Having poor posture causes complications for anyone who suffers from it, such as back pain, spinal dysfunction, neck pain, joint degeneration, and even a potbelly. In other words, having a bad posture is far from ideal. However, there are everyday activities you can do to have a better posture and reduce your chances of aches and pains.

Regardless of your fitness level, muscle strength and flexibility are two of the most important aspects of improving your posture. In case you didn’t know, both strength and flexibility play a significant role in how your posture develops. 

 

Flexibility: the quality of bending easily without breaking.

Strength: the capacity of an object or substance to withstand great force or pressure.

 

Doing daily flexibility exercises to ease tight muscles, especially in the lower body, as well as doing strength training to strengthen both the lower and upper body, are extremely important.

 

So with those two definitions, not only do we need to be able to move freely and easily……we also need to be able to withstand forces on the body. 

 

What’s the main force the body fights ALL day, EVERY day? 

 

Gravity, of course. Yes, there are other external forces we encounter throughout the day, such as grocery bags, briefcases, a child, and even an opponent during a sporting match. There are just so many daily activities that we don't even realize how our body is constantly fighting gravity.

 

Our body must be able to absorb and withstand that force to maintain its overall posture or positioning. 

 

For instance, having both a strong and flexible core helps the body adapt to any position it may be in throughout the day, as well as perform any movements we may ask it to do without risk of injury. In this sense, our posture must maintain stationary integrity and dynamic integrity at all times. 

 

When our spine and core can move easily, freely, smoothly, and swiftly (insert your adjective that comes to mind when you watch Usain Bolt run)….we know we will not compromise its structures because they can meet our demands. When it is stiff and unable to perform certain movements or certain positions is just not achievable! 

 

Think of a car. A car has wheels and tires so it can move from place to place. So, wheels and tires are a car’s flexibility. 

 

Car with tires = flexible. It can move wherever, whenever. 

Car without tires = inflexible (stiff). We can’t move, even if we want to! (no tow trucks here)

 

We know that car over in the corner of the lot with no tires; we cannot physically move it somewhere until it has tires or gains flexibility. Similarly, our spines need flexibility so as a whole, it can move where and how we want them to. 

 

While it’s true that "perfect" postures may not exist, improving our strength, flexibility, and ergonomics goes a long way toward improvement. 

 

Read that again. We’re going toward IMPROVEMENT, not perfection.

You’re Probably Wondering Why This Matters: 

Your entire body is dynamic, and it's designed to move, but over time it may feel a bit less dynamic than it used to! And that is okay, but we certainly want to get back to moving better, more, and with less discomfort. 

 

This is especially common for people that have office jobs or are in a standing position on their feet all day. For example, slouching occurs the longer you stay seated, which keeps your spine misaligned. Bad habits like crossing your legs or ankles cause your hips to misalign, while monitors that aren't at eye level cause neck straining and shoulder pain.

 

For people that are in a standing position for most of the day, it is very common to stand more on the right foot or the left foot, When you lean on one leg only, one side of the pelvis drops below the other, stressing the knee and lumbar spine which has to work harder to ensure that the torso stays in position.

 

Getting into a wellness/ fitness routine that includes types of exercise that focus on strength and flexibility is a smart way to keep your body feeling young while promoting good posture. Getting into a physical activity routine that includes these things are beneficial beyond things we can see. 

 

From elevating your heart rate for heart health, reducing the risk of injuries because of lack of use of muscles, to spiking certain hormones to improve your metabolic capabilities, to bringing nutrients to body structures that do not have blood flow! All-around moving and stretching exercises are VERY SAFE and VERY BENEFICIAL for your health. 

 

If you think this is important just for older adults, you are wrong! Anyone and everyone can benefit from functional movement. Although flexibility decreases with age, there are many exercises to increase the range of motion again.

 

Here’s why.

 

Strengthening exercises can help develop proper support for your joints and decrease overall postural stress. Incorporating stretches and exercises that focus on flexibility then help your body maintain the ability to move through its full range of motion.

  

Did you know… 

·   When you focus on increasing muscular flexibility, your posture will likely improve.

·   Lifting weights can strengthen your back muscles, shoulders, and core muscles.  All of these muscles are essential to standing with proper posture and preventing lower back pain.

·   Stretching your muscles and joints also leads to a greater range of motion, improved balance, increased flexibility, and overall better physical health.

Next Steps: 

Remember, postural stress can add up over time through daily tasks. 

Just because you're not currently in pain doesn't mean that everything is functioning at its highest level or that your daily wellness routine is as optimized as possible. Pain and dysfunction usually don’t develop overnight. It’s a slow process that can suddenly present itself as pain. It's important to start with flexibility training even if you don't feel muscle stiffness yet.

A lot of people prefer aerobic exercises such as running or cycling. Although doing at least 20 minutes of these exercises a day is generally great for health, strength training and flexibility are what help - the most - have a better posture.

Some examples of strength exercises and stretching exercises are:

• lifting weights

• working out with resistance bands

• climbing stairs

• hill-walking

• cycling

• hamstring stretch

• lunge stretching

Whether you spend all day sitting at a desk or not (but especially if you do), strength training is one of the best things you can do to improve your posture.  By doing a physical activity that promotes muscle strength, you will be improving your posture greatly. Making your muscles work is a great way to reduce your chances of back aches and pains. To begin with, muscles are connective tissue meant to support, protect, and give structure to your bones.

So even if you spend a long time sitting or standing, strength training exercises can help fight the effects of poor posture, even when you're not working out. 

We understand weight lifting and strength training are a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re not used to them, but working out your different muscle groups throughout the week will help your health, body, and posture in the long term.

These are some exercises you can try: 

• Deadlifts- Targeting glutes, core, and lower back muscles

• Plank holds- A strong core is extremely important for good posture; strengthen it by doing plank holds. 

• Squats- Squats strengthen your legs hips and core, but they also help stretch your hip flexors and lumbar spine. 

• Low rows- Seated low row pulls target the muscles responsible for pulling your shoulders back and down, great for good posture.

• Reverse flys - Reverse flys will strengthen your shoulder and upper back muscles to counteract slouching.

Although including these in your exercise routine is a good idea, nothing beats having a specialist that can help your specific case.

 

ProMove specializes in all things posture and provides comprehensive individualized care plans. We provide adjustments, dry needling, functional rehab, and various therapies! Choose one of our programs to cater to your specific needs, and you will feel a significant change over time.

 

Schedule an appointment today if you'd like to learn more about all the ways we’re helping the people in your community achieve an ideal balance of strength and posture, and flexibility. 

 

Our doors are open, and we’re here for you.

Dalton Sealey DC, CSCS

ProMove Chiropractic & Performance

402.915.4901

drsealey@promovechiropractic.com

Science Source(s): 

Why Being Flexible is Great for Your Health. Healthline. 2020.