Have you ever watched a seal or sea lion balance a ball on their nose? It’s quite a feat! As the ball rolls to one side or another, these creatures will perform an amazing balancing act.
You might be surprised to hear that this is something the two of you have in common. Similar to the way these creatures are able to effortlessly keep the ball from dropping, your spine will bend, twist, and contort itself in a variety of ways to keep your head balanced over your body.
The human head weighs as much as 14-lbs and rests on a tiny spinal bone called atlas, or C1. The position of this vertebra dictates the angle in which your head is positioned. For example, if this bone becomes misaligned and tilts 4-degrees, your head goes with it.
Your own “balancing act” will follow, which involves the lowering of one shoulder, curvature of the spine, rotation of the pelvis, as well as contraction of leg muscles. A visual of this postural distortion can be seen here.
For the most part, these remarkable adaptations go unnoticed to the naked eye… but a number of physiologic changes can begin to develop over time, indicating that a misalignment is present.
At any time, the sea lion can let go of the ball and relax. You, on the other hand, don’t have this luxury. You can’t get rid of your head! The only way to give the muscles, joints, and nerves a break is to correct the misalignment and restore the proper biomechanical relationship between your head, neck, and spine.
Here are 14 warning signs that people can notice when a misalignment is present. They’re “cries for help” from your body. If you can recall experiencing any of them, it’s time to visit an Upper Cervical chiropractor.