Poor posture can cause many ailments, such as joint and muscle pain, faulty movement patterns and degeneration of joints, according to corrective exercise specialist Anthony Care, author of "Pain-Free Program." If any joint is out of alignment or does not have optimal range of motion, then it will affect the quality of movement in nearby joints. This causes a chain reaction of joint and muscle problems that affects places that are distant from the original cause.
Types of Posture
Anterior posterior tilt involves your pelvis is tilted forward excessively, causing your lower back to hyperextend and your abdominal muscles to protrude forward, according to Carey. This is common among pregnant women, women who have been pregnant, and men with large bellies. Their excessive weight in the abdomen pulls their center of gravity to the front of their body.
Posterior pelvic tilt involves the pelvis tilting back excessively, causing the lower back to lose its natural curve and your buttocks to appear droopy. This also causes your shoulders and head to protrude to maintain your center of gravity.
Elevation deviation is where one side of your pelvis is hiked up, causing the shoulder on the same side or opposite to raise. This causes a shear compression upon your spine that causes pain.
Rotation deviation involves the turning of your shoulder girdle or pelvis that causes your body to turn. According to Carey, this is the posture that causes the most pain and joint problems and should be addressed first before the other posture deviations.
Effects
All types of posture cause arthritis in your joints, herniated discs, jaw pain, joint stiffness, weakness, chronic fatigue and migraines, according to Carey. The elevation posture also causes uneven wear of your joints in your left and right sides because of the different pressure and weight shifting upon your joints, particularly in your hip, knee and ankle. Tight muscles from poor posture also cause trigger points in your muscles and connective tissues.
Prevention
Corrective exercise is the first line of defense against chronic pain caused by poor posture. This involves identifying the type and cause of poor posture and what strategy is used to correct the problem. Corrective exercise combines many methods of strength and flexibility from various disciplines, such as sports medicine, post-rehabilitation, massage therapy and human biomechanics. It often addresses the source of the poor posture from areas that are distant from the symptoms, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Movement."
Considerations
Work with a qualified medical or fitness professional with a background in corrective exercise, sports medicine or post-rehabilitation as well as exercise science. He should conduct movement screenings and posture assessments that examines how well you move and identifies causes of pain and poor posture. You should perform the prescribed corrective exercises twice a day for a determined duration. Then you should be re-assessed in one or two weeks to see if the exercise program works.
References
- "Pain-Free Program"; Anthony Carey; 2005
- "Movement"; Gray Cook; 2010
