How Posture Affects Health
Bottom Line:
"Sit up straight and stop slouching!" – (insert your parent’s name)
We’ve all heard, and have probably said, it a million times in the name of having perfect posture. If you’re posture doesn’t look like that person’s in the posture postal then you are hurting yourself and are going to be in pain…right?
Follow this recommendation can be very beneficial to you now, and even help prevent certain “postural based conditions” that are a result of abnormal stresses put on the body that “add up” over time. This can be heavily based, and influenced on modifications present humans have made on the world around us.
Yes, our bodies are great adapters and can adapt fairly swiftly to our ever changing surrounds, but that does not mean certain muscles and joints don’t dislike these positions.
Poor posture as a kid can result in some musculoskeletal issues later on in life. Once again, these are all dependent on the individual and commonly multifactorial.
Rounding of the shoulders, Excessive extension of the low back, and slouched upper back are all postural imbalances that place a tremendous amount of stress on the spine and surround musculature.
These positions held for long periods of time and take a toll on the connective tissues and cause a more chronic “shortened” position. When the tissues are exposed to all ranges of motion, structures adapt to the stresses/motions imposed on them.
The effects of the static postures on the soft tissue can then change our ability, or the way, we do more dynamic actions throughout life.
The BEST way to not let posture effect your life, is to move! Expose joints to as much motion throughout the day as possible. The most commonly forgotten “stretch or warm-up” is for the spine. Where the amount of structure is more dense, numerous, and vital than anywhere else in the body (I guess you could say “arguably”). Posture is most likely caused by the things you are not doing, not what you are doing.
Just know that If you’re experiencing daily aches, pains, or limited mobility, seeing a performance based chiropractor in Midtown Omaha is a great place to start.
Abnormal postures have been linked to a variety of chronic conditions that effect more than your musculoskeletal system. Maintaining good posture as you age can help keep any unnecessary stress off your spine and joints, positively impacting your overall spinal health for years to come.
Even more to think about. The ability to move your body through a full range of motion when moving affects how your body responds while sitting still.
But is there such a thing as perfect posture?
Well, the idea of perfect posture is a bit complicated due to the fact that our posture is literally constantly changing. Even though we may feel like we’re sitting completely still, gravity and other external forces are always changing how the body is stabilizing, especially when we’re not seated.
All of the latest research shows that it makes more sense to think about your posture as a dynamic, constantly changing, and adapting scenario for the body, and not a static, motionless, stationary freeze frame.
Why it Matters:
Your posture consists of a dynamic pattern of responses, reflexes, and habits, not one single position. The changing of angles in the body changes the requirements of all muscles.
Even great ergonomics can play a huge role on the effects of your posture and benefit your body in great ways. As the leading performance based chiropractor in Midtown Omaha, we see this in our practice every day. We also see great results with treatment in our office every day.
Why does that matter?
Well, when you start to lean forward it changes the forces down the spine, which places a significant amount of stress on the structures down the spine. This includes the discs themselves. The more we lengthen the lever arm between the head and the upper back, the more stress it places. This stress, over time adds up and can equate to pain.
Once again, not necessarily due to your positioning at work, because of the lack of movement you’re getting outside of work. Sustained forward head posture has also been associated with a weakening of the supporting muscles of your spine. It’s estimated to result in neck pain for up to 75% of us.
The good news?
While it’s not easy to maintain those perfect postures, there are things you can do to progress with your posture every day.
You can start by taking short breaks to stretch at least every 15-30 minutes.
Doing so will help you reset your balance and relax your body, and it’s one of the most essential practices you can adopt when it comes to improving your posture in the long term.
Trapezius strengthening has also been shown to provide clinically significant relief for those struggling with neck pain as a result of forward head posture.
Next Steps:
By breaking the pattern of poor posture, you can reduce your likelihood of experiencing many common aches and pains. Every day, you can take advantage of simple/short opportunities to improve your strength, flexibility, and ergonomics to develop more ideal or perfect posture patterns. It’s when all the small changes add up to a big change!
So, if you’re someone in Midtown Omaha who struggles with persisting aches, pains and times where you feel like you “just can’t move like you use to”, we are the right place for you! Not only do we help with your pain while in the office, but we send you home a full program of personalized stretches and exercises so you can keep getting better at home, on your own, and allow you to take control of your pain.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!
Dalton Sealey DC, CSCS
ProMove Chiropractic & Performance
402.915.4901
drsealey@promovechiropractic.com
Science Source:
Effects of Trapezius Strengthening on Patients with Neck Pain. Med Sci Monit. 2020.