Posture and Chronic Pain

Improper posture can create chronic neck or back pain. A healthy spine has 3 natural curves: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. To maintain good posture, these curves need to be in balanced alignment. The hip, knee and ankle joints support the spine’s curves when you move. In addition to having a healthy spine and joints to avoid chronic pain, it’s also important to strengthen & stretch muscles of the hip, abdominals and legs. If joints or muscles are weak or tight, poor posture can develop; the shoulders may be rounded or winged, low back arched, the head may be too far forward or back. When the spine is properly aligned, the ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles are stacked.

With age, it becomes more difficult to maintain or correct posture. Physical therapy can help retrain and strengthen areas of the body that support good posture. At Ability Rehab, we will evaluate your body mechanics, alignment, flexibility, range of motion and strength to establish an individualized treatment plan. There are many techniques used to correct posture including strengthening & stretching exercises, manual therapy, gait training, postural corrections, breathing exercises and more.

P.S. If you spend most of your day at a desk, get up and move around at least every hour.