Can Chiropractors Fix Posture?
In this blog we will be exploring the wonderful world of posture and answering the question; “can chiropractors fix posture?”. I think we can all agree that slouching over a phone or a screen is quite a norm these days, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to the bottom of it.
Why is posture important?
Posture isn’t just about looking poised and confident, though these are very important things. It is also crucial for maintaining health and good function of your musculoskeletal system. Try this: sit in a slouched position, bring your head forward and curve your upper back forward (a rare request from a chiropractor!), now try rotating your head from left to right. Now sit up straight and bring your head back in, rotate your head from left to right again. Did you notice a difference? Notice how much easier it was to move and how much more range of motion you achieved by simply improving your posture. This is just one example of how the function of our musculoskeletal system is affected by our posture.
Poor posture can also influence your breathing, digestion, and even incontinence! So, it is an important part of our health to work on and maintain.
Common postural problems
The most common postural problem that I see in clinic is upper crossed posture. This is characterized by forward head carriage (where the head translates forward away from the torso) and an increased thoracic kyphosis (where the natural curve of the upper back is exaggerated). This is most commonly seen in people who either work at a computer or drive for a living. Most of us have found ourselves in this position before, and every now and then it is fine. The problem comes when we find ourselves in this position over and over again, this is when the joints of the neck start struggling, and the muscles start straining, and pain starts to develop.
Imagine this: You are holding onto a bowling ball, and you are keeping it nice and close to your chest. Easy right? You could hold onto that bowling ball for days, but imagine holding it with an outstretched arm, elbow straight, right in front of you. Well now you could imagine that being much harder right? It is the same weight, but the load has now changed due to how you are holding it. Well, the weight of your head is not too dissimilar to the weight of a bowling ball, and when you carry your head in that slouched posture, its like holding that bowling ball out in front of you. It is so much harder for your muscles to hold your head in that position. So, what do we do? We curve our shoulders forward leading to tight pectoral muscles and bring our shoulders up leading to tight upper trapezius muscles. These muscles and others start to get very sore over time. Furthermore, the muscles that help us maintain stability of the neck in good posture get inhibited, and over time that can lead to weakness, making it harder to maintain good posture.
Tips for improving posture at home
So how can avoid poor posture at home? Well, there are many things we can do, and if you spend any length of time at a computer starting with a good desk set up and introducing some healthy habits goes a long way. Check out the blog post on WFH injury prevention for more information. The basics are:
Take frequent short breaks (microbreaks)
Stretch
Exercise! (Something as simple as a short walk can make all the difference)
Don’t work from a laptop! (Unless you have plugged it into a secondary screen or keyboard)
How chiropractors can help
Now, onto the million-dollar question: can chiropractors fix posture?
While they can't perform miracles, chiropractors are experts in spinal and muscular health. Through gentle adjustments/mobilisations, targeted exercises, and personalized treatment plans, chiropractors can help address the underlying issues contributing to poor posture. This does not happen overnight, and it does require motivation to do prescribed exercises and stretches, but the difference in how you feel with better posture is very well worth it!
If you would like to find out how chiropractic care could help you improve your posture, consider booking in for a free, no obligation phone consult by clicking here.
