Chelsea Richman, Chiropactor, Talks About A Pain In The Neck

At our lunch meeting today, Dave Stachnik introduced us to Dr. Chelsea Richman. Chelsea has a chiropractic office in Macedon and came to tell us a little about what that is and what she does.

Chiropractic was founded in 1896. They are health care providers who work with the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine. They seek to relieve pain and maintain health without the use of pharmaceuticals. Their method of treatment is primarily through adjustments of the spine. They also work with other joints and soft tissues, but the primary focus is the spine. The reason being, the spine protects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). All nerve impulses travel through the spine and outward to the rest of the body enervating every organ and muscle in the body. Thus the spine is the central communication between mind and body.

She went on to warn us of a problem facing many of us today; in fact it is approaching epidemic status. That problem used to be referred to as “forward head carriage,” but today it’s called “Text Neck.”

Text Neck affects both young and old. The average American spends about 2.7 hours per day on a mobile device. When you bend your head forward to use your phone, for example, you are compressing everything in the front of your neck and chest. This can affect lung capacity, cardiac output, in addition to stretch the back of the neck and spine. These can lead to muscle fatigue, tiredness, and headaches.

The human head weighs about 12 pounds. When it is tilted forward 15 degrees, the force on the spine increases to 27 pounds. At 30 degrees, the force increase to 40 pounds and at 60 degrees, the force is almost 60 pounds. To help you visualize that, imagine carrying an 8-year-old around your neck for 2.7 hours per day. How can we prevent this? Good posture is extremely important. Neck stabilization exercises can be helpful. A chiropractor could give you an adjustment. You should avoid prolonged use of mobile electronics; also make sure your work station environment is ergonomic. Your computer’s monitor should be 18 to 36 inches from your head, and at eye level. It’s also recommended that you stand up and move around frequently when working at your desk or with your computer.

At the conclusion of her program, Chelsea had several people volunteer for a demonstration of an adjustment. Sadly, she “forgot” to bring her table today.