Can you remember your parents reminding you to sit up straight when you were a child? If you do, it probably helped to keep your posture in check while you where growing up.
Unfortunately, for many of us as adults, it can be difficult to always remember to keep our spines in a correct and upright position throughout the day while undertaking our daily activities. Slouching at the dinner table or on the couch, carrying heavy handbags or satchels over one shoulder, and straining at a computer screen at work for long periods of time are all poor habits that are bad for our posture, and can contribute to more serious long-term problems with our backs and shoulders.
The spine is a flexible yet strong body part, designed to support the body and all of its organs. It also plays the important role of helping to protect the sensitive and delicate spinal cord and spinal nerves inside it. The most obvious benefit of having 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 major contributing factor in your overall health.
The first signs of bad posture
One of the first indicators of poor posture is slouching or allowing the head to tilt forward. Bending forward (for example, to look at a computer screen on a desk, or a smartphone in our hand) places added pressure on both the neck muscles and the discs of the spine.
There are many causes of this type of posture including car accidents, and they can be injury related, such as sports injuries, behavioural, such as working at a desk or with computers, or medical, such as loss of bone density. Poor posture can also be caused by uneven leg lengths and frequently sleeping in unnatural positions, which will also usually cause back pain and neck pain.
Poor posture can lead to a variety of musculo-skeletal problems, including:
- neck pain
- back pain
- headaches
- jaw (TMJ) pain
- spinal disc decay
- degenerative arthritis
- scoliosis
Chiropractic can help alleviate the problems that poor posture can cause
At Live Well Chiropractic, we can give you expert advice on whether your slouching is just a bad habit or a warning signal for something more serious. Chiropractors are trained to diagnose any abnormal curvature or loss of flexibility in the spine, and identify any joints or bones that are not moving properly. The good news is, if there are any problems, our doctors can treat them safely, effectively, and 100% naturally – without drugs or surgery. A chiropractic adjustment may be recommended to help your body operate at its peak efficiency, and we can also provide you with advice on exercises and nutrition, correct computer use, and other tips on how to maintain good posture throughout your life.
Don’t let poor posture cause you back or neck pain
Contact the experts at Live Well Chiropractic today
