By Dr. Katie MacRae, Chiropractor in Manly
The cold may be getting to your bones and in more ways that you realise causing bad posture & back pain. Our chiropractor has some solutions for bad winter time posture.
Have you noticed yourself bracing against the cold with shoulders up around your ears and arms crossed? Or maybe curling yourself into the tightest little ball under the covers?
Winter has an extra special place in my heart, not just because I’m Canadian, but also because it brings awareness to how prolonged positioning can have a big impact on our body.
Keeping your shoulders shrugged up and rolled forwards with your elbows and wrists folded in towards your body is something we do subconsciously when trying to stay warm.
It’s a very common position that you may find yourself sleeping in, especially when it’s cold.
Impacts of Bad Posture
While this position might feel warm and cosy, it also happens to compress the pathway of our Brachial Plexus which are responsible for all our feeling and movement through the base of our neck, the tops of our shoulders and our arms!
Prolonged compression may lead to a change of sensation such as pain, tingling, numbness or even weakness through the shoulder, arms or hands.
People with other issues layered on top such as carpal tunnel syndrome or other repetitive strain injuries may actually find that this position further aggravates their issues and impacts their recovery!
Sound like you?
Get the Cold Out of Your Posture with These Stretches & Tips:
- Hug a pillow at night to prevent your shoulders, arms and hands coming into too much flexion.
- Stretch open your chest and spine on a foam roller or rolled up towel at the end of the night.
- Spread and flex your fingers, hands and wrists throughout the day to keep more blood flowing through them.
- Relax your shoulders and neck and wear a scarf!
If this patterning has become chronic and you’re feeling tingling in your hands, tension headaches or neck pain it’s time to get some help open up the frozen posture.
Reach out to Dr. Katie MacRae for an appointment HERE.