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Aging Better by Improving Your Balance and PostureNormal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 As we get older are joints and muscles become stiffer. For many people their bodies have experienced multiple cycles of injury, pain and inflammation, some degree of compensation in the area of injury, and then adaptation of the surrounding muscles, joints and ligaments. Once the inflammation subsides and the pain is gone, either by rest or medications, they feel they are healed. Unfortunately, these injuries often result in misaligned joints that do not move as well and muscle adhesions resulting in decreased flexibility. During painful episodes the body develops adaptive movement patterns. In all instances, some degree of compensation occurs depending on the duration of the pain and the number of structures involved. All of this results in your body altering the way it moves and carries itself.
In otherwords, our movement patterns change and now follow the path of least resistance. Over time the amount of muscle fibers recruited for movement becomes lessoned. Other muscles are used incorrectly and become shortened or lengthened. Pain and weakness results in the associated body areas. Our body further adapts or compensates by altering our posture to adapt to the changes in muscles and joints. In addition, the restriction in joint movement puts additional stress on the surrounding ligaments, muscles and fibrocartilage resulting in degenerative joint changes. The associated joint restriction also results in altered messages being received and sent through the nervous system, resulting in further aberrations of movement and function. The resulting cycle contributes to advanced aging of local joint and muscle tissue. The resulting cycle often inhibits easy movement and exercise. Statistically, the inability to exercise is related to earlier mortality.
In addition to alterations of movement, our posture, the way we balance our body is also disrupted. Misaligned joints or subluxations interfere with neural signals that result in altered or poor balance. Research demonstrates that older individuals with poor balance have a greater incidence of falls. Furthermore, research on the elderly states that falling is an increased risk for earlier mortality. In addition, forward head posture results in increased risk of falls. Rounding of the shoulders and tightening of the anterior chest muscles result in decreased ability to breath and may contribute to cardiopulmonary problems.
At this point it is easy to see how poor posture, balance and motion can contribute to advanced aging and earlier death, but how can chiropractic and posture exercise effect this process. Specific chiropractic adjustments are designed to find misalignments and correct them by unlocking the joints. Adjustments restore normal position and motion in the joint making it easier to move. In addition, the adjustment results in the normal transmission of nerve signals from the brain to the body and body to brain. This normal nerve transmission is essential for proper balance and muscle contraction, as well as for your internal organs to function properly. Restoring proper position to the joint with the adjustment allows for better alignment of all body tissues. Massage techniques work very well alongside chiropractic adjustments to help break up muscle adhesions and aid in restoring proper movement and alignment. After the joints have been re-aligned and are more flexible and muscle tension released from massage techniques the body is ready to be retrained to move and take on a new posture. Specific balance and posture exercises are designed to hold our bodies in a more aligned position as well as retrain muslces to move more efficiently. The combination of chiropractic adjustments, massage and stretching techniques and focused exercises allow for positive changes in our balance, movement and alignment. These positive changes allow us to move better as we age and better adapt to the external stresses the body faces on a daily basis. In summary, the positive changes in our body as a result of the application of chiropractic and posture exercises result in a reversal of the conditions described above that lead to premature aging and mortality. Because of this, chiropractic and posture exercises can truly be described as and anti-aging therapy.
To learn more about anti-aging posture exercises and chiropractic go to: Dr. David Ginsberg 1795 w. state st. ste. D Geneva Il 60134
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