerves are completely relaxed and can have clear communication to the brain and out to the rest of the body. This allows for an optimally healthy life.
So what does good posture look like? When you look at the human body from the side, there should be a straight line that extends from the ankle up through the knee, the hip, the shoulder, and the ear. This ensures a balanced center of gravity and allows for the least amount of stress applied to the spine. The curves of the spine are designed to absorb pressure from the weight of the head plus the force of gravity, so it is vital that the head is directly over the shoulders. The hips being directly below the shoulders ensures that the core and gluteal muscles are engaged and not turned off, which causes the pelvis to drift forward. When you look at posture from the front, you want to see balance from left to right in the pelvis, chest, shoulders, and head. Any left or right deviation can cause unequal stress to the spine, which can contribute to both spinal misalignment and poor muscle balance.
The benefits of good posture are countless. Improving your posture can lead to decreased pain in the hips, lower back, middle back, upper back, and neck, fewer headaches, and countless other health benefits as well. It is important to understand that as we age, we are heading in one of two possible directions. If we carry poor posture into our later years, it can lead to a loss of independence at an earlier age due to poor biomechanics and weakened nervous system. If we carry good posture into our later years, however, it can prolong our independence and help us maintain a higher quality of life and health. At Venturis Clinic, one of our core values is to help as many of our patients as possible live their lives in the latter scenario.
How We Improve Posture in Oklahoma City, OK and Surrounding Areas
Comprehensive Consult and Exam
As a new patient, your journey at Venturis Clinic will begin with a detailed first visit that includes a consultation and examination. Dr. Alvin Philipose will sit down with you and discuss your problems and how they are affecting your life. They will also discuss what your goals are – improving posture happens to be a goal for many of our new patients. This consultation helps Dr. Philipose to get to know you personally and understand you on a level that allows them to provide the most accurate recommendations for your care.
After the consultation, they will do a thorough examination including orthopedic, neurologic, and functional movement testing. They will also perform a posture scan, which they will review with you at your follow-up appointment. If the posture scan indicates that you have poor posture, then posture correction will likely feature in your recommendations for care. It is simply too important a piece of the puzzle to set to the side and not address.
Call to Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
Ask about Digital Motion X-Ray Imaging
Offering variety of pain management solutions
Specific Chiropractic Care in Oklahoma City, OK
Chiropractic care is the focal point of your care at Venturis Clinic. Working towards better spinal alignment is always the number one goal for improving the lives of our patients. It is simply not possible to have good posture while having a spine full of subluxations, or misalignments in the spine. They create imbalance throughout the spine, muscles, and joints. When the spine is restored to proper alignment, the nervous system can heal and become more balanced, and this can help achieve better balance in the muscles surrounding the spine.
Chiropractic care is a lot like working out – you cannot expect to get immediate results from one or two visits. It takes time and consistency with visits to overcome months or years of bad postural habits, but the body will adapt over time. The body is smart and knows that if given the right care and attention it can truly thrive, which can drastically improve your quality of life and health.
Custom Stretching Plan
Other than chiropractic, corrective stretching is the cornerstone to achieving better posture. Remember, muscle imbalance from the way we sit, stand, and move is what drives poor postural habits over time. Teaching these muscles to work in a more balanced way is what helps posture improve over time. However, it HAS to be done consistently.
The body is willing to adapt if regularly exposed to the change you wish to create. If you are not consistent in your approach, it will slow down or stop your progress altogether. When working to change posture, not only are you removing poor postural habits, but you are also working to create new, proper postural habits. When your body recognizes good posture as normal, it will always want to return to that if it ever strays.
Spinal Decompression
If poor posture is something you have been dealing with for years or even decades, there is a good chance that there may be some amount of compression on your spine. For example, forward head posture is a common postural problem where the head is in front of the shoulders. This causes the natural curve of the spine to flatten out or even reverse, which puts a lot of compressive force on the joints in the neck. Over time, this can cause pain and dysfunction that can affect your quality of life.
