It is easy for most people to understand what good posture should look like, but not many know how to improve poor posture that has deteriorated over time because of bad habits. Poor posture can negatively affect your long-term health in many ways. Learn seven key ways that chiropractic care can help you with posture correction.
What Constitutes Good Posture?
The tension that your muscles and connective tissues exert on your skeleton creates your unique body alignment. This constitutes your posture, which is determined by the ways your joints align with each other, and with respect to gravity.
For most people, the habits acquired by the modern living are at odds with those that promote good posture. Many of us are sedentary, sitting for hours on end with our eyes fixated on devices. Over time, lack of physical activity causes some muscles to become too tight while others become too loose. This causes your joints to lose their integrity, undermining your posture and setting you up for potential joint pain down the road.
People who serve in the military provide great examples of good posture. They are trained to stand correctly for many hours at a time. In addition to creating a very imposing demeanor, perfect posture conserves energy by reducing the workload of the muscles.
To test your posture to see if it can use some work, try this:
- Stand with your back against a flat wall.
- Place your heels, buttocks, shoulder blades and the base of your skull against the wall, and look straight ahead with your chin parallel to the floor.
- While holding that posture, step away from the wall.
- If maintaining this posture is uncomfortable , your postural alignment may need adjustment.
Besides static posture, while sitting and standing, also pay attention to your dynamic posture while moving. Suboptimal dynamic posture reduces your efficiency and places extra stress on your joints, making you more susceptible to injury.
Why is Posture Correction Necessary?
Your posture will undoubtedly deteriorate over time if you don’t take steps to correct it throughout each day. Sitting or standing correctly is not enough, because your body also needs exercise in order for your muscles to function in proper coordination with your joints.
The consequences of poor posture can include:
- Premature aging
- Increased risk of sports injuries
- Headaches
- Reduced digestive function
- Shallow breathing
- Increased joint discomfort
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Decreased balance and stability
- TMJ syndrome
Why Should You Seek a Chiropractor for Posture?
Chiropractors focus on caring for your spine and central nervous system. Nerves run the length of your spinal column, therefore poor spinal alignment can cause them to become irritated and painful. Your chiropractor will work to optimize your spinal alignment, and consequently, reduce your risk of pain and dysfunction.
Your chiropractor will strive to fix your bad posture and help you maintain healthy alignment using these tools:
- Evaluation. Your chiropractor will perform a thorough evaluation of your overall bodily alignment, to find problem areas that impact your posture.
- Information. A chiropractor can teach you how to permanently fix posture to enhance your overall health and quality of life.
- Manipulation. A chiropractor can fine-tune the alignment of your spine using various manual techniques, to take pressure off your nerves and restore optimal spinal alignment.
- Exercise. A chiropractor understands that you cannot accomplish good posture if your muscles are weak and out of balance. They can prescribe exercise routines to reverse misalignment and restore balance to your muscles.
- Stretching. Daily activities can cause some muscles to become too tight. For example, if your hip flexors become too tense, this can negatively affect your overall body alignment. This is also the case for the muscles in your neck and upper back. A chiropractor can develop a stretching routine for you to increase your flexibility and joint range of motion. This will, in turn, help to restore muscle elasticity.
- Myofascial Massage. Often, the thin layer of connective tissue that surrounds and separates your muscles—your fascia—can develop trigger points. These are tiny muscle spasms that cause pain and negatively impact muscle function. Chiropractors often use massage and dry needling to help permanently correct posture.
- Ongoing Care. Getting regular periodic tune-ups from your chiropractor can help you to maintain your best posture over time. You will look better, feel better, and enjoy a better quality of life as you age.
Find the Best Chiropractor for Posture in NYC
Dr. Lev Kalika is a licensed chiropractor specializing in posture correction in NYC. His state-of-the-art clinic, NYDNRehab, houses the most advanced technologies in the conservative healthcare arena.
Posture and chiropractic care are inseparable when it comes to improving your overall health. When you fix your posture, you engage in proactive self-care, age more gracefully, and prevent future pain and injuries. Contact NYDNRehab today to learn how to fix bad posture for a much better quality of life.