Postural Therapy: End the Year with Better Posture

If 2020 has left you with chronic pain that makes it difficult for you to do the things you love, consider visiting Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center for postural therapy. Many treatment methods only mask the pain, but postural therapy, also known as Egoscue therapy, can work to correct the posture issues that are at the bottom of your ongoing discomfort. 

What is Postural Therapy?

Postural therapy, also known as Egoscue therapy, is a 25-year-old treatment plan designed to eliminate chronic pain caused by poor posture and postural problems. This therapy works by leveraging the therapist’s expertise with technology to determine the overall state of your posture. When the spine is misaligned, you can feel uncomfortable symptoms throughout the entire body. This therapy works by giving you a personalized series of exercises and stretches that are specifically designed to correct posture and restore your balance. These exercises target the muscles that are responsible for holding you up straight and keeping your bones in proper alignment. At the end of your treatment, with consistent exercises, you can eliminate the postural dysfunction that causes your pain. 

What Causes Bad Posture?

Did you know that good posture is a form of fitness? It’s true! Your postural muscles support the skeleton in alignment that is stable and efficient. VeryWell Health explains that bad posture can be caused by things like the day-to-day effects of gravity, genetics, illness, and more. Further, bad posture can happen to a person due to a number of other reasons as well. They explain that the most common causes of bad posture are: 

• Injury and muscle guarding – after an injury, muscles can spasm as a way to protect the vulnerable area. These spasms keep your injuries stable and protect them from further injury, however, it also limits your mobility. 
• Muscle tension and weakness – when certain muscles are weak or tense up, your posture can be affected and you can develop pain.
• Daily habits – as you find ways to accommodate your pain, your body can abandon good posture. 
• Using technology – when you sit at a computer all day or look down at your cell phone, you slowly move your body out of alignment. 
• Stress – shallow breathing or overly-contracted muscles can compromise your body posture. 
• Shoe choice – wearing things like high heels or shoes with no support can cause ankle, knee, hip, and low back pain. 

Symptoms of Poor Posture 

As we age, we become more and more likely to develop postural issues. If you sit at a desk all day, or even sleep a certain way, you can be throwing your posture out of line. Signs of poor posture include:

• Rounded shoulders
• Potbelly
• Bent knees when standing or walking
• Head that leans forward or backward
• Back pain
• Body aches and pains
• Muscle fatigue
• Headaches 

Egoscue therapy can help you treat all of the ailments and more. This therapy frequently helps conditions like back pain, shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain, hip pain, knee pain, ankle pain, jaw pain, and more. 

Benefits of Egoscue Therapy

This form of treatment for postural pain has been shown to have a 95% success rate in relieving tense and tight muscles in the body. Long-term benefits of postural therapy include improved posture, less pain, no surgery, better sleep, improved athleticism, and improved balance. 

Correcting Poor Posture

The best way to treat pain due to poor posture is to attack the source of the pain. If you only focus on the symptoms, the pain will always come back. In addition to postural therapy, there are things you can do at-home to help correct and protect your postural muscles. If you find yourself with poor posture, begin to get on the right track by:

• Being aware of how you sit at your desk
• Not slouching when you are sitting down 
• Engaging your core when sitting and walking 
• Not sleeping on your stomach 
• Keeping your head up as you walk or run
• Make sure your shoulders stay down and back when walking or standing 

Postural Therapy with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy

If you are having postural issues, call our team at Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center today to get started with Egoscue therapy. This treatment option is safe and effective for all ages, no matter your athletic ability. No matter who you are, you can benefit from improving your posture. 

The exercises we suggest for you are easy to perform and remember how to do correctly. The best part? They can be performed in our office as easily as they can in the comfort of your own home. 

It’s time to stop living with chronic pain. You can choose wellness and better posture by making an appointment at Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center. Conveniently located in Austin, TX the team is ready to help you create your custom postural therapy program today. Call us now at (512)-806-0015 to start 2021 with better posture.