Maintaining a correct posture can have a variety of effects on your body. One’s posture can show a lot about the position and condition of the spine, including any spinal misalignments, scoliosis, and risks of back and neck pain.
It can be difficult to remember to keep the spine in a correct, upright position throughout the day. Slouching at the dinner table, carrying heavy bags over one shoulder, and straining at a computer screen at work are all poor postural habits, which can develop into long-term problems.
One of the first indicators of poor posture is a slouching or forward head posture. This places pressure on the neck muscles, and increases the weight on the discs of the spine. There are many causes of this type of posture including car accidents, sports injuries, working with computers and loss of bone density. Poor posture can also result from uneven leg lengths and sleeping in awkward positions. This will usually be followed by back pain and neck pain.
Poor Posture Problems
Poor posture can lead to a variety of musculo-skeletal problems, including:
- neck pain
- back pain
- headaches
- jaw (TMJ) pain
- disc decay
- degenerative arthritis
- scoliosis
Treatment for Poor Posture
Chiropractic can help alleviate the problems that poor posture can cause.
The spine is designed to be flexible. It not only supports the body and all its organs, it also helps protect the sensitive and delicate spinal cord and spinal nerves. The most obvious benefit of good posture is efficiency and comfort. Yet, because of the interrelationship of the structural (bone) and functional (organ) systems of the body, posture is also a factor that can determine your health.
At Back to Basics Chiropractic we can tell you if your slouching is a bad habit or a warning signal. Chiropractors are trained to diagnose any abnormal curvature or loss of flexibility in the spine, and joints or bones that are not moving properly. Once you have postural self-awareness Pesco et.al.1 suggest that there is a significant reduction in upper back pain and neck pain. . If there are any problems, our Chiropractors can treat them naturally without drugs or surgery. An adjustment may be recommended to help your body operate at peak efficiency. Advice on exercise and nutrition may also be recommended, as well as information of correct computer use.
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1. J Manipulative PhysiolTher. 2006 Mar-Apr;29(3):228-35.Comparative study of hands-on therapy with active exercises vs education with active exercises for the management of upper back pain. Pesco MS, Chosa E, Tajima N.
