Preventing Back Pain and Damage With Proper Posture

We all know about the aesthetic appeal of proper posture. Certainly, nothing reflects more poorly on a person's overall body language than a slouching back and the seeming unwillingness to stand up straight. What most people don't take into consideration, however, are the many benefits that proper posture carries with it when it comes to the health and support of the spine.Proper posture, generally identified as a straightness of the spine resulting in a direct and straight alignment of the major parts of the back and legs, does more than just make you seem more energetic and alert. In fact, maintaining good posture is one of the keys to preventing back and neck pain as you get older. Good posture provides support for the spine itself and relieves stress from the muscles in the back. This prevents long term damage which can result from the back being improperly supported. As time goes on, the back, like many other parts of the human body, will actually begin to adjust itself to the position in which it is kept. If this is a position in which it does not receive the support it needs, severe soreness and pain in both the lower back and neck can result.Maintaining good posture is especially important for those working in professions that require them to stand for many hours a day. Many retail workers, construction workers, and restaurant employees correctly attribute their back pain to being on their feet all day. This is a problem that will only get worse with time. This is especially true in the cases of those who work in environments where they stand on hard concrete or asphalt surfaces all day, as this will frequently put undue pressure on the spine.Fortunately, keeping good posture can prevent many of these problems from occurring. By keeping your back straight in a manner that supports it properly, you can keep your spine from receiving long term damage. This should be combined with other habits that help to encourage the health and support of the spine, such as employing proper lifting techniques when moving heavy objects and wearing shoes that give your back extra support. If considerable damage has already occurred, correcting your posture can still help to prevent further degeneration, but the services of a good chiropractor may be requires to reverse the existing damage.