09 413 5312
Elevate Chiropractic
  • Home
  • Services
    • Acute Pain & Injury Care
    • Good Posture
  • About Us
  • Blog
    • FAQs
  • Contact Us

Do you have "good" Posture? Here's how to find out

3/3/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Have you tested your posture recently? Most people I see in practice say they want to improve their posture to some degree.  Before testing posture though, it is important to realize that posture is not just how well you stand.  We need to be aware of our posture when we sit, when we bend, and when we sleep. You could have the best standing posture, but that would not mean much if as soon as you sit in front of the computer you start slouching. 
Picture
What causes poor posture?
Posture is a complex interplay between your nervous system and your musculoskeletal system.  This is how chiropractic care can fit into the posture story.  In order to have good posture, your body and nervous system needs to be working well. 

Your posture is determined by the demands that you place on your body. For example, if you spend a lot of time slouched over in front of the computer, your body will get really good at being in this position.  If you then wanted to move into a better posture, it feels awkward and you can’t maintain it very long because your body is no longer use to that position. 

To help understand this concept, 
I like using the quote “your body gets good at what it needs to get good at”. Ask yourself, what am I asking my body to get good at?

With that in mind, let’s check your posture.

How to test your posture
Most people want to improve their posture and in order to do this, you need to know what your posture is currently like. If you have seen me in practice, you would have had posture photos taken. We then put markers on the images showing how you compare to “ideal” or “good” posture.

If you haven’t had postural photos it’s easy to do yourself.  Simply get someone to take a photo of you from the front and the side. In order to get more accurate photos I would suggest to stand how you would normally, close your eyes and tilt your head forwards and back a few times and come back to the center, then take a big breathe in and then let it out and relax your body and then take the photo. 
​
There is no point taking photos where you are trying to stand up nice and tall if that is not how you normally are.
Picture
Picture
What to look for on your posture photos
Now that you have your photos, let’s see what your posture is like. The images above are paintings I did for my office.  I did them mainly for the anatomy, but the posture is represented well.

​Traditionally, when looking from the side, good posture is the alignment of several boney landmarks. These are:
  • The ankle
  • The knee
  • The hip
  • The shoulder
  • The ear

There are a few more things to look for, but for simplicity, just look for these landmarks.  When looking from the front we should see:
​
  • Ears that are level
  • Shoulders that are level
  • Hips that are level
  • Feet that are pointing straight ahead

If you draw a line between the ankles, bisect it and then draw a line perpendicular to this, it should go straight up the middle of the body.
Now you know what your posture is like, what’s next?
If you have taken your posture photos, you will have an idea how good or bad your posture is.  So what do you do now? 

Presumably you will want to try and improve it. In the upcoming posts during posture month, I will show you some ways of doing this as well as some of the benefits of good posture.

References
  • Book: Overcoming Poor Posture. Steven Low and Jarlo Ilan 2017
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Dr Craig Buscomb

    Bringing you news, research and advice on health, wellness, exercise and chiropractic care to help take your health to the next level

    Picture
    book now

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All
    6 Week Challenge
    Air Purifier
    Archetypal Postures
    Athritis
    Back Brace
    Back Pain
    Balance
    Barefoot
    Blood Pressure
    Body Hacks
    Brain Development
    Brain Function
    Breathing
    Cervicogenic Headaches
    Children
    Chiropractic Care
    Chiropractic Research
    Clicking Joints
    Computer Setup
    Concussion
    Core Exercise
    Crawling
    Cryotherapy
    Diaphragmatic Breathing
    Disc Herniation
    Disc Injury
    Dizziness
    Dr Craig Buscomb
    Elderly
    Elevate Chiropractic Clinic
    Ergonomics
    Exercise
    Eyesight
    Eyestrain
    Fall Risk
    FAQs
    Fatigue
    Feet
    Fidgeting
    Flexibility
    Foam Roller
    Foot Function
    Foot Pain
    Free Spine Checks
    Functional Movement
    Gardening
    Gift Ideas
    Goals
    Grip Strength
    Grounding
    Habits
    Hanging
    Headaches
    Headbanging
    Health
    Heat Therapy
    Hip Arthritis
    Hip Hinge
    Hip-Hinge
    Hip Pain
    Hip Test
    Hugging
    Hypermobility
    Ice
    Joint Cracking
    Kneeling
    Knee Pain
    Leg Pain
    Lifting
    Lifting Technique
    Low Back Pain
    Lower Back
    Lower Back Pain
    Massage
    Massage Ball
    Meditation
    Mid Back
    Migraine
    Mirgrane
    Mobility
    Movement
    Music
    Myofascial Release
    NEAT
    Neck Pain
    Neck Stretches
    Neuroplasticity
    New Year's Resolutions
    Nocebo Affect
    Non-Exercise Movement
    Novelty
    Office Chairs
    Osteoporosis
    Overweight
    Pediatric Care
    Performance
    Physical Activity
    Pillows
    Piriformis Syndrome
    Placebo Effect
    Plants
    Posture
    Posture Brace
    Power Poses
    Rehabilitation
    Rest
    RICE
    Risk Of Dying
    Schoolbag
    Sciatica
    Sciatic Nerve
    Seniors
    Shoes
    Shoulder
    Shoulder Pain
    Sickness
    Sitting
    Sitting Positions
    Sleep
    Sleeping
    Soft Tissue Release
    Sport
    Sports Performance
    Stability
    Static Back Position
    Stress
    Stretches
    Stretching
    Studying
    Surgery
    Teenagers
    Tension Headaches
    Testimonials
    Text Neck
    Tongue Positions
    TV
    Upper Back Pain
    Upper Cross Syndrome
    Vertigo
    Walking
    Warning Signs
    Water
    Weightloss
    Wellness
    What To Expect
    Work Breaks
    Yoga

    RSS Feed

    Contact Us
    Services
    About Us
    It's what you do everyday that impacts your health, not what you do sometimes.

Let us keep you updated with our newsletter

Quick Links

Home
Services
About Us
Blog
Contact Us
Privacy and Confidentiality

Contact Us

Shop 1, 10 Greenhithe Road
Greenhithe, Auckland 0632
P: 09 413 5312
M: 027 975 4104
E: [email protected]
Submit once, a confirmation email will be sent to you.
© Elevate Chiropractic  2014 | Website developed by Outbox Ltd