Does Chiropractic Help With Your Posture?
With most of us spending a large majority of our day slumped over a computer for school or work, how we hold ourselves can have some major repercussions on our health. Yet, most of us don’t spend too much time thinking about our sitting or standing postures until something goes wrong. When pain or injury occurs, suddenly we pay attention. It turns out having good posture, and knowing how to keep it, can prevent these issues and boost your overall general health as well. And chiropractic treatment can help you with a better posture.
How do I know if my posture is Good or Not?
An ideal posture varies between individuals and what activity you are participating in at the moment (i.e. sitting vs. standing). The spine and other musculoskeletal structures are able to modify and adjust to help you get comfortable for the task at hand. Posture is considered “good” when it puts the least amount of stress possible on the joints and organs. while maximizing your biomechanics.
Here are th basics for assessing your posture, either on your own or with the help of a health professional like a chiropractor.
- The spine absorbs impact with the “S” shape it forms between the head and butt
- The top and bottom of the “S” creative extension biased curves within the cervical (neck) and lumbar (low back) spine- taking the general shape of a backwards “C”
- The middle of the “S” creates a flexion biased curve within the thoracic (mid-back) spine- creating a “C” shape
- The head is centered over the shoulders rather then jutting forward
- The shoulders are tucked back and aligned with the center of your body (from the side)
- The chin is tucked slightly so that your line of vision is parallel with the floor
- No rotation is present in the spine at rest
- The entire lower body is in one relatively straight line perpendicular to the floor
As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts that can affect your spine. Any anomaly can affect how your body finds balance and integrity within each posture.
Why does good posture matter?
Poor posture, particularly when chronic, can lead to some major problems with your body’s normal function. Often, these issues can go undetected or be very subtle at first. Yet, they will most likely get worse with time if they are not properly addressed. Some common posture related issues that people face include:
- Low back pain, neck pain, headaches, and other generalized chronic pain
- Poor sleep quality
- Trouble concentrating or brain fog
- Spine misalignment affecting nerve flow and general health
- Excessive pressure on internal organs that can manifest as discomfort or even disease
- Low energy due to poor biomechanics, including breathing issues
- Depression and anxiety
Posture and Chiropractic
One of the primary issues that posture plays a role in is spine misalignment. Poor spine alignment is an underlying issue that is often overlooked and can cause or aggravate many of the other health issues listed above. This is because spine misalignment affects nerve health and energy flow. When nerve flow is compromised, every basic bodily function is affected. Thus, it should make sense that we want to avoid bad posture and strive for good optimized posture.
>> Read more: The benefits of chiropractic to your life here.
Addressing posture with Chiropractic care
Chiropractic care, particularly Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP), can address the root issue of spine misalignment often caused by poor posture. CBP care is a research-oriented expert-based elite approach that holistically addresses spine alignment for the best possible overall health. Whether you’re getting treatment preventatively or trying to address specific ailments, a CBP provider will address any subtle spine issues that will rhelp estore balance to your body.
The potential CBP treatment options that will help you address your posture include:
- Spine adjustments to promote optimal spine alignment
- Posture training to maximize spine alignment with your normal daily activities
- Strengthening and stretching exercises to restore postural balance
- Education to maximize your treatments and create sustainable long term results
- If needed, pain modalities to manage discomfort with options like traction, ice, heat, electrical stimulation and more
- Soft tissue therapy to reduce pain and promote musculoskeletal balance
Say yes to good posture
As you sit and read this article, there is a good chance you are slumped over a computer or phone. Are you aware of how you hold yourself throughout the day? Most importantly, are you aware of any subtle changes in your spine that need to be addressed? Often, these can be hard to recognize without the help of a specialist like a CBP certified chiropractor.
If you want to ameliorate your posture and boost your overall health, get in touch with Symmetry Health Center in Alameda and Oakland, CA. Talk to Dr. Cynthia Boy and her awesome team about the treatment possibilities that will work best for you to achieve the best possible posture and health.
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