Saturday, January 2, 2010

Hope for Posture

One of the enjoyable moments in the study of anatomy and physiology is discovering that there are nerves in the spinal joints that carry information to the brain about where you are in space. That's how you know what to do when you slip on the ice - all that flailing around is your brain's rapid processing of where you are in space and how to keep you from a punishing meeting with the planet.
But what if those joints are in abnormal alignment? Do the signals transmit wrong information?
That is one of the theories describing why upper cervical care works. The cervical spine of the neck is where you will find the greatest concentration of these receptor nerves. Does that suggest the neck is an important part of your brain's processing? If you were a factory, would that neck represent the office staff that is giving you updates on all aspects of the operation?
Each spinal segment has an axis of rotation that is altered when the spine is out of balance. This alteration causes abnormal pressures out on the joints at the edge, the facet joints, where the proprioceptor nerves live. Not only does this abnormal pressure alter the nerve signal, but it also creates conditions favorable for osteoarthritis, technically called the piezoelectric effect, in which calcium is attracted to the site of pressure.
In summary, it is not only important for spinal health, but it is also important for postural health to have a balanced spine.

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