Side Effects of Poor Posture You Might Not Have Realized

You might feel the normal aches and pains that come along with sitting at a desk all day and not prioritizing your posture. However, poor posture does more than just make your back hurt. Bad posture can cause your immune system to not function properly, can hinder your body’s ability to digest food properly, and even cause nerve damage. 

What is Posture?

You’ve always heard people say “stand up straight” or to “quit slouching over” when sitting down, but do you know why? It goes further than just trying to look your best. It can cause a number of health problems that can be painful. 

Posture is how we’re able to hold our bodies while we’re standing, sitting, walking, or even lying down. When you have good posture, it means that your body is in correct alignment and supported by the right amount of muscle tension to fight gravity. The American Chiropractic Association states that without good posture and healthy muscles controlling it, we would simply fall to the ground. If you still don’t think having good posture is important, here are their reasons why it is:

• Good posture keeps bones and joints in correct alignment so muscles are used correctly, which decreases the abnormal wearing of joints that could result in arthritis or joint pain
• It reduces stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, which minimizes risk of injury 
• Correct posture allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and prevent fatigue 
• It helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain 

The good thing is our bodies know how to maintain our posture. It’s not something we have to think about. However, overtime, our bad habits can reroute how our body holds us up. Things like not working the postural muscles out, slouching while working a desk job, and more can contribute to not sitting or standing tall. 

Side Effects of Poor Posture 

Poor posture can cause a number of side effects that can cause you pain for years to come. U.S. News & World Report states the side effects that it can have on your overall health:

• Exacerbates arthritis: poor posture can lead to misalignment that increases strain on the knees. Overtime, it can worsen arthritis by putting extra pressure on one portion of the joint. 
• Poor circulation: if you sit for hours a day with poor posture, your body won’t get the circulation it needs.
• Chronic fatigue: poor posture can affect your energy levels due to the added tension and compression to the posture muscles that weren’t meant to bear that weight. In addition to pain, this can also make you feel fatigued more quickly and often.
• Bad mood: when you stand tall, you can have a positive effect by reducing fatigue and increasing your ability to focus.
• Forward head posture: this happens when your head is aligned forward in relation to your spine. A healthy head typically aligns a person’s ear with their shoulder, however, as the head rests in a forward position, it can cause tight and weak muscles that can cause muscle strain and headaches. 
• Jaw pain: it can also cause TMJ, a painful jaw condition that is caused by an improper bite pattern. 
• Breathing efficacy: to breathe correctly, your diaphragm needs enough space in the thoracic cavity to contract and release with each breath. However, when your body is misaligned, it can compromise your ability to breathe correctly.
• Headaches: it also causes tight muscles which compromise the natural curvature of your spine, which can cause headaches. 
• Shoulder and back pain: the rotator cuff tendons pressing on the arch of your shoulder can cause pain when you move or lie on the side of the affected shoulder. It can also lead to the shortening and contraction of the lumbar muscles which causes back pain. 

Treatments for Poor Posture 

If you have poor posture, the good news is you can correct it. At Texas Spine and Sports Therapy, we offer postural therapy, which can help realign your spine and help relieve some or all of your pain that is caused by bad posture. Postural therapy uses technology, gentle stretches, and exercise to retrain your spine into sitting up straight and standing tall. 

If you are looking for further treatment options, we offer a variety of treatments that can help alleviate pain. Your treatment plan could also include: 

• Electrical stimulation to calm irritated or damaged nerves
• Spinal alignment therapy to straighten out slipped vertebrae and relieve pressure on discs
• Braces or other support appliances to protect the back during activities 
• Steroid shots to reduce pain in one specific area 

Make an Appointment 

If you are suffering from posture pain, our team here at Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center is ready to help you. We know that every patient is different, and that’s why we offer custom treatment plans for your specific pain. Call (512)-806-0015 to make an appointment today!