Grandma Wasn't a Chiropractor, But She Knew About Good Posture!

Posture matters! Why? Whether you are a skeptic, or already took my word for it:  Try these two easy steps....

1. Slouch, curl your shoulders in, round your back, and make yourself lean in. Get in your best slouching posture! Now take the deepest breath you can, hold for a moment, and exhale.

2. Sit up straight, as if a string is holding your head up to the sky, shoulders back and down, rock back and forth to find the center point on your chair. Now breathe deeply from the core and pull your breath down and hold it in momentarily, and exhale letting all the air escape from your lungs.

The difference is obvious.

In your best voluntary posture, you can breathe better. The truth is, your whole body functions best in its perfect posture. Ever wonder why singers will sing better in good posture? Most everything we do, should be done in perfect posture for best results. Some will say, "Well, I have scoliosis, or it runs in my family, or I can stand straight if I remember to, or it's just my muscles that make it look like my posture is bad..."  Myths are many-truth but one!

Most people live their whole life thinking that they can control their posture, and they can to some degree. You can control your voluntary posture. Just like when Grandma told you, "Sit up straight!" However, when you sit up as straight as your spine will allow you to, you might need more attention to the involuntary posture of the spine. As a chiropractor for 31 years, I have seen a great many postural  changes. A few examples: Scoliosis in an eight year old girl--in as little as five weeks. Reverse curves in necks in an average adult may take a few months, and, of course, there is great help for the dreaded humpback, which usually stems from problems in the cervical spine. The younger the better to change a spine, but never too late to do something right. You can change a spine. 

How? The short answer is to create a new pattern...in how you think, how you live, how you treat and respect your spine. With the right understanding of how the spine works as one functional biomechanical unit, and the right application of help-the body can and will respond. 

Need to see some research? (Compliments of The American Chiropractor)

"In 1993, at Japan's Nagoya University School of Medicine, X-ray studies on 372 patients with tension type headache were compared to those of 225 normal (pain free) subjects. Researchers were looking for any relationship between tension type headache and three factors: 1) straightened (hypolordotic) cervical spine, 2) "low set" shoulders and, 3) cervical spine instability. The vast majority of patients
with tension type headaches were found to also have straightened cervical
spines and low set shoulders, as compared to the asymptomatic control group.
(Cervical spine instability did not seem to be clearly associated with tension
headache.) The authors concluded that "both a straightened cervical spine and low-set shoulders may play an important role in the pathogenesis of tension-type headache and its accessory symptoms."¹

Research is great, but Grandma wasn't the only one that thought posture was important. For centuries all cultures have noted the importance of posture in health matters, including Hippocrates, who is known for being the "father" of medicine. Proper posture improves lung function (as you experienced), brain function, organ function, and overall nerve function. Posture matters. Posture affects health.  Posture affects your life. Posture affects you, because it is you. 

Dr. Sam Tocco, a Michigan Chiropractor for 31 years, is the doctor at Tocco Chiropractic and is the founder of Digital Motion X-Ray of Michigan, and one of the only chiropractors in the state using this remarkable technology. Tocco Chiropractic is a spinal rehabilitation center focused on spinal curve restoration, utilizing the best in posture correction/biomechanics. Dr. Tocco employs the best of the best approach and strategies, based on 31 years of practice and research in the field.  For a free, comprehensive posture analysis and consultation, please call 248-435-8435. For more information, please visit:  www.DrSamTocco.com