The Doctor's Explanation: "Why is your posture so Important?"

What is the deal with posture?  Why is posture so important?  I know most people realize that we are supposed to have good posture, but what does it mean if we don't? 

Let's begin with some basic information. 

Did you know that your Nervous System controls your postural muscles?  Why would that be relevant?  Well, your Nervous System which comprises of your Brain, Spinal Cord, and the Spinal Nerves, controls and moderates ALL of your body function.  It controls your thoughts, your heart rate, your blood pressure, your breathing and your posture, just to name a few. 

When we begin to see weakness or changes in our Nervous System, guess what one of the first symptoms are?…You guessed it!  Changes in your posture.  There is much more to posture then simpling standing up straighter.  It is a representation of how well your nervous system is functioning. 

There is a direct correlation between your posture and your health!  Medical research has shown that the more your head comes forward off your shoulders, the unhealthier you become!  

This posture is called a "Forward Head Posture."  When you look at your head posture from the side, the middle of your ear should be lined up with the middle of your shoulder.  As your head begins to come forward, the middle of the ear starts to shift forward in relation to the middle of your shoulder.    

Some common symptoms seen with a Forward Head Posture:

1.  Headaches or Migraines

2.  Pain and/or tightness in the neck and shoulders

3.  Pain, numbness or tingling traveling into the arms and/or hands

4.  TMJ symptoms

5.  Disc Degeneration or Arthritis

6.  Ringing in the ears (Tinnitus)

7.  Mid-Back pain

8.  Lower Back pain

9.  Dizziness or Vertigo

If you know someone who has this type of posture or these types of symptoms, it is representing a weakness in their nervous system and they definitely be evaluated by a Chiropractor. 

Let's remind ourselves that research has now proven that the worse your posture is, the worse your nervous system functions and the worse your overall health will be!

Have you ever seen a very healthy individual with very bad posture?  It's a challenging thought, right?

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about your posture!  Take some extra time to enjoy a video we recorded at our office which explains a very specific postural evaluation app that we use to analyze our patient's posture. 

Download the movie