Incorrect posture places stress on your joints, muscles, bones, nerves and tendons. It forces your body's muscular system to adapt to improper alignment. Correcting your posture requires effort, practice and different exercises that help your body return to its proper standing and sitting positions. Learning about the different effects and consequences of poor posture may provide you with the motivation necessary to making postural changes.
Muscular Imbalances
Poor posture may create muscular imbalances. For example, if you sit hunched at a desk all day and bend your head and neck forward to read a computer screen, you may experience muscular tightness and elongation due to your posture. Sitting or standing in a crouched position shortens your chest muscles, disrupts your neck and spine alignment and stretches out and weakens your upper back muscles. Muscular tightness or stiffness may reduce your blood flow to your muscles and tissues, reducing the amount of oxygen that they receive.
When your muscles become tight, they pull on other muscles and may cause tenderness or pain. Your shoulders are relaxed when you stand and sit in correct posture. Poor posture that involves shrugging your shoulders or bending them forward may contribute to your headaches, back and neck pain.
Exacerbation of Health Condition Symptoms
Temporal mandibular joint disorder consists of a combination of symptoms that involve the joints in your jaw and the surrounding muscles. Symptoms include grinding or clenching your teeth, headache, earache, jaw clicking and facial pain. Poor head and neck posture may exacerbate symptoms of TMJ. Leaning your head forward strains your jaw, neck and head muscles, causing additional discomfort in your affected areas.
Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation of your joints. Symptoms include stiffness, joint pain, swelling and decreased range of motion. Commonly affected areas include your hips, knees and shoulders. Poor posture places excess strain on your body part and the uneven weight distribution that often accompanies incorrect posture may cause more pain throughout your body.
Fatigue
Poor posture strains your joints and makes your muscles work harder to support your body. Sitting or standing in a prolonged position that does not promote postural alignment wears down the muscles and joints in your body. The muscular strain may cause fatigue and deplete your energy supply. Fatigue may interfere with your activities of daily living and may require you to get additional rest.
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