Are you sitting most of the day and texting constantly? Do you tend to look down instead of straight ahead? Are you neck and shoulders tense and strained? You might be at risk for or poor posture.
Any easy way to test your posture is to have a friend take a side profile picture of you. If you chin is up and aligns with your chest, this is a good sign. If you chin and head jut forward past your chest, you might have poor posture.
When your shoulder alignment favors forward, your upper back may round out as well, and your pelvis may be pushed forward, giving your head a downward, forward-favoring tilt.
Your posture involves your musculoskeletal system. This includes your bones, muscles, joints, and other tissues that connect the parts of your body together. It’s what provides form, support, stability, and movement to your body.
How you hold yourself can either align or misalign your musculoskeletal system. Throughout life, this system must adapt to the type of work you do, the hobbies you enjoy, how you use electronic devices, injuries, and even the kind of shoes you wear.
Poor posture is associated with:
- neck and back pain
- muscle weakness
- headaches
- arthritis
- disc herniation
- degenerative disc disease
- poor sleep
- disrupted digestion
- trouble breathing
- lack of motivation
It can also limit everyday activities and present real-life dangers for your long-term health.
As you age, natural changes make it especially important for older adults to maintain good posture, strength, flexibility, and balance. Progressively hunching your shoulders forward creates excessive loading of the shoulder joint which can create injury and limit your independence.
How Can PT Help Improve Posture?
Patients with poor posture can work with a physical therapist to correct the issue. PT Genie specialists can show you how to decrease pain and help strengthen weak muscles. Once the muscles are stronger, they can work on improving range of motion. They also like to educate our patients with self-management techniques to reduce the chance of injury reoccurrence. In this case, proper sitting and standing techniques. Make an appointment today for a posture evaluation with a member of the GSI medical team. Call 844-746-8537 (844-SHOULDR).
Source: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2017/08/getting-it-straight