How important is good posture? According to various chiropractic experts, maintaining decent posture is essential for good health. But why is it necessary? Keep reading to learn more about why you should avoid bad posture.

Better Spine Health

Without proper spinal health, your back is subject to pain, soreness, weakness, misalignment and even vertical subluxation. Constantly sitting in a hunched position, especially if you have weak bones, or you are overweight, can create spine conditions like compression fractures. Having a medical issue with your back is difficult to live with, especially if it's a chronic condition. Long-term back pain can significantly lower your quality of life, making it more difficult to function on a daily basis. Practicing good posture is a key component to maintaining a healthy spinal curve, which, in turn, will help you avoid future back problems. Training your body to stand, sit and walk straight will provide the proper support that your back needs.

Improved Circulation and Digestion

Posture doesn't just affect your back health. It can also affect your blood circulation and digestive process. A bad sitting posture will compress your body's abdomen, a region that contains the digestive organs. Your stomach and intestines need plenty of room to efficiently process food through the body. If these organs face pressure by external forces, then that might interrupt the digestive process in a negative way. Practicing good posture, especially while sitting, will ensure healthy and efficient work within the digestive tract. Posture can also affect your body's blood flow. Slouching or hunching tends to impair the body's blood circulation, leading to increased pressure on the veins. You want healthy, unimpeded blood circulation in order to avoid pain, numbness or discomfort. In the long term, impaired blood circulation will lead to other bad outcomes like poor cardiovascular health or respiratory dysfunction. Your body is at its most efficient when blood flow is strong throughout.

Fewer Headaches

Headaches aren't just the result of emotional stress. Research has indicated that posture can even have an impact on mood and the likelihood of headaches. Poor posture causes more muscle tension and tightness within the neck, back, shoulders and spinal discs. This muscle tension, in turn, causes an increase in headaches. Maintaining a good posture throughout the day will decrease the chance of developing a headache.

Looking for ways to practice decent posture? Try keeping your back straight, your stomach tucked in and your shoulders down. Be mindful of your posture throughout the day in order to get in the habit of good posture.

To get in the habit of sitting with good posture, try some of our seating products that can help you!