Dr. Eve Choe - Toronto Chiropractor + Posture Expert
info@drevechoe.com l 416.297.8599
1730 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M6P 1B3 
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Sleeping Posture

5/5/2020

6 Comments

 
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I often find poor sleeping habits contribute to chronic neck or back issues. A question I commonly get asked is: what is the best way to sleep for good posture? Read on to find out.

✅Sleeping on your back or side keeps your spine in the most neutral position, If you choose to sleep on your side, make sure to support your pelvis with a pillow between your knees.

✅Take a look at the type of pillow that you use. If you sleep on your back, you need a lower pillow. Remember that the neck is what really needs to be supported vs. your head. If you sleep on your side. there’s a bigger negative space between your head and shoulder, so you need a firmer and higher pillow.


✅Tuck the bottom of the pillow above the shoulders. The pillow should support your neck, not your shoulders. 

✅Medium-firm mattress is best. A mattress that is too soft will cause the heaviest parts of your body to sink, while a too firm mattress will not support the curves of the spine. 

A good sleeping posture will improve the quality of your sleep, improving your overall energy and mood. Sweet dreams! 


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When Bad Posture Happens to Good People

3/6/2020

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​How to fix the habits causing your bad posture so it doesn't ruin your look — or your back

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Written by: Andrea Kerr for The Werk
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If you work from a couch, or even from a desk, you've probably made peace with hunched shoulders and a mildly achy neck — but did you know that slouched posture has serious consequences for your image and your health? “If you have bad posture, people assume that you’re not confident,” says Eve Choe, a Toronto-based chiropractor who offers a 12-week posture workshop at her clinic. “You appear shorter and people assume you’re tired.” Poor posture also has negative health consequences like “chronic fatigue, muscle fatigue, headaches and back pain. You can have sleep and digestive problems, difficulty concentrating. It causes so many issues,” Choe says.
 
But contrary to popular belief, super-straight military posture is not the ultimate goal. Instead, “good posture maintains three natural curves in the spine at the neck, mid-back, and low back,” says Choe. When you look in the mirror, your eyes should be level, as should your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. From the side, your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should create a straight line that, again, maintains the natural curves in the spine.
 
If you frequently notice that you appear slouched in photos or videos — or that your grandma’s always bugging you to sit up straight — try these tips for correcting the habits that cause bad posture in the first place.

1. Check your smartphone.
Lately, the most common form of bad posture that Choe sees at her clinic is the forward head tilt — and one of the main causes is smartphone use. Many people spend hours on their phones each day texting, answering emails, and posting on social media, and they hold their phones in their laps, which causes neck strain. The correction? “Bring your smartphone to eye level instead of bringing your head down to it,” says Choe.

2. Adapt your workspace.
“Laptops are built for portability,” Choe notes. “They’re not built for our bodies. Often, we will hunch forward so we can have our eyes level with the monitor of the laptop.” To correct this posture, consider purchasing an external keyboard or monitor so that you can space them to work for your body when your posture is at its best. Also, try to avoid sitting on soft couches or armchairs to work because they will likely raise your knees above your hips, which then rounds out your lower back. Instead, choose a chair that allows you to sit directly on your sit bones (not on your tailbone) with your knees at 90 degrees to your hips.

3. Take frequent breaks.
It’s time to curb your habit of staring at your computer screen for three, four or five hours straight — even if you have the perfect office set-up. “A good tip is 20-20-20,” says Choe. “So every 20 minutes, try to get up for 20 seconds and look 20 feet away. It also gives your eyes a break.” If you can’t break every 20 minutes, aim for every hour.

4. Think long.
Don’t think “straight” when you’re trying to correct your posture, because a healthy spine isn’t straight. Instead, imagine a string attached to the top of your head and pulling you upwards. Your shoulders should be back, yet relaxed, and you should maintain the natural curves in your spine.

5. Work it out.
When working to correct bad posture, Choe gives her clients plenty of exercises to do at home. She loves head retraction and scapula retraction exercises, in particular. “For head retractions, you bring your head in toward the body with your chin tucked,” she says. “You don’t look down. You don’t look up. You bring your head straight back. With a scapula retraction, you squeeze your shoulder blades together.” Choe also likes to strengthen the muscles that stabilize her clients’ shoulder blades by recommending wall angels, which are snow angels performed up against a wall.

6. Change your sleep habits.
How you sleep each night can have an effect on your posture throughout the day. “Sleeping on your back keeps your spine in the most neutral position, but side sleeping is also good,” says Choe. If you choose to sleep on your side, make sure you support your pelvis with a pillow between your knees. Also, take a look at the type of pillow that you use to support your head. If you sleep on your back, you need a low pillow. If you sleep on your side, “there’s a bigger negative space between your head and shoulder, so you need a firmer and higher pillow.”

7. Book an appointment with a chiropractor.
A chiropractor can make adjustments that “restore mobility and movement back into the joints in the spine,” says Choe. These adjustments can also relieve stress that’s placed on the body when there’s a locked or restricted joint. After your adjustments, ask your chiropractor for additional at-home exercises to correct your specific posture concerns.
 
