Bad posture is a modern day health epidemic that is much worse than most people understand. More often than not, we find ourselves slouching at some point during our daily lives. While it seems perfectly harmless at the time (especially during those painfully boring work days), the long-term effects of poor posture are far worse than most of us realize.
Posture Facts
The word ‘posture’ refers to the alignment of your spine with all its adjoining structures. If you have good (neutral) posture, you will have proper spinal alignment at all times. However, if you have developed bad posture over the years, it is likely the result of slouching, hunching or slumping during your everyday routine. When your body is in any of the aforementioned three positions, the spinal column is disrupting nearly all major components of the musculoskeletal system.
The brain and spinal cord are the most important elements in the human body. Poor posture increases pressure on nerves, ligaments and tendons and puts extra wear and tear on the musculoskeletal system. The body naturally makes rapid adjustments to compensate for poor posture, leading to decreased blood flow, inadequate healing, and restricted nerve communication from the brain to the body through the neck.
Do You have Bad Knees, Shoulders, or Compressed Disks?
Proper alignment and movement are essential for overall health. Unfortunately, standing, sitting and/or moving improperly will cause problems in your body. When your spine is misaligned, weight and stress are redistributed throughout the body. This action causes short-term pain and potentially long-term structural damage. Spinal misalignment leads to bad posture, which most commonly impacts joints in the spine, knees and shoulders. Bad posture also places added stress on the vertebrae of the spine, causing connective disks to wear down more quickly and bones (of the spine) to compress.
Benefits of Good Posture
Good (or neutral) posture helps us stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions that place the least amount of strain on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement and weight-bearing activities.
Correct posture:
• Helps keep bones and joints in correct alignment so that muscles are used correctly.
• Reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together.
• Allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy.
• Helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain.
A person with good posture will have three natural curves in the back, with the line between the shoulders held level, not tilted. The head should be held straight; no tilting or turning to one side! When your spine is in a straight line down the center of your back, you have good posture. In order to sustain good (neutral) posture, the muscles of the body must be in balance to support an aligned spine. When in a neutral posture, the body is in its strongest and most balanced state, allowing for optimal efficiency and minimal stress on the joints and the rest of the body.
Solution: How It Works
Research has shown that people who possess a strong posture feel and appear more confident. The Posture6 gives you confidence in movement that will be recognized by others around you.
With the Posture6, you will correct unconscious poor postural habits through awareness of how you may be harming yourself. The Posture6 features a hexagonal design that uses one satin strap to produce a comfortable harness. It is a communication device which automatically reminds users that they are slouching. While the device is supporting the body, it does not have any adverse effects on movement; rather, it enhances and reinforces correct movement—even while sitting and standing. The goal is to make good (neutral) posture an unconscious, automatic behavior.
J. Brendan Ammann is the creator of the Posture6. A licensed massage therapist since 2004, Brendan Ammann combines a degree in mechanical engineering with training in gymnastics, kettlebell, Olympic lifting and a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. For 12 years, he has been working with people who have had chronic body problems. Brendan had been searching for the Posture6 ever since a childhood injury left him with a lifetime of chronic neck and back pain. Now that he has experienced the benefits and convenience of wearing the Posture6, he knows it will help others as well.Please visit www.posture6.com.