• Services
• Rehabilitation
• Pain Management
• Sports Medicine
  • Injury Rehabilitation
  • Injury Prevention
    • Bike Fit Assessments
    • Golf Fitness Assessments
    • Running Assessments
    • Tennis Screenings
  • Sports Clinics
    • Swim Clinics
    • Running Injury Prevention
    • Baseball Injury Prevention
• Women’s Health
• Hand Therapy
• Injury Prevention
  • Athletic Screenings
  • Ergonomic Assessments
  • Falls Prevention
  • Musculoskeletal Screenings
  • Posture Assessments
• Educational Seminars
  • Athletic Trainer CE
  • Computer Use-Related Injuries
  • Performing Arts Injuries
  • Preventing Baseball Injuries

Posture Assessments

Posture is any position we adopt while sitting, standing, lying, and walking. Good posture involves training your body to stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions where the least strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments. Poor posture and body alignment can put undue stress on the body and lead to pain, breathing problems, arthritic changes in the joints, and muscle weakness and tightness.

Everyone can benefit from good posture, whether you are a young athlete; a writer who spends many hours sitting at a desk; a mother who spends much of the day lifting and carrying a child, picking up toys off of the floor, and pushing a stroller; or a senior who walks with an assistive device.

SSPT's approach to assessing posture and alignment

SSPT can assess your posture and body alignment and provide recommendations to reduce the risk of injury and allow you to maintain an active life. Some tips your therapist may provide for maintaining good posture include:

• Standing and walking. Wear comfortable shoes that provide good support. When standing, roll your shoulders back and avoid locking your knees. When walking, stand up tall and take comfortable, even strides, remembering to hold your head up.
• Sitting. Sit upright in a firm chair that provides good back support. Ensure the arm rests support your forearms without raising your shoulders.
• Driving. Adjust your seat so that you are sitting close to the steering wheel with your back supported, your shoulders relaxed, and your elbows slightly bent. Take frequent rest breaks.
• Sleeping. Sleep on a firm mattress and use a pillow under your head just big enough to maintain the normal cervical (neck) curve. Use pillows between or under your knees to take the strain off your back.
• Lifting. Bend from your knees, not your back, and use leg muscles to lift. Pull the child or object close to your center of gravity. Bend at your knees when putting the child or object down.
• Carrying. Hold the child or object close to your body and balanced in the center of your body. Avoid balancing the child or object on your hip.