How Chiropractic Treatment Improves Posture: Everything You Need To Know

Stand up straight. Sit upright without slouching. And don’t cradle the phone against your shoulder either — hold it with your hand instead.

We’re constantly being told, encouraged, urged, and implored — if not downright begged — to maintain proper posture. But why does posture matter anyway? To put it plain simple, the way you carry yourself has an impact not just on your health, but also on your outlook towards the world. And the poor postural habits that form in our formative years are bound to come back and haunt us later on. 

The good news is that chiropractic care can address these shortcomings and undo a chunk of the damage they caused. But before we get to that, let’s first examine the role that posture plays in our wellbeing. 

Why Exactly Does Posture Matter? 

There’s a very good reason you’re constantly advised to be careful with your body’s positioning when standing, sitting, and lying down. Good posture [link – https://medlineplus.gov/guidetogoodposture.html ] (i.e., maintaining your spine’s natural curvature) allows your body function just like it’s designed to. And the slightest deviation from this norm is enough to throw everything out of balance. 

Posture has an influence on just about everything that goes on inside your body. It affects how your limbs support your weight and the amount of stress borne by each joint as a result. It also determines the efficiency at which air moves through your respiratory tract, and blood circulates across the body. Posture even affects your mental wellbeing; research shows that consistent poor posture can cause depression in the long-term. 

Given words alone might not be enough to help you understand the link between posture and health. Let’s try a simple experiment: Use your fingers to pinch your nose shut and try speaking a few words. Your voice sounds markedly different, doesn’t it? Bad posture affects your bodily processes in a somewhat-similar manner — albeit with unfunny repercussions. 

What are the Signs of Poor Posture? 

While it contributes to health problems that aren’t always evident, bad posture has a few telltale signs: 

Rounded shoulders: Your shoulders should be in line with your torso when in a resting position. You’re said to have rounded shoulders when they’re skewed towards the front. 

Forward head carriage: This is where your ear hole doesn’t line up with the mid axis of your shoulder like it’s naturally supposed to, resting further forward instead.

bad posture at work sitting

Hunched back: This is characterized by an increase in curvature along the mid to upper back. Also known as kyphosis or round back, this disorder often occurs hand-in-hand with head carriage and rounded shoulders. 

Pelvic tilt: Bad posture can shift the pelvis forward or backward; these conditions are known as anterior and posterior pelvic tilt, respectively. Both describe the position of the pelvis relative to the upper torso; use a full-length mirror, or have a friend check you from the side. 

Fatigue: Compensating for the above imbalances will inevitably diminish your energy levels. But poor posture can cause you fatigue in yet another way, depriving your cells of the resources they need to generate energy, as hinted earlier. 

There’s no need to worry if you’ve noticed any of these symptoms. As bad as your postural shortcomings might seem, relief could be just a few chiro therapy sessions away. Not only is chiropractic effective for such issues, but it’s also devoid of surgical and pharmacological measures — that translates to minimal risk of complications and side effects. 

How Do Doctors of Chiropractic Treat Poor Posture? 

Chiropractic therapy for posture is steered by two key objectives: Correcting imbalances plus the damage they’ve caused, and addressing the root cause(s) of poor posture. With that in mind, the treatment process will usually involve the following steps: 

– Background assessment: This is what your very first appointment will involve. After you’ve outlined your complaints, the chiropractor will ask a few questions to determine whether or not you actually have poor posture. He or she will want to know more about your day-to-day routine, workplace environment, and exercise habits. You will also discuss your medical history, plus any events you think could’ve contributed to your problems.

Examination

Now that your DC has a good picture of your background, the next step is to put your posture under the lens. You’ll be asked to sit, stand, walk, bend, and maybe do a few simple exercise movements. This, along with measurements of your physique, will allow the doctor to pinpoint anomalies like uneven shoulders, arched back, twisted pelvis, and such. 

Diagnosis

Your chiropractor — being well-versed with the musculoskeletal system– will likely have figured out what exactly is wrong with your posture at this point. Even so, you’ll still be taken through more diagnostic procedures; your chiropractor will need orthopedic and neurological tests to rule out underlying illnesses. Also required are X-rays of your spine to check for abnormalities in its curvature and alignment. 

Adjustment

The cornerstone of chiropractic adjustment involves gentle, controlled forces to correct alignment and position along the spine and other joints. You might hear cracking noises while your doctor performs adjustments; these occur when gas bubbles trapped between adjoining bones escape. Other than that, you’ll hardly feel any pain or discomfort.

Soft tissue work

One of the more pronounced effects of bad posture is the imbalance it creates in soft tissue, the tension that builds along with muscles due to over- and under-use. Your DC will administer remedial massage to relieve this tension, plus strengthening exercises to address the weaknesses caused by under-use. 

Education

You will agree that it doesn’t make sense to seek treatment only to backslide into your old habits once you leave the clinic. To that end, your chiropractor will recommend rehabilitative exercises to keep your spine and joints in shape. You’ll be enlightened on how to maintain good posture throughout the day; how to keep your spine in neutral shape when sitting, standing, walking, and going about other activities. The doctor will further offer tips for setting up your home and workplace to make them conducive for good posture. 

