Introduction
An array of health problems, including neck discomfort, back pain, headaches, and even breathing difficulties, can be brought on by poor posture, which is a widespread problem. The issue is made worse by the fact that so many people in this day and age spend hours slumped over computers or staring down at their phones. The good news is that physiotherapy may assist with posture assessment and correction.
Your body is in alignment when you have proper posture, and your muscles and bones cooperate to support your weight. However, muscle imbalances brought on by poor posture can eventually result in pain, discomfort, and even injury. The good news is that physiotherapy can help you recognise postural abnormalities and offer customised interventions to help you improve your posture.
In this blog, we’ll look at how physiotherapy can assist with posture assessment and correction, which has a number of positive effects on general health and wellbeing. Read on to learn how physiotherapy can help you achieve better posture and lead a healthier, happier life, whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, trying to prevent injuries, or simply want to improve your quality of life.
Physio Assessment of Posture
The examination of posture is crucial to physiotherapy. It entails assessing the body’s alignment to find any postural aberrations that can be causing pain or discomfort. Physiotherapists utilise a variety of techniques to evaluate posture, including:
1. Observation: Physiotherapists may do a visual evaluation of your postures when you are standing, sitting, and walking. They might search for any compensations, instabilities, or asymmetries that might be impacting your posture.
2. Linking to the above: Biomechanical assessment and Gait Analysis can be done. Does your body move the way it should?
3. Range of motion: (ROM) testing analyses the range of motion in joints and muscles to find limits or limitations that might be causing bad posture.
4. Strength Testing: Testing the strength of particular muscles is one way to identify muscle imbalances that can be impacting posture.
An accurate posture assessment is crucial because it reveals any postural irregularities that might be hurting, inconveniencing, or even injuring people. Physiotherapists can create a custom treatment plan that caters to your unique needs by determining the origin of the issue.
How does Physio Help?
Exercises, stretches, ergonomic adjustments, and lifestyle alterations are just a few of the approaches that physiotherapy can offer to improve poor posture. Here are a few typical methods that physical therapy can assist you in developing better posture:
Exercises: Particular exercises can help to flex tight muscles and strengthen weak ones, which can aid with posture. For instance, by stabilising the spine and enhancing alignment, core-strengthening exercises can aid in improving posture. It is important this is bespoke to the individual. Don’t fall for a one exercise fixes all!
Stretching: Stretching can loosen up tight muscles and increase flexibility, both of which contribute to better posture. Stretching the chest muscles, for instance, can help prevent the rounded shoulders that are frequently associated with bad posture.
Spinal Manipulation and Mobilisation: This hands on treatment may be used to ensure your body is moving how it should be!
Deep Soft Tissue Massage/ Fascial Release: Hands on treatment may be suggested to reduce current tightness and compensations that are already affecting the way your body holds itself.
Ergonomic adjustments: Ergonomic adjustments entail changing your workspace or surrounding conditions to lessen physical stress and enhance posture. For instance, altering the height of your computer monitor or chair can help you sit at your workplace with good posture.
Benefits of Physio for Posture
With the aid of physiotherapy, you can improve your posture, which has a number of advantages for your general health and wellbeing. Here are some ways that physical therapy can enhance your life and posture:
Reduces Pain and Discomfort: Muscle imbalances brought on by poor posture can result in pain and discomfort.
The risk of injury can be decreased; and pain and discomfort can be relieved by using physiotherapy to address these imbalances.
Enhances Breathing: By constricting your lungs and lowering your lung capacity, poor posture might limit your ability to breathe. By improving your breathing, you may better oxygenate your body’s tissues and maintain better overall health. Posture correction can help with this.
Improves Athletic Performance: For proper mobility and the best athletic performance, good posture is crucial. Physiotherapy can help you move more effectively, lowering your risk of injury and enhancing athletic performance. This will also improve your posture.
Increases Confidence: Self-esteem and confidence are closely related concepts. Physiotherapy can help you feel more self-assured and optimistic by enhancing your posture.
Poor posture can lead to a number of issues such as reduced range of movement, weakness, pain and dysfunction. You may not even feel the effects yet, but our modies were designed to move and prolonged sitting/poor posture is causing changes to our body which lead to problems down the line!
Absolutely – there’s lots we can do. Increase strength, reduce tightness and increase mobility. We can advice on your activites and how they could be edited and supported to reduce the impact on your posture. Get assessed and find out more.
Yes! We can treat any soft tissue or joint issues that may have arrised.
The important thing is to know posture exercises ideally need to be pescribed to you. There isn’t a one size fits all list and sometimes there’s too much information out there online to know whats best. Mobility, strength and stretching are key – but make you are doing it in the right way and for the structures that actually need it – get assessed and we can happily advise.
There are many and often need to be tailored to you. Frequently moving around and changing position is key – especially if you have a static job. Making sure your work/desk set up is correct for your height and build is important. Try to do the movements your body doesnt do most days; dso if you lean forward – try to open yourself up the other way and move muscles you may not have been using. We can make many suggestions – so please dont hesitate to contact.