Bad posture is a habit that you’ve developed over several years. Give yourself the time to correct it (Choe says it will likely take at least 12 weeks) and you’ll see improvements in your health and the image that you project to your colleagues, employers and future clients.
2 Comments

New Year, Better Posture Checklist

1/4/2018

1 Comment

 
Good posture is associated with better health and human function. Proper postural alignment protects the integrity of your internal organs and supports your body upright against the ever present force of gravity. Upright posture, with your head up and chest forward is associated with a higher level of self-perceived leadership and confidence.

There are many preventable health consequences of poor posture. This checklist will help you look thinner in an instant, reduce stress, and increase your level of confidence.

Yes, all those positive health affects are associated with your POSTURE. Let’s get to work.
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Original Author: Dr. Krista Burns
1 Comment

Posture Tip - Correct posture ergonomics for Handbags

6/5/2017

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​Some women carry the whole world in their handbag, but a heavy bag or purse can cause pain and injury to your back, neck and shoulders. Overstuffed bags also cause poor posture by encouraging the carrier to lean to one side. The good news is pain and injury can be easily avoided by following a few simple tips. Here are some provided by the Ontario Chiropractic Association:

​Choosing a handbag
1. Choose a handbag that is proportionate to your body size and no larger than what is needed. Your handbag should not weigh more than 10 per cent of your body weight.
2. Choose a handbag that has several individual pockets, instead of one large compartment. This will help to distribute the weight of the contents more evenly and keep them from shifting.

Packing a handbag
1. Change the size and weight of your wallet once in a while. You may also consider one wallet for your work and a different one for when you go out, as you may need different objects for both.
2. Ensure the weight is evenly distributed in the purse by using all the pockets.

Carrying a handbag
1. Use both hands to check the weight of the handbag.
2. Instead of always carrying your handbag on the same shoulder, switch sides often so each shoulder gets a rest.
3. Square your shoulders — many women have a habit of lifting the shoulder on which the purse is carried to keep the straps from slipping.

More tips
1. Try to maintain good posture. When standing, your head, shoulders, hips and ankles should line-up, one comfortably above the other.
​2. If you can walk to lunch or a meeting, lock your purse in your desk or locker and carry only your cash and/ or credit cards in a pocket. By following these simple strategies, it’s easy to lighten your load.

If you have any questions about posture and ergonomics, please contact Dr. Eve.
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5 Ways Pregnant Women Benefit from Chiropractic Care

3/2/2017

7 Comments

 
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Pregnancy is an exciting  time in a mother-to-be’s life. Although joyous, expectant mothers undergo significant amount of changes as the baby develops. The back, neck and joints are the areas of body that tend to suffer the most. Along with an OBGYN, a chiropractor is a welcome addition to a woman’s prenatal care team. Chiropractors can help manage back and joint pain issues so that they don’t become an issue during delivery or impact a woman’s recovery time post-pregnancy. Here are 5 key ways chiropractors can help:

1. Chiropractic care keeps the spine in alignment

Pregnancy adds significant additional weight to a woman’s body in a short amount of time. This change bears on the spine, frequently pulling it out of alignment. When this happens, the pain can be quite severe. Chiropractic care during pregnancy works to keep the spine in alignment and all supporting tendons working optimally, to be better prepared and able to adequately support the extra weight.

2. Chiropractors can reduce the need for pain relievers by treating underlying issues.

Most times, individuals experiencing moderate pain pop a couple of over the counter pain relievers and think nothing of it. However, pregnant women strive to avoid medications when possible.

Chiropractic adjustments decrease the underlying issues that cause pain, so the patient relies less on medications. Experiencing less pain as well as eliminating the need for pain killers is a win-win situation for expectant mothers.

3. Chiropractors can help strengthen joints. 

Pregnancy really beats up an expectant mothers joints. Chiropractic care for expectant mothers is a productive way to minimize the effect the large, protruding abdomen has on her hips, legs, and ankles.

Treating the body as a whole, chiropractic treatment works to strengthen the body and promotes healing of injured or strained areas.

4. Chiropractors can help achieve pelvic alignment making the birth process go more smooth.

An aligned pelvis is critical to the birthing process, and increases the chances of being able to give birth naturally. According to the American Pregnancy Association,

“When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint. A misaligned pelvis may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. This can affect the mother’s ability to have a natural, non-invasive birth.” 

An experienced chiropractor can effectively align the pelvis before delivery, so the mother is able to deliver with little incident.

5. Chiropractic care increases the body’s ability to bounce back

Let’s face it, every pregnant woman thinks “will I ever fit in the clingy red dress again?” The healthier and stronger a woman’s body is before and during pregnancy, the easier it is to get back into shape once the baby is born. Eating right and safely exercising are effective ways to accomplish this.

Chiropractic care is also a valuable component to fitness. Expectant mothers who choose chiropractic enjoy better posture, less pain, and increased mobility, especially late in the third trimester.

