How poor posture can affect your overall health!
At Inspired Health Chiropractic we see many different causes of pain and poor health. But one thing we see regularly that can affect aches, pains and discomfort is poor posture 🚶♂️.
Our posture can be linked to neck pain, headaches, the quality of sleep 🥱 we have, our digestion, and can even affect our mood 😠 and motivation.
Luckily, there are some really straightforward, practical ways to improve our posture and live a healthier life all around.
What is poor posture?
According to the NHS, poor posture can look different from one person to the next. It can be demonstrated as slouching or hunching over in a chair, sticking our bum out while standing, standing with a flat back, poking our chin out while seated, and rounded shoulders.
If you want an example of good posture, just look at a young child! 🧒 Their backs show a graceful curve, and their movements are easy and effortless.
The Wall Test
A good way to test whether you have poor posture is to do the wall test. It’s simple:
Stand against a wall with about 15 centimetres 📏 of space between your heels and the wall. If you have good posture, your head, shoulders, and bum will make contact with the wall. It is normal to have a gap at the small of your back.
What problems can poor posture cause?
Poor posture can put stress on our muscles and joints 💢, making them overworked and tired.
The hunching or slouching can lead to rounding of the shoulders and upper back, putting extra pressure on the lower back to keep us upright. When our heads sit forward, we place the workload of keep our heads up on the back of the neck and shoulders. Rounding of the shoulders can pinch the tendons that help uplift our arms and over time can lead to degeneration.
Being in a forward slouched position can affect our mood as our body goes into a position of self-protection (we are protecting our heart and head which are vital for life). Try smiling and standing up with you arms over your head and feeling miserable at the same time. It is hard to do without either lowering your arms or changing what you think about.
How can I improve my posture?
One of the best ways to improve your posture is to do exercises that strengthen the spine and also to see a chiropractor to help you correct the parts of the spine not sitting in the natural position. We can also help to relieve pain caused by poor posture 🙌. Also, we give you stretches and exercises to do that can help promote a healthy posture. These movements are simple and don’t require a lot of time or commitment. Contact us to book an appointment with one of our qualified chiropractors to work on your posture.
Other ways to improve your posture include:
· Avoiding soft or squishy chairs that don’t give you good support. 🪑
· When shopping for a home office chair, opt for an ergonomic design. 💺
· Make sure your bed and pillow are supportive enough to keep your spine aligned while sleeping. 🛏
· When lifting something heavy, use your thigh muscles to take pressure away from your spine. 🏋️♀️
· Use a little pillow in the small of your back to help you sit up straight in your chair.
· Change your sitting position every half an hour. Even better, get up and move at least once an hour. ⏲
If you’d like to find out more about poor posture and what you can do to improve it, give us a call 📞 on 01245 699 152.
