Health and Wellness Blog

Health and Wellness Blog

Living the Persistent Back Pain Blues? Try Changing Your Posture!

Bruce CravenJanuary 20, 2022

Improve Your Posture and Relieve Your Pain with Physiotherapy!

Most people are unable to sit and stand up straight. As adolescents, many of us can recall our parents and teachers telling us that good posture was the secret to good health later in life! We all rolled our eyes back then, as this demand seemed irritating. However, we know now that good posture goes beyond looks and confidence as we grow older. In fact, sitting and standing with good spinal alignment can help reduce back pain.

When it comes to showing patients how to exercise good posture, physiotherapists are an excellent resource.  Your physiotherapist may be able to help you appreciate the meaning behind your current postural alignment, and to provide the education you need to ensure you are able to implement and maintain improved posture moving forward!

If you’re enduring chronic back pain, it could be because of poor posture! Fortunately, the physiotherapists at Craven SPORT services can provide meaningful solutions for back pain, and support long-term postural modifications. To improve your posture and reduce back pain, submit an appointment request with our team today!

When working with a physiotherapist to manage back pain caused by poor posture, you may engage in the following strategies: 

1. Avoiding improper lifting techniques

If you constantly lift heavy objects, you definitely need to make sure you have good posture!

Good posture is a critical component of lifting objects without hurting yourself. If you lift and fail to use good posture, there is a much higher risk that you will hurt your back.

Ask your physiotherapist how to maintain proper posture while lifting. They know how to teach you to properly lift things, and also guide you through exercises to hold the right posture.

2. Enhancing blood circulation

Maintaining the proper spinal alignment means that your veins won’t be as constricted by pressure on your vertebrae. There are many components of your spine that require proper circulation to operate the right way and to reform from daily wear and tear.

It might seem like a daunting task, but as your physiotherapist guides you through the different physiotherapy exercises and techniques that help with maintaining good posture, you’ll be able to improve at keeping the alignment required for proper circulation.

3. Discovering proper posture for everyday tasks

Most of the time when we hear the term “good posture” we think of how we sit or stand, but good posture is important in everything we do!

In physiotherapy, your therapist may teach you how to maintain good posture during sports and everyday activities such as running or walking.

Improving your overall posture will lessen the wear and tear you put on your spine every day. This will also minimize your risk of developing back pain from these activities.

4. Improved strength and flexibility

If you haven’t had good posture for a long period of time anyways, it’s probably best to assume that learning to maintain it isn’t going to be the easiest thing to do.

It might take time in physiotherapy to gain the strength and flexibility you need to keep ideal posture and spinal alignment. According to the Mayo Clinic, “correct posture can boost your productivity and mood, as well as help you use your muscles more efficiently.”

The work you do and the effort you put in with your physiotherapist to achieve your goal will lead to greater overall fitness. The more flexible you get, the stronger you’ll be, and the less likely you are to suffer from nagging back pain every day.

5. Decreasing risk of anatomical changes

Did you know that the ways in which you use your spine can actually cause changes in your anatomy? It’s true.

Sitting hunched over can cause excess stress and can eventually lead to damage of your spinal discs, muscles, joints and the nerves and blood vessels traveling through your spine.

Thankfully in most cases the damage can be reversed by physiotherapy. Targeted exercises, stretches, and education can help your body learn to sit and stand correctly!

How will posture relieve my back pain?

Your spine is designed to function in a particular way. You can end up causing long-term issues each time you move, sit, or stand in ways that disturb the correct location and function of your spine.

Practicing good posture is one way you can work to alleviate back pain with the aid of a licensed physiotherapist.

You can learn how to develop good posture when you start physiotherapy. Physiotherapy can help you discover when you are not practicing good posture and develop more safe movement habits that will help alleviate your back pain.

Contact us to get started on the path toward relief!

Chances are that if you suffer from back pain, it may be the product of bad posture.

To get set up for an appointment with one of our industry-leading physiotherapists, contact our physiotherapy office in Saskatoon today!

Source:
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/posture-align-yourself-for-good-health/art-20269950

Tags: , , , , , , , ,