Postural syndrome can be defined as a condition in which repetitive ‘ or bad positioning of one’s body, that is sustained for prolonged periods of time, results in postural dysfunction or postural pain. It can have negative effects upon tendons, muscles, and joints.
It can affect any of the three major regions of the spine – the cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine. Based on the region that is affected, there can be multiple types of postural syndromes, namely, cervical postural syndrome, thoracic postural syndrome, and lumbar postural syndrome.
Why Poor Posture Causes Dysfunction?
Proper posture exerts minimal strain and stress on the muscles of the body, causing less muscular stretching. Some poor postures, like sitting in a forward bend position, disturb the musculoskeletal balance and pull the vertebral column out of the line of alignment to the point where postural syndrome takes place.
Muscles then have to support extra body weight as the amount of stress exerted upon them is significantly increased in this condition. Thus, muscles become taut and tense and unable to work properly. Pain, which is sometimes accompanied by other symptoms may be experienced when poor posture is maintained for prolonged periods
Common Poor Posture Habits
Some of the most common poor posture practices are described below:
- Improper sleeping position. Sleeping with one’s head propped up on a stack of pillows exerts extra strain to the neck muscles, leading to subsequent pain.
- Standing in such a way that the upper body is leaning forward, and the hips are pulled towards backward. To fix this, ensure you always stand in such a way that your head, shoulders, hips, and feet are aligned in a single vertical line.
- Sitting in a chair in a hunched position. This practice is commonly observed in people who work in offices in front of a computer, who tend not to change their body position for a long time.
- Holding a phone between the head and shoulder while attending a call. This is not a safe posture because neck muscles are strained, especially if this is done repeatedly. Cervical aches, tension headache, and herniated discs may occur due to this issue.
Risk Factors for Postural Syndrome
There may be many risk factors to be affected by the postural syndrome.
For one, professional players whose sports demand a forward-bent posture for a prolonged period of time are specifically subjected to develop postural syndrome. Such people include cyclists, hockey players, cricket players, and baseball catchers.
Apart from this category of people, some of the risk factors associated with this disorder for the general population include:
- Having a sedentary lifestyle.
- Use of mobile phones, computers, and laptops for prolonged periods of time
- Weak core muscles, that do not provide adequate support for the upper body
- Poor ergonomic conditions at home and in the workplace
- Stiff joints due to any disease of joints
- Muscle spasms
- Occupation or lifestyle that demands holding a specific posture for a prolonged period of time, like sitting, standing, bending, heavy weight lifting or slouching
- Improper sleeping posture and poor pillow placement
Lack of awareness about correct posture and lack of education are also contributory factors towards postural syndrome.
Symptoms of Postural Syndrome
Patients with postural syndrome may experience any of the following symptoms:
- Burning sensations in the upper back, neck, and shoulders.
- Dull ache in the arms, shoulders, neck and upper back.
- Pain is aggravated when the posture is maintained for a long time period.
- Pain is usually relieved with the reduction of strain, i.e. by moving around or changing posture.
- Lower back pain, as well as pain in the buttocks, hips and lower limbs including knee, ankle, and feet.
- Tightness in the affected area.
- Fatigue is often felt because of muscle spasms.
- Headache is also a common symptom because tension is increased in the neck and shoulders (supporting areas of head).
Postural Syndrome Treatment Options
The prognosis of this condition to be treated is good for the patients who have good compliance with the treatment and perform the suggested exercises.
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Other Therapies & Management
By refraining from the problematic positions and movements, one can significantly reduce the signs and symptoms associated with this condition. Treatment modalities for postural syndrome typically include:
- Core stability exercises.
- Strengthening exercises for neck, shoulder and back muscles.
- Exercises which correct the imbalance of muscles.
- Exercises which enhance the length of tight muscles to make them relax.
- Exercises for strengthening the trunk and torso.
- Chiropractic adjustments, such as vertebral column manipulative therapy, may also prove beneficial.
- Massage therapy.
- Muscle relaxation techniques.
Role of Physiotherapy Treatment for Postural Syndrome
It is concluded from studies that working with physiotherapists to practice physical therapy is quite helpful in dealing with this condition. Stretching practices of specific muscles to improve their strength is the mainstay of this approach.
Depending upon the condition of the patient as well as on the severity of the disease, some other manual techniques like joint mobilizations, soft tissue massage, small muscles mobilizing exercises and pain-relieving drugs are very helpful for the reduction of symptoms in the upper back.
Lifestyle Modifications for Postural Syndrome
It is mandatory to become more aware of your posture and make some lifestyle changes to recover from the postural syndrome. Some of the lifestyle modifications to be made are:
- Adopting an optimal posture while sleeping. A right lateral position is considered good for sleeping.
- Sleep on a comfortable and firm (not too hard or too soft) mattress.
- Practice good posture while standing and sitting.
- If possible, implement ergonomic adjustments to your working environment, ensuring proper back support.
Author: Spinal Backrack
