Poor posture can wreak havoc on the body. It can lead to neck, shoulder, and back pain, discomfort, headaches, muscle weakness, muscle tightness and even a predisposition to joint arthritis.
Back Pain. One of the most commonly known side effects of poor posture is unwanted strain on your upper and lower back. Slouching forward puts pressure between your shoulder blades and causes you to flatten your back muscles.
One solution to preventing back pain is to improve posture. In addition to improving your posture, general physical fitness and a healthy weight are important are important, too. But the surprisingly simple act of paying attention to improving your posture can go a long way.
Contact your health care provider for back pain that: Lasts longer than a few weeks. Is severe and doesn't improve with rest. Spreads down one or both legs, especially if the pain goes below the knee.
Avoid activities that require bending forward at the waist or stooping. When coughing or sneezing, try to stand up and bend slightly backward to increase the curve in your spine. Sleep on your side with your knees bent. You can also put a pillow between your knees.
Stretching some tight muscles and strengthening some weak muscles, is the most common approach to trying to correct posture. However, this often loads other joints and adversely affects other parts of the body. This can cause further body aches and pains.
Both your upper and lower back should be straight. Slight curves in the small of your back and at your shoulder blades are normal. Your hips need to be in good alignment with your shoulders and with your knees. Look down at your knees and check that they line up with the middle of your ankle.
In fact, poor posture is a common cause of something known as upper crossed syndrome, in which the chest can experience pain along with the neck and shoulders. The chronic nature of this pain means that many people will seek out Tucker chiropractic care to find relief from these symptoms, especially chest pain.
Cut down on activities that have led to poor posture, too. Take breaks from computer and TV time, and exercise more. "In six to 12 weeks," says Doshi, "you'll see an improvement in your posture."
Nerve Pain
Nerves also take a beating when you have poor posture. The incorrect position of bones and muscles can put unnecessary pressure on nerves, which can cause pain throughout the body. A pinched nerve in the top of your neck may cause neck pain, neck stiffness, or headaches.
A chiropractor can help you with fixing bad posture by finding the underlying cause of your problems. By correcting the root of your bad posture, you can start sitting and standing up straight without having to constantly remind yourself.
How Long Does It Take? Unfortunately, posture correction isn't usually a quick process. But, depending on the degree of your poor posture, you could be standing up straighter in just a few weeks. If you're experiencing pain from poor posture, chiropractic care can provide relief in as little as one to three sessions.
The wall provides feedback, keeping your spine neutral and your arms in position. This exercise will benefit you if you sit most of the day, as well as if you do a lot of upper-body resistance training.
Potential Reasons for Lower Back Pain When You Can't Stand Up Straight. Although there are a number of reasons that back problems may develop, three of the most common causes of lower back pain that makes it difficult to stand up straight are back sprains or strains, sciatica, and a herniated disc.
Now, it's important to stress that the most common source of lower back pain from sitting is caused by your posture. However, by also sitting for too long, the discs in your vertebrae might start losing their cushioning. As a result, there's sharp, chronic back pain, especially when sitting.
“Red flags” include pain that lasts more than 6 weeks; pain in persons younger than 18 years or older than 50 years; pain that radiates below the knee; a history of major trauma; constitutional symptoms; atypical pain (eg, that which occurs at night or that is unrelenting); the presence of a severe or rapidly ...
If the pain you feel extends to your arms, forearms, and hands, the source may be your cervical spine. On the other hand, if you feel the pain radiating to your legs, it may be a problem with the lumbar spine.