Another blog post from Ann Arbor, Michigan chiropractor Mike Tannenbaum, D.C., of Tannenbaum Chiropractic, LLC: Posture and Health

I often let my patients at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office know that your body posture plays a major role in your health. Good posture correlates with better health. On a basic level, good posture puts less strain on the joints, ligaments, and muscles of the body allowing better/healthier communication between the brain and the body.

Poor posture is common, and many people need to train themselves to have better posture. There are lots of things that can be done to improve posture. Listed below are some of them.

Sleeping Position

It's best to sleep on your back with a thin pillow under your head and under your knees. This position helps prevent too much pressure on your low back and neck.

Side posture sleeping, though not preferred, has benefits if you can draw your legs up (like fetal position), as this increases the space between the spinal vertebrae.

Stomach sleeping is wise to avoid, as it puts additional pressure on the neck and low back.

Computer and Phone

Make sure when using a phone or computer that your ergonomic set-up is optimized. One thing to avoid when using a computer or phone is holding your neck and head in a down or up position. You should be looking more or less straight ahead when using these devices to avoid straining your neck and upper back muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Your head weighs almost as much as a bowling ball, amplifying the negative effect of neck and head malposition.

Your Posture While Upright

Whether standing or walking your upright posture needs to be good. Simply, good upright posture is when the backs of your ears are above your shoulders, your shoulders are above your hips, and your hips are above your ankles.

If you have any questions about this blog post, chiropractic, back pain, neck pain, or headaches, I can be reached at my Ann Arbor chiropractic office at [email protected].

The information presented in this blog post is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.