Stand up straight! We’ve all probably heard this from a parent or respected adult at some point in our lives. Surprisingly, this sound piece of advice affects much more than just how you look. Proper posture contributes to a better overall level of health. According to the American Journal of Pain Management:
“Posture affects and moderates every physiological function, from breathing to nervous system function, and despite the considerable evidence that posture affects physiology and function, the significant influence of posture on health is not addressed by most physicians.”
Book Your First Posture Improvement Exam
Exam includes in-depth whole-body analysis with provider, posture pictures and insight nervous system scans (provided if necessary). Consultation & plan of action will help you understand your care options.
Posture is the window to your spine. At Family First Chiropractic, you’ll hear this phrase a lot. We use posture assessment as one indicator of spinal health. When a bone in your spine becomes misaligned, this puts added pressure on the nerves that exit the spinal cord between the vertebrae. As a result, our bodies naturally lean away from the misalignment to relieve that pressure. This often results in anomalies of healthy normal posture ranging from minor shifts to major deviations. The resulting posture variances can be correlated to a wide range of symptoms and dysfunction throughout the body. In the Journal of Pain Management, Dr. Miriam Stoddard states:
“Chiropractic focuses on the anatomy of the spinal cord and the nerves that branch out from it. Even minor deviations of the spine caused by poor posture can impair the working of a nerve and the body part it supplies.”
How Our Posture Improvement Plan Works
1. Be Heard
And Understood
Quality time with a health professional, so you can be truly heard and understood, isn’t all that common. We understand that. This is why, on your first visit, you will meet with one of our doctors and share your health concerns and struggles so we can understand exactly why you are here and what you want to achieve. The doctor will determine what testing is necessary to find the source of your health concerns and answer the biggest question of all: Can Chiropractic Care Help?
2. Discover How We Can Help You
Every new patient should feel like they are making the right decision for their health. This is why our doctors explain what they are looking for in the testing, so our patients know exactly what is going on, instead of just being a bystander. We will share everything we discover from your testing and exams, including if we can help you. In the unfortunate event that we cannot help, our doctors will provide any additional resources they feel would be appropriate to assist you.
3. Achieve Your Health Goals Together
Whether you just want to be out of pain, or you want to get back to golfing without limitations, or you are desperate to get a restful night’s sleep, we will be with you every step of the way. We’ll achieve your goals
The Importance of Proper Posture
Ideal Posture
Ideal posture is symmetrical when looking at a person from the front. The chin is parallel to the floor, shoulders are even and rolled back, hips are even and level with the floor, and body weight is distributed evenly on both feet. From the side, the head (middle of the ear) is centered above the shoulder, the shoulder is centered above the hips, and the hips are centered above the feet. When someone exhibits all of these healthy normal posture indicators, this is a sign that the nerves housed in the spine can communicate properly.
As a result of good or improved posture, the body might experience:
- Reduced or eliminated back pain
- Fewer headaches
- Increased energy
- Improved circulation and digestion
- Increased lung capacity
- Less muscle tension,
- Better injury prevention
Conversely, as shown through research by the Modern Manual Therapy of the Vertebral Column:
“People with uncorrected Forward Head Posture can potentially suffer chronic or unpleasant conditions such as irritated nerves and blood vessels, thoracic outlet syndrome, muscle and tissue pain, syndromes like fibromyalgia, chronic strains, and early degeneration and arthritis.”
Numerous exercises and stretches help improve and maintain good posture. However, chiropractic care is one of the most effective ways to improve posture and optimize overall health and function. While poor posture may seem solely due to bad habits, physical changes involving your muscles and spinal structure are most likely required to ensure continued posture improvement.
How Chiropractic Care Improves Posture in West Omaha, NE
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
When visiting Family First Chiropractic as a new patient, we will always check for indicators of healthy normal standing posture. This is because posture is critical to your overall health. During your initial visit, you will have a consultation with the doctor to review all your health concerns and struggles. There will be a discussion about what types of traumas and day-to-day activities could have brought you to this point. Then the doctor will perform a series of tests to determine the condition of your spine. One of the tests that is utilized most often is posture analysis. Often, deviations in your posture correlate to the concerns that have been discussed.
Along with posture analysis, the doctor often takes digital X-rays during your initial visit to visualize the spine and pinpoint any misalignments contributing to nerve pressure and bodily dysfunction. These images can provide concrete evidence of any noted postural deviations and help determine the root cause of any health problems.
When a patient starts care in our office, the doctor’s recommendations will include a series of spinal adjustments for correction of the problem as well as planned progress examinations to determine how your body is responding to your adjustments. Posture analysis is one tool that can be utilized to assess changes that are occurring. Based on the initial assessments and the progress examinations, suitable at-home exercises are prescribed to assist in posture correction and management.
Specific Chiropractic Care
When a patient starts care in our office, the doctor’s recommendations will include a series of spinal adjustments for correction of the problem as well as planned progress examinations to determine how your body is responding to your adjustments. Posture analysis is one tool that can be utilized to assess changes that are occurring. Based on the initial assessments and the progress examinations, suitable at-home exercises are prescribed to assist in posture correction and management.
