Your back is one of the most complex, efficient and wonderful parts of your body. It is made up of 24 separate vertebrae, supported by tendons, ligaments and muscles, ranging in size from the huge latissimus dorsi, that stretches from your shoulders all the way down your back, to the tiny teres, minor muscles that pull your upper arms towards your shoulder blades. Your back is extremely flexible and supple, but it’s also understandable that a part of your body with so many moving parts can prove to be such a trouble zone.
Cardiovascular exercises, such as walking, cycling, swimming and weight training, help strengthen back muscles, but the key to preventing back pain in the long term is to work on developing your core muscles. core muscles are responsible for supporting your whole torso. ‘They’re a network of inner-linked muscles located deep in the centre of your trunk. They’re beneath the abdominal and back muscles, and visible just under your skin. ‘Because most of us don’t actually use our core muscles, they become ‘switched off’ so we’re not aware of them and they stop doing their job.

There’s no real definition of “good” posture. Basically, if you can stand naturally straight without making your muscles rigid and can sit with your back comfortably straight, you’re doing fine. But if the natural curves in your spine become exaggerated, all sorts of problems can crop up: back and neck pain, headaches, hip pain, fatigue, cramped internal organs and restricted blood flow and breathing, which can contribute to stress and feelings of helplessness.
Your body is held in various positions by your skeletal muscles. Movements are possible because of muscles pulling on bones. If you have ever noticed a crane working on a construction site you will know the beam of the crane is somewhat like the bones of your arms and legs. Cables push the movement from one direction to another. Muscles in your body can be likened to the cables. The skeletal muscles, or voluntary muscles enable movement and connect one bone to another.
There is no denying good carriage is very important. When you first glance at a person you naturally notice how he or she is carrying themselves. Carriage reflects our alertness, breeding, and strength of character. The parts of the body will be balanced when good posture is present. When standing the neck, shoulders, lower back, pelvis, and hip joints all should be in line with one another. When sitting, the hips and back of the thighs should support weight and the feet should be flat on the floor. The lower back should be supported by the back of the chair.
To achieve efficient movement it is necessary to maintain holding your skeleton together through the ligaments and muscles of the body. The organs in the body have a spatial or relative relationship to each other. It has been determined good posture will be developed when it is possible to conform to good balance in daily activities including work, playing, sitting, walking or running.
The manner in which you choose to sleep is of major importance as over your life span you perhaps will sleep one third of the time. There cannot be one perfect position for sleeping, but certainly some positions should be avoided. When sleeping the spine should be in a normal curve and sleeping on the stomach should be avoided. Using a pillow or pillows that are too high will not be good for your body. While sleeping on the back there should be support under the knees. If you choose to lie on your side be sure to keep your knees bent and have your pillow just high enough to keep your neck straight. An excellent secret of good posture is changing positions during your period of sleep. The body usually automatically changes positions as you sleep. It is very rare for a person to fall asleep in one position and to wake in the same position without changing positions during the sleeping period.
Good posture can be established in childhood through good habits as it is very hard to master these habits after bad posture has existed for many years. Parents should do their very best to teach their children good posture habits in the early childhood years. A child can easily learn the correct way to sit at the table or at a desk while studying and doing homework. When a child is allowed to do his homework or to study while lying down he will form the habit of poor posture at an early age. By noticing how the child is standing a parent can make suggestions and corrections that can be followed for better posture. Schools can provide proper seating and teachers can show students the proper manner in which to sit correctly.
Not all types of physiques are the same so this makes it impossible to standardize the human body. The best posture for each individual will be determined by the individual’s body structure. There is considered to be a standard for each type of physique. Each person will have individual body curvatures that will be different from the other. It is possible to inherit weak ligaments and muscles making parts of the body more prominent than others. Bodily structures can be suppressed in the body build of one person and not in another.
It is necessary that there be a conscious decision to achieve the most perfect posture and to form the habits of checking your own individual posture. Of course in daily life there will be times when posture will not be considered. There have been several studies at various research facilities that have revealed a definite correlation between good health and good posture. Having good posture can be a contributing factor in preventing disorders such as menstrual abnormalities, foot problems, arthritis, and also backaches.
The major causes for poor posture need to be mentioned as these can be due to many factors including inherited or organic defects, faulty habits, clothing or fatigue. There are many people who have inherited limbs of uneven length, crooked spines, defective bones, weak muscles, or deformities such as bowed legs or constitutional disorders. Sometimes even malnutrition especially during the childhood formative years can be a contributing factor in poor posture. For the majority of people having poor posture it is due most likely to faulty or bad habits in sleeping, walking or sitting. Fatigue can be a common cause of bad posture as habits of slumping can be from muscle relaxation. Having a profession where one deals with delicate work requiring very close concentration can be a factor contributing to poor posture. Sometimes a person can also have poor vision that leads to faulty posture as it would require leaning over to read.
There is a common type of poor posture caused by postural defects due to curvature of the spine. There exists in the human body four curves, two are present at birth and these are the sacral and thoracic. As a person matures and grows two others are added, the lumbar and cervical. With these four curves the balance of the body becomes maintained. If the spine if perfectly straight these curves can be seen when viewed from the side. This includes both a view of the front or the view from behind a person.
Poor posture can affect the health of a person as there exists a cramped position of the internal organs in the body. These organs consist of varied abdominal, the lungs and the heart. The body cannot function normally if the organs are pushed against each other by the presence of poor posture. The circulation of the body is slowed down and ligaments can be strained. When the body isn’t functioning normally then the diminished blood flow can lead to chronic disorders. When the blood isn’t allowed to flow as it properly should then other parts of the body can become congested with blood. The pelvic organs can suffer if other organs are sagging. If a person tries to read by looking down too far or by looking up too high then the eyeballs can become distorted. Poor sitting habits can lead to bad reading habits and also then to defective vision. Neuromuscular fatigue can result from poor posture and cause the body to have less energy. The joints become strained and become also painful. Often in later years a person can develop severe pain from backaches caused by many years of poor posture. A person can also become “pot bellied” with constant fatigue and stretching of nerves in the spinal cord. The abdominal organs in the body can also sag. Sometimes the result of poor posture can be a great deal of foot pain as the feet fatigue very easily.
Over a period of years the habits that have been formed in sleep, sitting, or walking can have an effect on the skeleton. The spine has bones and cartilage disks that are very sensitive. There are hollow bones in your spine called vertebrae that are stacked one upon the other. There are many major nerves that enter and leave these spaces between the vertebrae and if damage has developed over many years to the cartilage disks or the bones then the nerves can become pinched. This causes pain to occur that can feel like an electric shock to certain areas such as the legs, back, shoulders or neck. This can be prevented by the practice of good posture.

