Let’s face it, many of us have back issues and often in the upper to middle back range. The Upper and Middle Back, or Thoracic Spine, is made up of discs, muscles, ligaments and twelve vertebrae, making it the longest part of your back. Upper back pain can occur anywhere from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. The pain associated with the upper back is often related to posture, muscle strain or injury. For many of us, the time we spend seated at our computers, takes a huge toll. In fact some may have to sit at a computer for up to 9 hours each day, which not only can lead to bad posture but can also eventually cause neck and shoulder irritation.
So, what is our message to you?… Make sure to incorporate a few back exercises into your everyday routine! It’s so important. When the exercises are performed daily, they will aid in improving posture and strengthening the muscles. The exercises can even be thrown into your regular workout routine. If you don’t have back pain at the moment, it’s still a good idea to incorporate a few exercises anyway so that you’re that much more prepared for the future. Building a stronger back is never a bad idea and these exercises are quick, easy and you guessed it… painless.
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Below, our Instructor Monica beautifully demonstrates three of our favorite upper back exercises. Thanks Monica!
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If you have any questions regarding anything we’ve written or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
We thought we’d share a quote today, by Joseph H. Pilates:
For those who don’t know, Pilates was actually named after its inventor- Joseph Pilates. He believed that the modern lifestyle, bad posture, and inefficient breathing lay at the roots of poor health. Due to that belief, he devised a series of exercises, training-techniques and methods for the purpose of rehabilitation. Many of his moves were inspired by yoga or created after the observance of animals. He then engineered all of the equipment that would be required to teach his methods properly. Once he had his tools he began working with injured soldiers and fatigued dancers. With all of his patients, he made sure to put a special focus on the core postural muscles, which helps to keep the body balanced and provide support for the spine. Joseph H. Pilates was a genius (in our humble opinion) and has been an incredible method of rehabilitation and fitness for nearly a hundred years. In fact, his methods are widely used within our own chiropractic practice.
If you are new to Pilates, have a few questions or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
If you have any questions regarding anything we’ve written or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
This question has all the hallmarks of one of those trick questions. You hear it all the time “muscle weighs more than fat.” Is that true? The obvious answer is no. Five pounds of fat weighs the same as five pounds of muscle. It makes so much more sense when stated this way. So what is going on with all of these claims that one type of tissue weighs more than another? It’s VOLUME that is at play here. Muscle is denser than fat—that five pounds of muscle is going to be smaller than that five pounds of fat.
Think of it this way: A 5’5″, 140 pound woman who is 18% body fat is going to be noticeably smaller than a 5’5″, 140 pound woman who is 36% body fat. This also points out why fitness professionals tell us to ignore the scale and your total weight when thinking about your fitness level. If the 36% body fat woman in the example is able to flip her numbers to that of the 18% body fat woman, she will still weigh 140 pounds, but she will be smaller, have more muscle tone and generally look sleeker. The fact that she is still 140 pounds is of no consequence.
So when thinking about your fitness level, your appearance and your overall wellness, weight is a number that is of little use as a gauge. The percentage of that weight that is fat; how you “feel” is a much better measure of one’s health and wellness.
If you have any questions regarding anything we’ve written or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
At Beverly Hills Posture, we’re all about helping our clients to maintain and enhance their rehabilitation and fitness goals–even when they can’t make it into our office. In fact, there are many exercises that we often recommend our clients perform at home between visits.
While there is often no substitute for the exercise regimens done in our office, there are plenty of alternatives that people can do at home to support the work they do with their Beverly Hills Posture Therapist or Trainer.
In order to get the maximum benefit from home exercise, you will need a few pieces of equipment. Fortunately, all of the following examples are inexpensive, take up very little room and most can be taken with you if you travel.
The variety of exercises that can be done with each type of equipment are too numerous to detail here. We will often feature one or more of these in our future article and video series with specific instructions, so watch for them.
Inflatable Exercise Ball
If there is a piece of home exercise equipment that rivals resistance bands for versatility, exercise balls just might be it. Exercise balls have applications across the entire fitness spectrum. They have a critical use for rehabilitation work, for those just starting an exercise program, and for the hard-core workout veteran. Exercise balls allow you to both ease the stress of certain types of exercises and intensify the effect of others. They help with stretching and core strength work. They can also double as office furniture that helps us maintain good posture while sitting at a desk. As we continue to publish articles and videos about fitness solutions, inflatable exercise balls will often be featured.
Yoga Mat
We aren’t sure if this actually qualifies as “equipment,” but a good yoga mat for use at home or while traveling is a great way to ensure a smooth, even surface to perform most exercises on. It certainly isn’t a requirement, but may be helpful.
Resistance Bands
This might be the most versatile piece of home exercise equipment available. It has a myriad of uses for all levels of user. It can be used to support physical therapy work you may be doing in our office. It can be used for simple stretching or as a key part of your training regimen. The Beverly Hills Posture Yoga, Pilates and GYROTONICS team use resistance bands fairly often in the course of training their clients. There are many different types and brands of resistance bands available. If you have any questions as to which will best suit you, let us know and we will be glad to assist you.
Yoga Blocks
Yoga blocks are simply two blocks of dense foam that are designed to assist people with achieving the proper form and alignment in their Yoga practice. In addition, they make a great all around piece of fitness equipment with a wide variety of uses. Yoga blocks also helps beginner fitness enthusiasts get into the proper position while they are improving their core strength. As always, the Beverly Hills Posture therapy and fitness team will be happy to assist you with any questions you might have about how to get the best results using these simple, inexpensive pieces of equipment.
