The term "bad posture" is familiar to many. However, under this designation lies not only the usual stoop, but also more serious he alth problems. The consequences of poor posture in children and adults, as well as its causes and signs are presented in the article.
Correct Posture
The normal position is considered when there is no misalignment of the shoulder blades and shoulders, while the head is straight, and the spine bends smoothly, without kinks and protrusion. At the same time, it seems that the person is standing straight, and his back is perfectly straight. Unfortunately, today the correct posture is quite rare. Does this mean that all people have problems with the spine? No, curvature and other unpleasant pathologies are not so common, but such people look stooped and tired from the burden of life's problems.
Signs of bad posture
All changes in the spine that are not the result of an injury can be attributed to the definition of "wrong posture". She has the followingsigns:
- Head comes forward or bows. In this case, the slope can be in all directions, but most often forward or to the side.
- The shoulder blades protrude strongly outward.
- Shoulders push forward. They are bent and can only be brought back to normal with some effort.
- Chest sinking in.
- The back visually looks hunched over.
- The pelvis is knocked out of a flat lane and tends to forward or backward.
- The shoulders are at different levels.
With good posture, the body is even, does not lean to any side, the head is straight, and the back is even.
Causes of curvature
Incorrect posture can be not only due to a hunched seat on a chair, but also for a number of other reasons:
- Congenital pathologies of the skeleton. This cause is quite rare, at the same time it is very difficult to fix it. With age, the changes become more noticeable, and can also cause some discomfort. Most often, in such cases, surgical correction of the spine is required.
- Frequent sitting in bent over water. This habit begins to form in kindergarten and elementary school. The task of the mother is to control the posture of the child, otherwise the body is restructured and stoop occurs even in a standing position. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle can be associated with work, such as office workers.
- Excessive physical activity can lower the shoulders down andbend the spine.
- Excess weight, under the weight of which the spine also takes on an unnatural shape.
- Carrying a bag or briefcase on one shoulder forces you to bend over to the other side, lifting the burden with your shoulder.
- Unnatural sleeping positions or overly soft mattress.
Poor vision can also be a cause of poor posture, as a result of which a person has to bend down in a sitting position in order to make any record. In addition, high heels in women also adversely affect the spine.
Varieties
Depending on the nature of the curvature, these types of incorrect posture are distinguished:
- Stoop is a pathology in which there is a drooping of the head, shoulders, a gently rounded back.
- A flat back is a phenomenon in which there are no anatomical curves of the spine, in particular, a natural deflection. A characteristic sign is a protruding abdomen.
- Flat-concave back is a condition in which the back is straight when sitting and looks stooped when walking.
- Round back. This pathology is characterized by a strong bending of the spine in the region of the shoulder blades. If there is no solution to the problem, a hump may occur.
- Scoliosis is a condition in which there is a curvature of the spine that makes a person look unnaturally crooked.
Pathology is easy to detect, since with a curved spine a person cannot sit straight for a long time even with a developed muscular corset.
Consequences
Bad posture can lead to these diseases:
- Kyphosis is a pathology in which the curvature of the spine is observed in the thoracic region. It is most common in girls and develops during adolescence.
- Lordosis is a type of curvature of the spine in the cervical and lumbar regions. In this case, a characteristic protruding belly appears.
In the early stages of the development of such conditions, the problem can still be solved in simple ways.
What does it lead to?
The consequences of poor posture in women can be as follows:
Headache caused by bad posture
- Pain in the lumbar spine.
- Discomfort in the thoracic spine. Sometimes it also appears in the chest. It can be hard to breathe.
- Pain and numbness of the neck.
- Chronic muscle spasm.
- Deformation of the chest with limited mobility.
- Pressure on the heart muscle of the chest.
- Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract due to its incorrect position.
- Pathological changes in the pelvic organs.
- Arthrosis, in which the motor function of the spine is impaired.
- Hernias caused by compression of the intervertebral fluid.
- Pinch or inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which is accompanied by acute pain.
- Protrusion is a condition in whichthe intervertebral annulus fibrosus loses its elasticity, causing the intervertebral discs to move inward.
- Bad posture can lead to sciatica. It manifests itself in characteristic "lumbago" in the spine.
The consequences of poor posture can be difficult to correct, so it is recommended to monitor the position of your own back.
How to fix?
Despite the seriousness of the possible consequences, this can be corrected with simple methods. This should be done when the first signs of incorrect posture are detected:
- Women are advised to lower their heel height to 5 cm. Anything higher may contribute to back malposition.
- Sedentary lifestyle can be diluted with moderate physical activity, among which swimming, fitness and yoga are especially useful for the spine.
- Constant monitoring of the position of the spine when walking, sitting. It is important to break the habit of keeping your hands in your pockets, as this can also lead to slouching.
- Excess weight puts pressure on the spine. If you get rid of it, then this load will disappear.
It is also useful to wear bandages that are worn on the back and straighten the shoulders.
How to tell?
Bad posture can lead to many back problems. Therefore, it is very important to identify it in the early stages. There are several ways to find out about the curvature of the spine:
- Need to stand nearwall, leaning back against it. Normally, there should be free space between the back and the wall. A hand must go through it. If it passes too freely or, conversely, does not pass at all, then the back is curved.
- It is necessary to attach a string with a weight attached to the seventh cervical vertebra. Scoliosis can be determined by such a pendulum. To do this, he must deviate at the level of the gluteal region.
- Incorrect posture can also be determined by the upward deviation of the shoulder blades, which appears when the back is bent.
The nature and degree of development can only be determined by a specialist after a thorough diagnosis. Self-examination measures only indicate the need to visit a doctor.
How to maintain good posture?
Curvature of the spine can occur at any age under the influence of the reasons described above. To prevent this from happening, orthopedic specialists recommend following these simple rules:
- Self-discipline that keeps you from relaxing and hunching your back. You need to constantly make sure that your back is even, your shoulders are straightened, and your head is up.
- When sitting on a chair, you should always press your back against the back of the stool. It is also recommended to keep your legs at an angle of 90 degrees, do not cross them together and do not cross your legs.
- You need to sleep on a hard mattress with a small pillow under your head, which should also be of medium softness.
- Reading in a lying position harms not only vision, but also posture, as the spine takesunnatural position.
- No need to carry weights in one hand, it is important to evenly distribute the weight.
- Exercising regularly gives you more confidence, weight loss, and helps keep your back straight.
Incorrect posture can lead to serious consequences, which will be quite difficult to correct. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the condition of your back from an early age.
