There are many lifestyle choices that we have every single day that can help to prevent or reduce arthritis. The first thing to consider is posture. How are you sitting? Are you sitting on a good chair? Sitting on a good chair, that’s really important, as well as, getting up and moving around every 30 or 45 minutes or actually having a standing desk. Now, when you’re standing, are you standing up straight? Or you slumped over? When standing, your head should be over your shoulders and shoulders over your hips. Most people have forward head posture which does not allow for proper body alignment. Another activity that affects your posture is how you are sleeping. Are you sleeping on a good mattress? Is it firm and does it give you good support? Are you sleeping with a pillow that keeps your head and body at the same level, making certain your head and neck are not on an incline higher than your body? So keeping your posture aligned, which can be checked by a chiropractic doctor, is really an important factor in making sure you’re not contributing to the development of arthritis.
Another lifestyle choice that can help prevent arthritis is exercise. Are you exercising? If you’re not exercising, you’re not keeping your body healthy, strong, flexible and agile. The body is made of joints and designed for movement. Without movement your body becomes stiff and rigid. So the saying, “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” — definitely applies to your body’s ability to move easily and reduce the impact of arthritis. When you look at young people, they’re moving, grooving, twisting, bending and that’s really important. Then when you look at an elder facility, you see people sitting all day, which is contributing to their aging and decline. People need to move and exercise no matter their age to keep their vitality. And, they need to do it appropriately. So, running marathons every other day and playing tennis eight hours a day is going beyond what is considered a healthy lifestyle. Discussing your activity level with a chiropractor to get guideline on how to exercise safely and reduce stress and wear on your joints is an important step to keep you moving and active as you age.
At King Street Chiropractic Wellness Center, we are uniquely situated to find out if you have arthritis. Our first step is to evaluate your condition and take x-rays to see if you actually have arthritis. Based on our findings, we will work with you to uncover what current lifestyle choices are contributing to your condition and we will coach you on corrective measures you can take. In addition, we offer customized programs to help you strengthen and create more flexibility in your body with exercises, massage, adjustments and nutrition. Our staff is highly trained and able to address any questions or concerns you might have about arthritis and appropriate activities to keep you safe from injury while working with corrective measures and new lifestyle changes.
Dr. Steven Trauben is the founder of King Street Chiropractic Wellness Center, a pain relief and wellness center located in Alexandria, Virginia. He has been practicing just outside Washington DC for over twenty years now. The nationally known and well sought-out 8 Weeks to Wellness® program allows you to experience optimal wellness through chiropractic care, exercise, massage, nutrition & meditation. If you’re interested in speaking with Dr. Trauben, you can call (703) 578-1900 to schedule an appointment or you can go online www.kingstreetwellness.com.
