Correct sitting, standing, and sleeping posture is an incredibly important element for exceptional health. Every aspect of movement and body function is improved drastically by starting with a good base. Read on for why you should care about your posture and things you can do to improve it.
Poor posture can have a major impact on your long-term health in both well known and surprising ways!Over time poor posture can lead to lower back, shoulder and neck pain, sore knees, muscle imbalances, and an increased risk of injury.
Proper posture ensures good circulation and respiration while decreasing stress on joints, ligament wear, and muscle fatigue. Correct posture is equally as important during sporting activities. Using poor technique while exercising can hamper muscle performance and efficiency. The bottom line: our bodies perform best and move most efficiently when aligned properly!
Poor posture generally comes from adopting bad habits in everyday activities such as: sleeping with inappropriate pillows, sitting in office chairs with inadequate support, working on a laptop computer, or standing for extended periods of time. Over time our bodies adjust to these postures and it becomes hard for our body to tell what normal alignment is!
The good news is that with some relatively easy changes poor posture can be improved! Firstly, come in to the clinic and have a postural assessment done. The practitioner at Movéo will analyze your posture in sitting, standing, and lying in order to evaluate where your misalignments originate from. Then an individualized strengthening program can be designed to help improve muscles balance and increase body awareness. Joint pain and structural alignment can also be addressed. Your practitioner can give you some suggestions regarding your home and work environment to address other contributing factors.
Here are some helpful tips that can help you improve the situation:
Sources:
Brukner, P. & Khan, K. (2009) Clinical Sports Medicine. Sydney, Australia. McGraw Hill.
Kisner, C. & Colby, L. (2007) Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques. Philadelphia, PA. F.A. Davis Company.
Nordin, M., Pope, M. H., & Andersson, G. (2007) Musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace: principles and practice. pp. 87. Philadelphia, PA. Mosby Elsevier.
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