Vacaville, CA 95688
Mixing Style and Spinal Health
Keeping up with fashion trends is important, but it may not be good for your health. Many people focus so intently on looking stylish that their bodies suffer the consequences. They may look great, but feel terribly uncomfortable.
The usual suspects are coming down the runways once again: tight pants, short skirts, high heels and a great deal of accessories. However, wearing these looks can result in pain and problems in areas of the body like the neck, back, spine and legs. Women are sporting these trendy looks in everyday life, walking down the street or hurrying to work, not just on the runway for a minute or two. Most have no idea that their fashion choices are hurting their bodies.
You may think that a pair of high heels completes your outfit, but in reality they are contributing to back pain and intense discomfort in the feet. Wearing high heels distorts the body's inherent balance, and the musculoskeletal system has to adapt to a new dynamic equilibrium. What happens when one wears high heels for any extended amount of time is that the pelvis angles forward, forcing the regular curvature of the spine to adjust to be able to maintain a center of gravity. Standing flat-footed keeps the body in a perfect natural balance. Alternately, high heels force the hamstrings to tighten and the body's equilibrium must be maintained by the pelvis.
Both men and women fall into the fashion trap. However, it is usually women that tend to wear tight clothes. Tight mini-skirts and tight pants may look good, but are too constricting. They cause simple motions such as bending, sitting, and walking to become difficult to do. They also throw the body off balance since a person is not moving comfortably, resulting in poor posture and possibly the misalignment of the spine.
It is also in fashion to tote large handbags, purses or backpacks. These bags often weigh over ten percent of the carrier's body weight. This trend is not healthy. Carrying a heavy bag like this over one shoulder results in the spine curving in the direction of that shoulder. This causes a counterbalance movement in the shoulders which is not natural. Men often keep their wallets in the back pockets of their pants or jeans. This habit is both harmful and unnecessary. Damage to the spine can be caused by sitting on an object for a lengthy time period.
You can be in style and also take care of your chiropractic health. Here are the ways you can chose clothing and accessories that will both look and feel great.
- Pick shoes that feel good when you are both standing still and walking. If you plan to wear high heels, it's a good idea to bring along an extra pair of flat, comfortable shoes that you can change into afterward. Make sure your everyday footwear is supportive and easy to walk in so that your body weight is evenly distributed.
- If you like to wear form-fitting clothes, make sure they are not so tight as to be constricting. Pick apparel that enables you to easily take part in everyday activities.
- Make sure your handbag or backpack has adjustable straps. In addition, be sure to periodically switch your handbag from one shoulder to the other to evenly distribute the weight. Speaking of weight, toss out all the insignificant “stuff” in the bag, and place important items in easily accessible pockets.
It's not a designer's responsibility to make sure the wearer of his or her clothes feels good in them. It's your job to make sure you're just as comfortable as you are fashionable.
