poor posture and cardiovascular disease

You may not realize it but your posture can affect the overall health of your body. Standing, sitting, or even lifting incorrectly can impact your posture and your health. You may initially notice back or neck pain followed my muscle stiffness and fatigue after spending too long sitting in a hunched position or standing all day.

When you have bad posture, you are forcing one part of your body to work harder to compensate for the twist or bend in your spine. Over time, the muscles not being properly worked can become atrophied. Poor posture can cause your overall health to dwindle as well.

Think of your spine as a garden hose and the water flowing through it is the communication between your central nervous system and your body. When a hose is free of kinks, the water flows freely and without interruption, but if the hose becomes kinked or pinched, the water slows or stops altogether. The same happens when you have poor posture. If your spine is not sitting correctly in its natural curve, it will act as a kinked hose; interrupting the signals between your body and central nervous system.

Your spine protects your spinal cord which is a key component in your central nervous system, which is in charge of your body’s immune system among other functions. If your body is unable to properly send signals to your central nervous system, it will not receive the care that it needs to fight of disease.

Poor posture is linked to chronic pain, deeper depressions, digestive issues, increased risk for diabetes, decreased circulation, increased risk for cardiovascular disease, weight issues, increased stress, headaches/migraines, reduced lung function, and becoming susceptible to other diseases or illnesses.

Posture can also affect you outside of your health including in the work place by affecting your workplace productivity, advancement, and career success.

So, remember that whether you are sitting or standing to keep your back straight, shoulders back and chin up. If you have been sitting for a long period of time, take a break and move around. This will not only allow you to stretch your muscles and correct your posture but to also improve your circulation and lung function that is affected by long periods of sitting crouched over.

If you are having a hard time maintaining correct posture, this could be from the muscle stiffness and fatigue from too long spent in a poor positioning. Visiting an upper cervical chiropractor can help you to get your body back on the right track.