By Dr Tim Pence
POSTURE – What it actually is and what it means to you. When asked, most people regard posture as something that they actively and consciously need to be aware of in order to improve or correct. Actually, POSTURE refers to the position in which our body naturally falls into when in our upright position INDEPENDENT of conscious thought and effort
Research has demonstrated that distorted posture can have enormous adverse physiological effects. These affects not only involve the bones and joints but also neurological and organ/glandular dysfunction. This means that one’s bad posture isn’t merely a physical appearance or cosmetic issue, but an issue of life and death! Abnormal posture contributes significantly to nearly all degenerative conditions and isn’t limited to degenerative arthritis. Thus includes coronary/heart disease, respiratory and endocrine disorders, and neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis.
So, what is good posture and what constitutes bad posture? Good or correct posture is defined as that structural position that most efficiently holds the body in the upright position allowing optimal movement of the spinal joints and the attached appendages such as the head, arms and legs. Bad or incorrect posture would be any degree less than the optimal and may manifest or result in various abnormal health conditions depending upon location, chronicity, and severity.
So, what causes incorrect posture? The most obvious consideration is the structural alignment of the spine and pelvis and the weight bearing joints in the legs and feet. Things go out of whack due to injuries. These injuries may be sudden as from a fall or may result from repetitive stress positions like forward head carriage from prolonged texting or slouching in a chair. Another consideration is weakened structural integrity due to nutritional deficiencies and accumulated toxicity. This situation may predispose one to misalignment, injury and slow or prevent correction.
Interestingly, one’s emotional and mental attitude can also influence posture. If one is introverted and fearful he or she tends to flex forward toward a fetal like position (head down, shoulders rounded, hunched upper mid back).
Fortunately, the body can to a large degree self correct misalignments. However, there are situations in which the body must compensate or adapt. Bones, including the spinal vertebrae, can misalign in a forward direction that the body cannot self correct. Without correction it must compensate. The compensation or adaptation is never optimal and due to the altered function (wear and tear) symptoms of pain and stiffness will eventually occur AT THE LOCATION OF COMPENSATION. THAT IS, NOT AT THE LOCATION OF THE INITIAL PRIMARY PROBLEM.
The challenge of those with postural distortions and those of us treating body structure is to understand that the real problem is most often a distance from the symptom. It requires that one must view the whole picture. One must see the whole forest rather than focus on the one tree.
The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and the cause and prevention of disease.” —Thomas A. Edison (1847-1931)
