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http://southlandchiroclinic.com/, http://www.southlandchiropracticclinic.com/

Jack HT Hakimian, D.C., 24309 Southland Drive, Hayward, CA (2026)

09/17/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Why Healthy Spinal Motion Matters Beyond Pain Relief

A stiff back isn't just a minor problem. In addition to causing pain, poor spinal motion can interfere with many body functions and systems. Insomnia, frequent illnesses or poor posture can be related to spinal motion issues. Improving spinal motion with chiropractic treatments is the key to better health and comfort.

The Importance of Healthy Spinal Motion

Vertebrae, the small bones that form your backbone, provide the flexibility the spine needs to bend, twist, extend, and rotate. Healthy spinal motion reduces stress on the spine, helps you easily change position, and is important for good nerve health. When spinal motion is restricted, your health may be affected.

Poor spinal motion can be caused by subluxations, or misalignments, of one or more of the vertebrae. Subluxations can happen if you fall, have poor posture, or keep your body twisted in uncomfortable positions in your job. Even stress can cause subluxations.

Misalignments stress and tighten nearby muscles and tissues, which also become stiff. The combined effect of subluxations and muscle and tissue tension make spinal motion even more difficult.

Healthy spinal motion is essential for:

Good Nervous System Function. Subluxations and tight soft tissues press on nerves, interfering with the signals sent from the brain to every part of your body. Improving spinal motion ensures that nerve signals reach their destination.
Better Health. Poor spinal motion may also affect the nerves that serve the immune system. As a result, you may experience more colds and illnesses as your body struggles to fight viruses and other germs.
Easy Movement Throughout the Body. Spinal motion issues affect your entire body. A subluxation in your upper back may restrict shoulder movement. If your lower back is the problem, stiffness may change the way you walk and lead to hip or knee problems. Healthy spinal motion helps you move every part of your body easily.
Improved Posture. It's difficult to maintain perfect posture when your spine doesn't move easily or freely. You may tend to favor one side of the body, which can cause muscle imbalances. As one set of muscles weakens, the other becomes stronger to compensate. If imbalances aren't corrected promptly, you may be more likely to experience sprains and strains or cartilage and joint damage.
Balance and Coordination. Keeping your balance becomes much more difficult when your spine is stiff or inflexible. Good spinal motion helps you avoid falls and injuries caused by poor balance and coordination. Improving balance, coordination, and posture may also help you maximize your sports performance.
Improved Sleep. Poor spinal motion could affect your sleep, even if you don't feel any pain. Restricted spinal motion may make it hard to find a comfortable sleeping position and might be the reason you wake up frequently during the night.

Improving Spinal Motion with Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractic care offers the ideal way to correct spinal motion issues. Adjustments realign subluxations and improve flexibility and range of motion, while massage and other soft tissue therapies relieve muscle tension, spasms, and knots.

Several research studies illustrate the effectiveness of chiropractic care. A study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine in 2009 explored how spinal manipulation could help golfers swing their clubs better. Participants were divided into two groups. The first group only stretched, while the second group stretched and received spinal manipulation therapy (adjustments). After four sessions, the stretching group saw no difference in their swings, while the stretching plus spinal manipulation therapy had an significant full swing improvement.

A study published in 2021 in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine took a look at how upper cervical (neck) adjustments affect the immune system. The study measured levels of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA). SIgA are antibodies found in mucus that fight germs. Participants had a substantial increase in SIgA 30 minutes after receiving adjustments. The treatment benefits lasted for two weeks. Although the improvement was temporary, the study illustrated how improving spinal motion with adjustments could benefit the immune system.

Ready to improve your spinal motion with chiropractic care? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Effect of Spinal Manipulative Therapy with Stretching Compared with Stretching Alone on Full-Swing Performance of Golf Players: A Randomized Pilot Trial, 12/2009

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2786229/ -content

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics: Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated With Falls Risk in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial, 5/2016

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161475416000506

MedlinePlus: Guide to Good Posture, 9/8/2025

https://medlineplus.gov/guidetogoodposture.html

Science Direct: Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Secretory Immunoglobulin A and Upper Cervical Chiropractic: A Preliminary Prospective, Multicenter, Observational Study, 9/2021

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1556370721000365

09/17/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Sitting All Day Could Be the Cause of Your Lower Back Pain

You don't have to be active to develop lower back pain. Sitting stresses your spine and may cause back issues, particularly if you spend hours in a chair every day. Fortunately, making a few changes to your routine can help you avoid back pain caused by sitting.

