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How do you feel?

Bad posture is so common today that when we see someone with really good posture we remark on it. We’ve all been told by our parents and grandparents to stand up tall, put our shoulders back, don’t slouch, don’t slump. But we do it anyway.

At SOPT, our certified physical therapists will conduct a thorough clinical evaluation of your posture and body movement to determine where your specific weaknesses are so they can develop a PT regimen to correct your posture and movement.

Why does posture matter?

  • Our sedentary lifestyles – sitting all day at work, long commutes in the car, watching TV for hours – are degrading our posture even more
  • But bad posture is a major cause of chronic aches and pains. Why? Because when your body is out of alignment, all of your joints and contact points rub together in ways they weren’t designed to. This creates stress, inflammation, and tears in your soft tissues, resulting in pain that never seems to go away.
  • Bad posture, however, isn’t just about how you stand or sit. It is also about how you move. If you slouch when you stand or sit, chances are you’ll slouch when you walk.
  • This means you’ll put added stress on all of your joints, leading to chronic pain in your lower back, hips, knees, and neck.

What are the common causes?

For most of us, bad posture is just a bad habit – one that is very hard to change! Because our bodies have spent so much time in these bad positions – whether we’re standing, sitting, or moving – the muscles shape themselves to the wrong position.

  1. However, there are several other causes that your parents can’t yell at you for!
    • Heredity
      • That’s right, it’s possible that your parents are to blame. Your genes can predispose you to certain conditions, such as scoliosis or uneven limbs.
    • Physical Injury
      • Slips, falls, car accidents – any manner of injury to your joints, spine, and muscles can throw off your posture, making it difficult to stand up straight.
    • Shoe Choice
      • Your shoes are the platform upon which your posture is grounded. How your shoe positions your weight impacts how your joints have to carry that weight when you move. For example, heels tend to throw your weight forward.
    • Weak or Imbalanced Muscles
      • Ultimately, what keeps your skeleton in the right position are your muscles. If they weaken or if they are imbalanced, then your skeletal system will shift and droop
    • Emotional Stress
      • When we get stressed, our muscles tighten, our tendons contract, and our posture worsens.

At SOPT, we believe in understanding the “cause of the cause,” which means when you come to us for an injury or pain, your highly-skilled PT will evaluate not only your pain, but also the contributing factors you didn’t even think about, such as your posture and your body movement.

“Again, thanks to the care I received at Specialized Orthopedic Physical Therapy, I have regained the range of motion I was lacking and the pain is gone. I continue with a solid at-home exercise program that I am confident will keep me moving forward and most importantly not needing surgery. I would highly recommend SOPT to anyone needing physical therapy.”

– Arl

How Do I Know it’s Time for Specialized Orthopedic Physical Therapy?

  • You have been suffering from chronic pain for some time now. You may have even seen other physical therapists in the past but the pain never left or has returned.
  • You only want treatment with a licensed PT, not a string of PT Assistants.
  • You want hands-on treatment from the same PT every visit so he or she can treat you more personally and more effectively.
  • You want access to the best and most current techniques from a fully licensed PT.
  • Remember, you do NOT need a referral from your PCP to see a PT (unless your insurance dictates otherwise). And you have the right to see any PT you choose for treatment of your pain and injuries. Feel free to call our office and we can help you determine if a PCP referral is needed. (401) 384-6490

What’s Next?

Learn More About Our Process
How to Choose a Physical Therapist
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