Posture awareness and correction is key in preventing desk sitting pain.

1. THE POSTURE
SOLUTION
KEVIN CHRISTIE D.C.
HEALTH-FIT CORPORATE WELLNESS

2. LOSS OF CURVATURE
• Decrease Range of Motion
• Decrease Strength
• Muscle Imbalances
• Increase Chance of Injury
• Increase Disc Pressure
• NEUTRAL SPINE IS EXPONENTIALLY STRONGER

3. UPPER CROSSED
SYNDROME
• Upper Body Muscle Imbalance
• Tight Chest
• Tight Posterior Neck Muscles
• Weak Mid-Back
• Weak Deep Anterior Neck Muscles
• Forward Head Syndrome
• How much does your head weigh?
• Basic Physics
• Other Related Pain Syndromes
• Shoulder Pain
• Mid-Back Pain
• Breathing Dysfunction

4. COMMON UPPER BACK CONDITIONS
• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
• Mid-Back Pain
• Rib-Subluxations
• Stiffness
• Postural Syndromes
• Scoliosis

5. THE BOWLING BALL ANALOGY
• Your head weighs about 10-12 pounds
• Basic Physics shows the further an object is
from the center of gravity, it weighs more
• If you have forward head posture, You will
increase the weight of your head Over your
shoulders and cause more strain On the neck.

6. “TEXT NECK”

7. COMMON NECK
CONDITIONS
• Headaches/Migraines
• Arm Radicular Symptoms
• Muscular Pain
• Trigger Points
• Vertebral Segmental Dysfunction
• Wry Neck/Torticollis
• Fibromyalgia

8. LOWER CROSSED
SYNDROME
• Lower Body Muscle Imbalance
• Tight Hip Flexors
• Tight Low Back
• Weak Abdominals
• Weak Glutes
• Related Pain Syndromes
• Low Back Pain
• Mid Back Pain
• Hip Pain
• Lower Extremity Pain Syndromes

9. COMMON LOW BACK
CONDITIONS
• Mechanical Low Back Pain
• Disc Related Pain: Disc Herniation vs Disc Bulge
• Sciatica
• Piriformis Syndrome
• Myofascial (Muscular Pain)
• Facet Syndrome
• Fibromyalgia
• Spinal Stenosis

10. 6-PART
CORRECTIVE
STRATEGY
• Proper Workstation Set-Up
• Body Positioning Awareness
• Improved Posture
• Corrective Exercises
• Micro-Breaks
• Education Training

11. STERNUM UP
• Sternum Up- Keeping the sternum up
automatically sets the body into good
posture and maintains:
• Neutral Spine: Maintaining good spinal
alignment decreases the stress placed
on the spine and discs.
• Hip Hinging: Bending at the hips, and not
the low back, decreases the stress placed
on the low back and increases strength &
power.

12. THE ABDOMINAL BRACE
• Abdominal Bracing- When all of your core muscles work
together, a "Super Stiffness" occurs, and all 3 layers of the
abdominal wall are activated to protect and stabilize the
spine and discs.
• Without bending forward, contract the abdominal muscles
(like you are about the get punched in your gut - feel them
tighten with one hand) and the buttock muscles (as if you are
holding in a bowel movement).
• You will feel the lower back muscles contract (with the
other hand) when you contract your abs and buttocks.

13. SLEEPING
POSITIONS
• Do not sleep on your
stomach
• Side and Back
sleeping positions
preferred
• Neck Alignment
• Pillow Options

14. THE MICRO-BREAK

15. CHIN RETRACTIONS
• Place your finger on the front of your chin.
• Then draw your chin away from your finger as
you pull it in.
• This is basically a nodding movement with your
head as if saying `yes' without dropping your
head or looking down.
• You should feel a gentle pull in the back of your
neck as this stretches tight muscles there.
• Repetitions: 2 to 3 slowly. Hold: Pause for a
second or two when the chin is in. Frequency:
Every 20 to 30 min when
sitting for extended periods of time.

16. BREUGGER’S POSTURAL
RESET
• Position your body at the edge of a chair, feet pointed
outward.
• Your weight should be on your legs and your abdomen
should be relaxed. Tilt your pelvis forward, lift your
sternum, arch your back, tuck your chin and drop your
arms.
• Move your hands apart from each other while
simultaneously rotating your palms out, straightening your
arms, and pinching your shoulder blades together as your
hands backward.
• Take a few deep-cleansing breaths. Hold this stretch for
several seconds, return to the start position and repeat 3-
6 times, twice per day or as directed.
• Alternately, this exercise may be performed standing.

17. POSTERIOR NECK
STRETCHES
• Stretch 1: Upper Trapezius
• Rotate head to the left, reach over with right
hand and lightly stretch towards your right.
Perform on both sides
• Stretch 2: Levator Scapulae
• Look down towards your right
shoulder/chest
• Reach right hand over to left side of head
and lightly stretch.
• Perform on both sides
• 3 sets of 20 second holds for both stretches

18. CHEST/SHOULDER
STRETCH
• 2 Different types of chest/shoulder stretches
available
• Perform 3 sets and hold each set for 20 seconds

19. MID-BACK MOBILITY
• Lay on your right side and have your arms
straight out.
• Take your left leg and bend it by flexing your
hip.
• Rotate your torso and try to reach the ground
on the other side of your body.
• Make sure to maintain your left knee contacted
to the ground.
• Repeat on other side.
• Perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps based on quality
of movement.

20. THE WALL
ANGEL
• Stand against wall, with
back flat against the wall
• Feet about a foot away
from the wall
• Without arching your low
back slide the arms all the
way up and all the way
down the wall without
losing your posture
• Perform 3 sets of 8
repetitions

21. THE CROSS CRAWL
• Perform 2-3 Sets
• 6-12 repetitions
• Perform on each side

22. THE GLUTE BRIDGE
• 2-3 Sets
• 8-12 Repetitions

23. THE STANDING BACK EXTENSION
• 1 Set
• 10 Second Hold
• 2-4 Repetitions

24. HIP FLEXOR
STRETCH
• Begin standing in a “lunge” position
with one leg back until a stretch is
felt in your hip.
• Lunge forward to increase the
stretch in your hip. Hold this
position for two or three seconds
and return to neutral.
• Slowly lunge forward 10 times,
each time increasing the stretch.
• Perform 10 additional repetitions of
increased stretch by rotating your
body away from your back leg.
• Perform a final set of 10 repetitions
of increased stretch by raising your
arm on the same side and rotating
your body away while performing
lunges.

25. THE FRONT PLANK
• 1-3 Sets
• 30 second to 2 minute holds based on proper form

26. ANY
QUESTIONS?