How Sitting Causes Lower Back Pain

Remaining in the same position too long may stiffen and strain muscles, joints, and tissues in your back. Unfortunately, sitting for long periods has become a normal part of life for many people. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, many adults 20 and older are sedentary (move very little) for about 9.5 hours every day.

Whether you're catching up on social media, watching TV, or working, sitting increases pressure on your spine. The increased pressure tightens your muscles, plays a role in inflammation, and may cause chronic lower back pain.

Muscles need frequent activity to stay strong. Long periods of sitting could weaken core muscles that support the spine and are essential for good posture. Sitting also tightens muscles in the hips and hamstrings.

Your spine looks a little like an "S" when you look at it from the side. The curved shape of the spine:

Protects Bones and Discs in the Spine by Absorbing Shock
Helps Distribute Weight Evenly
Provides Flexibility Needed to Bend, Stretch, and Twist

Poor posture while sitting flattens the natural curves of your spine and increases pressure on spinal discs, while straining ligaments and soft tissues. You may experience lower back pain when sitting if you slouch, cross your legs, round your shoulders, or lean forward. Sitting in a chair that doesn't offer good back support could also cause pain.

Sitting all day increases your risk for subluxations, or misalignments of the bony vertebrae in your spine. Subluxations increase pressure on muscles, ligaments, and tendons and press on nerves. Unfortunately, subluxations don't go away on their own.

Improving Lower Back Pain Caused by Sitting

Although sitting may be unavoidable in some cases, you can do a few things to reduce your risk for back pain, including:

Taking Breaks. Schedule short breaks every 30 to 60 minutes. Stand, stretch, or go for a walk to decrease stress on your spine during your breaks. Need a simple stretching exercise? Lift your hands above your head, then slowly lower your upper body toward the floor. Touch the floor if you can or hold on to your lower legs to experience the stretch.
Standing More. Could some of your daily activities be accomplished while standing? Try reading emails, talking on the phone, or watching TV while standing. A standing desk is a good choice if you work behind a desk. Standing desks can be raised to accommodate standing or lowered for sitting. Alternating between standing and sitting gives your back a break.
Improving Your Posture. Slumping on a chair or sitting on the floor increases pressure on the lower back, according to a research study published in Bioengineering in 2023. Researchers noted that sitting on the floor was even worse for the spine than sitting slumped on a chair. Practicing good posture when sitting can help you avoid low back pain. Keep your feet flat on the floor and relax your shoulders. Make sure your knees are at the same level as your hips. Don't lean forward while you're sitting. Position your laptop or computer monitor at eye level to reduce leaning.
Stretching and Strengthening Muscles. Simple stretches, like lunges, help keep muscles and tissues flexible, while planks, crunches, and other exercises strengthen core muscles in the abdomen, back, and pelvis that support the spine. Improving core strength reduces stress on discs and ligaments and helps you maintain good posture when sitting.
Visiting the Chiropractor. Your chiropractor can help you manage lower back pain with adjustments, massage and other treatments. Adjustments correct subluxations, ease pain, reduce inflammation, improve range of motion, and decrease tension on muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Massage loosens tight tissues and enhances flexibility in the back.

Struggling with lower back pain? Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Keck School of Medicine of USC: Achy Back? You May Be Sitting Too Much, 5/27/2020

https://keck.usc.edu/news/achy-back-you-may-be-sitting-too-much/

American College of Sports Medicine: How Do Americans Spend Their Sedentary Time?, 1/24/2022

https://www.newswise.com/articles/how-do-americans-spend-their-sedentary-time

BMC: Bioengineering: Biomechanical Effects of Different Sitting Postures and Physiologic Movements on the Lumbar Spine: A Finite Element Study, 9/7/2023

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10525568/

Spine Health Foundation: Sedentarism and Its Effects on the Spine, 12/4/2020

https://spinehealth.org/article/sedentarism-and-its-effects-on-the-spine/

Harvard Health Publishing: The Dangers of Sitting, 8/13/2020

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/the-dangers-of-sitting

09/17/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

The Role of Chiropractic Care in Supporting Functional Movement

Getting through the day is difficult without good functional movement. Chiropractic treatments support functional movement by keeping your spine and joints properly aligned, improving range of motion, and easing muscle tension.

