Posture correctors – what are they? Do they really work?

What is poor posture?

Poor posture is seen more often than ever in practice as our lives become more sedentary, with more hours spent leaning over computer screens and looking down at our phones. Chiropractors deal with bad posture and the effect it has on the body every day. Ongoing poor posture can lead to poor health, pain and can activate the sympathetic nervous system, which is the body’s stress response. Dr. Romina (Chiropractor) from our Torquay practice talks more in detail about what poor posture actually is and it’s consequences here.

What are ‘posture correctors’?

Posture correctors are devices used (similar to braces) to assist people in bringing their shoulders back and maintain an ideal posture. 

What do posture correctors do? Are they good for you?

While the aim is to correct posture and they can do this, the effects of posture correctors are not long term. While in the short term posture correctors may help with postural issues and take pressure off nerves that may be irritated as a result of poor posture, the corrector does all the work for you. By this, I mean that the muscles that should be working to hold the shoulders back naturally no longer have to work to do this. Over time, these muscles will weaken even more, so when the posture corrector is removed, the issue can often be far worse than it initially was.

While of course there are circumstances where posture correctors can be a great tool in the short term, please consult a Chiropractor or other healthcare practitioner to ensure using one is right for you, as well talking about when you should be wearing it and for how long.

What can you do and use instead to help improve your posture?

The following can good alternatives to using a posture corrector:

• Using a posture pole (more to come on this!)
• Getting assessed by a Chiropractor to find the cause of your bad posture for more of a long-term solution to your issue. Chiropractors may be able help by providing exercises that are specifically aimed at correcting your specific case of poor posture, as well as perform adjustments to ensure the spine is moving well and supporting itself.

Introducing the true MVP: the posture pole

Never heard of a posture pole before? A posture pole is a long semi-circular foam device that resembles a foam roller cut in half. It is very simple to use – the individual lays on the posture pole, ensuring the head and tailbone are resting on the pole. Laying on a posture pole works by doing the following:

• Opening up the chest and stretching those muscles
• Helps to bring the head back into a neutral position
• Takes pressure off the mid back
• Calms the nervous system
• Reduces stress

We spend a lot of our time bending over, looking at phones, computers, kids… the list is endless! Regular use of a posture pole helps to reverse the impact this has on the body, in a more gentle, natural way than a posture corrector. To read more about the posture pole, how to use it and for how long, Dr. Romina (Chiropractor) has shared a very informative guide on the topic here.

Where can you buy a posture pole?

You can buy posture poles from many Chiropractic practices around Australia, including all our nine of our Total Health practices. Posture poles can work well alongside Chiropractic care for a long term solution to postural issues.

If you have any concerns about your posture and the long term affects it can have on your body, get assessed by Total Health Chiropractic or your local trusted Chiropractor.

Article written by Dr. Cecily Hendrickson (Chiropractor)