Posture is the Window to Your Spine...

...And an optimally functioning spine and nervous system = Optimal Health.

What does YOUR posture reveal about your health?Forward Head Posture (FHP) is by far the most common postural distortion that I encounter in my clinic. It is so common, in fact, that most people think it is normal. The cause is repetitive and chronic poor posture on a daily basis over time. We attend a minimum of 12 years of school. Add to that college, maybe even graduate studies followed by a job where we sit behind a computer! This is the norm. What happens over time is a phenomenon called “creep” where the ligaments and soft tissues of the spine that help support the normal curves and alignment change shape to now support the BAD posture. Due to the improper alignment, increased wear & tear on the joint structures and wedging stress placed on the discs, health problems arise because of the increased stress placed on the nervous system.

Stress on the nervous system = a decrease in function. FUNCTION! This means every function voluntary or involuntary. Every function of the human body traces back to a nerve root that exits the spine. Any injury, irritation or misalignment in the spine will affect the function of the nerve at that level.

5 Effects of Bad Posture

Prevention and Awareness is the best care for improving health and bad posture habits.

1. Tension Headaches: Sitting hunched over at your job, most commonly caused by your hands reaching for the keyboard when typing on your computer leads to your shoulders and head slumping forward. This posture tightens the muscles in your neck, upper back and shoulders. After awhile, the tightness causes nerve irritations and muscle spasms which restrict proper flow of blood to the back of your head. This leads to tension headaches.

2. Diminished Breathing: Poor posture can lead to severe kyphosis (hunched back) causing the torso collapse leading to breathing difficulties. Rounded shoulders and overly bent or imbalanced spine restrict the expansion of the rib cage, which restricts the rise and fall of the breathing diaphragm. Reduced rib and spinal mobility will affect the normal breathing movement. If the diaphragm can't rise, it won't be able to draw in as much oxygen during inhalation.

3. Fatigue: Fatigue is one of the most common causes of bad posture. Tired and tight muscles cannot support the skeleton as they are designed to do. Your muscles have to work extra hard just to hold you up if you have poor posture, leaving you without energy. Lack of adequate muscle flexibility and strength, abnormal joint motion in the spine and other body regions will lead to overall muscle fatigue.

4. Makes you look older: Never underestimate the beauty and health benefits of good posture. Often poor posture is just a bad habit that is easily corrected. Poor posture not only makes you look older, but could be the first step toward dowager’s hump, double chin, potbelly, and swayback as well as some internal problems too. When a person is hunched over or not standing straight that person may be perceived as older than they actually are. Good posture is not only beneficial to your body; it also makes you look taller and slimmer. What's more, good posture can convey self-confidence, which may just be the best accessory you can have.

5. Back pain: Most common consequence of poor posture, due to muscle strain, especially lower back pain. The back muscles, ligaments, and discs are under extra stress when the spine is not in proper alignment. Strong muscles help keep the spine in proper alignment and prevent back pain. Strong muscles also prevent the spine from extending beyond its normal range of motion, which is essential to protecting the ligaments and discs from injury.