by Dr Jennifer F. Royer, Chiropractor
All your life you have been told to stand up straight and watch your posture. I hope that you have because if your posture is out of balance then your spine is out of balance as well. Poor posture can lead to conditions like headaches, neck pain, dizziness, shoulder and arm pain as well as low back and leg pain.
The spine is made up of twenty-four moveable bones called vertebrae, which house the spinal cord. In between two vertebrae lies a soft spongy disc and a nerve protruding on either side. These nerves travel throughout the body and control all of its function. Poor posture puts an unhealthy amount of pressure on your vertebrae, spinal discs, nerves and muscles.
Activities like sleeping in a bad position, standing or walking abnormally, sports, work and car accidents can directly impact your posture. Unfortunately, occupations and lifestyles that include long periods of sitting at the computer or talking on the phone with it cradled between your shoulder and neck takes its toll on your body. The result is a slumped posture with rounded shoulders, a forward head with the chin poked out, a sway back and tilting of the head, shoulder or pelvis.
Take a few moments to try this simple test to see if you or a loved one has poor posture.
- Stand in front of a mirror with your eyes closed and march in place for a few seconds then stop.
- With your eyes still closed look up to the ceiling and down to the floor a few times then bring your head back to a position that feels comfortable and open your eyes.
- Check to see if the head, shoulder and pelvis are tilting to one side and note which side is higher.
- From the side have someone check to see if the ear opening, shoulder joint, hip joint knee joint and ankle joint line up vertically.
If any of these are deviated, it can result in spinal malfunction, nerve irritation and muscular imbalances that can lead to degenerative changes. If your body looks crooked on the outside what do you think it looks like on the inside?
After taking a complete case history, a Doctor of Chiropractic performs a full examination and x-rays or other diagnostic imaging are taken if necessary. The Chiropractic approach is to correct any spinal malfunction, relieve nerve irritation and decrease muscle tension naturally. Chiropractic enhances the body’s natural healing processes.
Learning how to sit, stand, lift, carry and sleep correctly not only improves your posture but also reduces your chances of being injured. If you found any changes with the posture test or for more information on proper posture contact your local Chiropractor.
