Most of us think of ‘posture’ as the position our bodies adopt when standing. In truth, the word means a lot more. It includes how we position our bodies when performing many other activities such as sitting, lying down, bending, picking up objects, balancing, walking, and more.
To define it in a few words, we can say that good posture refers to the neutral alignment of our bodies – an alignment that does not put unwanted stress on ligaments, joints, and muscles.
Types of bad posture
To understand the dangers of bad posture, first, let us look at the different types of postural problems when standing.
- Hunchbacks (kyphosis) are those with rounded shoulders and accentuated curves at the mid and upper back (cervical).
- Swaybacks (lordosis) have an exaggerated lower back curve and a pelvic 2lt. They are likely to push their stomach and head forward.
- Flatbacks have a flatter spine, leading to a tucked-in pelvis and a forward stooping posture. It makes standing for long periods difficult.
- Forward head, where the ears do not line up with the body’s shoulders and reach out ahead of the midline. It can cause neck pain and a wobbly gait.
Now, here’s the interesting bit. We assume that our heads and neck always have the same weight. But this is only sometimes the case. It depends on our posture!
According to a 2014 study, in a healthy neutral stance, the weight of the head is about 12 pounds. But as it moves forward, falling out of sync with our bodies, its weight – as borne by the spine – starts increasing. 15 degrees forward, the force of the head on the spine almost doubles to 27 pounds. At 45 degrees, it weighs nearly 50 pounds, and so on.
Clearly, having a good posture puts lesser stress on our physical body, giving us more energy for other daily ac2vi2es.
How Glen Iris Chiropratic can help and what to expect
Chiropractic treatments for posture focus on three things:
- To remove restrictions – First, chiropractors will assess the state of your spine and neck and identify any restrictions. This will be the primary focus in the beginning. They may perform adjustments – a series of gentle movements applied on the patient in certain positions – to address pain along those nerves and muscles.
- To restore range of motion – This involves working on surrounding bones, muscles, and tissues to correct imbalances that are causing the bad posture. Chiropractors may continue to use spinal adjustments along with stretching and strengthening to remedy and stabilize areas that have been impacted.
- To prevent relapses – Your chiropractor may also suggest rehabilitation exercises to maintain the neutral spine and strengthen it from relapsing into poor posture. Periodic follow-up visits could be helpful to relax overactive muscles that can distort one’s posture.
A trained chiropractor can greatly help those struggling with postural issues. Moreover, a chiropractor can also enable you to understand the way you move or rest, and ensure that your body maintains the right posture all through the day.