What Are Functional Movements?

Functional movements involve bending, reaching, twisting, and lifting. You use functional movements when you squat to tie your shoe, bend to pick up a dropped quarter, or reach for the highest item on the supermarket shelf. Full, painless range of motion in a joint is the key to good functional movement.

Your joints, muscles, nerves and tissues are all connected. A tight or inflexible spot in one part of the body can cause changes far from the problem area. A subluxation in your back may cause or worsen pain in the hips or legs. Subluxations happen when one or more vertebrae in your spine become misaligned. Vertebrae are the small, interlocking bones that protect the spinal cord and provide flexibility.

People of all ages, including children, may experience functional movement problems. Worldwide, 1.7 billion people have musculoskeletal conditions that affect movement and dexterity, according to the World Health Organization. Poor functional movement can be particularly dangerous in older people and may limit independence or lead to falls.

Poor functional movement can be caused by:

Injuries
Subluxations
Joint Misalignments
Poor Posture
Performing Repetitive Motions
Not Moving Enough
Age-Related Conditions, Like Arthritis

Functional movement problems affect every aspect of your life and can lead to reduced mobility, injuries and chronic pain without treatment. Heating pads and pain medication may improve symptoms temporarily, but movement problems will linger if the source of the problem isn't addressed and corrected.

How Can Chiropractic Care Improve Functional Movement?

Your chiropractor performs a comprehensive examination that involves evaluating your posture, walking patterns, and your ability to move the various parts of your body. If pain, stiffness, or restrictions are noted, your chiropractor determines the source and creates a treatment plan designed to restore functional movement. Your visit may involve tests, such as X-rays, to confirm the diagnosis.

Helpful chiropractic treatments include:

Spinal Manipulation and Joint Mobilization. This popular chiropractic treatment is commonly known as an adjustment. It involves restoring the normal alignment of vertebrae with quick movements of the hands or a device called an activator. Spinal manipulation improves range of motion, restores normal joint function, and reduces nerve irritation. Your chiropractor may also use joint mobilization, a gentle technique that involves slow, controlled movements to realign joints. These treatments may offer long-term benefits, particularly if you schedule regular follow-up visits. Low-back pain patients who received spinal manipulative therapy saw modest improvements in pain and function for as long as six weeks after treatment, according to a research study published in JAMA in 2017.
Soft Tissue Therapy. Muscle and soft tissue tension increases when you have a misaligned joint or vertebrae. Stiff tissues prevent joints from moving through their full range of motion. Chiropractors use massage, soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, and other treatments to loosen muscles and tissues, break up scar tissue, ease trigger points (muscle knots), improve blood flow, and restore normal movement.
Exercise. Your chiropractor can show you exercises that will keep your muscles strong and stable and improve your posture. In addition to strengthening the muscles that support joints, exercise improves flexibility and helps you avoid movement problems and pain in the future.
Lifestyle Recommendations. Your chiropractor considers your lifestyle and occupation when treating your functional movement issues. During your visit, you might receive helpful advice on proper lifting techniques, ergonomic workstation tips, or suggestions to improve your sleep posture.

Are you struggling with pain and stiffness due to a functional movement problem? Chiropractic care offers a natural solution. Contact our office to schedule your appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Southern California University of Health Sciences: Treating Sports Injuries: 5 Methods Chiropractors Use, 1/7/2025

https://www.scuhs.edu/dc-article/treating-sports-injuries-5-methods-chiropractors-use/

Cleveland Clinic: Chiropractic Adjustment, 4/25/2022

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21033-chiropractic-adjustment

Journal of Chiropractic Medicine: Effect of Chiropractic Treatment on Hip Extension Ability and Running Velocity Among Young Male Running Athletes, 5/27/2008

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2682941/

JAMA: Association of Spinal Manipulative Therapy with Clinical Benefit and Harm for Acute Low Back Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, 4/11/2017

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2616395

World Health Organization: Musculoskeletal Health, 7/14/2022

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions

08/11/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

Road Trip Ergonomics: Protecting Your Back on Long Drives

An aching back is the last thing you need when you finally reach your road trip destination. Unfortunately, sitting in a car for hours stresses your spine and may cause post-trip back pain and stiffness. Keeping these back-friendly tips in mind will make your next road trip much more comfortable.

