Remember when you were a kid and your parents or your grandparents would tell you to sit up? And maybe nowadays you're still telling yourself to sit up. But how long does this practice last before you're right back to that slumped posture? Does all this posture hype really matter? The answer is a resounding
YES!!!
Our posture is fundamental to our health. To many, this won't be groundbreaking news. But how many of us can explain why? It is imperative that we understand the concepts at play here. Having proper posture creates a foundation upon which we build the rest of our health.
Ever see senior citizens with those big humps at the top of their back? What's the difference between them and other senior citizens who don't have those humps, can stand up straight and are surprisingly active for their age? What made the difference? You can't tell me that those humps are just a natural byproduct of getting older, otherwise all seniors would have them. I'm also not a fan of giving way to the premise that it's just some people's genetic disposition. Genetic dispositions may make some aspects of your health more likely, but in most cases,
we are in complete control of our health!
The trends of our day have us using technology at an exponentially higher rate. How much time are we spending on our phones, tablets, playing video games, using computers, watching TV, etc.? Most of us have terrible posture due to the technologically-laced world we live in. Our heads are spending so much time looking down, stretching out the musculature and other soft tissue in the back of our neck, while the anterior (frontal) muscles and soft tissues begin to "accept" that this shortened length is the new "norm". It certainly isn't normal at all, but almost everyone's posture has adapted to being in this position.
When we look at the human spine from the side, we see 4 distinct curves (see image).
As displayed in the image, there are two lordotic curves (the neck, or "cervical spine", and the lower back, or "lumbar spine") and two kyphotic curves (the upper back, or "thoracic spine", and the sacral area). As people lose their cervical curve (due to the reasons listed above), there's only one other curve that "matches" the lordotic curve of the neck, and that's the low back. By means of
compensation (which our bodies do all the time), the low back lordosis has to accentuate and become more curved (this is called "hyper-lordosis"). This is frequently the mechanism behind low back pain.
Years ago, clinicians observing the loss of cervical curve in a patient was a rarity; they were typically associated with whiplash injuries. The whiplash would create an
instant ligamentous laxity (in other words, the supportive/stabilizing ligamentous tissue of the neck would be stretched beyond what it is supposed to be), allowing the loss of curve to occur. But now it's seen in almost everyone, not from any instant trauma, but a slow process over time.
As our body continually adapts to these changes, gravity is able to place enough strain on us, and we start to see symptoms like low back pain. This maladaptive posture not only manifests the symptom of low back pain, but often brings on other symptoms including headaches, neck pain, upper back pain, and shoulder problems. Do you have any of these symptoms from time to time, if not, regularly? What about others you know? Chances are, you or someone you know, does, especially if your job entails sitting at a computer for several hours per day.
So let's take a moment and address something really important. If you're thinking the purpose of regaining your posture is to get you out of pain, or perhaps prevent these symptoms from returning, then you're really only seeing half of the vision. The chiropractic care plan which I implement is very effective in getting patients out of pain-- that's the easy part. And if that's all you want, then come on, let's get it done. But! What's more important and exciting is when patients start realizing that they are physically capable of so much more than the complacent status quo which they've allowed themselves to accept! Instead, their potential starts to become reality. So what about you? Are you tired of drifting through life, going through the motions, having less energy than you should and sitting way more than you should, in that slouched, poor postural position?
Conversely, haven't you had those times when your energy is just vibrant?-- when your synapses seem to just be firing at an accelerated, purposeful rate? But how often do those moments happen? You can hope that you'll fall into one of those states (and additionally hope that they may start to miraculously come along more frequently), or you can train your body to
thrive on a routine basis! Some of you may say that you're already an energetic person. Hey, that's awesome for you, but I'm telling you that you haven't arrived. There's another level which you're capable of reaching, and probably a couple more levels after that!
"Okay Doc, I get it, posture is important. So all I have to do is get myself to sit up straight all the time and I'll be good to go, right?" While I compliment such an individual for desiring to improve their posture, we both know that the novelty of that thought wears off as quick as we think of something else, and our old friend gravity pulls us down to the slouched position once again. So what else can be done?
First, we need to acknowledge that the poor posture which the majority of us are guilty of took a lot of time to develop. So a treatment care plan is going to take some time to help correct it. While one chiropractic adjustment will do some good, it won't be enough to overcome years of bad postural habits. Second, emphasis on re-calibrating, re-educating, and re-training the surrounding musculature and soft tissue is very complementary to the adjustment-- this is done through something called "myofascial release" (something I do every day) and some cutting edge rehab exercises to ensure that the beneficial changes last you for the rest of your life.
Depending on the severity of your cervical curve loss, your corrective treatment plan can last as little as one month, to possibly as long as several months. Just like braces on your teeth at the orthodontist, there is need to properly align the vertebral bones in your spine over
time. Regaining your cervical curve will facilitate better health in so many aspects, including how to stimulate your brain in the best ways! ...Which leads me into what we'll be covering in the next post: the muscle spindle (this will basically be "Posture, Part 2", and it will address why it is that having proper posture will promote more thriving energy).
What in the world is the muscle spindle? Why is it important when it comes to posture? It is a topic that is so fascinating, so please stay tuned for the next post! Until then...
Get Moving! Get Performing!
Contact info:
Dr. Kelby Martin
(929) 33-KELBY [929-335-3529]
South Jordan Chiropractic
10456 S Redwood Road
South Jordan, UT 84095
Office phone: (801) 446-5100
