Think back to your Nana giving you a loving scold “stand up straight.”
It’s timeless advice we’ve probably all heard at some point in our lives.
Thats because it IS good advice and worth paying attention to!
Having good posture is more than an old etiquette, being fundamentally linked with the function of our bodies.
The way we hold our bodies affects how it adapts to the stresses of our environment –carrying a box, sitting in an awaked position, or gravity – to name a few.
Left long term, your ability to adapt these life’s stressors is compromised, resulting in a body with less-than-optimal function.
Poor posture causes muscles to work harder, thus becoming tight, adds a lot to the wear-and-tear on joints and ligaments, increased risk of injury, and can decrease the efficiency of your lungs.
New research is finding posture can even influence our emotional state and sensitivity to pain.
There’s a plethora of reasons to have good posture, but it’s becomingly increasingly hard in this day and age. Devices and long-term sitting are the norm of our society, encouraging us to look downwards.
Are you eager to improve your posture?
Start with an at-home evaluation, then ask your chiropractor for a check in practice. Compare your notes and see what you find.
Stand in front of a mirror. When you look at your spine from the back or the front, all the vertebrae should appear to be “stacked” in a straight line.
You should have three curves, at the neck, over the shoulders, and the small of your back.
Looking from the side, you should be able to draw a straight line downwards from behind your ears, the front of the shoulders, behind the hips, the front of the knee, all the way to a few centimetres in front of the ankle.
This keeps your centre of gravity evenly between your feet, maximising your body’s efficiently in how it spends energy, acting like a shock-absorber.
How about a correct sitting posture? A vertical neck – not tilted forward – with relaxed shoulders, knees and right ankles and feet flat. Arms are to be hang loosely beside your torso.
Good posture is acquired; you develop the curves in your spine, instead of being established at birth.
This makes posture a dynamic process, meaning your posture is not set in stone and can be improved. Talk to our chiropractor today for tips on how we can help your posture flourish.
Dr Michael Clarke
Chiropractor
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