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Everyone has heard the importance of sitting or standing up straight. However, maintaining proper posture at all hours of the day is usually easier said than done.

Many people experience back pain due to poor posture. Sitting and standing up straight allows for proper spinal alignment, which can prevent back pain. However, it can be difficult to get in the habit of practicing proper posture if you are already in the habit of slouching or hunching over. Fortunately, physical therapy can help correct your bad posture habits and help you incorporate healthy ones into your lifestyle through targeted strengthening exercises and stretches.

If back pain has been limiting your life, don’t wait to find relief. Schedule your consultation today at Arroyo Grande Physical Therapy and see how our services can help treat your back pain while simultaneously improving your posture!

How can proper posture relieve back pain?

Your spine is designed to operate in a very specific way. When you move, sit, and stand in ways that disrupt the correct operation of your spine, you may eventually create undesirable problems over time.

With the help of your physical therapist, practicing good posture is one way that can work with your spine in order to minimize your back pain. Physical therapy treatments will provide educational resources for good posture and will help you discover several healthy movement patterns for relieving pain. 5 of the greatest benefits of maintaining proper posture include:

1. It helps improve physical function.

When we think of posture, many of us picture an image of static positions – such as sitting at a desk or standing up straight. However, proper posture can be (and should be) incorporated into everything we do.

Through physical therapy treatments, your physical therapist will guide you on how to maintain proper posture during all of your favorite activities, such as walking, running, and playing sports. The improved posture you adopt in each activity will lessen the wear and tear you put on your spine, which minimizes the risk of developing back pain from these activities.

2. It prevents damaging changes to the anatomy of your spine.

The ways in which you use your spine can actually cause changes to your anatomy. The stress caused by sitting hunched can eventually lead to damage of your muscles, joints, spinal discs, and the nerves and blood vessels that travel through your spine. Fortunately, in many cases, the damage can be reversed if you engage in targeted physical therapy treatments and learn how to maintain proper posture.

3. It enhances blood circulation.

When you maintain proper spinal alignment, your veins are not constricted by the pressure of your vertebrae. Your spine contains numerous components that all require good circulation, in order to operate correctly and regenerate from damage.

When your physical therapist guides you through different physical therapy exercises to help with your posture, your alignment will return to the intended shape required for optimal circulation.

4. It increases your strength and flexibility.

If you have struggled with poor posture for a while, there is a good chance that it will be difficult to maintain proper posture in the beginning. It may take some time in physical therapy to gain the strength and flexibility necessary to keep your ideal posture. Fortunately, the work you do with your physical therapist to achieve your physical goals will lead to greater overall fitness. The stronger and more flexible you get, the less likely you are to suffer from back pain on a regular basis.

5. It helps you avoid pain from improper techniques.

Good posture is a vital component of lifting objects without injury. When you lift and fail to use good posture, there is a much greater chance that you will wind up hurting your back.

Ask your physical therapist about proper lifting posture. He or she can show you how to lift correctly and guide you through some exercises to clarify the right posture.