Posture Assessment & Care in Mosman

Long days at a desk, hours on a laptop and a constant glance down at a phone all shape how you hold yourself. Over time, a slumped or forward-head position can become the way your body settles by default. This page explains what a posture assessment at ReFigure involves, what care may include, and the general desk set-up guidance people ask us about most. It does not tell you what care will do for your posture, because that varies from person to person and we cannot promise an outcome.

Why do desk and screen workers ask about posture?

Mosman and the wider Lower North Shore are full of people who commute to the city, work long hours at a screen or run their day from a home office. When you sit for hours with a screen below eye level, your head drifts forward and your shoulders round in. None of this means anything is broken; bodies are adaptable. Sustained positions are one of the things people notice alongside stiffness and tension through the neck, upper back and shoulders, and it is a common reason to ask for an assessment.

Good posture is less about standing rigidly to attention and more about your body being able to move freely and hold itself upright without constant effort. That is the lens we bring to a posture assessment: how you function day to day, not a single "perfect" position.

What are forward head posture and rounded shoulders?

Forward head posture describes a head that sits ahead of the shoulders rather than balanced over them, common after long stretches looking down at a screen. Rounded shoulders describe shoulders that roll inward and forward. These two often travel together and can be reinforced by the way many of us sit, drive and type. They are descriptions of position, not diagnoses. Our chiropractors look at how these patterns fit into your whole-body posture rather than as isolated problems.

What happens in a posture assessment?

A first visit is an assessment. Your chiropractor takes a history and talks through your day: your desk and screen set-up, how many hours you sit, how you sleep and move, and where you feel discomfort. From there they look at how you stand, sit and move, how your spine moves, and how your posture holds under everyday load.

• A conversation about your history, work set-up and goals
• A look at how you stand, sit and move
• An assessment of spinal movement and posture patterns
• A plain-English explanation of what was found and what the options are

The options may include manual care, lower-force techniques, movement and exercise guidance, doing nothing for now, or referral to your GP or another practitioner. You can decline any technique, and you can ask for a lower-force approach at any point.

What techniques may be used?

Our chiropractors use a range of techniques, including Advanced Biostructural Correction (ABC), a full-body manual protocol that looks at posture and biomechanics as a whole, alongside diversified adjusting, Thompson drop, activator and other low-force techniques, dry needling and soft-tissue work. Which of these features in your care depends on your assessment, your goals and your comfort, and technique is only used with your consent. Care is individualised, and outcomes vary from person to person.

What is the general guidance for a desk set-up?

These are the general workstation habits people ask us about most. They are general information, not a claim about care:

• Screen height: keep the top of the monitor near eye level, so your head sits balanced over your shoulders.
• Chair and desk: a chair that supports your lower back, feet flat, forearms level with the desk.
• Movement breaks: stand, stretch or walk for a moment every 30 to 45 minutes rather than sitting for hours.
• Phone: lift it toward eye level instead of dropping your head to look down.
• General activity: regular activity you enjoy is part of general health guidance.

At your appointment we can talk through practical tips matched to your work and body.

When should you see a GP first?

Some symptoms need medical assessment before, or instead of, musculoskeletal care. See your GP promptly, or an emergency department if severe, if you have numbness, weakness or pins and needles in the arms or hands; pain that wakes you at night; a change in posture after a fall or accident; or unexplained weight loss or fever. If what we find at your assessment would be better looked at by a doctor first, we will say so and help point you in the right direction.

Good to know before you book

• Where: 18A Spit Road, Mosman NSW 2088. The entrance is via Brady Street, by Spit Junction.
• Registered chiropractors: Dr Andrew Callister, Dr Mathew Cullen and Dr Natalie Hope are registered with the Chiropractic Board of Australia through AHPRA.
• No referral needed: book online or call (02) 8937 2740.
• Open six days: until 7:00pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and Saturday 9:00am to 2:00pm. Closed Sunday.
• Low-force techniques available: ask for a lower-force approach at any point.
• HICAPS on site: claim your health-fund rebate at the time of your visit and pay the gap.
• Getting here: Bridgepoint car park on Brady Street, and the B-Line (B1) stop at Spit Junction. See our Mosman clinic page for directions.

ReFigure is a warm, patient-centred clinic in Mosman. Care is evidence-informed, individualised, and focused on your musculoskeletal comfort and function. We do not promise a specific result, and outcomes vary from person to person. If we don't think we're the right fit, we'll say so.