DOES POSTURE REALLY MATTER?

“Don’t slouch!” “Stand up straight!” “Pull your shoulders back!”

Over the years, you have likely had someone lecture you about the importance of good posture. But other than improving your aesthetic appearance, does posture really matter?

The answer is yes; posture is important! Muscles are designed to work most efficiently when they have an optimal length-tension relationship. This means that if they are too tight or too stretched out, they will not work as well. Chronic poor posture can lead to strength imbalances, causing your body to favor certain muscles over others. Over time, this can lead to injury and pain.

Bad posture can also put more stress on your spine. As an example, consider the posture you may have when you are sitting at your desk or on your couch. It can be easy to slip into a position where your ears are in front of your shoulders. This is known as a forward head posture.

Even over a short period of time, a forward head posture can significantly increase the amount of stress on your neck. For every one inch your head moves forward, the relative weight of your head doubles. The average human head weighs about 10 pounds, so if your head is just one inch off its neutral alignment, it can feel like it weighs 20 pounds!

Do you have pain that might be coming from poor posture? PT 360 offers a variety of services that can help you. In addition to physical therapy and injury screens, we offer ergonomic consultation that is customized to suit the specific needs of each individual. For more information, please contact us at any of our three locations or visit our website at www.pt360coop.com.

Burlington 802-657-7990
Williston 802-860-4360
Shelburne 802-985-9360