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Arc of Life

Dr. Stephen Graham • Dec 06, 2013

Dr. Stephen Graham, of Graham Chiropractic explains that the optimal position for the neck to be in is a 45 degree arc. The reason Dr. Graham says that this is important is because when there is a 45 degree arc the spinal canal is at it’s largest and can easily house the spinal cord that passes through the seven neck vertebrae.


There are several factors that will cause the neck to have a nice arc shape to it. These are as follows: crawling as an infant, a contour pillow, exercises, traction type stretching, and periodic chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine.


Dr. Graham warns that things like poor posture, lack of exercise, and trauma, i.e., slips, falls, and car accidents can alter the curvature of the neck causing it be out of the normal 45 degree range, thereby causing destructive forces. These destructive forces may lead to disc degeneration, arthritis, bulging discs, herniated discs, neck arm and hand pain.


Dr. Graham displays on the video numerous examples of x-rays that lost the arc and the effects that show up both on the x-ray and symptomatically to the patients. He also shows different treatment methods to help restore the arc back to the optimal position.

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