Good Posture Leads to Better Health

“Stand up straight!”

How many times did you hear your mother say that to you as a child? She more than likely was telling you to stand up straight because you look disinterested and lazy when slouching. But did you know that your mother’s admonition is just as important for good health as it is for looking good?

Posture’s Impact on the Body

Rounded shoulders and a curved back might seem like the position your spine naturally falls into, but in fact when you have poor posture, you’re creating strain on your body that can lead to aches and pains.

Head: Poor posture is a leading cause of headaches, due to the additional straing on neck muscles.

Neck: Tilting your head forward to read on your phone or look at a screen is like putting an extra 60 pounds of pressure on your neck, which can lead to stiff and sore muscles by the end of the day.

Stomach: Slouching compresses your internal organs, which slows down the digestive process and can lead to digestive issues.

Back: Leaning forward just 30 degrees puts up to four times more strain on your back, which leads to soreness and eventually back pain.

Muscles: Poor posture means your muscles are working harder to stabilize your spine, which leads to muscle fatigue and chronic muscle pain.

When you practice good posture, you will sleep better, breathe better and avoid muscle, back and neck pain and stiffness.

Outline for Good Posture

Good posture is important 24 hours a day. Yes – even when you’re sleeping! Paying attention toyour spine and how you’re sitting, standing or lying down is important to maintaining good health.

Standing:

--Keep your chin parallel to the floor

--Shoulders open

--Spine neutral

--Arms at your side, with elbows straight and open

--Abdominal muscles braced

--Hips even

--Knees open and pointing straight ahead

--Body weight evenly distributed on both feet.

Sitting:

--Knees should be at or below hip level

--Head and neck in line with the torso

--Forearms parallel to the ground

Chair height is important to good sitting posture. Make sure your chair is at the height where

your feet can rest flat on the ground.

Sleeping:

--Put a pillow underneath your knees

--Think about aligning your ears, shoulders and hips on a flat plane

The best sleep position for good posture is the back, but most adults prefer to sleep on their side. In this case, consider placing a pillow between your knees and get the right size pillow that lifts your neck up off the mattress, to reduce aches and pains.

Chiropractic Help for Better Posture

Millions of Americans suffer from poor posture, but luckily it is a practice that can be reversed. One key factor is to make yourself aware of your posture and the alignment of your back on a regular basis.

We offer help with new habits for better posture, atall times of the day. Dr. Foster can do a work-up to identify posture imbalances in the body, and determine what to work on. A spinal alignment can help, but it’s not the only treatment. Sessions focusing on posture might include adjustments to the shoulder. This increases the movement in the joints and reduces tension in surrounding muscles.

If you’re suffering from headaches and neck pain, it could be your posture is the cause of your troubles. Call our offices today to set up an appointment and let Foster Chiropractic give you the tools you need for better posture, 24 hours a day.

Keeping Up Healthy Habits Through the Holidays

You started the year off strong, joining a gym in January with all the other New Year’s Resolutioners. You kept to your workout plan through the winter to be in shape as spring rolled into summer. You ate meals chock full of fruits and vegetables all summer long while they were fresh and right at your finger tips. And you even kept active and stuck to your nutrition plan as the summer shifted into fall. After all, even if you didn’t get to the gym as much, who could resist a hike at Pilot Mountain with the kids or biking along the Salem Creek Greenway during peak leaf season.

But now the holidays are here. Our evenings are filled with office parties and neighborhood gatherings, our days are crammed with shopping and baking on top of the regular duties of work and home. Something’s got to give, and too often it’s our healthy habits.

Here at Foster Chiropractic Sports and Wellness Clinic, we believe in a holistic approach to wellness. Dr. Scott Foster is an expert when it comes to alignments and addressing chiropractic issues, but he also helps clients with setting goals for diet and exercise to lead an overall healthy lifestyle. With that in mind, we’ve compiled some tips to help you stick with those healthy habits, even during this busy season.

Prioritize Your Health

The first thing to do is make your health a priority. During the holiday season there are countless articles about ways to find balance in your schedule. The idea is to not take on too many extra activities and miss out on what you find the most important. Whether it’s figuring out whichfamily holiday tradition to focus on or making time to workout, figuring out priorities is key.

Here are a few ways to keep your exercise routine going:

* Choose which holiday activities are most important, and try to keep from overscheduling. Rather than letting the workouts fall off your list, do what you can to resist taking on too many holiday responsibilities.

* Make more time in your day by setting the alarm 30 minutes early for a workout before work.

* Mix it up and instead of hitting the gym, take a walk with your family. Maybe through an outdoor light display. Or park in the back of the parking lot for Christmas shopping. There are plenty of ways to get your steps in.

