The Value of Good Posture

“Sit up straight!” At some point in time, most of us have been told to correct our posture. Posture refers to the alignment and positioning of the body’s parts, particularly the spine, shoulders, and pelvis, while sitting, standing, or moving. Sitting up straight, however, is not just about good manners at the dinner table. Maintaining good posture is very important because it can affect various aspects of your physical and mental well-being.

At Manhattan Sports Therapy, we recognize the value of good posture. Our posture analysis services can ensure that the way you are sitting and standing is not causing consequences in your overall well-being.

What Does Posture Affect?

You don’t have to be a soldier in the army or a professional athlete to benefit from proper posture. Here are some key areas that can be influenced by posture:

Physical Health

Proper posture helps distribute the forces exerted on your body more evenly, reducing the strain on your muscles, ligaments, and joints. Good posture contributes to better alignment of the spine, which can alleviate or prevent back pain, neck pain, and other musculoskeletal issues. It also helps optimize the functioning of your organs, promoting better digestion, breathing, and circulation.

Muscular Strength and Balance

Correct posture encourages the appropriate engagement of muscles, particularly those supporting the spine, abdomen, and pelvis. By maintaining proper alignment, you can enhance your core strength, stability, and balance. Additionally, it reduces the likelihood of muscle imbalances, which can lead to discomfort and potential injuries.

Energy and Fatigue Levels

Slouching or adopting poor posture can negatively impact your energy levels. When you have a slumped posture, it restricts your breathing, limiting the oxygen supply to your body. This can result in feelings of fatigue, lethargy, and reduced productivity. By maintaining an upright posture, you allow for optimal lung expansion and improved oxygen intake, leading to increased energy levels and better overall alertness.

Mood and Confidence

Posture can influence your mood and self-perception. Research suggests that adopting a confident posture, such as standing tall with an open chest and relaxed shoulders, can actually boost feelings of self-confidence and positivity. On the other hand, slouched or hunched postures can contribute to feelings of sadness, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

Digestion and Elimination

Sitting or slouching with poor posture can compress the abdomen, potentially affecting digestion and bowel movements. By maintaining an upright posture after meals, you allow for proper alignment and optimal functioning of the digestive organs, facilitating digestion and reducing the likelihood of issues such as acid reflux or constipation.

Breathing and Lung Capacity

Your posture can impact the efficiency of your breathing. Slouching compresses the chest cavity, limiting lung capacity and hindering deep, diaphragmatic breathing. By maintaining an upright posture with an expanded chest, you allow for fuller breaths, increasing oxygen intake and promoting better overall respiratory function.

If you are reaping the consequences of bad posture, there are ways to help. Regular exercise, stretching, ergonomic adjustments to your work environment, and developing body awareness can all contribute to improving and maintaining good posture. It’s best to begin with a professional posture analysis to learn the specific posture areas that you need to improve.

Schedule Your PostureScreen in Manhattan

At Manhattan Sports Therapy, we proudly utilize some of the most advanced technology when providing posture analysis. PostureScreen assesses the posture of chiropractic and sports therapy patients through a simple assessment. The app uses two pictures of the patient, one from the front and one from the side, in order to assess the patient’s posture. Advanced technology enables the app to measure angles and distances from anatomical points, thus identifying posture displacements and areas susceptible to injury.

Call Manhattan Sports Therapy today to schedule your Posture Analysis with our experts.