Local Mayo chiropractors and the Chiropractic Association of Ireland (CAI ) encouraged Irish adults and children to ‘straighten up’ during the fourth annual Straighten Up Ireland campaign which ran until World Spine Day on Sunday October 16.
This posture care programme aims to raise awareness of spinal health among adults and children and encourage improved posture to help people to look and feel their best. The CAI is promoting a series of simple everyday exercises which take a mere three minutes to complete and act to improve posture, stabilise core muscles, enhance health, and prevent spinal disability.
The annual Straighten Up Ireland survey, conducted as part of Straighten Up Ireland Week, revealed that 91 per cent of respondents claim to be aware that correct posture improves overall health and wellbeing. Despite this, more than half admit they are only conscious of sitting and standing up straight ‘sometimes’, with eight per cent saying they are not aware of it at all.
Thirty eight per cent ‘regularly’ slouch when standing or sitting, with more than half admitting occasional lapses in good posture. Only four per cent claim to have perfect posture at all times.
One fifth of those surveyed (21 per cent ) experience regular back, neck, and/or shoulder pain, with almost three quarters (72 per cent ) occasionally suffering from one or more of these complaints.
Visit www.chiropractic.ie for more information on the Chiropractic Association of Ireland and Straighten Up Ireland Week. Information leaflets advising how to do the exercises are also available for download.
