At Blackberry Clinic our physical therapists offer postural advice and rehabilitation. Here are six more benefits of good posture! Check out our blog ‘Benefits of good posture Part One’ for six more benefits of good posture!
7 IMPROVED CIRCULATION AND DIGESTION
If you’re compressing vital organs around your chest and abdomen, your circulation is poor, and those organs aren’t going to work as well. Healthy blood flow requires proper alignment and avoiding positions which cramp circulation, like crossing your legs, slouching, hunching forward.
8 REDUCED TMJ (TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT) PAIN
When we have a ‘forward head’ position, the joints in your jaw and your jaw muscles experience stress and tension. This can contribute to pain with eating, talking, yawning, headaches and clicking when you chew or open your mouth.
Correcting your neck posture and avoiding a ‘poking chin’ or ‘forward head’ position will reduce the strain on the muscles in the front of your neck which work with your jaw. If you are stressed and concentrating hard for hours in front of a computer or even gaming, you may find you also clench your jaw. Get help to adjust your ergonomics at work and at home to support a better posture. This could include purchasing a better chair, desk or changing the height of your computer. You could use a sit-to-stand desk for example.
Releasing the tension in your neck and upper shoulders should reduce the effects of jaw pain which can be achieved with physical therapy. Focus on relaxing your jaw throughout the day, especially in high-stress situations like driving during rush hour.
9 IMPROVED CORE AND SCAPULAR STRENGTH
Muscular effort is required to maintain good posture. If you’re holding a good posture, your core and upper back muscles will remain active and engaged. As described above under point 3, you want to strengthen and improve the endurance of your postural muscles. By having a good posture you are engaging your postural muscles and freeing up your prime mover muscles to simply chill, or work on more demanding tasks. Having a stronger core and scapular (shoulder blade) position, not only gives you better posture but provides the foundations for all movements around the trunk and limbs. So if you want to bowl better at cricket or serve faster at tennis, a stronger scapular is key to that. Likewise a strong core makes your lower back and pelvis the power house for any activity or sport involving twisting, jumping, running, cycling, rowing, and skiing for example.
Your physical therapist can correctly teach you how to engage your core from simple mat work floor exercises to using these muscles while doing functional daily chores or sports activities.
10 REDUCED RISK OF FALLS
A stronger core from better posture allows your body to be better aligned and have better balance. This in turn can make you more stable and responsive on your feet reducing your chance of a fall and possible injury.
11 BETTER FORM DURING YOUR WORKOUTS
Your posture doesn’t just affect you when you’re sitting and standing, but when you’re exercising, too. For example, having an engaged core and neutral spine during a squat will help prevent injury. With any sport, or daily activities, be it hanging washing on a line or lifting heavy groceries and children, performing them with your body in the correct alignment, and with the right muscles available to help do the chore, prevents undue stress and strain.
12 INCREASED SELF CONFIDENCE
Not only can good posture boost your energy levels and reduce your pain, it can also increase your self-esteem. Studies have reported good posture gives you more confidence in your thoughts. Before a meeting, presentation, or job interview, make sure your shoulders are relaxed, your spine is in alignment, and your ears are resting over your shoulders. Feeling more confident in yourself can start from day one. Simply pay attention to your posture as you enter a room, sit down to a meal, or work on a project at your computer.
BONUS APPEAR TALLER (AND THINNER)
While it’s icing on the cake, good posture can make you more attractive. People look taller and slimmer when they have good posture. Sometimes it can even make your abdominals appear more defined. What’s not to like about that?
