Physical Therapy and Poor Posture

Poor posture is the gradual mal-alignment of the spine into a flexed position due to weakened, stretched and inflexible muscles.  The cause of this flexed posture is being sedentary:e xcess sitting, computer work, video game playing, TV watching, slouching over a work station and being too busy to take the time to sit or stand up straight.  As the muscles stiffen, weaken and become inflexible, it literally takes increased energy to try to stand or sit erect.  Are you reading this and thinking, that’s me and now realizing why you are tired all of the time?  Your body only has so much energy to expend daily and if it is expending most of it just trying to keep you up, there is not much in reserve to do your activities of daily living, let alone exercise or participate in an activity that simply beings you joy. 

The American Academy of Orthopedic Medicine has stated that 80% of Americans will suffer from back pain and that 80% of that pain is due to poor posture.  $50 billion per year is spent in treating back pain.  Countless dollars are lost in decreased productivity asback pain is the second leading reason for missed work.  Does this, along with obesity, sound like an epidemic?

The signs of poor posture:  Downward head, sunken chest, rounded shoulders, decreased height, palms facing backwards, sagging buttock and breasts.  All lead to the symptoms :

• Back, neck and joint pain
• Headaches
• Impaired organ function, decreased lung capacity and poor digestion
• Jaw pain/TMJ
• Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Premature aging and decreased muscle tone
• Depression and low self esteem
• Chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia

Our physical therapist will evaluate your present state of posture and then provide treatment interventions to correct the posture with the ultimate goal of teaching you a stretching and exercise program to maintain a good posture and help to prevent the above symptoms.

What is Physical Therapy?

•  Diagnose and manage movement dysfunction and enhance physical and functional abilities. 
   quality of life as it relates to movement and health.
•  Prevent the onset, symptoms, and progression of impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities that may
    result from diseases, disorders, conditions, or injuries.

The terms “physical therapy” and “physiotherapy,” and the terms “physical therapist” and “physiotherapist,” are synonymous.

As essential participants in the health care delivery system, physical therapists assume leadership roles in rehabilitation; in prevention, health maintenance, and programs that promote health, wellness, and fitness; and in professional and community organizations.  Physical therapists also play important roles both in developing standards for physical therapist practice and in developing health care policy to ensure availability, accessibility, and optimal delivery of physical therapy services.  Physical therapy is covered by federal, state, and private insurance plans.  The positive impact of physical therapists’ services on health-related quality of life is well accepted.

As clinicians, physical therapists engage in an examination process that includes taking the patient/client history, conducting a systems review, and performing tests and measures to identify potential and existing problems.  To establish diagnoses, prognoses, and plans of care, physical therapists perform evaluations, synthesizing the examination data and determining whether the problems to be addressed are within the scope of physical therapist practice.  Based on their judgments about diagnoses and prognoses and based on patient/client goals, physical therapists provide interventions (the interactions and procedures used in managing and instructing patients/clients), conduct reexaminations, modify interventions as necessary to achieve anticipated goals and expected outcomes, and develop and implement discharge plans.