When you think of posture, you probably think more of chiropractic care and what Dr. Joe says about your spinal health. But did you know Chinese medicine has something to say about correct posture as well?
There are 14 meridians (channels) in our bodies. These pathways are the “highways” where the Qi (pronounced “chi”), or energy, flows. Acupuncture needles are inserted along these meridians to create better balance and harmony, and therefore better health, in the body.
In Chinese medicine theory, obstruction in these meridians can create pain or disease. Imagine you have inflammation in your knee. This is creating an obstruction in one or more of several meridians that pass near or through the knee, and by using acupuncture points on those meridians, the obstruction (in this case inflammation) can be reduced, reducing pain and increasing blood flow to the area.
With bad posture you may actually be creating an obstruction simply by affecting the ability of your body to circulate the energy through that area. For example, your neck constantly being bent down as you look at your phone may affect several of the meridians that flow through your neck.
Additionally, back posture can directly affect your overall health. One meridian, the Urinary Bladder meridian, parallels the spine on both sides, and actually follows right along the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve assists your heart, esophagus, stomach, and intestines in functioning. If your spine is not aligned your posture isn’t the only thing that may be affected. It may also be having an effect on these organs. And a misaligned spine will also affect the Urinary Bladder meridian. Different acupuncture points along this meridian are used to assist in treatment of issues related to every single organ in the body!
The lesson in this is to pay close attention to your posture! It not only creates muscular pain and joint problems, it may also be creating other health issues. We all do it. Just pay attention and when you catch yourself, correct yourself.