Osteopathy & Posture - Improving your Posture with Osteopathy

If you work in an environment that means that you have to remain seated for long periods of the day (such as sitting at a desk or driving) then you might consider seeing an osteopath to help improve your posture during the day. Equally, you might want to see an osteopath if your hobbies (such as computer gaming or watching films) cause you to spend a large proportion of your time sitting down. If your work (or pleasure activities) means that you have to stand up for long periods of time then you may also benefit from visiting an osteopath who will be able to advice you on ways to improve your posture to prevent future back problems and/or to alleviate any aches and pains that you have already developed.

Common Causes of Poor Posture

The number of people suffering with painful backs due to poor posture has risen dramatically recently due to the increased time that people now spend in front of computers. If you use a computer regularly then you might find that you spend a lot of time with your shoulders hunched forward towards the screen. This is a very lazy posture (as it requires minimal use of your lower back and core muscles) and it can lead to back, shoulder and/or neck pain.


Driving for long periods of time can have a similar effect on your posture because car, van and lorry seats naturally make you sit in a hunched manner. Also, because your arms will need to be up and holding the steering wheel, you may find that you generate a lot of tension in your shoulder muscles. If you experience this in your work or due to leisure activities that involve a lot of driving, then you may wish to visit an osteopath for treatment and so they can give you advice on ways to improve you posture as you drive.

As a general rule, poor posture is caused by a mixture of bad habits and bad environments. Bad habits include hunching over a computer or standing with most of your weight on one leg (known as standing on your haunches) and bad environments include the requirement to spend large proportions of your time driving or sitting at a desk.

Diagnosis and Osteopathic Treatment for Poor Posture

You may realise that you back pain is due to poor posture (especially if you poor posture is the result of hunching over a computer or a recent pregnancy) however you may also discover that your osteopath diagnosis your pain as being caused by bad posture. This diagnosis should be seen as a very helpful one as you can improve your posture (for free!) which means that you will be able to alleviate your pain and reduce the likelihood of it reoccurring on your own outside your osteopathic visits.

Treatment for poor posture will include direct treatment of any pain that you already have as well as an overall look at the core muscles in your body. This holistic treatment allows your osteopath to re-balance the muscles in your body which will increase the stability of your posture by reducing any strain that was occurring due to imbalance between your muscles.

Your osteopath will also want to give you advice on how to improve your sitting and standing posture in order to reduce your symptoms and help to build your core muscles so that you reduce your likelihood of developing future (or further) pain caused by bad posture.


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