It turns out mom was right when she told us to sit up straight. There are thousands of studies documenting the importance of good posture and the pain and other diseases that can develop from poor posture. If you build a better, stronger posture, you can experience less pain, feel better about yourself, and even live longer! 

Did you know many ailments you may be suffering from can occur from poor posture? According to the American Journal of Pain Management, “Posture affects and moderates every physiologic function from breathing to hormonal production. Spinal pain, headache, mood, blood pressure, pulse and lung capacity are among the functions most easily influenced by posture.”

Good Posture = A Healthy Posture
Poor Posture = Sick Posture

Many people have poor posture and don’t even know it. Poor posture has been associated with:

Neck Pain

Headaches 

Upper Back and Shoulder Pain

Low Back Pain

Fatigue (low energy)

Immune System Dysfunction

Fibromyalgia

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Diverticulitis

Hemorrhoids

Varicose Veins

Osteoporosis

Arthritis

Hip, Knee and Foot Conditions

Poor Quality of Health and Life

Shortened Lifespan

Stressed Posture = Stressed Body
A study even found people with poor posture are not as happy and do not feel as good about themselves compared to people with good posture. People with poor posture scored lower in regards to their overall health, satisfaction with their relationships with other people, satisfaction with their economic (financial) condition, and their satisfaction with their present life.

So, what can you do to have better posture and have a better feeling about your body, health and life?

Be More Aware of Your Posture. Avoid slumped or slouching postures when sitting or working on your computer, tablet or smart phone. Avoid distorted postures at work and when sleeping.

Avoid Sitting Too Long. Prolonged sitting is not good for your posture and may even shorten your lifespan.

Tips To Reduce Your Sitting

Replace Your Shoes, Mattress, Pillow, Couch and Chairs. The support these items provide when you are standing, sitting and lying down are vital for excellent posture. When they wear out and break down, they begin to break you down. Replacement of these items vary depending on construction, materials and use. Here are general guidelines on how often to replace them:

Shoes – Once a year

Mattresses – 10 years

Pillow – 2 years

Couches and Chairs – 5-10 years

Get Your Posture Checked After Traumas and Injuries. Sudden impact to your body usually causes your posture and spine to shift out of place resulting in poor posture. Sitting, sleeping or working in a bad posture can also cause your posture to gradually shift out of place. Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper posture and spinal alignment for life-long health.

Get Your Posture Checked on a Regular Basis. You will likely develop poor posture after a period of time and not even know it. Pain is an obvious sign that you do!  A chiropractic checkup will let you know if your posture is in excellent condition or if you need an adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments along with posture strengthening exercises can give you a new, stronger posture you can be proud of. Check with us to find out how often you need to be checked and adjusted to keep a healthy posture. For most people it is once a month.

Sources:
American Journal of Pain Management 1994, 4: 36-39.
Kai Y, et al. Traumatic thoracic outlet syndrome. Orthop Traumatol 1998;47: 1169-1171
Dr. Herbert Gordon,  1997 Seattle Fibromyalgia International Team Conference
Freeman JT. Posture in the aging and aged body. JAMA 1957, Oct. 19: 843-846
Takahashi T. Osteoporosis Int. 2005:16 273-279
J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004 Oct;52(10):1662-7.Kado DM. Hyperkyphotic posture predicts mortality in older community-dwelling men and women: a prospective study.