Life has changed for most of us tremendously in the past few years. Whereas we used to spend more time standing and walking or engaging in physical activity for long periods of time, we are now tied to desks and screens in ways we never were before.
These long periods of sitting, especially if we are leaning over phones or tablets, can have disastrous effects on our overall health, mostly through encouraging poor posture.
Effects of bad posture
We all can probably recall being told to sit or stand up straight, but we rarely think about the reasoning behind these statements. The spine has a natural curve and is designed to maintain that curve for proper alignment.
If you have poor posture, this can cause undue stress on the vertebrae in the back and neck, as well as on the ligaments, tendons, and muscles that keep us upright and the joints that allow for movement.
Continued poor posture can not only cause pain with these parts of your body, but can result in even more lasting effects, such as:
- Risk of back injury
- Poor digestion
- Interruptions to the sleep cycle
- Mood disorders
- Lack of energy
- Premature aging
- Increased likelihood of migraines
How Chiropractic Care Can Help With Poor Posture
Beyond simply sitting up and standing straighter, there are treatments you can seek from a chiropractor that can directly address the effects your poor posture is having on your body.
While setting timers and reminding yourself to sit up straighter and take breaks and go for walks are important interventions in your day to help with posture, if you are experiencing problems such as those listed above, you need professional help to restore your health.
If you are having pain or any of the other side effects of poor posture, the chiropractor can perform adjustments and make recommendations for treatment and exercise that can restore the balance and equilibrium your body has lost.
The chiropractor will begin with questions about your routines and lifestyle, asking about frequency of exercise, how much time you spend each day sitting at a desk, and diet and exercise.
After gathering the information, a quick assessment of your resting posture can pinpoint issues that need addressing, because alignment issues manifest themselves physically. The next course of action could be adjustments, deep tissue work, and prescribed stretches and exercises to target the areas that are being affected by your posture.
When your body is out of equilibrium, the entire complex array of systems you depend on for health are under stress. By decreasing the stress and tension on the musculoskeletal system caused by your poor posture, the chiropractor restores your body’s ability to function optimally. You will notice immediate results, including increased energy, better sleep and mood, as well as a reduction in the inflammation causing your pain.