How Improving Your Posture Can Make You Taller

Nearly 80% of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and often poor posture — such as slouching while using electronic devices — contributes to the problem. But beyond the pain it causes, did you know that poor posture can make you shorter? Over time, slumping and slouching can shift your body’s natural curves, and thus stunt your natural height.

Fun Fact: Did you know that astronauts are 2-3 inches taller while traveling through space? It’s true! The spinal vertebrae’s elongation in microgravity can add two inches to a six-foot-tall astronaut!

NASA explains that a similar stretching happens to our bodies every night. There is no gravity directly pushing on our spines, vertebrae, and disks when we lie down. As a result, when we first wake in the morning, we might be an inch or two taller! Sadly, however, sitting and standing upright throughout the day will result in a gradual loss of this gained height.

The average person doesn’t spend much time thinking about gravity, likely because it is an unavoidable part of life. Gravity keeps our feet on the ground by pulling our bodies to the center of the earth — literally.

But have you ever considered the stress that gravity puts on your joints, bones, and — ultimately — your spine every single day?

When we combine lack of activity, bad posture, sitting for prolonged periods, and aging, our spine will shrink, causing intervertebral discs and vertebrae to compress. Discs act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. The result has lasting impacts on our health and height. Add in improper bending, lifting, falling, sports injuries, or car accidents, and we have a potential recipe for disaster.

Top Reasons That Humans Get Shorter Over Time

Spinal Degeneration with Age

Many people get shorter with age. This is because the intervertebral discs in our spines act as shock absorbers and add significantly to our height. As we age, our disks become thinner and worn out, which leads to many people losing an inch or a few inches in height over time.

Poor Posture and Misalignment

However, our disks shrinking doesn’t always come with old age, and many of the issues we see in our clinics today are due to poor posture. Your stature and height are influenced by the way you carry yourself. Our backs are curved naturally, and thus regular slouching can shift the curves to adjust to this slumped posture. Ultimately this leads to misalignment not only in the spine but in your joints, hips, muscles, and ligaments as well. All of this leads to a visible reduction in height, a slouched appearance, and (oftentimes) pain.

Can a Chiropractor Make You Taller?

Spinal decompression or manipulation occurs when you receive a chiropractic adjustment. In a nutshell, a chiropractic adjustment is a procedure in which a trained chiropractor uses their hands or a small instrument to apply a controlled, specific force to a spinal joint. The outcome or goal of this manipulation is to improve spinal motion.

Regular chiropractic care aims to improve spinal motion and posture, correct physical function, and alleviate back pain by ultimately aligning the spine with the rest of the structural systems in your body that we mentioned earlier. A well-aligned spine means your posture is improved, and you’re standing up straighter, thus creating the appearance of being and feeling taller. You may see a slight increase in physical height, but the overall benefits are the ultimate goal for longevity and good quality of life.

What Are the Benefits of Chiropractic Adjustments?

One of the key benefits of chiropractic adjustments is that they create negative pressure around your spinal discs, thus allowing them to relax and lengthen. Some of the other common benefits of receiving regular adjustments include:

• Restored alignment
• Improved posture
• Reduced spinal compression
• Decreased neck and back pain, allowing you to stand up straighter

Chiropractic care takes a holistic approach and contributes to total body wellness. At Chiro One, we specialize in correcting posture imbalances, misalignments, and treating pain. Our care approach includes a detailed exam, a unique treatment plan, an expert clinical care team, and a supportive patient community for your personal health and wellness journey.

Schedule your appointment with one of our Chiro One doctors today.