Posture is the name given to the way we hold our body when we are sitting, standing, or lying. The prefixes that are added to this name are either “good” or “bad”. So, if we add “good” to the posture, we get ‘’good posture’’ and “bad posture” when we add the other prefix. Since no one wants anything that has “bad” attached to it, we would only stick to the good posture since it’s very important.
In this article, we are going to tell you why good posture is important according to Sandy Springs Chiropractor, Dr. Callerina Natori. But before that, we should inform you about why bad posture is detrimental to the health of your body.
The Effects of Bad Posture
We are under the constant influence of gravity. Although it is a good servant that keeps our body from floating in the air, it can be a bad master if the same body is not in balance.
How?
Our muscles and ligaments experience gravity and they are in a constant application of an upward force negative to the gravity in order to keep our body in a position. However, when we do not sit, stand or lie properly, our weights (as a result of the gravity) are shifted on a few muscles or muscle groups rather than staying on the entire muscles that are supposed to be involved in the posture. The result of this for the over-strained muscles comes in the form of pain and skeletal misalignment which can cause serious injuries in both of these organs if the stress condition remains that way for long. Those injuries sometimes can even lead to complete disabilities.
Therefore, in order to avoid that injury, there is a need to stay in the right posture throughout your activities.
Benefits of Having Good Posture
Having said that, apart from avoiding injuries to the muscles and the skeleton, let us now see how good posture can benefit you in other ways.
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It can improve breathing
Sitting with your back straight and your frontal muscles stretched, you can help your lungs accommodate more air. By adopting this posture for a long time, you would be able to inhale deeply without even realizing it or straining for it. The benefit of deep breathing for us is that our body can receive plenty of oxygen.
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It can improve circulation
A poor or bad posture can constrict some of the arteries in our body thus restricting the blood flow. If we stop slouching, and lie or stand properly, we can release this constriction and allow the arteries to dilate to their full potential to facilitate proper circulation.
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It can improve digestion
We shouldn’t slouch when we eat because while sitting that way we actually restrict the internal digestive organs from assuming their right position. This restriction can affect the digestive process deeply as the food does not experience proper digestion. Thus, through good sitting posture, we can allow the organs to do their work.
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It keeps bones in proper position
Good posture can help the bones maintain their default position as the muscles which are holding them that way are not stretched in a differentiative manner. Therefore, you can be saved form skeletal misalignments and the resulting pain.
From the above discussion, you must have grasped how good posture can help your body stay in the most natural way. Thus, keep sitting, standing and lying in proper positions so that you live a healthy life.