Posture and Back Pain
Have you ever woken up with pain in your back? Have you ever bent over just to find that you can no longer get up? Back pain happens in varying degrees to everyone at some point in their lives. Some back pain is minor and only requires pain medicine or daily exercising to get the back in shape. Other people are not so lucky and require back surgery to ease their suffering. However, most back pain can be avoided with good posture. Poor posture causes everyday back pain for many.
The Importance of Proper Posture
includes keeping your spine, neck and head aligned properly while standing, sitting and even lying down in bed, as well as when lifting or picking things up. When things get out of whack with our posture, the body responds with pain, which usually occurs in the back though the neck can suffer as well. This pain can require rest, medication or even surgery.
When you use proper posture the muscles are all working together to keep the body aligned. This use of proper posture keeps those muscles toned, making them less susceptible to injury. When you slouch you are blocking those muscles from working properly, but also using other muscles in a way that puts a strain on the back. When thinking about back pain and proper posture it is really a give and take relationship.
Joint and Ligament Pain
The strain you feel comes from pain in the joints and ligaments as well as the muscles. When you slouch you put extra strain on these parts of the back; the strain then causes pain. Worse than that type of pain, however, is the pain you get when the discs in the back are irritated and overworked.
Discs -- Human Shock Absorbers
The discs are there to cushion bones in your back and to prevent them from rubbing together and cartilage from wearing down. They are the human equivalent of shock absorbers. If you slouch, you are causing those discs to work in ways they weren't meant to. They can wear down or slip, causing massive back pain that usually requires serious pain medication or even surgery.
The Problems of Slouching
Lower back pain is usually the result of poor posture because that area of the back is responsible for carrying the majority of your body weight, but upper back and neck pain can occur as well. Those who slouch with shoulders leaning forward risk upper back pain, especially between the shoulder blades. Walking with your head down constantly can make it difficult to move your neck without pain.
Benefits of Proper Posture
While poor posture can cause back pain, it is also important to know that when the muscles of the back are toned and strengthened they can assist is keeping your posture proper all day long. Stretching and exercising the back is vital in maintaining good posture and, in return, good posture helps keep back pain away. Visiting a chiropractor may be appropriate for some people in helping keep their spine aligned.
Tags: back pain, back pain, good posture, proper posture, even surgery, exercising back