Do you know the fundamentals of correct posture? Many of us do not give much thought to the subject. This is unfortunate because keeping your spine in the optimal position can deliver a lot more than just a pain-free back. Your chiropractor will tell you posture can affect other areas of your body, including your respiratory, circulatory and digestive systems.

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Making the effort to be aware of your posture can go a long way to reducing pain and feeling better about yourself. Incorrect posture can actually cause pain to intensify and persist. Research published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology found when individuals adopted dominant, upright postures they were able to endure more pain compared to individuals who assumed submissive postures.

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The researchers believe assuming a dominant posture signals to the brain that it has more control of its current condition and environment, and it may cause hormonal changes in the body that boost pain-killing hormones. Aside from pain, chronic posture problems can lead to joint and disk degeneration and damage to ligaments, muscles and cartilage.

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While it helps lessen pain, good posture also impacts internal thoughts. Employment coaches recommend job seekers maintain excellent posture because it communicates self confidence to job interviewers, but new research shows posture affects your internal confidence. The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University recently published a study that showed people who used proper posture and expansive body positions actually increased their sense of power and likelihood of taking action, regardless of their job title or position within an organization.

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Posture is the way your body is held in space – whether standing, sitting, or lying down. Certain physical structures in your body line up correctly with your center of gravity. If your body has proper posture, there is a perfect balance to your physical structures, and you are able to hold your body in a healthy position with minimal effort. Ask your chiropractor to assess your posture to see if these anatomical areas are correctly aligned.

 

You can also help yourself by following these good posture tips:

 

1. Be aware. Practicing awareness of your posture is the first step to correcting it.

2. Take regular breaks from sitting at a computer. Research shows a strong connection between neck pain and intense computer usage.

3. Check the ergonomics of your workstation or desk.

4. Stretch tight muscles, and strengthen weak postural muscles. Your chiropractor can show you the correct techniques to use..

5. Get regular chiropractic adjustments. When it moves properly, your spine has the best chance to position itself properly.

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Why Is Posture So Important?

Excellent posture is not only beautiful to look at, but it also reflects self-confidence. This can be beneficial in any environment where you want to be more impressive, like at a job interview or on a first date! Improper posture causes misalignment in your spine, and this can put excessive stress and strain on muscles, joints and the supporting connective tissues.

 

Your chiropractor defines posture as: “The position of the human body relative to gravity.” Relative to gravity is important here, because this is the force that can cause the pain and damage related to improper postural positions.

 

Posture can be either dynamic or static, but both are important when it comes to your functional strength and stability. Dynamic posture is related to your body position while performing different activities like running or climbing, whereas static posture is more related to positions like sitting or standing.

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One of the main functions of these curves is to allow for an adequate amount of shock absorption from above (gravity) and below (impact from feet striking the ground). If the curves are positioned properly, fewer injuries are likely to happen due to these forces. If the curves are too much or not enough, this can cause excessive compressive loads on the discs, joints, muscles and connective tissues of the spine.