Perfect posture prevents pain!
Your posture is an indication of your spine and joint health. Imbalanced posture can often lead to painful conditions. Dr. John and Dr. Veera encourage you to maintain good posture before you are in pain.
Vertebral Subluxations
Poor posture is a leading cause of vertebral subluxations (misalignment of the spine). Vertebral subluxations cause a multitude of health problems, such as carpal tunnel, headaches, backaches, colic in infants, and ear infections. Vertebral subluxations can be corrected by chiropractic adjustments. Poor posture can also damage soft tissue and cause wear-and-tear on your joints. Good posture on the other hand, can strengthen the skeletal system. The damage caused by poor posture can also cause pain in other parts of your body, such as your knees.
Common Posture Problems
“Military Neck” occurs when the bones in your neck are too straight. It causes a loss in your range of motion, and can result in forward head posture where your neck slants forward.
“Humpback” occurs when the curvature of your spine is abnormal. Exaggerations of normal thoracic (chest) curvature can put you at an increased risk of chronic respiratory failure. Even slight curves or humpbacks can wreak havoc on the spine and your overall health.
“Swayback”, or lordosis, is an abnormal forward curvature of the spine that creates a “shelf” appearance over the buttocks. It is associated with poor posture, osteoarthritis, neuromuscular problems, back surgery, and hip disorders.
“Flatback” syndrome is often congenital and is associated with adult degenerative scoliosis. It can also be caused by surgical fusion of the spine. With flatback syndrome, vertebral discs in the lower spine are pushed outward. This reduces the natural curve of the back and makes is appear flat.
Sitting Pretty
Reading with your head jutting forward strains your upper back, shoulders, and neck. Over time, this leads to a straightening of your spine’s natural curve. This can dramatically increase your head and neck pain. Instead, keep your head aligned with your shoulders and keep the middle of your back fairly straight. Also, keep your feet flat on the floor and choose a chair that supports your back. Take stretch breaks and drink plenty of water.
Smart Standing
For good posture, stand with your weight evenly distributed but do not lock your knees. If you are standing for an extended period of time, make sure to rest often and stand on a mat if possible.
Walking Well
While walking, start out straight and tall. Leaning forward or arching your back strains your muscles and spine. Too long of a stride can cause your body to lean back and put strain on your lumbar region.
Weight Matters
Obese patients are at a disadvantage when it comes to posture. Excess weight pulls you forward and misaligns your spine, compromising vertebrae in your lower back.
Check Your Posture
Try to make good posture a priority. Ask Dr. Veera and Dr. John to teach you a simple posture check that you can perform. Practicing this posture check once a week will allow you to keep tabs on your posture and the alignment of your spine before it becomes a problem.