Empty Your Pockets

Remove phones, keys, wallets, and other objects from your back pockets when traveling. Placing a wallet in your back pocket forces your body to tilt, according to The Ohio State University. Sitting this way for hours may eventually strain your lower spine.

Spring for a Seat Cushion

A seat that feels perfectly fine during short drives can turn into a torture device during long road trips. If the seat bottom doesn't provide enough support or padding, buy an ergonomic cushion for your next drive. Air-filled or memory foam cushions support your spine and make sitting a more comfortable experience.

Adjust Your Seat

The position of your seat back can be a contributing factor in back pain. A research study published in the Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences in 2022 examined the link between driving posture and low back pain. Researchers explained that increased pressure on the lower back can affect the symmetry of the bones in your pelvis and cause chronic low back pain.

They noted that the pressure on the discs in the spine is the lowest when reclining the seat by 25 to 30 degrees. Placing your seat too far back may also increase pressure on the spine. Make sure your feet can easily touch the floor when seated with your back firmly against the back of the seat.

Support Your Back

Automobile seats have been traditionally designed to fit the body of the average male. In fact, crash test dummies are 5'9" for this reason, according to Consumer Reports. If your car seats have built-in lumbar support, the support area may not fit your back correctly if you're shorter or taller than 5'9".

Luckily, a lumbar cushion can help you avoid back pain during your road trip. Lumbar cushions support the natural curve of your lower back and reduce pressure on the spine.

Take Stretching Breaks

Aches and pains can still happen even if you embrace ergonomics during your drive. Stretching offers a simple way to soothe sore, tight muscles and prevent aches and pain that linger for days after your trip ends. Stretch your back, legs, hips, and shoulders before you start your trip, during rest stops, and when you reach your destination. Looking for a simple stretch that can be performed anywhere? Arch your back, then bend forward, letting your arms dangle.

Frequent breaks ease pressure on your spine, reduce muscle tension, and improve circulation. SPINE-Health recommends taking a 15-minute break for every two hours of driving, but notes that people with back pain may need more frequent breaks.

Don't Look Down

Cell phones offer the ultimate entertainment option if you're a passenger in a car. Unfortunately, looking down at your phone can strain the muscles, tissues, and vertebrae in your spine, causing neck, shoulder, and upper back pain. Eventually, you may even develop a painful condition called tech, or text, neck. Hold your phone at eye level, or use a phone mount to protect your neck and back.

Visit the Chiropractor

Scheduling a visit with your chiropractor before and after long drives can help you reduce your risk for back pain. Subluxations, or misaligned vertebrae, increase tension on muscles and soft tissues, increasing your risk for pain when sitting for long periods. Chiropractic adjustments correct subluxations and reduce soft tissue tension, making it less likely you'll experience back pain. After your trip, adjustments and other treatments keep your spine, muscles and soft tissues flexible and pain-free.

Make chiropractic care part of your road trip preparations. Contact our office to schedule your visit with the chiropractor before or after your trip.

Sources:

Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences: Prevalence of Lower Back Pain and its Relationship with Driving Postures among Drivers in Taif, Saudi Arabia, 7/13/2022

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9469425/

SPINEhealth: 7 Tips to Alleviate Back Pain on Your Road Trips, 9/12/2019

https://www.spine-health.com/blog/7-tips-alleviate-back-pain-your-road-trips

The Ohio State University: Back Pain While Driving: Causes and Treatment, 9/23/2021

https://desis.osu.edu/seniorthesis/index.php/2021/09/23/back-pain-while-driving-causes-and-treatment/

Harvard Health Publishing: Don’t Take Back Pain Sitting Down, 6/18/2023

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/dont-take-back-pain-sitting-down

WebMD: What Is Lower Crossed Syndrome?, 3/5/2025

https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/what-is-lower-crossed-syndrome

Consumer Reports: The Crash Test Bias: How Male Focused Testing Puts Female Drivers at Risk, 10/23/2019

https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/crash-test-bias-how-male-focused-testing-puts-female-drivers-at-risk/

08/11/2026

Southland Chiropractic Newsletter

How Heat and Hydration Affect Muscle and Joint Health

Stiff, painful joints and muscles don't just happen when it's cold outside. Heat and dehydration can also be factors in pain and stiffness. When temperatures rise, taking a few precautions can help you avoid sore, stiff joints and muscles.

