What is posture education?
Posture education is a form of retraining for your body to alter the way you sit, stand, move or lie down. It’s not as simple as sitting up straight or standing up tall. Maintaining a good posture takes strong core muscles, good flexibility, normal range of motion and a balanced spine.
Posture is also important during movement, especially when you’re bearing weight. Understanding and practicing safe lifting techniques with good posture helps you prevent injury and avoid accidents.
Is there a proper or “perfect” posture?
Posture is subjective. There’s no such thing as perfect or proper posture. Everyone holds their bodies a little differently — even in ways that may not appear correct. However, there are good habits that can help you maintain a healthy posture, which is just the right position for you with the least amount of strain on your body.
Why do I need posture education?
Many injuries and ailments can be at least partially attributed to poor posture. Prolonged periods of standing, sitting or lying down in a way that contorts your body unnaturally or overextends it can result in a joint, ligament or muscle issue. Overuse and lifting injuries can be due to bad form during movements. With chronically poor posture, you can even develop digestive issues, breathing disorders, incontinence, balance problems and pain from your neck down your spine.
Posture education helps you correct the problems that led to your condition and prevent them from recurring or becoming chronic. When your body goes through major changes, such as after an accident or during pregnancy, you may need posture education to retrain your body to carry itself without stress or strain.
What does posture education entail?
Before any training or exercises, you’ll get an assessment of your current posture. Your physical therapist will look for areas of weakness, lack of flexibility and mobility issues that prevent you from holding a healthy posture. This may include the area you have pain or discomfort — or a completely different area that is contributing to your posture issue.
After an initial assessment, your physical therapist will determine the appropriate exercises to correct the issue, which may include strengthening, stretching, stabilization or other techniques With guidance from your PT, you’ll begin a program over a series of appointments to develop better posture. You will practice holding your posture through various movements, mimicking your everyday activities. Your posture education will also include home exercises to build on your progress and continue your good habits long after physical therapy has ended.
What results can I expect after posture education?
The goal of posture education is for you to sit, stand, lie down or move without pain or strain — and relieve any condition related to it. Once you complete your retraining with a PT, you should be well on your way to tolerating the positions that previously bothered you. You should also experience:
- Increased flexibility
- Improved mobility and range of motion
- Relief from back and neck pain
- Reduced wear and tear on the joints
- Less muscle strain or fatigue
- Better breathing, especially during exercise