Good posture can help your health and make you look better. A posture assessment is an evaluation to determine whether you have good posture. Posture assessments are most often conducted by chiropractors, but posture can also be assessed by sports massage practitioners, exercise physiologists and other health professionals.
Significance
Proper posture helps muscles function properly, decreases abnormal wear of joints that could lead to arthritis, prevents backaches and muscular pain, reduces fatigue and contributes to a good appearance, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "Headaches and lower-back problems are often due to poor posture," says Elizabeth Callen, D.C., a chiropractor in Denver who performs posture assessments. A posture assessment will analyze how you hold your body against gravity and find posture problems that can then be corrected.
Types
Most posture assessments are performed while you are standing, but they may also be done while sitting. The simplest type of posture analysis is a visual assessment. "Major posture abnormalities can be seen with the naked eye, but a posture chart is used to pinpoint subtle posture problems," explains Callen. Posture may also be assessed by using a plumb line, such as a weighted string hung from the ceiling to establish a line of gravity. For seated assessments, pressure sensors inside a chair are used to evaluate proper posture, according to Callen. Posture may also be assessed by computerized analysis. Computerized posture assessments are considered the most precise, according to Rhonda Crockett, a sports massage therapist and posture assessment specialist at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Correcting Posture
A posture assessment includes educating the patient on how to correct posture problems detected in the assessment, according to Callen. After going over the results with your chiropractor or health professional, specific exercises and stretches are often recommended to help resolve posture abnormalities. The assessment may also include instruction on how to correct poor posture while standing or sitting. To stand up straight, Callen recommends holding your shoulders back with your chest forward, tummy tucked in, chin up and head high with most of your weight on the balls of your feet. Proper sitting posture means sitting with your spine straight, your shoulders back and your buttocks touching the back of the chair.
Tips
To improve posture irregularities revealed by an assessment, consider taking up yoga. In addition to flexibility and relaxation, yoga can help correct your posture, says Crockett, who also suggests Pilates classes for improved posture. Simple changes may also be helpful. Be sure your office chair is ergonomically correct-look for one with an adjustable back support or use a lumbar pillow. Avoid crossing your legs or leaning to one side too much, which makes it difficult to sit straight. Finally, avoid carrying heavy purses, shopping bags and backpacks, which can exacerbate poor posture while standing and walking. A posture assessment is the first step, however. "Many people don't know they have poor posture," Callen says. "A posture assessment leads to lifestyle changes that can improve posture and ease health problems."
References
- Elizabeth Callen, D.C.; chiropractor; Denver, Colorado
- Rhonda Crockett; sports massage therapist; expert on spinal assessment; Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
- Cleveland Clinic: Posture for a Healthy Back
