6 Signs Your Spine is Misaligned

Your spine needs to be properly aligned to maintain proper function from your head all the way down to your feet. Additionally, proper function can help prevent chronic pain, poor posture, and other issues that could affect how you do your job and more. Here are 6 signs that your spine might be misaligned, and what you can do about it. 

6 Signs Your Spine is Misaligned

1.You get regular headaches 

When you suffer from poor posture, you put a lot of strain and tension in your upper back, neck, and shoulders. This tension can cause headaches, which can present itself as pain in the base of the skull and sometimes flashes into the face, typically near the forehead. This is one of the most common signs that your posture is misaligned. 

While headaches are simply pain involved in the head, the pain can go on for hours at a time. Additionally, headaches can be sharp and fleeing, while others can linger for longer periods of time. Common headache symptoms are:

• Pain localized to one part of the head or the scalp
• Repetition of the headaches, especially over long periods of time
• Burning or tingling sensations that accompany head pain
• Sensitivity to light, sound, or smells

2.You have neck pain

Another common culprit of poor posture is neck pain. Incorrect posture can cause your neck to not be properly positioned above the shoulders with the chest open and shoulders back. When this happens, you are putting a lot of stress on the neck because the weight of the head is not naturally balanced. 

Common neck pain symptoms present as:

• Burning sensations in the skin or muscles
• Cramping and twitching of the neck
• Muscle stiffness and loss of range of motion
• Tenderness to the touch
• Pain that increases when you move or try to stretch
• Cracking, popping, or rustling noises when you move your head and neck
• Glandular pain on either side of the neck 

3.Your knees and hips hurt

Your daily routine, such as poor posture, can put you at risk for hip and knee pain. While pain in these areas is common, poor posture can place unneeded pressure on these joints and make it difficult for you to walk and remain active as normal. 

4.You have low back pain

While low back pain can be an indicator of other conditions, such as sciatica, it can also indicate postural misalignment. Poor posture can cause degeneration of the spine due to excess stress of the joints and spine. The following bad habits can increase your chances of developing back pain:

• Poor posture while seated 
• Not maintaining proper posture when exercising, playing sports, or doing physical labor
• Lifting unbalanced loads and with your back rather than your legs 
• Living a sedentary lifestyle that allows your muscles to weaken 

5.Your head leans backwards or forwards 

If you notice that your neck slants forward or your head leans backwards, that is a telltale sign of poor posture. When the neck suffers strain, like explained above, you could suffer from neck pain, adding dozens of extra pounds of pressure on the cervical spine and increasing your risk of spinal degeneration. 

6.You feel constantly fatigued

When your body isn’t in proper alignment, your body works overtime by trying to just function normal. Your muscles will tire at a faster rate because they have to work harder, which means you will easily become fatigued and feel a loss of energy. 

Treat Postural Issues with Postural Therapy 

Postural therapy, also known as Egoscue therapy, uses the knowledge of therapists partnered along with technology to determine your posture. As a result, our therapists can create a personalized series of exercises and stretches that are specifically designed to correct your posture and restore your balance based on your individual condition. Due to this, if you stay committed to your regimen, you could potentially eliminate postural dysfunction and eradicate the source of your pain. We have seen postural therapy treat:

• Back pain
• Shoulder, elbow, and wrist pain
• Migraines
• Knee pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Ankle pain
• Jaw pain

The benefits of this therapy can be long-term, providing you with improved posture, reduced pain, avoidance of surgery, better sleep, and improved athletic performance and balance. Further, it could help conditions such as arthritis, scoliosis, spondylosis, sciatica, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, disc degeneration, and many other symptoms due to chronic pain. 

Make an Appointment with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center

It’s time to beat poor posture for good and quit living with chronic pain and reduced mobility. Make an appointment with us today by calling (512)-806-0015 to get started!