With Spinal Awareness Week last week, why not learn how to be aware of your own spine?! Below are 15 ways to know that things aren’t quite right and guess what? Only one of them is to do with pain!

Your Heels Wear Out Unevenly.

This can be due to uneven leg length caused by a misaligned pelvis.

You Can’t Take a Satisfying Deep Breath

Restrictions in the upper back and ribs (thoracic spine) can cause restricted breathing and/or expansion of the chest due to the improper motion in the joints.

Your Jaw “Clicks”

This can be caused by neck misalignment and severe tension in the upper neck. The upper neck and jaw are very much linked so one will often affect the other.

You Have to “Crack” Your Neck, Back, or Other Joints Often

This is your body telling you that something is out of alignment. It can be caused by areas of your spine that are restricted and unable to move in their normal pattern.

You Can’t Twist or Turn Your Head or Hips to Either Side Easily and Equally

Reduced range of motion comes from misaligned vertebrae.

You Are Often Tired.

An unbalanced spine drains your energy. Your body is having to do so much work to maintain your unbalance posture even at rest.

You Have Poor Concentration

Misalignment in your spine affect the Brain-Body connection.

You Have Low Resistance to Disease

Chiropractic adjustments to reduce nerve pressure have been shown to help increase white blood cells throughout the body. Studies show that every time you get adjusted, your Interleukin-2 (IL-2) levels go up immediately. IL-2 is what your body uses to kill viral and bacterial assaults.

Your Foot Flares Out When Walking

This test is easy as long as you don’t cheat. Merely look at your feet as you walk. Do they both point forward, or does one foot appear to flare outward or inward? Do both? Foot flare may be a sign of a problem in the lower spine or hips.

One Leg Appears Shorter Than the Other

Keep your shoes on, and lie down. Have someone stand behind you, look down at your feet, and gently push your heels toward your head. Compare where the heels meet the shoes. One foot may appear anywhere from 1/8” to 1” shorter than the other. A lot of people describe this a normal, it isn’t, its just prevalent. In fact, it is one of our most common findings and when the cause is due to spinal alignment, it corrects.

You Have weight distribution

Stand on two-bathroom scales, one foot on each. The weight distribution should be about the same over each foot. If it is not, that’s a good sign that your spine, hips or head are off line.

You Have Headaches, Back Aches, Sore or Tender Spots in Muscles or Joint

All are  common signs of a spine out of alignment. Pain is your body is telling you something is wrong. As Chiropractors we need to find the root cause and not be guided purely by symptoms.

You Have a Constant, Stressful Feeling and Tension Especially in Muscles and Joints

Nerve irritation from misaligned spine results in muscle tension. No matter how many massages you have. Unless the alignment of the spine is corrected then things will quickly revert.

You Feel Stiffness in Your Back or Neck

Stiffness may be a sign of degenerative changes in your spine. Imagine a car tyre, it has the normal wear from the road, just as our joint do from aging. When a car tyre is out of line it wears far quicker, the same with our joints.

You Just Don’t Feel Right, You Are in General Poor Health

If your Nervous System is not in total balance, your health will not be in total balance.

Getting your nervous system checked and making sure your spine is in alignment will ensure your nervous system can communicate properly with your body. When this happens, it is only a matter of time before your body begins healing properly and true health and vitality can be achieved.

If these things ring true for you let us know and get booked in for your consultation to see your local Cardiff Chiropractor.