How Heat Affects Muscles and Joints

Blood vessels dilate, or widen, causing stiff, swollen joints during hot weather. As joints stiffen, range of motion decreases, which can affect flexibility whether you're going for run or pruning shrubbery. Although joint changes can happen to anyone, people with arthritis or other conditions may be more likely to experience heat-related issues.

Muscle fatigue occurs much sooner than normal when it's hot. The problem happens when your body increases blood flow to your skin to assist in cooling. Unfortunately, this means that your muscles receive less blood and soon become fatigued.

You're more likely to experience injuries, like strains and sprains, when your muscles are tired. Fatigued muscles can also be a factor in joint injuries. Tired muscles struggle to support joints, which also increases the risk of injury.

The Effect of Hydration on Muscles and Joints

Water is essential to the health of your tissues and joints. When fluid levels decrease, dehydration occurs. Dehydration can cause thirst, decreased urine output, dry mouth, fatigue, and headache. Without enough water, your muscles may begin to cramp painfully.

Dehydration affects the joints by decreasing synovial fluid amounts. The fluid circulates around joints, providing the lubrication needed to move easily. When synovial fluid levels drop, joints can become stiff and painful.

Muscles have a high water content. When you're dehydrated, your muscles must work harder and may become fatigued or strained more easily. It also takes your muscles longer to recover from physical activity if you're dehydrated.

The combination of hot, humid conditions and dehydration can lead to microdamage of skeletal muscles, according to a research study published in the Journal of Athletic Training in 2005. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and help you move your body. Researchers noted that participants who walked on a treadmill in a hot, humid room with restricted fluids were more likely to experience microdamage than those who received oral fluids.

Hydration is particularly important as you age. A research study published in Nutrients in 2019 noted that a higher intercellular water content/lean mass ratio in people 75 and older was associated with better muscle strength and function. Older people with better hydration also had a reduced risk for frailty.

Poor hydration also affects the condition of:

Spinal Discs
Tendons
Cartilage

Without enough fluid, these structures may become less flexible and more prone to injury.

5 Ways to Protect Joints and Muscles This Summer

Keeping joints and muscles strong and healthy can be as simple as:

Improving Hydration. Increase the amount of water you drink on hot, humid days. If you feel thirsty, you may already be dehydrated. Be sure to drink before, during, and after you exercise.
Stretching. Stretching can help you avoid strains and sprains, but timing matters on hot, humid days. Stretch in the morning or during the coolest part of the day.
Timing. Scheduling outdoor activities or exercise for the early morning or evening hours when heat and humidity is less intense. Limiting vigorous or intense activities to these times will help you avoid dehydration and sore, stiff muscles.
Paying Attention to Your Body. Muscle cramps, dark urine, fatigue, and extreme thirst can be signs of heat exhaustion or heatstroke. If you experience these symptoms, drink more water and find a cool place to rest. If symptoms don't improve, seek emergency treatment.
Visiting Your Chiropractor. Chiropractic treatments, like adjustments and soft tissue therapies, reduce muscle tension, improve range of motion in joints, and boost circulation, helping you stay pain-free during summer weather. During your appointment, your chiropractor looks for subluxations, or misaligned vertebrae, and joint restrictions that could stress muscles and soft tissues. Correcting these issues with chiropractic therapies could help you avoid heat-related pain and injuries.

Chiropractic treatment is essential for good joint and muscle health when temperatures soar. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Journal of Athletic Training: Dehydration and Symptoms of Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness in Hyperthermic Males, 10-12/2005

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1323290/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heat-Related Illnesses, 3/3/2026

https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/heat-stress/about/illnesses.html

Nutrients: Intracellular Water Content in Lean Mass is Associated with Muscle Strength, Functional Capacity, and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Elderly Individuals. A Cross-Sectional Study, 3/19/2019

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6471552/

Cleveland Clinic: Heat Cramps, 3/31/2023

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24866-heat-cramps

American Physiological Society: Heat Stress May Affect the Muscles for Longer Than We Think, 2/13/2024

https://www.physiology.org/detail/news/2024/02/13/heat-stress-may-affect-the-muscles-for-longer-than-we-think?SSO=Y

06/23/2026

https://fb.watch/HVKv98pub2/?mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e

06/18/2026

Southland Chiropractic Clinic Newsletter

How Your Morning Routine Affects Your Spine

A spine-friendly morning routine could help you enjoy a pain-free day. In fact, the choices you make when you first wake up could hurt or help your back. Fortunately, it's never too late to start prioritizing your back health.

