How is Your Posture?

Posture is how we hold ourselves against gravity. In this blog we are gong to find what the best tips for ideal posture are. How close to the ideal is your posture. We look at your sitting, standing and lying postures while you are still.

If you feel your posture could improve, then please read on.

Ideal posture – what is that?

There are two ways that we assess posture. One is by looking at someone from the front and the second way is by looking at them from the side.

  1. Front to back posture

What we look for is the top of the nose sitting over the mid point of the sternum. This point in the sternum should sit over the pubic bone. If you can imagine a plumb line from the nose, crossing those points and landing on the ground in between the feet.

We should not see:

  • Twisting of the head, torso or pelvis
  • Tilting of the head, shoulders or pelvis

2. Side posture

When looking at someone from the side there are a few points that should line up. Again, when dropping a line down from the ear hole it should hit the mid point of the shoulder, hip, mid knee and end up at the ankle. What we don’t hope to see is tilting forward or backward of the head, torso or pelvis.

When does our posture need CURVES?

With the side posture the spine has curves. You may be aware of the low back lordosis, the curve that goes in. There is a similar curve in the neck that goes forward too, like the one in the low back. The curve in the mid back, or thoracic spine goes backwards. All these curves provide shock absorption to the whole vertebral column.

You can see how important it is for these curves to exist and that a change in these curves causes more shock to the spine, it’s structures and the nerves.

What causes Poor Posture?

One of the sayings I have is that poor posture causes poor posture. Poor posture can be due to a number of things, including the following:

  • Age
  • Lack of exercise
  • Exercising incorrectly
  • Disease
  • Injury
  • Poor desk ergonomics
  • Manual jobs

The impacts of prolonged poor posture are far reaching.

Poor posture can lead to:

  • Pain
  • Deformity
  • Stiffness

Poor posture can impact how you move, feel and function on a daily basis.

If you find that you are not able to get into a neutral spinal posture, it may mean that you have an issue with your spinal structure or your joint.

Call one of our chiropractors if you have any questions.

Lisa Smycz

If you would like to know more about exercises you can do for low back pain, then CLICK HERE.  Find out how a Lumbar Denneroll can help the low back curve, CLICK HERE.

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Categories 2 week Posture Challenge
 
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