More Than Just Sitting Up Straight

46 minutes ago

6 min read

Posture Is Much More Than Appearance

Chiropractor with his hands on a patients back doing an adjustment

MORE THAN JUST SITTING UP STRAIGHT - POSTURE IS MUCH MORE THAN APPEARANCE

Your Posture Is A Window Into How Your Body is Functioning

Boy very stiff at attention giving a salute with his right hand.

"Sit up straight!" Most of us heard those words growing up. Maybe it was a parent. Maybe a teacher. Maybe someone who saw us slouching over the dinner table. We were taught that good posture meant looking neat, standing tall, and keeping our shoulders back. But posture is much more than appearance.

Posture is how your body organizes itself against gravity. And because your muscles, joints, nervous system, breathing system, and balance system all work together, the way you hold your body can influence far more than your back. Your posture is a window into how your Human Engine is functioning.

Your Body Is Always Working Against Gravity

You may not think about gravity, but your body does. Every second you're awake, your muscles and joints are working to keep you upright and balanced. When your body is well aligned, the workload is distributed more efficiently. When you're consistently out of balance, some muscles and joints may have to work harder to compensate.

Woman trying to lift heavy luggage from the back of her car

Think about carrying a heavy bag. If you hold it close to your body, it's relatively manageable.

Move it farther away, and it feels heavier. Your posture can work the same way. Small changes in position can dramatically change the demands placed on your muscles and joints.

Posture Affects More Than Your Spine

Your posture can influence:

Breathing.  Your rib cage and diaphragm need room to move. Slumped positions can restrict the space available for comfortable, efficient breathing.
Digestion.  Your digestive system depends on movement, circulation, nervous system regulation, and adequate space within the abdominal cavity. How you position your body can be one piece of that bigger picture.
Circulation.  Movement and healthy positioning help your body maintain normal circulation. Sitting still for long periods reduces the natural movement that comes from changing positions and walking.
Headaches and neck tension.  Your head is heavy. When it moves forward from the center of your body, your neck and upper back may have to work harder to support it.
Energy.  Holding an inefficient position all day can require unnecessary muscular effort. You may feel tired simply because your body is working harder than it needs to.
Balance.  Your brain constantly uses information from your eyes, inner ear, joints, and muscles to help you stay balanced. Posture is an important part of that system.
Confidence.  There's also a psychological side to posture. The way you stand and carry yourself can influence how you feel and how others perceive you.

Posture may not be the first thing on your mind—but it is connected to a lot. You are doing yourself a favor if you pay attention to it now, rather than when it dictates movement (or lack of movement) to you later.

Welcome to the World of "Text Neck"

Our ancestors didn't spend hours every day looking down at a smartphone. We do. We look down to text and to scroll. We look down at tablets. We look down at laptops. And sometimes we spend hours in that position without realizing it. The problem isn't that looking down is inherently bad. The problem is how long we stay there.

Your body can handle many positions. It's the prolonged, repetitive positions without enough variation that can become problematic. Of course you need to use your phone, but maybe you can start using your phone and devices a bit differently so they cause your posture to suffer. Bring the screen up to your eyes, rather than bending your head down. Change positions and take breaks. Move your neck and upper back so it is not in the same position for long periods of time. Give your body a chance to reset.

The Work-From-Home Body

Working from home has created another posture challenge - the kitchen table, the couch, the laptop on your lap. The "I'll just work here for a few minutes" position that somehow becomes four hours. Our bodies weren't designed to stay in one position all day.

Man sitting at desk in front of his laptop, face grimacing in pain while he rubs his neck.

Even a beautifully designed workstation doesn't solve everything if you never get up from it. The best workstation is one you leave regularly. Start making it a habit to get up from your work station periodically, or when you feel the need. Your body loves variety:

Stand
Walk
Stretch
Change positions
Look away from the screen
Move your shoulders
Take a few deep breaths

These small variations in body posture don't have to take a lot of time. We know you are busy and you may not have the "luxury" of taking a walk around the block when you have a meeting happening in 30 minutes that you need to prepare for. You know when the time is right, take breaks when it makes sense. Remember, you can also use that "walk around the block" to collect your thoughts about your upcoming meeting.

There Is No Single Perfect Posture

Here's something important: The healthiest body is not one that stays rigidly upright all day. It's one that can move easily between many positions. Good posture doesn't mean you have to hold yourself stiffly. It's about having the mobility, strength, coordination, and awareness to support yourself comfortably. You are striving for adaptable posture.

What Chiropractic Has to Do With Posture

When joints aren't moving properly, the body may compensate with:

One area moves less
Another area moves more
Muscles tighten
Other muscles become less active

Over time, these compensations can influence the way you stand and move. Chiropractic care focuses on the relationship between the spine, joints, nervous system, and movement. By identifying areas where normal joint motion is restricted and providing appropriate chiropractic adjustments, we can help restore healthier movement patterns. But an adjustment isn't the whole answer.

What you do between adjustments matters, too.

How you sit
How you sleep
How you work
How you move
How often you move

Your posture is something you practice all day long - make time for it. Little by little you will feel results.

Man and woman in park walking for exercise.

Four Things You Can Do This Week

Raise your screen.  Whether you're using a phone, tablet, or laptop, bring the screen closer to eye level when possible. Give your neck a break from constantly looking down.
Change positions often.  Don't search for the "perfect" sitting position and stay there for eight hours. Stand, sit, walk, stretch, and move throughout the day.
Do a posture check.  A few times each day, notice your head, shoulders, rib cage, pelvis, and feet. Don't force yourself into position. Just notice—and then move.
Take care of your Human Engine! Take a little time out of your day and week for some needed attention to your spine health. Give your posture a boost and the steady stability it needs to bring you years of happy movement.

Dr. Gringeri's Human Engine Tip

Your best posture is your next posture. Don't worry about holding one perfect position all day. Instead, keep your body moving and changing positions. A healthy Human Engine isn't rigid. It's adaptable.

Looking Ahead...

We've talked about how stress accumulates and how posture influences the way your body functions. For our next Chiropractic blog, we're going to take that idea one step further - motion is lotion. Yes, it sounds corny, but it's the truth.

Your joints, muscles, circulation, balance, and even your brain benefit from movement. We'll look at why walking, stretching, strength, and balance aren't simply "exercise." They're part of maintaining the machinery of your Human Engine.

Next week for our Nutrition blog - Feed Your Gut, Fuel Your Health. Why the trillions of tiny organisms living inside you may have a bigger impact on your health than you ever imagined.

Until next time - stay alert, stay strong, and keep moving!

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." — Will Durant's summary of Aristotle's philosophy

Your Health Journey Continues 

One of our goals at The Human Engine Clinic is to provide value to you in the form of information and inspiration. We hope it is of benefit to you and inspires you to make small changes that produce lasting results. Remember, good health isn't built overnight—it's built one healthy choice at a time. If you'd like guidance on improving your movement, posture, nutrition, or overall health, we're here to help. Together, we can help you keep your Human Engine running at its best. Take the next step and call our office to make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you! (408) 984-7444.

Creating health that lasts,