Dumb Bells
One of the classic pieces of fitness equipment. But we don’t include them on our list for the usual reasons people think of dumb bells. We recommend a pair of lightweight dumb bells used mainly for high repetition exercises to focus your mind on proper form. Simply gripping the dumb bells during various exercises can help stabilize the movement.
We are proponents of emphasizing proper form while exercising over the lifting of heavier weights. Dumb bells can be a very important part of a rehabilitation regimen as well as assisting with your general fitness program. As with many of the other pieces of equipment listed here, will feature tips on proper form and use of dumb bells in a number of our upcoming articles and videos.
Chin Up Bar
Any door way in your house may be converted into a chin up station or a spot to do exercises while hanging. Chin up bars are also great for assisting with stretching. These types of bars also serve as a good anchor point for resistance bands. Most chin up bars available today can be installed without any tools. Depending on how tall you are, they can be left in place as long as you don’t have to close the door. While you probably wouldn’t take it with you while travelling, they are inexpensive and don’t take up much space.
There are a wide range of different types of pull up exercises that can be performed. As always, we recommend that you seek the advice of a qualified fitness professional before you begin any exercise program. Pull ups and other hanging types of exercises/stretches have a lot of value, but only if done correctly. If you have any questions about these exercises, we’re happy to provide answers!
Specialty Equipment
There are tons of exercise products on the market today. Many you will see advertised on television as miracle answers to age-old fitness problems. Equipment that helps you do sit ups, push up, pull ups are all over late night infomercials. Larger pieces of equipment such as treadmills, all-in-one fitness stations and variations of equipment you find at a typical gym are marketed as cure-alls for your fitness needs.
Generally speaking, we are not fans of these types of fitness equipment. That does not mean that they don’t have value if used correctly. Some do, some don’t. It is our experience that you can get the same, or often better, results by using some of the basic equipment already listed with the proper instruction. We always emphasize the importance of getting the right information when embarking on a fitness program. If you have a qualified fitness professional advising you on your program, you will get better results in a shorter period of time with a reduced risk of injury. This includes the choice of equipment you might be using at home.
The amount and variety of home exercise equipment available is staggering. The Beverly Hills Posture team subscribes to the theory that the simplest options are usually the best. Many of the products on the market are designed to cure typical problems that many people have maintaining proper form. Unfortunately, they don’t always accomplish that goal. At times, the mere fact that the equipment is overcoming a form issue causes problems. This is why the equipment that we suggest for our clients is simple, easy to use and gets the best results when used properly.
If you have any questions regarding anything we’ve written or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
By now, I would guess that most of us know the importance of having physical exercise regimens of some kind to choose from for our weekly rituals to keep the body energized, strong and flexible.
Additionally, it is imperative we make healthy choices with our foods and practice moderation when we decide to “splurge.” It’s just as necessary to understand that what we put ON our body can have as significant an impact as what we put IN our body.
Our epidermis (skin) is the largest organ of the body. What we put on our skin has a large effect on long-term health and a balanced system. So, becoming mindful of what personal care products we use on a daily basis (i.e. hair products, body lotions and soaps, cosmetics, and even household cleaners) is just as important as knowing about the foods we are ingesting each day.
Why, you may ask?
Because the majority of these products include harsh chemicals linked to cancer, as well as those acting an “endocrine disrupters” (i.e. disrupts fertility and hormonal balance) in both men and women.
Many of the big culprits to avoid include:
1. Parabens
2. Sulfates
3. Phthalates
4. Artificial Fragrances
5. BPA (Bisphenol-A) as well as its counterpart and now substitute in many cases, BPS (Bisphenol-S)
These products are mostly used in the packaging of foods, personal care products and just about anything made of plastic, including baby toys and such. Although there have been strides made to create “BPA-free” products, many of those products use BPS in place of BPA. In general, it’s best to choose products packaged in glass over plastic, for example.
Unfortunately, we can’t trust the product by just reading the front label. Labels on these products can say “Natural” and “Organic,“ but that doesn’t mean the product is free from toxins. Learning to read the ingredient list on labels is a key factor in making educated choices in the products you purchase.
To check the toxicity levels in the products you use, get more education overall and receive updates on the latest regarding environmental and food news, explore these fantastic resources:
If you have any questions regarding anything we’ve written or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
Turmeric is a plant (or root) from the ginger family native to South Asia. It grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia and is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes. This golden-colored spice is, however, a very potent natural anti-inflammatory food, that also improves liver and kidney function. Turmeric can be taken in pill form or made into a paste that can be applied directly to an area of the body that is experiencing pain.
The best part of this natural pain-killer is that there are no side effects! It’s a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent–useful in disinfecting cuts and burns. When combined with cauliflower, it has been shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.
Turmeric is also known to reduce the risk of childhood leukemia, stop growth of new blood vessels in tumors, speed up wound healing and assist in the remodeling of damaged skin as well as prevent breast cancer from spreading to the lungs (when tested on mice).
Aside from all of these known health benefits, Turmeric is currently being studied due to the belief that it can help treat psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions, aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management, and treat pancreatic cancer. This “miracle root” has recently been shown to have many beneficial effects on myeloma patients.
Turmeric offers something for everyone. So why not go your local health food store today and pick up a bottle today?
by Chelsey Charbeneau CYT, E-RYT
Certified yoga therapist and registered yoga instructor
If you have any questions regarding anything we’ve written or would like to book an appointment with us, please click HERE to be directed to our contact page. Beverly Hills Posture is proud to offer Chiropractic Care with an abundance of options including- Yoga, Pilates, Gyrotonic, Acupuncture, Acupressure and Massage Therapy. We dedicate ourselves to creating a healthier you.
In Perfect Symmetry 