What Happens to Your Spine Overnight?

While you're peacefully snoozing, your spinal discs soak up fluids and become plumper. The discs cushion the space between the bony vertebrae in your spine. In addition to providing flexibility, spinal discs also act as natural shock absorbers.

Plumper discs can cause morning stiffness and increase tension on ligaments. Swollen discs aren't the only cause of stiffness. Remaining nearly motionless for eight hours or longer can cause stiff muscles and joints.

7 Morning Habits That Can Ruin Your Day

If you do any of these things, you may be at risk for back pain:

Jumping Out of Bed the Moment the Alarm Rings. Although you may be eager to start the day, rushing out of bed may increase your risk of strains and sprains due to tight muscles, joints, and ligaments. Instead, take a few moment to warm up your body before you throw back the blankets. Sit up slowly and roll your neck slowly toward your left shoulder, then back to the right shoulder. Rotate your ankles in circles a few times. If you automatically, yawn and stretch when you wake up, even better. The habit, called pandiculation, relieves muscle tension and activates connective tissue, according to The Cleveland Clinic.
Not Drinking Enough Water. The fluid-level in your discs decreases as you stand up and go about your day. Drinking water helps hydrate the discs, reducing your risk for pain.
Checking Your Phone. If your phone is the first thing you reach for in the morning, you may be setting the stage for neck and upper back pain. Most people bend their heads to view their phones, which significantly increases stress on the neck and upper back. Over time, this position can cause a condition called text neck. Symptoms of text neck include neck and upper back pain, headaches, stiffness, muscle spasms, and numbness and tingling in the arms and hands. Reduce your risk for text neck by holding your phone at eye level.
Failing to Stretch. Starting your day without stretching may also cause aches and pains, as tight tissues are more likely to become strained or sore. Taking five minutes to stretch can help you avoid pain. Stretches don't have to complicated to be effective. Lie on your back and bring your knees to your chest, or try the cat-cow yoga pose. Start the pose on all fours. Arch your back and lower your head (cat), then lift your head and drop your spine (cow). Avoid exercises that involve vigorous movements or a lot of bending first thing in the morning.
Poor Posture. Pay attention to the way you brush your teeth or put on your makeup. Bending your neck or hunching your back may strain your upper and mid-back, causing nagging pain that lasts all day. Bend from the hips instead of rounding your back.
Stressing Out. Thoughts of completing everything on your mental to-do list may increase your stress level in the morning. Stress increases tension in muscles and soft tissues, which can cause or worsen back pain. Relieve stress by taking a few deep breaths or meditating.
Ignoring Stiffness. Ignoring morning stiffness won't make it go away and will only increase your risk for strained or sprained muscles and tissues. A hot shower is an excellent way to relieve stiffness. If you're a nighttime bather, put a heating pad on your back or neck for a few minutes before you being your day.

Wondering why your back pain hasn't gotten better even though you follow a back-friendly morning routine? You may have a subluxation. A subluxation, or misalignment of the vertebrae, causes pain and increases tension on muscles and soft tissues. Chiropractic treatments, like adjustments and massage, ease back pain and help you avoid pain and stiffness.

Improve your back health with chiropractic care! Call our office to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic: What Is Pandiculation, and Why Does It Feel So Good?, 4/10/2025

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-does-pandiculation-feel-so-good

Harvard Health Publishing: The Importance of Stretching, 4/17/2024

https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/the-importance-of-stretching

CNN: The 8-Minute Morning Routine to Reduce Back Pain All Day, 1/30/2026

https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/30/health/exercises-for-back-pain-relief-wellness

PMC: European Journal of Applied Physiology: The Effects of Chronic Stretch Training on Musculoskeletal Pain, 3/9/2025

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12354564/

Jack HT Hakimian, D.C.

09/17/2026

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