Posture Month & Posture Challenge PART 2

Posture & Health

Welcome to the second part of our monthly blog all about posture! If you missed the last blog just an update: May is national posture month! If you want to learn more about your posture or how we can help you by assessing your posture give our office a call. If you want to be a part of our monthly posture challenge jump on our Facebook and reap the benefits of what we have to offer: videos, infographics, and fun facts all about posture!

Now let’s dig into some ways in which posture is beneficial to our health and wellbeing.

Did you know that poor posture has links to back pain, neck pain, reduced lung capacity, headaches, high blood pressure, and susceptibility to injury? It has also been shown that poor posture affects mood, and sleep?

Sometimes it is hard to understand why posture is so important but let’s dive into some of the ways that posture affects our overall health. First let’s think about it from a practical standpoint. Are you ever having a bad day at work or notice one of your coworkers having a bad day at work? How are you or they sitting? It could be assumed that you are slumped in your chair head down, back slouched maybe hands or knees crossed. This posture reinforces the mindset! Think about it! If you were to take a few deep breaths and sit up straight while working, you instantly feel recharged and more energetic. Coincidence? Not what science tells us.

In fact, research and evidence shows us that good posture can make it easier to breathe. This alone can increase vitality and a good mood. It also allows you to better digest your food. Other positives that we see from good posture include increase in flexibility, lessening of back, neck and shoulder pain, and increasing balance. Amazing! Just sitting up straight during the day give you all these benefits!

When you maintain a position that you hold the most often, for example slouching at work, your body starts to adapt to the position. That means specific muscles will strengthen, weaken, tighten, and stretch to your pattern. So, let’s adapt some positions that are favorable to the body in the next part of our blog.

Are you interested in learning about more ways that posture can help you and your health? Stay tuned for our next blog post!

References:

MedlinePlus [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated 2017 October 25th]. Guide to Good Posture; [updated 2017 October 25th; reviewed May 4th 2023; cited 2023 May 4, 2023]; Available from: http://medlineplus.gov/guidetogoodposture.html

Wang, C. (2016). Good Posture and its Wealth of Benefits to the Workplace. Lumo Bodytech.

Longoria, H. Why is Good Posture Important?.