The Effects of Poor Posture on Your Body and Tips to Improve It

August 16, 2017

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A person in a light blue shirt looking down at a mobile device held in their hands with a hunched posture.

Chiropractic care involves the manipulation of the joints and muscles in your spinal column in order to correct posture, alleviate back or neck pain, and relieve pressure in your joints or muscles. There are a number of benefits of chiropractic care, including better posture. An improved posture can prevent other health related issues down the road such as chronic back pain, arthritis other muscle aches.

Why Do You Have Poor Posture?

You could have poor posture for a number of reasons, whether it's the way you sit at work or at home or the way you walk. The way you sleep could affect your posture. You could have poor posture from a previous injury that never recovered properly and causes you to slouch. You may not even notice that you have poor posture.

Whatever the reason you have poor posture, it should be corrected in order to prevent future injuries or pain.

What Poor Posture Can Do to Your Body

Poor posture does more to your body than make you look shorter. Poor posture can wreak havoc on your body. It can affect other areas of your body and potentially cause future problems with your health. Poor posture can:

  • Change your gait, making your hips or lower back hurt.
  • Cause neck and shoulder strain and leave you with headaches.
  • Change your appearance—it can make you appear heavier
  • Cause depression, constipation, or a potential for cardiovascular disease or even spider veins.

What You Can Do About It

Your poor posture can be corrected, and there are a number of things you can do to help such as:

  • See the chiropractor. Make an appointment with your chiropractor for an adjustment. It may take more than one appointment to correct your posture, but it's a start. The chiropractor will use manipulation to relieve pressure in your joints and muscles, as well as align your spine.
  • Sit properly. While at work, sit with your feet on the floor, without your legs crossed. Keep your elbows at your sides, rather than on your desk. If you talk on the phone a lot, use a headset instead to help save your neck muscles. If you use a computer, sit up straight rather than hunched over your desk. Ask about getting a better chair to help support your lower back.
  • Walk tall. When walking, keep your hips aligned with your shoulders. Walk with your chin straight, not down or up, which can put strain on your neck. Don't hunch your shoulders or you will begin to see a curvature in your spine. Wear comfortable shoes that give you proper support (avoid high heels).
  • Use cell phones properly. Cell phone use can cause an issue with your posture such as text neck. This is when you get a pain in the neck from looking down at your phone constantly. It can lead to pain in your neck and shoulders and can cause headaches. Keep your phone at eye level, rather than looking down, to prevent this strain.
  • Exercise. Exercise can help improve your posture. Stretching, yoga or Pilates can all improve your posture, flexibility and overall health. Talk to your chiropractor about specific exercises or stretches to help improve your posture.

Chiropractic care is extremely beneficial for anyone that has poor posture. It can improve your overall health and well-being and can improve your quality of life. Make an appointment with Progressive Chiropractic for a consultation to get these same benefits, to alleviate your pain and to prevent future problems caused by poor posture.

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