Good posture is one of the most important things you can do for your body. When you have good posture your muscles, bones and joints are aligned perfectly and can function as they should. If you fail to maintain good posture, you may find yourself dealing with chronic back pain, neck pain and overall fatigue. Below is an overview of the importance of good posture and how it can help you feel your best.
Causes of Bad Posture
Most people are unaware of how poor their posture actually is. While many different factors can lead to poor posture, some of the most common causes are:
- Accidents
- Falls
- Injuries
- Being overweight
- Weak muscles
- Work-related stress
- Muscular Imbalance
- Improper sleeping habits
- Wearing ill-fitting shoes
- Poor self-image
The society we live in today has made a significant impact on our postural habits. We have become a more sedentary society due to electronic devices, video games and computers. Spending the majority of our day doing these activities has led to poor posture in the vast majority of people both young and old – we are sitting at our desks more often, hunching over laptop screens, and straining our necks by looking at our mobile devices for long periods of time.
How Poor Posture Affects Your Body
As the years go by, poor posture can lead to problems such as back pain and neck pain. Below are some other problems caused by poor posture:
- Fatigue
- Tight neck muscles
- Aching back muscles
- Joint pain
- Stiffness of joints
How to Check for Good Posture
You can check your posture by doing the mirror test. To perform this test, you must stand in front of a full length mirror and look to see if:
- Your head is straight
- Your shoulders are level and in line
- Your hips are level and even
- Your ankles appear straight
How to Improve Your Posture
You can improve your posture in a variety of ways such as:
- Exercising regularly
- Keeping your weight within normal limits
- Invest in a good mattress
- Adjust your work chair and desk to a comfortable height
If you are having chronic back and neck pain because your posture is poor, it may benefit you to see a chiropractor for advice. During a consultation, a chiropractor may be able to identify the causes of your poor posture and provide a treatment plan to improve it. In many cases, people who see a chiropractor for treatment experience a reduction in pain almost immediately. Call Summit Chiropractic and Sports Institute at (509) 922-1909 to learn more about how chiropractic can help improve posture and relieve neck or back pain.