Is your posture causing fatigue? by Jim Claussen, D.C.

In order to understand the importance of why posture is so important one must understand what your spine is protecting. According to Gray’s anatomy the nervous system controls every cell, tissue and organ in the body. Nothing can happen without the nerves telling your body what to do. The normal spine is quite flexible, structurally strong and reflects the dynamic movement of the human body. It not only supports the body and all its organs, it also protects the spinal cord and nerves that carry messages between your brain and the rest of the body. Every activity, even breathing, demands movement of the spine, ribs and attachments. A healthy spine can continue to support your weight and protect your nerves, while letting innate messages travel freely from your brain to your body and allowing you to move easily throughout your day. The human body, like a machine, is subject to balance, rhythm, timing and coordinated actions of all its components. For this reason, correct posture enables the body to function more efficiently, allowing for proper development. Your body must adapt to the constant stress of gravity in order to maintain its balance, and poor posture is a common result. For every inch that the head moves forward in posture, it increases the weight of the head on the neck by 10 pounds! Imagine carrying an additional ten pounds or more around all day long!

 Poor posture can have adverse effects on your health. For example, poor posture compromises the movements of the rib cage and does not allow the lungs to function at maximum efficiency. This reduces incoming oxygen to the tissues and the elimination of carbon dioxide wastes. Poor posture also restricts other vital organs of the body, producing additional stress. This stress on the body causes an increased demand for more energy.  This increased demand for more energy causes your body to be stuck in the fight or flight physiology. Being in this mode leads to increased heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. Your heart will pump more blood to the muscles, supplying more oxygen. This also increases sugar rates in the blood. Increased blood supply to the motor and basic-function regions in the brain; decreased blood supply to digestive system and irrelevant brain regions. Secretion of adrenaline and other stress hormones increase in the response and strengthen relevant systems.  There is also secretion of endorphins - natural painkillers, providing an instant defense against pain. With this system constantly in the on position you run into adrenal fatigue. This then ultimately causes you to run out of energy. Most people are stuck in this type of physiology and don’t even know it. We then look to supplement our case with outside stimulants. These stimulants only cause our bodies to fight harder and further our fatigue.

Poor posture not only has an adverse effect on our musculoskeletal system, bringing soft tissue pain and joint dysfunction, but also to other areas. The Endocrine (Hormone) system can be affected because poor posture creates unnecessary physical stress on the musculoskeletal structure where, quite simply, our muscles have to work harder to keep us upright. This causes disruption to the release and concentration of stress hormones within the body and in turn unbalances the rest of the hormone (Endocrine) system. Because hormones play such an important part in the health of our body, many health problems can result from simply the increase in physical stress caused by poor posture, sometimes even before we feel the physical pain within the muscles or joints. Poor posture also affects the digestive system - poor posture disrupts the physical positioning of the internal organs within the torso, causing these organs to work in adaptive ways. In addition, the effects on the endocrine and nervous systems can cause changes to the way in which we digest food and the levels and types of nutrients we are capable of retrieving and using from our food. Changes in the physical positioning of the body and tone and tension of the muscles can impede the efficiency of movement of blood through the system, causing us to feel unusually hot or cold. A particularly common example is cold extremities such as hands and feet.

Improving posture doesn’t have to be going to a gym. Just simply practicing good types of posture may all that is required. It is important to maintain proper posture for general health, but also while performing different tasks throughout your day. When lifting, bend from your knees, keep your back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, and one foot slightly forward for balance. Hold the load close to your body, then stand and lift with the strong muscles of your legs, not with your back muscles. When standing, rest your foot on a stool, occasionally alternating your feet. When sitting, raise your viewing surface (i.e. computer terminal) to eye level. Use a chair that provides good support for the curves in your back and neck. Take frequent breaks to stretch and revive. When sleeping, use a firm mattress and sleep on your side or your back with a supportive pillow for your neck. You can check the status of your posture by standing up against a flat surface. Place your heels, butt, flatten shoulder blades and retract your head against the wall. Stand there for 20-30 seconds to fire off the proper muscles and then step away. This may feel awkward at first, but with repetition will feel normal.  In a seated position your feet should be flat on the floor. Your back should be pressed against the back of the chair. Arms should be bent to 90 degrees with the shoulders relaxed.

Good posture does more than just make you look good, it makes you feel good. When you stand tall, walk tall, and sit tall, your body works most efficiently. You have better balance and control over your limbs and you have a better outlook on life. Posture not only has a direct bearing on comfort and work efficiency, it also has a factor which determines resistance to disease and disability. In order for health to be attained you must also make good choices in the six essential of life ie: what you eat, what you drink, how you exercise, how you rest, how you breathe and most importantly how you think. Doctors of Chiropractic recognize the importance of spinal integrity and body mechanics for good health, and research has shown that chiropractic adjustments are highly effective. While the effects of poor posture can be serious, many problems can be corrected. If you or a member of your family has what appears to be a postural problem, you should seek advice of a Doctor of Chiropractic. Unless there is a structural deformity or disease-caused disturbance, the chances for correction are excellent. Regular spinal adjustments are part of your body's defense against illness. The effectiveness of chiropractic health care is measured by benefits realized for a lifetime. Today, the public has become more aware of the benefits of this approach to health care and millions are now maintaining their health with regular chiropractic adjustments.