Good posture is not just good for your appearance; it affects your general health as well. Poor posture can contribute to back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, nerve impingement leading to upper and lower limb pain and weakness as well as fatigue, breathing difficulties, indigestion and sleep problems. Physiotherapists are very concerned about the posture of their patients, as it can make a huge difference in a person’s recovery.
Poor posture may be caused by muscle imbalance, poor biomechanics such as “flat feet”, genetic curvature of the spine as in scoliosis, following osteoporosis of the spine as in kyphosis (hunched back), and poor joint flexibility, as a result of injury or surgery or from excessively sustained positions such as prolonged sitting or bending.
Poor posture is usually accompanied by pain, which we will address with any number of physiotherapy treatments including soft tissue massage, trigger point therapy, passive joint mobilisation and passive muscle stretching, acupuncture, ice, heat, ultrasound or electrical stimulation.
The most important part of posture rehabilitation is exercise. We will perform a thorough postural assessment and physical evaluation to determine the appropriate exercise programme for you. Exercises are aimed at restoring correct muscle balance, improving biomechanics and regaining adequate joint range of movement to allow for better posture.
Poor ergonomics can also contribute to poor posture which in turn can contribute to some of the problems listed above. We can assist with the design of your home or office to make it more efficient and less detrimental to your posture. In most cases, only simple adjustments may be required.
If you are concerned about your posture, call us for a postural assessment and rehabilitation plan.