Pain is something that an estimated 20% of people over 45 live with daily. There are many reasons for pain, but one that is often suggested is bad posture. It is certainly true that poor posture can cause deformities, issues, and pain. But, how do you tell if your pain is from poor posture, or something else?
Symptoms
The first thing you need to understand is the symptoms of poor posture. This will help you to identify whether you have it or not.
- Rounded shoulders
- Back pain
- Unexplained aches
- Muscle tiredness
- Head that naturally sits at an angle, usually forward or back
- Bent knees even when standing
- Potbelly
The Problem With Poor Posture
You have many different muscles in your body, approximately 600 in total. These can be split into two main types, static and phasic. Your static muscles are deep within your body and help with posture control. They use little energy and can function for long periods
In contrast, phasic muscles are nearer the surface of your body and are great for sudden and short bursts of energy.
The problem with bad posture is you start relying on phasic muscles instead of static. This allows the static muscles to weaken, making it harder to hold the correct posture. The result is aches, pain, and fatigue as you rely on the outer muscles for posture control.
Dealing With Bad Posture
The only way to deal with and correct bad posture is by becoming aware of how you stand and move versus how you should. You can then complete exercises, as prescribed by a reputable physiotherapist Concord, to strengthen the muscles and improve your posture.
This process takes time and patience, you are retraining your body after years of getting it wrong! The secret to success is to focus on performing the exercises daily, the rest will then take care of itself.
Knowing The Difference
Bad posture is obvious in the way you stand and walk. It results in aches and pains, usually in backaches. To work out whether it is a posture issue or something else causing the issue you will need to speak to a specialist. They can examine your posture and check where the pain is.
If necessary, they will even perform X-rays to establish any damage or weakness in your spine. Once they discover what postural actions you are taking that are causing stress in your back they will be able to advise regarding correcting the issue.
That is perhaps the most amazing thing about the human body. It can adapt and heal itself, you simply need to focus on the right posture and the associated exercises as provided by your doctor and your physiotherapist
Of course, if you have recently experienced a trauma then this could be the cause of your pain. But, to be sure, you will still want to have it checked out by a professional.
