POSTURE PERFECT Why is good posture so important? Most people would respond by saying good posture is cosmetically more attractive than bad posture. And while it is true that good posture can improve your appearance, the health ramifications of good posture are far more important than simple good looks. As this pamphlet will discuss, your posture reflects the dynamic movement of the human frame and body. When discussing good posture, one must first start with the spine, the series of bones and discs which support and protect the delicate spinal cord and the 31 pairs of spinal nerves. Ordinary activities such as breathing and twisting affect the spine and the ribs where they attach to the spine. Due to the constant stresses and forces exerted in this area, the spine was designed to be structurally strong and yet very flexible. The spine is what gives the human structure support, strength and agility. If poor posture exists, one usually finds the problem originating in the spine. The spinal nerves branching off the spinal cord exit the spine through the vertebral foramina, or nerve holes, in order to travel to all parts of the body. Poor posture can cause pressure on or irritation of these spinal nerves, resulting in dysfunction to the tissues those nerves were meant to serve. Poor posture can also restrict or alter the normal position of the rib cage since the rib heads attach directly to the spine. This can cause the lungs to function improperly, as well as cause excess stress and pressure on organs and tissues in the chest and abdomen. Because all of these conditions can cause dysfunction and stresses throughout the body, poor posture can develop into a serious health threat. Poor posture leads to faulty body mechanics, which is your body's natural response to the stresses of gravity. The fact that human beings walk upright puts tremendous gravitational stress on the framework of even a normal human body - the stress on a body out of alignment can be devastating to that body's health. Your doctor of chiropractic is trained in the care of the human frame, and in the treatment of the results of poor posture. He or she has spent years studying the treatments available for poor body mechanics, and is very well-equipped to help you achieve and maintain sound posture by correcting spinal distortions. This is an excellent way to prevent health problems relating to poor posture. Doctors of chiropractic have known for years that the key to successful treatment of poor posture due to spinal distortion is early detection. For that reason, your doctor of chiropractic would like to encourage you to have your entire family's posture checked, especially the children. The earlier the spinal distortions are detected, the better are the chances of correcting the problem. Ask your doctor of chiropractic if he or she offers a family plan through which your family's posture can be examined.