I Didn't Do Anything

We spent our Independence Day weekend at our camp in the Adirondacks. One of our sons invited his buddy to come up and hangout with us for the weekend. We planned a hike for July 4^th up Blue Mountain. Being an early riser, I got up early and went for a run, knowing that teenage boys would not be up for several hours. When I returned from my run, I went for a walk to cool down to enjoy the morning air. Upon returning we had 2 teenagers still sleeping. My wife was making a nice breakfast for all, and my daughter was chomping at the bit to go outside and do something. After we ate breakfast, my daughter and I took our dog for a walk hoping by the time we returned the remaining sleepy heads would be up and we could get on the road to the trailhead. When we returned my son’s friend was still upstairs in bed. He could tell that we wanted to get going so he woke him up. After he took a shower and walked to town to get a coffee, he returned to tell us that his neck was killing him and he wouldn’t be joining us for the hike.

In all honesty, I was getting a little frustrated that it was taking so long to get going. When I realized how much discomfort my son’s friend was experiencing, my frustration turned to pity. To be so young, and to be limited by your lack of knowledge about your health is truly sad. When we returned from our hike his friend appeared to have not moved off of the couch. He said that he walked in to town to meet a friend that was working locally.

My wife and I prepared dinner. Following dinner, I talked with the hurting young man about the importance of having a proper curve in his neck. I gave him some postural recommendations about how to position himself to reduce the pressure on his nerves. He said to me that he didn’t understand why his neck was hurting so bad when he didn’t do anything. I said to him that you may think you have not done anything, but I have been watching you, and you constantly look down at your phone with your neck bent inducing a reversed cervical curve.

Unfortunately, this scenario is being played out everywhere. Young and old are planting their faces into their phones for hours upon hours every day. It is addicting, and it is not going away any time soon. The consequences on the future health of our youth today will be devastating. I say devastating because years down the road forward head posture and reversing of the cervical curve causes spinal degeneration and major interference to the nervous system. Remember the nervous system is what is telling all of your muscles and organs how to work. What happens when you disrupt that communication? That’s right, they don’t work right. When they don’t work right, what happens to you?

The young man was partially correct when he said that he didn’t do anything. What didn’t he do? He has done nothing to offset or address the stresses that he daily places on his spine. Imagine if a guy showed up at the dentist with excruciating tooth pain. The dentist looks in his mouth and sees nothing but a mouth full of rotten teeth. The dentist is appalled at what terrible condition the guy’s teeth were in. The guy is shocked that his teeth just started to hurt him out of nowhere to where he could not chew his food without pain. He said I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. I don’t remember biting something hard. The dentist says when was the last time you brushed your teeth? The man replies, oh, I never brush my teeth. No one in my family does. We don’t do that.

This may seem ridiculous comparing dental hygiene to a young fella with a stiff neck. Its just a stiff neck, it will go away. Will it? Or will it just slowly degenerate year after year until more and more function is lost? Don’t make that gamble. Get you and your family under regular chiropractic care, so you can have experience lifetime family wellness!

Lombardi Chiropractic Family Health Center
1116 Upper Lenox Ave.
www.lombardichiropractic.com
315-363-4114

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