Good posture is an integral component of maintaining the health of your spine and preventing musculoskeletal issues from developing long-term. Poor posture when standing, sitting, or sleeping can all put undue strain on your spine, resulting in complications such as chronic pain. Having a thorough understanding of the way poor posture can affect you and some methods of correcting it can assist everybody in leading a healthier, pain-free life. Here are some ways that poor posture impacts your spine and some tips to improve your posture.

How Poor Posture Impacts Your Spine

1. Neck and back pain: Neck and back pain often stems from poor posture, especially over time. Sitting for hours at a time in a non-ergonomic position – something we are all prone to do in the digital age – can strain the ligaments and muscles that support the spine. Correcting your posture can be one of the first steps to reducing back and neck pain.
2. More stress on your spine: In the age of remote work and smart phones, we often spend long hours hunching or slouching over our desks or mobile devices. Unfortunately, this puts additional pressure on your spine, which over time can turn into spinal misalignment and ensuing discomfort and pain. If your posture is causing you chronic discomfort, it’s important to start making some changes today.
3. Reduced mobility and flexibility: Poor posture can result in your spine and the muscles that surround it to get stiff. This can make it more difficult to move around as you get older. If nothing is done about this stiffness, you may end up with a reduced range of motion and find it more difficult to perform everyday activities. Regular stretching and strengthening exercises, along with an awareness of proper posture, helps to maintain spinal flexibility.
4. Higher risk of spinal conditions developing: Serious spinal conditions like spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and degenerative disc disease can all develop with bad posture over an extended period as a contributing factor. 
5. Reduced digestion and circulation: Slouching can affect circulation and digestion because it’s compressing your organs. Problems with constipation, acid reflux, and reduced oxygen flow to tissues and muscles can all develop due to poor posture. 

Tips For Good Posture (And A Healthy Spine)

• Create an ergonomic workstation: Make sure that your desk and chair are at the right height and supports proper posture 
• Use supportive mattresses and pillows: Proper spinal support and alignment when you’re sleeping helps with preventing long-term damage
• Practice core strengthening exercises: Try pilates or yoga to strengthen the muscles surrounding your spine
• Stretch regularly and move around: Our bodies are meant to move, and stretching or taking a short break every hour or so does the body good

Contact Us Today

Being mindful of your posture can help you maintain your spinal health as you go about your everyday life. Remember: Small things add up over time and can turn into larger issues. If you’re looking for a spinal specialist in Florida, call The Spine and Scoliosis Center to schedule an appointment today.