So, let’s make a review:

Posture problem causes

  • Lack of trunk muscles puts the body in a constant slump
  • Muscle imbalance, gravity or spasticity pulls us to one side or the other
  • Inactivity or lack of exercising drastically decreases physical fitness, leaving us fatigued or in chronic pain
  • Habitual functional activities done the same way every day, such as hooking the same arm on the chair back for support, can cause contractures and severe muscle imbalances
  • Poorly fitted equipment — wheelchair, cushion or back — places the body in a poor position

When left unaddressed, the problems magnify, possibly causing worse problems. Sitting crooked means uneven weight distribution and possible skin sores. Slumping or slouching makes the lungs work harder, compromising respiratory function. Poor posture while sitting or wheeling puts extra strain on the neck and spine, causing pain and discomfort. The more slumping or leaning or slouching in response to pain, the more pain or fatigue that is produced.

Auto - Evaluation of posture problems:

Determining whether you’ve got a problem may be as easy as asking, and honestly answering, a few questions.

  1. Do you have chronic pain in the neck, lower back or trunk?
  2. Is your fatigue more in the trunk and back, rather than in your arms or shoulders?
  3. Do you sit crooked? Are you leaning to one side or the other? Is one hip higher than the other? Is one hip or knee more forward than the other?
  4. Are you always leaning a bit forward, or is balance a problem?
  5. Do you have breathing problems or trouble getting full breaths?

Thinking about these questions is a good first step. Answering yes to any means you may need to go further.
Looking at how you’re sitting is a good second step. Get someone to help. When facing a mirror, is more of the chair back visible on one side or the other? When viewing a profile, do your ear lobe, shoulder joint and hip joint form a straight vertical line above the chair axle?
Remember: living in our bodies day to day makes it difficult to always recognize small changes which can result in big problems. You may need to make a conscious effort to observe and evaluate how you sit.
The third step is seeking the opinion and evaluation of a physical or occupational
therapist or physician trained in spinal cord injury.

Easy solutions to everyday posture problems:

Routine activities can put your body out of alignment and create pain or discomfort. Here are a few common problems and simple alterations that might help:

  • Posture problem: Bifocals make you tilt your head back to see your computer screen, causing nerve irritation, headaches and neck pain.

Solution: Try dedicating a pair of single-lens glasses to use when working on the computer.

  • Posture problem: Working on reports makes you lean over your desk, straining your neck and back.

Solution: Try using a holder to raise your reading or writing material to eye level.

  • Posture problem: You’re a back sleeper but wake up stiff and achy.

Solution: Try placing a triangular-shaped wedge pillow under your knees to keep your spine in a comfortable position.

  • Posture problem: Standing to wash dishes or prepare food strains your back.

Solution: Try opening the cabinet beneath the sink and placing one foot on the bottom. Alternate feet every few minutes.

To exercise the spine and to remove curves, one can lie on the back and bend the knees over the body, bringing the forearms up around the knees and claspign the tips of the hands together to hold the legs together then rocking the body from side to side like a cradle.

Excellent posture can be obtained by regular exercise as stated above and by just being aware of the need for practicing good posture habits. The quality of a person’s life especially in later years can be determined by a lifetime of good posture.

Sources: ivillage.co.uk, essortment.com, craighospital.org

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