By Jackie

Whose mother hasn’t told them to stand up straight? Most mothers remind their children of proper posture so that they stand taller, breathe deeper, look stronger, and because, well, their mothers told them to do it too.

Mom’s advice does far more than make you look good; it’s pivotal to good health. Improper posture can lead to numerous problems including:

• Decreased lung capacity
• Neck pain
• Ligament stress
• Back pain
• Shoulder tightness
• Abnormal joint wear
• Increased muscle fatigue
• Constricted blood flow
• Adhesion Formation
• Chronic pain throughout the body

How does all of this happen just from poor posture? First, poor posture happens a lot more than you think. Improper posture can occur while seated at a computer, eating lunch, driving a car, walking, or even leisurely sitting. A person can go through an entire day with improper posture.

Improper posture puts unnecessary stress on ligaments and muscles in the body. This eventually leads to fatigue, soreness, pain, and inflammation. When inflammation occurs, cross-links begin to form within the muscles. These cross-links can continue to build, causing tightness, pain, and adhesions.

When your body isn’t in its natural alignment, blood vessels and nerves can become constricted – leading to decreased blood flow and fatigue. Improper posture also puts unnecessary pressure on joints and organs that weren’t designed to experience that pressure day after day.

What can you do if you experience symptoms due to improper posture? First step: change your posture! To learn how to sit properly at your computer, read our article on Seven Tips to Limit Back and Neck Pain. Second, understand that your body may not be able to naturally return to its proper alignment. Chronic poor posture can lead to adhesive patterns that prevent the ligaments and muscles from relaxing to their natural position. Clear Passage Therapists frequently see this in patients who come to the clinic for chronic neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, and headaches. To learn more about our treatment for these conditions, please visit our chronic pain page.

Clear Passage Therapies offers seven steps to help shoppers avoid stiffness and back and neck pain while shopping online this Holiday season.

Gainesville, FL (PRWEB) December 3, 2008 – As the Christmas season begins, more and more shoppers are turning to their computers to find the perfect gifts. Clear Passage Therapies, a recognized leader in manual physical therapy for adhesions, pain, and infertility, offers seven steps to help online holiday shoppers ease or eliminate pain.

Larry Wurn, Director of Clinical Studies, Clear Passage Therapies, and co-author of a new book Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, says, “Poor posture and increased time at the computer can lead to head, neck, and shoulder pain and stiffness.”

Wurn suggests the following tips to improve online shopping stamina and avoid postures that can cause pain:

1. Start with a solid foundation – find a good chair that supports your back and forearms.
2. Your feet should touch the floor. If they don’t, use a footrest to give yourself additional support.
3. Adjust the height of your computer screen to the same level as your eyes. Wurn says, “If your screen is adjusted too low, the muscles at the back of your neck work overtime, causing chronic neck and shoulder pain or headaches at the base of the skull.”
4. Avoid hunching forward since this causes neck strain and spasm. If you keep a reverse curve in your low back, your upper body will generally be in a near-perfect position to relieve strain. You can put a small pillow or little section of the newspaper in your low back to remind you to sit up straight. According to Wurn, “When you need to lean closer to the screen, bend from the hips, not the low back.”
5. Let your shoulders relax. The body is more stable when the shoulders are down, resting on the torso. If you are not sure whether your shoulders are relaxed, lift them once and then let them drop.
6. Get up and move at least once every hour – more often if possible. Mobility is an essential part of life and helps avoid chronic pain.
7. Support your forearms by placing them on the arm-rests of your chair. Ideally, your wrists should be slightly lower than your elbows.

Wurn writes more about chronic pain and posture, and treatment for people with chronic pain in Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain, a book he is co-authoring to be published in January. The table of contents is available at the Clear Passage Therapies blog to spur discussions with readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt from the book will be available in December at http://www.clearpassage.com.

Clear Passage Therapies offers six back-saving tips to help holiday shoppers ease or eliminate back pain during an all-day shopping spree.

Gainesville, FL November 21, 2008 — Clear Passage Therapies, a recognized leader in manual physical therapy for adhesions, pain, and infertility, offers six back-saving tips for holiday shoppers hitting the malls and outlets this season.

“Your low back is the center and core of your body,” says Larry Wurn, President and Director of Clinical Studies, Clear Passage Therapies. “Taking care of your low back is key in maintaining a strong, healthy body overall.”

According to Wurn, the six major tips shoppers should use to reduce potential back pain associated with a long day of shopping are

1. Wear comfortable shoes with good cushioning support; flip-flops and high heeled shoes are not recommended.
2. Avoid carrying any weight (e.g. purse, presents, or a baby) on one side of your body. “Weighty objects should be carried close to the center of your body to minimize stress on your low. back,” he said. “Hold them in close – or use a back-pack attached evenly on both shoulders.”
3. Condense your large purse to a smaller lightweight satchel to keep the excess weight to a minimum.
4. When you can, use a cart instead of a hand-basket for your purchases. A cart will not only take a huge weight off your shoulders and back, it will lend valuable support to your low back.
5. Don’t let the stress of shopping cause you to lift your shoulders. High shoulders are inefficient, carry less weight and can quickly cause neck pain or headaches during a day of shopping. Let your shoulders relax onto your chest; then use your arms to lift, keeping your packages low and close to your body.
6. Concrete and tiled floors can be hard on the back so take regular breaks to sit, or elevate your feet. A 5 to 10 minute break off your feet for every hour of shopping is a good plan.

Wurn and his wife, Belinda, are currently co-authoring a book, ‘Miracle Moms, Better Sex, Less Pain’, that examines their non-surgical manual physical therapy (Wurn Technique®). The therapy has been shown in peer-reviewed medical journals to reduce adhesions, decrease pain, and restore function. It has proven effective for many people without the risks or side effects of surgery or drugs. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment or in conjunction with other treatments.

‘Miracle Moms’ will be published this winter, with medical insights by research gynecologist and co-author Richard King, MD. A ‘sneak peek’ is available at the Clear Passage Therapies blog to spur discussion with readers on important topics. A free e-book excerpt chapter will be available in December at http://www.clearpassage.com.