In addition to making exercise a priority, it’s also important to keep up your chiropractic care. Regular spinal alignments are critical for good health, from improving your immune system and helping relieve stress to reducing pain.

One way to make sure you have time for a visit to Foster Chiropractic is to schedule your appointments a few months out. If you make your December appointment when you’re in the office for a visit in September you’ll be more likely to have time in your schedule before it gets booked up.

From all of us at Foster Chiropractic, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and look forward to being part of your wellfullness in 2023.

Keep Your Immune System Healthy to Battle Allergy Season

Ah, Fall in the Carolinas. Bright blue skies, golden sunshine, and so much ragweed pollen in the air that you can almost see it with a backdrop of falling leaves.

For people who suffer from seasonal allergies, whether it be tree pollen in the Spring or ragweed pollen in the Fall, it seems like just when the weather in the Triad is at its absolute finest for enjoying all the great outdoor activities, allergies attack and make us feel miserable. Runny nose, scratchy throat, itchy eyes and headaches can really put a damper on a golf game or tennis match, and make you think twice about signing up for the upcoming Ardmore RAH! 5K.

There are a few reasons why those fall allergies hit so hard here in the area. For one, the weeds that cause the worst allergy symptoms (ragweed, white clover, cocklebur and dock) start sprouting in August and hang around until the first frost. Unlike some of our northern neighbors, our first frost comes in the middle of October or even later, allowing those wildflowers to produce seeds that much longer. Other weather conditions ripe for ragweed pollen are cool nights and warm days. So that exact same weather pattern that makes the leaves turn such bright colors helps generate greater pollen counts. And finally, a little fun fact. One single ragweed plant can generate over a billion grains of pollen that can travel up to 400 miles.  

Chiropractic Care Can Ease Allergy Symptoms

Most of us North Carolinians know the age-old tips for lessening allergy symptoms. Avoid being outside in the middle of the day if possible, change your clothes and wash your hands after being outside, and keep your windows closed no matter how tempting it might be to let the cool air in at night.

However, one thing that is often overlooked is the benefit of regular chiropractic adjustments. When you come to Foster Chiropractic for an adjustment, Dr. Foster works to keep your spine in line. This removes pressure from the nerves, which then allows the immune system to function at optimal levels. Without the interference of nerves, the immune system is better equipped to fight off allergy symptoms.

Regular adjustments and visits to the chiropractor are one way to make sure your body is functioning at top performance levels. Call Foster Chiropractic to schedule your appointment today.

Summer Fun: Preventing Water Sports Injuries

Summer’s here, and for many of us that means getting outside for activities that we can only do when it’s warm. Whether you enjoy getting onto a pair of water skiis on Belews Lake, sliding down a rock at Stone Mountain, hopping on a boogie board to ride the waves at the Crystal Coast or just taking a run in the sand, the thrill of summertime activities is like a breath of fresh air. They’re a great change from the year-round activities most of us do to stay healthy.

We’re blessed to live in a state with so many wonderful bodies of water to explore. From the beaches of the Outer Banks to the lakes of the Piedmont Triad region to the cool rivers of the North Carolina mountains, opportunities for fun in the water are everywhere. And here in Clemmons, the home of Foster Chiropractic, we’re centrally located to all of it.

Be Aware of Summer Sports Hazards

While getting out on the water and other summer activities are great fun, they can also lead to injury. One common thing we see at Foster Chiropractic are injuries from use or overuse of muscles you’re not used to exercising. Holding yourself upright on a pair of waterskiis makes use of muscles in the chest and shoulders that you might not normally use during your regular run or workout. And try as you might to avoid a wipeout, hitting that flat surface of water can lead to whiplash or neck soreness.

Riding the waves in the powerful ocean can also result in neck or back pain. Running on the beach looks like fun in the movies, but in real life you’re doing a physical activity on a surface that’s uneven at best and has changes in consistency from the tides coming and going, making it easy to sprain your ankle.

The list goes on, but you get the point. Using new muscles and participating in activities your body isn’t used to leads to soreness, aches and injuries of all sorts, from muscle soreness to back and neck pain and torn ligaments.

Tips to Improve your Summer Fun Preparedness

One of the best ways to make sure you’re ready to hit the waves or jump in the lake is to schedule a spinal adjustment. Dr. Foster’s expertise in chiropractic care helps your spine function properly, releasing pressure on the nerves that cause irritation and can create long-term problems such as pain, tingling and irritation.

Here are a few other tips to help your stay healthy and pain-free during all your summer sports.

 Wear Proper Gear. Make sure to put on sunscreen and even wear a swim shirt or clothes with SPF to prevent sunburn. Getting blistered up isn’t fun in the short term and can lead to long-term issues such as skin cancer. You also need to gear up for the specific activity you’re planning to do, whether it’s a life jacket or non-slip water shoes for boating, paddle boarding, kayaking and other water activities.