The treatment we use in the office to overcome this is called spinal decompression. Performed on either the neck or lower back, spinal decompression gently stretches the area by pulling the spine opening up the joints, discs, and nerve spaces to give them more room to function. When combined with chiropractic care and stretching, decompression can help reverse negative posture changes and help lay down a strong foundation for good posture going forward.
Call to Schedule a Complimentary Consultation
Ask about Digital Motion X-Ray Imaging
Offering variety of pain management solutions
Common Causes of Poor Posture in Oklahoma City, OK
Tech Neck
Perhaps the most common cause of poor posture in the last 10-20 years, Tech Neck has emerged as a massive problem for people. Due to the rapid advancement of technology such as computers, tablets, and smartphones, we are looking down more now than perhaps at any other time in human history. The consequence of this is more and more cases of neck pain, upper back pain, and headaches. Most alarmingly, we are seeing this in younger and younger patients, as kids are utilizing technology from very early ages. Postural intervention along with ergonomic education is essential in combating this rapidly growing condition. The earlier you can instill good postural habits for either yourself or your loved ones, the less likely it is they will experience issues further down the road.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Today, a huge population of people spend 8-10 hours at their desks for 40+ hours per week. While it is something that most people cannot avoid as it is their livelihood, sitting is one of the worst things we can do as human beings. When we sit, a large number of our key muscles are turned off because there is no need for them to be active. As this is done more and more often, such as in the context of a workweek, these muscles get weaker and weaker over time leading to muscle imbalance and postural issues. Standing desks are a great way to counter some of this, as standing requires the use of muscles to stabilize the body for long work hours. It is also important to have an ergonomic workstation to allow for as good of posture as possible. For example, raising your monitor height can reduce the amount of looking down you do at your screen.
Stress
Everybody experiences stress to some degree. Whether it is due to work, family, finances, or some combination of the many stressors in life, stress is an active disrupter in our day-to-day routine. What many people don’t know, however, is that stress can manifest itself in physical ways. One common way this occurs is with increased heart rate. Perhaps the most common way, though, is increased muscle tension. It can lead to things like tension headaches, neck and upper back pain, and shoulder pain. This tightness that tends to sit here is further fed by poor posture, as increased muscle tension can occur due to poor head position or poor muscle balance. If you want to address your posture properly, stress management is one of the long-term solutions for maintaining a healthy posture.
Scoliosis
A more complex barrier to achieving better posture is those who have been diagnosed with scoliosis. Scoliosis is a condition that usually starts early in life and is identified by abnormal side-to-side curvatures in the spine. With such curvatures in the spine present, it is normal for a person’s posture to be distorted in ways such as one shoulder being higher than the other. In skeletally mature adults, these curvatures can’t be fully changed, but that does not mean they can’t benefit from chiropractic intervention and postural exercises. These therapies can help anyone improve their spinal mobility and function.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is prolotherapy good for?
Many conditions respond well to prolotherapy, such as facet syndrome (back and neck arthritis), whiplash, joint sprains, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, tennis elbow, sprains, chronic tendonitis, Ehler’s-Danlos Disease, Bulging disc, knee pain, shoulder pain Vagus nerve inflammation and more.
What are the risks of prolotherapy?
Theoretical risks of prolotherapy injections include soreness, infection or neurological (nerve) damage. Injections should be performed by trained physicians using universal precautions diagnostics examinations and tproper examinations. This results in very minimal side effects.
What is the average cost of prolotherapy?
Costs vary quite a bit from $150-$1500 dependent on type and contents of injections.
Is prolotherapy a permanent fix?
Prolotherapy is an all-natural, permanent treatment, as it relies on the body repairing itself to reduce pain. In contrast, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications only provide temporary relief. Booster shots as well has wellness therapies including stretching, massage, chiropractic, dry-needling and strengthening will help maintain progress.
