How good your posture is on a daily basis is one of the main determining factors in how healthy your neck and back will be. You can undergo regular chiropractic treatment but if you remain inactive and have terrible posture, there is not much anyone can do to relieve your neck or back pain.
Just keep this in mind when you are sitting or standing at work or at home. To determine how good your posture is, use the following tests to help you determine where you stand.
The wall test
Stand with the back of your head touching the wall and your heels six inches from the baseboard. With your buttocks touching the wall, check the distance with your hand between your lower back and the wall, and your neck and the wall. If you can get within an inch or two at the low back and two inches at the neck, you are close to having excellent posture. If not, your posture may need professional attention to restore the normal curves of your spine.??
The mirror test
Stand facing a full-length mirror and check to see if your shoulders are level; your head is straight forward as well as level; the spaces between your arms and your hips seem equal; your hips are level or the same height; your kneecaps face straight ahead, not turned in or outward; and your ankles are straight.?
The side view
Ask another person to check your posture from the side or take a photo of the side view of your stance.
Check for the following: your head is erect, not slumping forward or backward; your chin is parallel to the floor, not tilting up or down; your shoulders are in line with ears, not drooping forward or pulled back; your stomach is flat; your knees are straight; and your lower back has a slightly forward curve (not too flat or curved too far forward, creating a hollow back).??
Good posture is a lifestyle
Keep your weight down. Excess weight, especially around the middle, pulls forward on the back, increasing the curve in the low back and weakening stomach muscles.?
Develop a regular program of exercise. Regular exercise keeps you flexible and helps tone your muscles to support proper posture.?
Buy good bedding. A medium to firm mattress will support the spine and help maintain the same shape as a person with good upright posture.
Pay attention to injuries from bumps, falls and jars. Injuries in youth may cause growth abnormalities or postural adaptations to the injury or pain that can show up later in life.?
Be conscious of where you work. Is your chair high enough to fit your desk? Do you need a footrest to keep pressure off your legs??
Perfect standing posture is when the following are properly aligned: the points between your eyes, chin, collarbone, breastbone, pubic area and midpoint between your ankles.
From the side, you can easily see the three natural curves in your back. From the front, your shoulders, hips and knees are of equal height, and your head is held straight, not tilted or turned to one side. From the back, the little bumps on your spine should be in a straight line down the centre of your back.?
Particularly in conjunction with regular exercise, chiropractic treatment can play a significant role in correcting and maintaining good posture.
When good posture is maintained, the daily physical stress the spine is exposed to is distributed evenly throughout its length, rather than being concentrated in a few specific spots. This prevents irritation of the joints and early degeneration of the disks.
