Choose Posture
“Sit up straight. Don’t slouch. Stand up straight. Chin up and shoulders back.”
We have all heard this over and over again throughout our lifetime from parents, teachers, coaches, and grandparents. Did you really listen though? Or did you correct it for 2 seconds while they were looking at you and then slowly settle back down into the nice comfortable slump.
Good posture is difficult to attain. I preach it all of the time and still I find myself correcting it constantly in order to avoid that dreaded hump in the back of the neck. I bet some of you are reaching to the back of your neck now feeling the size of that hump.
But how did it get there?
It didn’t happen overnight, and now I am seeing it develop at younger ages than ever before. Most of this particular postural change happens due to the constant head flexion (looking down) that we do on a daily basis – be it on a computer, on a phone, writing, reading, watching tv while laying down, sleeping with too many pillows under the head, or even walking.
I challenge you to look around throughout the day and make a mental note of how many of us are constantly staring downwards. This downlooking posture not only affects our neck, but it also changes the rest of the spine to flex with it, therefore putting more pressure on the middle and lower back as well.
It is difficult to correct your posture and in some cases it is nearly impossible to correct it. But doing nothing is not an option. You may feel more pain initially, due to your body exercising new body position that it isn’t used to. For good posture think shoulders rolled down and back, and your head looking forward and not downward with a slight retraction backward.
If you do these movements you will feel the rest of your body adjust correctly. If this is a painful position to reach and maintain you may need to see a chiropractor as we can help!
A few more things.
Bad posture → low energy, decreased oxygen intake, increased muscular strain, and bad biomechanics.
Good posture → more energy, increased oxygen, decreased stress on spine and muscles, and improved biomechanics!
