The musculoskeletal system is one of the most important parts of the body. This system helps keep you upright, healthy, and comfortable. When something goes wrong with this system, people experience many adverse effects, some of which are more serious than others.
Your posture is more important than you’d believe, with poor posture affecting other areas of your body. While many people believe that posture can’t be fixed, that simply isn’t true. Our Fort Lauderdale chiropractor is able to help improve poor posture in plenty of ways.
The first step to fixing poor posture is identifying the problem and developing a plan to fix it. But what are the signs of poor posture, and what can be done about it?
Signs of Bad Posture
Those who are struggling with poor posture may experience more than just slouching. Your posture has influence over many other aspects of your body. Some symptoms of poor posture include:
- Rounded shoulders
- Potbelly
- Bent knees when you stand or walk
- A head that either leans forward or backward in an unusual manner
- Back pain of all types
- General all-around body aches and pains
- Muscle fatigue and weakness
- Frequent headaches
When you have poor posture, it’s likely to cause troubles with plenty of your body’s postural mechanisms. Some of these may include:
- “Slow twitch” muscle fibers
- “Fast twitch” muscle fibers
- Overall muscle strength and length
- Neurological spatial understanding-feedback of your body’s position in a space
Over time, poor posture can even make it harder for you to complete average daily tasks, such as lifting groceries or going for walks. This is especially true in the winter when many people find themselves slouching and contorting in extra efforts to stay warm.
Why Good Posture is Important
Most people view good posture as something you either have or don’t, and they don’t think much more of it. However, it’s pretty important, and it’s possible to correct your poor posture. Good posture has many great effects on the rest of your body. For instance, those with good posture tend to enjoy benefits like:
- Overall, less body pains
- Less swelling or inflammation
- Less headaches
- Increased muscle strength and ability
- Increased overall energy
- Mood and confidence boosts
- Proper circulation
- Greater heart health
- And more!
Your posture allows your body to operate in a healthy manner. Think of poor posture like a bent hose. When the hose is bent, water struggles to pass through to where it needs to go, but when the hose is straightened, water flows easily, allowing the hose to operate at its best. The same goes for your body.
Those with good posture feel better, both physically and mentally, and it shows. Good posture has been proven to help decrease depression and boost self-esteem! The way others view you will also change, as most people view those with good posture as being more attractive, smart, and charming. By approving your posture, you’re able to approve your entire life.
How Chiropractors Can Help Improve Posture
When you think of correcting your posture you probably think of things like standing upright and watching how you sit. While these things are important, it’s also wise to see your chiropractor to help correct your posture. Your chiropractor is able to help correct your posture in a variety of ways, and all of them are done without any painful and invasive procedures.
The first thing that your chiropractor is likely to do is ask questions. They’ll want to know more about what bothers you, and about how you live. Next, you’ll undergo an examination. This examination is pain-free and may or may not include x-rays or other imaging technology. This examination allows your chiropractor to get a full view of where your postural issues are coming from, as well as any other issues you may have that could be contributing to it.
Once your exam is complete, your chiropractor will likely have a better idea of how bad your posture is, and what they think should be done to help fix or improve it. Your chiropractor will work closely with you to formulate a plan that works best for your body and health. This plan will likely include a variety of different treatments. Your chiropractor may or may not work with your PCP during this time as well.
Once your chiropractor has developed a treatment plan, you’ll begin to receive the treatment at the specified schedule. Your chiropractor will most likely use three main types of treatment such as:
- Spinal alignment: Your chiropractor will work on properly aligning your spine with chiropractic adjustments. If your spine is misaligned, you’ll find that your body struggles to operate as it should, including your posture. Your chiropractor will slowly start to align your spine, allowing you to move as you were meant to.
- Shoulder adjustments: Your chiropractor will start adjusting your shoulders, which also includes slow joint movements, which will get you in the best position for good posture. These movements will help increase your ability to move the joint, which reduces tension in the muscles surrounding the area and will help ease you into good posture painlessly.
- Deep-tissue treatments: Your chiropractor doesn’t just handle bones and joints, but also muscles. And muscles are also important when it comes to maintaining good posture. If some of your muscles become weak, injured, or even underused, this will cause the surrounding muscles to tighten and pull on your spine or shoulders, putting them into an unhealthy position. Your chiropractor will help by providing deep tissue massage and stimulation to help ease your tense muscles, helping your posture by doing so.
- Exercise: Love it or hate it, exercise is important, and your chiropractor will tell you just that. When having your chiropractor help your posture, they’ll likely also prescribe a regimen of daily exercises for you. Some exercises will be things like common stretches, whereas others may be more along the lines of light cardio. Your chiropractor will be able to adapt this to fit your capabilities and health.
Home Exercises to Improve Posture
Speaking of exercise, getting started with home exercises is never a bad thing. There are a few types of exercises you can do at home to start improving your posture. Some of these exercises include things like:
- Stretches: Taking 5 minutes, twice per day to really stretch out your body can help relieve tension and loosen muscles. Take a moment every morning and every night to lift your hands above your head, squeezing your mid-section as you do. You may also try to lift your legs, bending your knees to your abdomen, doing so a few times per session. You can also do other things like lunges, squats, side twisters, leg raises, and more.
- Light Cardio: Things like walking and swimming can be great for your posture and your joints as well. If you’re able, consider adding a short walk after dinner every day. Swimming is another great low-impact exercise that helps your overall body.
- Weightlifting: Consider adding some light weights to your exercise routine. This will help strengthen and stretch your muscles and ligaments, allowing them to rest in the best position, and improving your posture and your overall health as well.
For extra exercises, as your chiropractor what they think would be most suitable for you.
Visiting a chiropractor isn’t just for back aches anymore. Your chiropractor can help correct a lot of different issues, and poor posture is one of those. If you’re struggling with poor posture and the effects it has on your body, consider contacting a chiropractor. They’ll help formulate a treatment plan that is not only effective but pain-free as well.
Don’t spend your days shaped like a banana and feeling like a discarded banana peel, see what your chiropractor can do for you today.
Our Chiropractic Office in Fort Lauderdale Florida is accepting new patients.
