When viewed from the front the spine should appear straight. From the side you should see some curves. Normally the neck will curve forward, the upper back curves backwards, and the lower back forward again. This a
lignment allows the spine to have a good range of motion, but also provides stability and support when lifting.
There a couple of ways to
check your own posture and a few things to look for when you do. You
can stand in front of a mirror to check your posture from the front,
to see from the side you will probably need to enlist a friend of
family member. When checking your posture you should take a few steps
in place and then stand still in what feels like your usual stance.
You should be able to see that your eyes are level with the horizon,
one shoulder should not be higher than the other, and hips should be
level. From the side you should imagine a vertical line through the
hole in your ear, center of your shoulder, top of the femur, and
ankle. By doing this you should be able to get a rough idea of your
posture.
If you notice any deviations
from the normal posture, you should be evaluated by a health care
professional who specializes in spinal conditions such as your Utah Chiropractic Physician. Here at 'The Joint' in Sugar House we make
postural evaluations part of your initial examination and can make
recommendations to improve and postural distortions we find.
~Sean Smith
