Sit up straight! It could save your life

Sit up straight! It could save your life

We have all heard it before, stand up straight, sit up tall, stop slouching. Does it really matter? YES. Posture is one of the simplest things to correct that can limit the likelihood of getting back pain and neck pain. More than that, it could be a matter of life and death.

Being hunched over not only looks bad, but can be deadly. In 2004 a group of M.D.s studied elderly men and women and found that men were about twice as likely to have this hunched over bad posture than women. They looked at the men and women separately and found that in both groups poor posture was associated with poorer health and ultimately higher mortality rates. Poor posture can increase the risk of degenerative changes in the joints of the body, alter our balance, and impact how the cardiovascular system works.

How can we fix it? You may have heard you should keep your shoulders back to have good posture, but this is not entirely correct. You can pull your shoulders back and still have bad posture. Good posture is achieved by imagining a string hanging straight down from the ceiling, pulling your chest straight up. This naturally rolls your shoulders back, puts your head in a neutral position, and straightens your spine. Give it a try right now!

Reference: Kado et al. Hyperkyphotic Posture Predicts Mortality in Older Community Dwelling Men and Women: A Prospective Study.

Dr. Kauffman is a licensed chiropractor in Loveland, OH. He serves patients in Cincinnati and the areas of Mason Ohio, Lebanon Ohio, West Chester Ohio, and Loveland Ohio. Please call us today at 513-444-4529 for an appointment with your Loveland Ohio chiropractor, Dr. Kauffman.