Current British Chiropractic Association (BCA) consumer research shows

“Over half (56%) of the UK population currently believe they have a bad posture, compared to 38% in 2007, a dramatic increase of 16%”.

“Around 60% of 16 to 18 year olds have an undesirable posture”

What does that say for the future incidence of back pain in the UK?

Good posture is so very important! I tell all my patients this. Over the last few days whilst hearing myself say this over and over again I realised that perhaps I need to point out WHY good posture is so very important? Helping them realise that it’s not just for reducing their sore back or other spine related problems but actually extends far beyond this. Then the thought occurred, why not share it with everyone on this blog.

So here are a few great reasons to maintain a good upright and natural posture.

1)      It makes you look much better! Whether you are of school age, at work or in retirement, avoiding that slouching posture that you see around you every day will help you make a better impression. Go on, take a look. Look for someone that is slouching and then look for someone that is sitting upright. Which looks better?

Having good posture can often make you look

-          Slimmer: Your tummy sticks out less.

-          Younger: Stooping forwards with narrower, rounded shoulders gives the appearance that you are older than you are.

-          Confident: it’s a no brainer, everyone else sees you walking tall and proud.

2)      You may live longer! Posture can affect the way the organs inside your body work.

Here’s some examples:

-          Breathe easy: If you slump or slouch your rib cage and the lungs underneath are in a compressed or squashed position. Less air can get in to them and you reduce the amount of oxygen that you can send round the rest of the body. If your cells don’t get enough oxygen then they aren’t working at full potential and that can affect all the functions in the body. Also shallow breathing means you have to breathe more often so you are working harder than you need to. Hardly sensible!

-          Give your engine some room: The heart can also work less efficiently if the rib cage is compressed. This could lead to problems later in life which could affect your blood flow.

-          Better digestion: Your stomach and digestive system can also become compressed and absorbing the nutrients could take longer or be less efficient.

-          There’s a lot more going on in there: don’t forget your Liver, Kidneys and a bunch of other organs are working away in the chest and abdomen and could become affected.

3)      Keep your body balanced! Much like balancing the wheels and tyres on a car, it keeps the wear and tear away for longer.

Poor posture can put unnecessary pressure on the body. Here are some examples:

-          If your head is abnormally forward it can put a strain on the joints within the neck, shoulders and the muscles which are holding it there.

-          Slouching can causing pulling of the muscles that surround the rib cage, this in turn can cause the muscles to spasm and stop ribs from moving freely. An often painful situation which can make breathing in difficult. In other cases the vertebrae of the mid back can become worn out due to the extra weight they have to carry and this can cause stiffness.

-          Arching back with your low back and carrying your body weight further back than normal can cause premature wear and tear in the joints of the low back. This can lead to a wear and tear type of arthritis that often affects the elderly.

-          Your spine has a washer in between each of the individual segmented bones or vertebrae. These washers are called discs and act like suspension or a shock absorber. If the weight is not balanced optimally over the discs and weight bearing joints then this can cause a shearing force on the disc which can result in damage to the disc over a period of time.

-          Muscles that are helping support a poor posture are more likely to become injured as they have to work harder to keep things in their place or perform the activity they are meant to.

Whilst this is a good bit of motivation for maintaining a balanced posture.  It’s not just about straightening yourself up. All too often with the slightest mention of the word posture I see patients perform the following ritual. First they pull back their shoulders as they thrust their head back rather uncomfortably. Then they try holding their breath so as to keep their stomach flat. This is the point I usually ask them to imagine holding that position for the whole day……………..

The ritual described above is certainly not considered ideal posture. See the picture on the previous post and the way in which the line should pass certain landmarks on the body. This is the position that is considered most likely to help minimise the pressure on your joints and muscles.

Achieving good posture requires some attention to your body and the way it has developed over time. There may be specific muscles that have shortened/tightened and others that have become lazy or weak. This is why putting yourself in a neutral or good posture position can sometimes feel uncomfortable. There are specific exercises that can be done which can help you stretch/lengthen the short and tight muscles and then others which can help you strengthen the weak ones. They can be provided by your chiropractor or other health professional that manages these types of problems.

For a more general home based approach the BCA has devised an excellent 3 minute exercise routine which can be incorporated into our daily lives to help strengthen the spine and improve posture. The exercise routine is available to download at no charge from www.straightenupuk.org

Once you have the balance right between the previously weak and tight muscles you can start to maintain good balanced posture. If you feel you have difficulty maintaining a healthy posture then you should consider getting some advice or an assessment from a trained professional. To find a local BCA registered chiropractor go to the website and use the “find a chiropractor” facility.

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