Bad Posture or Something Deeper?
Have you ever noticed how much your shoulders slump when you’re sitting at your desk?
Do you find yourself hunched over your smartphone or laptop during the day?
Poor posture affects so many of us, and a lot of us have given up on trying to correct the way we sit. But what if it isn’t your fault, what if your body actually defaults to a poor posture because of a much deeper issue? Poor posture can affect not only your physical health but your emotional health too.
The main areas people see the effects of bad posture are:
- Back, neck, and shoulder pain
- Digestive issues
- Poor circulation
- Increases in stress
Spinal abnormalities (misalignments) cause your body to default into a poor postured position. When this happens, other joints in your body will need to work overtime to redistribute the load. This can cause a lot of pain in your back, neck, and shoulders.
Slouching can also put pressure on your organs. When your internal organs are compressed, it can slow the digestive process and lead to slow metabolism.
Tips to Stand Taller
It’s not too late to correct poor posture! There are a few things you can do at home or at the office to make sure you’re sitting upright. The key is making time to strengthen muscles in your upper back and core, and stretching your chest.
Some exercises that will help improve core strength include:
- Planks (hold a push-up position while propped up on your elbows, or high plank –holding the position on your hands)
- Sit-ups and crunches to tighten your abdominal muscles
- Stretch your chest (stand in a doorway with your arms up on the door frame in the Y position. Lean forward through the doorway while your arms stay in place stretching your shoulders and chest.)
Make time to work on your posture while doing everyday activities, too. Work on sitting up straight at your computer desk, raise your computer monitor to eye level, and position your desk chair so your elbows are at a 90 degree angle to the keyboard and mouse.
These are a few tips that can help in the short term, however overtime your body may default back to its poor posture. If this is the case then a deeper issue is the cause and should be check up on by a Specific structural chiropractor.
Visit a Chiropractor in Ann Arbor for Help with Poor Posture
If you have poor posture because of pain in your neck, shoulders, or upper back, it could be a sign of a larger, underlying problem. Seeing a chiropractor can help! A specific structural chiropractor like Dr. Gessert can diagnose and correct the cause of your pain, not just the symptoms, giving you longer lasting relief.
Contact Pivotal Chiropractic today for a complimentary consultation!