Posture Corrector

The posture corrector market is forecasted to reach $1271.8 million worldwide in 2020.  According to a report published on Market Watch, the posture corrector market is projected to increase to $1741.7 million by 2026.  That is an increase of $500 million over the next five years.

You are probably asking what is a “posture corrector”?

It is a support device that usually wraps around your shoulders, encourages the shoulders to be in proper alignment, and may even help realign your entire body.  According to many product manufacturers’ marketing materials, one’s body will be straight from the ankle to shoulders and ears.  Their product also reports to better support the spine.

Here are some of the manufacturers’ claims:

• It is invisible under your clothing
• The materials are light-weight and porous so that your skin will be comfy
• Helps you develop good habits and keeps you from slouching
• Helps stretch the muscles

I see some claims that a posture corrector may help to reduce pain. Additionally, your posture might improve.

What it doesn’t tell you…

What all the marketing materials don’t tell you, is that you will likely rely on the posture corrector.  Instead of developing strong muscles to improve posture, it weakens the muscles because the device is doing all the work.  Additionally, you don’t develop further awareness of your posture’s role in movement and how your body travels through space.

A posture corrector is a ‘crutch.’  A posture corrector might be helpful if you have a medical condition, like scoliosis, and should only be prescribed by a medical doctor.

Why you DON’T need a posture corrector

When I read the market report mentioned earlier, the first question I asked was: “Why does the general population need a posture corrector anyway?  Also, why is the market size increasing?”

The answer is simple…

1. We are more stressed than ever
2. We spend less time on self-care
3. We have lost awareness of our bodies
4. We don’t focus enough on our health issues.

We have lost sight of what is most important — OUR HEALTH!  Without good health, we won’t be able to enjoy life.

You don’t need a device to correct your posture because you could restore it yourself if you are self-aware.  I will take it one step further: you would notice your body’s consequences when it was not in optimal alignment.

It’s up to us to keep our muscles healthy!  You can do this with exercise and various movement practices that are good for your entire body, not just the shoulders.

The posture corrector may help your shoulders, but it has minimal effect on the rest of the body.  When your shoulders are held in position by the device, your head could still be too far forward, putting stress on your cervical spine.  Also, one shoulder could be higher than the other leading to various imbalances in the body.

These are just a few examples.  I know someone who uses a posture corrector. This person’s posture has not improved.  The rest of their body is still out of alignment and continues to experience pain.

Perhaps the market for wearing a ‘posture corrector’ is increasing because doing what we should be doing is more challenging.  Don’t take the easy path: take the right path to improve your alignment!

If you need help to assess your total body alignment or determine your shoulders’ optimal position, I can help.

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