FAMILY LIFE WELLNESS

How to Maintain Good Posture

“STAND UP STRAIGHT!”, “Don’t slouch”… I’m sure we have all heard these words multiple times in our lives… Regardless of who it came from, these words were engraved into our heads at a very young age. We always knew that slouching was bad, but many of us never looked into WHY. So, what is good posture anyway and why is it so important? 

 

What is posture?

 

Posture is the position you hold your body while you are either standing or sitting. There are two types:

  • Dynamic posture (standing): is how you hold yourself when you are moving, like when you are walking, running, or bending over to pick up something.
  • Static posture (sitting):  is how you hold yourself when you are not moving, like when you are sitting, standing, or sleeping.

Each one holds equal importance in terms of the health of your spine. The key to having good posture all has to do with the position of your spine. Simply put, your head should be above your shoulders, and the top of your shoulders should be in line with your hips. 

 

Why is posture important? 

 

Poor posture can cause back or neck pain, headaches, trouble breathing, or trouble walking.

 

  • Helps with airflow while sleeping. Anterior head posture causes constriction in the throat which can cause poor breathing during sleep. Signs of poor airflow and oxygen intake include snoring, headache upon waking, and grogginess upon waking. Focusing on your posture can help prevent these issues and may be a way to prevent the development of sleep apnea. 
  • Poor oxygen flow due to poor posture can change the environment in our mouth, nose, and respiratory system. This can lead to an altered environment that allows different bacteria to grow. 
  • Poor head posture can cause neck and upper back pain because the muscles are spasming trying to support the malposition of the head and neck. For every inch that your head moves forward, ten pounds of tension pressure are added to your spinal cord. This causes neurological tension and strain on your body. When your nervous system is stressed, everything is affected and stressed because the nervous system controls everything. 
  • One study found that forward head carriage was related to foot pain, like plantar fasciitis. Because everything is connected in the body, when our neck, back, and shoulder muscles are strained, it also strains other muscles and tissues in the body. 

 

What causes poor posture:

 

  • Sedentary lifestyle is one of the main contributors to poor posture. Sitting at work without breaks, computer work, zoom university, and lack of ergonomics are all things to think about when it comes to our posture.
  • Dehydration: leads to tight hip flexor muscles (iliopsoas) which can cause postural problems in the pelvis and low back. This can cause anterior pelvic tilt, tight low back, and hip or knee misalignments. 
  • Emotional Effects on Posture – many emotions can lead to less than optimal posture. A lack of confidence, anxiety, and depression can all contribute to altered muscular function which can lead to poor posture. 
  • Bodily and muscular fatigue: fatigue can be from a lot of things like stressful lifestyle, poor adrenal function, chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, repetitive movements, etc. When you are stressed, this leads to poorer ligament tone, muscle function, and neurological control of your body. This leads to an exhaustive state that can contribute to poor posture.

 

Ways to help improve posture:

 

  • Ergonomic work set up – Consulting with your chiropractor or another ergonomic specialist is very helpful in making sure that your workspace is contributing to your health as much as possible. 
  • Chiropractic care – Chiropractic care improves nervous system function, which is in control of the posture receptors in our body (called mechanoreceptors). Getting chiropractic care is essential to resetting these posture receptors and getting them to function properly. Chiropractic also helps with brain and motor function, which is directly related to posture. 
  • Drink water – Drinking water and staying hydrated with proper electrolytes is important for muscle function. A dehydrated grape is a raisin and a dehydrated person is someone with poor posture. Getting the amount of water and electrolytes your body needs is important to standing up tall. 
  • Exercises – Exercises that open the chest, strengthen the back, and improve the core muscle tone are all very important for having good posture in our modern era. 
  • Avoid “Text Neck” – looking down at a screen all day can have bad effects on your posture and even cause skeletal bony changes. There are increased rates of bone growth at the base of some younger people’s skulls due to constant staring down at a phone screen. 
  • Practicing emotional self care – Improving our emotional health through counseling, coaching, and positive thinking skills can greatly contribute to not only our postural health, but our health in general. The mind-body connection is a strong one and must be lovingly cared for. 
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Dear Family Life Wellness Community,

It’s with incredible sadness that I bring you the news that as of Friday September 16, 2022 our clinic will officially close. As you can imagine, this decision was not an easy one to make. There has been a tremendous amount of soul searching and thoughtful processing that has gone into this moment. Taking in the considerations of everyone has been a top priority for me as I have navigated this tough decision.

Here’s the first thing I want you to know-you are loved. For the past twenty-six years so many of you have brought your families to our clinic weekly for health, inspiration and community. Please know that I have taken that responsibility as an incredible honor. My team and I have been so blessed to watch your kids grow up, celebrate your wins with you, and cry with you as you’ve moved through turbulent times in your lives. One of the hardest parts of this moment is that we won’t be connected with you in that same way. Know that although our clinic will not operate as it has for the past two decades, our hearts are still connected to you and your families.

As new career opportunities have emerged for me, I want you to know that my passion for chiropractic has never died. I feel so strongly that every human on this planet needs chiropractic care. I personally continue to get weekly adjustments, and hope that you will do the same. To make this transition as smooth as possible we have a list of amazing chiropractors that I have personally reached out to and will welcome you with loving arms. I can tell you with certainty you will get amazing care at any of these clinics. Please lean into them. As far as the biohacking center goes, for now that part of our clinic will be closed as well. New solutions for our space are being explored, but until we have something concrete there will be no biohacking . Lastly, I want to give my deepest gratitude to Dana. She has been the heart of our community for the past decade. I could not have run this practice without her. Yet, I am so excited for her as she has an incredible career opportunity that has presented itself.  As my heart is heavy in making this decision, what fills me with joy is the beautiful life she will be stepping into. A life she greatly deserves.

My practice has never been just a business. It’s been a family. Thank you for entrusting us with your health. It truly will go down as the greatest honor of my life. As far as what’s next, of course there needs to be a celebration. One in which we can gather one last time as a community. Please stay tuned to the exact date of that celebration.

From Dana, myself, and Dr. Tri please know that we believe in you. We know what a miraculous body you are living in and that extraordinary health is a choice you get to step into everyday. We will always be in your front row cheering you on.
With gratitude, love , and a huge hug,
Dr. Mindy
Great chiropractors to connect to:
Dr. T.J. Osborne, D.C.
Discover Chiropractic
1305 N. Bascom Ave #C
San Jose, CA 95128
408-985-1111
amazing adjustor (he’s my chiro)
huge heart
great family practice & close to our clinic
Dr. Samantha Jennings, D.C
1314 Lincoln Ave#1F
San Jose, CA 95125
408-355-3946
used to be an associate in our clinic
does lots of muscle testing & applied kinesiology
great with muscles & sports injuries
Dr. Darla Parr, D.C
718 University Ave Ste 110
Los Gatos, CA 95032
408-960-9909
I went to chiro school with her.
great with brain balancing & neurological symptoms
beautiful heart, warm upbeat personality, and a wonderful integrative clinic
Dr. Nicole & David Congragen, D.C.

Community Chiropractic
16375 Monterey St.Ste B
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
408-778-3020
I also went to school with them
warm loving family practice
focus is on upper cervical care (call to ask more questions)