Correcting bad posture is not an overnight fix, especially if you’ve had it for most of your life. However, good posture is very important if you want to avoid tension, fatigue, pain, and injury as best you can. If your body is properly aligned, overall health can improve.
Postural dysfunction or bad posture is one of the problems that can be helped with physical therapy. Let’s discuss how physical therapy can help improve your posture and where you can go in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee for quality physical therapy services.
The Benefits of Good Posture
If you have had bad posture for quite some time now, you are likely experiencing body pain. Some consequences of bad posture are neck and back pain and shoulder pain. It can also cause respiratory issues.
Some of the benefits of good posture include the following:
- Good distribution of weight and a reduced risk of orthopedic pain
- Less strain on the tissues that make up the spine, minimizing the risk of herniated discs
- Increased energy levels by allowing the muscles to work efficiently, avoiding fatigue
- Better mood and concentration from the enhancement of blood flow and oxygen delivery to the brain
How Physical Therapy Can Help Posture
Correcting your posture requires sustained effort. A licensed physical therapist can assess your posture and determine how you can improve it. There are different factors that can lead to poor posture, which is why the most effective treatment programs are individualized to the patient.
Here are components of a physical therapy program to help with improving your postural alignment:
Assessment and Evaluation
Posture is one of the things a physical therapist looks at when evaluating a patient. The physical therapist will perform a comprehensive assessment of your posture and identify areas of misalignment and muscle imbalances. This may be aided by various tools and manual palpation to measure joint range of motion and identify postural deviations.
Education and Awareness
Patient education is part of physical therapy. The therapist will educate you about proper posture and its importance in preventing musculoskeletal issues. If your posture is bad, causing your spine and limbs to be out of alignment, which will eventually cause a range of orthopedic issues. The physical therapist can provide personalized guidance on various activities, from ergonomic modifications for workstations to appropriate sleeping positions to support optimal posture.
Manual Therapy Techniques
The physical therapist may utilize manual therapy techniques such as joint mobilizations and soft tissue mobilization to address joint restrictions and muscle tightness, which can prevent you from being in proper alignment. Physical therapists are trained to help patients who have pain and injury manage and recover from their condition.
Targeted Exercises
The physical therapist will prescribe specific exercises to strengthen weak muscles and stretch tight muscles that contribute to poor posture.
Exercises may focus on the following:
- Core stability
- Back extensor strengthening
- Shoulder girdle stabilization
- Flexibility training
The therapist will provide guidance on proper technique and progression, ensuring the exercises are performed correctly.
Postural Retraining
With the help of a physical therapist, you can retrain your postural habits and make conscious adjustments throughout the day, whether standing or sitting down. You must check your posture every 15 minutes to ensure you don’t stay in one position too long. For example, sitting for hours, no matter how good your posture, can result in pain. The therapist may use postural taping techniques, which help improve postural alignment.
Progress Tracking and Follow-up
The physical therapist will regularly assess your progress and track improvements in posture and pain reduction. The therapist will provide ongoing guidance and support to maintain long-term postural habits.
Correcting your posture is not an overnight process, but the efforts are worthwhile as they can boost your health and help you move better. The length of treatment also depends on the severity of posture dysfunction. Extreme cases can take some time to correct.
Orthopedic Specialists in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia
To start improving your posture, you need a proper diagnosis. At Watauga Orthopaedics, we offer comprehensive physical therapy services on-site in our Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport offices. A licensed physical therapist will be assigned to your care and is committed to helping you achieve your goals.
For any questions about our services or to schedule a consultation with an orthopedic specialist, call our office today at (423) 282-9011 or use our online appointment request form. Our friendly staff at Watauga Orthopaedics looks forward to serving you.
