From continually leaning to one side while in a queue to slouching over your computer, body posture is essential. Improper body positions can cause devastating damage to your health. A bad posture can impact your neck, back, and shoulders. For this reason, you must pay attention to your posture to avoid the consequences.
A person exhibiting good posture stands tall rather than leaning backward or forward. Good posture ensures you are maintaining alignment and balance in your musculoskeletal structure. More importantly, good posture is an integral part of good overall health. It is especially true because posture affects your entire body.
The Importance Of Bad Posture
Good posture helps prevent back, shoulder, and neck pain. It makes it easier to digest your food, breathe, and maintain balance and flexibility. On the other hand, bad posture can limit your range of movement, eventually making daily functioning and exercising difficult. A bad posture can reduce your efficiency too. You may require additional energy to make some movements or motions.
The Effects Of Bad Posture
Bad posture can make you pay a significant price. When you develop pain due to poor posture habits, simple tasks such as driving your car or carrying grocery bags become a nightmare. Prolonged poor posture contracts your muscles, making them less flexible or pliable.
Here are a few outcomes of poor posture.
Neck And Back Pain
These are the most common side effects of poor posture. Bad posture exerts pressure on your posterior muscles, adversely affecting your neck. You can strain your neck if your head constantly aims downward or your shoulders are often hunched forward. It can result in tension headaches.
Exerting pressure on your shoulder blades by slouching forward can flatten your back muscles. Poor posture might be the culprit if you experience pain around your tailbone and below the neck after a long day at work.
Slowed Digestion And Heartburn
A bad posture such as slouching after taking a meal can result in heartburn. This acid reflux occurs when stomach acid spurts back up into your esophagus. Slouching exerts pressure on your abdomen, forcing stomach acid in the wrong direction. Additionally, slouching can result in slow transit in the intestines.
Shallow Breathing
Forward head posture (FHP) is a form of bad posture. It happens when you stand or walk with your head jutting forward. According to research, this posture can decrease your breathing capacity. In another study, participants who slouched experienced adverse effects on their breathing. It was especially true for people who were slouching while sitting.
Incontinence
According to experts, bad posture can lead to stress incontinence. This occurs when you leak a little urine when you cough or laugh. It happens because slouching increases pressure on your abdomen. In turn, it exerts pressure on your bladder, leading to stress incontinence. Additionally, poor posture diminishes the ability of your pelvic floor muscles to handle such pressure.
If you suspect a bad posture is causing issues for you, it is advisable to see a specialist. Your therapist or chiropractor will develop a customized program to help improve your core muscles.
For more on how bad posture affects your health, call Oropeza Chiropractic Wellness Center at (305) 294-1036 to reach our office in Key West, Florida.