Your mother always told you to stand up straight – and she was right. Good posture is very important. It is good for your health, your mood, and even how you are perceived by others. Good posture can help you stave off age related conditions and allow your vital organs plenty of room to do their job correctly.
If you’ve ever been to see us at Surrey Family Chiropractic & Massage, you have probably noticed that Dr. Caulfield spends most of his day standing. The human body is not well adapted to our modern lifestyle which involves a lot of sitting and sedentary activity. With a little activity (and help from your favourite local chiropractor), your posture can dramatically improve.
A Word about Posture
Over the course of your life, things can happen that impact your posture. Maybe you sustain an injury and your body compensates by listing to one side or you hunch over in an effort to relieve the pain. Other times you may slouch in an effort to make yourself “invisible” in a crowd. Then there are those who just don’t give good posture its due and slouch because they simply don’t feel like standing up straight. After all, good posture requires a certain amount of muscle strength in your core, and if you haven’t been standing up straight, it certainly takes effort!
Whatever the case, poor posture can lead to back pain, headaches, increased risk of injury, decreased flexibility, and diminished mobility. It can actually cause you to age much faster. The good news is, in most cases even those with very poor posture can turn it around and stand a little taller. Chiropractic care has shown to help many people regain their youthful, straight, healthy posture that they’ve lost.
Postural Conditions that Chiropractic Care can Help
There are certain postural conditions that chiropractic care is particularly helpful is alleviating, including:
- Hip or pelvis unleveling
- Scoliosis
- Damage to the low back, mid back, and neck that affects its normal curvature
- Forward head posture (often associated with using mobile devices)
- Kyphosis or hunchback
Chiropractic Treatment for Posture Problems
When you first come in to see us, Dr. Caulfield will sit down with you and discuss the problems you are having, what your complaints are, when the problem started, and events that may have contributed to the problem. He will take a thorough medical history and observe the way you sit, walk, bend, and move.
We may request x-rays and will assess the alignment of your spine. You may also be asked to have neurological or orthopedic testing done to ensure that there is no underlying condition or injury that is causing your problem.
You will be asked to stand straight and Dr. Caulfield will take measurements to determine if there is any visible deviation from your optimum posture. He will ask you to move and bend while he tests your range of motion, mobility and flexibility as well as your muscle strength.
A Prescription for Perfect Posture
Once your assessments are finished, we will discuss treatment options with you. We will walk you through the adjustments that will be done and other types of therapies they recommend (such as prescription orthotic insoles). Together we will talk about the best course of action to relieve any pain that you are experiencing as well as get your spine back into alignment and improve your posture.
Dr. Caulfield will also likely talk to you about stretching exercises and things you can do at home in between appointments. We may discuss sleep positions, diet, work area adjustments, exercise, and weight loss. Chiropractic is a whole body treatment, addressing lifestyle changes that affect the entire body and getting it into optimal working order as a whole.
If you have poor posture you can change it, even if you are an older adult – or a senior. Often simple chiropractic adjustments can help improve posture within just a few sessions. Once your body is in alignment you will feel more energetic, healthier, and happier. Your body is an intricate machine and when one part isn’t functioning as it should, it affects all the other parts. Chiropractic can turn that around, helping your body function more effectively so you feel better.