Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Why Corrective Exercise for Posture?
And why is healthy posture important?

The answer to the first question (but more to come in future blogs):

With aging, body injuries/surgeries, life experience trauma, illness, or most commonly poor posture due to chronic body positions (for example, too much sitting at the keyboard or anywhere), healthy fascia (one of the types of soft tissue) becomes shortened, more solid, and "disorganized". Because the body (below the brain) has a connection with your neurological and brain self, the mis-alignment of the fascia can result in seemingly unrelated restrictions, pain, inflammation, and stress in seemingly unrelated responses on other areas of the body. A restriction in the neck, for example, will often be relieved when a restriction in the low back is corrected. These restrictions in the fascia can be positively altered with the simple three part program of Corrective Exercise allowing you to posture well with reduced pain, inflammation, stress, and improved function of your body.

The answer to the second question, why is healthy posture important:

Posture refers to the position of the human body and its orientation in space. Posture is a state of skeletal and muscular balance and alignment that protects the supporting structures of the body from progressive deformity and injury. Whether a person is exercising, walking, standing or sitting erect, lying, squatting or stooping, good posture allows the muscles of the body to function with maximum efficiency and balance and reduced stress.

Proper posture reduces stressful forces and awkward positioning on the joints, muscles, and other soft tissues of the body. There is an optimal posture for any given body task. Deviations from optimal posture are aesthetically unpleasant, adversely influence muscle efficiency, and predispose individuals to joint and muscle pain or neurological conditions. Postural deviations may be temporary or permanent. If they are temporary and caused by muscle or fascial imbalances, they can be changed with appropriate Corrective Exercise. When the body is in neutral alignment (good posture) the body works most efficiently and provides a stable base for movement (good balance and function). The nerves and the internal organs are able to perform their functions most efficiently as well.

Common Problems Associated with Poor Posture:

Reduced lung function.
Back, neck, shoulder, knee, hip, and foot pain
Headaches
Plantar fascitiis, tendonitis, bursitis
Fibromyalgia
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Joint degeneration
Bone degeneration
Inflammation throughout the body and its systems (for example the cardiovascular system)
Loss of strength and flexibility
Poor balance and a predisposition to falls
Nerve compression - numbing or tingling
Fatigue
Increase in stress perception

More to come next week regarding common causes of these Postural Problems and how Corrective Exercise may be your first step to restoring your body to a healthy posture and you to a healthier, happier life!

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