Your spine is constantly under pressure

Unless you can live in a zero-gravity bubble, move to outer space or become fully aquatic (all of which come with their own sets of problems), there is zero likelihood of escaping the compressive force that gravity exerts on our spines. Lumbar disc pressure in a healthy spine is measured as such:

• Lying supine: 25kg of pressure
• Standing upright: 100kg of pressure
• Sitting upright: 125kg of pressure

Now consider that sitting with poor posture, lifting and bearing weight, or walking with your head forward or down, magnify this already considerable pressure. For example, forward head posture magnifies the weight of the head to the spine by up to 10X per inch held forward. So how do we start to fight back against all this pressure accumulation? Awareness.

Pressure leads to subluxation

The cumulative effect of all this pressure in most people is subluxation, a condition characterized by slight misalignments of the spinal bones which cause dysfunction and pain. Misalignment of the vertebral column often pressurizes nearby spinal nerves, causing pain and limiting range of motion. Allowing the misalignment to remain causes problems because gravity is now pushing downward on an unbalanced spine, exacerbating the already considerable effects of pressure. The main goal of chiropractic is to correct these slight misalignments in the spine before they cause further dysfunction and pain. 

Addressing spinal pressure and subluxation with chiropractic in Dunedin

Subluxation is addressed through spinal manipulation, also known as spinal adjustment, in which spinal alignment is restored to ensure that downward pressure does not take too big a toll. Decompression modalities help to stretch the spine and provide relief from the cumulative effects of pressure. With a properly aligned spine, we can move forward with a plan to strengthen the core-stabilizing muscles in order to lend support to the lumbar vertebrae and work on establishing good posture as the norm in your life.  If you are interested in protecting your spine against the incursions of gravity and the pressures of daily life, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today.