Who is a good candidate for prolotherapy?
More specifically, prolotherapy may be right for you if you experience any of the following: Damaged or lost tissue, especially surrounding the joints. If patients have tried various traditional treatments including prescription drugs, physical therapy, or steroids but seen minimal to no results, prolotherapy may be right for you.
Why does prolotherapy hurt so much?
A patient is generally sore for a couple of days after Prolotherapy. This is because the injections have to go through some muscles to get to the ligaments and tendons. To help the muscle soreness resolve itself sooner, dry needling and moist heat applied to the area is recommended.
Is prolotherapy better than cortisone?
Cortisone can cause tendon rupture, particularly of the achilles tendon. Prolotherapy is a proven orthopedic treatment to reduce pain and strengthen weakened joints without the negative side effects of cortisone.
What are the pros and cons of prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is great for strengthening weak joints and creating heightened muscle functionality, such as increased movement and flexibility. However, there are some risks involved, for example it is a shot like any other so there could be pain or tenderness to the injection site.
What should you not do after prolotherapy?
Due to the numbness we ask that you refrain from any strenuous activities but to stay mobile. Continue to move affected area to decrease soreness and stiffness. You should avoid strenuous physical activity for 2 days following injections. You will experience some pain and soreness 2-5 days after your treatment. Do not take any anti-inflammatories, pain medications or steroids during treatments. This may inhibit your body’s ability to heal the affected tissue.
How long does prolotherapy take to heal?
Most ligaments and tendons heal within a period of 3 months; however, the majority of healing after a prolotherapy session occurs in the first two weeks.
How many prolotherapy sessions will I need?
Prolotherapy treatments vary from person to person and from injury to injury. Many patients have experienced some relief of their pain with only one session. The average person requires anywhere from 3-12 treatment sessions spaced about 3-6 weeks apart from each other.
How long does a prolotherapy injection last?
On average, patients experience one year of improvement and relief from prolotherapy. However, there is a huge variation and sometimes improvement lasts from three months to 15 years.
What is injected during prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy involves injections of a mild irritant into the injured part of your body. Most of the time the injection contains saline, dextrose (a type of sugar), and lidocaine, which is a numbing agent. Dr. Philipose custom tailors the injection, so the exact composition depends on your needs. These injections may include natural collagen, minerals, amino acids and other natural substances to accelerate healing compared to traditional prolotherapy.
Is prolotherapy better than surgery?
Prolotherapy is considered a viable alternative to surgery, and as an option to pain medications, cortisone and other steroidal injections. The Prolotherapy procedure is considered a safe, affordable option that allows the patient to keep working and/or training during treatment.
Can prolotherapy reverse arthritis?
One study with 90 adults with knee osteoarthritis involved some participants getting monthly prolotherapy injections of dextrose for 3 to 5 months. Those who received prolotherapy saw a significant improvement in pain, function, and stiffness scores.
Does prolotherapy regrow cartilage?
Prolotherapy is an injection of a non-biologic substance with localized effects for repairing connective tissue injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Recent studies in humans show that prolotherapy stimulates cartilage regeneration.
Are you sedated for prolotherapy?
Prolotherapy is a safe, cost effective injection technique used for treating musculoskeletal injuries and chronic pain in various parts of the body. It is noninvasive, has limited side effects and does not require sedation.
What does dry needling actually do?
Dry needling treats muscle tissue, and its goal is to reduce pain, inactivate trigger points and restore function. It rarely is a standalone procedure. Rather, it often is part of a broader physical therapy approach incorporating other traditional physical therapy interventions into treatment.
What is dry needling and does it hurt?
We use very thin filament needles. The initial feeling of the needle entering through the skin is very minimal; much less than a vaccination or having blood drawn. Once the needle reaches the muscle, the twitch sensation feels more like a deep cramp and doesn't last long (15-30 seconds).
How long does dry needling results last?