 Stretch Before Playing. It’s easy to forget to stretch your muscles before swimming or playing in the water, because it doesn’t feel like you’re getting ready for a workout. But the fact is, you will be working out, probably muscles and parts of the body you don’t regularly use.

 Strengthen Your Core. A strong core is important for keeping good posture on skiis or paddleboard, and can even be helpful when kayaking or boogie boarding. Make Pilates or other core workouts a part of your routine during the spring and summer to help alleviate pain and soreness that could come with the summer sports.

 Know Your Limits. Water is buoyant, which means it’s easy to stretch your body or in unusual ways or push yourself more than you normally would in a workout on dry land. Make sure to keep that in mind when riding the waves, swimming or playing with your kids in the water.

 Stay hydrated. We’re all used to drinking lots of water in the summer while sweating it out on the golf course or tennis courts, but the same holds true for activities in the water as well. Just because you aren’t sweating doesn’t you don’t need to hydrate.

Chiropractic Tips to be Competitive on the Pickleball Court

If you haven’t heard of pickleball yet, you will soon. This fast-paced game is now the fastest growing sport in America, and it’s popular with all ages. The game is a blend of ping pong, badminton and tennis, played on a court like a tennis court but slightly smaller. Picture in your mind four people playing doubles at pickleball, zooming back and forth across the court, with lots of quick starts and stops and pivots. It’s easy to see how the game can lead to stress on your joints or even injury.

Here at Foster Chiropractic Sports & Wellness, we have found the most common pickleball injuries are overuse injuries similar to other sports like golf and tennis. 

• Pickleball elbow (like tennis elbow) occurs from improper form while playing with the racket or repetitive motions.

• Shoulder pain or rotator cuff injuries occur with overextension of the shoulder. Over time this can damage the muscles, causing pain and inflammation while reducing your full range of motion.

• Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis can flare up from the repetitive pounding on the court and high impact on your lower legs.

Tips to Prevent Pickleball Injuries

Make sure you’re at your competitive best by doing a few simple things. First and foremost, stay hydrated. It’s always important to drink the recommended 64 ounces of water a day, but it’s even more of a priority when you are exercising. Be aware of how your body feels and drink more water if necessary to reduce fatigue. It’s also important to stretch regularly before each game of pickleball. We also recommend regular strength training exercises above and beyond your pickleball games. Keeping your muscles in top shape provides the support you need to prevent knee, shoulder and elbow injuries.

Finally, a visit to the chiropractor before you start playing pickleball, and regular visits along the way, can help get your body in top shape to hit the courts. A spinal adjustment can help reduce inflammation, improve strength, increase range of motion and boosts the immune system.

Of course, if you’re feeling pain or have had a pickleball related injury, chiropractic care can help with that discomfort as well. Dr. Foster at Foster Chiropractic is one of the few chiropractors in NC certified in treating extremities, which is helpful for tennis elbow or pickleball elbow, plantar fasciitis, or any other strains you might experience.

Celebrate Heart Month with a Trip to the Chiropractor

Here at Foster Chiropractic Sports & Wellness, we’re always looking for a reason to celebrate, and February is no exception. We love this month filled with hearts, and we’re not talking about Valentine’s Day. February is American Heart Month, a time devoted to raising awareness of the importance of cardiovascular health, and we’re celebrating by showing how chiropractic care and heart healthy lifestyles are connected.

When it comes to heart disease, the statistics show a stark reality -- Americans need to do a better job of caring for their heart.

* 1 person dies of heart disease every 36 seconds

* About 18 million adults have coronary artery disease

* 805,000 people in the U.S. have a heart attack each year

* 1 in 5 heart attacks is silent, meaning the person is not aware of the damage that was done.

Chiropractic Care Can Help with Heart Health

Did you know that regular visits to the chiropractor can help improve some of the factors that lead to heart disease? Here are a few ways Foster Chiropractic can help your heart keep beating strong for years to come.

Help Lower Blood Pressure. Studies show significant improvement to blood pressure when patients receive an adjustment of the Atlas vertebrae. This vertebra, the first in the spinal column, is called the Atlas because just as Atlas held up the Earth in Greek mythology, this vertebra supports the head. When out of alignment, it triggers the release of a signal that makes the arteries contract, adversely affecting blood flow in the base of the skull. An Atlas adjustment can improve blood flow, which in turn helps lower blood pressure.  

Reduce Inflammation. When the spine is out of alignment, it can cause pressure on the nerves, which leads to the production of neuropeptides, a chemical signal that promotes inflammation through the body. Reducing the pressure on the nerves stops the production of neuropeptides, thereby reducing inflammation throughout the body, including in arteries, veins and the heart, to help blood flow strong through the entire cardiovascular system. 

