What is posture and what is it link to wellness?
Posture
Posture
Posture is simply how we hold our bodies, whether standing, sitting or doing something like a sport or activity.
Because our skeleton holds our body up, posture is largely dependent on our skeletal structure, although other factors like soft tissue (including muscles and organs) also play a part.
Tight muscles, muscle imbalance, or organ size imbalance can directly or indirectly affect one’s posture.
Poor posture is common but not normal.
How common? You can see it not just in actual people, but in modern day images and figures. So much so that we don’t see the problem with it.
Poor posture is a micro-trauma that adds up over time and
- impairs movement
- speeds up degeneration of joints
- causes symptoms like pain
Some common examples include:
- Sway back: Upper body leans back, belly sticks forward
- Increased curve: Increased mid back and low back curve
- Rounded shoulders: Shoulders round forward instead of pull back
- Forward head: Also known as anterior head carriage or text neck
The benefits of good posture and the harms of poor posture go beyond physical and physiological.
There are also emotional and psychological benefits and harms. Posture can affect our emotions and thoughts (cognition).
Pain commonly accompanies poor posture – think of pain as the fire alarm in our body alerting us to a fire.
Pain, especially chronic, is common but not normal and should serve as a red flag to alert us to something we have been doing wrongly, so we do it right instead!
What is the difference between balanced and imbalanced posture?
Balanced
- Good structural alignment and joint function
- Good muscular balance
- No nerve impingement
- No uneven wear and tear on joints
- Body weight evenly distributed
- Efficient natural movement
- No pressure on organs
Imbalanced
- Neck pain and headaches
- Shoulder pain
- Arm and hand pain
- Back pain and bulging discs
- Hip pain
- Knee pain
- Foot and ankle pain
- Nerve entrapment
- Uneven wear and tear on joints
- Uneven pressure and weight
- Inefficient natural movement
- Pressure on organs
What are the other “perks” that comes with good posture?
- Energetic
- Healthy
- Confident
- Pain-free
- Thriving Development
- Happy
- Upright
- Deep breathing
Allowing us to be the best version of ourselves and do the things we enjoy!
What does good posture look like?
When viewed from the side, the following landmarks should fall on a straight line:
- Ear
- Shoulder
- Hip joint
- Knee
- Side of foot
When viewed from the back, the following landmarks should fall on a straight line:
- Centre of back of skull
- Spine
- Between shoulder blades
- Between buttocks
- Between knees
- Between feet
Ears, shoulders and hips are balanced and there is no tilt.
Feet pointing forwarding and there is no flare.
Now, take a good look at your posture, and assess whether you have balanced or imbalanced posture. You can use a mirror, take a photograph or have a family or friend assess your posture. Be natural and objective!
Wellness
Maintaining a healthy spine is important for overall well-being.
It could be the cause of your issues like aches and pain, headaches, sensory, motor or reflex nerve dysfunctional, or inefficient gait.
Think of your health and wellness on a spectrum with points A, B and C.
With A having “an absence of health” and C being “as healthy as you can get”.
- Where are you now?
- Where would you like to be?
- HOW do you get there?
Peak performance can be achieved when your spine is healthy and well-aligned, and your nervous system functions optimally, without interference.
Your brain and body is connected through your nervous system, which affects how your body functions, moves and feels.
Here’s what it’s like when you are in the adjusted (well-aligned) state versus the subluxated (out-of-alignment) state.
Would you prefer a state of ease with good alignment and normal functional?
Or a state of dis-ease with misalignment and abnormal dysfunction?
Regular exercise, strengthening the core, proper posture and ergonomics, and lifting techniques, as well as avoiding excessive strain and trauma, can help promote a healthy spine and reduce the risk of spinal conditions and injuries.
But that is not enough. Just as brushing and flossing your teeth cannot get rid of existing cavities, doing these cannot guarantee that existing misalignments in the spine can be corrected.
It helps to get your spine checked and adjusted regularly by a professional like your chiropractor!
Your chiropractor is in a great position to offer advice on achieving and maintaining good posture (such as changing lifestyle habits, making ergonomics assessments, recommending stretches), in addition to checking and adjusting your spine.
Do wait and schedule your appointment today!
Considering chiropractic care but not sure if it is for you?
Here are links to 2-5 minute animations that help explain the benefits of chiropractic care, for the young to old.
THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE
Curious about what chiropractic care is about and how it works?
WHO SEES A CHIROPRACTOR?
What are the many reasons people give to have regular adjustments?
CHIROPRACTIC & POSTURE
Posture matters more than you think, for kids and adults.
CHIROPRACTIC & OLDER ADULTS
What are the benefits of chiropractic care for older adults?
Did you know? The term “vertebral subluxation” is commonly used in chiropractic and occurs when a spinal misalignment affects the communication between the brain and body. “Luxation” means dislocation, and “subluxation” with the prefix “sub” means “less than” a dislocation.
Related Posts
Find out more about Chiropractic!