The worst thing our civilization has done is to sit down. Our bodies and spines were designed specifically to stand erect and bear load through our spinal curves.
The vast majority of my patients have extremely poor postures supported by very poor muscle strength. It’s not surprising that they suffer from:
- Mid back tightness and pain;
- Upper shoulder tightness and pain
- Low back pain
This in turn can lead to:
- Neck pain and headaches
- Jaw pain
- Increased stress and poor concentration
Working to improve one’s posture is like looking at 500 pieces of a puzzle then sorting them out before putting the puzzle back together again. Sometimes X-rays are needed to establish exactly where a person’s posture stands at a point in time. The two things that negatively affect our posture are:
1. Gravity
2. Aging
We cannot stop the effects of gravity bearing force through our spine and pelvis. Likewise we cannot stop aging and the way this tightens the connective tissue in our bodies. That’s the bad news.
There is however good news. If we ensure our spinal curves are present and maximise our stabilising function of our core muscles we can slow the effects aging has on our spinal joints and pelvis.
We started specialised posture correction study with the American Posture Institute in 2015. Since then we have helped hundreds of people improve their posture and spinal flexibility. We work not just on spinal alignment but also closely with the vestibular and balance system as well providing practical guidance on workplace ergonomics.
We use digital posture analysis software (and X-rays where indicated) to identify where the spine needs realigning. Optimal spinal alignment distributes load in the most efficient manner. Treatment usually involves some or all of the following:
- Soft tissue therapy: to loosen tight muscles.
- Trigger point therapy: to resolve long term muscle tightness, often utilising muscular acupuncture techniques (dry needling).
- Joint mobilisation and gentle low force adjustments: to restore normal joint movement.
- Use of spinal orthotics: used at home to reinforce in office treatment and help maximise ideal spinal alignment.
- Rehabilitation exercises: aimed at either stretching tight muscles or strengthening weak muscles. This process enables the muscles to support good posture.
This process can take anywhere from four to eight treatments depending on the level of postural “dysfunction” to start with.
