By tim.huang May 4, 2021 Chiropractic, Our Services chiropractic care, poor posture

Does Chiropractic Care correct Poor Posture?

Healthy posture is crucial for the body to work functionally. Healthy posture is literally equivalent to the healthy spine. The concern of causing health issues from poor posture has been raised for decades.

Long term poor posture resulting in a serial of musculoskeletal problems and other conditions has been proved. However, many people still do not recognise the how severe the problems can be caused by poor posture.

The Common Postural Problems

People who have a long sedentary time normally have the common postural problems. Slouching and hunching postures are seen frequently. This posture leads to anterior head shifting, rounded shoulders and hunched back. Skeletal muscles that use for holding the posture will become tight and fatigue.

Muscles that are not frequently to be recruited will not be activated. This bad habit results in muscle imbalance that favors some muscle groups have to work hard while other muscle groups become weak and loose. Upper cross syndrome and lower cross syndrome are the result of muscle imbalance.

Office workers spends most of their time in front of the computers. Smart phone users that look down constantly are on their phones. Those who spend a long period of time on electronic devices are more prone to have upper cross syndrome or/and lower cross syndrome.

	Upper Cross Syndrome	Lower Cross Syndrome
Tight muscles	Sub-occipital muscles	Rectus Femoris
	Sternocleidomastoid(SCM)	Iliopsoas
	Upper trapezius	Thoraco-lumbar extensors
	Levator scapula
	Pectoralis major
	Pectoralis minor
Weak muscles	Middle and Lower trapezius	Abdominals
	Deep neck flexors	Gluteus Min/Med/Max
	Serratus anterior

Health Issues With Poor Posture

Myofascial trigger points occur in the tight muscles due to poor posture. Latent and active

myofascial trigger points can exist at the same muscle. Active trigger points cause local pain or/and refer pain to the corresponding regions while latent trigger points generate pain when being rubbing or squeezing.

When muscles are tight and shortened, the muscle attaching joints will become stiff and restricted. A partial dislocation of a joint or a vertebrae out of the place is called a joint subluxation. Poor posture, repetitive motion injuries and acute injuries are the common causes of subluxation. Depending on the location of subluxation, it can cause joint dysfunction, reduced spinal mobility, muscle tightness, muscle spasm, joint pain, the sensation of pins and needles or tingling in the extremities.

Chronic vertebral subluxation not being corrected will accelerate the process of the joint degeneration or osteoarthritis. The degenerative changes will further worsen joint dysfunction and nerve interference.

Chronic pain such as headaches, neck pain, back pain are contributed by the joint restriction and tight muscles. The hunched back causing the rigid rib cage can reduce the lung expansion and result in breathing difficult.

Chiropractic Adjustment

Chiropractic treatment involving spinal manipulation can improve postural issues. Spinal manipulation can interfere the central nervous system to alter the communication between the brain and the other parts of the body. Chiropractic adjustment not only increase pain tolerance but also alter the excitability of paraspinal muscles (relaxation).

Cavitation (popping sound) from chiropractic adjustment can remove spinal subluxation to increase spinal mobility. Remedial massage promote healing damage soft tissue and muscle release. Exercises and stretches strengthen weak muscles and maintain the flexibility of muscles to correct postural imbalance.

A treatment plan to achieve proper posture should combine chiropractic care, remedial massage therapy and rehabilitation. Postural correction is beneficial to people with chronic pain and for their overall health.