~ Dr Tim Errington
Chiropractor, Author, Speaker
Total Health Chiropractic, Singapore
www.totalhealtchiropractic.com.sg
When most of us consider health and the things that keep us healthy, few will put posture anywhere near the top of the list. It remains probably the most underrated and underreported cause of failing health. This is indeed unfortunate because if you think about it, you have never seen anyone with poor posture radiating health and vitality. The harsh reality is there for anyone to see, lose your posture and you lose your health. All those years of our parents telling us to sit up straight and not slouch, this was indeed very, very good advice.
The truth is, vibrant health and poor posture simply cannot coexist in the same body!
It would take a book of encyclopedic proportions to list all the ways in which posture influences our physiology. From our body systems, organs and tissues, to our very state of being; our mood and energy levels, and even how we are perceived by others; all are greatly determined by our posture. It is true that your posture affects your spine, which in turn affects the vital nerve flow within. Your nervous system controls everything and for it to work correctly your spine needs to be aligned correctly, maintaining a certain shape for efficiency and balance within the forces of gravity. The flow of vital energy, blood, oxygen and nutrients are all dependent on there being no blockages. Your very gene expression depends on your internal environment and this depends to a great extent on how efficient the body is in maintaining it’s delicate state of balance and homeostasis.
Really, this information is so important it should be compulsory learning at school. The spine, your main structure forming your column of strength and support, has an optimum position that allows us to stand tall and strong, whilst still able to move easily. All your vital organs are organized and held in place adjacent to the spine and it is easy to understand how the spines position can affect their function. There’s more. Misaligned vertebra for any reason, will cause pressure on the nerves supplying these organs and can ultimately have devastating affects on our health.
So, we can see that the human body simply needs to be in alignment. If it is, we are more efficient and our weight is being supported effortlessly. Better still, we feel healthy, have bags of energy and move gracefully. We are more robust, less likely to become injured and our immune system can do its job. This is not just about standing up straight; it’s about postural awareness and developing and maintaining great habits.
“Poor posture is a serious matter and if it affects you or your family members the eventual effects can be devastating.”
What is Poor Posture Doing to your Health?
So, to summarize, there are 4 main reasons that maintaining good posture is vital for your health and I encourage you to grasp these as it will make a huge difference as to how you age.
Poor posture leads to a degenerating spine.
As with most things, structure determines function. This means the spine has a certain shape for it to work properly. Things that are out of alignment wear out … plain and simple. Arthritis starts as an alignment problem – hips, knees, back bones and necks.Poor posture drains you of much needed energy.
The body uses much of its energy just to hold itself upright and for movement. If you are slumping into poor posture, then your body becomes inefficient and huge amounts of additional energy are required just to live as you fight gravitational forces. No wonder those with forward head posture and twisted spines suffer so much fatigue.Poor posture causes tension in the nervous system.
As the posture worsens, the delicate nerve fibres within the spine and those entering and existing the spinal column become stretched, twisted and pinched. These nerves are then not able to perform their job correctly i.e. transmit information, and loss of health is inevitable as the body loses some control.
“More than 90 percent of the energy output of the brain is used in relating to the physical body in it’s gravitational field. The more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy available for thinking, metabolism and healing”
– Dr. Roger Sperry, Nobel Laureate
- Ultimately, poor posture shortens your life!!!
Also, and I’m sure you know what I mean – poor posture looks terrible! It looks terrible to members of the opposite sex and to prospective employers. It says a lot about the person, and nothing good.
These facts are irrefutable and the results of poor posture are predictable. We are dealing with the laws of the universe here.
The take-home message is this. If you are doing something all the time that gives you bad posture (computers, high heels, driving etc), then you are damaging your health and probably more than you think. Pain, tension and stiffness are simple clues that the body isn’t happy and needs some change.
“Simple steps can be taken to balance these effects and this is our driven goal. To help where we can – quickly and efficiently – to bring people back into balance.” ~ Dr Tim
