Lush fairways and azaleas, Magnolia Lane and green jackets. For all you golfers out there, springtime marks the time for the Masters Tournament. One of the most beautiful courses in the world will be the challenge for the best golfers in the world. Great theater, and one of the best competitive spectacles in all of sports. And you can just hear Jim Nantz saying "a tradition like no other".
One of my good friends has also established a great tradition. He organized a "draft" earlier in the week of the tournament, where a dozen of us will pick the golfers with whom we think will win the tournament. We throw some money in the pot, and then gather at his house on Sunday to watch the tournament play out and winners determined. Lots of great comradery, banter, and fun.
The draft would usually be held at a local dive bar where we all have a chance to get together, but this year it was done by Zoom. This was more due to the fact that everyone had other obligations, rather than a Covid thing. So I nestled in on my patio for an hour of chat and laughs.
By the end of this, I was reminded of what prolonged screen time does to our bodies. After the zoom meeting, it was uncomfortable to stand straight up, and everything felt tight and even a bit sore. And this was just after one hour on this zoom interaction.
As a doctor of chiropractic, I'm reminding my patients everyday of the perils of prolonged sitting. And it is a long list:
1) Reverses the normal curves of our spine
2) The head moves forward, away from the body, resulting in an increase in the "functional weight" of the head upon the body
3) Stretches the spinal cord, resulting in tension and stress on our nervous system.
4) Puts an abnormal stress on our vertebra, resulting in earlier degenerative changes. (arthritis)
5) Puts an abnormal stress on our discs, resulting in early breakdown of disc tissue, leading to degenerative disc disease.
6) Puts an abnormal stress on our muscles, resulting in spasm, pain, and limitation of motion.
7) Reduces our lung capacity.
8) Increases blood pressure.
The list actually goes on, with other issues such as lack of brain/neuron stimulation, as well as predisposition to diabetes and cancer.
Screen time is a way of life for many of us. Whether it is work, school, social interaction, or navigating the internet for information, we are collectively on our computers or phones a great deal, especially during this time of forced shutdowns.
So what can we do, considering that we still need to be functional and productive?
1) Stand up and move, every 20 minutes. It only takes about 30 seconds of movement (arm circles, trunk twists, high knee steps) to "reset" our posture.
2) Get a sit/stand desk. Transition every 20-30 minutes.
3) Sit on a wobble chair or a balance disc, which stimulates movement throughout the spine.
4) Do some type of daily exercise. Walking for 20 minutes is one of the most effective and underrated exercises that you can do.
5) Get checked by your chiropractor on a regular basis. The static position from prolonged sitting will lead to a condition known as a SUBLUXATION, where the vertebra isn't positioned or moving properly, which has a negative effect on our nervous system.
You will never be younger than your spine, so take great care of it! And for all you golfers out there, you know how important spine movement and flexibility are.
Call us at
714-998-2296 if you like to schedule an appointment with us here at Villa Park Chiropractic.
Stay healthy, my friends!
Dr. Eric Sense