While it is often overlooked when compared to getting a good night’s sleep, exercising, and eating a healthy diet, good posture is just as important when we are talking about good overall health. Good posture ensures that we make it through the day with less fatigue, less stress, and more energy. Poor posture may lead to a number of different issues, including gastrointestinal problems, back and neck pain, depression, arthritis, hormonal imbalance and even a compromised immune system.

Poor posture may lead to people putting upwards of 14 kilograms of stress on their cervical spine. If you imagine a 14 kilogram rucksack on your back each day, you will understand the importance of good posture.

How does chiropractic help better posture?

Good posture ensures that we use our muscles correctly, keeping bones and joints in correct alignment. This decreases the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that might lead to joint pain and degenerative arthritis. It also minimizes the likelihood of injury. It does that by reducing the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together.

It is important to remember that long-standing postural problems are going to take a bit longer to resolve than short-lived ones. An example of a short-lived postural problem would be someone who suffers an injury and compensates by leaning towards his or her other side for the time being

Most patients will have been using poor posture for so long that their joints have begun to adapt to the long-standing poor posture. In order to consciously correct oneself, it is important to know what posture is correct and to be aware of your posture. Eventually it is possible to replace the old posture with a newer, healthier one. This is going to lead to an overall better, stronger and healthier body. Your chiropractor at Total Back Care can help identify proper posture, including specific exercises that are going to strengthen the core postural muscles.

How does massage therapy help better posture?

Poor posture is undoubtedly one of the primary reasons that people are complaining about muscle tension and back pain. Without the proper spinal alignment, the muscles in the body are constantly working to ensure that we are not falling over or injure ourselves.

Whether it is because of stress, poor posture, or a combination of the two, massage therapy is going to help the muscles relax. Once the muscles are relaxed, it may make it far easier for someone to use better posture. Especially if our muscles are tightened up, good posture may seem uncomfortable at first. By loosening the muscles, it relieves pressure points and these now relaxed joints have greater freedom.

Once the muscles are loosened, the spine is soothed, and the circulation is improved, it is possible that the body starts to accept the natural, healthy alignment. From there your massage therapists can either work with you directly on improving your posture or refer you to someone who is capable of making the necessary adjustments. Without the increased relaxation of massage therapy, that may not be possible.

Why it is important to take action for a better posture

The truth is that good posture is not going to develop overnight. If you are interested in getting in the habit of having better posture, it is going to take work. Some people have had poor posture for decades and have started to see problems directly related to their poor posture as ‘unavoidable’. This could mean stress in the body, an inability to sleep well throughout the night, or discomfort and physical pain throughout the day. To make a change in your posture call Total Back Care today on (08) 8357 8211. Find your way to better posture today.