The Takeaway

It’s clear that our elders were right all along when they counseled us on postural matters. 

That being said, chiropractic intervention is highly effective in addressing not just the shortcomings developed from not heeding this advice, but also the damage caused by poor posture. And because it’s inherently risk-free, chiro therapy is suitable for just about everyone. Get in touch with your local DC and start the journey towards a fitter, healthier, and more confident version of yourself! If you are in the Beaverton OR area and looking for top-rated chiropractors for your treatment needs, check out this article about finding the right chiropractor.

Spinal Manipulation And Chiropractic Care: Everything You Need To Know

Ever considered “getting your back cracked,” as spinal manipulation is informally known? Maybe the only reason you haven’t gone ahead is the uncertainty; you don’t know what it really is, or what it can do for you either. Well, this guide will provide all the answers you’ve been looking for. 

What is Spinal Manipulation? 

Spinal manipulation (AKA manual therapy or spinal manipulative therapy) is a treatment technique that involves the application of a sudden controlled force to spinal joints. It’s often characterized by audible popping sounds — the result of gas movements within the joint cavity — although this isn’t really necessary for the treatment to be effective. Manual therapy aims to alleviate pain caused by inflammation and pressure along the spinal column, all while restoring nerve function.

spinal manipulation doctors analysis

A Brief History

Manipulative therapy has been in existence for over a couple of millennia, as attested by Chinese scripts dating back to 2700 BCE. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, employed manipulative techniques to a great effect. Other ancient cultures from various parts of the world have also described these treatments in their writings. 

However, it’s only in the late 1800s that modern forms of manual therapy emerged. This was after it faded in and out of favor with physicians a number of times over the course of the 19th century. During this period, it was generally perceived that manipulative treatments only succeeded due to sheer luck.

Not everyone shared this opinion, though — a few practitioners still acknowledged the link between illness and musculoskeletal abnormalities. This minority group would, over time, develop the theories upon which chiropractic and osteopathic practices are based. As these theories found acceptance in the mainstream, so did manipulative therapy. It’s now been adopted practically everywhere across the globe, employed by osteopaths, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and even general physicians in some cases.

Manipulative Therapy in Chiropractic Care

As we’ve just seen, chiropractic care is based on the rationale that disease or discomfort can be caused by abnormalities occurring along the spinal column (subluxations). Manipulation is one of the numerous techniques that chiropractors can employ towards remedying these anomalies. What makes it different from most other treatments is the amount of force used; manipulation employs high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) thrust.

As technical as it sounds, HVLA manipulation is actually very simple in practice. The term implies that movement occurs at high speed or velocity and concentrated over a small area (amplitude). To initiate this particular movement, a chiropractor applies a sudden jerking force on the target joint to restore its normal range of motion.

This technique has spawned several different variations as it’s evolved over time. Even so, the application of HVLA thrust is still the distinguishing feature of manipulative therapy. And while most manipulations are performed by hand, there are special tools that a chiropractor could use if necessary.

Does Spinal Manipulation Work? 

Although manipulative therapy has been practiced since time immemorial, the specific mechanisms through which it works are yet to be understood. Nevertheless, research over the years has shown that it can bring positive outcomes for quite a few conditions. Here are a few illustrations: 

– Neck pain: People with mechanical neck pain can benefit appreciably from HVLA thrust manipulation of their cervical and upper thoracic vertebrae. That’s according to a report appearing in the Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, Jan 2012 issue. Later the same year, a separate study suggested that manipulation might be more effective than pharmaceutical painkillers in both the short- and long-run. 

Low back pain: A 2017 publication from the American College of Physicians indicated that spinal manipulative therapy is a viable treatment option for acute and chronic low back pain. Earlier in 2015, a study of 100+ subjects showed that manipulation offers a greater degree of relief than conventional care. This was further affirmed 3 years in a survey of 750 US military service members; it was found that those who received chiropractic manipulation fared significantly better than those who didn’t. 

– Headaches: According to the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, spinal manipulation can bring slight-to-moderate improvements in symptoms compared to standard treatments for headaches. Other sources have suggested that it can be as effective as medication in preventing migraines.

Sciatica:  A clinical trial reviewing treatments for sciatica suggested that while manipulation isn’t typically used for the condition, it can help relieve leg pain caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve.

Other conditions that might benefit from manipulative therapy include sinus disorders, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and menstrual pain. 

And Just How Safe Is It?

Well, individuals with osteoporosis, high susceptibility to stroke, an unstable spine, and spinal cancer are advised to steer clear of any form of manipulative treatment. As are those who experience unusual sensations (limpness, numbness, and tingling) on their limbs. These exceptions aside, spinal manipulation is relatively safe as long as it’s performed by qualified, licensed practitioners such as doctors of chiropractic. 

DC’s are experts not only in manipulation but also in administering other treatments with which it combines favorably. Be sure to get in touch with your local chiropractor and see if you’re a suitable candidate for spinal manipulation.

The Chiro Resource

For more than a decade now, Chiro Mik has been helping the community to become well-informed in the healthcare industry. Our goal is to help patients become knowledgeable in their needed subject and help them make proper decisions for health and well-being. We believe that with all the resources that were contributed and provided, we can help progress the community to become confident and have peace of mind.