Improve Lung Function. The heart and lungs work together, therefore when your lungs are strong and healthy, the flow of oxygen is improved and benefits the blood flow through your body as well as powering the strength of your heart muscles. Studies have shown that chiropractic treatments are able to open up the respiratory system to allow air to flow through the lungs easier and improve lung capacity.

A Holistic Approach

Regular visits to the chiropractor are just one prong to heart health. It’s also important to eat a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and grains and to get regular exercise. By incorporating all three of these practices into your regular routine you can keep your heart pumping strong for years to come.

Make 2022 Your Best Year Yet!

In the midst of family time, shopping, baking, decorating then undecorating, it’s also a great time to reflect on the year and make plans for the coming year, so that you’re living on Purpose and not just by Accident. People often think of that as it relates to their business or their finances, but I hope you’ll include your health as part of that analysis and take a proactive approach to wellness in 2022. Here are a few tips and tactics to help you in the coming year because living healthy doesn’t happen on accident but by making choices. 

1.     Write down your goals – whatever comes to mind. Don’t just think “I need to lose 10 lbs” but intentionally draft ways you can live healthier both physically and emotionally. For example, walk 20 minutes a day, 6 days/week or train for a _____.  Learn how to ______. You’ll refine these goals throughout the year, and perhaps add to them, but first just get them written down.

2.     Set a start date, then mark your calendar 3, 6 and 9 months out to review/adjust goals. Of course you can edit your goals along the way, but having intentionality to see how you’re doing throughout the year can help you stay focused and on target.

3.     What’s your why? At the top of your page, write a sentence that explains what your motivation is for your goals. “I want to be able to play more actively with my grandchildren” or “I’ve always dreamed of running a 5k.” When there are days you don’t want to work towards your goals – and there will be days– reflecting on your why will help you stay focused and push through.

4.     Accountability partners are a fantastic way to stay motivated. Do you have a friend or relative who has similar goals? Together you can both achieve your goals (even if your whys are different!) 

5.     Review your goals before each day gets underway. That helps you plan your day accordingly so you’re not collapsing into bed frustrated that you didn’t make progress.

Small changes can have a lasting impact! Remember, it’s not about being perfect, it’s all about being as purposeful about your health as you can! We are here to help you make your goals a reality in 2022!

Fall Hikes: Immerse Yourself in North Carolina’s Beauty

From the trails of the Piedmont to the scenic views of the mountains, North Carolina is a beautiful place to enjoy the great colors fall has to offer. And what better way to enjoy the color than to get out and experience it first hand, walking along at your own pace to take in the full grandeur of nature’s beauty?

Hiking is an activity all of us at Foster Chiropractic enjoy because it provides so many benefits to your physical and mental health. The exercise is great for cardiovascular health, helping lower blood pressure and strengthening your heart. It’s also good for building strength in your muscles and boosting bone density, since walking is a weight bearing exercise. The fresh air, sunshine and calming effects of nature also help reduce stress and improve your mood. 

Foster’s Hiking Checklist

Make sure you’re prepared and stay safe and healthy on the trails with our handy list of hiking essentials and pre-planning advice. 

Good Boots. Gravel trails and steep slopes make it easy to slip and fall or twist your ankle. Footwear with a good tread and strong ankle support can help mitigate those health concerns and minimize any opportunity for accidents to occur.

Walking Sticks. Even if the hike you’re planning isn’t on mountainous terrain, walking sticks can help with balance in any situation. They’re a good way to help avoiding stumbles, falls and possible joint damage.

Snacks and Water. Staying hydrated while out on the trails is a must. Your body expends water with exercise, so replenishing your body’s water as you go helps keep you working at peak performance. The same is true for snacks. Bring along a trail mix with a good combination of carbohydrates and protein to keep your energy levels up through the entire hike. 

Warm-Up Stretches. A good stretching routine can help make sure your muscles and joints are prepared for the strain of hiking. Don’t forget to stretch at the end as well, to help your muscles cool down sufficiently.

Chiropractic Alignment. Before you head out for a hike, make sure to schedule an alignment with Foster Chiropractic. Your spine and hips will absorb a lot of force from your body’s pounding while walking. If you’ve made sure your spine is properly aligned beforehand, you’ll find you have increased mobility, stamina and balance. An alignment can also help reduce pain from the pressure on your spine, hips and joints. 

Great Local Hikes

The Winston-Salem area is blessed with plenty of great places to see fall colors, from local greenways in town to well-kept trails in the foothills. Here are just a few of our favorite places. 

Walking Trails Winston Salem