Have you seen Graham?
Graham is a decidedly unique creation made of fiberglass, silicone, resin, and human hair. As odd as he looks, he is what some trauma and collision experts believe what we humans would look like if we evolved to withstand car accidents. Graham might not be pretty, but he was and designed and built to withstand a high-speed car crash.
Graham’s evolutionary adaptations include:
· Flattened face to absorb the energy of an impact
· Thicker skull, more cerebrospinal fluid, and extra ligaments to protect brain
· Knees that can bend in all directions
· Fortified ribcage to protect internal organs
Graham’s design highlights areas of our bodies that are particularly vulnerable during a crash. It should come as no surprise that the brain and neck are at the top of that list. Graham was designed to have an exaggerated, reinforced skull and no neck at all. His enlarged head contains more fluid and ligaments that suspend his normal-sized brain; in fact, Graham’s head was designed much like a helmet to protect the brain from harm.
Graham’s creators decided to eliminate his neck altogether, showing us just how susceptible to injury the structures of the neck are.
From a NeuroStructural Chiropractic perspective, Graham makes perfect sense. We recognize the vulnerabilities that are inherent in the structure and design of the spine. We look very specifically and very thoroughly at the head and neck alignment for many of the same reasons why trauma and collision experts chose to reinforce these areas when they designed Graham.
Normal brain, brainstem, and central nervous system function isn’t optional when it comes to performing optimally day to day. Since we’re not built like Graham – and aesthetically maybe that’s a good thing – we must address our built-in spinal vulnerabilities or risk compromising our body’s ability to function at its best.