After dry needling, experiencing some slight soreness is normal, and you will typically note an improvement in your symptoms within one to two days. How long the benefits will last will vary per individual. The first few treatments will usually have a short length of relief spanning over several days.
How many sessions of dry needling do you need?
If treatment zones are found and the correct muscle groups are targeted, sub-acute conditions will improve after three – four consecutive sessions, with chronic injuries requiring five – six consecutive needling sessions.
Does dry needling remove knots?
Dry needle therapy resolves muscle knots by inserting a very thin needle directly into the trigger point. The knot responds to the interruption and relaxes immediately. Most patients agree that dry needling doesn't hurt in the way that you might think!
How deep do dry needles go?
Superficial dry needling involves inserting a needle at a depth up to 10 mm or into the subcutaneous tissue and may be combined with manipulation of the needle while in situ.
Does dry needling reduce inflammation?
The micro tears caused by the needle prompts the body's natural defenses to get to work, bringing nutrient-rich blood to the site and boosting tissue repair. Dry needling also helps to dissipate inflammatory mediators, those substances that gather in an area of inflammation.
Is dry needling good for arthritis?
Dry needling is an effective treatment in reducing pain from osteoarthritis because it increases blood circulation around the joint, thereby providing natural relief.
What exactly does a chiropractor do?
A chiropractor is trained to make sure your body is functioning as optimally as possible by using spinal manipulations and other therapies to relieve pain in your joints and muscles. These spinal adjustments will increase blood flow and nerve conductivity to the joints and muscles that are experiencing pain. They are taught philosophically to find and treat the cause rather than just the symptoms.
Is it healthy to go to the chiropractor?
Spinal manipulation and chiropractic care are generally considered safe, effective treatments for acute low back pain, the type of sudden injury that results from acute or chronic conditions such as strains, arthritis or disc injuries.
What are the benefits of chiropractic care?
• Improves neck pain.
• Reduces reliance on opioid pain relievers.
• Eases back pain.
• Possible reduction of osteoarthritis symptoms.
• Eases headache symptoms.
• More affordable treatment for chronic back pain.
• High satisfaction.
• Reduces scoliosis symptoms.
What are the cons of seeing a chiropractor?
Spinal and joint manipulation has a chance to go wrong and may cause unwanted injuries. So it is important that you only have an appointment with an experienced chiropractor that performs the necessary examinations and diagnostics to ensure safe treatments. DO NOT ALLOW a physical therapist or any other untrained person try a manipulation especially without X-rays.
When should you go to a chiropractor?
Chiropractors are most sought after to treat neck and low back pain due to acute or chronic pain. If you experience back pain that lasts for more than a few days, consult a chiropractor for an assessment.
What cracks when you see a chiropractor?
During a back adjustment, your back undergoes quick, gentle stretching of the spinal facet joint, so you may hear a cracking or popping noise. This is caused by small pockets of air or bubbles, which are in the fluid that surrounds your joints.
Why do chiropractors want you to keep coming back?
Changing your posture, changing your spine's ability to move, changing your muscle health and structure take time. Months in fact. All muscles have memory and your body wants to go back to its old patterns instead of creating new healthy ones. That is why adjustments need to be repeated again and again
Is chiropractic care is ineffective?
Critics are skeptical mainly due to the fact that chiropractic care does not involve medications or any invasive surgeries. Some have associated this practice with some side effects and fatal complications in some cases resulting in death or stroke. It also goes against the medical philosophy of not prescribing medications. In recent years there has been a comparison that shows not only Chiropractic to be safe, but healthier and more successful than taking steroids and medications. There are also various techniques now that prevent any type of injuries due the gentleness of the adjustment.
Why do some chiropractors crack and others don't?
The noises you hear during chiropractic treatment depend on the technique used. For example, some techniques cause a cracking sound, and others don't, but both can be highly effective, depending on your needs. So, whether you hear an abundance of pops or none at all, you don't need to worry.
