Correcting poor posture

Poor posture commonly develops from spending too much time in a static position or from muscle imbalances in the body. Postural dysfunction can cause muscle and joint pain, impaired circulation, nerve compression, and more

Poor posture is most often caused by spending too much time in a static position, such as sitting at a desk or workbench. By building balanced muscle strength, we can work to correct poor posture in usually 3 to 8 weeks.

What are the risks of poor posture?

Poor posture happens when muscles are held in a certain position or direction for extended periods of time. Someone with chronic poor posture who holds themselves in these positions for multiple hours a day, will start have noticeable physical changes such as rounded shoulders, a head that is tilted forwards or backwards, or an increased curve in the back.

Chronic poor posture can lead to a number of concerns, including:

• Muscle and joint pain
• Impaired circulation and lung expansion
• Nerve compression
• Increased stress on joints (may contribute to joint degeneration)
• Jaw pain and headaches
• Reduced quality of sleep

What causes poor posture?

Poor posture develops from spending too much time in a static position, such as sitting at a desk, stooping over a workbench, or frequent long periods of driving. For many, these activities are closely related to their occupations or hobbies, making it extremely common for individuals to develop poor posture throughout their lives. 

Poor posture can also come as a result of muscle imbalances in the body. For example, if you have strong chest muscles but weak upper back muscles, your shoulders may slowly pull forward because of the muscle imbalance, resulting in poor posture.

Some of the most common causes of poor posture include:

• Occupations that require long periods of sitting (ex: desk workers, drivers)
• Muscle imbalances
• Improper sleeping positions
• Stress
• Staring down at your smartphone 
• Sports and training (strengthening specific muscle groups more than others)

How do you improve poor posture?

At The Bridge, we treat poor posture with a personalized treatment plan that includes:

• Hands-on treatment, such as soft tissue or joint mobilizations to reduce tissue sensitivity and mobility.
• A progressive mobility program to allow clients to find new ranges of motion or positions
• A resistance training program to improve strength and stress tolerance in the newly found mobility

Another key piece of treatment is to educate and arm our clients with ways that they can take control of their posture, such as positional changes, ergonomic changes, and counterbalancing activities.

The length of time to treat poor posture usually takes 3 to 8 weeks and depends on the severity of postural dysfunction, how long the client has had postural concerns, what the client’s goals are, how active the client is, and how likely they are able to alter their daily activities or habits.

How do you prevent poor posture?

The best way to prevent poor posture is to keep moving! The less time we spend in one position, the less risk we have of developing poor posture.

If your sport or job requires you to spend extended amounts of time in one position or requires you to be very strong in one direction or muscle group, you may need to work with one of our treatment providers to build strength and stress tolerance in different directions or positions.

The Bridge model consists of three pillars

improve performance

Performance or return to sport training: Is the last part of our model and reserved for those needing to return to a competitive sport or wanting to train at a higher level.

Contact us today and learn how our team can help you build a recovery plan, in person or virtually.