Improve your posture with a digital camera

By Shari Feuz, on September 24th, 2009

Would you be alarmed if your physician pulled out her digital camera and took your photo in response to your complaints of chronic headaches, back or hip pain? You shouldn’t be! It is quite possible that poor posture is the cause of your pain and discomfort. Surprisingly, a simple posture photo can be a powerful diagnostic tool and the first step in a quick and natural recovery. Before giving up or turning to last resort pain management consider having your posture assessed. You can even do it yourself!

More than a hunch

Most people are aware when they have poor posture. At the suggestion they are inclined to sit up tall and retract the shoulder blades like a soldier on parade. “People always relate posture to the head, neck and shoulders” confirms Dr. Scott Cooley, Chiropractor at the Performance Posture Clinic in Vancouver, “however they do not realize that problems occur along the entire spine and at the pelvis, producing symptoms rarely linked to poor posture.” Carpal tunnel and sciatica are among the common conditions treated with posture correction.

“I work with a client who reports breathing better after our workouts” reports Joanna Zervas, kinesiologist and personal trainer. “By reducing his hunched posture, we reduce the restriction of his respiratory muscles. Not only does he walk out the door standing taller he also enjoys increased energy from the enhanced ability to intake oxygen”

“When we have 100 percent function, we have 100 percent health” says Dr. Cooley, who also reports claims of reduced allergies, asthma and fewer sick days from patients receiving posture correction treatments.

A thousand words

Just what can a photo tell you about your posture? “Alot!”, reports Rob Williams B.Sc., kinesiologist and founder of the Performance Posture clinic. Williams can identify deviations at any of the spinal curves, spinal rotations, assymmetry at the shoulders and hips, and leg length discrepancy. “Once I have someone standing against a plumb line, to their shock, I am usually able to tell them where they are experiencing pain syndromes” claims Williams.

Excerpt from Alive Magazine #312, October 2008, by Shari Feuz

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September 24th, 2009 | Tags: asthma, carpal tunnel, health, posture, sciatica | Category: Exercise is medicine, Fitness, Posture, Wellness

Shari Feuz is a Vancouver Canada based fitness professional with a passion for guiding people to achieve mastery over how their body looks, feels and performs. Shari is a kinesiologist and certified personal trainer with over 12 years experience. She is a freelance health & fitness writer, a presenter and the founder of TrainerGirl, a volunteer organization that provides fitness mentorship to underprivileged young girls.