Why is posture so important?
Healthy posture is fundamental to the physical health of the body, including the bones, muscles, nervous system and even the organs. Incorrect posture can cause various issues including:
- Pain: Incorrect posture can put your muscles and bones under strain, which can in turn present itself as tightness and eventually pain in the back, head, neck, hips and knees.
- Restricted movement: Tension and pain caused by incorrect posture can become so severe that it restricts movement and impedes flexibility.
- Damage to the nervous system: The nervous system is intimately intertwined with the spine, which is heavily affected by posture. An incorrect posture can cause issues for the nervous system including irritation and impairment.
- Chronic diseases: Poor posture can cause the body to become stuck in unhealthy positions, which can then lead to a host of chronic disease including scoliosis, disc irritation, arthritic changes and nerve inflammation.
How does a chiropractor assess your posture?
When a chiropractor assesses your posture they look at a number of important points throughout your body to ensure that everything is in proper alignment and that you are presenting the correct posture for healthy, unimpeded movement. Some of the areas that a chiropractor will assess are:
- Your stance and walk: Your stance, whether your feet turn in or out, and whether you walk in a uniform and correct manner.
- Knee alignment: Assessment of whether your knees are set correctly or turn in or out.
- Hip level: Review of whether one hip is higher than the other and how it relates to the spine.
- Shoulder height: Review of the height of the shoulders compared to one another and whether they roll in or out.
- Head and neck posture: Examination of how the head and neck are presenting including whether the head is tilted incorrectly and whether the head is translating forward.
- Pelvis tilt: Whether the pelvis is tilted too far forward or backward and its relation to the rest of the body.
How can a chiropractor treat issues with posture?
Chiropractors are experts in posture and alignment of the musculoskeletal system. Their job is to provide the treatments to correct physical conditions caused by incorrect posture, and then to help educate the patient in how to prevent postural issues from reoccurring. Chiropractic treatment for postural difficulties include:
- Spinal adjustments: Spinal adjustments are the chiropractor’s bread and butter. They use controlled force to help realign the spine and neck, which in turn helps correct issues with posture.
- Physiotherapy: Aside from chiropractic adjustments, many chiropractors also practice physiotherapy, which might include massage and exercises to help relax and strengthen the body. This can make it easier for patients to practice the correct posture and maintain it throughout the day.
- Education of how to practice correct posture: Once the physical condition of the body is corrected, the chiropractor will often educate the patient on what the correct posture is for everyday activities like sitting, walking and sleeping. They will also advise you on how to ensure that your home or office is set up in the correct ergonomic manner to help facilitate the correct posture when in the house or at work.