Can Chiropractic Help Your Bad Posture?
By Dr. Carolyn Griffin, D.C.
As people start using computers more, they spend their time hunched over a keyboard. Because of this their posture is deteriorating. Instead of standing tall, people walk around with rounded shoulders and heads that are too far forward. This has led to a decline in health, and an increase in neck, shoulder, and back pain. Fortunately, chiropractic care can help fix bad posture, and help people experience the health benefits of having good posture.
Research shows that the muscles in your back have to support ten extra pounds of weight for every inch your head moves forward. Most patients that come into our office come in with two inches of forward head posture. That’s an extra 20 pounds of weight that their back and spine has to support on a daily basis. No wonder people complain about back pain.
Not only does having bad posture cause stress on muscles and back pain, it can also cause other problems. The brain is the center of the nervous system. If the vertebrae are out of alignment in your neck, the nervous system’s ability to communicate with the rest of the body is hampered. Think of it like a hose. If the hose is bent, there won’t be a steady stream of water.
Good posture is an indication that the body is aligned. When the body is aligned, messages are able to flow uninterrupted from the brain to other parts of the body. The system is more efficient, and results in decreased discomfort and improved health.
So how can Chiropractic help? A Chiropractor will design a program that will help improve your posture. This program may include a series of adjustments to realign the vertebrae, traction to remold the neck and stabilize the spine and exercises to help strengthen the muscles that improve posture. This combination will help you experience the lasting benefits of good posture.
