Poor posture has several negative health benefits, especially over a long period of time. Poor posture occurs from training your muscles into slouching and forward head positions. We commonly see poor posture forming when sitting at desks, looking at cell phones, computers, and sitting without proper back/lumbar support. If you are thinking “How can poor posture hurt my health?” Read here about some of the negative side effects of poor posture.
3 Negative Side Effects of Poor Posture
1. Neck And Shoulder Pain
The most obvious effect of poor posture has will be on your shoulders and neck. Poor posture can tighten and misalign the muscles in your neck and shoulders. Extra stress is put on your vertebrae in your upper spine, and your upper back muscles will be strained to compensate for the forward head position. Sometimes people will try to pull their shoulders back to compensate for forward slouching shoulders, but this can put additional stress on your muscles.
2. Weak Muscle Tone
Due to the muscle imbalances that poor posture creates, this can end up weakening your muscle tone in your upper and lower back. Additionally, weak muscles often lead to bad posture. Keeping a daily workout and exercise regime can help strengthen these postural muscles, but it is important to watch your daily posture. Chiropractors will teach you exercises for your posture if it is the primary cause of any pain.
3. Lower Back Pain
In addition to upper back pain, lower back pain is associated with poor posture due to poor circulation and strained muscles and joints. Activities like gardening and driving for long periods of time are known to cause lower back pain when you may be hunched forward. Make sure to know how to properly adjust your seat when driving and take periodic breaks when doing strenuous activities.
4. Circulation Issues
Poor posture can even hurt your diaphragm and cause issues with your blood pressure. Slumping forward will put pressure on your chest and digestive track by tightening the muscles, and when you do stand up straight, it may prove harder to take in deep breaths.
Atlas Total Health Chiropractic will help guide you through exercises and adjustments to correct poor posture and improve your health. Give us a call today at (866) 668-0108 to see what we can do to help improve your posture and overall health.
