This archive report was first published on 2 July 2021.
Published on July 2, 2021, research has shown that poor posture can have a significant impact on our overall health and wellbeing.
Bad posture isn't just unseemly; it can cause a multitude of health problems such as neck and back pain, headaches, and poor balance. It can also lead to gastro-intestinal issues such as heartburn, indigestion, and in extreme cases, constipation and incontinence.
There are also research studies being done on whether poor posture affects mood, sleep patterns, and energy levels.
While there are hereditary causes of bad posture, most people develop it over time as a result of lifestyle. Some of the common causes include:
Wearing high heels, which force your weight to shift to your toes, forcing your lower body to lean forward to ease the pressure on your forefoot and your upper body to lean backwards to maintain your balance.
High heels can also lead to a greater pressure on the body, causing it to adjust and potentially leading to long-term neck and back pain.
Many women experience a change in gait and posture that starts during pregnancy and becomes exacerbated by carrying your child on your hip or using front-loading baby carriers.
The effect of the increased weight on the torso or hip over time is often chronic back or hip pain.
Another common cause of bad posture is hunching over your computer, known as 'tech neck', which can cause an increased curvature of your upper spine, leading to neck, shoulder, and upper back pain as well as chronic headaches.
Carrying a heavy bag for prolonged periods can put a strain on the back, but this strain on your posture is even worse when you carry a single-strap bag on the same shoulder day-to-day.
How you sleep is an often-forgotten cause of bad posture, with your pillow and mattress density playing a key role in spinal alignment while you sleep.
Over time, the loss of bone density results in an increasingly stooped posture, and age also slows down your metabolism, leading to weight gain, which can put strain on your lower back.
Fortunately, there are exercises that can help strengthen your back muscles, including the glute bridge, plank, and child's pose.
