The complications of poor posture include back pain, spinal dysfunction, joint degeneration, rounded shoulders and a potbelly.
Postural syndrome is a condition of the lumbar and cervical spine that causes symptoms such as aches and pains in the neck, head, shoulders, lower back pain and even hips and legs, normally from sustained poor posture. Poor posture is the positioning of your body that causes unnecessary strain.
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.
Poor posture leads to subluxations (misalignments) in the cervical spine (neck). Subluxations can speed up degenerative processes like arthritis. It also placed pressure on the nerves (brachial plexus) in the cervical spine that travel down the arms into the hands.
What causes posture problems? Poor posture often stems from modern-day habits like working in front of a computer, slouching on a couch while watching TV, or looking down at a smartphone. Poor posture could also be due to many hours spent carrying heavy objects (like equipment at work, grocery bags, or a heavy purse).
Postural control involves the vestibular system, vision, and proprioception. From these three systems there is back and forth communication with the brain and the body to produce stability or mobility.
For example, the ability to move from sitting to standing; to take a step; to respond to a slip or trip; to predict and avoid obstacles; to carry a glass of wine without spilling it, even when walking across a rolling boat; and to orient your body to a speeding soccer ball, all require excellent postural control.
Postural distortion patterns are defined as predictive patterns of muscle imbalance. There are three common distortion patterns, pronation distortion, lower cross syndrome, and upper cross syndrome.
Your posture can actually affect your mood and mental state! People who walk or sit in a slouched position often have increased feelings of depression and unhappiness. So, sit up straight and you may feel more attentive, happy, and confident!
Slouching for prolonged periods of time loads and strains the iliolumbar ligaments. A strained Iliolumbar ligament can make it uncomfortable to sit (regardless of position), kneel, or to stand up. Pain can be ongoing, intermittent, or episodic.
Assuming this position day-in, day-out can result in shortening of the chest muscles and weakening of the small, postural upper back and neck muscles which work to pull the shoulders back. This results in the larger back and neck muscles such as Trapezius and the Rhomboids working harder and becoming tight and achy.
Better alignment of your body can be achieved through regular exercise, and the improved posture lowers your risk of injury and bolsters the effectiveness of conditioning. Aerobic conditioning of the body, through bicycling, swimming, or walking, will make it easier for you to maintain strong alignment.
While back and neck conditions top the list of potential posture woes, there are many others — such as poor balance, headaches, and breathing difficulties.
Several factors contribute to poor posture--most commonly, stress, obesity, pregnancy, weak postural muscles, abnormally tight muscles, and high-heeled shoes.
Stay active. Any kind of exercise may help improve your posture, but certain types of exercises can be especially helpful. They include yoga, tai chi, and other classes that focuses on body awareness. It is also a good idea to do exercises that strengthen your core (muscles around your back, abdomen, and pelvis).
Having a misaligned spine can affect your general health and increase the risk of several chronic conditions. You may experience poor posture, decreased mobility, permanent joint deformities, respiratory problems, a reduced range of motion, and several other problems.
When you are in proper alignment your body will be relatively straight from head to toe. If your body is misaligned you can feel pain in various parts of your body ranging from headaches to sore feet or discomfort in any joints, muscles or nerves in between.
Common postural distortions include: “rounding” and elevation of the shoulders; tightening of the chest muscles as back muscles weaken; protrusion of the head; and the tightening of the hips, as the glutes (butt muscles) become weak.