Posture, quality of movement and body balance are all a function of our spinal alignment.
Every chiropractor should be an authority on posture, but a growing number of chiropractors are making posture a major focus of their practices.
Posture is about much more than appearance, although a person with strong erect posture always looks better and younger than someone with slumped, weak posture. It is also a predictor of the quality of health and vitality.
Chiropractors know that people with forward head posture and round shoulders will develop arthritis at a greatly accelerated rate than might be expected from wear and tear as we age.
They will also experience reduced lung and breathing capacity because of restricted expansion and contraction of the rib cage. There will also be a reduction of the ability of the spine to fully flex and extend. This not only limits the ability to breath freely, but also inhibits the flow of spinal fluids up and down the length of the spinal cord and around the brain.
Chiropractors who specialize in postural analysis and correction utilize various spinal adjusting techniques to correct postural faults. They also prescribe rehabilitative exercise programs which are very effective in restoring and maintaining strong posture.
The only exercise programs that are effective are those that are done on a regular basis as part of a healthy lifestyle. Exercise is the only way to counteract the postural stress that is an inescapable part of most people’s lives.
Most of us spend too many hours each day sitting in cars, at a desk or in front of a TV, or engaged in repetitive motion activities that create structural imbalance in the body. Chiropractic posture specialists coach their patients in the ways they can support health by restoring and maintaining strong posture.
