There’s little question that measuring posture can be a helpful assessment tool, but what can bad posture tell you about your future health?

THE MASTER CONTROL SYSTEM

The spine is the central protective casing for the delicate and vital communication system within the human frame. This makes its structure and function paramount to the health of the body in general.

Your Structural System (spine and nervous system) make up the primary input-output pathways for information to and from the brain, coordinate complex movements, as well as play a unique role in the health of your brain.

Damaging one’s posture can come from many individual sources, but more likely, it’s a combination of many or all of these potential factors ranging from childbirth, car seats, backpacks, sitting, injuries, inactivity and chronic stress just to highlight a few.

HOW DOES BAD POSTURE AFFECT HEALTH?

While we recognise the fact that bad posture will affect us as we age, most overlook its origin and the opportunity to correct it long before it becomes a major source of dysfunction and increasingly difficult to alter.

Here are some of the outcomes bad posture in your body today could affect your health in the future.

1. ABNORMAL BONE GROWTH

Wolff’s Law states that bone in a healthy person will adapt to the loads under which it is placed. Simply put, abnormal postural stress and current loads will alter bone development.

This is one of the reasons a postural problem now, even in children could easily become a Structural Problem in the future and with that, become far more challenging to correct.

One study of 154 10-year-olds showed 9% were already demonstrating disc degeneration within their developing spines.

2. MENTAL HEALTH

In a 2015 study from Health Psychology, researchers noted participants with poor posture were more fearful, hostile, nervous, quiet, still, passive, dull, sleepy, and sluggish.

A survey published in 2012 in the journal Biofeedback indicated there was a link between posture and mental health, particularly mood, anxiety, and stress.

Whether it’s the chicken or the egg, posture seems to influence how we feel about ourselves, how we handle our stress and how happy we ultimately are.

3. LUNG FUNCTION & LIFESPAN

Uncorrected Structural Problems can play a role in age-related postural issues such as dowager’s hump and excessive kyphosis.

The long-term effects of these conditions may include the reduced pulmonary function and even a reduction in lifespan!

4.  HORMONES

In a Ted Talk, well worth watching, researcher Amy Cuddy explains how changes in our position affect us on the deepest levels including our hormones. Altering our posture dramatically impacted both testosterone and cortisol; two key hormones in controlling our long-term health.

The long-term implications of excessive cortisol production alone are dramatic… destruction of healthy muscle and bone, slowing down healing and normal cell regeneration, impairment of digestion, metabolism and mental function, interference with healthy endocrine function and a weakening of your immune system.

The Solution?

Many professions treat posture by addressing the muscles through stretching or exercise.

BUT...

Poor posture is often Secondary to some damage to the underlying Structure of your body. A condition we call a Structural Shift. When the Structural Alignment is restored and the nervous system is working properly, your brain will actually straighten you out better and faster than strong or loosened muscles.

As a doctor who focuses on Structural Correction, my goal is to look for underlying shifts in the spine - no different than an auto mechanic looking for underlying shifts in the frame of your car that may be impacting how the car performs, uneven wear of the tires, etc. In a similar way to the car Structural Shifts are typically responsible for a wide range of Collateral Damage - or what YOU might refer to as symptoms. Some of these may include....

• Dizzyness/Vertigo
• Neck Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Mid Back & Upper Back Pain
• Pelvic Instability
• Loss of Strength
• Numbness & Tingling
• Poor Posture 

• Balance Problems    
• Muscular Spasm & Tension
• Headaches (Including Migraine) 
• Lack of Mobility
• Decreased Range of Motion
• Low Back Pain
• Sciatica & Hip Pain
• Disc Injuries
• Knee Pain

We scientifically determine the presence of Structural Shifts of the spine using not just ONE METHOD - but FIVE. By doing so, we can confidently make a corrective recommendation and get you healthy.

Starting is easy, Schedule a Complimentary Consultation to review your case and receive a $30 Gift Certificate towards a Complete Structural Examination.

Give us a call at 06 651 1004 or complete the form below.

Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).