could you benefit from chiropractic treatments?

Many of the fashions today are chic, exciting and stylish for women. But are those fashionable accessories, purses and shoes dangerous for your body? Your chiropractor may think so. According to the American Chiropractic Association, today's fashions and accessories have a great impact on body pain. Carrying the wrong size purse, wearing the highest heels, and even carrying a heavy laptop bag can all affect your body's alignment and joints. Before you put on another pair of stilettos, read the information below first.

How Bad Are Your High Heels?

Stilettos, pumps and platforms are all popular accessories for dressing up fashionable outfits. However, any shoes with heels over 2 inches in height can damage the bones, tendons and muscles in your ankles, feet and legs. So, how can your dress shoes do this?

One of the biggest problems of wearing high heels is pressure on the toes and upper soles of your feet, which causes foot pain. Because foot pain opens the door for many other body ailments to develop, such as back and hip pain, it is one of the most common ailments treated by chiropractors today.

Your feet are designed to bring balance and stability to your body when you move or stand still. When you wear high-heeled footwear, you disrupt this perfect balance. Much of the weight of your body presses down on your feet when you wear heels.

High heels force your body to lean forward instead of stay upright. The tendons and muscles in your back and hips pull out of position as they attempt to keep you from falling too far forward when you move. If you wear high-heeled shoes all the time, you can develop body pain.

Your chiropractor can use a variety of tools to diagnose pain and inflammation in your lower body, including taking x-rays or CT scans. These diagnostic tools detect torn ligaments, inflamed muscles, and many other problems quickly and effectively.

Are Your Fashionable Bags and Purses Moving Your Shoulders Out of Alignment?

Wearing heavy laptop bags, large tote bags and shoulder purses is another problem with today's fashions. Although these accessories give you the ability to carry more items, as well as protect your valuables from damage and theft, they can also move your shoulders out alignment.

Your shoulders are comprised of tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones. These body tissues function as one cohesive support system for your upper body. By placing too much stress on one shoulder, you force the other shoulder to lift upward, which makes you appear lopsided.

It's possible to dislocate one or both shoulder joints, tear the tendons loose, or overstretch the muscles from the strain. If you experience any of the symptoms below, see a chiropractor for an immediate evaluation:

• Pain in your shoulders, neck or upper arms when you lift your arms upward
• Swelling in your shoulders
• Pain in your back 

The misalignment may also affect the bones of your spine. Each spinal bone connects together with cartilage, nerves and soft tissue. By leaning to one side all the time, the spine's tissues stretch or shift toward that direction.

Your chiropractor can easily see a shoulder and possible spinal misalignment by examining your upper body with x-rays. If the chiropractor uses thermography during the evaluation, they can locate areas of inflammation in your shoulders. Thermography is an advanced technique used to pick up extreme areas of heat or inflammation in body tissues.

What Can You Wear or Use Safely and Still Be Fashionable?

Your chiropractor may suggest that you use smaller bags to carry your items. You can also place the straps of your bags over your neck to balance out the stress of carrying large or heavy items.

If you need to transport many items, consider using a small cart, such as a personal grocery cart. You can find these at any large retailer in your area. 

Also, alternate your high heels with flats to help prevent pain and inflammation in your lower body. Flat footwear keeps your body properly aligned and safe.

If you have concerns about your body pain, contact a chiropractor in Phoenix, AZ for evaluation and treatment.