This allows them to maintain exercise routines and be active longer than those suffering from back pain and achy joints. After the delivery, it’s easier to get back into a fitness routine, and into that red dress, if the new mother’s joints, back, and hips are aligned and functioning properly.
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Chiropractic care can serve to reduce pain and increase the overall heath of expectant mothers, letting her relax and focus on the more pleasant aspects of pregnancy. Expecting women who commit to chiropractic care can look forward to a stronger body, the chances of a smoother delivery, and an easier recovery after the baby comes.

This article excerpt, by Porterfield Family Chiropractic, was published June 15, 2015 and originally appeared here.

7 Comments

Simple Posture Correction

2/7/2017

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Sitting is the new smoking. You've heard it many times now. What can you do while sitting in front of a computer other than taking frequent breaks? Try this simple posture correction throughout the day:
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Plant and Rake without the Ache

5/1/2013

2 Comments

 
May is here and we are finally getting the sun and warm weather we've been waiting for. A lot of you will be heading out to your garden this weekend. Before you rush outdoors, read these tips from the Ontario Chiropractic Association for gardening without injuries:
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STRETCH
Before you start, remember to warm up for 10-15 minutes. Take a walk, even on the spot, gently swinging your arms and lifting your knees. 

1. Your sides
  • extend one arm over your head
  • bend left from the waist
  • hold for 15-20 seconds and repeat to the right
2. Your thighs (quadriceps)
  • Lean against a tree or a wall for support if needed
  • bend your right knee and grasp your ankle with your left hand
  • hold for 15-20 seconds and repeat with your left knee.
3. Your hamstrings
  • while standing, reach your hands to the sky
  • then, bending at the waist, reach toward your toes
  • hold for 15-20 seconds
4. Your wrists (3 stretches)
  • hold one arm out in front of you with the palm down, bend your wrist until the fingers point to the ground, using the opposite hand to hold this position
  • place your hands in "prayer" position, and press your palms together
  • keep your arm straight, and keep the arm in the "stop" position. Use the opposite hand to hold this position
5. Your shoulders 
  • let your arms hang loose
  • roll your shoulder forward then back
6. Your back
  • in a seated position, bend from the hips, keeping your head down (Remember! You're hinging from the hips, and not the low back - always protect your back)
  • reach for the ground

LIFT RIGHT
  • position yourself close to the object you want to lift. stand with your feet shoulder width apart, head up, with your feet and body pointing in the same direction
  • bend your knees and keep your back straight. Use your leg and arm muscles check the weight and slowly lift the load
  • keep the load close to your body. Pivot with your feet instead of twisting while carrying the load
  • bend your knees and slowly lower the load to its intended place
  • Avoid heavy lifting immediately after bending or kneeling
  • get help with heavy and awkward loads

REMEMBER!
  • Alternate: heavy then light then heavy
  • Change hands: take the strain off by changing the position of your hands
  • Check your position: change it often. Kneel then stand or simply sit and take a break
  • Lift right: knees bent, back straight. Load close to body
  • Rake right: place one leg in front and the other behind to ease the strain on your back. Switch hands and legs
  • Kneel to plant: use knee pads or kneeling mat
  • Keep your back straight
  • Take breaks frequently.

Remember, if your back pain lasts for more than two or three days, see Dr. Eve for an evaluation. 

To download the brochure from the OCA, click here. 
2 Comments

Where's your head? Part 2 - The domino effect

12/19/2012

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...The thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone. The hip bone’s connected to the backbone. The backbone’s connected to the neck bone...

We learn early on that our body is all connected. When there is a long standing problem somewhere in your body, chances are the problem is connected in some way to another area of your body. For example, if your feet are hurting, it may alter the way you stand or walk, leading to problems at your knees, hips and/or lower back. So what happens when your head is shifted forward?
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Make an appointment with Dr. Eve and find out where your head is!
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Where's your head?

12/12/2012

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For every inch your head moves forward, it gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, because they have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest.

This also forces the suboccipital muscles (they raise the chin) to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the 3 Suboccipital nerves.   

This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull. Pressure on the suboccipital nerves can also mimic sinus (frontal) headaches.  

Rene Cailliet M.D., famous medical author and former director of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Southern California states:

“Head in forward posture can add up to thirty pounds of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine. This can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture (FHP) may result in the loss of 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath-related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis, which blocks the action of the hyoid muscles, especially the inferior hyoid responsible for helping lift the first rib during inhalation.”

It's not uncommon to observe 2" of anterior head placement in new patients. Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20-pound watermelon hanging around your neck? That's what forward head posture can do to you.   Left uncorrected, forward head posture will continue to decline. 

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Those of you who sit at desks all day have the greatest potential for this damaging issue. 

Next time you're sitting at the computer or you are texting away on your phone (or while you are reading this blog right now), freeze and take a note of your posture.

Come in for a postural evaluation and ask Dr. Eve all about the dangers of forward head posture and how to correct it.


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    Author

    Dr. Eve Choe is a Toronto-based chiropractor, and certified posture expert, acupuncture & orthotics provider. 

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