Posture is something we all probably take for granted, and we would not usually not associate back pain with posture. Simply put, posture is the way we hold ourselves and is impacted by the proper alignment of our bones and muscles. Often individuals experience pain when their joints are dislocated or suddenly out of alignment. That pain can be more gradual when the joint is slowly brought out of alignment from years of slouching or hunching over. In effect, poor posture develops from extended periods, sometimes years, of bad habits.
Most individuals ultimately have poor alignment in the areas of their shoulders, neck or lower back. After years of sitting in a car, working on a keyboard, or positioning ones self in an unnatural position, postural problems may develop and ultimately one may begin to have back or neck pain.
When a joint is not aligned, some muscles surrounding the joint become stronger and others become weaker. As a result, particular muscles have to work harder to hold a neutral position and ultimately there is an imbalance of muscle strength. The end result is a shifting of the normal alignment in the skeletal system and a change in one’s normal posture.
Low back pain can occur from postural change in the lumbar spine. The spine has multiple (facet and intervertebral) joints and a natural curve (lordosis) that allows the body to operate efficiently. Slouching can change that curve and precipitate low back pain and decrease lumbar flexibility.
The hamstring muscles along the back of the leg have to work harder to keep a person upright. Tight hamstrings pull on the lower back and can reduce spinal flexibility and cause lower back pain. Hours of sitting can further tighten the hamstrings and increase that pain. Ultimately the overworked muscles will become fatigued and routine activities could become painful. Thus, stretching and regular activities can help prevent many of the natural postural abnormalities that occur.
Activities such as Yoga, Pilates, and exercise therapy help with stretching and strengthening of the muscles, and also improve alignment by coaxing the appropriate muscles to slowly pull the joints into their correct position. As long as one learns how to maintain a neutral body posture, many of these spinal abnormalities can be prevented without Yoga and other exercises. The key to maintaining this neutral position is to focus on keeping your chest up and forward, your shoulders down and back, and the ears aligned with the shoulders. In addition, strengthening weak core and back muscles and stretching tight hamstring and chest muscles can improve posture.
Although back pain can’t always be prevented, there are things that you can do to try and lesson the chance that you will wake up one day with stiffness, pain, and a bad spinal alignment.