The Downside of Poor Posture

Most people have heard that poor posture is something to be avoided. This sage advice often comes from parents, teachers and other important figures in our lives. If you are like most people, you may have slipped up since becoming an adult. Maybe you are already experiencing the downside of poor posture but haven’t recognized the connection.

Poor posture has been blamed for spinal misalignments, poor sleep patterns, increased body aches and pains especially in the lower back, depression or increased anxiety, poor mental focus, more headaches and lack of confidence in general.

Some medical experts have linked poor posture to health problems like digestion problems, incontinence, heartburn, breathing issues and more.

If you find yourself slouching more than worrying about sitting up straight, don’t despair. It is possible to improve your posture and gain some pleasantly surprising health benefits in the process.

Practice Better Posture to Achieve 5 Health Benefits

Structural chiropractors have extensive training in the proper alignment of the musculoskeletal systems. They see more than their share of problems that result in part from poor body alignment often traced back to bad posture.

Today’s high-tech environment has created jobs where people must sit at a desk for long hours all day. At the other end of the extreme are people who must stand in one position all day or who are required to lift heavy objects multiple times during their workday.

All of these scenarios can create a wealth of problems from low back pain, sciatica, sluggish digestive tracts, multiple breathing problems, like asthma and allergies, increased tension headaches, shoulder or neck pain and the list goes on. Poor posture may also result in weight gain, decreased mental focus and increase irritability or other intense moods.

The good news is that we can correct our posture and get several great health benefits as a direct result.

1. Increased Lung Capacity

Most people do not use their full lung capacity in their everyday lifestyles and activities. Sometimes, we do not even notice this until we are suddenly put to the test when having to quickly perform athletically when playing sports, going for a swim or chasing the dog that ditched his leash and is now running free several blocks away.

The best way to improve how we breathe is to take up yoga or guided meditations that teach how to be mindful of our breath and our body responses. Taking some time to sit or stand up straight and tall and then breathing in slowly and releasing it slowly can be a good start.

Sitting up straighter helps to open up the midsection where our vital organs are located. We should breathe using our entire lungs to get the full beneficial effect. Deep breathing and stretching our bodies often during the workday can help to correct some of these bad postures and breathing problems that can often be felt right away.

As an added bonus, making a conscientious effort to not compress our lungs by sitting slouched over and/or crossing our legs can even make us feel more relaxed because the entire body benefits from the increased oxygen-rich blood supply that comes with proper breathing and good posture.

2. Overall Increased Energy Levels

Have you ever started in on your workday only to become exceptionally tired after only a short time? Take note of your posture. Breathing too shallow or constantly slouching can make us feel groggy and tired perhaps due to a low oxygen supply as we continue to neglect our posture throughout the day. This can take a huge toll on our overall energy levels.

When we do practice better posture, we tend to be more alert and engaged in what we are doing at any given moment. Try it for yourself. People who walk tall tend to be treated differently as well. Usually, these individuals are seen as self-confident and are often admired by others.

Another tip for increasing your daily energy stores is to pay attention to your posture during meals as well. Take your time and enjoy what you are eating. Too often we eat on the run with our bodies cramped inside a car or other transportation mode.

3. Better Circulation & Improved Digestion

If you have a habit of crossing your legs while you sit, you likely have experienced what happens when the blood supply in your legs gets constricted. Typically, the lower legs and feet will tingle and then go numb. This means that your body is not circulating the blood supply as it is meant to.

Giving some attention to your posture will help give your body better blood circulation and improve digestion in the process. Getting outdoors in the brisk fresh air after eating can do a world of good for improved digestion, staying fit and otherwise improving your overall health and well-being.

4. Increased Self-Confidence with Better Mental & Emotional Status

Everyone looks more confident and sharper when they stand up tall and practice good posture habits on a regular basis. People who have a poor self-image tend to slouch or hide from others by trying to curl up inward.

It is amazing how much better people can feel just be standing straighter and focusing on better body positioning throughout the day. Pay attention to how your body feels after you sleep as well. Often, the culprit could be an old and less than comfortable mattress that may need to be replaced with a more supportive model.

Take time to consider how your neck feels while in a car too. It is common for cars to not have the proper headrest support. This can lead to stiff or sore necks and shoulders.

5. Prevention or Reduction of Body Pains

Better posture can help prevent and/or reduce body aches and pains. If poor posture causes these discomforts, then good posture can correct them according to many seasoned chiropractors.

Many workplaces are finally realizing how using the right chairs or switching to a multi-positioning desk that allows employees to sit or stand while working on a computer or at their desk can increase creativity, improve workflow and lead to healthier employees in general.

There are some compelling research studies that seem to connect better posture to better health overall. Many workplaces now offer fitness center memberships, encourage lunchtime walks and so forth.

People with Chronic Back or Posture Problems May Benefit from Chiropractic Care

A lifetime of poor posture can take its toll on a body. Many individuals suffer from migraines and other tension-related headaches, have breathing issues, experience greater episodes of back or neck pain or just feel lousy in general most of the time.

These individuals may benefit from a thorough assessment and exam by a local structural chiropractor to determine the underlying causes of these discomforts and concerning health issues. It could be that the spine is out of alignment, or there could be an imbalance issue that could be fixed with chiropractic treatment.

Everyone can take advantage of the health benefits gained by practicing better posture on a regular basis. Seeing a structural chiropractor for persistent posture, body aches or other musculoskeletal problems may help immensely. Learn more or schedule a consultation appointment by calling the friendly representatives from Structural Chiropractic in Redmond at Phone: (425) 636-0303.