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Common Causes of Poor Posture in West Omaha, NE
Tech Neck
In today’s world, it is common for a person to spend four or more hours per day on their phones or other digital devices. When utilizing technology, our posture tends to be hunched over with our necks bent. Looking down at phones, tablets, or computers for that length of time can put an endangering amount of stress on the cervical and thoracic spine.
How long are we spending in this position? Research shows that a typical high school student spends 5,000 hours per year with poor posture due to using cell phones and other mobile devices. This forward head posture increases the stress on the spine and puts an extra 10 pounds of pressure on the cervical spine for each additional inch of forward head posture. This can cause a loss of the curvature of the cervical spine, stretching the spinal cord and interrupting the normal healthy flow of nerve impulses.
But why does that matter? A healthy cervical spine allows for proper nerve flow and less overall stress on the body. This can result in fewer headaches and a better immune system.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Sitting is the new smoking. Have you heard this phrase? It’s true! Inactivity has just as much of an impact, if not more than smoking does on our collective health. Many people spend 8-10 hours each day sitting at a desk or other workspace. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that posture-related issues in the workplace are responsible for 34% of all lost workdays from injuries and illnesses. In addition to the hours spent at a desk, there is the commute time to and from work or family activities and the time on the couch or recliner in the evening.
Think about your typical posture in each of these situations. When most people sit at a desk, the desk is not set up with proper ergonomics. Think about your own desk setup. Is your monitor at eye level, or are you looking down at your screen because it is in your lap in the recliner or on a shorter desk or table? Does your chair height allow for a neutral spine while sitting with your feet touching the floor? There are so many factors to assess regarding your posture if you must sit that much on a daily basis. Ideally, we would reduce prolonged periods of sitting to allow for more frequent movement and better health.
Stress
Stress from any of the three categories of stressors (thoughts, traumas, and toxins) will cause changes in your physical body. Muscles tighten, posture clenches inward resulting in shallow breathing, and stress hormone levels elevate. A study at Columbia and Harvard demonstrated that improved posture changed participants’ hormone levels, resulting in decreased cortisol and increased testosterone, allowing the body to handle stressful situations better.
In today’s world, it is impossible to avoid stress, but we can ensure that our body is in the best position to manage the physical effects of stress when it occurs. Improved posture allows for proper hormone production and better nervous system function. If we are in a constant state of stress, our nervous system gets overloaded. By having proper posture and spinal alignment, we can ensure that messages are properly flowing through our nervous system to best help us adapt to stressful situations.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a common diagnosis that describes abnormal lateral curvature of the spine. When viewed from the front, the bones of the spine should be stacked on top of one another. Scoliosis occurs when spinal misalignments result in vertebrae shifting laterally (to the left or right), causing a curve in the spine where it would normally appear straight. Spinal misalignments and the resulting abnormal curvature place additional stress on joints and nerves, which leads to pain and dysfunction throughout the body.
The most common age of scoliosis onset is during adolescence. However, since the abnormal curvature must be 10° or more to be classified as scoliosis, the misalignments that cause the curvature have likely been present in the spine for a long time. This means that spinal checkups by a chiropractor are vitally important to ensure children’s proper musculoskeletal and neurological development. When a misalignment is caught early, there is potential to correct it before it progresses to the severity required for a scoliosis diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a chiropractor in West Omaha, Nebraska help with posture?
When postural distortions result from the body leaning away from the pressure of a misalignment in the spine, a chiropractor is the only one that can help. The doctors’ objective in our office is to locate and correct subluxations in the spine. As a result, posture improves.
How long does it take a chiropractor to fix bad posture?
There is no definitive answer to this question. The time for correction will vary depending on how long the problem has been in the spine. However, postural changes can occur after a few adjustments are completed. The patient can play a role in how quickly posture changes by actively working to change poor postural habits.
How long does it take a chiropractor to fix bad posture?
There is no definitive answer to this question. The time for correction will vary depending on how long the problem has been in the spine. However, postural changes can occur after a few adjustments are completed. The patient can play a role in how quickly posture changes by actively working to change poor postural habits.
Can you realign your own spine?
You can do postural stretches and exercises, but there is no way to realign your spine properly. Your misalignments cannot be corrected without a chiropractor addressing the spinal subluxations.
How can I fix my posture?
The first step is being aware of the postural distortions. Take inventory of your daily habits that could cause poor posture. Increase your movement and stretching. Adjust your workplace ergonomics. Get checked by a chiropractor to see if any postural distortions result from a misalignment in your spine.
How do you know if your body is out of alignment?
The only way to know if your spine is out of alignment is to have it checked by a chiropractor. Pain symptoms, body dysfunction, and postural distortions indicate that you may have subluxations in your spine, causing it to be out of alignment.
What causes poor posture?
Several things can cause poor posture, including poor ergonomics in the workplace, daily technology use, a sedentary lifestyle, and even stress. Some poor posture could result from a misalignment in the spine from a previous trauma as well.
Book Your First Posture Improvement Exam
Exam includes in-depth whole-body analysis with provider, posture pictures and insight nervous system scans (provided if necessary). Consultation & plan of action will help you understand your care options.