Posture what is the fuss about!
We have know for decades that good posture is good for you, but beyond that most people have very little knowledge on what that actually means. What does “good for you” mean as it pertains to good posture? So today I am going to dive into some of the lesser-known benefits of good posture as well as the mainstream benefits I would hope you all would know.
So lets wipe out the general stuff first. Research suggest you are probably only going to remember that last few points anyway, so lets make them new.
- When you hold good posture is reduces tensionin the body generally by holding the joints in a position of minimal energy usage, by maintaining joints in alignment and ensuring muscles are being used properly.
- It reduces wear on the joint surfaces. e. it reduces the rate of osteoarthritis in the body.
- It decreases stress on the ligament. These ligaments are part of joint stabilisation.
- It reduces fatigue in the body. Abnormal posture requires a larger amount of muscular energy due to abnormal muscle patterns.
- Good posture reduces headaches, neck and shoulder pain, as well as low back pain.
- Improved confidence. The correct posture appears healthier and helps people look better, and who does not feel more confident when standing tall and proud.
Now for some new reasons to hold better posture.
- It improves heart and lung function. Actually it improves the function of most organs, most notably the heart and lungs. Studies have shown that increased curve in the thoracic spine can reduce lung capacity by up to 40 %, most likely due to the altered chest mechanics.
- Good posture has been linked to better bladder control in women over 55. The research suggest that due to the downward pressure of the internal organs and altered movement patterns that occur with increased thoracic kyphosis (upper back curve), and increased lumbar lordosis (low back curve) increases pressure on the bladder and increase the risk of bladder prolapse.
- Improved brain function. Holding the correct posture may increase proprioceptive feed back to the brain. Proprioception is the map your brain holds of your body in relation to everything around it. Recent studies also suggest that the loss of cervical curve may reduce brain blood flow.
- May reduce your chance of dementia. Reduced cerebral perfusion, brain blood flow, has been linked in the research to increased risk of dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.
As you can see from the last few points that good posture goes beyond how we look. You can now see that it can have a significant impact on your over all health. So if simply looking good was not enough to help you stand tall, then maybe reducing your chance of heart disease or dementia is, or maybe you are looking an edge at work that better brain function may play in.
In our next video we will cover what good posture looks like and a few simple things you can do to help achieve it.
I trust you found this helpful so like and share this video with your friend and family. If you are searching for more information checkout our website, or our Facebook or Instagram feeds. Most importantly if your attempts to correct your posture are not working or aggravate symptoms you have call our office for a consult to investigate your under lying issues.
Yours in Chiropractic health, I am Doctor Ryan, take care and we will see you soon.
We acknowledge the First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee as traditional custodians of the land upon which we provide our health and wellbeing services.