The Truth About Posture
As a chiropractor, if I had a nickel for every time a patient told me “I have X pain due to poor posture,” I would be depositing a full piggy bank every month.
But, what if I told you that there is no such thing as a “bad posture”?
In this blog, we are going to debunk the myth that bad posture is the sole cause of your neck/back pain, change your perception of posture, and give you a few tips to help you make positive posture changes.
There is no such thing as “bad posture”
It’s true. Despite what you have been led to believe growing up, there is no such thing as a bad posture for your body (within reason, of course).
There is, however, such a thing as bad postural habits. Allow me to explain the difference.
When we think of “poor” or “bad” posture there is one particular image that comes to mind - the desk worker hunched over their computer or a teenager slouching in their chairs staring at their phone.
To “correct” this posture we’re taught to stand up tall, pull the shoulder blades together, and assume a military-like position in perfect alignment. Well, I hate to break it to you but military personnel get neck and back pain due to the excessive stress of actively maintaining “perfect posture.”
The issue is not inherently what position that your body is in, the issue is HOW LONG your body sustains that posture. That’s the difference between a single posture and a postural habit.
Any posture can produce discomfort if held for too long a period of time. I am sure you have experienced discomfort with any one (if not all) of the following examples: sitting at a desk for too long at work, sitting on a couch for too long at home (they look different), standing on your feet too long at your kid’s sporting event, standing doing dishes too long, lying on your stomach too long, etc.
Then why do I have postural pain?
Our bodies change and adapt to accommodate the loads that we place on our soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc.), which include the postural habits we've developed.
Disproportionate loads on our joints do force our bodies to adapt and change our anatomy to withstand the stress of a particular position, which may or may not contribute to pain developing down the road.
The most likely reasons that an individual experiences pain that they associate with posture are due to holding that posture for too long combined with a general lack of movement throughout the day.
In other words, sitting with a rounded back or with your head forward in and of itself won’t cause you to develop pain. However, sustaining ANY posture consistently for too long (AKA building a postural habit around a few specific postures) will likely result in the development of pain - otherwise considered a “postural pain syndrome”.
So how can you ensure that your postural habits aren’t creating problems for you? Keep reading.
Tips to Improve your Postural Habits
Here are some tips to start building better postural habits.
1) Audit your postures and positions throughout the day.
Pay attention to the postures you currently assume during the day to better understand how they contribute to your pain or discomfort. Being aware of your posture will help you learn what needs to change. This goes beyond your seated posture as well. Be conscious of the way you perform tasks that are required for work or your daily activities.
2) Add variation in your daily postures.
If you find you are sitting in one position for a majority of your day try adding a standing desk into the mix. Purchase a sit/stand desk, a table top standing desk, or create one by placing your laptop on stacked books.
Fun fact: I (Dr. Holleran) like to stack pregnancy pillows and a box of cups to create my at-work standing desk and am writing this blog with it right now!
Research indicates that when tissues are stretched for as little as 20min they begin to temporarily lose their structural integrity, so we recommend alternating your posture at least once or twice an hour.
3) Take breaks!
Allow your body to take a break from one position and move around some. Walk to the bathroom or to get some water. Stretch for a couple minutes or do 10 squats to get your blood flowing. It doesn’t need to be 20mins dedicated to stretching or exercises. In fact, it can be more effective to spend 1-2min at a time, consistently throughout the day compared to just one 20min break!
Here are a few exercises we recommend to sprinkle in throughout the day:
Wall Storks (if you’re up for a challenge!)
4) Make movement routine (OR Prioritize movement in your routine).
Maintaining a regular movement and exercise routine is essential for maintaining mobility and strength of your muscles and joints and preventing future injury. Incorporating physical activity into your life in any capacity, whether it’s playing a sport, taking an exercise class, or even just going for a walk is going to help tremendously.
To sum it all up, “bad posture" is not the enemy…
However, sustaining any one posture or just a general lack of movement within your life is the real culprit of postural pain syndromes.
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of movement in order to avoid postural pain. Do not sit in one position for too long, vary your positions, and take breaks.
Allow yourself to “reverse” your daily postures with movement and exercise to maintain healthy and happy joints.
And always remember: YOUR BEST POSTURE IS YOUR NEXT POSTURE.
