The spinal column is a complex system that is part of the human skeletal structure. It is responsible for housing part of the central nervous system within the spinal cord. Various disorders that affect this area of the human body can lead to pain, and other problems.
One of them is poor posture. Having poor posture can put pressure on the nerves inside the spine, and lead to various symptoms and possible complications.
Causes
Although we might have the best intentions to maintain a good posture at all times, we don’t always remember to actively hold our spine in the correct position. Inevitably, there are quite a few common posture mistakes that can lead to back pain and other complications if posture is not being corrected.
That being said, these are some factors, or mistakes we tend to make, that can lead to bad posture:
- Having a weak upper body. Neglecting the muscles in our upper body can lead to them weakening over time, which affects the stability of our spine. If our spine is not being properly supported by the muscular system, it can lead to bad posture and back pain
- Sitting down for long periods of time. It is no secret that sitting down for prolonged periods of time can put a strain on our backs. Getting up, walking around and stretching regularly throughout the day may help alleviate any unpleasant effects of sitting down for too long
- Tight or shortened hip flexor muscles can lead to an abnormal curvature in the spine
- Wearing high heels for any period of time. Because high heels modify the posture of our body for the time they are being worn (and if worn too long even after taking them off) they can put unnecessary pressure on our spine and cause poor posture
Symptoms
Needless to say, there are certain consequences that come with having an unnatural posture. It can lead to symptoms such as:
- Neck and back pain
- Tension in the muscles of your neck and upper body in general
- Having a tight chest, which can lead to breathing problems
Worse still, in the long term, bad posture can lead to complications such as:
- A deformed spine
- Spinal compression
- Pain in other parts of the body
What you can do to correct your posture
There are, however, some good news. Namely, there are several approaches available for improving your posture. Here are a few suggestions:
- First, in order to recognise if you don’t have good posture, you can stand in front of a mirror and let your arms hang naturally by your sides. If you notice that from the front, your upper body is leaning towards one side, or your shoulder blades are slanted in one direction and are not horizontally aligned, you might have poor posture. Alternatively, if you look from the side, and your head and neck are heavily leaning forward while your upper back is curved forward, you might be slouching, which is a sign of bad posture.
- Strengthen your core muscles, which can help stabilise your spine
- Wear comfortable shoes instead of heels
- Get up from your desk, chair, or bed, and walk around and/or stretch for about 5 minutes or so every hour
- Stretch any tight muscles that might be causing a postural imbalance (such as the hip flexors)
- Try physical therapy (using a special device) to decompress your spine
Spinal Backrack Technology
Do you want to take your back pain recovery to the next level? The Spinal Backrack, a patented class I medical device, can help you fix bad posture with no side effects. It has been carefully engineered by the brightest minds on Harley Street to give you the best possible comfort and results. Its aim is to treat the underlying causes of your pain, rather than just superficially mask the symptoms temporarily.
