Proper Posture and Spinal Health

In today’s society, its easy to identify a strong, confident individual by the way they carry themselves. From strong leaders to popular group members, we can look at many of these people and see their confidence. Aside from personality, there’s one main factor that commonly defines these individuals; posture. The body language we display to others is a powerful source of communication. Posture can say more about an individual than words. An upright posture can be a subtle signal of self-assurance to everyone around you, but more importantly, a proper posture reveals health from within.

Good posture is an essential component of your health. The spine is the key to a strong and healthy posture. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine quoted, “Look first to the spine for the cause of all disease.” The spine, also referred to as the vertebral column or spinal column, is composed of a series of bones called vertebrae which are stacked one upon another. The spine functions to protect the spinal cord as well as to provide overall support to the structures of the body, allowing you to stand upright, bend, and twist. Strong bones and muscles, flexible ligaments and tendons, and sensitive nerves all contribute to a healthy spine. But, when an individual does not maintain correct posture, the natural structure of the spine can be greatly affected, leading to various spinal complications. For many years now, it’s been acknowledged that spinal health can therefore influence your overall health.

Unfortunately for many individuals, spine care is not regularly considered until an injury or condition develops, causing impairing pain and discomfort to the individual. For example, we all know the importance of brushing our teeth every day. Pro-actively caring for our teeth is the best way to ensure we will maintain good dental health and we don’t wait till our teeth become sore before we start brushing them. Similar to your teeth, regular spinal care is vital towards the health of your spine and body. Just because it isn’t visible like your teeth, it doesn’t mean it’s any less important.

Foremost, spine care begins with improving or maintaining posture. A proper posture involves training the body to stand, walk, sit, and lie so that the least amount of strain is placed on the spinal bones during movement or weight-bearing activities. Throughout your day, pay close attention to your posture. Sitting and standing upright, especially after working behind a computer or being constantly up on your feet for an extended period of time, is the best practice for correcting posture. Ultimately, avoid the habit of hunching over a computer or phone, or slouching in front of the television. In addition, include a proper set of stretches and strengthening exercises into your week schedule, such as weight lifting, pilates, or swimming, to help strengthen the muscles and other tissues surrounding your spine as well as increase your flexibility.

Chiropractic care is also efficient towards improving the condition of your spine and correcting posture. When the spine is not being properly supported and the body’s weight is unevenly distributed, excess pressure is placed on the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and even the nerves around the spine, irritating these complex structures, and leading to damage, injury, or conditions. Subluxations, or spinal misalignments, is one of the most common types of spinal complications resulting from improper posture. In some cases, a spinal misalignment can lead to nerve compression and other complications such as sciatica, a series of symptoms described as radiating pain along the sciatic nerve which runs down one or both legs from the lower back. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor can carefully re-align the spine, naturally restoring its proper functions. Getting adjusted regularly by a chiropractor is a great way to re-establish a better posture and overall health.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.elpasochiropractorblog.com

The body language we display to others is a powerful source of communication. Posture can say more about an individual than words. An upright posture can be a subtle signal of self-assurance to everyone around you, but more importantly, a proper posture reveals health from within. The spine is essential towards the function of many systems in the body and an improper posture may lead to complications. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

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