You probably can think back and remember times when your mom or another adult told you, "Stand up straight. You're slouching." Why we're they so concerned? Well first of all, it really isn't very attractive when someone is folded over onto themselves in this way but, secondly maybe, just maybe, these adults understood that adapting to this posture is detrimental to your health. Yes, you read that correctly.
Your posture affects and moderates every physiological function from breathing to hormonal production. Think about it, if you're slouched over a computer most of the day then your shoulders round forward, your chest caves inward & your lungs now have less room to expand; you have essentially diminished your breathing capacity. The same is true of other organs in your body. This is not to even mention what it does to your muscles & ligaments.
Abnormal posture can lead to spinal pain, headache, mood imbalances, and other stress related illnesses.
At Moore Family Chiropractic, we focus on the structural correction of your spine. As doctors who do this, we naturally take a close look at your posture. Many people are very surprised that years of poor posture, progressively causes shifts in the spine which can lead to debilitating conditions. They think, "Well I can stand up straight. I just have to remember." Herein lies the faulty thinking. Your body is unable to stand up straight for longs periods of time because it has now adapted to these postural shifts. It's a lot more than remebering to stand up straight. Physically your body now needs to be retrained.
Next week, I will get into how we tackle postural issues in our office to bring our patients to a better state of health.